Minnesota!

[Cluckies]

The chickens have been poofing their feathers a bit more and despite their various stages of molt the look huge and beautiful standing those feathers up a bit more out there on the lawn.

Gave some tuna fish and chislic as a treat tonight.
Pretty birdies.

The blood was outside on the shell, not bloody spots inside

I've had these a few times, but never found anything wrong with the hens, just happens sometimes I guess

Okay, so our local car wash at KT has a curse against me!
I went there today to wash the truck good before I put the topper back on and it is too cold to keep it off.
I fill my gas tank at the pump, and pay for a wash. Go around to back and get in line. I am second after a white F150. That truck pulls in and get his wash. Then, instead of pulling head to the blowers, puts it in reverse, trips the start to the wash and sits through MY wash!! I am just laughing, cuz how can something happen twice in one week in the same car wash like this? At least he didn't floor it and ram the front of my truck in. Still.... idiot.
I called inside and they gave me an upgrade to the Elite wash and I got in. The dope in front of me, gets out, looks at me, shrugs his shoulders then drives off.
I think I will stay away from that one for a while.

I did get an estimate and it is coming close to totaling, but I think I may be able to get it fixed instead.

Back to work. Pumpkins roasting, more waiting. Out to play in the wind again.

Oh, no... that is terrible! I would stay away from there as well, yikes! People are nuts!

What about the coop door to the run? Wouldn't that bring air up into the roosts? I'm going to cover the run in thick clear plastic, so that will eliminate most drafts and wind. Sometimes I miss having two chickens in one of those overpriced Fleet Farm coops. So much easier.....but so incredibly boring.

Also, what do you think about this idea - heated water bucket with the horizontal water nipples? I found one on Amazon. That, or I'm going to try the heated dog bowl.

http://www.amazon.com/API-Quart-Hea...8fs4vvL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR157,160_

I close the door at night when they are on the roosts so the air doesn't come up and over them. During the day they are in the run, so it doesn't matter. Even at 20 below last year they were out in the run. but If it ever seemed to cold, I would keep them in and close the door.

hey, do you all count your chickens when they roost?

This is getting crazy. That rooster isn't doing anything to anyone, but every chicken is all discombobulated. I have a 6 year old hen who has always, and I mean always, roosted in one spot for 6 years. Not tonight, and at least 2/3rds of the flock were in different places. It took me so long to count, and I came up short, and had to go do a search. Came back in to recheck, and found two different hens practically roosting on top of other hens, which is why I missed them.

glad everyone had a good weekend, except....minniechickiemama at the car wash, and coffee trying to post....

Wow, what a great problem to have!!! I only have 5 so...

call me envious!

HI, I am from Farmington, MN =]

Hi Barinhansch!

hi, Just getting started in raising chickens what's the best site to order chickens?

You can order them from alot of places, it depends on what you want to get. Also MInniechickmama, right here on our thread sells chickens, she is near you if you want her breeds. Also the guy at anoka ramsey farm and garden sells chicks/chickens almost all year long. I think he doesn't get new chicks in novemeber and december, you'd have to call to see what he has. last time I was in there were several breeds there.

Had to upload pics the long way around,, sent to my email then downloaded into a file then uploaded to BYC,,, almost miss my old phone...

Me and DIL went to Aussie`s today,,again,,LOl im going to end up moving in there I just love it,, it is very peaceful and beautiful... So be prepared Aussie when i show up with my bags i wont be leaving...

Nice photos! Aussies place looks awsome! I'm surprised your DIL would come out to a crazy internet persons place, lol

 

[KlopKlop]

hey, do you all count your chickens when they roost?

This is getting crazy. That rooster isn't doing anything to anyone, but every chicken is all discombobulated. I have a 6 year old hen who has always, and I mean always, roosted in one spot for 6 years. Not tonight, and at least 2/3rds of the flock were in different places. It took me so long to count, and I came up short, and had to go do a search. Came back in to recheck, and found two different hens practically roosting on top of other hens, which is why I missed them.

glad everyone had a good weekend, except....minniechickiemama at the car wash, and coffee trying to post....

I try to every night, but sometimes they are all still up and milling around when the lights are on or if i am refilling their feeders.

