Maine

[CoopChick719]

Eek! Did he/she do any harm??! My backyard looks like a super highway of animal tracks... I really need to educate myself on tracking.

No harm, no foul! He/she wandered around a little then went back out to the pen. We left the gate to the sunroom open to give it a clear path out. We think it squeezed under the gate to the sunroom to get in so DH lowered it tonight. I did find tracks leading out behind the coop into the woods.

The burn barrel and the skunk posts reminded me of something that happened to my cousin when he was small. His family had a burn barrel and it was his job to take the paper and cardboard out to burn it in the barrel. He was taking it to the barrel one evening and he heard some noise inside the barrel. When he looked in, a skunk was somehow inside the barrel and sprayed him in the face. It was hilarious for all who heard about it. It was not fun for him and his parents who had to take him to the hospital for his burning eyes. The hospital treated him outside so the smell didn't get into the emergency room. Then his folks had to de-skunk him so they could stand to have him in the house. Lots of tomato juice baths.

The skunk figured out his way out and was not seen again.

Yikes! I can't imagine the smell not to mention how the poor kid felt. Sometimes the smell makes me sick to my stomach.

 

[GrafixMuse]

Skunk in the hen house! Skunk in the hen house! Note to self don't fall asleep reading the Murray McMurray catalog and forget to go close the pop door.

Oh dear!!!!

 

[GrafixMuse]

Interesting happening this week. I let the girls out of their coop into their pen which has a layer of straw to keep them happy. As I was switching out the waterer, I heard a squeak and a brief commotion among the girls that drew my attention. I turned my head just in time to see them fighting over something small and dark, tearing it apart, and then it disappeared. It took my mind a second to comprehend that some unfortunate mouse or mole wondered into their pen and thought the straw was a cozy place to be.

 

[longgrove]

If you want a pair that's nearly read for breeding let me know. I have two pairs I might be willing to let go. PM me. Eggs will be coming soon.

RE hard cider.... look into ciser, its better imo. I guess you didn't know I was a mazer, huh? LOL. Yup. And we tap our trees. Between three or four trees we got about 5 gallons last year. Yup. And then I screwed up and it all went to vinegar. Good thing that's considered gourmet too or it'd all have been for naught. I did read about how boiling inside would ruin our house but its been done here for years and never had sticky walls. Seriously. I put it all in a few roasting pans on the stove and away we go. Each morning my son helps with birds and my daughter goes out to collect the jugs.

I want to redeem my OE's reputation. She lays this dark bronzy egg I didn't care for at first. Now that she is laying green with tiny dark spots again most of the time I appreciate that darker egg for its variety. I didn't want to sound too picky

I have a question: I got a suggestion from my Marans Mentor that shocked me. She suggested I make a rose comb Marans. This would be a pia and I have plenty of projects already. My first reaction was that no one would want one, but then I got to wondering if anyone would? I would up here. Chime in and give me some more food for thought!

I would be interested in a rose comb Marans! I, too, appreciate variety in the egg basket and wish there was a rose or flat comb dark-egg layer. I prefer the cold hardy (ie frost resistant combs) birds for Maine weather. This winter my 3 ( Isbar) roos have all had some frost damage on their (straight) combs. Last year I got an (accidental - their eggs look so similar) pullet from my blue Isbar roo over an EE hen (a reddish gold I got from Ashandvine 2 years ago). To my surprise, she is a blue with ear tufts and the full neck feathers, a dark grey beard and faint silver penciling on the tips of her hackle feathers (which looks like a necklace, hence her name...Princess Laia). Best of all, she has a pea comb.

 

[Jazor]

Interesting happening this week. I let the girls out of their coop into their pen which has a layer of straw to keep them happy. As I was switching out the waterer, I heard a squeak and a brief commotion among the girls that drew my attention. I turned my head just in time to see them fighting over something small and dark, tearing it apart, and then it disappeared. It took my mind a second to comprehend that some unfortunate mouse or mole wondered into their pen and thought the straw was a cozy place to be.

I have a few mice that think it's a good idea to live in/around my barn. They most likely won't last long once the chickens are allowed out for free-range time this spring...

 

[lazy gardener]

Longgrove: your mutt sounds lovely! I'm really looking forward to eventually breeding mutts of my own, with specific goals in mind. Not this year, but next year! I see mouse tracks heading toward my coop skirt, have yet to see signs of them inside. No other animal tracks in my yard except for turkeys, which is very strange. I wonder if the electronet fencing last summer trained the critters to stay away from my yard.

I'm thankful that our well fix did not involve a pump replacement. When the guys took the cap off yesterday, they found that the frost had heaved the wiring up enough so that one of the wires was un-attached. Again, thankfully, it did not burn out the pump, so for now, we have water again!

 

[MEMama3]

I would be interested in a rose comb Marans!  I, too, appreciate variety in the egg basket and wish there was a rose or flat comb dark-egg layer. I prefer the cold hardy (ie frost resistant combs) birds for Maine weather.  This winter my 3 ( Isbar) roos have all had some frost damage on their (straight) combs. Last year I got an (accidental - their eggs look so similar) pullet from my blue Isbar roo over an EE hen (a reddish gold I got from Ashandvine 2 years ago).  To my surprise, she is a blue with ear tufts and the full neck feathers, a dark grey beard and faint silver penciling on the tips of her hackle feathers (which looks like a necklace, hence her name...Princess Laia).  Best of all, she has a pea comb.    

I would love one or two!!!

Edited to add: Sorry, mobile is being weird and quoting the wrong people and posting out of order. My comment was about interest in a rosecomb marans.

 

[ashandvine]

Long grove, I am so glad your little EE from me made it. I liked that one the best for coloring. Can you post a pic of that offspring? Sounds interesting. Yes, the pea comb is dominant but when crossing into a bird that has such a particular type and then the egg color traits it becomes much more persnickety what you cross in so that you don't undo all the work put into the Marans. I have nice Marans and am not interested in ruining all the work that already went into them-- not even by me! I respect the work it took to get them where they are much less what I am doing. Since Marans are mostly about their eggs its would be a big risk. I might [MIGH!] be able to keep a dark egg but probably not the really dark without a few years of work. Just thinking. Thanks to the few who have responded to my request.

It is snot stinking cold out there and I can't say that me, the birds, dog or car like it.

 

[IZZYBELLA]

Thanks for the ideas on sap options!

CoopChick - glad no harm was done with the skunk!

One of my BRs has been pooping green for about 2 weeks now. It's a normal consistency, just green. I can't see any obvious worms in it. Nobody else is having trouble. Is this normal sometimes? She's the quietest of my BRs and is eating, although she is acting a more reserved than usual. I'm telling you one of them is always worrying me!

 

[ashandvine]

Usually green is one of two things: lots of green food consumed or an internal failure... kidneys or liver, I can't recall. Just keep an eye on her and if she is acting fine save the worrying for when someone needs you to. I love this saying, "Don't trouble trouble till trouble troubles you."