Colorado

[vlselz]

Wendell, glad to hear she is feeling better. There are no words to express the sorrow that comes with knowing how limited her time is here, and I hope you know I am but a phone call away if you need anything. I would venture to guess that holds true for almost anyone else reading.

indeed!

 

[saellis]

For those who care... and aren't on FB and don't get our regular updates: .....

My wife, Beth, has now begun home hospice care through Pikes Peak Palliative and Hospice. There comes a time when the chemo isn't beneficial any more, and viable options aren't there. That's where she is now. We added it up, and found that she was on 7 different chemotherapies and 181 treatments over the past 11 years, the last one was effective for nearly 4 years. 8 major surgeries as well.

So the plan now is to make her as comforable as we can, so that she can enjoy the time she has remaining with us. She actually feels much better now that she isn't getting chemo any more

I'm sorry to hear that things have progressed to this point. I went through this with my mother and step-brother. It's never easy.

 

[maggiemo]

So sorry Wendell.
I have never met you, but I read all your posts here and I feel like I know you.
It sounds hollow to say, but if you ever need anything when you are in the Boulder area let me know.
Sending hugs and peaceful thoughts.

 

[wsmith]

We appreciate everyones thoughts and prayers. The nice thing about the Colorado BYC thread and the FB Colorado Chickens groups is that we can all get along, and feel like friends, even though most of us have never met. I have met many great folks through both venues.

Beth really enjoyed hosting ChickenFest this past May, and meeting everyone who came. She still wears her ChickenFest 2013 staff shirt about once a week.

Looks like we're heading up to Christie Godsey's place tomorrow afternoon to help sort through her Dominique flock. Maybe I'll come home with one or two additional. Mine and her Dominiques are cousins...from the same stock. Christie's Dominique rooster is from my flock.

 

[Wendi C]

For those who care... and aren't on FB and don't get our regular updates: .....

My wife, Beth, has now begun home hospice care through Pikes Peak Palliative and Hospice. There comes a time when the chemo isn't beneficial any more, and viable options aren't there. That's where she is now. We added it up, and found that she was on 7 different chemotherapies and 181 treatments over the past 11 years, the last one was effective for nearly 4 years. 8 major surgeries as well.

So the plan now is to make her as comforable as we can, so that she can enjoy the time she has remaining with us. She actually feels much better now that she isn't getting chemo any more

I'm so sorry to hear that Wendell- I'm sending comforting thought your direction.

Mt. Margie-- I have no desire to hurt any animal. I took several gun classes when we bought our property, but really have no desire to use my gun. I am licensed, trained, and knowledgeable.
But... these 3 bears live in our neighborhood. I have watched those cubs grow up. I have no desire to hurt them, but... i sure don't want them in my backyard. Momma bear has meandered by several times and she hasn't harmed anything. I do have 3 bee hives and a electric fence. About 2 months ago, something tried to get in to the apiary. I saw the mulch scratched away under the gate, the wire gate smashed up a bit, but who ever tried got zapped, and has never bothered it again. 10,000 volts doesn't feel good.
Now I have seen those 3 bears walk right along the outside fence of my chicken run. I have 25 chickens and 2 large turkeys inside. They have never bothered them. BUT... I know they are trying to pack on the pounds right now, and will not give them any chance to!
So I am hoping the additional 550 feet of electric fencing and the wolf urine will keep them away. My neighbors to the north, have 6 hunting dogs and they will let them outside when the bears come, and that has been a great deterrent.
The DOW officer told me that a big dog will chase the bears up a tree. Unfortunately, my 9 month old puppy isn't that brave. But the bears don't know that!

As for bear body language, Friday was the first time I have seen the momma bear snort and start to charge. Usually she is pretty carefree, and scurries off if she sees people. She did try to get into our garage in July. But we got the garage door shut just in the nick of time. I am LOVING the nite guards (solar boxes which strobe a red light from dusk to dawn, that appears to be the iris of a big predator). We put up 10 around the property and that really took care of our bear visits. Friday was unusual since these two visits were during the day light hours.

Wendy, You're pretty brave. I would likely hide in the house... I did some research up on Pike's Peak a couple years ago and the whole time I was petrified I would come face-to-face with either bears or mountain lions.

I've been lurking around but haven't posted for a while- all is well in my hen house. With the colder weather I am trying to figure out water. I have a drip system hooked up on 3/4" pvc that is connected to a raised 4 gallon bucket, but it's been leaking in the cold weather (approx 2 gallons in 24 hours)- The primary water supply hasn't frozen solid, but there has been ice in the pipe a couple of times. I'm afraid I've ruined the poultry nipples by letting them freeze. Has anyone else had this issue?

 

[jermoatc]

Hello my Colorado peeps! I'm so glad I was directed to this thread. I am on the Northern boundary of El Paso County east of Monument. I currently have a small flock of hatchery laying hens but I am interested in developing some better quality dual purpose breeds. I am looking for somebody (hopefully someone local) who has heritage LF Barred Rocks, White Rocks, and or Speckled Sussex. Anybody know of anybody out there?

 

[wsmith]

Hello my Colorado peeps!  I'm so glad I was directed to this thread. I am on the Northern boundary of El Paso County east of Monument. I currently have a small flock of hatchery laying hens but I am interested in developing some better quality dual purpose breeds. I am looking for somebody (hopefully someone local) who has heritage LF Barred Rocks, White Rocks, and or Speckled Sussex.   Anybody know of anybody out there?

Glad you came over. Pozees, you have Sussex right?

 

[Pozees]

Glad you came over. Pozees, you have Sussex right?

