Illinois...

[chickendreams24]

Looking for white &/or black long saddle or sickle feathers. Also any black/ white polka dot guinea feathers.

DD's next dance recital will need some feathered head pieces. If you happen to process any black or white roos (or find some good condition molted feathers) please send me a private message for my address. Feathers are light weight & I'm willing to pay for postage.


In 2017 I made these hairpieces for all the girls ( They did a bird-like ballet & flapper tap routines)
View attachment 1676723

This year DD will dance the black swan & her best friend is the white. I probably won't begin assembling the hairpieces until April, so please be on the look out for me. Thanks.

As always I'll keep an eye out for any feathers you might like although of course we have no guineas anymore. If the weather ever turns nice I do have some white/mostly white birds to process.

I should have turkey eggs soon.
I caught them in the act. It appeared to be successful.

Oh yay I hope mine follow shortly. I've been wanting to ask you if you've ever had a tom try and breed a chicken or will a chicken? Unfortunately last week I caught our calico boy on top of what I thought at first was the calico jenny but the bird was too dark. It ended up being a chocolate cuckoo English orp hen and he unfortunately had killed her. In his frustration with her not cooperating he continued to try and bloodied her head. This was the first time I had ever seen him try to mount any animal. It's possible he may have killed one other but we can't be sure. He is being separated until we get advice and for breeding. I don't want to have to cull him but if he continues to be a problem and kill birds we'll have no choice. Note the hen he killed was our smallest Orp and was never a very vital bird.

Hi all!

All my plans are coming together. Making a coop out of pallets and a run that will have a raised bed garden box or two on it. Buying chicks here in a week or two. Trying to suss out the best brooder option. It’s still pretty cold here (as I’m sure you know), so I’m thinking about the first couple of weeks inside, perhaps in an old playpen I can convert, then in the garage. It’s an attached garage but it’s not warm by any stretch. Might pick up one of those things the chicks huddle under. Once the backyard is not a slushy pit, I can get going on building the coop!!

I just wanted to pop in here and let you know that the knowledge I have gleaned from the Illinois forum has been just wonderful!

Congratulations and let us know what you get!

I used it on a chick or two... I ate the boys... Faraday is right.. not much has been tested on chickens..

We use blue kote as needed and so far as I know there is no withdrawal time I've gotten it on me plenty as well. I believe it's all pretty safe and natural but I would have to get out my can and check. Certainly I wouldn't cull birds from your flock for the use of it.

When you get chicks,,,, they need to be kept warm until they feather out. About 4 weeks or more depending on breed. If you had a broody hen raising them,,,,, then it is a totally different situation. Chicks hide under warm mama and leave at will.
The item you are referring to is a Mama Heating Pad. It is a good and safe option to keep chicks warm. When making your own,,, make sure your heating pad does not have the automatic shut off, after certain amount of on time.
WISHING YOU BEST,,, and keep us posted on your choice of chick breeds.

You can also get a brooder plate which is pretty much the same thing.

Thanks for all the replies. My vet does not deal with birds so I was not able to get any information from him. We are just going to throw out eggs for awhile.

@BReeder!
How are your quail chicks growing? How old now? Any pics?

A while back you asked about my cherry bush. It's this:
https://www.gurneys.com/product/carmine_jewel_dwarf_cherry

It's a sort of tart cherry. OK for eating plain, but far superior when made into cherry sauce or pie filling.

It took about 3-4 years to produce but every year the yield increases.We're not good with fruit trees & this bush literally needs no maintenance.... so it does well here. My dad found it on sale last year (Possibly from a different nursery) and bought it for me as a gift. In a few years we'll be overwhelmed with cherries!

I'm going to have to tell this one to DH2B as he keeps asking me and I keep forgetting.

Coincidence! I went to the same Big R on Monday for dog food. I saw them unloading the delivery boxes. I was so proud of myself for not buying any.

That's so funny about the shavings.

Oooooo!!!! What do they have??? Also if they have or can order buckeyes someone please let me know. Reasoning to follow in second message.

Naaaa. 6 chicks is nothing - especially when they're different breeds.

I have 16 "test eggs" due to hatch this weekend. Incoming chicks is a far greater deterrent. It would have been a bigger problem if I had gone to Big R next week with my chicks already hatched.

At that point, slipping another handful of chicks into the brooder can go unnoticed by the spouse.

It's true what's a couple more!!! Or like a dozen?!

Guess who went for a walk today?

Here's Teddy sporting his chicken harness.

I don't know who was more confused.... the little roo or all the cars passing by.

I love your family. I never have to worry about being the most crazy chicken lady as long as I'm standing next to your DD.

I moved the older chicks into the brooder this morning.

Here are the 2 seramas that hatched (out of 3 eggs). I think the last egg is dead, but since the orps are now hatching, the incubator will be on for a few more days.

One chick is a day older, but because they're the same color, I can't be sure which one.

Here are the 1st 3 orpingtons:

1st one to hatch has "eyebrows"

2nd one is "extra fluffy"

3rd one is possible a "dark chocolate"

(We give them nicknames at hatch to identify them. We don't give them a proper name unless we decide to keep them.)

A buff orp from "Cupcake" also hatched, but it will have to wait until tomorrow's chicks are removed. It seems to have a herniated navel, so some extra time resting in the incubator won't be a bad thing. Cupcake is a Buff Colombian Orp, so I'm curious to find out if it will look like the mama.


