"Louisiana "La-yers" Peeps"

[TerriLaChicks]

Ok, so what's everyone's opinion on selling straight off the farm? I don't like to do it for bio security reasons plus the fact that I've had to padlock all my pens after having eggs go missing. I know it was a person because it stopped as soon as the locks went on. I lost a sale today because of it, but I just don't feel like I'm being unreasonable. I've spent too much time and money on my birds to loose them to something again. Thoughts?

I only allow people I trust on our property. We had a series of break-ins in this area a couple of years ago -- they would bust in doors, ransack the houses & be out in minutes - they were watching & knew all of our daily schedules - they did not hit us, personally, I think because of our dogs & the fact we keep erratic hours -- anyway--

our house - and my folks' house next door are now protected by a security system designed by my best friend's son-in-law -- who is an engineer for Honeywell in Manhattan, NY - suffice it to say, once you start down our driveway, SMILE! you are on candid camera! & etc etc. Our system is wireless and every one of our outbuildings in both locations is also wired.

 

[catdaddyfro]

I don't either.
Which means, you need to get some! so you can educate the rest of us!

Me the enabler-WHAT? LOL

I just checked my incubator (LG styrofoam unit/still air with a turner) out of 42 I had three clears/infertiles and 2 early quitters/blood rings other than that all the other 36 are looking good to go. I have decent hatches in my unit but I too monitor it multi-times daily just in case it goes afoul so far so good on this hatch.

But like Terri said they are better off being used as just a hatcher as most folks can't/don't have time to monitor it regularly like I do. I know this make a lot of difference too.

Jeff

 

[Celie]

I forgot to mention that I live on a dead end of a road with only one way in and one way out and my neighbors question anyone that comes past their house that they do not recognize. We are the only house past them. Most all our neighbors are family to each other and here in this little town, everyone knows each other and when strangers show up, they become very inquisitive. We do have wireless cameras, but don't advertise it. They are all camouflaged!
Recently, where my daughter's MIL lives, about 2 miles away there was a rash of burglaries! How they did it was, a young well built Mexican woman, in very skimpy shirt and shorts would go jogging down a street, with what looked like a tape player and earphones. It was really a camera and microphone, into which she recorded all the comings and goings, addresses, etc. If she was stopped, she would just reply, I no speak English, I jogging. She would do this in the same areas for a couple weeks. After she "cased" the houses, 3 men in a large delivery looking truck, would hit an area, when very few people were around and be in and out of a house, within a few minutes. Several houses were hit in a single afternoon, until the truck was filled, then another area was targeted
When someone comes down our street, by accident, they usually get questioned by several people and since we keep the shoulders of the road very soft, with deep ditches, they can't leave without one of us pulling them out with a tractor. A dump truck got stuck last week and it took our track-hoe to pull him out, but we know him, so it was OK. If we don't know them and they don't have a good reason, a picture of them, their car, license plate and drivers license is the price of a tow, or the police are only 3 blocks from the street!
BYW, there is a 19 acre piece for sale about 3 houses down from me! LOL

 

[Celie]

Well, the first full tray of 30 turkeys were due to hatch out tomorrow, the 11th. Remember, I just put the eggs in and take out the poults when they hatch. I cannot candle the eggs, because the shells are too hard and thick. I don't measure air sacks or measure humidity or any of that stuff. The top shelf of the cabinet has a water tray and the temp is set at 100 degrees and never moved. If any hatchlings start looking like they are having trouble hatching, I put a pad(sponge) into the slot in the water tray. Yesterday on the 9th, I woke up to 12 poults chirping and tweeting. They went into the brooder. This morning, 7 more. This evening, another 5. That makes 24 so far out of 30. One Had pecked a hole on the shell, but could not get any further and died. That leaves 5 to go. The 11th isn't until tomorrow, so if by 14th, they aren't hatched, I will open them and see what happened. That is when the next tray comes off the shelf and goes into the hatching draw at the bottom, so the eggs that have not hatched well come out. I usually do better than 24 out of 30, but that's from every egg that goes in. I don't candle, so none comes out that are not developing, and are not subtracted from the total number of eggs. I usually get more than 24 out of every 30 eggs I put in. Is this how you count hatch rate, or do you not count the ones that are not developing at candling time?
Even my chicken eggs are so hard, lately, since I started feeding the fish feed, Julie told me about, my daughter dropped one on very hard ground and thought I was playing an April Fools joke on her, because it did not even crack. She purposely dropped another and the same thing happened. Everybody laughed, because they thought I got caught in my own joke playing, until my SIL was about to through one at his friend and I told him they were all real eggs, so he through it as hard as he could at a tree and it broke open. Some of the eggs, I am getting lately are gigantic, too. They are as big as turkey eggs!

The eggs in front are Bourbon Red eggs, Frank sent, The eggs in the back are Holland white eggs and the one in the middle is a chicken egg! I have been getting at least a dozen like this a day. Thanks for the tip, Julie!!!

