Michigan

[ChicwannaB]

Quote:
that is wonderful Fife...spread the fever....hahahahaha I hope she truely loves it. Im getting set up to hatch some Lemon Orpingtons soon as they arrive. Going to have to keep them in my lockable office bathroom area. what a hoot. You never could have convinced ME that I'd ever be raising baby chicks in my house!! Got the fever.

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will be putting a trail cam in the coop for a day or two. I also moved Boo, the broody, to the storage area of my big coop. No where in there that she can make a nest. That is where I managed to break the NH when she went broody. Boo is so skinny right now. I gave her some scrambled eggs and my leftover oatmeal this morning.

Fuzzybut, nice job on the apron

Mom2, wow! That is a lot of water.

 

[yorkchick]

Quote:
The goosers would have been in heaven!! Mine are now since by backyard is also flooded.

Poor goosers here, no flooding in the chicken and goose pasture, but at least the weather's been holding so I can still dump and fill their two wading pools using the hose. I have one kiddy pool and then one of the big size concrete-mixing tubs. The tub sure is easier to dump and fill than the kiddy pool. I have three lengths of hose connected together to reach from the faucet on the house to the pasture, and I have to disconnect it between uses because it crosses the driveway and it turns out the weight of cars driving over a hose is not particulartly good for the hose...

(Yeah, we did try it at first, but it was an old hose, on its last legs anyway, got maybe a week out of driving over it before it sprang some major leaks... So, bought a good quality new hose and I'm trying to respect its limitations this time). But dealing with the hose is still easier than hauling out the water is going to be. It will be my character-building assignment for this winter.

I once actually helped out at a riding stable where they did not have a frost-free hydrant in the barn and all winter we had to haul buckets of warm water from the house to the horses several times a day. So this will be much easier than that--just one five gallon bucket to rinse and fill every day. I've got the heated bucket and that's working very well so far. Though I thought the water might stay cleaner since the goosers can't stand in it like they did in the kitty-litter pan they had before. Well. turns out they can still make a beautiful grumble-and-mud soup in the bucket.

Henry, Penelope, and Libby continue to be highly entertaining. They are honking more than they did at first, when they first get out of the pen in the morning and for some visitors but not others. It's interesting. Some friends brought over their 16-month old toddler a few weeks ago, and the kid is crazy about animals, loves to feed the chickens. Didn't know how the geese would react, remembered Mom2's story about them trying to pants her little nephew. But Dad carried little Connor, I picked up handsome Mr. Henry, and Connor got to pet the goose and remain clothed.

Yesterday I brought home a friend's dog who's going to stay with us for a few weeks while my friend recovers from ankle surgery. Our two dogs now regularly go out with the geese with no problems, and even from the first, the goosers were a bit wary but not overly concerned about them. Well, first sight of the new dog (through a fence and half the yard away) and the goosers began SCREEchonking. They are pretty smart. But we knew that.

I think they could use some activities. Their first self-created hobby was nibbling on the chicken ramp up to the pop door. A week or so after they arrived, I noticed a little wear on the ramp. "Huh," I said, "that thing's only 2 years old, yeah it's out in the weather, but I did do multiple coats of paint on it (along with grit added to the sand to give the chickens traction), weird it is falling apart so soon." I also noticed whenever I checked on the goosers, they tended to be hanging out by that side of the coop. After another week, I noticed about a quarter of the width of the ramp at about goose height was gone, and there were distinct goose-bill shaped chunks missing from the damaged area. AHA! I removed the wooden ramp, put one together by stacking cement blocks. Try to chew through those, geese!

But now they need a new hobby. I've found a site that sells geese toys that are basically vey tough rubber bands that they pull on. Also I got some sample hay to see if they'll pick at that, before I buy some bales. Anyone have other suggestions for goose environment enrichment?

(Just edited to fix a typo, probalby missed others but oh, well...)

Sometimes I crack myself up. Managed to make another typo while explaining that I was fixing a typo. If only I'd meant to do that, it would have been clever. In reality, not so much. So, now, stopping while I'm behind.

 

[fuzzybutt love]

Quote:
The goosers would have been in heaven!! Mine are now since by backyard is also flooded.

Poor goosers here, no flooding in the chicken and goose pasture, but at least the weather's been holding so I can still dump and fill their two wading pools using the hose. I have one kiddy pool and then one of the big size concrete-mixing tubs. The tub sure is easier to dump and fill than the kiddy pool. I have three lengths of hose connected together to reach from the faucet on the house to the pasture, and I have to disconnect it between uses because it crosses the driveway and it turns out the weight of cars driving over a hose is not particulartly good for the hose...

(Yeah, we did try it at first, but it was an old hose, on its last legs anyway, got maybe a week out of driving over it before it sprang some major leaks... So, bought a good quality new hose and I'm trying to respect its limitations this time). But dealing with the hose is still easier than hauling out the water is going to be. It will be my character-building assignment for this winter.