Today is day 21. 8 eggs left, so more chicks coming......

Although I've hatched a lot of chicks, it just doesn't get old. It's like opening presents on Christmas morning .... so much fun & excitement to finally see what's inside.

Awww
hatchem hatchem
Let me at em
Gonna gonna gotta snatchem!

3 more chicks hatched to add to the brooder:

Here's our Buff Colombian Orp's chick. Not sure what color to call it. Kind of a smokey yellow - hints of gray. The color makes me wonder if our lav orp is the dad.... but the "ugly-awkward" appearance is telling me she's 1/2 laced orp. (I really love my beautiful laced orps, but man, do they go through a rough & awkward adolescence!)
View attachment 1690719 View attachment 1690720 View attachment 1690721



Next hatched an egg from my blue SL Orp.
View attachment 1690716 View attachment 1690717 View attachment 1690718


Sometime in the middle of the night, Jewel's egg hatched. I think it might be a mauve, but it could also be a blue orp.
View attachment 1690713
View attachment 1690714

...and Here's a comparison pic of my 1st & last hatched. The serama is 3 days older. The orp doesn't have the leg strength to run around yet, so it's laying down. The serama is standing tall next to it. View attachment 1690715

Oh dear this is going to be long I'll probably split it in half. For whatever reason byc hasn't been telling me when there are posts here so basically I was over 26 pages behind. Yikes!

That was a lot to catch up on.

Also I lost most of my quotes because it took me several days to find the time to catch up. Bummer.

Welcome to all the newbies.

We prefer non medicated feed as the cost is prohibitive. We keep corid on hand and give each group of chicks a treatment if needed but generally they don't need it until they are put on the geougr and about 4 days after that we give them a preventative dose. We have an awful strain here that can go from no symptoms to death in under 24 or even 12 hours. We treat very quickly and almost never have losses since our first year. Not every group needs a treatment after the preventative I play it by ear mostly depending on the weather.

Spring fever has set in and the diagnosis has been compounded by cabin fever......

Set all the eggs!!!!!

 

[chickendreams24]

Okay now for the second and probably longer message.

I spent most of February, including Valentine's day, sick after getting food poisoning I was downright sick for 2 weeks and the stomach aches and other milder symptoms continued for another week after that. My stomach still hurts some when I eat so I'm still mending.

Our turkeys are great other than the calico jake killing the chicken hen and the possibility of another bird.

However we did also(before the turkey- and she was separated from them) lost our last little oegb hen, Dovey, she was a little blue brassy back and I miss her dearly she was a pet. We got her several years ago from a Wisconsin bycer and I'm not really sure how old she was. I would say at least 5-7 so I think it was probably old age considering she was just gone one morning. It was a hard loss I miss my oegb. (She also made it through the bitter cold and it was nicer when we lost her)

We have a calico pair and two pairs of blue slates. After we get eggs from them the plan is to process the spare tom from the slates, he's an in case boy. They all get along well with the chickens for the most part except at roosting time with emphasis on the calico he can be really nasty to the roosters especially.

However Friday night we lost two hens our last two buckeye hens from breeder two years ago. We really wanted to breed them this year. We don't have any left. Ugh. They have been our easiest keepers and best foragers. Judging by the tracks and everything our fox that has plagued us on and off for years is back. I hope this is the year. We saw the eye shine but didn't get a shot and couldn't clearly see what the animal was so of course we couldn't shoot. It/they left one hen I'm worried it could be the breeding pair again of foxes. Tis the season. We had a family group show up once or twice last year or the year before. I forget when exactly.

The rest of the flock is doing very well. Tired of the ice though. There is some bare ground on the south side of the house now something that hasn't been there for what feels like forever.

This last Saturday was DH2B and my 5 year anniversary and he surprised me and took me out to a fancy dinner theater. Much to my surprise after dinner before the show he proposed!!!

If anyone would like to see more pictures of my ring please let me know I didn't want to totally blow up the thread.

Not only did DH2B not tell anyone so it was totally surprise to everyone, especially me, but he also had the ring custom made to look like a rose for me and it's setting is in rose gold. It's truly stunning and I can't believe it's really mine!

For those that don't know it's been a really long road for us as we've homesteaded and canned and saved and payed off debt. Our plan is to hopefully be able to pay cash and/or provide everything we can for the wedding ourselves. While we've known we would get married having a ring now and saying we will get married sometime this year is just incredible. We haven't set a date yet as we are still working on saving for it but it's all been worth the five years of waiting and working towards this goal and all of our future goals!

As a side note if anyone has any or knows of any white/cream/ivory lace doilies please let me know. Many people throw them out or maybe sell them cheaply at yard sales and I would like to make use of them for our wedding. If need be we can probably work out some form of payment in exchange. But I know that usually such things are no longer kept and they are such pieces of history and art. The will possibly be sewn together to make an aisle runner and also on our tables at the reception. The aisle runner will then be washed and made into 1-2 table cloths to be used in our home or I may pass the runner onto another bride and see how far it can be passed. We'll see.

Thank you all for reading and being such good friends. I know some of you had asked about me in my absence.

Now onto the wedding talk!

And yes I'm trying to figure out a way to bring a chicken to the wedding.

@Faraday40 Does Teddy want to be a ring bearer? LoL

 

[Faraday40]

Okay now for the second and probably longer message.

