NY chicken lover!!!!

[stonykill]

One of my goofballs was crowing at 3:30 AM the other morning (I could faintly hear him in the coop from the bathroom). They're generally good about not doing that, so I figure he must have heard something, or thought he did.

Some of them were out puttering around in the snow the other day, which was surprising, as usually they don't venture out. The rest of them were like "the heck with it," and were busying themselves with the new alfalfa hay bale in the playroom instead.

Here's my random observation of the past week. I feed Flock Raiser with calcium free-choice on the side instead of feeding layer. They do well on it, but because it's a crumble food and not pelleted, there is occasionally a good deal of dust left over. So, I thought I'd try something. When I put new crumbles into their feed pan, I dumped the dust/remaining old ones into another pan and added water to make mash. They went crazy over it, as apparently the exact same feed they always have available is infinitely better when it's mushy.

Fine by me - less waste that way!

mine start around 4am. Everyday. By summer it will be 3:30. I don't know why. You get so used to them, you don't even notice

 

[vmdanielsen]

Getting lots of rain right now. Hoping my backyard doesnt flood. The divas finally came out of their coop on wed but only onto the nonsnowy ground. Icy in front of their door and I almost fell myself going out to let them out. I am hoping the weather stays warm (relatively speaking) and all our snow and ice melts.

All the chicken catalogs are coming now and boy could I go crazy. Have to restrain myself though till the new coop is done. Have to build another one for silkies as well so I can hatch out another line and get my breeding program up to par.

Girls still arent back to laying yet. We have been without eggs since december. I think its due to the molt and not enough light yet to get them going. I have tried all the other tricks to no avail. I told dh that we will have to put a light in the new coop on a timer for next year so this doesnt happen again. I will live with no eggs for now as the molt was pretty hard on them and some are still coming out of it. It just means extra protein and treats for them and there are no complaits from them about that! Have to do housekeeping this weekend when the rain is gone as all this dampness has left their house a bit on the smelly side, even with all the vents open.

Hope all is well with everyone on here. May all the ice and snow melt so you can get to the coops in safety!

I gave my birds their second eprinex dose, then pulled out all shavings and vacuumed cervices, again.( I did it with the first treatment 2 weeks ago), rebedded with a whole new bale of shavings.(my coop is 4'X6' so a whole bale is lot!) So I am happy to report that my coop is as sweet smelling as spring air!! Hopefully, I will get till April/may out of this cleaning! No sign of the dreaded lice.

 

[greymane]

Speaking of getting to the coop safely, I found out two weeks ago I have a bulging disc in my back. Trying to rest it all I can. As I am plodding across the yard to feed / water the pheasants, don't I step in a puddle (with an ice patch on the bottom) and end up on my back! I am doing alright so far, but I have a feeling tomorrow will not be as pleasant. Already called the chiro for a visit tomorrow.

Please be careful out there.

The funny thing is, it was one of those slow motion "Oh, no. Here we go." moments.

Both hands full and nothing to grab onto anyway.

 

[featherz]

I bought these at Amazon.. a bit pricier than the usual, but I wanted something that worked.


So far they are excellent although there is a lot less ice today. Just tons and tons of puddles.

Adding shavings to the barn today and weaning my indoor NYD chicks off the heat. Hopefully will get them out in the barn ASAP. =) Selling off 10 of them today with luck.

 

[rancher hicks]

I have three bad discs and what gets me is you can be fine one minute and the next in pain cuz you turned the wrong way. One time I fell asleep on the couch and for three days I could hardly walk.

My knees are just as bad.

Just for fun telling you.

Yesterday the furnace guy was here and DD's cat disappeared. I was frantic, going up and down the stair calling her. I thought she got out. Turned out she was down in the basement behind a piece of plywood and wouldn't come out. Anyhow my knee is hurting big time today. I wanted to shoot her.

DD comes home and wants to know why all the lights are on up stairs. I told her the story and said I wasn't climbing the stairs again. She can go up and turn them off herself!

 

[greymane]

Exactly, Rancher. I can be totally fine, then turn just a certain way and it almost drops me to my knees. Guess I ain't 18 anymore.

 

[Aria]

We need to remember to move carefully and slowly. I think after 50 it hurts when you twist or fall.
Rancher we burn wood and was just checking how old we will be when we say ...we can't do this.

Chickens are doing fine. We are NOT letting them out. Easier to keep them in the Barn and the run.
Weather has been more like Spring. LOVE IT. Aria Darn...the send or submit is not on my screen

FOUND IT...HAD TO MOVE THE SCREEN ALL THE WAY TO THE LEFT.

 

[greymane]

I am VERY close to sliding over that 50 hurdle, and until a few months ago, I was slinging feed bags and wood pellet bags like they were bags of chips. I knew better, but...there you have it. Know your limitations, I think is the lesson.

One thing I have learned is that a lifting belt is a great way to "tell" you if you are doing it wrong. On a better note, the girls have been popping eggs like it was there job (er, which I guess it is

). Nothing like eggs and venison sausage for breakfast on a cold winter day!

 

[happycountryhens]

Venison Sausauge....

 

[Henicillin]

Ladies and gentlemen, I joined the Fall Club two nights ago. However, I can't blame ice or snow. Nope - I tried to face-plant in the house. I managed to catch the edge of my sandal on a tiny, uneven spot in the worn-out indoor-outdoor carpeting leading into my laundry/furnace room, and promptly crashed and burned. Yes, yes, I am talented. I'm also a klutz with occasionally iffy balance.

Now, this is a dinky little room with a clear carpet space that's maybe 7 feet by 3 1/2 feet. Somehow, I managed to avoid hitting the furnace, the water pipes, the well pressure tank, the washer, the dryer, a little cabinet I have in there, AND the concrete step up to the garage. The only thing I hit was the floor. Amazing! I also managed to avoid injury somehow. I'm not even really bruised, although I am a tad stiff at the moment. Gravity. It's the law.

My clan will not be pleased with me tomorrow morning. We have the beekeeping class at Betterbee in Greenwich, which is about an hour away, at 8 AM. I'm not about to let them out so the boys can crow their empty little heads off at 6:30 in the morning or so on a Saturday (they don't even get let out that early during the week), so they can just hang out in the coop and do whatever it is they do all day long when it's cold or raining and they aren't outside anyway. They have plenty of food and water, and a lovely new 70-pound alfalfa bale from TSC to dismantle, so they'll get over it or die mad.