Maine

[IZZYBELLA]

MustardTiger - I grew up with an electric fence for our dogs (weimaraners). We had a fantastic experience with it. The females learned very quickly - literally one time around. It took the male a little longer, but just keep the white flags up for awhile to remind them. The weims never went through the fence and after a few years we even shut the fence off and they still never left the yard. I will say we had a wheaten terrier for a few years, who was not the brightest bulb. She went through a few times... so perhaps it depends on the dog. (Weimaraners really are a much smarter breed than they get credit for!) I have a greyhound now and have been told that as a sighthound they will go through so fast without even feeling the shock, so I think we're going to put up a physical fence for her.

 

[ashandvine]

Well actually now that he has gained some weight he needs to get out on the trails to build up some muscle. And since he likes the trails it would be good for his psyche too.

Well, alright, I will check my calendar. I think it would be good for my psyche too now that I have gained weight as well.

Just wondering if anyone here in Maine has some nice silkie, sizzle, and/or cochin hatching eggs for sale. I have posted in the for sale/wanted thread but thought I would ask here. I am in Gray, ME and I am willing to drive up to an hour one way to pick them up. I am just not having any luck with shipped eggs. Thanks!!

Yes Hoppy has the first two, Cloverleaf has silkies and joaniemaine has great cochins. Probably just birds from all of them but ask.

Just to share....
If you can believe this, HE is the bully in the yard (bantam)


ooooh, the Poms, got to love them...


Midget White hen. I admit that I like her 'pwit pwit' in the yard.


The one who is most often bullied... poor gentle giant that he is


And Ragnar once again because he ate out of my hand today and was so sweet I was doing this in the yard:

 

[buckabucka]

So, after teaching in Lincoln all weekend, I made it home with a few hours to spare before the sun went over the mountain. I slammed together the rest of the coop, built the roosts and we went gathered up the babies. I was worried that it was going to be too cold, that without the lamp they would freeze...I was one happy papa this morning to find them all just fine. I did notice that they did not roost...they all seemed to sleep in the corner (I am having guilt over not providing them with heat). Is this normal behavior? I will zap a few pictures of the inside, perhaps my design is not worthy of those little feet... I still have work to do, a window or two, and the nest boxes have to be finished. I have to admit it was exciting to get them out there! They seem VERY happy in their new home and will hopefully start laying here in a few weeks.

They look fully feathered, so I would not worry about heat. My chicks always pile to sleep, especially in a new location, for several days before they figure out the roost. My chicks are just over two weeks old and they are flying around the brooder creating havoc. I need to get the jail finished next weekend. I would really like to get these chicks out of the house soon, even if I have to place the jail close to a building so I can plug in their Ecoglow for the night.

 

[lazy gardener]

So, after teaching in Lincoln all weekend, I made it home with a few hours to spare before the sun went over the mountain. I slammed together the rest of the coop, built the roosts and we went gathered up the babies. I was worried that it was going to be too cold, that without the lamp they would freeze...I was one happy papa this morning to find them all just fine.

I did notice that they did not roost...they all seemed to sleep in the corner (I am having guilt over not providing them with heat). Is this normal behavior? I will zap a few pictures of the inside, perhaps my design is not worthy of those little feet...

I still have work to do, a window or two, and the nest boxes have to be finished. I have to admit it was exciting to get them out there! They seem VERY happy in their new home and will hopefully start laying here in a few weeks.

You make me feel so... validated!!! You're ahead of me. I'm still plugging away at my coop. Got the hinges today, have 2 doors to install, a bit of trim work, a skirt... the list goes on. I hope to get it minimally finished enough to move them in, and finish the pop door and perches after the fact. At the rate I'm going, the girls will be laying before the coop is finished. Do I see black sex-links and leg horns?

 

[dowgirl71]

So, after teaching in Lincoln all weekend, I made it home with a few hours to spare before the sun went over the mountain. I slammed together the rest of the coop, built the roosts and we went gathered up the babies. I was worried that it was going to be too cold, that without the lamp they would freeze...I was one happy papa this morning to find them all just fine.

I did notice that they did not roost...they all seemed to sleep in the corner (I am having guilt over not providing them with heat). Is this normal behavior? I will zap a few pictures of the inside, perhaps my design is not worthy of those little feet...

I still have work to do, a window or two, and the nest boxes have to be finished. I have to admit it was exciting to get them out there! They seem VERY happy in their new home and will hopefully start laying here in a few weeks.

Oh my goodness!! This seems like the time for a bunch of us to be doing the same thing. I just put my chicks out in their coop, for the first time Friday night and felt the same way-wondering if they'd be warm enough. They look like the same age as these. Mine are 6 weeks old and fully feathered, except for one, who is only 4 weeks, but has most of "his" feathers. Which brings me to another point...I may have an EE cockerel. I posted a picture of this chick on the EE sexing thread and 2 people commented that they are "99% positive" it is because of its feathering pattern. I have also noticed some aggressive behavior with it. So....I live in Brewer where roosters are not allowed and I am offering this chick to anyone who would be interested.

 

[blueseal]

I am missing a black sexlink. I checked on them when I got home from work at 630 they were all there. worked on my truck until 8 and went to lock the birds up and noticed 1 sex link is gone no feathers in the run looked around didn't see any anywhere. my run is a 5ft high 2x4 welded wire run no top on it. I saw a hawk yesterday flying around but he didn't come close enough to see the birds. this is my first day with the new pullets where I am living now. I cant believe I lost one the first day at there new home. guess they will be locked in the coop for awhile till I find out what is taking them.

 

[hoppy]

I got a % of mine moved out this past weekend. then I have my bunch that go out for the day and back inside because I'm worried they will get killed (by my dog, the sneak). so far so good.

 

[Widget]

Stupid cat. Just as I was leaving for work this morning the cat came in from outside. He is a great escape artist so I have yet to be able to keep him inside. Anyway he jumps up on the table and all I see is a face full of porcupine quills. He then decided to run down into the basement. No way I could get to him so I had to wait until tonight to see what I could do for him. Fortunately he only had five or six quills still stick in his face and I was able to easily pull them out. Hopefully he learned his lesson and won't stick his face where it doesn't belong again.

 

[dowgirl71]

I am missing a black sexlink. I checked on them when I got home from work at 630 they were all there. worked on my truck until 8 and went to lock the birds up and noticed 1 sex link is gone no feathers in the run looked around didn't see any anywhere. my run is a 5ft high 2x4 welded wire run no top on it. I saw a hawk yesterday flying around but he didn't come close enough to see the birds. this is my first day with the new pullets where I am living now. I cant believe I lost one the first day at there new home. guess they will be locked in the coop for awhile till I find out what is taking them.

Sorry to hear about your chicken.

 

[Widget]

Does anyone have any experience with wireless invisible dog fences? my dog is wandering over to the neighbours yard too much and she has decided to become horrible at recall all of a sudden :/ They love her but I don't want her to become too comfortable with wandering off.

When I moved into this house about 8 years ago I had Invisible Fence come out and install a system for my potcake who was a bit of a wanderer. She adjusted to it with no issues and never went through it. She knew exactly where the fence was and would give the edges a wide berth. One day a couple years later I took her collar off for some reason and one of the other dogs chewed it and destroyed the receiver part of it. I never did replace it mostly due to the cost and the fact that Sarah is now at an age where she doesn't have the get up and go to wander off. So overall I liked the system but it isn't for every dog. Would never use it for my Pyrs since as a breed they are wanderers and would never respect the collar no matter how much of a zap they got.