Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[Mountain Momma]

Great video Bee!

The videos are great! Frizzels are soo cute when they run.

We had 3-4 inches of snow this morning. Swept off the chicken patio and they ventured out but hung in the coop most of the day. It was 20 degrees out at 6:30pm and 20 degrees inside the coop as well. So I locked them up early and closed the windows to just a crack. In a couple hours they had the temp up to barely 30 degrees and seemed comfortable. So far I have resisted the temptaion to heat them. Its 10 degrees outside now and the coop is still right around 28-30 degrees. Water slushy in the chicken tank and snow melting off the roof into the barrel (probably because of heat escaping from house). This is an early start for really cold temps.

I met one of my neighbors on the driveway. Showed him the new pup. Emma. Yes, I know. Pics as soon as my phone uploads them. Dog math.

My neighbor's Aussie. Rhena, had come home from up the road with blood all over her face and front legs and chest. He was heading up the road to see where she had been. She was edgy circling us and trying to get him to head back down to their house. She had no wounds but was very bloody, like she had stuck her head and body in a very fresh carcas. Of course Darcy bolted the electric fence and followed her to her house so my neighbor headed back home to send my dog back to me. (a big relief to me, as he is almost 70 and its 10 degrees out and he is out tracking a fresh kill with a dog that smells like blood).

My hopes are all in this new pup. I hope she is smart and crafty and brave. I need her to lead the other two and protect the boundary. I need her to alert me if something is in the area and yet stay out of trouble. She is 5 weeks old, has dark blue eyes, white eyelashes and she smells like a puppy. So far she has peed three times outside and one time in. She ran to the door with the other dogs and made a little poo inside and a little poo outside. Her poo had bits of toys in it. She must have gotten into something at her previous home.
She was the one I liked the best a couple weeks ago and the last puppy they had left today. I liked her dove gray color, it's not dark at all but a really pretty weathered color. She tried to get outside to do her duty and shes only been here since 4 today so I think it is a good start. She is half Aussie and half English sheep dog. She is a dove gray with black spots white blaze on her head and chest and all white feet. I dont know why no one else picked her she is very expressive and already knows her name. She tried to sleep in Henry's boots which is great because Nina tends to dominate the animals in our home and having one that tunes in to Henry would spread it around a little bit.

So today was bitter cold wet and snowy and filled with new tires, pumpkin carving, puppies, costumes and the whisper that our mountain lion is back.
Grow up fast little Emma cause I need you on the front line!

Goodnight friends!

 

[Pozees]

The videos are great! Frizzels are soo cute when they run.

We had 3-4 inches of snow this morning. Swept off the chicken patio and they ventured out but hung in the coop most of the day. It was 20 degrees out at 6:30pm and 20 degrees inside the coop as well. So I locked them up early and closed the windows to just a crack. In a couple hours they had the temp up to barely 30 degrees and seemed comfortable. So far I have resisted the temptaion to heat them. Its 10 degrees outside now and the coop is still right around 28-30 degrees. Water slushy in the chicken tank and snow melting off the roof into the barrel (probably because of heat escaping from house). This is an early start for really cold temps.

I met one of my neighbors on the driveway. Showed him the new pup. Emma. Yes, I know. Pics as soon as my phone uploads them. Dog math.

My neighbor's Aussie. Rhena, had come home from up the road with blood all over her face and front legs and chest. He was heading up the road to see where she had been. She was edgy circling us and trying to get him to head back down to their house. She had no wounds but was very bloody, like she had stuck her head and body in a very fresh carcas. Of course Darcy bolted the electric fence and followed her to her house so my neighbor headed back home to send my dog back to me. (a big relief to me, as he is almost 70 and its 10 degrees out and he is out tracking a fresh kill with a dog that smells like blood).

My hopes are all in this new pup. I hope she is smart and crafty and brave. I need her to lead the other two and protect the boundary. I need her to alert me if something is in the area and yet stay out of trouble. She is 5 weeks old, has dark blue eyes, white eyelashes and she smells like a puppy. So far she has peed three times outside and one time in. She ran to the door with the other dogs and made a little poo inside and a little poo outside. Her poo had bits of toys in it. She must have gotten into something at her previous home.
She was the one I liked the best a couple weeks ago and the last puppy they had left today. I liked her dove gray color, it's not dark at all but a really pretty weathered color. She tried to get outside to do her duty and shes only been here since 4 today so I think it is a good start. She is half Aussie and half English sheep dog. She is a dove gray with black spots white blaze on her head and chest and all white feet. I dont know why no one else picked her she is very expressive and already knows her name. She tried to sleep in Henry's boots which is great because Nina tends to dominate the animals in our home and having one that tunes in to Henry would spread it around a little bit.

