Maine

[ashandvine]

Does anyone want to share a lot of pine cones with me? I will pretend that its chicken related... um, I will make chickens out of them a la thanksgiving style turkeys only for the Christmas tree... probably not but they are for the kids and I to decorate the tree with. There were a lot here last year and now there are two! No joke!

 

[superchemicalgirl]

First seed catalog came today!

Mine too!!!!

 

[yankeehill]

My pinecones are now burried in snow I even sent little girl out to pick up some....specified BIG ones, so we could make ornaments...she decided we only needed the teensy tiny 2 inch ones. Silly child! So I guess I should figure out how to use those.

I THINK our hens are starting to lay more. I collected 6 duck eggs, 9 chicken eggs today. Last time eggs were collected was Sunday (apparently I'm the only person in the house qualified to collect eggs, and since I worked the last four days, the eggs weren't collected daily). I have one light brahma who was on the eggs when I went to get them, and either she went back to lay one, or she's going broody cause she was back in the nest a few hours later. Wouldn't this be an odd time for a hen to go broody?

 

[CoopChick719]

UGH...I found worms on the roost this morning! I should have just stayed in bed this morning! Found the worms then put too much wazine in the waterer, had to go back in the house to get more water. Left the map lights on in my car last night but saw them before I went to bed, apparently I didn't catch them in time--dead battery. DH was on the road for work the only vehicle left was the "big red truck" (Ford F350) which I have no problem driving even if it is 4 feet taller than me, grabbed the keys then saw the big yellow snow plow on the front of it.

Called DH because I thought you had to angle said plow a certain way while driving. Left message. Called my boss a) to say I'd be late & b) to ask about plow angle. Finally got to work was feeling a little under the weather when I "realized" I had a raging UTI. Called dr.'s office only to find out my dr. had her baby and had resigned from the practice, would I mind seeing Dr. X? Well, I really don't have a choice unless I want to tough this one out without antibiotics. Stopped at grocery store for cranberry juice on my way to dr.'s--left my wallet in the car...the one w/the dead battery! Made it home--opened coop door to be greeted by big whiff of ammonia. The girls had a field day scratching through the deep litter in the coop. Got that straightened up. DH went to pick up my Rx which was not ready a half hour before pharmacy was closing. I'm ready for bed!!

But first I have a ventilation question. My coop is 8' x 12'. I have two 6"x6" vents in each gable end--North & South. I have 2 sliding windows--a 2'x2' in the South end & a 2'x3' in the North end. Are the vents enough ventilation or should I leave one of the windows open and how much--a crack, halfway, wide open?

 

[dowgirl71]

UGH...I found worms on the roost this morning! I should have just stayed in bed this morning! Found the worms then put too much wazine in the waterer, had to go back in the house to get more water. Left the map lights on in my car last night but saw them before I went to bed, apparently I didn't catch them in time--dead battery. DH was on the road for work the only vehicle left was the "big red truck" (Ford F350) which I have no problem driving even if it is 4 feet taller than me, grabbed the keys then saw the big yellow snow plow on the front of it.

Called DH because I thought you had to angle said plow a certain way while driving. Left message. Called my boss a) to say I'd be late & b) to ask about plow angle. Finally got to work was feeling a little under the weather when I "realized" I had a raging UTI. Called dr.'s office only to find out my dr. had her baby and had resigned from the practice, would I mind seeing Dr. X? Well, I really don't have a choice unless I want to tough this one out without antibiotics. Stopped at grocery store for cranberry juice on my way to dr.'s--left my wallet in the car...the one w/the dead battery! Made it home--opened coop door to be greeted by big whiff of ammonia. The girls had a field day scratching through the deep litter in the coop. Got that straightened up. DH went to pick up my Rx which was not ready a half hour before pharmacy was closing. I'm ready for bed!!

But first I have a ventilation question. My coop is 8' x 12'. I have two 6"x6" vents in each gable toend--North & South. I have 2 sliding windows--a 2'x2' in the South end & a 2'x3' in the North end. Are the vents enough ventilation or should I leave one of the windows open and how much--a crack, halfway, wide open?

Oh man, Coopchick! Tomorrow's got to be better-hope you feel better, too.

 

[yankeehill]

On a warm day like today, I'd have left those two windows open. Should you clean the coop? I know you're using the Deep litter method, but with the ammonia build up, and the worms, I personally would clean it out. Won't the chickens just get reinfested eating something in the litter that has a worm or egg on it?

 

[dowgirl71]

Noticed something a little strange, tonight, before I went out to close my girls in. One of the Buffs was up on a roost letting out the warning call. So I thought maybe the fox was around, but didn't see it. Then, when I got out to the coop, I saw a bunch of medium sized feathers on the ground from my EE. They came from a spot on her back between her wings and when I felt the area a few more came out. Other than losing a few feathers, she seems fine. So, I'm not sure if these two observations are connected or what. Any thoughts? I hope she hasn't decided to start molting. How old are they when they molt? She's only about 8.5 months.

Congratulations on the eggs, Anya! It is exciting-all my girls laid, today, too.

 

[lazy gardener]

Young birds are only supposed to do "mini" molts. However, my girls haven't read the manual. All of my EE have done mini-molts: mostly neck and beard, and dropped their tail feathers. However, My RIR has been going through a SEVERE molt. I feel so bad for her. Also, my BSL, who has a thick lustrous coat of feathers, has started to molt, and is loosing tail and body feathers. If she follows the same pattern as the RIR, she'll be in the worst of it just in time for the huge freeze. Interestingly enough, the RIR and BSL are girls that I hatched. Also, BSL is showing more neuro signs with the colder weather. and the RIR is now showing some of the same behaviors. I think it's nutrition related b/c they are not eating any where near as much feed as I expect them to. I've been beefing it up with BOSS including sprouts, occasional lentil, wheat and barley sprouts, some meat scraps (probably not enough of that). I don't want to put heat in their loft, but am considering it b/c of the molting. Planning to use a cinder block with a 40 - 60 watt bulb inside, covered over with a ceramic tile. I have a thermostat that will limit the heat to come on at what ever temp I set it at.

So sorry Coop chick. Some times it's just not worth getting out of bed!!

 

[MEMama3]

My shed is coming! My shed is coming! Woohoo!!!!

 

[cmw226]

Anybody want or know of anyone who wants an 8 month old EE rooster; either for their flock or the soup pot? He had my other rooster (the one I like) pinned in a corner this morning so he has to go. I am not at a place in my chicken raising where I am ready to process my own birds.