Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

Going to leave soon to go back to the hospital. The cardiologist and neurologist are supposed to be there around 1 today. The physical therapist was there already this morning and with the assistance of a walker they got her to walk a little bit in the hallway. Until we get to speak to the neurologist we still have no idea just how severe it was, but it appears to not have been a bad one thankfully. I was too tired yesterday to inform everyone, but I got some good news that had me shedding happy tears. My Branch is a daddy!!!!!! My cousin was like me and got her dates wrong and this Sunday was day 21. She had 3 hatch yesterday and another one is working it's way out this morning. She's had 1 silkie hatch that is jet black, and 1 each from Raven and Squirrel. the one that is trying to hatch is another Squirrel baby. She showed me pictures of them on her phone this morning when she picked up her eggs. She also wants me to save another 18 eggs to try to incubate again. It was her first time incubating and she thinks she may have made some mistakes the first time around and wants to set another round this Saturday. Once she moves them to the brooder she's going to send me some good pictures of the ones that have hatched this round. Unlike me though who is crossing everything possible that Ezzie is a girl, she's hoping her silkie is a boy.

I am certain some good news was really appreciated this morning. I am very excited for Branch!

 

[bgmathteach]

@RoyalChick This isn't the most informative site, but love the topic for you.
14 Black Chicken Breeds You Can Easily Raise

 

[RoyalChick]

@RoyalChick This isn't the most informative site, but love the topic for you.
14 Black Chicken Breeds You Can Easily Raise

Thank you (as she sits there drooling!). It doesn't have Polish or Marans curiously. I must say, much as I love the black glossy feathers with the green and purple sheen - the black comb (like Ayam Cemani just look scary to me!

 

[bgmathteach]

Thank you (as she sits there drooling!). It doesn't have Polish or Marans curiously. I must say, much as I love the black glossy feathers with the green and purple sheen - the black comb (like Ayam Cemani just look scary to me!

True, but you have to limit it as some point. And Polish, in particular, aren't 'Easy' chickens per say due to their head feathers affecting visibility. They do have the

Crevecoeur though ​

You do realize that the Silkies have black combs and wattles, too, right??/ It is just that they are much smaller in size/visibility

 

[RoyalChick]

True, but you have to limit it as some point. And Polish, in particular, aren't 'Easy' chickens per say due to their head feathers affecting visibility. They do have the

Crevecoeur though ​

You do realize that the Silkies have black combs and wattles, too, right??/ It is just that they are much smaller in size/visibility

I actually did not realize that about Silkies. Just adds to their strangeness!

 

[bgmathteach]

I dispatched over a hundred before calling in a professional (who offered me a job on his team). I used mainly snap traps and the zapper.
In the pre-zapper era I did live trapping and released them in the woods and I got curious and spray painted their tails before release. Astonishingly few came back to the house, but enough for me to decide I was nuts doing trap and release on mice!

I am saving up my Amazon Gift Cards to be able to afford the Zapper (I earn points on a site that I convert to $5 or $10 AGC)

I haven't had much luck with the snap traps. I must not be placing them in the best spot. They either trip it but don't get caught, or walk around it

Edit: I haven't had much luck IN THE BARN/CHICKEN area. I HAVE in my house, though...it was infested with mice when we moved in!

 

[RoyalChick]

I am saving up my Amazon Gift Cards to be able to afford the Zapper (I earn points on a site that I convert to $5 or $10 AGC)

I haven't had much luck with the snap traps. I must not be placing them in the best spot. They either trip it but don't get caught, or walk around it

For the snap traps I think the bait is key.
The perfect bait - irresistable to mice but not grab and run - is peanut butter coated in scratch grain. The scratch grain sticks to the peanut butter and WHAM!
The best location is close to, but not touching a wall. But with a big infestation as I had, you can get them in the center of the floor, up on the countertops and anywhere else you can imagine.
I don't really use my live traps any more and would be happy to send some to you - I was contemplating giving them to Habitat for Humanity but I suspect they won't be interested. I have a load of 'mice cubes' - very simple but very effective - and a multi mouse one that is also very effective.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B002PACRHC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000WZ4KO0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_image?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Hope those links work. For both of those the best bait is a half Goldfish cracker (peanut butter too messy for these).

Just PM me if you are interested.

 

[Kris5902]

I bet some 2x2s would be light enough and strong enough. Good luck!

I use 2x4’s on the bases of larger moveable things and 2x2’s for above ground, it keeps things light without getting into pvc etc. Depending on ground… skids can work really well for many applications and wheels/rollers on back edge and a tie down ratchet strap material makes a good tow rope. You can lift the leading edge just enough to slide it without too much stress on the materials. Anything over 6’ wide is challenging though. I’ve had issues with 2x2’s as bottom boards on the meat tractors here. Not all the breakage has been cow related…

Ooh I like that idea, but would have to work out how to deal with the legs. They stick down about 4inches below that bottom horizontal tube.
DH was telling me it would be quicker & easier to move if it were on skids.

It is light, yet the nice width prevents me from picking up both sides at once. So I go back and forth moving each side, flexing it (prob not so great for it). I asked DH how I could make a lifter, picturing a square assembly of PVC tubes that I would hook under the middle horizontal tubes, lifting the whole thing straight up with no pulling-in force, while I stood in the middle of it. He said the PVC would not be strong enough.

 

[bgmathteach]

For the snap traps I think the bait is key.
The perfect bait - irresistable to mice but not grab and run - is peanut butter coated in scratch grain. The scratch grain sticks to the peanut butter and WHAM!
The best location is close to, but not touching a wall. But with a big infestation as I had, you can get them in the center of the floor, up on the countertops and anywhere else you can imagine.
I don't really use my live traps any more and would be happy to send some to you - I was contemplating giving them to Habitat for Humanity but I suspect they won't be interested. I have a load of 'mice cubes' - very simple but very effective - and a multi mouse one that is also very effective.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B002PACRHC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000WZ4KO0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_image?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Hope those links work. For both of those the best bait is a half Goldfish cracker (peanut butter too messy for these).

Just PM me if you are interested.

I have one of the second ones (different brand, but same thing). My husband stole it for his truck because the mice kept eating the wires & he had to replace the whole horn assemble 3 times in 6 months!!! [Darn GMC for using a soy based cover on the wires ]

 

[Marie2020]

Going to leave soon to go back to the hospital. The cardiologist and neurologist are supposed to be there around 1 today. The physical therapist was there already this morning and with the assistance of a walker they got her to walk a little bit in the hallway. Until we get to speak to the neurologist we still have no idea just how severe it was, but it appears to not have been a bad one thankfully. I was too tired yesterday to inform everyone, but I got some good news that had me shedding happy tears. My Branch is a daddy!!!!!! My cousin was like me and got her dates wrong and this Sunday was day 21. She had 3 hatch yesterday and another one is working it's way out this morning. She's had 1 silkie hatch that is jet black, and 1 each from Raven and Squirrel. the one that is trying to hatch is another Squirrel baby. She showed me pictures of them on her phone this morning when she picked up her eggs. She also wants me to save another 18 eggs to try to incubate again. It was her first time incubating and she thinks she may have made some mistakes the first time around and wants to set another round this Saturday. Once she moves them to the brooder she's going to send me some good pictures of the ones that have hatched this round. Unlike me though who is crossing everything possible that Ezzie is a girl, she's hoping her silkie is a boy.

Such good news. congratulations