I'm the pest, and the waterer is, kind of

[BeakSanctuary]

Yeah, that's a cute mental picture of treading lightly! Even with the bigger birds and a bit smaller feet, I sometimes have the problem of stepping on their toes, especially when it's dark inside the coop.

One other thing I like about my wagon brooder is that I made a hardware cloth bottom for it, too, so the birds are off the flat surface and the muck that tends to get made there, like a frame of 1x2s with the cloth on top. I use newspaper on top of that a while for their baby feet.

 

[the1much]

ya,, thats a great idea,,,,, i just started making my front porch ( we use our back door all the time anyways) into 1 big brooder,, got it almost done, have it half sided with metal, then netting from half way up to the top, now that winter is here, and the rain is gonna start, im gonne finish the siding all the way. for now i have them in tubs in the shop over night, and take them out on the porch in the morning,, i think keeping them under the lights and heat ALL the time is just asking for trouble after they go out on their own,,, i want to to acclamate to the weather ,, that way in the winter their not so finicky over heat.

 

[spook]

We have all made mistakes, really brilliant ones at that. If there is no way to forgive yourself for those birds, do not let their death be in vain. Speaking out the warning to others is a positive thing, reminding or forwarning is the best thing you can do. Just keep in mind to be careful with the remainder of the babies and death happens in nature without our participation, its one of those reasons God gives hens plenty of eggs and broodies.
Try to give yourself a break, lessons are only lost if they are not learned, thank you for sharing and reminding us.
(I put marbles in my chick waterers now after having a couple drown. So needless to say, give yourself that break, it was not intentional!)
As for geese, they are just like kids and company...they find trouble even when you take care of things. Like the cat barfed on the floor, company stepped into it and they are headed acrossed the floor etc...its one of those "OMG" moments and you must realize you do not have control over anyone but you, and again, give yourself a break, you have only done something very common and we can all feel your dissapointment as we have walked those steps before.
(I don't mean to sound harsh, I hope this does not offend anyone. Please take care :aww )

 

[BeakSanctuary]

Thanks, spook. What you said makes perfect sense and I don't see how it could offend anyone. I think you were kind and well-intentioned.

What bugs me are the things I couldn't foresee as possible or, maybe worse, the things I knew were possible but I wrongly guessed how likely they were to happen and cause problems. In that, sometimes there's a bit of laziness on my part that I'm not OK with. So it's a combination and like you said, those OMG moments that nothing can change.

Jim, that's going to be some brooder - huge! I can tell that you care a lot about your chicks and such. Have you been interested in doing this a long time? I'm so interested now but I wonder how I'll be with it after the newness is gone. I hope to keep liking my "investment" a long time because it's been substantial this year with the chicken shed and the big pen, not to mention food and birds.

 

[the1much]

ive always HATED birds,,lol,, of course i only tried inside ones, and their pin feathers KILL my eyes, and i only knew a few people in maine with chickens,, so its a BIG surprise that i like them as much as i do. i started out with a "heres a green chick for your kids" from a friend,, then we got 3 hens given to us,,, then i found more, then people kept stopping by trying to buy them,,,,,, and now, i go through hundreds, and seems like im always doing something for them!! ALWAYS.
we've had our roo for 2 years, and i would KILL over that thing,,lol,, even though i HATE birds lol ,, but their always changing, they learn, they are as bad as kids, but i really do like them, and i smoke cigs outside only, so during my breaks from the shop, i walk out front with all them birds, laugh my butt off, have a cig, and kinda feel less stressed

and i tell people, if you get bored with ya birds,, sell them, get new ones, their all different, have their own personality,, and as long as you keep them warm,fed,and watered, their the easiest pets to care for.
i like em enough still to be investing in a BIG bator soon, so i better not get bored with them,,lol,, and they are EASY money lol

 

[BeakSanctuary]

That's pretty encouraging to me that you've kept such a keen interest. I find it very peaceful sitting outside watching them - unfortunately, I have a 12-year-old son that I feel guilt for not sharing as much time with when I'm fixated on being outside with the birds. He isn't much of an outdoors boy, so he really doesn't care much about them and, on top of that, I think he's jealous to some extent that I like the birds. Before this, he felt the same way when I got my dog.

