Good morning all. 
Kristen’s Chickens and Farming Ventures
- Thread starter Kris5902
- Start date
Good morning
- Thread starter
- #3,083
Good morning Kris and thank you
Good morning Bob.Good morning Kris and thank you
Good morning Bob.
Good morning Bob.- Thread starter
- #3,087
Hi Kris
Good evening Kris and Bob.Hi everyone, and Good Morning Bob and Bob!
- Thread starter
- #3,090
Sausage interrupted, Return of the Danger Bear, and a Goodbye to Shanti
So, yesterday was the “Sausage” pens date for processing. A 4 am start to get everyone let out, fed, and crate the boys for their one way trip to Saltspring at 6 am. Our Ferries have returned to “Winter Normal” schedule so it’s no longer the 4-5 hr Covid island tour to get to civilization. We decided to bring Shanti (my 15 month old CX) along to be put down as well. Despite being a runt she is still a little too large for a standard cone and they have turkey cones at the abattoir that would be a better fit. She has been terribly lonely since her sister Gobbler died, and hasn’t bonded to any of the other chickens I’ve tried to introduce her to. She was still accepting of Roostie, from the security of her run where he can’t try to mate her, but wasn’t coming out for food or water and I was having to encourage her to them each day. She was clearly depressed, despondent, and going to slowly starve herself or have a heart attack this summer. She was traveling in a separate cat carrier, and had a good last day despite the complete screw ups of the following events.
The morning departure went smoothly, and we remembered the wind fly from my broken shade tent should they need cover for sun or rain protection, despite it being a coolish overcast morning. We also bring our own garbage can for the inedible offal and feathers (saving $1 per bird on the processing fee) as we can dispose of that here. This was a literal lifesaver for the chickens. We have been having some mechanical trouble with our Truck, and just replaced the Alternator, next up is the Starter and then a pair of new batteries. She doesn’t like short runs and won’t always start after one. And hour into our trip we transfer at Mayne Island, so off the ferry, turn around in the parking lot and wait for the other ferry. DH shut the truck off, not wanting to be judged for idling the big noisy diesel... big mistake. She wouldn’t start, a friend was willing to jump us but the ferry guy wouldn’t let us pash enough power into her to get her to start up. There was a huge issue with the tow truck driver, but we eventually got running, though we missed the transfer.
After 4 hours of driving around in circles on the small island trying to keep the birds in shade, we finally boarded the next ferry for Vancouver Island. We arrived with just enough time to get some dollar store Tupperware, cereal, and bottled water to feed the poor boys with (as they had been taken off feed as of noon the day before, per abattoir policy) and head back home. I rigged a sun shade up with the garbage can, jumper cables and wind fly. I was taking them each out of the crate on the ferry deck and hand watering and feeding them in the back of the truck. I didn’t think Shanti would even make it home, her comb was turning a deep purple, and everyone was panting, but we made it back to the trailer. I gave Shanti more water and mealie worms, she ate and drank more on the trip than she had in a week prior, then I culled her as peacefully as I could.
Andrew was scheduled to work 4:30-close at the pub, so I had to get my mother to borrow the farm van to pick the chickens and I up from the ferry. I also had her drive me down to the Farm to refill our water jugs for this morning. I put everyone up before I left, and that was a very good thing. Upon returning to the trailer at about 10:00pm with the water, Andrew and I spotted the Danger Bear (Raccoon) lurking around Sammy’s tractor/pallet chickshaw. It left before I could test out the nerf gun on its first terrestrial target, but I was spooked enough to move the tractor today, confusing the heck out of the poor chickens at bedtime. DH and I were awake until midnight trying to decompress from the stress of the day.
tomorrow is attempt #2 for transporting the chickens in.
So, yesterday was the “Sausage” pens date for processing. A 4 am start to get everyone let out, fed, and crate the boys for their one way trip to Saltspring at 6 am. Our Ferries have returned to “Winter Normal” schedule so it’s no longer the 4-5 hr Covid island tour to get to civilization. We decided to bring Shanti (my 15 month old CX) along to be put down as well. Despite being a runt she is still a little too large for a standard cone and they have turkey cones at the abattoir that would be a better fit. She has been terribly lonely since her sister Gobbler died, and hasn’t bonded to any of the other chickens I’ve tried to introduce her to. She was still accepting of Roostie, from the security of her run where he can’t try to mate her, but wasn’t coming out for food or water and I was having to encourage her to them each day. She was clearly depressed, despondent, and going to slowly starve herself or have a heart attack this summer. She was traveling in a separate cat carrier, and had a good last day despite the complete screw ups of the following events.
The morning departure went smoothly, and we remembered the wind fly from my broken shade tent should they need cover for sun or rain protection, despite it being a coolish overcast morning. We also bring our own garbage can for the inedible offal and feathers (saving $1 per bird on the processing fee) as we can dispose of that here. This was a literal lifesaver for the chickens. We have been having some mechanical trouble with our Truck, and just replaced the Alternator, next up is the Starter and then a pair of new batteries. She doesn’t like short runs and won’t always start after one. And hour into our trip we transfer at Mayne Island, so off the ferry, turn around in the parking lot and wait for the other ferry. DH shut the truck off, not wanting to be judged for idling the big noisy diesel... big mistake. She wouldn’t start, a friend was willing to jump us but the ferry guy wouldn’t let us pash enough power into her to get her to start up. There was a huge issue with the tow truck driver, but we eventually got running, though we missed the transfer.
After 4 hours of driving around in circles on the small island trying to keep the birds in shade, we finally boarded the next ferry for Vancouver Island. We arrived with just enough time to get some dollar store Tupperware, cereal, and bottled water to feed the poor boys with (as they had been taken off feed as of noon the day before, per abattoir policy) and head back home. I rigged a sun shade up with the garbage can, jumper cables and wind fly. I was taking them each out of the crate on the ferry deck and hand watering and feeding them in the back of the truck. I didn’t think Shanti would even make it home, her comb was turning a deep purple, and everyone was panting, but we made it back to the trailer. I gave Shanti more water and mealie worms, she ate and drank more on the trip than she had in a week prior, then I culled her as peacefully as I could.
Andrew was scheduled to work 4:30-close at the pub, so I had to get my mother to borrow the farm van to pick the chickens and I up from the ferry. I also had her drive me down to the Farm to refill our water jugs for this morning. I put everyone up before I left, and that was a very good thing. Upon returning to the trailer at about 10:00pm with the water, Andrew and I spotted the Danger Bear (Raccoon) lurking around Sammy’s tractor/pallet chickshaw. It left before I could test out the nerf gun on its first terrestrial target, but I was spooked enough to move the tractor today, confusing the heck out of the poor chickens at bedtime. DH and I were awake until midnight trying to decompress from the stress of the day.
tomorrow is attempt #2 for transporting the chickens in.
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