I once actually helped out at a riding stable where they did not have a frost-free hydrant in the barn and all winter we had to haul buckets of warm water from the house to the horses several times a day. So this will be much easier than that--just one five gallon bucket to rinse and fill every day. I've got the heated bucket and that's working very well so far. Though I thought the water might stay cleaner since the goosers can't stand in it like they did in the kitty-litter pan they had before. Well. turns out they can still make a beautiful grumble-and-mud soup in the bucket.

Henry, Penelope, and Libby continue to be highly entertaining. They are honking more than they did at first, when they first get out of the pen in the morning and for some visitors but not others. It's interesting. Some friends brought over their 16-month old toddler a few weeks ago, and the kid is crazy about animals, loves to feed the chickens. Didn't know how the geese would react, remembered Mom2's story about them trying to pants her little nephew. But Dad carried little Connor, I picked up handsome Mr. Henry, and Connor got to pet the goose and remain clothed.

Yesterday I brought home a friend's dog who's going to stay with us for a few weeks while my friend recovers from ankle surgery. Our two dogs now regularly go out with the geese with no problems, and even from the first, the goosers were a bit wary but not overly concerned about them. Well, first sight of the new dog (through a fence and half the yard away) and the goosers began SCREEchonking. They are pretty smart. But we knew that.

I think they could use some activities. Their first self-created hobby was nibbling on the chicken ramp up to the pop door. A week or so after they arrived, I noticed a little wear on the ramp. "Huh," I said, "that thing's only 2 years old, yeah it's out in the weather, but I did do multiple coats of paint on it (along with grit added to the sand to give the chickens traction), weird it is falling apart so soon." I also noticed whenever I checked on the goosers, they tended to be hanging out by that side of the coop. After another week, I noticed about a quarter of the width of the ramp at about goose height was gone, and there were distinct goose-bill shaped chunks missing from the damaged area. AHA! I removed the wooden ramp, put one together by stacking cement blocks. Try to chew through those, geese!

But now they need a new hobby. I've found a site that sells geese toys that are basically vey tough rubber bands that they pull on. Also I got some sample hay to see if they'll pick at that, before I buy some bales. Anyone have other suggestions for goose environment enrichment?

(Just edited to fix a typo, probalby missed others but oh, well...)

Sometimes I crack myself up. Managed to make another typo while explaining that I was fixing a typo. If only I'd meant to do that, it would have been clever. In reality, not so much. So, now, stopping while I'm behind.

Mabie for the summer you could invest in a metal pipe to run across the driveway and run your hose in it. I never knew geese chewed! I'd throw a short section of 4x4 into the yard and let them chew away! I wonder if they eat cabbage? I threw a head to my chickens the other day and it took 3 days for them to chew it into nothing! Boy did i get some shockingly colored poos though!

 

[fuzzybutt love]

Wow everyone. There is so much stuff going on! I don't want you guys who have the dramatic stuff thinking i don't care; some of it is just so bad that it leaves me speachless! I am keeping everyone in my thoughts, including our crazy critters!

 

[M.sue]

ChicwannaB..... Lemon Orphtingtons.....I've knever heard of them. Are they like the Buffs, lighter in color, smaller, or are they the same just called named different?

 

[ChicwannaB]

M.sue :

ChicwannaB..... Lemon Orphtingtons.....I've knever heard of them. Are they like the Buffs, lighter in color, smaller, or are they the same just called named different?

I have no idea what they are, how they origanated, nothing. But you are close enough to me, if you want some I'll share. I really, Truely don't need this many more chickens. I just fell in love with the beautiful yellow coloring. 3-4 is really ALL I want. Im getting a dozen. just say the word.
No telling tho how this incubation thing will go for me, it's my FIRST attempt ever.
Im putting batteries in and programming a digital themometer plus set a old manual thermometer in the thing to see how they compare.
Im nervous as a mother hen about it all.
Would like to hatch a couple of my own barred rocks too, Doris is laying nicely now.

check out some pretty pics of lemons here: http://birdsandeggs.com/Lemon_Cuckoo_Orpington.html​

 

[Jenerva]

Bleep-a-doodle doo! Nova, your roo was like a lightbulb being thrown at my head! Of my 3 pullets I got last month, one is huge and noticeably more beautiful. Such lovely long feathers. I went out there just now to inspect, and she, I MEAN he, has 2 budding spurs emerging. AH! What should I do?? Can't keep it here in the city.

 

[Jenerva]

Just called the farmer, and she said she'd happily trade him out. I can't believe hoe the most obvious things get past me: IT'S A SEX-LINK CHICKEN ergo, color coded for this! And I knew that!!! I'll be shaking my head over this one for awhile...

 

[ChicwannaB]

M.sue :

ChicwannaB..... Lemon Orphtingtons.....I've knever heard of them. Are they like the Buffs, lighter in color, smaller, or are they the same just called named different?

lovely pics of some Lemon Orps on this site, NOT MINE, you are close enuf MSue if you want some I'd gladly share them. Just let me know. http://birdsandeggs.com/Lemon_Cuckoo_Orpington.html​