Maine

[MustardTiger]

On another note, I woke up this morning to loud thunder. I looked outside and there was a flock of 30 (!!) wild turkeys on my lawn right beside the house. It was all females and poults. I could hear them calling to my turkeys from the woods last evening. Something (my dog, ahem) spooked them and they all took off flying into the tall pines. It was a sight to see!

 

[buckabucka]

I have a night light in the coop. I think I originally put it there when I had a hen laying in the night, dropping her egg on the poop board, breaking it. I thought if she could find her way to a nest box she would. It didin't really work though. She doesn't drop an egg at night nearly as. Uh as she used to, but I still find one occasionally.

 

[ashandvine]

On another note, I woke up this morning to loud thunder. I looked outside and there was a flock of 30 (!!) wild turkeys on my lawn right beside the house. It was all females and poults. I could hear them calling to my turkeys from the woods last evening. Something (my dog, ahem) spooked them and they all took off flying into the tall pines. It was a sight to see!

Where we live there is a place near the kids school where the turkeys fly right over the road, totally air borne, out of nowhere. It really is "a sight."

I just landed a great find. For those who were asking about shavings, Jazor maybe? SO stops at Marachino Bros lumber and gets it bagged for about the same price as TCS but its local so I like spending the money there. Today, my 'find' is my neighbor lol Seriously, he works wood and turns out the most lovely bowls, candle sticks, goblets and kids toy tops on his lathe. He has lots of the turnings left laying around, perfect for chicken coops. Some are long and wiggly like apple peelings off those old crank peelers and we are grateful esp because a huge bag is FREE. I offered to pay him but he said I was doing him a service getting rid of it.

Where pickling season has begun here I am going to try a new 'adventure.' I am going to try pickling slices of this Trombioccino Squash. The kids are asking for pickle ice cubes. They are big fans of sour pickled anything, can you tell?

 

[ashandvine]

Got 2 olive eggers and an EE today!!!! They are about 12 weeks old. Do you think hens?????

Pics of their shanks and tails are helpful for 'educated' guesses.

 

[IZZYBELLA]

Thanks, Mustard and Bucka. The night light seemed to work last night, so I'll keep with that for awhile.

They are certainly NOT fans of this rain. It was cute this morning... they excitedly headed out and promptly scurried right back into the coop!

Does anyone use sand as bedding? I have shavings currently, but in reading about how to improve drainage around my yard and coop, I came across some articles by people who emphatically feel sand is the best bedding. I can certainly see its merits, but am wondering if it would be too cold in the winter.

 

[Widget]

Mine are out in all this rain but not too happy. Even the ducks are seeking out dry spots. The porch seems to be the spot of choice. Even the horses are in their run-in just hanging out. No eggs for the past couple days so they must be laying elsewhere.

Well Louise, the sister to Sam the Pyr I just lost a few weeks ago, underwent surgery for a tumor on her elbow on Wednesday. She came through it fine. Good thing about Pyrs is that they are not the most active breed so keeping her low key for a couple weeks should not be an issue. Her blood work was all in the normal range which was great considering all the liver issues her sister had. No idea if the tumor was cancerous since I opted out of sending it out for testing. Not much we could do if it is cancerous so now it is a wait and see game. As it is I have spent about $1500 in vet bills this past month with another $500 or so coming up between the recheck on the horse and suture removal for Louise.

 

[MEMama3]

Thanks, Mustard and Bucka.  The night light seemed to work last night, so I'll keep with that for awhile. 

They are certainly NOT fans of this rain.  It was cute this morning... they excitedly headed out and promptly scurried right back into the coop!

Does anyone use sand as bedding?  I have shavings currently, but in reading about how to improve drainage around my yard and coop, I came across some articles by people who emphatically feel sand is the best bedding.  I can certainly see its merits, but am wondering if it would be too cold in the winter.

I switched to sand in the run a couple of months ago and I'll never go back. I put it in the coop last week and I love it already. My game plan for winter warmth is this fall I'm going to put all of our fallen leaves in the run and let them create a layer of mulch on top of the sand. It may be messy in the spring, but I think it will work.

 

[chickery-do]

Haydoess anyone out there know if you can get a Silver Laced Wyandotte from 2 GLW's? If so then I can get rid of this new 8wk cockerel SLW. But god I do love the silver but the silver there are only so many roo's one can have. Or should I say, want! I have 1 GLW 1 Sizzle and 1 Silkie that's enough for me! So come on Mainers, you guys seem to be talking a lot more than the Where am I / NH site I go to!

 

[lazy gardener]

I don't have a clue, but you might check the chicken breeds/ing thread. I find the whole genetics angle to be fascinating, what little of it that I can wrap my head around. My guess is that GL with GL will always yield GL unless you have some prior crossing. My future hope is to produce a SL OE with a compact pea/rose comb by putting EE roo over Dom hen.

 

[Mainechick168]

WOW busy thread today! We have had so much rain...more than 3 inches I think. It's been a busy week, and I'm looking forward to the weekend. In chicken news...I've got a broody hen! I was kind of hoping this might happen early summer...but I suppose I'll let her go and see what happens!