I spent most of February, including Valentine's day, sick after getting food poisoning I was downright sick for 2 weeks and the stomach aches and other milder symptoms continued for another week after that. My stomach still hurts some when I eat so I'm still mending.

Our turkeys are great other than the calico jake killing the chicken hen and the possibility of another bird.

However we did also(before the turkey- and she was separated from them) lost our last little oegb hen, Dovey, she was a little blue brassy back and I miss her dearly she was a pet. We got her several years ago from a Wisconsin bycer and I'm not really sure how old she was. I would say at least 5-7 so I think it was probably old age considering she was just gone one morning. It was a hard loss I miss my oegb. (She also made it through the bitter cold and it was nicer when we lost her)

We have a calico pair and two pairs of blue slates. After we get eggs from them the plan is to process the spare tom from the slates, he's an in case boy. They all get along well with the chickens for the most part except at roosting time with emphasis on the calico he can be really nasty to the roosters especially.

However Friday night we lost two hens our last two buckeye hens from breeder two years ago. We really wanted to breed them this year. We don't have any left. Ugh. They have been our easiest keepers and best foragers. Judging by the tracks and everything our fox that has plagued us on and off for years is back. I hope this is the year. We saw the eye shine but didn't get a shot and couldn't clearly see what the animal was so of course we couldn't shoot. It/they left one hen I'm worried it could be the breeding pair again of foxes. Tis the season. We had a family group show up once or twice last year or the year before. I forget when exactly.

The rest of the flock is doing very well. Tired of the ice though. There is some bare ground on the south side of the house now something that hasn't been there for what feels like forever.

This last Saturday was DH2B and my 5 year anniversary and he surprised me and took me out to a fancy dinner theater. Much to my surprise after dinner before the show he proposed!!!

View attachment 1691009

If anyone would like to see more pictures of my ring please let me know I didn't want to totally blow up the thread.

Not only did DH2B not tell anyone so it was totally surprise to everyone, especially me, but he also had the ring custom made to look like a rose for me and it's setting is in rose gold. It's truly stunning and I can't believe it's really mine!

For those that don't know it's been a really long road for us as we've homesteaded and canned and saved and payed off debt. Our plan is to hopefully be able to pay cash and/or provide everything we can for the wedding ourselves. While we've known we would get married having a ring now and saying we will get married sometime this year is just incredible. We haven't set a date yet as we are still working on saving for it but it's all been worth the five years of waiting and working towards this goal and all of our future goals!

As a side note if anyone has any or knows of any white/cream/ivory lace doilies please let me know. Many people throw them out or maybe sell them cheaply at yard sales and I would like to make use of them for our wedding. If need be we can probably work out some form of payment in exchange. But I know that usually such things are no longer kept and they are such pieces of history and art. The will possibly be sewn together to make an aisle runner and also on our tables at the reception. The aisle runner will then be washed and made into 1-2 table cloths to be used in our home or I may pass the runner onto another bride and see how far it can be passed. We'll see.

Thank you all for reading and being such good friends. I know some of you had asked about me in my absence.

Now onto the wedding talk!

And yes I'm trying to figure out a way to bring a chicken to the wedding.

@Faraday40 Does Teddy want to be a ring bearer? LoL

LOL Teddy is more of a lap chicken. I personally think "Buddy" would make a very handsome ring bearer and one of your silkies as a "hen of honor". Just ask DD how to dye them to match your color palette. LOL

(Not my photo above, but yes, we really had multicolored chickens!)

And now that the big news is out..... I can make you a custom feathered hairpiece. It can be worn at the reception (or honeymoon or for a special date). I can include some of your own birds' feathers as a way to incorporate them into the wedding.

You could also add a few feathers to your choice of flowers.

(The boot made me think of your grandpa.)

Congrats again!

 

[Molpet]

Okay now for the second and probably longer message.

I spent most of February, including Valentine's day, sick after getting food poisoning I was downright sick for 2 weeks and the stomach aches and other milder symptoms continued for another week after that. My stomach still hurts some when I eat so I'm still mending.

Our turkeys are great other than the calico jake killing the chicken hen and the possibility of another bird.

However we did also(before the turkey- and she was separated from them) lost our last little oegb hen, Dovey, she was a little blue brassy back and I miss her dearly she was a pet. We got her several years ago from a Wisconsin bycer and I'm not really sure how old she was. I would say at least 5-7 so I think it was probably old age considering she was just gone one morning. It was a hard loss I miss my oegb. (She also made it through the bitter cold and it was nicer when we lost her)

We have a calico pair and two pairs of blue slates. After we get eggs from them the plan is to process the spare tom from the slates, he's an in case boy. They all get along well with the chickens for the most part except at roosting time with emphasis on the calico he can be really nasty to the roosters especially.

However Friday night we lost two hens our last two buckeye hens from breeder two years ago. We really wanted to breed them this year. We don't have any left. Ugh. They have been our easiest keepers and best foragers. Judging by the tracks and everything our fox that has plagued us on and off for years is back. I hope this is the year. We saw the eye shine but didn't get a shot and couldn't clearly see what the animal was so of course we couldn't shoot. It/they left one hen I'm worried it could be the breeding pair again of foxes. Tis the season. We had a family group show up once or twice last year or the year before. I forget when exactly.

