California - Northern

[ronott1]

So after almost 20 weeks Curly died last night. I put him in his nest box last night after he spent the afternoon/evening in the tractor and noticed that he was pretty mellow. He usually flaps a bit when I pick him up. Anyway didn't really think anything of it and then this morning he was gone.

Wanted to thank you all for your advice when he was tiny. For anyone who doesn't remember or who wasn't around last spring: I assisted his hatch and could see at the time that he was compromised but started feeding him and bracing his legs/making shoes for him and he made it. As time went on one of his legs regressed and became so deformed he couldn't straighten it; the other one had curled toes so he spent a lot of time just hanging out but he could move around well enough to get his own food and water and he seemed content.

Anyway I wouldn't do it again but I am glad I did it for him. He became a frequent guest at outdoor barbeques and just this weekend was hanging out with me in the kitchen, eating watermelon and scrambled eggs while I made dinner for the humans. He ended up being really pretty, creamy white with red/golden lacing. As Tom said, he had some chicken happiness which is more than he would have had if I hadn't had you guys to help me save him. So thanks!

He did have a good life. Sorry for your loss.

 

[tommysgirl]

chiquita I just read about your losses. You must be reeling. I am so so sorry. That is scary that whatever it was was so bold

I haven't read enough to catch up totally but did Orlando show back up? Glad for the return of the Guinea.

Ali so happy for you as you get ready to make this move. My moving advice = order pizza and Chinese and purge. When we moved we had zippo furniture in our new living room for like a year because I wouldn't move the rag tag misc weird hand me down stuff we had had in our previous home. I like my living room now. I chose all the stuff in it.

So Tom has the support structure for what was to be Curly's "handicoop" almost completed. I had planned on moving a couple of his hatch-mate pals in with him then next spring/summer to put a collection of bantams in there. Wonder what we will do with that space now...

 

[Ali707]

My gosh, I'm so sorry to hear about all the losses Chiquta but am glad to hear that some are slowly staggering home. I lost all my flock (except my roo, Big Daddy) a couple of years ago. All 35 were in a pile inside the run and my rooster was out. As I walked up to the coop, Big Daddy came rung down to me...I was trying to figure out if I had missed locking him in the night before and then notice how quiet it was....not even the horses were making noise. I'll never forget the site of all my girls and baby chicks piled up like that. I've rarely named a chicken since. My heart goes out to you.

I hope everyone is safe from the fire near the Redding, it sounds pretty nasty and fast growing.

Is it wrong to be happy someone is up posting this late? Its usually just me, here by myself! Insomnia Queen! I took a sleeping pill 2 hours ago and I'm not even beginning to feel sleepy! Although I've posted more then one Ambien post over the years! :0

Ali, congrats on the new house! How exiting for you!

Linda, love the new farms name and congrats on the ability to have roosters again. I know how much you love the boys! If you're looking for BCM, I have some beautiful boys from very dark eggs.

Speaking of roosters, I have a question....I have a beatiful OE cockerel. He's blue like my OE pullet from the same hatch (Blue Copper Marans/Ameraucana). Since the OE's beautiful olive egg doesn't get passed on then what is the benefit to having an OE roo?

Gosh I've missed everyone. I'm having girl stuff surgery next week so I'll be moving into this thread for my recovery! Be forewarned! :LOL:

Did you ever find out what got to your chickens? What would pile them up like that and then leave them? Thank you for the well wishes on the house. AND of course it isn't wrong that others are sharing in your misery! I probably did it to myself yesterday with too much coffee! But then again that doesn't explain the night before.

I would use 6 foot no climb and heavy gauge poultry netting on top.

great news on that. are you moving right away?

Oh dear. Looks like at least 1 of the 2 missing guineas made it but did not come home last night. Its in the neighbors trees making a horibble racket. I think I'm going to hide today.....

Man you had quite the variety out there. How do you get a guinea to come home? Sorry about the ducks. Funny and sorry about your floor. (The things we do for our birds) I was wondering what you were going to do with all the birds until you can reinforce the pens......

