Getting the flock out of here - a diary of a crazy chicken man

[CanuckBock]

@CanuckBock

pictures have always been part of our reports.

Analou was savvy with a PC so she kept logs electronically

Lillian is less skilled

The following is the piglet care flow sheet

I have others for egg counts, hatch logs, medication administration, feed inventory, feed batch mix logs and many more

I enter everything into a Microsoft Access database I designed and keep very good records

I get pics of everything

When a med is given. I want to see the vial

...

I am used to running hospital departments with 120 employees and 14 million dollar budgets

Running a farm in the Philippines has some similiarities but many many differences

Photos of the medicines used is a great idea indeed!

Ha ha ha...I am betting the running of Cocobeach is way more a labour of love...than hospital administration, eh!

It is always intriguing to see how we humans apply what we consider "work" skills/abilities and weave those into the FUN parts of our lives such as animal husbandry.

I have only twice in my years here, had to leave the place in the hands of someone else (my son while Rick and I made a trip to the Border to pick up birds and once to a poultry show). I would worry I would offend my "workers" with my intensive instructions and worrisome attitude--I think I would come off as "overbearing" but I guess my concern would be creatures ending up dead because I failed them and the tenders (by maybe not be clear enough). I remember putting notes all over the place for my son to follow...he just laughed (Mom being MOM) and said it was helpful.

Tara

 

[vehve]

Yeah, leaving the birds can be a bit of a headache too. I've tried to build the coop so that the neighbors just need to check on the birds once or twice a day, but they don't really have to do that much. Your operations are on a slightly bigger scale though...

 

[ozexpat]

Photos of the medicines used is a great idea indeed!

Ha ha ha...I am betting the running of Cocobeach is way more a labour of love...than hospital administration, eh!

It is always intriguing to see how we humans apply what we consider "work" skills/abilities and weave those into the FUN parts of our lives such as animal husbandry.

I have only twice in my years here, had to leave the place in the hands of someone else (my son while Rick and I made a trip to the Border to pick up birds and once to a poultry show). I would worry I would offend my "workers" with my intensive instructions and worrisome attitude--I think I would come off as "overbearing" but I guess my concern would be creatures ending up dead because I failed them and the tenders (by maybe not be clear enough). I remember putting notes all over the place for my son to follow...he just laughed (Mom being MOM) and said it was helpful.

Tara

Thus the policy and procedure manual

something they can refer to without asking silly questions

There is no doubt that my nursing skills have helped immensly with my animal husbandry

I used to dream of being a vet. One day I may just do it.

Based on reports and pics, the piglets are weaning. Moms had PG600 to ensure no delay with cycling.

Semen has been ordered for Tuesday afternoon delivery. With a bit of luck my sows will be pregnant again on 1/15. 114 days later, the drama begins.

Pig 4 had her 3rd chance of getting pregnant today. If she is not, she will be culled in 21 days.

The chickens are on Auto pilot. We are just hatching everything we can,

The 8-12wk juveniles got Coryza vaccine today.

In two weeks we will play musical coops as the older juvies will move to the large grow out pen until they are point of lay and get introduced to their breed coop.

 

[ozexpat]

In my spare time I have been working in Autodesk Revit.

I am trying to finish the plans for submission for the workers cottage.

I have done pretty well but hit a wall. I will have to stop now and watch the videos - if all else fails, read the instructions lol

 

[CanuckBock]

Heel low:

Thus the policy and procedure manual

something they can refer to without asking silly questions

Hee hee...there are NEVER silly questions Dear Oz...I would expect the lone fact that someone asks a question shows their desire to care and do a better job at something--I always hated being told to do something without knowing the why...when I knew the "why" I was much better equipped to make decisions when things failed as they always do! One woman recalls her mother would always cut the ham in half...never questioning why, the daughter continued the family tradition to cut the ham for dinner in half. Mother visits for some celebration and asks her daughter "Why is the ham in half?," to which the daughter replies, "Because that is what you did." Mother laughs, "Honey, we never had enough money to purchase a big pan...the ham had to be cut in half to fit in the pan and the small oven we had at the time"...duh!

A question can't be silly but the answers we get sometimes, sure can be!

I think what amazed me the most is with my older son...he grew up around this life style and will visit with me when he arrives earlier and I am still in chore mode. I'll ask him to hand me something or do something and he exhibits a style all of his own. It makes me grin...he does EXACTLY what I ask of him but I am obviously not asking correctly (could be a man/woman thing too...hee hee). I probably think in a different fashion so am not clear about my wishes...I just figure I would indeed make a terrible "boss!"

I guess I am so use to doing everything I do myself...so as I age, it takes me longer to clarify and I think, "Harumph...could do that way quicker than explain it...outta me way!" It is hilarious but not dangerous since I can do it all myself. One should really practise delegation but that in itself takes effort and time--a fool proof system? heh heh heh We have a theory about as we age, allowing things to pass on from old age and not replacing them. Even the buildings here...most are on skids and of a size that could be sold and trucked outta here if we chose to quit certain aspects. So we can age gracefully and close up shop but still feel every comfortable about being in control of our destiny!