The rest of the flock is doing very well. Tired of the ice though. There is some bare ground on the south side of the house now something that hasn't been there for what feels like forever.

This last Saturday was DH2B and my 5 year anniversary and he surprised me and took me out to a fancy dinner theater. Much to my surprise after dinner before the show he proposed!!!

View attachment 1691009

If anyone would like to see more pictures of my ring please let me know I didn't want to totally blow up the thread.

Not only did DH2B not tell anyone so it was totally surprise to everyone, especially me, but he also had the ring custom made to look like a rose for me and it's setting is in rose gold. It's truly stunning and I can't believe it's really mine!

For those that don't know it's been a really long road for us as we've homesteaded and canned and saved and payed off debt. Our plan is to hopefully be able to pay cash and/or provide everything we can for the wedding ourselves. While we've known we would get married having a ring now and saying we will get married sometime this year is just incredible. We haven't set a date yet as we are still working on saving for it but it's all been worth the five years of waiting and working towards this goal and all of our future goals!

As a side note if anyone has any or knows of any white/cream/ivory lace doilies please let me know. Many people throw them out or maybe sell them cheaply at yard sales and I would like to make use of them for our wedding. If need be we can probably work out some form of payment in exchange. But I know that usually such things are no longer kept and they are such pieces of history and art. The will possibly be sewn together to make an aisle runner and also on our tables at the reception. The aisle runner will then be washed and made into 1-2 table cloths to be used in our home or I may pass the runner onto another bride and see how far it can be passed. We'll see.

Thank you all for reading and being such good friends. I know some of you had asked about me in my absence.

Now onto the wedding talk!

And yes I'm trying to figure out a way to bring a chicken to the wedding.

@Faraday40 Does Teddy want to be a ring bearer? LoL

Congratulations

 

[Molpet]

As always I'll keep an eye out for any feathers you might like although of course we have no guineas anymore. If the weather ever turns nice I do have some white/mostly white birds to process.



Oh yay I hope mine follow shortly. I've been wanting to ask you if you've ever had a tom try and breed a chicken or will a chicken? Unfortunately last week I caught our calico boy on top of what I thought at first was the calico jenny but the bird was too dark. It ended up being a chocolate cuckoo English orp hen and he unfortunately had killed her. In his frustration with her not cooperating he continued to try and bloodied her head. This was the first time I had ever seen him try to mount any animal. It's possible he may have killed one other but we can't be sure. He is being separated until we get advice and for breeding. I don't want to have to cull him but if he continues to be a problem and kill birds we'll have no choice. Note the hen he killed was our smallest Orp and was never a very vital bird.



Congratulations and let us know what you get!



We use blue kote as needed and so far as I know there is no withdrawal time I've gotten it on me plenty as well. I believe it's all pretty safe and natural but I would have to get out my can and check. Certainly I wouldn't cull birds from your flock for the use of it.



You can also get a brooder plate which is pretty much the same thing.





I'm going to have to tell this one to DH2B as he keeps asking me and I keep forgetting.



Oooooo!!!! What do they have??? Also if they have or can order buckeyes someone please let me know. Reasoning to follow in second message.



It's true what's a couple more!!! Or like a dozen?!



I love your family. I never have to worry about being the most crazy chicken lady as long as I'm standing next to your DD.



Awww
hatchem hatchem
Let me at em
Gonna gonna gotta snatchem!





Oh dear this is going to be long I'll probably split it in half. For whatever reason byc hasn't been telling me when there are posts here so basically I was over 26 pages behind. Yikes!

That was a lot to catch up on.

Also I lost most of my quotes because it took me several days to find the time to catch up. Bummer.

Welcome to all the newbies.

We prefer non medicated feed as the cost is prohibitive. We keep corid on hand and give each group of chicks a treatment if needed but generally they don't need it until they are put on the geougr and about 4 days after that we give them a preventative dose. We have an awful strain here that can go from no symptoms to death in under 24 or even 12 hours. We treat very quickly and almost never have losses since our first year. Not every group needs a treatment after the preventative I play it by ear mostly depending on the weather.

Spring fever has set in and the diagnosis has been compounded by cabin fever......

Set all the eggs!!!!!

Yes I had a narri Tom that I caught on a chicken hen... I was there just in time... A BBB squashed his best friend before that. Usually if they have willing turkey hens available they leave the chickens alone ... but when they are raised with chickens it's said that they don't see the difference.... If you have room, confined and give him a couple turkey hens and then cull when the eggs are fertile

 

[chickendreams24]

Okay now for the second and probably longer message.

I spent most of February, including Valentine's day, sick after getting food poisoning I was downright sick for 2 weeks and the stomach aches and other milder symptoms continued for another week after that. My stomach still hurts some when I eat so I'm still mending.

Our turkeys are great other than the calico jake killing the chicken hen and the possibility of another bird.

However we did also(before the turkey- and she was separated from them) lost our last little oegb hen, Dovey, she was a little blue brassy back and I miss her dearly she was a pet. We got her several years ago from a Wisconsin bycer and I'm not really sure how old she was. I would say at least 5-7 so I think it was probably old age considering she was just gone one morning. It was a hard loss I miss my oegb. (She also made it through the bitter cold and it was nicer when we lost her)

We have a calico pair and two pairs of blue slates. After we get eggs from them the plan is to process the spare tom from the slates, he's an in case boy. They all get along well with the chickens for the most part except at roosting time with emphasis on the calico he can be really nasty to the roosters especially.

