North Carolina

[melodie_a]

Good morning everyone! Woke up this morning to two new peepers. So glad they made their appearance before we left for the beach this afternoon. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

 

[chris4kdz]

 

[2Sesslers]

dutchbunny:

you are a strong, strong woman!

 

[dutchbunny83]

I don't know how I could have even considered leaving, the overwhelming amount of love and support I have felt from you guys is amazing. I don't have that anywhere else, as the other people I know think my chicken love is crazy and they are for eating and farms, not pets.

I REALLY REALLY appreciate everyone's kind words.
It's going to be tough, but I don't think I could completely give up chicken keeping, I love them so much.

 

[NewHomesteader2010]

Hey! Hey! Hey you guuuuuuuuuuuuuuuys {& gals -- name that movie}!

I just wanted to share my proud Momma moment for today --

I went out to check to be sure that all of the girls got in for the night, to find they were all 6 roosted, SLEEPING! In the past couple of weeks, I have seen them getting up there at dusk, but noticed that when they finally settled in for sleep they were on the floor in the corner together. I am not sure when the roosting started, but I am so relieved! Thanks to all of you for listening to all of my worrying-- you were right, they'd do it when they were good & ready!

Yay for a GOONIES reference!!

dutchbunny:

you are a strong, strong woman!

x2!! Dutch - I am so glad you have decided to stick around. I was brought to tears from your post and can feel the depth of love, care and respect you have for your chickens. A pet is a pet regardless of what it is, be it chicken, rat, SPIDER (shudders at the thought), cat, dog, horse, ant, etc... they burrow into our hearts and leave holes when they leave. We ALL can understand that.

Hang in there, you are obviously one strong and sweet lady!! We are here for you if you ever need to vent/cry/chat/giggle/etc.. I look at BYC as my extended family...they get my love for our ducks/chickens (although I am more partial to our ducks as our chickens are specifically for eggs and meat) in a way that others cannot fathom. You will never be laughed at for cuddling with a Silkie, dressing up a Polish or designing a funky chicken saddle for one of your "over worked" hens! This is a great group of people and I could not have managed to learn what I have without them. I know they will do the same for you!

It's Friday everyone! DH is FINALLY off the night shift, now to train his body to get back on the day shift while I run errands all day. Heading to the feed store to pick up feed, then to Whole Foods - well, because it's so close to the feed store, why not...I'm HOPING for a WATERMELON!! Then home! IF the rain stays away I hope to get a few more plants in the garden that have outgrown their seedling boxes!! Just for the record, I did NOT do diapers (in fact they are all clean and waiting to be stuffed) so the rain is NOT my fault. LOL. OOhh...chick news: my super blue babies are SUPER FLUFFY and are so much bigger than the others. DH claims to not be able to see a size difference, but I can. They are the only ones who are "roosting" on the little roost we have in there for them, go off "away" from mama to scratch and peck in the dirt, etc... I think I need another chicken to go broody (oohh...or a duck!!

) so I can get me some more babies!! Have a great day everyone!!

 

[crazyhen]

Awwh dutchbunny I know your pain, If I were there i would have set and held you and cried right along with you. I lost my first flock the for the same reason. A stupid auction and not enough information on my part just lots of enthusiasm and love for the chickens. It is so sad that some take advantage of us when we are so Innocent.

Stupid auctions. Go and take out that pain as anger on the germs by spraying and scrubbing everything you can get your hands on thats chicken with a heavy clorox solution and put it in the sunshine to finish getting rid of bacteria and viruses. Use heavy gloves. My hands were raw for weeks. When I did it I was so hurting that I could not think straight through the tears and didn't use gloves sigh! it was painful in two ways that time. Now I have a beautiful little flock that I love dearly. I have them NPIP tested and add extra test like salmonella and ms/mg just for my own knowledge too. It has been 4 yrs but I have not forgotten how hard it was on me and you won't either. Do not give up , learn. Life is like that. Never give up, Learn. Take care friends

 

[cknnewbie]

I found this post with NPIP certification contact information (updated 4/2013). Dutchbunny's experience taught so many of us newbies valuable lessons.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/128584/npip-certification/50

 

[Hollowoakfarm]

NH, you Know it's too early for watermelon! All that's out there are imported ones grown with who-knows-what kinds of chemicals! You've got another month or more before you can get local watermelon!

 

[Moores6]

So sorry for what you are having to go thru Dutchbunny.

Congrates Luke and GF

Chicken question my silky has gone broody (lol) its only been a few days and she is doing good but she laid another egg. Do I take the egg out or leave it?

On a cute note if she hatches at 21 days it will be my birthday.

 

[ramirezframing]

you can leave the egg Moores6, but if other hens can get to where she is at, they will keep adding eggs or she will steal them and add them to her pile.

I mark the eggs so I know which are hatching and which are fresh and remove the fresh daily