Coronavirus, Covid 19 Discussion and How It Has Affected Your Daily Life Chat Thread

[BigBlueHen53]

G is my partner but we have a unique relationship organization so it's easier to use a letter.

Like MROO it progressed oddly, he started off with no fever, then a low fever, 100*F and a light cough that was mild enough to be allergies. A couple days later it went up to 102 then he lost his sense of taste, then the fever went away and he got stomach cramps. Etcetc. Then as he got well in every other way he got the shortness of breath. The disease has a VERY strange behavior pattern because your body finds it so unusual it just starts throwing every trick in the book at it to get rid of it.

Ooh, thanks. Two weird symptoms I have had so far: one day I simply had no appetite all day. I could smell and taste, I just did not want anything. My Kid experienced that today, and he is 14 and normally eats like a horse! The other odd symptom was skin sensitivity. My clothes hurt! They felt as if they had been rolled in sand. Even my softest garments felt abrasive to me. That went away Saturday during the day, but I felt it again somewhat Saturday night, but not as intensely. It's a creepy feeling.

 

[Duckbreeder2020]

Ello

 

[aart]

Which brings up a question for discussion before I start digging and hammering

This might need a new build thread, eh?

add the deck into the main coop.

That was my first thought.

and I can't even take a shower without needing to sit down.

Then you're not ready to go to work.

I suspect if we had Covid we'd be REALLY sick by now.

Not necessarily.
Symptoms vary widely....some have no symptoms at all.

 

[SnapdragonQ]

Roses love clay!

Depends on the clay!
I'm on super dense red Georgia clay...the kind that suffocates plants. With enough amendments to loosen and open it up plus provide drainage has made for happy roses...but without some work about the only thing that thrives in it is saguaro cactus, um...I mean tall thistle. All 8 feet tall.

I too got a Christmas card today, postmarked Dec. 23. Hope that something is done about the postal service before spring and chick orders coming!
Mary

I hope nothing is going through TN. I'm finding that many things seem to just sit in the Knoxville distributing center for about 5 to 10 days.
Just. Sit. There.

I know it wouldn't really be my fault, or even anybody's fault, really. It's just that, until this postal mess is cleared up, I think I'll stick to hatching or local pickup. Not that I'll be doing much of either anytime soon. I joke about the kids banning more chickens, but I know it's not a good idea, right now. My hens are already a bit too crowded, so production is down.

Which brings up a question for discussion before I start digging and hammering -
This is a fairly recent pic of my coop and run. The top (cabin) is about 8 X 9' wide. It's a good 9'+ tall - plenty of room to go up with roosts & ramps. There are smallish windows on both blind sides. This is where my hens and two breeding roosters reside.

The bottom houses The Boys ... my bachelors. There are currently five in residence and they have access to both sides and a 2' 4' X 3' coop on the back ... which they have only begrudgingly begun using and only because the local foxes are way too active.

The smaller section (under the deck) has a removable wall that screws into place, but no shelter other than the roof.

View attachment 2483211

The plan (this week) is to build a "lean-to" style addition the length of the lower end and hard-mounted flush against the barn door side. It needs to come out at least four feet and will rise to the crosspiece above the barn doors. The bottom six feet of the sides will be T1-11, to match the rest of the wood. The rest will be 1/2 inch hardware cloth. The roof panel will be a corrugated clear panel slanted only enough to let the rain and whatever snow we get slide off. The front will be all wire, but have a "people door."

• Other upgrades (time and weather permitting) will be to add a removable screen panel to the top half of the dutch door to provide more light and ventilation.
• Enlarge the back widow and put plexiglass over it for the winter.
• Remove the wire from the barn doors and add a switchback ramp. The only ones that will need it are the SiIkie cross and the JG. The others fly WAY too well!
• The lower divider will go back up and the four bantam EE;s will go there. We will move The Boys' house over for them, since The Boys will once again have access to the main coop ... and the ladies.

All this is in lieu of electric fencing ... for the nasty fox creatures. The area is so small that it just doesn't make sense to put in a full electric system for it - and the many turns are seriously problematic. The other option - cheaper, but totally out of view of the house and thereby perfect for the red devils - is to hardware cloth the swing set area ... but DD still uses it, so I'm told that's not an option.

Electric-
I finally broke down and bought some electric netting fence. The kind that is easy to step in and move by oneself. It's a bit of a hassle because of the length, but it really worked to keep the very determined groundhogs out of the garden this past year. Enough so I'm thinking of making a larger day pasture area for chickens. I too have fox problems, and raccoon, and stray dogs...

You don't have to plug it into the fancy chargers that are advertised to go with them, any intermittent pulse charger, even a small plug in one from TSC, will work.
For mine, I just ran a coated wire from one strand of some poly hot wire I have as a temp pasture for the equines.

With you having some kiddos to help, yours would be a breeze to set up. I did not string all of mine out, just as much as I needed for the job, and left the extra rolled together at the end. I got the long 164' one because I knew I would use it in different places, but they come in shorter lengths.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Good morning. We are positive for Covid. DH is coughing pretty good but has no fever. I have headache, body ache and fever (100.0), but not much coughing. Very tired, low energy. House arrest coninues for another week. Hopefully it doesn't get any worse than this!

 

[Aunt Angus]

Depends on the clay!
I'm on super dense red Georgia clay...the kind that suffocates plants. With enough amendments to loosen and open it up plus provide drainage has made for happy roses...but without some work about the only thing that thrives in it is saguaro cactus, um...I mean tall thistle. All 8 feet tall.

I hope nothing is going through TN. I'm finding that many things seem to just sit in the Knoxville distributing center for about 5 to 10 days.
Just. Sit. There.

Electric-
I finally broke down and bought some electric netting fence. The kind that is easy to step in and move by oneself. It's a bit of a hassle because of the length, but it really worked to keep the very determined groundhogs out of the garden this past year. Enough so I'm thinking of making a larger day pasture area for chickens. I too have fox problems, and raccoon, and stray dogs...

You don't have to plug it into the fancy chargers that are advertised to go with them, any intermittent pulse charger, even a small plug in one from TSC, will work.
For mine, I just ran a coated wire from one strand of some poly hot wire I have as a temp pasture for the equines.

With you having some kiddos to help, yours would be a breeze to set up. I did not string all of mine out, just as much as I needed for the job, and left the extra rolled together at the end. I got the long 164' one because I knew I would use it in different places, but they come in shorter lengths.

I used electric netting to expand my chicken yard, too. It's been great! Pricey, but worth it, imo, with the predator load. Seems we have similar ones lurking around.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Good morning. We are positive for Covid. DH is coughing pretty good but has no fever. I have headache, body ache and fever (100.0), but not much coughing. Very tired, low energy. House arrest coninues for another week. Hopefully it doesn't get any worse than this!

I hope you get well sooner than later! LOTS of rest. When I push it and do more than I should, I pay the price!

 

[Molpet]

I have part of the poultry yard with 7 of the 100' e nets. Coyote jumped it one night. Deer strangled itself in it this fall. The squirrels jump through the larger holes and some of the chicks learned from them.
Other than that it works great

 

[MROO]

That's hilarious! You're a great story teller! I mean, I know it's true, but it's told great, I mean, well you know. . I can picture that big dog.

Awwww .... shucks (hands in pockets, shuffling feet in mild embarrassment) .... Thanks!

 

[IamRainey]

Oh, BigBlueHen. I'm so sorry! Your situation sounds awful. I wish I could reach out and help. But we're behind you in spirit.

Keep in mind that the mortality rate is under 2% and take care of yourselves.