First Run of Cornish Cross Meat Birds and Super Excited!

[mountain mom]

Holm, I am so sorry to hear about your sweet girl! And as Ralph said, crying is allowed. I cried when I had to cull my Bonnie.

It is so frustrating when you have something like that happen, especially when you are so diligent. You can't blame yourself though.

 

[holm25]

Thanks MM

 

[Turkeytruff]

Please do not post lines like the highlighted one on this site again, doing so make me reconsider my decision to never have a goose around again. Do you think one gander alone would keep BoPs away?


I could probably handle one goose, I had 8 that was my problem.

8 - yikes! Although every year my geese practise frequently, they never seem to be successful and so far no little goslings - for which I am thankful

. 2 are enough. Gertie, the female, hisses at me all the time, although I have done nothing but feed her and give her a comfortable room to sleep in every night. She was 8 months old when I got her, and I think they were less than kind to her. Or maybe she just hates me

. Stanley on the other hand loves coming up to me and having a long chat about the state of the world and I pat his chest. He hisses at my husband, who tickles him with a cane when he gets close.

1 Gander might do it - but I do think they get lonely for their own kind. And apparently they can live between 25 - 84 years old! Yes 84 - they will need to be passed on like a parrot - or perhaps, ahem, go to freezer camp. (Don't tell my husband)
We have huge bald eagles and hawks that regularly sweep over; they see the big turkeys and the geese shout at them and they just fly on by so far.

I did have a peregrine falcon come and kill one of my chicks in a chicken tractor last summer. Why do chicks/ chickens decide that when the predators come they need to stick their head next to the wire and invite them to have a go???
Incubation fever has set in again, and I have a dozen eggs on Day 10 in the bator. Oh dear, here we go again

8 meatie and 4 BCM eggs...

 

[Turkeytruff]

PS duluthralphie don't your turkeys hang out with the chickens? wouldn't they keep the BoPs away?

 

[duluthralphie]

Not really.......

My turkeys, I am sure help. Last summer I only had two adult turkeys. This fall I had 5 turkey chicks killed by eagles. One of the larger turkey hens suffered a ripped neck and died about 2 weeks later.

It was a 5 month old turkey hem that died in the attack that took the last chick.

I have lots of cover, I am putting up more all the time. I am losing the birds to young eagles, you know those that are still dark and do not have the white head yet. I have a couple eagle nests in the area, one within about 300 yards. (less than 1/4 mile).

I had an owl pick a guinea fowl out from between two turkeys not too long ago, the guinea refused to go into the coop and I got tired of his playing make the farmer run game. So I told him/her stay outside and die, see what I care, and he/she did.

I also have a flock of wild turkeys that frequent the south tip of my property often, so the BoP are very use to large birds. What I would like to do to the BoP is illegal in all 50 states and most of Europe.....

 

[JessicaThistle]

So look what happens here when I am MIA for two days. Sheesh. This talk has nothing to do with CX! But, I find it interesting just the same. Missing ya'll. We don't say that in Oregon but I thought ya'll would appreciate it here.

I read through the last four pages and can't remember a darn thing when I clicked on the reply box. I really think it is time for some sleep! Let me fill you in on the goings on here lately. Chicken health and welfare is improved drastically at the egg farm! The girls are happy, their feet are clean, they are scratching through straw and following my husband outdoors. He said he went out to explore their outdoor area and at least 150 hens followed him straight out the door to see what he was up to. AWESOME! I love it!

We have been washing and packaging eggs like crazy! I delivered 24 dozen eggs to stores on Monday and will be delivering 172 dozen to another local chain store tomorrow. I also delivered 10 dozen duck eggs to one account that asked for them when I was delivering the chicken eggs. Wahoo!

We plan to get our egg room set up and a brooding area right quick first. Being able to bring the eggs home to wash and package will save time, despite the twice daily 50 minute one way drive to the farm. We have placed an order for 300 chicks to start getting grown out. The oldest batch that we have is 2 1/2 yrs old and even though they still lay, they need to be rotated out of production within the next few months. They are a breed notorious for egg eating too, so they cost extra money when you are talking egg production. Ugh! So many things to deal with! I have another established laying batch and a batch of pullets that will reach egg laying age within two months.

I wish you all lived here nearby me. I would buy all of your extra eggs to sell to my commercial customers!!! They want more than my girls can produce!!

