Kristen’s Chickens and Farming Ventures

[Ribh]

...yes and in eyes and sticking to sweaty face.
Fine hair here too.

Yes! I couldn't drive ~ hair everywhere it shouldn't be~ Won't stay up, can't wear it down. Never ever again!

 

[aart]

Yes! I couldn't drive

At least not with the windows open

 

[rjohns39]

Funny.... These days I can't grow hair on my head.

Why, are you growing a beard Bob? Can we see?

Nancy, go back through Debby's thread, there's a pic there of Sue and I on our anniversary. These days I get a hair cut twice a year. I'm due, but all the barber's are closed.

 

[Kris5902]

They are all just jealous that they aren't brave enough to 'take it all off'
ESS.... Exposed Scalp Syndrome.

I was wondering Kris, did you buzz your own head or have help?

I managed on my own... it took a while. I lopped the first couple feet off before my shower in the evening (so there was less to wash!) then the next morning I took it back to a couple ragged inches with scissors, and buzzed it off using the window and side mirror of my truck. Just a little redneck, but I didn’t want to cover the trailer with hair, and the light was better outside. I had to keep coming back and doing just a bit more, and over the course of a few hours between chores I managed to get it all even. I have an annoying swirl right at the back of my crown which made the even part a bit of a challenge. That and the battery operated beard trimmer has a 1” wide blade and kept trying to overheat.

 

[Kris5902]

Oh my gosh he is gorgeous!! I really wanna get those traits in my future roos.. Blue/red bronze with beard and feathered legs!!!!

Thank you! His looks haven’t bred true in his sons so far, but he has been over Hyline production red girls and a Columbian Rock (his boys by the Rock are awesome!) he is a Wheaten Ameraucana crossed with a Marans, which is where he gets his feathered feet. Of my 9 Roosters he’s one of my favorites... and Quite the character! He has a bad-boy attitude, but I’m blaming nurture, because all his sons have been lovely and not aggressive at all. Aside from his defensive reaction to me, he is a great Rooster, and does all his rooster jobs well (nice to the ladies, aware of danger, making sure everyone comes to bed for the night) I hope I never need to find out if I’m right, but I’m pretty sure he could and would take on most of our predators her and win.

 

[Kris5902]

No pictures today, but some very positive Chicken news, and a little whoopsie by DH. Starting with last night on my late afternoon/evening egg check: One of Sammy’s younger girls was making a horrible gasping and wheezing noise, I panicked and brought her in, posted on Emergencies and Injuries forum, and it turns out it was basically nothing. She sounded like she was strangling/dying,I swear! I tried to give her some mealworms to see if she would take food, and she flew off to my kitchen island... flapping Beetles, mealworms and their bedding ALL over my trailer, I was vacuuming and cleaning until midnight Today, she is 100% fine and normal drama queen.

Speaking of fine and Normal, Mrs. B’s prolapse is gone too! I was free ranging her, and Hoppy and Croppy to give them a break from the younger girls and the boys, while I built out my 3rd meat tractor/grow out pen, and I noticed she seemed dryer and more chipper than usual. I checked her and it was all in on it’s own. She is back in with Sammy and the flock tonight to see how she does.

I also had my first Chick sale of 2020, he picked up today and they got a little road trip and a small boat ride over to another Island home. The girls are actually about 5-6 weeks old, so they are well started, definitely girls, and fairly tame. The 60 meat chicks are getting picked up by Andrew tomorrow at 1 pm, so this is just in time to get the brooder cleaned out and prepped for them.

DH has been gone since Monday night, working at the other abattoir. Our ferry schedule was “changed” (I said that nicely even) cutting out our mid morning sailing, and adding several more stops to the morning sailing. Now nothing lines up for transfers to get him to work, and it takes twice as long to get to town. Also, the person who was going to pick up the chicks couldn’t anymore because of the missing sailing. This prolonged car camping in the “big city” island has taken a real toll on DH’s energy, as did the custom picky cutting instructions for the lambs and pigs he is doing there this week. The pigs were also “huge”, with a lot of grinding (much more work than a standard cut) and the last pig they wanted the fat removed from the meat and then skinned, and this is when it happened... he slipped with the knife and cut his left hand deeply between the thumb and index finger. No tendon damage, but it was a trip to hospital (ferry, walk to truck and drive to get there) and five stitches to close it. He also bled like a stuck pig (yes, I made a few long pork jokes, and told him to apologize to his wrapper for finding such a creative way to avoid cleaning up) because of the warfarin.