However Friday night we lost two hens our last two buckeye hens from breeder two years ago. We really wanted to breed them this year. We don't have any left. Ugh. They have been our easiest keepers and best foragers. Judging by the tracks and everything our fox that has plagued us on and off for years is back. I hope this is the year. We saw the eye shine but didn't get a shot and couldn't clearly see what the animal was so of course we couldn't shoot. It/they left one hen I'm worried it could be the breeding pair again of foxes. Tis the season. We had a family group show up once or twice last year or the year before. I forget when exactly.

The rest of the flock is doing very well. Tired of the ice though. There is some bare ground on the south side of the house now something that hasn't been there for what feels like forever.

This last Saturday was DH2B and my 5 year anniversary and he surprised me and took me out to a fancy dinner theater. Much to my surprise after dinner before the show he proposed!!!

View attachment 1691009

If anyone would like to see more pictures of my ring please let me know I didn't want to totally blow up the thread.

Not only did DH2B not tell anyone so it was totally surprise to everyone, especially me, but he also had the ring custom made to look like a rose for me and it's setting is in rose gold. It's truly stunning and I can't believe it's really mine!

For those that don't know it's been a really long road for us as we've homesteaded and canned and saved and payed off debt. Our plan is to hopefully be able to pay cash and/or provide everything we can for the wedding ourselves. While we've known we would get married having a ring now and saying we will get married sometime this year is just incredible. We haven't set a date yet as we are still working on saving for it but it's all been worth the five years of waiting and working towards this goal and all of our future goals!

As a side note if anyone has any or knows of any white/cream/ivory lace doilies please let me know. Many people throw them out or maybe sell them cheaply at yard sales and I would like to make use of them for our wedding. If need be we can probably work out some form of payment in exchange. But I know that usually such things are no longer kept and they are such pieces of history and art. The will possibly be sewn together to make an aisle runner and also on our tables at the reception. The aisle runner will then be washed and made into 1-2 table cloths to be used in our home or I may pass the runner onto another bride and see how far it can be passed. We'll see.

Thank you all for reading and being such good friends. I know some of you had asked about me in my absence.

Now onto the wedding talk!

And yes I'm trying to figure out a way to bring a chicken to the wedding.

@Faraday40 Does Teddy want to be a ring bearer? LoL

LOL Teddy is more of a lap chicken. I personally think "Buddy" would make a very handsome ring bearer and one of your silkies as a "hen of honor". Just ask DD how to dye them to match your color palette. LOL

View attachment 1691168
(Not my photo above, but yes, we really had multicolored chickens!)

And now that the big news is out..... I can make you a custom feathered hairpiece. It can be worn at the reception (or honeymoon or for a special date). I can include some of your own birds' feathers as a way to incorporate them into the wedding.
View attachment 1691145

You could also add a few feathers to your choice of flowers.
View attachment 1691157View attachment 1691160View attachment 1691192View attachment 1691163View attachment 1691197
(The boot made me think of your grandpa.)

Congrats again!

Congratulations

Yes I had a narri Tom that I caught on a chicken hen... I was there just in time... A BBB squashed his best friend before that. Usually if they have willing turkey hens available they leave the chickens alone ... but when they are raised with chickens it's said that they don't see the difference.... If you have room, confined and give him a couple turkey hens and then cull when the eggs are fertile

I've never seen any of my turkey hens squat could they not be mature enough? Could that cause a hormonal boy to become desperate? Is it guaranteed that he will continue to do it even if he had receptive turkey hens?

Would I have to cull him? Will he attempt to breed the chickens even when it's not turkey breeding season?

I mean I can cull him after I get littles but I would prefer to keep him around if possible. He's very kind and docile other than that. I can even pick him up without too much fuss.

If you think that's what's best I will absolutely cull him. Will him being with the calico hen be okay I know he should have more females but I don't have any more.


Okay onto the next topic.

I don't remember if I ever posted it here but our water heater went out and now it seems as though our furnace may be going out. DH2B is downstairs cleaning it right now to try and get it working. No heat tonight but we think we can get the part tomorrow or day after. I hope our little heaters can keep up I'd rather this happened this Friday when it's supposed to be 45 instead of -5.

It went out yesterday while we were at my Mom and Grandma's to tell them our happy news. It was 46 degrees in the house when we got home. Now I will say this when we're not home we turn it down to 50 but 46 with the awful wind and bitter cold outside last night was awful. Thankfully it ran last night and today during the day. But went out around 6 tonight and we haven't been able to get it back on yet.


In other less than grand news we heard rumors that they were trying to put in an industrial egg house across the road in January and February. Last week we learned that they weren't rumors when Mike's family farm got a letter from the company. Due to the amount of corn the egg house will need for feed for the birds they are offering local farms(including DH2B's Dad and uncles' farm) a premium for corn and they will save time and money shipping the corn. Unfortunately this means basically every local farmer is okay with this going through. At this point it is unopposed and they only need two more okays and it will go through.

Now it's not actually going to be immediately across the road but within 3/4-1 mile of our house. The thing is because we don't own the land or house as it belongs to the family farm if the egg company makes the farmers sign with a clause in their contracts saying they won't have any poultry on any of their farms within a certain distance we will almost certainly be forced to destroy our beloved flock. DH2B says he's going to fight it.