Well, I better head off to bed. I need to be up at 5:30 am tomorrow to get ready for my big delivery. I'll check in within the next few days. Carry on here.

 

[LindaB220]

So look what happens here when I am MIA for two days. Sheesh. This talk has nothing to do with CX! But, I find it interesting just the same. Missing ya'll. We don't say that in Oregon but I thought ya'll would appreciate it here.

I read through the last four pages and can't remember a darn thing when I clicked on the reply box. I really think it is time for some sleep! Let me fill you in on the goings on here lately. Chicken health and welfare is improved drastically at the egg farm! The girls are happy, their feet are clean, they are scratching through straw and following my husband outdoors. He said he went out to explore their outdoor area and at least 150 hens followed him straight out the door to see what he was up to. AWESOME! I love it!

We have been washing and packaging eggs like crazy! I delivered 24 dozen eggs to stores on Monday and will be delivering 172 dozen to another local chain store tomorrow. I also delivered 10 dozen duck eggs to one account that asked for them when I was delivering the chicken eggs. Wahoo!

We plan to get our egg room set up and a brooding area right quick first. Being able to bring the eggs home to wash and package will save time, despite the twice daily 50 minute one way drive to the farm. We have placed an order for 300 chicks to start getting grown out. The oldest batch that we have is 2 1/2 yrs old and even though they still lay, they need to be rotated out of production within the next few months. They are a breed notorious for egg eating too, so they cost extra money when you are talking egg production. Ugh! So many things to deal with! I have another established laying batch and a batch of pullets that will reach egg laying age within two months.

I wish you all lived here nearby me. I would buy all of your extra eggs to sell to my commercial customers!!! They want more than my girls can produce!!

Well, I better head off to bed. I need to be up at 5:30 am tomorrow to get ready for my big delivery. I'll check in within the next few days. Carry on here.

Jessica, I'm so proud of you!!!!! Y'all have it going on. Yes, you and hubby are working your butts off, but oh, the payoff. Not so much in money (yet) but in the feeling of accomplishment in your endeavor. What kind of chicks did you order. White eggs or brown.
Well, I've had a reality check at my house. My plans are going to be downsized for a while. (Close your eyes Ralph). I spent the night in the hospital yesterday. A massive bladder infection. Not a heart attack like my daughter was afraid of or a kidney stone. Just an infection. Cost me time, money and a set back in my egg and bird buying. My DD Aimee said that I should go ahead and do the right knee surgery before I really get into it. (Don't want to, don't want to) I've already committed to eggs so I'll have to hatch them but I guess I'll wait on the ISA Brown's. sigh
It showed me one thing, I have to have a better bank roll to get started on this. I may just have to spend the whole year setting up the coops I need and fencing to accommodate a lot more pullets. The new subdivision 5 min away has 150 houses and SIL Clint said that it will have 450 within the year. I'm so in the right place.

 

[dpenning]

Jessica, I'm so proud of you!!!!!   Y'all have it going on.  Yes, you and hubby are working your butts off, but oh, the payoff.  Not so much in money (yet) but in the feeling of accomplishment in your endeavor.  What kind of chicks did you order.  White eggs or brown.  
Well, I've had a reality check at my house.  My plans are going to be downsized for a while.  (Close your eyes Ralph).  I spent the night in the hospital yesterday.  A massive bladder infection.  Not a heart attack like my daughter was afraid of or a kidney stone.  Just an infection.  Cost me time, money and a set back in my egg and bird buying.  My DD Aimee said that I should go ahead and do the right knee surgery before I really get into it.  (Don't want to, don't want to) I've already committed to eggs so I'll have to hatch them but I guess I'll wait on the ISA Brown's.  sigh
It showed me one thing,  I have to have a better bank roll to get started on this.  I may just have to spend the whole year setting up the coops I need and fencing to accommodate a lot more pullets.  The new subdivision 5 min away has 150 houses and SIL Clint said that it will have 450 within the year.  I'm so in the right place.  

Sorry to hear of the hospital visit but your health is nothing to mess around with. The friends I have that have had knee replacements said they don't know why they waited so long. They were in Chronic pain before and they felt great when they finished rehab.

 

[duluthralphie]

Sorry to hear your ill Linda. Get well and get it over with so you can get back to your chickens.


I have a sad tear jerking story to tell today, and Yes, I am the villain in it. I feel terrible about it so take it easy on me.

