Minnesota!

[Cyrus83]

Well I stopped by the shelter today to pick up my live trap and she said the stray cat I brought in was put down because it was definitely a wild one.

 

[holm25]

I being a big heartless old man can turn any stray away with an evil stare and laugh.

I have taken in strays in the past, I doubt I would take one in now, as I like to let my chicks free range too. I have also found I am allergic to cats, I think. We had cats for years, and I had a stuffy nose for years, our last cat disappeared, I assume an eagle or critter got her. After she was gone I found my stuffy nose cleared up, both my kids are allergic to cats, and years ago (45) a doctor did a allergy test on me and said I was allergic to cats, I did not believe him, so I kept my cats. Who could have guessed he was right?

I have not had anything take my chicks in about a week, I think my just placing the traps has them scared. I had a conversation with "Mom" yesterday. It concerns predators and egg laying. As you know one of the hardest things about free ranging chickens is getting them to continue to lay eggs in the nest boxes in the coop. Here is the conversation:

Mom: You had a predator yesterday in the wood shed.


Me: How do you know did you find a dead bird?

Mom: NO, the eggs were laying outside the nest on the ground.

Me: what nest?

Mom: the one on the floor of the woodshed.

Me: I did not know there was a nest there, I thought I had broke them of laying their

Mom: They did stop laying there so I got worried they were hiding the eggs, so I put some fake eggs in the nest

Me: why?

Mom: So they would lay the eggs there.

Me: How long have they been there?

Mom: I think, right after you went to Florida.

Me: What happens to the eggs?

Mom: I eat them

Me: You can take eggs from the coop or I can bring you some.

Mom: Oh No, I don't want to take your eggs.


Only 4 more months until she goes back to Florida! I tried to explain to her some of the chickens can tell the fake eggs and kick them out of the nest, that conversation was too ugly to repeat here, and I was crying like a baby when it was over....

I want to meet your mother!!!

 

[duluthralphie]

I was just out surveying my livestock.

Ethel is still missing, I hope she is on a nest and alive it has been nearly a week since I have seen her.

The yearling self blue is on her nest she has eggs spread out all around her and under her, I have no idea if any will hatch she has not been off the nest that I know of in the 10 days I have been back home. She is alive I checked on that and got the evil eye broodies give you when you get too close.

The BBW is the dumbest bird alive it is "stuck" in the tractor again, going back and forth against the wire and not going the extra 2 feet to the door.

My Broody BA on the guinea eggs had a chipmunk in her pen with her, she did not pay any attention to it, but did give me the evil eye and crouched down when I got too close.

I have another broody BA sitting in a nest box, I am still trying to figure out what to do with her.

I have a couple dozen guinea eggs that should be hatching any day, I think they are all duds. I have 6 Cochin eggs that are over due on the hatch.

My lone Cochin chick is dying somehow yesterday it managed to get under/into the feeder and get stuck possibly breaking its leg and wing. We have it in ICU, I doubt it will make the night, but I thought that last night too.

The toads are more CX than I like, I am afraid, they are just sitting around and eating. They did not leave the tractor. Time to move them and starve them.

 

[lalaland]

yikes, Ralphie. If you didn't have bad luck, you wouldn't have any luck at all........

 

[aussiegal318]

Got home from the hospital and found we had chicks. So far we have 5 with 1 unhatched egg. I'm thinking that I will leave it until tomorrow & if it hasn't hatched by then I figure it won't. I've been trying to get the photos from my phone to the computer, it's always a crap shoot. wish me luck.

 

[holm25]

Got home from the hospital and found we had chicks. So far we have 5 with 1 unhatched egg. I'm thinking that I will leave it until tomorrow & if it hasn't hatched by then I figure it won't. I've been trying to get the photos from my phone to the computer, it's always a crap shoot. wish me luck.

I would leave the egg for 2-3 more days. I was going to take the eggs from my broody today because they hadn't hatched for 2 days. They r in the bator now and have internally pipped and doing well.

 

[holm25]

I have JJ and Ethel muscovys!!! They r lilacs!!

 

[duluthralphie]

Got home from the hospital and found we had chicks. So far we have 5 with 1 unhatched egg. I'm thinking that I will leave it until tomorrow & if it hasn't hatched by then I figure it won't. I've been trying to get the photos from my phone to the computer, it's always a crap shoot. wish me luck.

I hate to agree with the kid, but, it does not cost anything to leave them a few days, if the temps dropped or something they could be late hatchers...

 

[holm25]

I hate to agree with the kid, but, it does not cost anything to leave them a few days, if the temps dropped or something they could be late hatchers...

 

[nordicacres]

Here they are next to their heater cave! It will be interesting to watch their colors develop