NY chicken lover!!!!

[vmdanielsen]

I was going to transplant my started veggies, but seeing that we have a frost warning tonight and possibility of freeze tomorrow night, I am glad for procrastination. I do have some radish and mesclun seed on the porch, can move those close to the house. Cabbage and Brussels sprout little transplants in the garden boxes. Those should be ok, may cover them to be safe. Got to cover the flower barrels again or bring into the garage, still haven't replace the coleus from the last freeze.
My two older horses were shivering last night, winter blankets put back on. The younger one was fine, but blanketed him just for the night. The oldies are wearing blankets, while on pasture, in late May. What is wrong with this picture?

I have been feeliung guilty about NOT putting in my garcden yet....but look at the weather!! time to stop feeling guilty...,..

 

[Lynzi777]

jbwhite -

I think I got my duck pool all leveled out and in a good spot. Next step is going to be cutting holes towards the bottom to place the hoses in and out so keep the water flowing. I'm thinking I'm going to need some type of washer to help with leakage?? IDK, I just don't know if I should even have a hose going out the back at all?!? Or if I should just let it overflow out the back and back into the woods? I keep wondering if having that second hose will keep it from staying filled all the time without overflowing. Like will the pool just empty out completely?? I really know nothing about that. Right now that two hose pieces I would be using are the same size. Should the one draining out be smaller? Other than that it looks good. I want to get some pavers to build around the front of it to make it look somewhat nice. (I know, I know, the ducks are just going to make a mess of it anyway LOL) I have all sorts of plants growing along the edge of my property and right in front of this pool, I swear it looks like celery!

I have to say, it is nice to finally have a day off with nothing to do! No projects, no laundry to do, no cleaning up the house, it's just a shame it's cold outside otherwise I'd be relaxing on my front porch with a drink in hand enjoying the sunshine!

Look at how big my ducks are getting already! LOL

These are few pics of my largest one

 

[stonykill]

did the jelly liquify or did it stick to the meat?

liquified. We are about to eat venison cooked in the same broth. With mashed potatoes and brocoli . MMMMMMM

 

[stonykill]

I have been feeliung guilty about NOT putting in my garcden yet....but look at the weather!! time to stop feeling guilty...,..

I never put it in anymore until June 1st. Got burned (ok frosted) too many years.

 

[brahmapapa]

Soooo cute! I hope I can get my broody to hatch some. I just lost a hen last night

I went out to close up the coop, had a look around and one of my red sexlinks was dead under the coop...I have NO idea what happened. I looked over over and there were no visible signs of injury, just a bunch of feathers scattered around. I think she got into it with the roo and maybe broke her neck? She was very healthy otherwise (at least visibly) and she was acting fine....ugh what do you guys do with the bodies of your birds?

I plant the carcass of dead birds under plants that i want to thrive, dig the hole extra deep, put in the carcass, backfill a shovel or two of soil and then plant the intended plant. It really gives them a boost and it is using the life force of one life to envigorate another......sorry for your loss.

 

[rancher hicks]

I was going to transplant my started veggies, but seeing that we have a frost warning tonight and possibility of freeze tomorrow night, I am glad for procrastination. I do have some radish and mesclun seed on the porch, can move those close to the house. Cabbage and Brussels sprout little transplants in the garden boxes. Those should be ok, may cover them to be safe. Got to cover the flower barrels again or bring into the garage, still haven't replace the coleus from the last freeze.
My two older horses were shivering last night, winter blankets put back on. The younger one was fine, but blanketed him just for the night. The oldies are wearing blankets, while on pasture, in late May. What is wrong with this picture?

Well I put plastic over the tomato plants that I didn't have milk jugs for. Other things like squash and cukes already have milk jugs over them. Corn hasn't quite broken the ground yet. Lettuce and cold crops should be okay.

I hope the chicks should be okay. One young one. Others with feathers and jumping out of the coop. Heat lights back on up high over the others in the brooder. I can't believe this weather. Even the wife is cold.

 

[Cass]

Well I went out and bought it. Got it plugged in when we got home. Right now it's at a steady 100 degrees. (the thermometer it came with and the one I bought) I'll leave it plugged in thru the night and see where it's at in the morning before I set eggs. Right now I have 5 - 4 silkie eggs and one from my orps, which I highly doubt is fertile. They haven't been near my silkie roo in a couple of weeks now. I'm hoping to get one more egg from one of the silkie hens and place them all in there in the morning. Now a couple of questions, Can I add more to the mix in the next few days and just keep in mind that those will obviously hatch a day later for each additional day I add to the incubator? I have to open it to turn the eggs anyway and figured while I do that I could add another. Also, I've seen people place eggs in incubators but in egg cartons (the bottom half). Should I do that or should I just lay them on their sides on the screen?

I laid mine directly on the screen, not knowing any better. Some people say that the egg carton makes it hard to keep the humidity steady, cuz the box absorbs liquid. Rancher does staggered hatches, I think. But you are right, you will be opening it twice a day to turn them quickly, so you can add eggs to the 'bator. If you have a separate brooder to put the first hatched into, then you shouldn't have any major problem with different hatching times.

Thanks for the info I have red pullets I went to tractor supply to get a new wheel for my mower and my daughter heard the chicks and ran over climbed the pen looked at me and said I want birdies and now we have a few 13week old pullets

I want to say "sucker", but I have chickens because my Mallards from the previous year didn't come back....so your "excuse" is far better than mine. Enjoy your flock. I am sure your daughter will love having the chickens around.

 

[rancher hicks]

Stony, Rancher...I agree. Even the little ones that might wander into the yard will be gone. DH just told me this am that we have a fox den down the road in the field across from us. I'm very temped to find it...

Glass, Happy Anniversary! Congrats and I hope you guys have a great weekend.

For those building coops, build big, build exactly what you want, don't skimp on it or you'll be constantly rebuilding and adding on and sinking more money into it that it would have cost doing it the right way the first time. I was going to be building a new coop this summer, but plans have been derailed again...So I'll just keep collecting materials to build with for next year.

Going to finally transplant my tomatoes out of the starter tray...Maybe get some lettuce in or start the beans, pull a few (or a lot) of weeds Seems like a good weekend for it.

I would find that den and tear it apart. I was worried they might try to move into the pile in the yard, but it looks like rabbits for now. I will be taking it apart throughout the summer.

 

[Lynzi777]

I laid mine directly on the screen, not knowing any better. Some people say that the egg carton makes it hard to keep the humidity steady, cuz the box absorbs liquid. Rancher does staggered hatches, I think. But you are right, you will be opening it twice a day to turn them quickly, so you can add eggs to the 'bator. If you have a separate brooder to put the first hatched into, then you shouldn't have any major problem with different hatching times.
I want to say "sucker", but I have chickens because my Mallards from the previous year didn't come back....so your "excuse" is far better than mine. Enjoy your flock. I am sure your daughter will love having the chickens around.

Thanks! I plan on using the carton to hold them into place. The wire in this incubator is "rounded" so it's sticking up and if I lay the eggs right on it (since I only have a few so far) I feel like they'll roll all over.

 

[rancher hicks]

You don't want chicks? We obviously need to work on your chicken math.
I have an uncommitted broody, of course I take her out of the box and onto the roost each night. She was out free-ranging this morning. If she ever gets serious, what is the minimum number of eggs I should put under? Hubby says three, but I know that would risk none hatching or only 1. She is a big Orp girl, so not worried about her covering, but also don't want another dozen chicks. Already got 12 2-month-olds growing out.

I have four hens with one chick each and that doesn't seem to bother them at all. Or me. Just be sure the eggs are fertile.