Minnesota!

[Cearbhael]

Hey all..


Hi to newbies and welcome.

I am tired and beat. If I EVER mention I am going to rent out any house/home I own, would one of you please come hit me along side the head with a 2x4;
If I ever do anyone a favor, please remind me I will get screwed in the end...

I rented my house out down here to some people I felt sorry for. She had just gotten diagnosed with breast  cancer and they had lost their house in the bubble burst . I rented them my home, a nice 1500 ft home on the river 10 minutes by boat to the gulf of mexico.  It has a spa that overflows  over a water falls into my pool. I had solar heat on the roof in addition to a heater.

NOW I need to rip the solar panels off, They filled up with gunk/algae from them not taking care of the pool. The pool water looks like pea soup with big chunks,,,,,

The door to one of the bedrooms is missing, Their son kicked it off it's hinges when he was mad at his girlfriend... (who doesn't do that stuff when they were young?) Yep that's the reply I got when I asked what happened to the door....


There are holes in the walls in 4 rooms about 10 total, Same incident, He was really mad you know......

The window  above the kitchen sink is busted, looks like a bat went through it...

The glassware stovetop was white it is now crusty burned black... MY new  granite countertops  are chipped in a dozen places...... I am not happy, I miss my chickens,,,

I have two boat lifts that need new motors and gears.. OH You're suppose to oil them?

I could have rented the place as a vacation home peak season 2-3 K a month... off season 1200.... I felt sorry for them,  I let them have ot for 800 a month with no damage deposit....He promised to paint the house.....Must have sold the paint I bought him.......

IT is going to cost me 15k to get the place fixed up again,,,,,, Some Please come kick me now......


ON a the good side, I have lots of new babies at home. MY wive said... I forget what all she said, I know she said a couple more creamette girls and a small Toad.

TTYL,

(Hugs) poor Ralphie, yeah, your MNnice! They saw you coming and going. I hear this story a lot!! My parents rented their home on Sanibel Island and had lots of damage and cleanup. People just don't seem to take pride in their home and if it is not theirs, they can treat it very poorly, no skin off their nose! Personally, I treated my rental properties with the same respect I treat my current home that I own! I mean it is your home whether you own it or rent it. As for that teenager, WHEW!! Anger issues or what??? And NOOOO! Teenage boys don't normally kick in doors or put their fists through walls!! He needs a trip behind the barn with a willow switch!! I am sorry, but we got our butts tanned if we got out of line, and we deserved it and we knew it and it didn't damage our "tender" teenage psyches one bit!! Kids have 0 respect these days.

 

[Minniechickmama]

Minne-how is it going with the Battle of the Weasel? Any luck yet?

No, and I am not happy about it! I have a couple of cull bantams I may use as live bait in a cage the weasel shouldn't be able to get into and put the ones with bloody meat next to them and see if that will draw the little *****excessive explitives***** in to my traps. Since I did the mowing the other night, it hasn't been back that I can tell.


On a better note....
I was able to put off getting my CRX now until July 8th, which is good since I just set my last batch into the hatcher, 240 eggs and most were already starting to push against the membrane and the bantam Faverolles were pipping. I went to set one pipped egg in the carton in the bottom and accidentally squeezed too hard, so that one probably won't make it. Setting this batch, I had hoped I would be able to ship a few out to folks who have been waiting a while, but that is not going to happen now with all the restrictions set by other states. I will have replacements for the ones the weasel took though!
Also, my BBW turkey poults are due the first week of June, so I will get those rolling. They are worth more this year, I think. I will have to reassess how much to charge this year!

 

[Minniechickmama]

Is it unheard of to put a heat lamp inside a square made of cinder blocks and put a galvanized waterer over the top of it during the winter months?

I have heard of this, but you have to be REALLY careful that you have it closed and that the materials around it are not going to start on fire at any point. However, I have heard that a 60Watt or 100Watt bulb is sufficient to do one of these. People have gotten creative with water heater designs. There is one using a Christmas cookie tin and a little light, almost like a night light, then setting the metal waterer on that. In MN though, I am sure a 25W design would be minimum.

 

[duluthralphie]

Thanks all for letting me vent and the support on my renters... the weather here in Florida does the same thing a milking machine does., schmucks. without the chm....


By 10 am it is too hot for this fat Minnesota boy to be outside doing anything.


The two cochin eggs are setting on the cupboard waiting to go into the incubator as soon as there is a hole. I really need another incubator, but being in Florida makes it hard to get one, ordering one by Amazon would work, but I think my sweet DW would notice a new one, especially beings she is taking care of my eggs while I am down here. She moved the babies out of the basement ast night and out to the shed into the pre-school tank. She says it has been chilly and damp up there but all of them in the brooder/tractor have been doing good, just not going outside much.

Instead of trying to make a water heater with a heat lamp, why not buy a heated base at fleetfarm? I am a huge make it myself and jerry-rigger but a heat lamp over and around water in the winder when moisture condenses, seems like a way to burn your coop down. I have a couple of those bases and they do the job well. They are UL listed for indoor use. I still try to keep them up from the litter and relatively clean but I do not worry about a fire, much.

My DW sold a dozen Toad eggs yesterday, due to lack of incubator space,

Did I mention I have a broody EE? I gave her eggs the day I left, I did not think she would take them as she was pretty upset over my pulling her from the nest box. DW says she is setting weel, and puffs up and makes a scene whenever she changes her water or adds feed.

She says the Cochins are not laying yet, but are getting friendlier. Minnie we named the light one Thelma, because my DW said the dark one looked like a Louise, Thanks again for them. I am going to let Ole have his way with them when they get out of isolation, I think a feathered footed Ole like chick would be cute,

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Good morning all!

I think the fascination with the Creamettes seems to be their high buck value. But I can tell you that after seeing some of those cochins down there Minnie...my kids were drooling over those birds and not so much the CCL's. Those and your Ameracaunas are next on my list.
I love the little blue eggs...but i wish they were just a tidge bigger. I hadn't realized they were a smaller bird.

Mike there are some great thoughts on water heaters.

The Witchita "Cabin Coop" page shows an excellent example using brick and clay pots. https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/wichita-cabin-coop

and then I always thought this cinder block one seemed good.


I myself for the last 3 1/2 years have used a cookie tin heater base. It literally cost me less than 10 bucks. Works like a charm. I set it up on bricks and a board platform out of the litter. I think I use a 40 watt in it. 25 watt does not cut the mustard when it gets MN cold outside.

Ralph....get back soon so you don't melt away....and you can take care of toads. Toads....

 

[FoxyChicken]

The babies were 1 week old yesterday, got their first taste of watermelon!


My two confirmed girls so far, the Buckeye and Welsummer synchronized drinking


The Buckeye is quite the character... she really "gets into" her food


Meredith pooped out an EE!

 

[scandiafowl]

My little ones are outside for the first time. Slow and sure..

 

[scandiafowl]

I'm supposed to be planting potatoes...

My little ones are outside for the first time. Slow and sure..

 

[scandiafowl]

Just humor me, I'm enjoying them so much.

 

[bantiesrule]

Priorities...babies grow up too fast, just enjoy now.