First Run of Cornish Cross Meat Birds and Super Excited!

[JRNash]

That is so funny!!! The purple crazy ants have gotten rid of the fire ants. I just sprayed enough bifen and malathion to make a96 gallons of poison. It was all are nothing on my 24 x24 mancave. i

 

[duluthralphie]

What is a purple crazy ant?

Fire ants I know, I own millions of them. Killed a few hundred thousand when I was in Florida,

 

[duluthralphie]

I put Bert in with the Jr High kids yesterday. It is kind of cute to see him sitting next to his "babies" They sure look like little Berts. I am going to try to get a Fathers Day picture of him and the 2 white ones.


MY DW even commented on how fast the Bert Babies are growing compared to everything else. I think the Dixie Rainbows/CX crosses are the perfect bird. I just hope I can continue the line. After seeing the "toads" there is no doubt in my mind we could make CX's from mating two CX's, regardless of what some on BYC say.

The problem we all know is keeping the CX's alive to breeding time/age.

Did I mention I am making another tractor/brooder for Bert? I am going to put him and a hen in it. I am going to make an second floor level on it so the hen can get up for layer mash and I can control Bert's eating habits. He will not be able to reach the second floor.

I know I am being optimistic about Bert living, after watching him yesterday, I think he is going to, even though his foot does limit him, he is somewhat mobile and I think he could breed. Crossing my fingers and going for it!

 

[duluthralphie]

Penguin and another one found a "roost",

 

[JRNash]

Ruu roe shaggy. They are looking for a way out.lol. Call BatMan

 

[JRNash]

Ralphie, if you can believe it,purple crazy ants are worse than fire ants. They are a type of carpenter ant. And allmost impossible to get rid of. They don't sting,but the normal ant poisons do not work on them. They are MURDER on anything electronic. They moved in here last year. They travel EVERYWHERE
To answer your first question, though, all I can tell you is they are an invasive species

 

[Morrigan]

We just have the normal black ants here. They are very adept at getting inside the house, however.

Yesterday, we butchered a group of our meat rabbits, and only have a few more left to go. It's always really hard to do, but it was helped somewhat by the fact that temperatures were climbing into the 100s and there is no way to keep the rabbits adequately cool and comfortable. It really was time.

My layers are not loving the heat either. I've been spraying water in their yard and putting ice in their water, but they pretty much have to tough it out. I feel sorry for them panting away in the nest boxes. The little chicks are thriving on it however. They are scrambling all over the yard and mom is having a tough time keeping up.

 

[Turkeytruff]

So I'm in northern Italy for a couple more days (long story) at an Italian farm and the guy here is showing me his 100 (looks a lot like) Cornish cross but they are running around really well at 6 weeks.he also has 300 guinea chicks in his brooder, meat ducks, pigs and cows. He kills the chickens on his farm and sells 'farm gate' to the public. He is really well set up with stainless steel facilities and a huge cold storage freezer. He also showed me a pithing tool which looks like a pair of pliers with the sharp bit on one side and a blunt side on the other. Never seen anything like it before but it is commonly used here. Just thought it was interesting to see.

 

[JRNash]

Pictures please

 

[duluthralphie]

Pictures please

DITTO!!

I was trying to figure out a tool I could make to take off the heads while they hung upside down, I hate using an axe.