So today was bitter cold wet and snowy and filled with new tires, pumpkin carving, puppies, costumes and the whisper that our mountain lion is back.
Grow up fast little Emma cause I need you on the front line!

Goodnight friends!

Emma sounds adorable, and luckily has found a home with someone who is home during the day, because 5 weeks is WAY young for pups to leave Mom. 7 weeks is usually the minimum age. If it was me, I would worm the pup this week (almost every puppy has roundworms) and give her first shots when she turns 6 weeks of age and boost at 9-10 weeks. You can buy them and give yourself if you are comfortable with that. She is too young for rabies, I believe, most vets recommend ~12 weeks, so if you've had any rabid animals in your area keep a close eye on her - she should have natural immunities from her mother still protecting her but by the same token she should have her mother teaching her how to be savvy in dealing with the world. Your adult dogs will be a huge help in that regard. Once I finished the first series of vaccinations, FWIW, I rarely re-vaccinated. I have read many many studies, most of which conclude a dog's immune system not only doesn't require or benefit from most annual boosters, it is sometimes weakened by them. Don't take my word for it, please, I have been dog-less the last two years since I lost my constant companion to age and heart disease (accompanied me to work every day) and will remain so until I feel I have enough time and energy to devote to either raising a new pup or training an outcast adult - the latter is actually my preference, saves a lot of time on housebreaking and you know what you're getting.

If I sound like I'm on a soapbox I sincerely apologize. I have witnessed too many heartbreaks when it comes to young puppies. Chances are Emma will be absolutely fine no matter what you do, dogs as a rule are pretty healthy.

Did your chickens get your pumpkin carvings? What are your kids going to be for Halloween?

 

[delisha]

Quote:
Not our time to hunt Owls..its Owls time to hunt the chickens here in Wisconsin

 

[bobbi-j]

Well, I've had my 25 pullets (all almost 7 months old) locked in the coop and run for a week. I've topped out at 11 eggs one day, and yesterday dropped to 5. So, I either have a few very productive girls and the rest are slackers, or not everyone is laying every day. I'm not home during the day so I can't really go observe throughout the day as to who's hanging out in the nest box. Not comfortable doing the gynecological exams. I'll just have to do some observation when I can, and do some judicious culling, I guess. (I'm not in any hurry to do that) We have had quite a swing in weather so I'm sure that is part of the problem. On another note, I think my feed is finally fermented, so I'm going to feed it when I get home from work today. I think my holes in my "draining bucket" may be too small, so I'm going to separate the two buckets this morning when I leave so it's not too shloopy when I get home. Not sure if that's the proper procedure or not, but that's what I'm going to do. Have a great day, everyone!

 

[Dee Dee 2]

EEEEEKKK ! What type of feed are you feeding that would be "fermented" . YUCK ! I thought you were NEVER supposed to feed anything moldy or "fermented" ? Very curious.

 

[delisha]

Started a fresh bucket of FF day before yesterday. I used the left over juice from the first bucket and it seems to be ready earlier than the first time I started. Maybe my imagination. The meaties are growing so fast, the temps are dropping again and I am grateful for the quick feathering.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Great video Bee!

X2!

 

[thedragonlady]

The person who made the kung fu rooster video just posted a new video two hours ago. Not as good as the original, but still a fun watch.

Lucky he's a Bantam! When he nails a child, he won't seem so cute ! I can just imagine getting those games started with Monty, my 7 1/2 month old, 14 LB. English Buff Orpington cockerel. He could do some serious damage now, but imagine what would happen when he's all grown up !

 

[delisha]

Dee Dee ,welcome to the group. You will have tons to learn here about many beneficial ideas, including Fermented Feeding. There is actually a whole sticky dedicated to the Fermented Feed process, the health benefits, the results, and reasons for using it. It helps to cut feed costs, makes the gut conducive to absorb healthy nutrients to name a few. Who would not want that for the flock?

 

[Miss Lydia]

EEEEEKKK ! What type of feed are you feeding that would be "fermented" . YUCK ! I thought you were NEVER supposed to feed anything moldy or "fermented" ? Very curious.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/644300/fermenting-feed-for-meat-birds Enjoy and Welcome to BYC