But first I need to update you on Rick, he is not doing well, he moved outside today but can barely walk, I have been feeding him bird seed along with his feed. He is still living with the CX;s, Bert seems to be protecting Rick, which is so backwards. On the good side, Bert got lucky! Or at least he tried. I saw him get on top of one of the CX pullets. I am not sure he actually did his job, I am doubtful as the pullets are not laying and do not seem to be in a hurry to start laying.


Now to the sad story. We are over run with grey squirrels, since getting chickens we have more and more of them. They are becoming a nuisance, furry fuzzy tailed rats. We live about 15 miles from a larger town/small city. People in the town live trap squirrels and bring them out here and release them. We are surrounded by land we formally owned until it was taken by eminent domain to make a goose refuge. It is mainly swamp and woods. The good people think they are doing a good thing by moving their squirrels out here to become my problem.

I do not mind a reasonable number of squirrels, not the number we have. I have tried hunting them and eating them. I do not really care for squirrel meat and it is a lot of work for the small amount of meat. I have so many hollow oaks that if I step out the door with a gun the squirrels hide. Proving squirrels are not dumb. This story will prove they are even smarter than I thought.

Women. please grab a kleenix now as you will need it shortly. It nearly brought me to tears and you all know what a heartless arse I am.

I have placed sheet metal on my wild bird feeders outside my dining room window. I have hung noise makers, I have done all the passive methods to keep the squirrels away. I decided I had to take a more drastic step. I went and dug out one of my double ought weasel traps. Yes, the steel jars of death. I figured the squirrels would be big enough to just get scared and bruised in such a small trap. I placed it on the frozen water ( we call that ice here in Minnesota) in my bird bath. The squirrels climb the bird bath then jump to the feeders. I cannot move the bird bath because of frozen ground.

I had the trap there for a week, A humiliating week, in which my wife teased and harassed me because the squirrels would sit next to the trap look at it and jump to the feeder. I figured out yesterday placement was bad on the trap. I moved the trap from the middle of the bird bath to the edge, thinking the fuzzy tailed rats would reach over the edge of the bird bath, when climbing up, and place hi little finger into the trap, it would snap he would pull his hand out and run away scared to death.

Well, my plans rapidly inhale air. ( In keeping with the rules on profanity). This morning I am having coffee and watching my birds. The trap in on top of the bird bath. I got up and went into the kitchen to make more coffee. I come back and the trap is gone and the birdbath is wiggling. I forgot to mention I wired the trap to the birdbath pole to keep it from being drug away. I look on the ground and their is a cute little squirrel with his foot stuck in the trap, his back foot, not the one I wanted to get. He was pulling but the spring of the wire and the pole was not giving him a solid enough pull to get free.

I looked at him and thought, I will finish my coffee and them go let you out. I even told the squirrel that though the window. I sat down and was drinking my coffee and watching the news. I happen to look out the window and I see two big brown eyes staring in looking at me pleading with me. Yep, the squirrel climbed the pole with the trap on his leg and sat in the birdbath and just stared at me, not with a mad look, but with a helpless look.

I swear he knew I could help him. I almost started crying right then he was so pathetic and helpless. I left my coffee to get cold and went out to free him.


Now freeing a ticked ( word changed to comply with the rules on profanity) off squirrel from a leg hold trap is not all that easy. As pathetic and helpless as he looked, he was ready to bite. He was fighting me the whole way. I used a stick to hold him against the post of the bird feeder. He started crying and whimpering. A crying squirrel is a terrible sound. I now knew I was the worlds biggest sphincter. My dogs were interested in the squirrel and were not listening as well as trained dogs should. I made them back off and released the spring on the trap and the squirrel took off, rudely leaving without so much as a thank you!

My young dog could not contain herself she took after the fleeing squirrel. The squirrel leaped on an oak and started up it, The dog followed leaping at the same time, the dogs jaws snapping shut on dead air, missing the squirrel by inches.

Hopefully the squirrel will heal and learn from the experience, never coming back to my feeders. I am also hoping he tells his squirrel friends, but I doubt that will happen an hour later I had a bigger fatter squirrel on the feeder..


I have not reset the trap. I am considering other options.

I may buy a live trap and transport and release the squirrels in town.

 

[LindaB220]

Sorry to hear your ill Linda. Get well and get it over with so you can get back to your chickens.


I have a sad tear jerking story to tell today, and Yes, I am the villain in it. I feel terrible about it so take it easy on me.

