Maine

[Mainechick168]

One of my hens recently had the same thing. We kept a close eye on it and we decided it was a mosquito or black fly bite. It took about 3-4 days before the swelling went down. Our mosquito population is horrible right now. Right around 6 pm we start getting bombarded by the darn things! If thats what it is, it should get better in a few days. Stay cool!!
~Cathy

Thanks for the input. Anything helps to ease my mind...all I do is worry. I can only imagine what I would be like if I had human children...


The bugs are pretty bad here now too...mosquitos and no-see-ums.... lets hope thats what it is!

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Wow is it hot out.

We started building fence panels for the goats today. They'll be 8 feet long by 4 feet tall and have 2 eyehooks that will snap together on each side to the adjacent panel. They'll be easily moveable (ish) for when we need them to go to a new area for browsing.

Still have to buy fencing and staple it to the fence and make about 40 more of these suckers... Thanks for the idea, longgrove!

It's a start!

 

[buckabucka]

Wow is it hot out.

We started building fence panels for the goats today. They'll be 8 feet long by 4 feet tall and have 2 eyehooks that will snap together on each side to the adjacent panel. They'll be easily moveable (ish) for when we need them to go to a new area for browsing.

Still have to buy fencing and staple it to the fence and make about 40 more of these suckers... Thanks for the idea, longgrove!

It's a start! 



 

It's too hot, really. I'm eagerly awaiting the cooler/drier weather later this week. Looks like a great start for the goats!

And speaking of fencing, I had to put up some simple chicken wire partitions in the hoop coop to make 3 separate areas: one for adult Ameraucanas, one for 8 week old rooster, and one for 6 week old mutt chick. They all have different feeds, too, medicated and non medicated chick starter, plus layer feed.

Each day, I check on them a number of times, and all is well. But every morning, they are all together in one pen (until I catch them and reseparate). I'm tempted to leave them all together, but I have seen some mild bullying going on, so I'm trying to wait.

 

[ashandvine]

Uck. I hate this heat. I can't believe I have a bird going broody in it. Luckily she is in the back of the barn in a nice dark cool corner... on 19 eggs

I got the first horrible failure of a broody to change her tune and she is finally nice to everyone. I was starting to hate her hormonal nastiness. Of course the fact that she hatched nothing but dead babies, killed them or ate them didn't impress me either.

DH, for all his fuming about the cost of chickens bought me a hovabator. Of course, now he thinks he gets a vote in what goes on with the chickens. When he is out there caring for them day in and out and actually learns all their names and breeds and can identify their eggs, not the hens they came from like I can, just the breed to egg match, then I will think about chicken democracies. Until then it is all dictation.

 

[jerseychix]

Thanks for the welcomes y'all.

The coop could be towed, but we've decided to sell it down here along with the girls and supplies and start fresh next spring. We had the property inspection on Saturday and walked the property line. Seems like we are in an old pasture that has a ton of second growth trees. So, we are going to look at getting some of the big ones close to the house removed, and then doing the ones further away ourselves. Part of that plan is to plan where a new coop and larger flock will go.

Swollen eyelids- if it is on one side, don't worry about it. Probably a bug bite. But swollen eyelids (especially combined with a change in color) can be a sign of serious reportable disease!

Skeeters/flies- I would love a solution to this problem! Ugh.

I realized on my trip back to Jersey yesterday that I think that should be the last time I cross the Hudson going in the wrong direction! No more George Washington Bridge for me!

 

[buckabucka]

One of my broodies is up to 50 days now. The coop does not have the best ventilation and is very hot. I've dropped from 7 broodies to 2, though, so maybe the last ones will come to their senses soon.

 

[jerseychix]

I forgot to ask a question: Are any of you involved in the More Maine Meat project?

 

[superchemicalgirl]

I'm down from 9 original broodies this spring to 6, which is a great feat.

My worst offender is Runty (silver phoenix) who went broody on 10 April along with Banty, my little bantam mix. Banty laid on eggs for a goodly number of weeks, then Banty gave up for about a week, laid 2 eggs and is broody again going on 3 weeks now. Runty is still scowling over her golf balls since April. I gave Banty two duck eggs about 2 weeks ago, and they were both developing as of a few nights ago, but Runty went and stole that nest yesterday and won't give it back up. Next spring someone should send me some emu eggs... I'm sure Runty would love that. I had to go out and clip her toenails a few days ago because she doesn't get out enough to wear them down.

I put a battery powered fan in the coop window, which helps a bit in there, but uggh, glad I'm not a broody hen this summer.

 

[echosrevenge]

Not myself, but it sounds really interesting. Do you have a link to more information?

 

[hoppy]

I have several silkies for sale, 1 pair roo and hen, and maybe up to 3 pullets, all whites. 1 blue show quality cockeral, 1 pet quality blue cockeral. decided not to use these in my paint breeding.
any guesses of how many sizzles it takes to hatch 4 eggs? correct answer is 3 hens all in one bucket!