I don't think I'll ever make a dime with these birds, though sure wish I had that talent in me. I'm not much for knowing what to do with even potential customers. I get uncomfortable when neighbors slow down trying to see what's happening in my coop/pen or back up to do a double take if I'm out feeding and they're all gathered around. Not sure if they're dissing me for having such a big bunch or liking them, or what. I'm always worried someone will dislike me for doing it, though it's certainly agricultural around here and they're far from the road and from anyone else's house.

So, that's my situation. Did some fall burning today and had an axe nearby - the guineas were a hoot walking up to the axe as though they were creeping upon a crime scene. I like that kind of thing. Makes me happy, such a simple thing. I can tell you understand that, too.

 

[BeakSanctuary]

Oh, and speaking of liking your roo, one of mine got impatient, I guess, that I was carrying their treats from the garden to the pen and making him wait too long to have them and for the first time he jumped on the back of my leg. As usual, from what Ive heard of rooster attacks, I never knew it was eminent. He's never tried jumping me before and it didnt make a great impression with me. Maybe it had nothing to do with the tomatoes, but that's what it seemed to be about.

 

[the1much]

do NOT let him get away with it!! the next treat time,, be even slower, keep watch of him out of the corner of your eye, and when he tries it again, CHASE him down, either pick him up by his neck, or by the legs, whichever way, walk with him a second, then hold him,, if he even SLIGHTLY tries to get away, grab his head, and sit him on the ground,, and SIT on him,, till he stops trying to get away,, then take him to the coop and THROW him in it ( not hard enough to really hurt him, just hard enough to "grab his attention") then close the coop and walk away and feed the others the treat. the WORST thing to do to him is NOT BE MEAN!!!!!!!!
when he did that to you,, he was saying HE was top dog, and you told him he was right by not kicking the ca-ca out of him. i know i sound mean, and awful,, but i say these things so that your next thread wont be " i had to cull my mean roo today" .. they ONLY understand roo talk,, and if you dont talk to them in their language,, then they dont understand what their doing is wrong.
on anotha note,,,, dont give your son a choice! just like the roo, talk 12 year old boy way,,lol,,, MAKE him go out there and sit with you once or twice a day, make him just sit there, ya dont even have to talk, just sit,, and YA he will hate it,,,,,at first,, and you'll want to start that "parent talk" with him,,,,DONT. just sit there for 15 minutes and stare at the birds. animals teach us humans alot of things, by setting examples,, i bet after a week of making hin go out, he starts wanting to,,,,,, and give him a bird, make it HIS bird, his responsibility, even if he ends up killing the poor thing,, he WILL learn from it, and he will learn alot from it,,, even a death of an animal YOU was responsible for, is FULL of lessons.

 

[BeakSanctuary]

Thanks, Jim. You're a wise fellow. I'm going to try what you said on both counts. Sure glad I had on long pants yesterday, too, because it didn't hurt that time. I'd say I was more insulted than anything thinking he'd play me like that. He's a turken roo, one of two I have. Have other roos, I suppose maybe they're all just cockerels right now - like buckeye, couple of cochins of different colors, but all the others have been as nice as the hens/pullets.

As for my son, I like what you said and I'll see if I can't help make that something he can remember us doing together when he grows up (even more). He did go out yesterday and sit in a fold-up chair while we were away for a bit taking the cat to the vet and when we came down the driveway, there he was in his chair with all the various goose clan scattered before him. Wish I could have take a picture of that. It was adorable. I should've told him that he wouldn't have to worry about anyone bothering him with that flock protecting him. Maybe I'll ask him which bird he'd like to be his today.

 

[the1much]

Quote:
thats GREAT!!
and let HIM be the only 1 to care for it. i did this with my girls and their frogs, after they died, and i made them bury them, and let them know how sad it was that something REALLY depended on them died because they didnt care for it right,,, they now i think could take over my caring for the birds,,lol.
and they have their own birds,, every time someone comes and buys chicks, the girls ask me,," did you sell ours" with their sad little faces,,,, and i say nope, and their all better lol, my youngest 3 years old, has her own special bird that she wants to eat when it gets older and bigger lol , but she cares for it like it will be with her forever. and my 6 year old knows more bout my birds then "mom" does hahaha

i think you will all get alot out of it.

and your VERY welcome,, and im not wise,, jus observant hehe

that "wise" word ruins my rep