Chat N Chicknfun Thread

[Bama1]

Thanks Tony- Yeah, he looks fine this am, and crowing, as usual!

I went out and put a big rug over their run to give them more shade. I guess where I picked to put the chicken church is just not shady enough. I may have to move it......dang pine trees- what good are they? I have a bunch of queen palm seedlings, I think I will plant a few around where that coop is. In a couple years they will be tall enough to provide some more shade

LOL, I am always looking for a reason to plant a palm

Yippee. So glad! I read that link I sent you and I put a shallow pan of water in the run for my chicks after reading that. I already had the shade and ventilation.

 

[chicknfun]

Quote: I thought there would be enough shade where I put that thing, but I guess with the sun getting higher in the sky, it is not as shaded as I thought!!
Windier today, as we apparently have some rain coming, so that is helping too
Thanks so much!!

 

[chirpingcricket]

OK...I thought you'll might have fun reading about my sister's emotional roller coaster ride.

I had been posting about it in the farmer/rancher thread...so I will cut and paste them into here
One of my baby sister's goats, Amaretto, just had a rough time. It was the second time for this doe to have triplets, and her fourth birth. So, you would think it would all be fine.....but.....the second one presented incorrectly. It all ended up alright, and it looks like everyone is fine ( and what totally amazes me) no one has any busted or broken anything. Sure am glad for my sister though.....it hits hard if you loose a production animal (like a goat or cow) that you expect to have for maybe 20years. Hard on both the heart and the pocketbook.

By the way, Amaretto had two girls and a boy. My sister says one of the baby girls is super cute, but she will keep both girls and eat the boy when he gets older.

Ack!

My poor sister! Another goat is kidding, and this one isn't going smoothly either. NOTHING has presented, and the goat has been in labor for almost two hours I think.

My sister finally screwed up her courage enough that she cleaned up and then lubed up and reached around inside. However, she can't figure out at all what it is that she is feeling. She isn't even sure what parts are legs.

The vet was on a different house call, just finished up, but has an hour drive to get to her place.

Poor sister.
My poor sister! Se was so stressed the first time she called, I didn't get the entire story. The goat, Pearl, did birth one kid, but then couldn't birth the second. She was in hard labor for almost two hours after the first, without the second presenting anything. The first kid did nurse.

After a third hour, Pearl managed to deliver the second kid on her own, but the second one is dead. The vet is almost there, so I told my sister to go ahead and have the vet check everything out, for infection etc. as this doe is my sister's very best milker. We talked it over, and the vet visit will be much less than the cost of replacing the goat.

The entire ordeal is such an emotional strain for my sister.

I asked her, and this *IS* the first time, in the four years that she has had her milk goats, that she has ever had such problems with the births!

I was trying to help her remember how big the sire was.... But the sire wasn't full grown when my sister borrowed him.

OK..... All over and done

It was good that the vet came.....the second one that was birthed dead wasn't quite right, just a bit deformed...

It turns out that there was a third one, the vet had to get that one out himself. The third one had died awhile back. The vet thought that the third one looked OK, and it was a freak accident in the womb that caused it to die.

He cleaned out Pearl, gave her three shots, and told my sister that Pearl looked well fed and in good health. The vet did not think that it was diet related, or disease, or the sire. He thought it was just "one of those things". Amaretto's problem was just a simple presentation problem, so not related at all to the problem that Pearl just had.

My sister is stressed. This is the first time her goats have had such trouble, and she has one more goat due soon, and this one is a first timer! My sister is thinking that maybe she will call the vet as soon as the goat goes into labor, she feels "gun shy".

It might be worth it. This next one (are they called yearlings?..heifer equivalent) is one of Pearl's kids. Pearl is a wonderful milker, and will milk at high volume for almost two years from one breeding. The sire of this yearling, cant remember her name, was just a whatever milk goat, but at least he was a milk goat. My sister usually gets meat goats as the sire.

The one *HEALTHY* baby from Pearl is a boy, and is looking great.



OK, that's it....just thought you'll would like the story.

By the way, my sister is in Texas, on the old homestead.

Wow,
Alaskan, what a story, I could just feel the anxiety.....waiting......waiting.

Thank goodness she, (the Mama's and baby's) made it through. Sad the other ones didn't, but whew, thank goodness the vet was there to deliver those. That could have meant sure death to the Mama goat.
When you depend on livestock, you tend to get real close, especially if they have been around for a while. Thanks so much for sharing that heart warming story!

Yoohoo!

Hope your chickies pull through too. Very encouraging!!! Hopefully that 'bator will behave itself so you can get those chickies hatched! I wish I could send you some of this heat/sunshine, especially when your chickies are ready to get in the new tractor.

I was just thinking earlier, if I were a chicken I would get so bored just sitting around in the heat....but, guess cause they are chickens they are OK with it. They sure seem to appreciate visits and outside activity by DH, Lady Laura and me.
We let the 2 main flocks free range when we're outside, so that helps their mood too, I'm sure.

DH and I are picking up our applications for passports today. Need to get those done asap. Still so much to do before we leave. What breeds of chickens are more specific to AK? I'm thinking they would have to be short combs and tolerate the cold, but the names of the popular or typical chickens would be interesting to study up on. Looking forward to going to the market, want to see the chickens....
Seeing a whale would be nice too. Loved the photos of the foilage, not what I expected. Breath taking landscape!