But first I need to update you on Rick, he is not doing well, he moved outside today but can barely walk, I have been feeding him bird seed along with his feed. He is still living with the CX;s, Bert seems to be protecting Rick, which is so backwards. On the good side, Bert got lucky! Or at least he tried. I saw him get on top of one of the CX pullets. I am not sure he actually did his job, I am doubtful as the pullets are not laying and do not seem to be in a hurry to start laying.


Now to the sad story. We are over run with grey squirrels, since getting chickens we have more and more of them. They are becoming a nuisance, furry fuzzy tailed rats. We live about 15 miles from a larger town/small city. People in the town live trap squirrels and bring them out here and release them. We are surrounded by land we formally owned until it was taken by eminent domain to make a goose refuge. It is mainly swamp and woods. The good people think they are doing a good thing by moving their squirrels out here to become my problem.

I do not mind a reasonable number of squirrels, not the number we have. I have tried hunting them and eating them. I do not really care for squirrel meat and it is a lot of work for the small amount of meat. I have so many hollow oaks that if I step out the door with a gun the squirrels hide. Proving squirrels are not dumb. This story will prove they are even smarter than I thought.

Women. please grab a kleenix now as you will need it shortly. It nearly brought me to tears and you all know what a heartless arse I am.

I have placed sheet metal on my wild bird feeders outside my dining room window. I have hung noise makers, I have done all the passive methods to keep the squirrels away. I decided I had to take a more drastic step. I went and dug out one of my double ought weasel traps. Yes, the steel jars of death. I figured the squirrels would be big enough to just get scared and bruised in such a small trap. I placed it on the frozen water ( we call that ice here in Minnesota) in my bird bath. The squirrels climb the bird bath then jump to the feeders. I cannot move the bird bath because of frozen ground.

I had the trap there for a week, A humiliating week, in which my wife teased and harassed me because the squirrels would sit next to the trap look at it and jump to the feeder. I figured out yesterday placement was bad on the trap. I moved the trap from the middle of the bird bath to the edge, thinking the fuzzy tailed rats would reach over the edge of the bird bath, when climbing up, and place hi little finger into the trap, it would snap he would pull his hand out and run away scared to death.

Well, my plans rapidly inhale air. ( In keeping with the rules on profanity). This morning I am having coffee and watching my birds. The trap in on top of the bird bath. I got up and went into the kitchen to make more coffee. I come back and the trap is gone and the birdbath is wiggling. I forgot to mention I wired the trap to the birdbath pole to keep it from being drug away. I look on the ground and their is a cute little squirrel with his foot stuck in the trap, his back foot, not the one I wanted to get. He was pulling but the spring of the wire and the pole was not giving him a solid enough pull to get free.

I looked at him and thought, I will finish my coffee and them go let you out. I even told the squirrel that though the window. I sat down and was drinking my coffee and watching the news. I happen to look out the window and I see two big brown eyes staring in looking at me pleading with me. Yep, the squirrel climbed the pole with the trap on his leg and sat in the birdbath and just stared at me, not with a mad look, but with a helpless look.

I swear he knew I could help him. I almost started crying right then he was so pathetic and helpless. I left my coffee to get cold and went out to free him.


Now freeing a ticked ( word changed to comply with the rules on profanity) off squirrel from a leg hold trap is not all that easy. As pathetic and helpless as he looked, he was ready to bite. He was fighting me the whole way. I used a stick to hold him against the post of the bird feeder. He started crying and whimpering. A crying squirrel is a terrible sound. I now knew I was the worlds biggest sphincter. My dogs were interested in the squirrel and were not listening as well as trained dogs should. I made them back off and released the spring on the trap and the squirrel took off, rudely leaving without so much as a thank you!

My young dog could not contain herself she took after the fleeing squirrel. The squirrel leaped on an oak and started up it, The dog followed leaping at the same time, the dogs jaws snapping shut on dead air, missing the squirrel by inches.

Hopefully the squirrel will heal and learn from the experience, never coming back to my feeders. I am also hoping he tells his squirrel friends, but I doubt that will happen an hour later I had a bigger fatter squirrel on the feeder..


I have not reset the trap. I am considering other options.

I may buy a live trap and transport and release the squirrels in town.

Jeez, Ralph, I was going to suggest Squirrel stew for the chickens, but I don't think you can do it. I am so sorry for your plight. So not crying into my hankie. More of a giggle. May be the pain meds talking here. ha