Maine

[superchemicalgirl]

It tasted terrible. I threw up. And that was just the scent taste.


Bucka, yes, hawks can "miss" or slip their grip. I would leave everyone inside today.

 

[farmerfogg]

  And it never gets easier.

Very sorry for you.  I can only tell you that It is never easy, only gets easier.  In my line of work I unfortunately see it all the time, It is never easy, but each time you learn how to deal with it a little differently, and the stress level does not
rise as much.  

Smile and love your babes that made it!  

Best of luck, sorry for your loss

Thanks for your support. Letting the hens out this morning was bittersweet. But it was comforting to know they weren't being mated repeatedly from the time the left the coop. Things will get better, I'm sure.

April

 

[echosrevenge]

Quote: I supplement their feed in summer with the extra from the garden (and the harvest of the Japanese Beetle traps), but I'd like to get more into it this year. Harvey Ussery's talk at Common Ground last year definitely got me thinking. If we end up buying this house, I'll definitely be tilling up a big chunk of the meadow for field peas and other winter fodder crops.


Yesterday, I failed HARD at culling the two deformed chicks from my last hatch. (one badly twisted beak, one deformed eyelids that wouldn't ever close completely, both deformities that would eventually be "incompatible with life" or at least incompatible with a decent quality of life). My husband had to do it when he came home from work, but I was able to watch with the second one so hopefully I will eventually desensitize to a point where I can do it myself. The older birds, I'm OK with - we eat the meat and bones, use the feathers, and feed the offal to the dogs, so it seems less of a waste, and they've generally had a really good run at life - good food, lots of love, free ranging outside on organically managed land, etc. The little ones who've never been outside at all...it's a LOT harder. But that doesn't mean it's any less necessary, just more difficult for me. Sigh.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Quote:
Don't feel bad about it. I still can't cull my hens. BF has to come do it. Just be glad you have someone that can do it and that you can make the right (hard) choice that it needs to be done.

 

[pellepeterson]

A few weeks ago we had some interesting tracks in the snow that came out of the woods. We could not identify them. In the book, it looked like gray squirrel tracks only much bigger, and this thing walked a long ways (as opposed to hopping and jumping). Since we see tracks a lot, but never any animals, we finally got a game cam. We were excited to look at our first photos, but all they turned out to be is DH emptying the sap buckets!

Yesterday, we had another strange event. The chickens were out free-ranging and I saw them all suddenly running towards the house. Most of the time, they are just running, but I did see one of the roosters look to the sky. When I went outside, there was a large pile of gray feathers on the lawn. 6 of my hens are gray, but all hens were present. The head roo did lead everyone back to the coop, which is also strange behavior (I usually can't get them to go in). Do hawks attack and fail to do damage ever? Everyone appeared to be fine. I'm thinking maybe I shouldn't let them out today...

Saw someplace where folks were stringing clothes line over the top of the area the chickens range. Like a circus tent I would imagine. Hawks are good hunters, they shock their prey, usually snatching them off the ground they are standing on and taking them elsewhere to finish them off. Not sure if one could ever actually miss...the tracks have me curious, like a squirrel but larger....Fisher Cat? Raccoon? Egret/Weasel? Not too familiar with the wildlife your way, could be anything! Cannot wait to see what the game cam picks up!

 

[buckabucka]

I haven't done any culling myself, either. In fact, I made that part of the agreement when DH wanted chickens. I wanted them too, but knew I couldn't deal with that part.

I was so excited to see my lavender Ameraucana in the nest box today! I am saving Basque eggs for a hatch, and had really hoped to put them all in together. The rooster was beside himself with excitement, pacing back in forth in front of her, even getting in the other nest box, chuckling away. When I went back, however, she was done sitting and there was no egg. I'm hoping it's a sign that they will be coming soon!

 

[Mainechick168]

Just had my first cull yesterday. No amount of research on the subject could have prepared me on how difficult it is to do, physical and emotional. Yesterday was a rough day for me.

Sorry to hear. DH and I cried like babies on our first one...prep and research does no good- even going into it knowing that these are livestock and it is our responsibility to do the right thing. I feel for ya.

 

[lazy gardener]

I supplement their feed in summer with the extra from the garden (and the harvest of the Japanese Beetle traps), but I'd like to get more into it this year. Harvey Ussery's talk at Common Ground last year definitely got me thinking. If we end up buying this house, I'll definitely be tilling up a big chunk of the meadow for field peas and other winter fodder crops.


Yesterday, I failed HARD at culling the two deformed chicks from my last hatch. (one badly twisted beak, one deformed eyelids that wouldn't ever close completely, both deformities that would eventually be "incompatible with life" or at least incompatible with a decent quality of life). My husband had to do it when he came home from work, but I was able to watch with the second one so hopefully I will eventually desensitize to a point where I can do it myself. The older birds, I'm OK with - we eat the meat and bones, use the feathers, and feed the offal to the dogs, so it seems less of a waste, and they've generally had a really good run at life - good food, lots of love, free ranging outside on organically managed land, etc. The little ones who've never been outside at all...it's a LOT harder. But that doesn't mean it's any less necessary, just more difficult for me. Sigh.

Echoes Revenge: Sorry to hear about your culling episode. I have one that is improving from Vit E encephalopathy that I hope I don't have to cull. Japanese beetle infestation last summer was the stimulus that got me thinking about getting some chickens. My plan is to hang a beetle trap directly over the tractor. Then, I can just unzip the bottom and dump them in every day for a crunchy feast. SCG: any thoughts from you re: if the pheromone and flower scented bait attractant should pose any problem to the chicks? I strongly doubt it. I know that the mouse sticky pads have some sort of anesthetic (as I recall) that is supposed to hasten death. I don't think Jap Beetle traps have any such similar ingredient.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

I'm not a beetle expert (nor a Beatle) but I have traps all over in the spring and no issues here. However, I'd point out that my chickens absolutely positively will not eat japanese beetles. I kill and compost them.

 

[lazy gardener]

It tasted terrible. I threw up. And that was just the scent taste.


Bucka, yes, hawks can "miss" or slip their grip. I would leave everyone inside today.

I hear that if you boil them in milk, it takes the gaminess out of them!