NY chicken lover!!!!

[featherz]

Also check with your town. My town gives us all the dunks we need for free!! (literally a case at a time!).

I don't use Deet either EXCEPT if I have to go in the woods- I'll deal with the skeeters but I draw the line at ticks. even then I try to put it only on my clothes and put my hair under a deet hat.

If you have a pond or other standing water get a product called "mosquito dunk" and throw the whole package (you have to open it) in the water. You only have to do it once a month and it really decreases the number of nasty blood suckers in the area.

I buy mine at TSC, cuz they are about 5 bucks cheaper per package then Hewitts. You won't notice the decrease until the second month, but you really will notice fewer bugs. Last year I missed a month and we got eatten alive until it kicked in the second month after I remembered to resume putting it in the pond just on the other side of our property line. It says it is safe for livestock so you can put it in watering troughs and other places you HAVE to have water out for animals and KNOW the bugs are breeding in there. The package tells you how much for how many gallons....Not sure what it says, cuz I just throw all 6 in the package in the one area of standing water we have around here.

I have a form of cancer that can be caused by chemical exposure (thanks Dad for always making sure the wind wasn't blowing toward us kids when you "dusted" the garden). I try to avoid using chemicals on my skin, when possible. Sometimes I have to put on bug spray, but by treating the pond I find that I don't have to use it very often. And that's a good thing in my mind, cuz I don't want to give my cancer something to get all riled up about and thereby require I undergo chemo or some strange drug concoction to get it in remission.

 

[vmdanielsen]

If you have a pond or other standing water get a product called "mosquito dunk" and throw the whole package (you have to open it) in the water. You only have to do it once a month and it really decreases the number of nasty blood suckers in the area.

I buy mine at TSC, cuz they are about 5 bucks cheaper per package then Hewitts. You won't notice the decrease until the second month, but you really will notice fewer bugs. Last year I missed a month and we got eatten alive until it kicked in the second month after I remembered to resume putting it in the pond just on the other side of our property line. It says it is safe for livestock so you can put it in watering troughs and other places you HAVE to have water out for animals and KNOW the bugs are breeding in there. The package tells you how much for how many gallons....Not sure what it says, cuz I just throw all 6 in the package in the one area of standing water we have around here.

I have a form of cancer that can be caused by chemical exposure (thanks Dad for always making sure the wind wasn't blowing toward us kids when you "dusted" the garden). I try to avoid using chemicals on my skin, when possible. Sometimes I have to put on bug spray, but by treating the pond I find that I don't have to use it very often. And that's a good thing in my mind, cuz I don't want to give my cancer something to get all riled up about and thereby require I undergo chemo or some strange drug concoction to get it in remission.

Cass, sorry to hear of your cancer. Thanks for sharing you Dunks.

 

[Henicillin]

My Jersey Giant is currently incubating four eggs in a handy-dandy corner under the nestbox shelves. As it's a nice spot and my chooks like company, occasionally the Brahma and Faverolle ladies will join her and lay eggs next to her (or sneak into her spot and lay one when she's off eating). Being a dedicated broody, she carefully takes charge of any and all eggs laid in her vicinity, so her nest has to be checked regularly for extra eggs. I checked her for spares late Thursday, but slacked off yesterday and didn't look to see if she had any extra. So, when I took a look at her this evening, I figured she'd have one or two extra.

Ambitious thing that she is, she had accumulated five more.

The thought of eating eggs incubated for a day or so doesn't bother us, especially because my Last Roo Standing isn't a very amorous guy (the ladies are breathing a sigh of relief), so they're much less likely than before to be fertile. Those five are now set aside for tomorrow's breakfast, as, even though I think they're fine, I don't want to sell them to anyone.

Now that the squirrel nest is gone from the rafters of the coop, my egg count is back up to around twelve to fourteen a day, which is much closer to where I should be than FIVE. Gladys has shed the Peeps like a bad habit, and is laying again, which helps.

Speaking of the three original Peeps, they're moving to my sister's house. The bloody raccoon got in again last night through a fairly small hole up near the roof and killed three of her four remaining birds. My nephews spent the day raccoon-proofing the coop, and are sitting out tonight to see if they can kill the thing. They're also planning a run. Her last remaining girl is about twelve weeks old, so she asked me if I could help her find a few adolescent birds to keep the poor thing company for now until she can raise some more chicks. I said that I conveniently happen to have three spares hanging around that I'm almost positive are all pullets, and that she's welcome to them if she wants barnyard mutts. She's very happy with that, so I'll be taking them down Tuesday. They're only about eight weeks old, but that shouldn't be an issue. As I have the four New Edition Peeps, and eight more eggs total under the JG and BLRW, she'll probably be getting at least a couple more from me as well.

 

[Tab's chicken obsession]

Hey guys!

Just wanted to tell ya'll to be careful driving, wear your seatbelts, and make sure all of your insurance is up to date.

The night before last, we were coming home from a road trip to PA to pick up a couple spinning wheels I found on CL, when on the way back, we.... HIT A BEAR.....yes, an adult black bear. We were on 42, north of Port Jervis.