 

[Cluckies]

Now for the Gross Pics... OK Aussie gave me the push i needed today to do this she told me I HAVE TO...,,, The 1st time I did it i didn't do it very well but today I DID it ,,did it well and was proud of myself... I was worried i was going to hurt my girl the 1st time but this time i knew it was best for her..BUT she didn't seem to mind at all she even seemed like she was OK with me doing it.. and she sure seemed happier after it was done...
1st i put a warm rag on her ear to soften it,,the i took tweezers and pulled scab off and with it came hard yellow gunk..then i put ear wash in it. then took qtips to it.. then cleaned it again. then packed it with neosporin.. I'm sure she felt better.. put her back outside and she went running to her friends...

believe it or not it looks way better then it did a week ago...

I'm sure she'll feel way better without all that pressure in her ear. poor little girl.

Good for you for doing what needed to be done!

I can't wait to see the progress photos of it healing up! Bet it heals quickly now!

 

[Coffee 1st]

actually it was for her benefit she bought a auto part to get her truck fixed.. when i used her truck and went to Aussies to get some bales for the run me and Aussie packed the bed of truck so full we slammed it shut to shove it all in the back and we ended up breaking the handle off. And Aussie son is going to fix it... My son thinks its funny he says he understands how 2 Moms can mess something up and understands how Aussies son must feel..LOl... dang kids...

 

[Minniechickmama]

Excellent point. I'm going to get the dog bowl and run your same process. Cold days, straight out the bowl with something in the middle. Not so cold days, I'll stick the water fountain on it. Do you elevate your water bowl or keep it on the ground? I'm thinking of plopping it on an upright log.

I made frames of cedar to elevate them up about 6"

 

[Minniechickmama]

Now for the Gross Pics... OK Aussie gave me the push i needed today to do this she told me I HAVE TO...,,, The 1st time I did it i didn't do it very well but today I DID it ,,did it well and was proud of myself... I was worried i was going to hurt my girl the 1st time but this time i knew it was best for her..BUT she didn't seem to mind at all she even seemed like she was OK with me doing it.. and she sure seemed happier after it was done...
1st i put a warm rag on her ear to soften it,,the i took tweezers and pulled scab off and with it came hard yellow gunk..then i put ear wash in it. then took qtips to it.. then cleaned it again. then packed it with neosporin.. I'm sure she felt better.. put her back outside and she went running to her friends...

believe it or not it looks way better then it did a week ago...

I had to clean my Ameraucana rooster's ear out again today too.

 

[lalaland]

Now for the Gross Pics... OK Aussie gave me the push i needed today to do this she told me I HAVE TO...,,, The 1st time I did it i didn't do it very well but today I DID it ,,did it well and was proud of myself... I was worried i was going to hurt my girl the 1st time but this time i knew it was best for her..BUT she didn't seem to mind at all she even seemed like she was OK with me doing it.. and she sure seemed happier after it was done...
1st i put a warm rag on her ear to soften it,,the i took tweezers and pulled scab off and with it came hard yellow gunk..then i put ear wash in it. then took qtips to it.. then cleaned it again. then packed it with neosporin.. I'm sure she felt better.. put her back outside and she went running to her friends...

believe it or not it looks way better then it did a week ago...

good lord, I've never seen a chicken ear look like that. Good for you to stick it out and take care of her.

Minniechickmama, was your Ameraucana's ear just as bad?

 

[aussiegal318]

hi, Just getting started in raising chickens what's the best site to order chickens?

Welcome, just a fair warning we are a chatty bunch. I think we actually like each other here, which mean if you could have an overwhelming number of post to read each day. Many of the post will be about chickens, but there will be a large number of posts that will be dripping with good natured humor/sarcasm. We are MN Nice & believe the more the merrier. Besides we have some competitive stat lovers & resident chicken exorcist needs something to read with his morning coffee! Have fun and don't be afraid to ask questions, we have some super knowledgeable folks will to help.

 

[Rhetts]

Gave some tuna fish and chislic as a treat tonight.
Pretty birdies.

Chislic. I was just wondering where @Blooie was lately and then you go and mention Chislic.

 

[Minniechickmama]

good lord, I've never seen a chicken ear look like that. Good for you to stick it out and take care of her.

Minniechickmama, was your Ameraucana's ear just as bad?

Actually, mine is probably worse, he has that nasty cheesy stuff all the way down in, and he has had it in both ears. I try to not breathe through my nose when I clean it. I treated him with Frontline last week. I gave him a doze of Safeguard today too.
I have a Splash Orp hen who isn't look so well and I gave her Safeguard as well. She doesn't feel bony but she isn't as heavy as she should be either. She is starting to molt some though. Everyone in the older flock got pumpkin guts today, but I don't know if she had any or not. I hope I don't lose her, but I am think that is a possibility. She is one of my older hens I just keep to make EEs with now and get a few eggs from.