I feel devestated. In fact it almost ruined our anniversary before our anniversary happened because I was so down. I feel cheated. We live rurally and now we have to fight for our rights to own fowl. We went through and made sure it was all legal before we got birds. I had hoped DH2B's Dad and uncles would stand up for us and keep us from having to get rid of the birds. Idk why I thought it. They see dollar signs and they're ignorant about the birds. His Dad especially, the company offered us all the eggs we could ever want if this thing goes through and he was tickled. He thinks I ought to get a job there. The whole thing makes me feel ill. Part of the big problem is the company is touting itself as a new fandangled type of facility where the waste is all pelletized and there is no smell and yada yada yada. I'll believe that when I see it. Other than the waste being pelletized and composted no one has said anything to us that made me think anything is different about this place in fact no one even knows what to say about how it's different. Of course we didn't get to meet with the company and we're the ones this will effect since there will be traffic and smell and I'm sure lights and ugh.

Our birds are part of our livelihood they feed us eggs and meat, are pets, keep bugs and ticks down, till our garden, eat our scraps, create compost, turn our compost and provide hours of entertainment. They can't be replaced.

I'm worried and sad. If you guys could all keep this matter in your thoughts and prayers we'd appreciate it. I just pray it doesn't go through.

My mother wonders if this is how God is trying to use the flock getting Marek's to deter this egg company but I'm hesitant to bring it up as I'm terrified it could increase their desire to remove our flock for their biosecurity.




Okay now back to the light.

@Faraday40
I really like the idea of feathers in some form and it would be wonderful.
We'll have to see. They'd probably have to be from lavender, white or maybe light blue orps to work unless we dyed them if we go with the colors we're thinking of. Oh or laced feather would be cool! Black or blue. Too bad I don't have any white peafowl feathers.

Also Buddy is great and a very nice rooster but unfortunately everyone would flip out. LoL I know you think we live in the sticks but we're not out quite that far out. LoL still it would be funny. I could make Pebbles a bridesmaid dress and have her ride on my arm down the aisle. LoL. I think DH2B would faint if he saw me coming down the aisle like that. Or run away. Or maybe just shake his head and laugh, he knows me.

At one point he mentioned including the dogs in some way. Molly would do great! Bella would probably eat the cake. She ate her bed Sunday in the hour it took us to take Mom and Grandma home. The nice new bed we just gave her that was Molly's almost brand new one. *Facepalm* I'm going to drop my evil rotten little step dog off at your house then you can have a matched set. LoL okay I know she comes with DH2B but sometimes I gotta dream.

Mary Anne is the perfect white silkie to dye. Oh don't give me ideas. LoL at least not for chickens and the wedding. He'll take my ring away. ;P

Yes the boot with flowers makes me think of Grandpa. For those that don't know my Grandpa passed away a year ago this last Thanksgiving from Alzheimer's I was a caretaker for him and he was like my Dad. In honor of him I will(as long as I can get my calves in them-its a goal) be wearing his cowboy boots down the aisle. (Why so so many men have to have these tiny inhuman skinny chicken legs? It's so unfair.)

Anyone know any leg shrinking exercises?

The boots will then be placed on a table with a photo of him at the reception where they will have vases inserted and hold flowers.

Of course the boots are much much too big for me so the toes will have to be stuffed.

 

[Molpet]

I've never seen any of my turkey hens squat could they not be mature enough? Could that cause a hormonal boy to become desperate? Is it guaranteed that he will continue to do it even if he had receptive turkey hens?

Would I have to cull him? Will he attempt to breed the chickens even when it's not turkey breeding season?

I mean I can cull him after I get littles but I would prefer to keep him around if possible. He's very kind and docile other than that. I can even pick him up without too much fuss.

If you think that's what's best I will absolutely cull him. Will him being with the calico hen be okay I know he should have more females but I don't have any more.


Okay onto the next topic.

I don't remember if I ever posted it here but our water heater went out and now it seems as though our furnace may be going out. DH2B is downstairs cleaning it right now to try and get it working. No heat tonight but we think we can get the part tomorrow or day after. I hope our little heaters can keep up I'd rather this happened this Friday when it's supposed to be 45 instead of -5.

It went out yesterday while we were at my Mom and Grandma's to tell them our happy news. It was 46 degrees in the house when we got home. Now I will say this when we're not home we turn it down to 50 but 46 with the awful wind and bitter cold outside last night was awful. Thankfully it ran last night and today during the day. But went out around 6 tonight and we haven't been able to get it back on yet.


In other less than grand news we heard rumors that they were trying to put in an industrial egg house across the road in January and February. Last week we learned that they weren't rumors when Mike's family farm got a letter from the company. Due to the amount of corn the egg house will need for feed for the birds they are offering local farms(including DH2B's Dad and uncles' farm) a premium for corn and they will save time and money shipping the corn. Unfortunately this means basically every local farmer is okay with this going through. At this point it is unopposed and they only need two more okays and it will go through.

Now it's not actually going to be immediately across the road but within 3/4-1 mile of our house. The thing is because we don't own the land or house as it belongs to the family farm if the egg company makes the farmers sign with a clause in their contracts saying they won't have any poultry on any of their farms within a certain distance we will almost certainly be forced to destroy our beloved flock. DH2B says he's going to fight it.