 

[Gracie9205]

I sell right off the farm, by appointment only. I am not afraid, since I am on a dead end and own the street and have neighbors, like me that are home 99% of the time and watch each other's houses. The police in this small town, patrol very often. Once we let our dog go play at the neighbors, with his dog and the police brought him home in the back seat of the police car, thinking he got out the gate. I have 2 guard dogs who are home 24/7 and put a fear into anyone who comes near the property without us saying it's ok and letting them inside the gate. We are well armed and very good with guns. If anyone wanted a bird or rabbit, that bad, I would give it to them. But I live in a very safe area and our Heavenly Father watches over me very well. When I was very young, my grandmother was ironing, when I heard someone at the window. The man had to pull himself up, to come through the window. Grandma, told me to be very quite as she reached beside the stove for her axe. Need say, as soon as his hand reached inside the window, 4 fingers fell to the floor and we never heard anything about it. I live in the South and this is the way I was raised.
If I lived in the city, these days, I would probably padlock my world and everything in it, as crazy as people are today, but then that's why I don't live in the city! My door step and door knob would also be hooked up to a 110 outlet and the property posted.

Your grandma sounds like a trip!

Wonder what she did with the fingers? lol

 

[mzstre]

Your grandma sounds like a trip!

Wonder what she did with the fingers? lol

X2!!!

 

[Gracie9205]

Some pics of the sizzle babies I hatched last month

 

[kuntrygirl]

Ok, so what's everyone's opinion on selling straight off the farm? I don't like to do it for bio security reasons plus the fact that I've had to padlock all my pens after having eggs go missing. I know it was a person because it stopped as soon as the locks went on. I lost a sale today because of it, but I just don't feel like I'm being unreasonable. I've spent too much time and money on my birds to loose them to something again. Thoughts?

Well, as for me, the location of my place is a great location because it's on a busy street and everyone that passes by sees the animals and if they are interested, then they stop by. That is how I get about 80% of my customers and business. Simply by driving by. If I post anything on Craigslist, I email the person using an entirely different email address so that my name or farm does not show up. I will get that person's phone number and call them and talk to them in detail. If I am not comfortable with the conversation, I follow my 1st mind and I meet the person somewhere in town and I bring whatever they want with me and they can look at it and decide. For those people that I am comfortable with the conversation, I find out more about them as far as who they know (references, etc) and I decide if I will allow them to come over. That percentage is VERY low. I can count them on 1 hand. When people start asking questions about if I have any trouble with things coming up "missing". I tell them that I have a security system that records ALL DAY EVERY DAY and I can see my property when I am at work (I NEVER tell them my work schedule) and if someone wants to come over and steal while I am there, I don't mind dropping them with a bullet. I"m just saying. When you invite yourself over to violate me, then you are telling me that you are prepared for an extended stay in Intensive Care, cause I will drop you like a bad habit.

When new people come over, they have to put on shoe covers for biosecurity. I have watch dog neighbors who are home all day long. If something looks strange at my house when I am at work or if someone pulls in my driveway when I am not there, they call me with a description of the vehicle and person. They have the option to call the Sheriff or not. I leave that up to them. Some will even go to my house and ask the person what do they want and will assist them in leaving the premises. We all watch out for each other.

A security camera system (around $300.00 - cost as a nice incubator) that records all day (and you can play back later) and allows you to monitor your property (place cameras at entrance and points of interest) anywhere you go (phone, computer, etc) (I think) is a must for animal owners like us. What we have is an investment and we have to do whatever we need to do to protect it. Cameras don't lie, so when those 2 legged predators walk on your property and decide to go "shopping" - Guess what? - "Smile, you're on candid camera"!

 

[kuntrygirl]

Some pics of the sizzle babies I hatched last month

 

[kuntrygirl]

Well, the first full tray of 30 turkeys were due to hatch out tomorrow, the 11th. Remember, I just put the eggs in and take out the poults when they hatch. I cannot candle the eggs, because the shells are too hard and thick. I don't measure air sacks or measure humidity or any of that stuff. The top shelf of the cabinet has a water tray and the temp is set at 100 degrees and never moved. If any hatchlings start looking like they are having trouble hatching, I put a pad(sponge) into the slot in the water tray. Yesterday on the 9th, I woke up to 12 poults chirping and tweeting. They went into the brooder. This morning, 7 more. This evening, another 5. That makes 24 so far out of 30. One Had pecked a hole on the shell, but could not get any further and died. That leaves 5 to go. The 11th isn't until tomorrow, so if by 14th, they aren't hatched, I will open them and see what happened. That is when the next tray comes off the shelf and goes into the hatching draw at the bottom, so the eggs that have not hatched well come out. I usually do better than 24 out of 30, but that's from every egg that goes in. I don't candle, so none comes out that are not developing, and are not subtracted from the total number of eggs. I usually get more than 24 out of every 30 eggs I put in. Is this how you count hatch rate, or do you not count the ones that are not developing at candling time? Even my chicken eggs are so hard, lately, since I started feeding the fish feed, Julie told me about, my daughter dropped one on very hard ground and thought I was playing an April Fools joke on her, because it did not even crack. She purposely dropped another and the same thing happened. Everybody laughed, because they thought I got caught in my own joke playing, until my SIL was about to through one at his friend and I told him they were all real eggs, so he through it as hard as he could at a tree and it broke open. Some of the eggs, I am getting lately are gigantic, too. They are as big as turkey eggs! The eggs in front are Bourbon Red eggs, Frank sent, The eggs in the back are Holland white eggs and the one in the middle is a chicken egg! I have been getting at least a dozen like this a day. Thanks for the tip, Julie!!!

WOW!! Good job!