1/2 of a cow all ground up for hamburgers and such and 1 whole pig are now squished into my meat freezer with a bit of the sausage overflowing into my non meat freezer.
INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!
- Thread starter Chaneys Ranch
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[COLOR=900000]And once again, here's yesterday's progress on the duck coop.The fancy-shmancy human door: [/COLOR]
[COLOR=900000]The ducky door: [/COLOR]
[COLOR=900000]The duck door from the inside. We made it flush with the floor to make it easier to sweep out bedding; just outside will be a covered area where their food and winter water will be.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=900000]Just because, here's the view the duckies will have:[/COLOR]
[COLOR=900000]And the same look up at the rafters as the other picture I posted, except this time it has a ceiling!
[COLOR=900000]On the agenda for today is touching up the paint, roofing, windows, latches, and finishing the quarantine pen. One week to Lebanon![/COLOR]
Looks great! I can't wait for Lebanon! See you there.
What a beautiful tribute. I'm so sorry for your loss.RIP Nene
Very sad day here! Our first ever chicken, Nene, had to be put to sleep at the veterinarian’s. She was diagnosed as having congestive heart failure. Signs weren’t obvious until two days ago when I observed Nene waddling, and that evening she wasn’t able to jump up to her high perch. Nene was eating/drinking, but was breathing heavily. Her comb had gone limp and was purplish at the ends (lack of oxygen). I felt her abdomen area, which was bulging, so I assumed she had ovarian cancer tumors like my Black Jersey Giant had last winter. I am thankful that at least Nene's illness wasn't a contagious type.
I searched the thread for some of my posts about my irreplaceable Nene and put together some highlights (as part of my grieving therapy).
My favorite photo of Nene that captures her crazy personality.
Our chicken experience started in March 2012 when my daughter bought six Rhode Island Red “pullets” at Rural King. We were such newbies that we worried that one chicked named Nene looked odd, but it turned out that she was the only pullet! We joked about dropping off the five cockerels to RK’s “Returns & Exchanges” desk! Nene’s floppy comb is a little odd, and I once read that as a breed standard, it is considered “undesirable.” However, Nene is unique, and it fits her quirky character.
Nene has the most personality of all my hens. She knows her name and always wants to be first. She moves at least twice as fast as the other hens and can quickly sneak in the door and run to the refrigerator to beg for her favorite blueberries. Nene is inquisitive, often becomes distracted, and wanders off-- she’s my only chicken who actually “crossed the road.” Of course, she ended up three houses down where the flower garden is perfectly manicured!
Although Nene is the smallest hen, she’s the Flock Leader. As a daily reminder, Nene walks up to a hen (who braces herself) as Nene inflicts one forceful peck to the hen’s head. The pecking order is a real headache!
“Word is”
The utility guy has to walk through the hens’ fenced-in area to read the meter. When I happened to look out the window and noticed his apprehension about walking past the chickens, I stuck my head out the door to reassure him that they’re harmless. He responded, “Word is that there’s an aggressive rooster here . . . that red one.” He pointed to Nene, my infamous RIR Ha! I told him that I only had hens. I knew what he was referring to-- one time I had seen Nene chase one of the utility guys down the hill to the back gate! (She’s also chased other "intruders" down the hill).
Follow-up Post:
My DS (an engineer at the energy company) checked into the worker's story and found that there's a FILE with reports about our rooster!
Nene the Enforcer: “Who are you and what are you doing here?! I don’t recall approving your visit!!”
“Nene’s piano arrived!”
My daughter, Lauren, is studying animal behavior at IU. She sent information to me stating that chickens can be taught to play the piano. My RIR Nene is extra smart (and extra motivated by food!), so I thought she’d be a perfect pianist. As it turned out, she was accompanied by other talented flock members.
(Video is topsy-turvy). Poultry Playing Piano - YouTube
I have deduced that my Easter Egger, Gayle, started laying three days ago! Look what I found today!
I noticed she had made herself a little nest in the back of the coop, beneath the roost, but I kept checking and didn't see any eggs. It must have been a trick of the light. I think she got another girl to lay there, too, because I only had one egg yesterday and today in the normal spot, instead of two.
They are kind of dirty because of where she chose to lay. I washed them. They should still be safe, shouldn't they?
So excited to have blue eggs!
I noticed she had made herself a little nest in the back of the coop, beneath the roost, but I kept checking and didn't see any eggs. It must have been a trick of the light. I think she got another girl to lay there, too, because I only had one egg yesterday and today in the normal spot, instead of two.
They are kind of dirty because of where she chose to lay. I washed them. They should still be safe, shouldn't they?
So excited to have blue eggs!
The duck eggs are peeping.
I went to do evening chores and heard lots of peeping under Jewel. I did not want to disturb her so I did not peek under her. I am not sure of the progress but hatch day is not till Monday. I closed off the front of the nest box to be sure none of the ducklings fall out and can not get back to her. I also gave Jewel some water she was very thirsty. I am sure she is very excited that they are finally making noise, that was a very long time to sit. Pictures will be coming once they hatch.
I went to do evening chores and heard lots of peeping under Jewel. I did not want to disturb her so I did not peek under her. I am not sure of the progress but hatch day is not till Monday. I closed off the front of the nest box to be sure none of the ducklings fall out and can not get back to her. I also gave Jewel some water she was very thirsty. I am sure she is very excited that they are finally making noise, that was a very long time to sit. Pictures will be coming once they hatch.
Planning for next spring...
Assuming all my birds are still around, I feel like I really only have room for two more chickens. There are more I want, though!
If you could only have two, which would you get:
A marans (any kind of marans)
an olive egger
a salmon favorelle
a cochin (any kind of cochin)
a buff silkie (we love our silkies)
DH and son are pulling for a buff silkie, but I've read that SFs are friendly and sweet, too. I've read the same about cochins.
I am pulling for colorful eggs, myself.
Which would you pick, and why?
Assuming all my birds are still around, I feel like I really only have room for two more chickens. There are more I want, though!
If you could only have two, which would you get:
A marans (any kind of marans)
an olive egger
a salmon favorelle
a cochin (any kind of cochin)
a buff silkie (we love our silkies)
DH and son are pulling for a buff silkie, but I've read that SFs are friendly and sweet, too. I've read the same about cochins.
I am pulling for colorful eggs, myself.
Which would you pick, and why?
- Sep 14, 2014
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thanks for the advice...iy has been helping![COLOR=A52A2A]Indiana feather ~ Welcome to the Indiana Thread![/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513]Please click on the links at the bottom of this post to find out more about our great thread.[/COLOR] [rule]@Mskayladog ~ [COLOR=8B4513]Good to see you posting! Hope someone can help you find fertile LF eggs.[/COLOR] [rule][COLOR=4B0082]Ol Grey Mare ~[/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513]Well that explains why Purina only makes it in crumbles! Like other members, I use RK Nutrena pellets. When I have little chicks (like right now), I put some in a plastic bag and hammer the pellets to make crumbles. Here are two types that Nutrena offers:[/COLOR]
[rule]
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