Maine

[CoopChick719]

I am tickled. Last night my HUGE flock (of 6 birds) 5 out of 6 of them put themselves into the coop. I have had to pick them up one by one and place them into the coop but last night they finally got the idea. VICTORY LOL

So cool when they figure it out!!

Clucksy (crushed bird) is still with us today, so that's always a good sign. Going to get some yogurt for her, plus scrambled eggs and such. Would the chick crumbles be a better choice for her right now? She's quiet and not moving much, but not agitated or acting in pain.

Chick with the broken leg didn't make it, but at least he's not in pain.

Last day of school today here. Where did the time go?!

Glad to hear Clucksy is still with us. Sorry about the little one with the broken leg. Speaking of school...my baby graduated from high school last Saturday!! Yaaaaayyyy!!

Picked up new chickens today! 3 welsummer pullets and a roo, a marans and a buff chantecler. Shipped off my two problem chickens to my uncle last night. Everyone is in the coop now, lets hope for a nice easy transition!

Good luck with the transition!

I'll have to take a picture of the girls for you. Chipmunk, my EE is so pretty.

I'm so tickled to find this thread! We have 9 hens currently, and that isn't enough (there are 7 of us here, and unless we ration our eggs, we have to buy some every now and then). We'll be adding 6 chicks next week, and they will hopefully all be hens. I'm adding 2 Welsummers, 2 Cuckoo Marans, 1 Wheaten Marans, and 1 Wheaton Marans/Faverolle cross. We love to have our girls freerange, and with school out we can keep a more watchful eye on them so they don't get into our garden too often. We also have Silver Fox Rabbits, and 7 Toulouse geese. We will be adding some meat birds in July.

yankeehill! There are some great people here who are so helpful with chicken questions, garden questions and other stuff!

 

[ducklucky]

Coming in late here, but even the ducks are sneezing! Was super worried, but feel it as well, and never have allergies. This darn rainy weather won't let the pollen peak, keeps coming and coming over and over.

Our UPS driver told us so many farmers are discouraged having to replant yet again, seeds washed out or rotted. We will catch up, have yet to plant, but hope to this week. Remember a June like this a few years back, and turned into a very productive harvest after a replant, had a good hot summer...can only hope.

Sorry about losses to those of you who have had injuries and such, always a heart breaker...can't help myself, have 4 more Pekin eggs in the bator, and all are squirming around at day 19, lost a few, but to be expected. The Buff ducklings have been outside in their pen for almost 2 weeks now and are tolerating the weather well and have ranged them a few times, but have to round them up at dusk...they are so funny, they know where to go but will hover around the pen rather than go in, and are always thrilled when we get them in and settle right down. Still for sale if anyone is interested, haven't advertised at the driveway yet, but about to. Have a few interested parties, waiting for them to stop by, but am picky about where my birds go, ducks or chicks, as sure everyone is.

One lone Pekin duckinlg hatcher after dropping the egg and pushing it back together right at hatch and sticking it back in the bator hoping for the best and getting it, "she" survived famously but is seriously imprinted on me. She is a house duck right now in a box at night, but we put her out every clement day right next to the others, she wants nothing to do with them and just cries all day long. Try to ignore it, tried to put her in with the Buff ducklings that are not much older, they attack her. The Pekins who are her parents go after her as well. She is terrified of other ducks altho we expose her safely as much as possible. She has no idea she is a duck altho we encourage duck behavior as much as we can. Follows me everywhere outside like a pup. Cries her heart out when I leave her and cuddles like crazy when I retrieve her at dusk to go into her house box. Is there any hope or will I be stuck with a house duck come winter? She is feathering out now, let her swim in the duck pool and try to get her to hang out with the others, but they either shun her or she runs away from them. Don't really want a house duck, not about to buy diapers, and just got the porch scrubbed from the others so don't want to go through that again. Am I doomed? Love her to pieces, and IF AND WHEN $$$ we move the barn up front she will have her own space and hopefully incorporate eventually, but any ideas in the meantime?

Getting the itch for some chicks, lost a hen last week, probably fox, and they have been penned since, dogs are always barking and charging after something on the tree line and around the coop pen. They are very protective of the hens, but were not out that fateful day. Please talk me out of more chicks, will have ducks hatching in another 10 days or less...please, talk me out of it...but my girls are aging, know may lose another 1 or 2 over the summer, will be left with few...excuses, can come up with many, must get now before it gets hot...talk me out of it, talk me into it...

 

[buckabucka]

Last day of school today for me! Yesterday was the last day with kids. I am totally wiped out. I managed to get another black fly bite on the eyelid, so I look kind of like I feel. Congrats on the graduation, Coopchick!

MEmama, just make sure to leave plenty of ventilation when you wrap the tractor in plastic. Ours worked well last winter, but we had some frost bite before,we figured out there was a draft where the birds slept.

I'm not really qualified to talk anyone out of birds, ducklucky, since we have 74 with a 50 bird limit!

 

[MEMama3]

MEmama, just make sure to leave plenty of ventilation when you wrap the tractor in plastic. Ours worked well last winter, but we had some frost bite before,we figured out there was a draft where the birds slept.