Thankfully, we were not hurt and the bear hit the car in just the right spot that it didn't bounce up into the windshield. Thank God we are still alive. It could have been much worse. I don't know if the bear made it. We drove back and forth a couple times to see if we could find it. My BF wanted to get out of the car and look, but I just kept yelling "STAY IN THE CAR!" I tried to call 911 to report it, but there was no cell service. Scary. I have good insurance, but the deductible is not going to be fun.

Wow! I can just imagine what that would've done to my car since it only took going 35mph and hitting a deer to shatter my fender.

 

[Tab's chicken obsession]

Hope everyone has a happy father's day!

 

[pharmchickrnmom]

Happy Fathers Day everyone!

Itsy--you are indeed lucky that there wasnt more damage. Glad you are safe. Bears can take an incredible amount of damage and survive. I am glad you didnt let your friend out to look for it as an injured bear can also be very dangerous. We have a few around here and I see our resident bear every once in a while. Almost hit him a while back as their eyes dont reflect at night so seeing them is very difficult. So glad I missed him.

Cass--thanks for the info on the stuff. Unfortunately, the swamp near us is too big for such a thing. Like huge. I just use bug spray and it works for the most part. If they are too bad, I just go inside. With your health issue, it must be a pain in the neck to take care of pests and such without aggravating your condition.

Hen---I hope your nephews get that coon. Sounds like it needs a good dose of lead poisoning to me. Glad to hear your broody is doing well and that you just happen to have some extra cheeps to give to your sister. My psycho broody isnt allowed to hatch anything as she killed all the eggs I gave her last time. Speaking of her, she got out of the nest box yesterday for some food, freeranging and water. My dh had let out the terrorists in their temporary run and one of the boys ran over to the fence and challenged her with a staredown. Apparently she didnt take to kindly to this, backed up 2 steps and flew over the fence into the run. She opened up a can of whoopass on him and then proceeded to go after everyone else in the run. Dh finally caught her and threw her out. I dont think that boy will soon forget his lesson! Of course, being a rir, he will be bigger than her when he finishes growing but then freezer camp opens so he might not be around long anyways!!! Oh---amazing how the egg count goes up when the squirrels are gone, huh? Evil tree rats...but they are tasty in a stew or baked properly!!!

 

[Henicillin]

Itsy, glad you're OK! Bear hits are no joke. My husband is an auto body guy, and I've seen some nasty damage resulting from car-large animal collisions.

Someone crushed one of the eggs due Thursday - ARGH. I found Gladys pecking at the crushed, half-open shell with, of course, a perfectly formed dead chick in it. Everyone was unceremoniously thrown out of the coop except the broodies and the baby chicks, and the JG and her three remaining eggs are locked down temporarily with plenty of food and water behind a board that only leaves a matter of six inches of space (not enough room for my fat-butts to get in, as they aren't that ambitious). I'll break out the scissors, staple gun, and my trusty poultry netting in a bit and make a more secure enclosure. Blasted birds.

 

[featherz]

Geeze if I hit a bear in MY car I would not be here today (we have a Smart car).. Glad everyone is ok!

Everyone ready for the heat this week? I have to work so I am tarping up some shade areas and putting fans where I can.

ETA: Just dropped off my older biddies at their 'retirement home'. They have a few other chickens to play with plus cute little goats. Should be awesome! Already told new owner to not tell me if they get eaten or run away - I want to live in blissful ignorance and think they are having a grand time chasing little goats around.

 

[Cass]

Isty, SOOOO glad you are ok. Hitting big animals is not fun. (Or recommended by 3 out of 5 Car manufacturers. LOL)

I didn't know that bear's eyes didn't glow like deer eyes. I'll have to remember that on my way down 32 at night....been lots of sightings of bear in the area and I do NOT want to hit one.

We all know that turkeys are dumb. And wild ones can fly. How come I almost hit one on the way home from my mom's today? (on 32, I hate that road). I had to hit the brakes hard and the horn to get the darn thing to take flight and get out of my way. (People behind me thought I was nuts until they saw the turkey fly away) But Ray said that Turkeys and Geese won't turn around when crossing the road...which is good to know, so you know which way to swearve if you are forced to take evassive action.

My cancer isn't life threatening at this point in time. CLL if anyone knows what that is. Just have to have blood tests every 4 months to monitor it so it can be treated the minute it acts up. However, my research says/shows that it is caused by and aggivated by chemical exposure....so I do try to limit my exposure to chemicals...and that is my excuse for not cleaning the house. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

(anyone else want to claim they have CLL? LOL)

 

[Henicillin]

My cancer isn't life threatening at this point in time. CLL if anyone knows what that is. Just have to have blood tests every 4 months to monitor it so it can be treated the minute it acts up. However, my research says/shows that it is caused by and aggivated by chemical exposure....so I do try to limit my exposure to chemicals...and that is my excuse for not cleaning the house. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

(anyone else want to claim they have CLL? LOL)

Seems to be as good a reason as any for not cleaning the house.

Seriously, though, I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers!

Mrs. Beasley has brought the New Edition Peeps out into the run today to enjoy the weather. Evidently she has been freely doling out cans of whoop-tailfeather on the other birds, as none of them are getting anywhere near those babies. Right now she's teaching them to dust bathe, and has booted all the other chooks out of the favored bathing spot.

Of course, as it's supposed to be extremely hot Wednesday and Thursday, I have to work. I have three other waterers besides the ones already out, so I'll set all of them up on Tuesday and go from there.