FLORIDA!!!!!ALWAYS SUNNY SIDE UP!!!

[ProgressiveHomemaker]

Quote:
I know someone who is looking for silkie pullets/hens. Shall I tell her to contact you?

 

[a1m]

Hello,

I am in the Kissimmee area. A little over 2 weeks ago I bought 4 baby chicks from Hal's feed store. Although I used the excuse that the kids have been wanting to get some, they were really for me (bring back some old memories)

Anyhow, since I got them, I bought a nice (large sized) cage, water bottle, heat lamp etc. etc. Since I live in a condo, I am unable to keep them anymore as they have grown older.

Is there anyone interested in 4 baby chicks. When I bought them, I was told they are 2 weeks old so now they are a little over 4 weeks old. I used to let them walk around for an hour outside so that I can change the bedding (pine sheets) but the last time I did that (2 days ago) one of them ran fast. And I mean super-fast!

Any help is much appreciated!

Thanks

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Quote:
Do you have any idea what breed they are? That would help if someone were interested. Were they sold as pullets or straight run?

Shellie

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

We have fuzzy babies and feathered babies.

Bunnies

Peacock: he had a rough hatch so shoes to get his toes flat and hobbled to prevent splay.

 

[carolsaucier]

I love the shoes..................is that going to be his/her name? Or is it going to be sneakers?

 

[ItsAZOO32]

Quote:

You're trying to get me divorced aren't you ?! That speckled bunny...

 

[carolsaucier]

Wish I had a place for Shoes, think I'm in love. such a cutie

 

[AspiringUrbaniteFarmer]

I love the Peacock & I want to snuggle the bunny's face.

My Carolina Wren who made a nest in a planter box up against our concrete shed had two out of four eggs hatch this morning. The babies are pathetic, kind of cute & ugly all at once. When I peeked in the nest, I saw one flailing around & opening his mouth to the sound of my voice and the other's egg was split in two & I watched it push it apart. I'm sure they'll be more alert & cuter as the days go by. Very exciting to watch!

On unrelated notes but what I originally intended to post.......

I have lots of questions & I'm not sure where to post....if there are better places to ask these, please direct me or suggest.

ONE- Do you vax your birds for Coryza? If so, where do you get the vaccine, is it expensive or difficult to administer? I didn't think I'd ask about vaccines b/c I'm all into Organic & Natural living... but I am also considering "adopting" & slowly integrating birds from other flocks & I don't want my birdies to ever get sick or harmed.

TWO- I am considering "adopting" a small flock of hens who are just about to lay. The owner says they were just medicated for worms & that "you have to worm them twice a year when they start looking pale faced & acting kind of sick." I have no idea, since I've never had chickens before, if this is true or what. His birds currently free range with a pig in close quarters. I read about the Coryza & I am just slightly worried about these birds transferring any diseases or anything to my current birds. For now I long to adopt these birds, but my gut feeling & heart are telling me to not take the risk that they have a bad disease & could pass it on to my current birds.

THREE- When you do any integration, what are your tactics? I have five silkie babies a couple of weeks old & my two Easter Eggers who are a month old. I mix them outdoors in a makeshift covered cage to protect them while they are little and "free range" ... I put them in there together for about an hour a day and mostly they separate & keep to themselves.

Now that I have finer hardware cloth on my coop, I mix them inside the coop after they "free range" together & the silkies stayed in there fine a few hours. I started with about thirty minutes at the beginning of the week & have been adding time as the days go by. I'm finding that it is helpful to read these boards & get everyone's input & I really appreciate it! Thanks.

How do you all feel about these things? Am I being overprotective, reasonable, unreasonable, or you just think I've gone chicken crazy? I almost feel like a cat lady with chickens here! PHEW.

 

[lyric]

Good day my peeps,

We need a Floridian, chicken-neckin', pow wow and quick! That's chicken talk for we need some networking advice, please

.

Here's the situation, we have the land and are prepping; i.e., educating ourselves to take possession of it. Well, DH knows stuff, I'm the one who has never lived on a small farm or in a rural area.

We are running upon code after code, fee upon fee, which is making it next to impossible to live on our own land. In a fit of genius, DH suggested I turn to you good folk for ideas, expertise or know-how, on how to deal with Floridian laws/codes so we may make our dream come true. To explain our situation I have pasted an email below that we sent to a farmer that was a businessman before moving to the country. He does not live in FL though and I think DH's idea of talking to Floridians makes sense. If you know of anything that may help us, will you please share how we can make this happen sooner versus later?

We thank you in advance for any advice imparted.

Good morning Jim,

We would like to humbly take you up on your offer of bouncing stuff already, please.

First we would like to share some information with you that is not apparent on our website. We are newly married and it came to my attention that the neighbors where we now live are not too fond of the fact that I married (and brought home to live with me) a woman not of European descent. I know, archaic and sad. Suddenly I am having increased "issues" living here thus one small reason we pushed and secured our land. We need to move if things escalate and we simply want to be prepared to do so.

I never knew the code barriers that exist in living on one's own land. I have come across fee after fee after fee. Many of the ideas I have come up with to make it happen I am told there is some Florida code or fee which is making it extremely difficult, to say the least, to take care of my family. We simply want on our land and to be left alone.

For instance, I can install a septic (it would cost upwards of $5K for someone else to install); I also know how to dig a well; but am told I am not allowed to do so (that is upwards of $10K), we have information about the impact fees that will give us a break (thank goodness), oh and get this, yesterday I am told I HAVE TO hire a "professional mobile home mover". I had lined up (I am big on bartering) someone with a truck to assist with this. But, that now adds another, what $5k or so-we don't even know what that costs. In your experience do you know of ways around all these fees that perhaps we can employ?

And, get this, codes do not allow me to live in my RV on my own land (stationary). We were prepared to obtain a mobile home; however, all these other fees are making this not so doable yet due to reasons stated above [not to mention our basic dream of living in the country] we have GOT to figure this out. It is non-negotiable.

 

[AspiringUrbaniteFarmer]

Hi Lyric,

I am sorry you and your husband are running into troubles ... moving is stressful enough! Unfortunately you usually can't just do what you want with your land. There are lots of rules b/c government assumes we're all total morons (or at least that's how I feel about it most days) and you need to pull a permit for almost everything. Go to city hall & the permit division should be very helpful, may not even realize what you're asking for, & hand you proper permits so you can legally do what you want with your land. In the city of Melbourne, I've found them to be way reasonable & they ABSOLUTELY DO TRY TO HELP YOU if you want do something & they have to tell you no. They will suggest different approaches, & do all but show-up and help! At least, that's the experience I've had.

What city are you moving to?

If/when the time comes that you may need a lawyer to do something you're "not allowed to do" my hubby has described several situations where say... this guy wants a fence that's twelve feet high & next to the road. The township says the fence can only be 6 feet high & has to be twenty feet from the road. After going to court, & my hubby's efforts, guy proudly walks with the government's permission to erect his insanely tall fence! WOOHOO! I love hearing his stories like this one. I feel like I should be able to be riding a horse nude like Lady Godiva if I wish on MY LAND. Ugh. Stupid rules!!!!

If the time comes for you to hire a lawyer, let me know & I'll give you my hubby's contact as at least a starting point. But hopefully you won't have to go that route, since lawyers = expensive... though maybe worth it to you to be able to do what you want & change the rules?! Sometimes it's cheaper to get a lawyer, though, if you truly want to do something "out of the box."