I feel devestated. In fact it almost ruined our anniversary before our anniversary happened because I was so down. I feel cheated. We live rurally and now we have to fight for our rights to own fowl. We went through and made sure it was all legal before we got birds. I had hoped DH2B's Dad and uncles would stand up for us and keep us from having to get rid of the birds. Idk why I thought it. They see dollar signs and they're ignorant about the birds. His Dad especially, the company offered us all the eggs we could ever want if this thing goes through and he was tickled. He thinks I ought to get a job there. The whole thing makes me feel ill. Part of the big problem is the company is touting itself as a new fandangled type of facility where the waste is all pelletized and there is no smell and yada yada yada. I'll believe that when I see it. Other than the waste being pelletized and composted no one has said anything to us that made me think anything is different about this place in fact no one even knows what to say about how it's different. Of course we didn't get to meet with the company and we're the ones this will effect since there will be traffic and smell and I'm sure lights and ugh.

Our birds are part of our livelihood they feed us eggs and meat, are pets, keep bugs and ticks down, till our garden, eat our scraps, create compost, turn our compost and provide hours of entertainment. They can't be replaced.

I'm worried and sad. If you guys could all keep this matter in your thoughts and prayers we'd appreciate it. I just pray it doesn't go through.

My mother wonders if this is how God is trying to use the flock getting Marek's to deter this egg company but I'm hesitant to bring it up as I'm terrified it could increase their desire to remove our flock for their biosecurity.




Okay now back to the light.

@Faraday40
I really like the idea of feathers in some form and it would be wonderful.
We'll have to see. They'd probably have to be from lavender, white or maybe light blue orps to work unless we dyed them if we go with the colors we're thinking of. Oh or laced feather would be cool! Black or blue. Too bad I don't have any white peafowl feathers.

Also Buddy is great and a very nice rooster but unfortunately everyone would flip out. LoL I know you think we live in the sticks but we're not out quite that far out. LoL still it would be funny. I could make Pebbles a bridesmaid dress and have her ride on my arm down the aisle. LoL. I think DH2B would faint if he saw me coming down the aisle like that. Or run away. Or maybe just shake his head and laugh, he knows me.

At one point he mentioned including the dogs in some way. Molly would do great! Bella would probably eat the cake. She ate her bed Sunday in the hour it took us to take Mom and Grandma home. The nice new bed we just gave her that was Molly's almost brand new one. *Facepalm* I'm going to drop my evil rotten little step dog off at your house then you can have a matched set. LoL okay I know she comes with DH2B but sometimes I gotta dream.

Mary Anne is the perfect white silkie to dye. Oh don't give me ideas. LoL at least not for chickens and the wedding. He'll take my ring away. ;P

Yes the boot with flowers makes me think of Grandpa. For those that don't know my Grandpa passed away a year ago this last Thanksgiving from Alzheimer's I was a caretaker for him and he was like my Dad. In honor of him I will(as long as I can get my calves in them-its a goal) be wearing his cowboy boots down the aisle. (Why so so many men have to have these tiny inhuman skinny chicken legs? It's so unfair.)

Anyone know any leg shrinking exercises?

The boots will then be placed on a table with a photo of him at the reception where they will have vases inserted and hold flowers.

Of course the boots are much much too big for me so the toes will have to be stuffed.

No guarantee what he will do.
The BBB I culled. the narri just did it once....he was culled last year because he was attacking me if he didn't eat just turkey feed They both had no turkey hens on the property at the time of chicken squashing.

Your hens are older than Faraday's. Not sure why hers are laying and ours aren't. Must be environment or feed since they have the same parents.
People in Minnesota have poults hatched already, with out lights.
Last year I never seen her lay down. I just seen footprints on her hen saddle.
Last year the Mom started laying mid March. They say they start laying later each year they get older.
Prayers for the fixing of the furnace quickly
Oh wow on the egg farm. I would be worried about the marks too. Industry usually can get their way, even though the birds are in buildings. Praying . It works out for the best.

 

[Faraday40]

@chickendreams24
My nephew actually had his dog in their wedding. One of the kids in the wedding party walked her down the aisle and the dog wore a pillow saddle with the rings tied to it. It was definitely "different" but so is my nephew. Yet, I wouldn't recommend using Bella..... she'd eat the pillow and the rings and then poop on the altar! LOL

Feathers are an easy & subtle way to include your flock in the wedding. Those who know you will know why they're present. Those who don't know you as well will simply think they're pretty. Dyed feathers in your decorations can look exotic, and you can basically get any color you like.


I hope your turkey starts mating his own kind soon. Your calico hen is about a month older than mine, so she should be laying. My turkey hens are constantly squatting for me.... and I'm pretty sure my roos are mating them. What is it with poultry not sticking to their own species!?

 

[chickendreams24]

No guarantee what he will do.
The BBB I culled. the narri just did it once....he was culled last year because he was attacking me if he didn't eat just turkey feed They both had no turkey hens on the property at the time of chicken squashing.

Your hens are older than Faraday's. Not sure why hers are laying and ours aren't. Must be environment or feed since they have the same parents.
People in Minnesota have poults hatched already, with out lights.
Last year I never seen her lay down. I just seen footprints on her hen saddle.
Last year the Mom started laying mid March. They say they start laying later each year they get older.
Prayers for the fixing of the furnace quickly
Oh wow on the egg farm. I would be worried about the marks too. Industry usually can get their way, even though the birds are in buildings. Praying . It works out for the best.