Well, it's Friday and if I don't catch up with you in the meantime, have a great weekend!

By the way, love the Avatar picture....what kind of bird is it?

 

[chirpingcricket]

I thought there would be enough shade where I put that thing, but I guess with the sun getting higher in the sky, it is not as shaded as I thought!!
Windier today, as we apparently have some rain coming, so that is helping too
Thanks so much!!

Hey Chickn, missing 'ya! So glad the fella is doing OK. This heat is wicked on the furry and feathered alike. I have even put a little sprinkler near the run area, to cool it down, birds will just go right into/under it and pick around on the ground for critters to eat. "Like water off a duck's back..." heehee

I am just loving all those palms in your yard. We have a few of the small fan/palmetto palms, that the birds will use for cover, etc. but man you have the real deal....DH gave me a ? "Pinta or Penda" palm for my birthday. Was thrilled. It's the focal point in our front yard. Always wanted a big draping palm. Queen palms are awesome too. Like you, we have our fair share of Oaks and Pines. Drats on the pines.....however,

I have meant to comment on that lovely vine you posted a week or so ago. I never thought about running vines up the pines. Great idea. What kind of vine is that? Also, I saved some Crape Myrtle seeds from our home in Mobile, before we moved. Wondered if they would grow. I think you said you grew one from a seed, it looks good. How old is it?

Oh yeah, I was out yesterday trying to prune/clear weeds and junk bushes and trees from our fence line. (All day) I remembered you said you had a Texas Sage.

I have one Texas Sage close to where I park my vehicle. Love it. We had them across our back porch/West side, so pretty in bloom. But, we had to screen in our porch, (2 years ago) and the man insisted we move them out of his way.
DH tried to replant/relocate them on the South border of our property, might have one to survive there if it can make it through the summer. I've thought about trying to root/graft a few pieces this fall. They are usually heat/drought tolerant. Have you ever tried to do this?

Good idea building off the duck pen, that's pretty much what we did too....I like it because most everyone is right there in 1 area. That way, if I need to put a fan out there, it will oscillate the area between those pens/runs.

Well, just wanted to check in with you and everyone and wish you a happy Friday, and good weekend too.
Talk to ya'll soon!

 

[chirpingcricket]

Silver, how's the packing going? Are your baby chicks still holding there on. Just wanted you to know I was thinking about you and hope you can get your move done and settled down asap. Have a great weekend!

 

[chickadoodles]

We had a skunk come around night before last and was all around the chickens in their run, guess BB heard the chickens raising cane cuz she smells like skunk as well. But it's a good thing she ran it off! So DH and I had to go out and get the rest of the wire wove together on the roof of the run quick so that if the skunk comes back it won't be able to get to the birds! I counted and I still have my 34 birds! YES!!!! BB will stink for a week or so but at least she took care of it! By the way BB has only ever had one bath and I gave it to her! But she does have some slight brain damage and she tried to bite me over the bath! SO DH said no more baths! She is a very sweet dog all the time she just did not like the bath! lol



Chickn I am so happy to hear your little guy is better! I keep two big tubs of water in my hen run and the birds all get in it or run thru it. I am going to hook up the rainbird sprinkler next month when it get hotter!



Alaskan I read the story about your sisters goat! Whoa! And yes it will help that she used a milk goat this time around! lol


How is everyone's egg's doing in their bators?


Cricket: Hope everything is going good for you all!


Tony how is your babies doing?

Bama I was looking at some pics of your new babies and they are adorable! It is almost like they have a mohawk but sideways.

 

[NestingHillsSC]

We had a skunk come around night before last and was all around the chickens in their run, guess BB heard the chickens raising cane cuz she smells like skunk as well. But it's a good thing she ran it off! So DH and I had to go out and get the rest of the wire wove together on the roof of the run quick so that if the skunk comes back it won't be able to get to the birds! I counted and I still have my 34 birds! YES!!!! BB will stink for a week or so but at least she took care of it! By the way BB has only ever had one bath and I gave it to her! But she does have some slight brain damage and she tried to bite me over the bath! SO DH said no more baths! She is a very sweet dog all the time she just did not like the bath! lol



Chickn I am so happy to hear your little guy is better! I keep two big tubs of water in my hen run and the birds all get in it or run thru it. I am going to hook up the rainbird sprinkler next month when it get hotter!



Alaskan I read the story about your sisters goat! Whoa! And yes it will help that she used a milk goat this time around! lol


How is everyone's egg's doing in their bators?


Cricket: Hope everything is going good for you all!


Tony how is your babies doing?

Bama I was looking at some pics of your new babies and they are adorable! It is almost like they have a mohawk but sideways.

Doing good!. One die did die last night. Rolled over and couldn't roll back. Next hatch going to use paper towels for at least 2 days.

 

[chicknfun]

Quote: You have nice weekend too!!

&

 

[chicknfun]

Quote: AAAWWWWWW

 

[chicknfun]

Silver, how's the packing going? Are your baby chicks still holding there on. Just wanted you to know I was thinking about you and hope you can get your move done and settled down asap. Have a great weekend!

Sil's got her yardsale today!!!

she does well!!