So after almost 20 weeks Curly died last night. I put him in his nest box last night after he spent the afternoon/evening in the tractor and noticed that he was pretty mellow. He usually flaps a bit when I pick him up. Anyway didn't really think anything of it and then this morning he was gone.

Wanted to thank you all for your advice when he was tiny. For anyone who doesn't remember or who wasn't around last spring: I assisted his hatch and could see at the time that he was compromised but started feeding him and bracing his legs/making shoes for him and he made it. As time went on one of his legs regressed and became so deformed he couldn't straighten it; the other one had curled toes so he spent a lot of time just hanging out but he could move around well enough to get his own food and water and he seemed content.

Anyway I wouldn't do it again but I am glad I did it for him. He became a frequent guest at outdoor barbeques and just this weekend was hanging out with me in the kitchen, eating watermelon and scrambled eggs while I made dinner for the humans. He ended up being really pretty, creamy white with red/golden lacing. As Tom said, he had some chicken happiness which is more than he would have had if I hadn't had you guys to help me save him. So thanks!

I really need to stop reading this thread at work. I don't know when I became such a sissy.

Sorry about Curly....I learned a lot from your trials with him and I am sorry he didn't last longer for you. I still have the one Wheaten Ameraucana that has the curled toes. She gets around okay, but that foot seems to bother her some. She is about the same age as Curly.

 

[gryeyes]

Oh tommysgirl I'm so sorry. I know curley was a special friend .
They are having a party at rainbow garden this week. I know there is extra watermelon for curley.
S

<I><*sniff*></I>
for Chiquita and tommysgirl

 

[Ali707]

chiquita I just read about your losses. You must be reeling. I am so so sorry. That is scary that whatever it was was so bold

I haven't read enough to catch up totally but did Orlando show back up? Glad for the return of the Guinea.

Ali so happy for you as you get ready to make this move. My moving advice = order pizza and Chinese and purge. When we moved we had zippo furniture in our new living room for like a year because I wouldn't move the rag tag misc weird hand me down stuff we had had in our previous home. I like my living room now. I chose all the stuff in it.

So Tom has the support structure for what was to be Curly's "handicoop" almost completed. I had planned on moving a couple of his hatch-mate pals in with him then next spring/summer to put a collection of bantams in there. Wonder what we will do with that space now...

Lol Pizza and Chinese and purge.... ha ha. I am not a purger, so the fast food sticks with me. It is much easier to move with zippo furniture, but I am down sizing yet again. I am getting rid of my old couches and leaving just one and a leather chair. I have no where else to put anything, so it has to go. Very small space.

As for the handicoop, the possibilities are endless and I daresay it will come in very handy soon! Are any of the your other chickens that hatched around that same time laying yet?

 

[ronott1]

For those asking about Freedom Rangers and breeding them:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...roup-help-us-through-the-emotions-please/1910

Read post 1912.

 

[lizanne]

I have some 10 week old Rangers right now. I have a little meat bird mix. 9 rangers 3 Marans crosses, and my 6 1/2 month old Cornish-x. My Cornish-x is a great layer. She lays a great big egg 4-5 times a week. The problem with her eggs, is that they aren't fertile. She is so big that Melvin can't seem to do the job. He tries to jump on her, she squats, and he rolls off the top. oh well....

 

[OR4-hmom]

I'm sure many of us where pulling for Curly, so sorry he didn't make it. My problem with special needs birds is that they get a special place in my heart and the loss of them is harder. He was very well cared for and I'm sure he appreciated all your efforts.

 

[chiqita]

Liz! Ai. There is a q tip or tiny pippet with your roosters name on it.

 

[lizanne]

Liz! Ai. There is a q tip or tiny pippet with your roosters name on it.

- You wanna come over and help???

I've heard a spoon works... It's the getting it out of the rooster that looks difficult. The people who do it have skills.... Poor Melvin.