So, tomorrow morning the chicks move outside into Meat Tractor 3, the brooder gets cleaned and prepped, I deliver eggs and sausage, gardening until Andrew gets in on the 4pm ferry, then 60 meat birds move into the barn brooder. Then DH and I get a quiet night together, the first since Sunday! Today I got 22 eggs, 19 of sellable size. It has been a good day!

 

[rjohns39]

Good morning Kris

Sounds wonderful, except for the cut hand... Ouch.

 

[BY Bob]

I managed on my own... it took a while. I lopped the first couple feet off before my shower in the evening (so there was less to wash!) then the next morning I took it back to a couple ragged inches with scissors, and buzzed it off using the window and side mirror of my truck. Just a little redneck, but I didn’t want to cover the trailer with hair, and the light was better outside. I had to keep coming back and doing just a bit more, and over the course of a few hours between chores I managed to get it all even. I have an annoying swirl right at the back of my crown which made the even part a bit of a challenge. That and the battery operated beard trimmer has a 1” wide blade and kept trying to overheat.

I have trouble trimming my mustache with a mirror. I can't imagine cutting my hair like that. Great job.

 

[BY Bob]

No pictures today, but some very positive Chicken news, and a little whoopsie by DH. Starting with last night on my late afternoon/evening egg check: One of Sammy’s younger girls was making a horrible gasping and wheezing noise, I panicked and brought her in, posted on Emergencies and Injuries forum, and it turns out it was basically nothing. She sounded like she was strangling/dying,I swear! I tried to give her some mealworms to see if she would take food, and she flew off to my kitchen island... flapping Beetles, mealworms and their bedding ALL over my trailer, I was vacuuming and cleaning until midnight Today, she is 100% fine and normal drama queen.

Speaking of fine and Normal, Mrs. B’s prolapse is gone too! I was free ranging her, and Hoppy and Croppy to give them a break from the younger girls and the boys, while I built out my 3rd meat tractor/grow out pen, and I noticed she seemed dryer and more chipper than usual. I checked her and it was all in on it’s own. She is back in with Sammy and the flock tonight to see how she does.

I also had my first Chick sale of 2020, he picked up today and they got a little road trip and a small boat ride over to another Island home. The girls are actually about 5-6 weeks old, so they are well started, definitely girls, and fairly tame. The 60 meat chicks are getting picked up by Andrew tomorrow at 1 pm, so this is just in time to get the brooder cleaned out and prepped for them.

DH has been gone since Monday night, working at the other abattoir. Our ferry schedule was “changed” (I said that nicely even) cutting out our mid morning sailing, and adding several more stops to the morning sailing. Now nothing lines up for transfers to get him to work, and it takes twice as long to get to town. Also, the person who was going to pick up the chicks couldn’t anymore because of the missing sailing. This prolonged car camping in the “big city” island has taken a real toll on DH’s energy, as did the custom picky cutting instructions for the lambs and pigs he is doing there this week. The pigs were also “huge”, with a lot of grinding (much more work than a standard cut) and the last pig they wanted the fat removed from the meat and then skinned, and this is when it happened... he slipped with the knife and cut his left hand deeply between the thumb and index finger. No tendon damage, but it was a trip to hospital (ferry, walk to truck and drive to get there) and five stitches to close it. He also bled like a stuck pig (yes, I made a few long pork jokes, and told him to apologize to his wrapper for finding such a creative way to avoid cleaning up) because of the warfarin.

So, tomorrow morning the chicks move outside into Meat Tractor 3, the brooder gets cleaned and prepped, I deliver eggs and sausage, gardening until Andrew gets in on the 4pm ferry, then 60 meat birds move into the barn brooder. Then DH and I get a quiet night together, the first since Sunday! Today I got 22 eggs, 19 of sellable size. It has been a good day!

That was a full day as well.

 

[aart]

I have an annoying swirl right at the back of my crown which made the even part a bit of a challenge.

I have 2 of those at the crown and 2 more at back down low, just hit them from every direction....it's the curlies at top of neck I have a hell of time getting.