Thank you.

Okay so the furnace got fixed just now the guy just left. DH2B was right about what was wrong but his Dad had a cow about him messing with the furnace since he hadn't been formally trained. LoL he can do anything so I wasn't worried. It's kind of his Dad's way of caring though. Yell at ya and then immediately call someone to come fix it. LOL

Okay I'll keep an eye on the turkey boys and see if they need to be culled hopefully it's just a fluke.

My calico hen is older yes but my blue slates were all hatched in September I believe. I'd have to check my notes to be sure. It's possible she's laying but I've never seen an egg or a squat.

I did see a rat in the wall of the coop on Friday I believe it was and they stole all of our ceramic eggs over the last month. LoL. Hope they liked them. I can't wait for us to redo the coop this year (assuming we can keep the flock) and permanently evict the rats from it. First rat we've seen in a year or so so that's good at least.

Last night without heat sucked lol despite our bedroom heater running- it couldn't keep up and extra blankets and heating the bed up with a heating pad before climbing in we both got ab muscle cramps from shivering before falling asleep. LOL

DH2B felt so bad and was apologizing to me this morning. I told him it's okay I'm working one my abs to fit in a smaller size for the wedding and asked him how many calories he thinks I burned shivering last night.

We both got a really good laugh out of it and it made him feel better.

I'm also hoping the turkeys start laying soon I really want to hatch asap! I love the turkeys. They're such a hoot! I didn't think they'd be as personable as they are. They like to stand on the back porch(which is the door we usually use) and look into the porch through the screen door. I think @Faraday40 has mostly been feeding hers agrimaster layer last I knew. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

We've been feeding either agrimaster (mostly layer with some meat bird or chick feed thrown in about everything other/third time we buy) or our more commonly fed 18-19% layer meal from our local small feed store. It's cheaper and higher protein. We do plan to up their protein after they begin laying or maybe after they're all separate but they are continuing to grow and add weight and are all very healthy seeming.

Thank you for the prayers for the furnace(now fixed) and the continued prayers for the commercial egg house problem and possible loss of our flock. It's greatly appreciated.

What does everyone think? Should we tell the company that our flock has Marek's and hope it deters them or not tell them because either could make them gun for our flock more? Technically speaking although I'm sure their birds will be vaccinated for it they still could get it and it has been known to decrease egg production reducing their profits. Plus odds are some of the vaccines may not take meaning they could lose birds too. Idk.

@chickendreams24
My nephew actually had his dog in their wedding. One of the kids in the wedding party walked her down the aisle and the dog wore a pillow saddle with the rings tied to it. It was definitely "different" but so is my nephew. Yet, I wouldn't recommend using Bella..... she'd eat the pillow and the rings and then poop on the altar! LOL

Feathers are an easy & subtle way to include your flock in the wedding. Those who know you will know why they're present. Those who don't know you as well will simply think they're pretty. Dyed feathers in your decorations can look exotic, and you can basically get any color you like.


I hope your turkey starts mating his own kind soon. Your calico hen is about a month older than mine, so she should be laying. My turkey hens are constantly squatting for me.... and I'm pretty sure my roos are mating them. What is it with poultry not sticking to their own species!?

Hahahahahah yeah she probably would she did on the rug again today. I let her out twice because I thought she needed to go but the furnace guy was here and you know how easily distracted she is.

Maybe we could get our niece to walk Bella down the aisle on a leash and teach Bella to carry a basket of fake flowers.... ? Real ones she would eat for sure. Molly could go down with our nephews. Hahahahahah.

Our wedding could easily be a zoo lol maybe Christmas (the tom turkey for those that don't know) could be a ring bearer. After all he's dressed for the occasion.

Too bad I can't ride in on a giraffe. That would be the coolest. Oh wait maybe it should be an elephant since they we're Grandpa's favorite.

;P lol

Yeah well maybe they think staying to their own species is for the birds!

Hahahahahah okay okay it was a bad joke.

I don't have any feathers big enough to use in bouquets at this point I don't think.

 

[Faraday40]

T
Maybe we could get our niece to walk Bella down the aisle on a leash and teach Bella to carry a basket of fake flowers.... ? Real ones she would eat for sure. Molly could go down with our nephews. Hahahahahah.

I don't have any feathers big enough to use in bouquets at this point I don't think.

If Bella's anything like our former Great Dane, she'd be dragging your niece down the aisle! Of course I also like the giraffe idea. I didn't know they were your fav animal too. As a kid I wanted to live in Africa and study giraffes just like Jane Goodall and her chimps.

Next time you process roos - just pluck some hackle, saddle, body, & sickle feathers. Feathers are easy to store away in Ziplock bags. Since they're sealed, I don't bother washing them until I'm ready to use or dye them. If you decide to go another way, you can always toss them later. Small feathers can be put into sprigs/sprays or made into large flowers. People pay a lot of money for this & it can be done with free feathers, floral tape, wire, & some tacky glue. Sometimes misc. accent stuff like old buttons, lace, etc.

Remember that "Christmas" is a mostly white turkey. Remind him to behave around the hens because you're looking for nice big feathers!!!! You may scare him straight or collect more feathers with a turkey dinner. Either way, it's a win for you!