Now AFTER immigration does what it does and you can freely move between Cocobeach and NA with the whole family...what mode are you projecting you go into then? Will Cocobeach be a winter residence, a kinda retirement permanent residence in future, a half one part of the year, other half the other place...I guess I am trying to be polite without prying (not really MY biz to know your dreams...I just love enjoying seeing people succeed with their plans!) and ask what place on the Earth you and the fam will reside by choice when you are given freedom to make that choice...as of this moment because it is obvious you have been planning all along but the hiccups and destiny you may have had even one month ago would be in flux as you keep solving issues and soaking up the wins. Can't be successful if you are not able to adapt to the hurdles and successes as they go by.

I do know that you gotta manage at arm's length and put that on an already busy schedule for your day. We are all busy...so often, a P&P manual HAS to be our choice for "management by exemption!" Not there in the flesh to give someone a pat on the back or a box to the ears--pending what carrot on a stick is needed to see things thru!

There is no doubt that my nursing skills have helped immensly with my animal husbandry

I used to dream of being a vet. One day I may just do it.

It is getting to the point where like someone else I saw a while back on BYC saying something about "going to their vet instead of a human doctor." I mean I get better bedside manners from my chosen vet and techs than I see in the human medical profession of the title DOCTOR...now that I have had to go there more often due to failing health and an unsolved mystery that keeps netting me tests that say "normal!"

Yes, Oz...you would make a fabulous and stellar vet...the likes of probably the top ten percent I would expect. You care, you are knowledgeable, you are not afraid of getting your hands dirty (after scrubbing up, no less!), you are really good at taking and giving good advice, you can instruct others to be their very best...yeh, you would make an awesome practitioner for the furred and feathered ones (and hairless as in piggies and Mozza's...not so furry beasties!).

I have ever so rarely been ill but when I have found myself in a hospital situation...the nurses always always seem to have more insight in the patients than the doctors ever do (more time spent one on one perhaps...and the caring that a nurse is born with...delish!). Reminds me of an accounting firm I worked at early in my career, where the support staff knew what was going on WAY better, but it was the accountant that the clients "thought" they wanted to see...when the real brunt of their needs were easily taken care of by the staff. The accountant even went so far as to have me draft up a check list of what I NEEDED to do the income tax returns...so he would not forget something vital that I needed to do the return. The accountant floated in and signed the work...it was indeed the professionally designated accountant's word that would be held accountable if something went astray, but the funny thing is that like nurses, the real care and diagnosis was made by the supporting staff, not the supposed head of the team. The doctor often seems to merely concurred with the nurse's insights..."let's see what your chart says!"

Now a whole other situation with surgeons...I do love the support staff in that case but the surgeon's hands are the one with the scalpel ... for sure THEN I want the doc at the helm slicing and dicing! I need them then the most for being the best they can be...heaven forbid they hand the knife to the janitor to mop up the mess! LOL

I adore the nursing community...only real persons I have seen that CARE in the past few decades (with my limited need for medical attention) are the nurses (and the office staff...always pleasant and personable...hired for that perhaps)...the best ever medical professional was a nurse practitioner that actually appeared to care about HOW I FELT...maybe I just got duped by a better bedside manner (I hear some good doc's have the personality of a slug for the most part!). I was told this person moved on from the local clinic to take up their own practise...I can see why. I remember my old family doctor as a kid...he would look you earnestly in the eye...do your vitals as a matter of protocol...look at the condition of your fingernails...probably checked out all the things a VET automatically does with his own patient...shiny coat, bright eye, good smelling breath, proper body condition, hydrated, heart rate, lung capacity...hee hee...yes Oz, you would do well to become a vet...and my NEW practitioner, eh?

I think you would fit right into the vet community Oz and make a desired addition for sure. As a man, you have that flair for caring and competence that I am currently searching for in a medical human doctor. You are methodical in a good way, your being oozes care and compassion and competence--you are giving of yourself. If you want to become a vet, I'd have to figure out how to do more than a day trip away to bring you any of my subjects that needed professional attentions...hee hee...lotsa border crossing requirements but I expect as the saying goes...no journey is ever too long on the way to a friend's home!

Add become vet to that ever growing to do list my fine fella.

Doggone & Chicken UP!

Tara Lee Higgins
Higgins Rat Ranch Conservation Farm, Alberta, Canada

 

[ozexpat]

Heel low:


Hee hee...there are NEVER silly questions Dear Oz...

Doggone & Chicken UP!

Tara Lee Higgins
Higgins Rat Ranch Conservation Farm, Alberta, Canada

There sure are silly questions.

Really though I meant fear of asking silly questions that they may not ask for fear of embarrasment.

 

[ozexpat]

The "piglets for sale" sign is working!!

Just 4 to go and its day 27.

We will AI the moms om Wednesday

 

[scottcaddy]

The "piglets for sale" sign is working!!

Just 4 to go and its day 27.

We will AI the moms om Wednesday

Less mouths to feed and more feed money for what you want to feed.
I like that outlook!
Scott

Edit bad spelling

 

[Phage]

I have lost track - do you have a male keeper piglet yet or still working on that?

 

[ozexpat]

I have lost track - do you have a male keeper piglet yet or still working on that?

Male is relative - lol

I have a castrated male piglet from sow 1 that I am keeping until he is market weight of 90kg. I have him and his sister being weighed every 2 weeks so I can document growth rates against the merkan pork breeders society standards.

Theywere 42kg at 12 weeks = 1.5 kg above the curve.

He will be sold on day 133. She will be given pg600 at day 165 and then given AI on her second cycle. Once she successfuly breeds, her mama will become bacon.