I am looking for new stock currently and hoping to find someone nearby who may be attending a show in the Southeast in the near future. I had 25 beautiful chicks that all died from Marek's. I have made contact with a breeder in KY who has nice stock who will sell me a pair and/or some eggs if I can find some way to transport, as he does not ship.

As many here know, I've had a very challenging summer, and Bob has often said he would have just given up long ago. Marek's swept through the flock killing all 25 Speckled Sussex as well as a couple of RIR (both cockerels - go figure right?). The rest of the flock survived but was weakened, and soon I discovered a Silkie hen was covered with mites, so we treated the entire flock for mites, then treated them for worms. I just re-wormed everyone yesterday as I have a Legbar cockerel looking weak and will not take chances again, although I might not have caught it in time for him - he is still eating but the jury is out on whether he will survive. I am beginning to think there are parasites residing in the soil here left by the livestock that previously occupied the property, and that I will be worming periodically for the foreseeable future. Ultimately I need a flock resistant to all these things, and I will get there.

I had a strange thing happen here this past week - the trio of Egyptian Fayoumis has gotten along famously since they were youngsters, and all of a sudden one of the hens has been running from the cock bird. Tonight we thought she had run away from home, we looked all over for her, Bob finally found her in the asparagus patch, and her neck feathers are all ripped out. I think the cock bird has been far too rough with her, so we put her into the layers coop for now. It was dusk and they were all in already so we will see how they get along in the morning. Now the Fayoumi cock only has the one hen, the youngsters I have are just babies so won't be combined for a good long while yet. I hope he doesn't get so rough on the other hen that I have to separate her from him as well, but we will keep an eye on her.

 

[wsmith]

I am looking for new stock currently and hoping to find someone nearby who may be attending a show in the Southeast in the near future.  I had 25 beautiful chicks that all died from Marek's.  I have made contact with a breeder in KY who has nice stock who will sell me a pair and/or some eggs if I can find some way to transport, as he does not ship.

As many here know, I've had a very challenging summer, and Bob has often said he would have just given up long ago.  Marek's swept through the flock killing all 25 Speckled Sussex as well as a couple of RIR (both cockerels - go figure right?).  The rest of the flock survived but was weakened, and soon I discovered a Silkie hen was covered with mites, so we treated the entire flock for mites, then treated them for worms.  I just re-wormed everyone yesterday as I have a Legbar cockerel looking weak and will not take chances again, although I might not have caught it in time for him - he is still eating but the jury is out on whether he will survive.  I am beginning to think there are parasites residing in the soil here left by the livestock that previously occupied the property, and that I will be worming periodically for the foreseeable future.  Ultimately I need a flock resistant to all these things, and I will get there.

I had a strange thing happen here this past week - the trio of Egyptian Fayoumis has gotten along famously since they were youngsters, and all of a sudden one of the hens has been running from the cock bird.  Tonight we thought she had run away from home, we looked all over for her, Bob finally found her in the asparagus patch, and her neck feathers are all ripped out.  I think the cock bird has been far too rough with her, so we put her into the layers coop for now.  It was dusk and they were all in already so we will see how they get along in the morning.  Now the Fayoumi cock only has the one hen, the youngsters I have are just babies so won't be combined for a good long while yet.  I hope he doesn't get so rough on the other hen that I have to separate her from him as well, but we will keep an eye on her.

A rough year all around i think. Hang in there. Besides dismal fertility, and uber-low hatch rates, I lost about 25% of the chicks to Mareks. Then my last remaining pullets from my own breeding cut herself on a stray wire and bled out. Hoping for a better year in 2014

 

[jermoatc]

I am looking for new stock currently and hoping to find someone nearby who may be attending a show in the Southeast in the near future. I had 25 beautiful chicks that all died from Marek's. I have made contact with a breeder in KY who has nice stock who will sell me a pair and/or some eggs if I can find some way to transport, as he does not ship.

As many here know, I've had a very challenging summer, and Bob has often said he would have just given up long ago. Marek's swept through the flock killing all 25 Speckled Sussex as well as a couple of RIR (both cockerels - go figure right?). The rest of the flock survived but was weakened, and soon I discovered a Silkie hen was covered with mites, so we treated the entire flock for mites, then treated them for worms. I just re-wormed everyone yesterday as I have a Legbar cockerel looking weak and will not take chances again, although I might not have caught it in time for him - he is still eating but the jury is out on whether he will survive. I am beginning to think there are parasites residing in the soil here left by the livestock that previously occupied the property, and that I will be worming periodically for the foreseeable future. Ultimately I need a flock resistant to all these things, and I will get there.

I had a strange thing happen here this past week - the trio of Egyptian Fayoumis has gotten along famously since they were youngsters, and all of a sudden one of the hens has been running from the cock bird. Tonight we thought she had run away from home, we looked all over for her, Bob finally found her in the asparagus patch, and her neck feathers are all ripped out. I think the cock bird has been far too rough with her, so we put her into the layers coop for now. It was dusk and they were all in already so we will see how they get along in the morning. Now the Fayoumi cock only has the one hen, the youngsters I have are just babies so won't be combined for a good long while yet. I hope he doesn't get so rough on the other hen that I have to separate her from him as well, but we will keep an eye on her.

Im sorry to hear about your chicks. That sounds awful. I have a few hatchery Speckled Sussex pullets and would like to begin breeding some of my own. If you do get some eggs from down in KY i would be interested in possibly purchasing a rooster or two to begin breeding with. Ive never attempted this before so any guidance would be welcome too. I live up north of Colorado Springs so I could easily jump down to pick some up.