Ah the dreaded yes ventilation/no drafts balancing act. The coop has top vents that run along the roof. I was worried with it being a short coop that it may be to drafty. I was hoping putting it IN the hoophouse would take care of that problem. As far as ventilating the hoop house, I was thinking of slitting the plastic in rows (reinforced with duct tape) on the two ends near the top. The run is 6' tall. Do you think that will be enough?

 

[Mainechick168]

So cool when they figure it out!!

Glad to hear Clucksy is still with us. Sorry about the little one with the broken leg. Speaking of school...my baby graduated from high school last Saturday!! Yaaaaayyyy!!

Good luck with the transition!

I'll have to take a picture of the girls for you. Chipmunk, my EE is so pretty.

yankeehill! There are some great people here who are so helpful with chicken questions, garden questions and other stuff!

Yes please to the picture!! I'd love to see how she turned out! Her mom was one of the ones taken by the predator

 

[ashandvine]

Congrats on your new birds. As you know the Chantecler is a breed I have here and adore. Its creation was meant for homesteads with cold seasons like ours. Great birds. I have a Java momma out there right now with one late chick that is a mutt for sure but she is quickly endearing me to her. She was a permissive broody but very dedicated and another heavy bird. They do have SC though so IDK how I am going to tolerate that as time goes on. Pretty birds with a long long history-- they were used to make the Rock. No, not Dwayne. Calliope, our Pom goose is sitting her nest finally and has been in there about a week. Ducklings are outside every day. The bator is just about two weeks from being off for the next six months. Our mishaps have had it on longer than I would like but I am getting ducks out of it!

Moo-quacks as they are now called here on account of their black and white coloration.

Good luck with the sneezing. Pollen is very high but I cull anything that sneezes more than a few times in my flocks. With all of what is/was going on in NH I am not taking chances, as tough as that is.

 

[Mainechick168]

Congrats on your new birds. As you know the Chantecler is a breed I have here and adore. Its creation was meant for homesteads with cold seasons like ours. Great birds. I have a Java momma out there right now with one late chick that is a mutt for sure but she is quickly endearing me to her. She was a permissive broody but very dedicated and another heavy bird. They do have SC though so IDK how I am going to tolerate that as time goes on. Pretty birds with a long long history-- they were used to make the Rock. No, not Dwayne. Calliope, our Pom goose is sitting her nest finally and has been in there about a week. Ducklings are outside every day. The bator is just about two weeks from being off for the next six months. Our mishaps have had it on longer than I would like but I am getting ducks out of it!

Moo-quacks as they are now called here on account of their black and white coloration.

Good luck with the sneezing. Pollen is very high but I cull anything that sneezes more than a few times in my flocks. With all of what is/was going on in NH I am not taking chances, as tough as that is.

I might hit you up for more Chanteclers at some point

 

[Widget]

Just picked up 8 Saxony ducklings.

They are now in the brooder and settling in nicely. Still thinking about adding a few call ducks. Don't know why but I really like ducks even if they are messy.

Also just got back from the vet with one of the pyrs. Been a busy morning already. Sam has a huge hematoma on the top of her head. The vet is running blood work now to see if she can figure out what is going on. Since it has been growing over the past few weeks and is not caused by an injury the thought is that there is a tumor.

. Poor Sam has lost over 10 pounds and can hardly open her eyes. The vet did drain what fluid she could to relieve the pressure. Depending on the results from today we may start Sam on Prednisone to help with the swelling to see if we can get her more comfortable so she can eat. Then it will be a matter of time before I have to make an end of life decision.

Edit: Vet just called. Best guess that it is Hemangiosarcoma[1] is a rapidly growing, highly invasive variety of cancer, occurring almost exclusively in dogs and rarely in cats. It is a sarcoma arising from the lining of blood vessels that is blood-filled channels and spaces are commonly observed microscopically. (Thanks wikipedia.) Outlook is grim. 1-3 months.

 

[MustardTiger]

I am so sorry poor pup, though I bet he or she has had a wonderful, happy life!

 

[JustPJ]

Just picked up 8 Saxony ducklings.

They are now in the brooder and settling in nicely. Still thinking about adding a few call ducks. Don't know why but I really like ducks even if they are messy.

Also just got back from the vet with one of the pyrs. Been a busy morning already. Sam has a huge hematoma on the top of her head. The vet is running blood work now to see if she can figure out what is going on. Since it has been growing over the past few weeks and is not caused by an injury the thought is that there is a tumor.

. Poor Sam has lost over 10 pounds and can hardly open her eyes. The vet did drain what fluid she could to relieve the pressure. Depending on the results from today we may start Sam on Prednisone to help with the swelling to see if we can get her more comfortable so she can eat. Then it will be a matter of time before I have to make an end of life decision.

Edit: Vet just called. Best guess that it is Hemangiosarcoma[1] is a rapidly growing, highly invasive variety of cancer, occurring almost exclusively in dogs and rarely in cats. It is a sarcoma arising from the lining of blood vessels that is blood-filled channels and spaces are commonly observed microscopically. (Thanks wikipedia.) Outlook is grim. 1-3 months.

So sorry about this news. cancer is a terrible thing in those we love no matter if they are human or our furbabies.