Official Squatch Watchers

[rjohns39]

Morning all Did I mention that the bator is chirping?

Ohhhh new babies are coming soon! How are your oinkers coming along? It has been a little bit since you've given a piggy update.

The three babies are doing great. Mom is starting to wean them. The boy is the smallest of the three but still determined to practice his manhood... Not working out so well for him but we'll give him time. Both adults have proven to be good parents. Also the little boy is a bit thicker in the head than the girls. He'll sniff the electric wire, squeal, move a few feet over and repeat...

So my niece is 20 months old and I realize I'm biased but she's the smartest 20 month old I've ever met.
Kid kills me on the regular with stuff she says.
Apparently her my BIL is growing his beard and a few days in she looks over at him and tells him "Daad wash your face. It's diiirTy."
This girl is so Sassy! And not in a talk back smart mouth way. Just a super confident little Miss.

I just realized yesterday what my GD was doing... She's two... So she hasn't quite got her words down yet. She was rambling on and on pointing at my work monitors... had no idea what she was saying. then she left. When I turned around she had brought her chair into the office and set it up in front of an old printer I have on the floor. It has a little monitor on it as well. she was sitting in the chair playing with the buttons on the monitor, when I asked what she was doing her answer was clear:" I'm working."

I sure hope so! I’m worried about getting it done but I’d rather do it right then rush it.

FNF, If I'm anything, it's slow.... But getting it done right is worth the time...

 

[apryl29]

*Sigh* The guy across the road just came over to ask me to call his dad and tell him he splayed his hand open with a kitchen knife and he was headed to the hospital and not to let his son see all the blood in the kitchen. Ok , I can do that. Well I call guy's dad and tell him right? Guy's dad only wants to know who drove guy, I really don't know it was some chick guy was bleeding so ya'll know I wasn't looking at his transportation. Then dad warns me guy is an addict and don't trust him wtf guy's dad? I already knew guy's problem but I don't bring it up, he already hates himself. He's never been anything but kind to me either iv'e literally known him since he was a fetus he brings me coffee beans lol! But jeeze, your son is bleeding and you warn the messenger and want to know how he got to the hospital. Not is he ok? Holy crap, i'm just flabbergasted SMH.....all kinds of hard. I don't have kids but I just can't grasp his reaction, even if he was a total piece of tater at least ask if he is ok. Heck I ask CHICKENS if they're ok lol! I'm not going to tell guy about his dad's reaction it hurt my feelings and he isn't even my dad.

Devil's advocate... he probably figured the guy was ok b/c he didn't go to the hospital in an ambulance. If he had asked you if he was ok you likely wouldn't have had a better answer than It looked pretty bad, or He was alive when he left. And the drug reference could have been b/c some addicts will intentionally hurt themselves to get drugs from ers. A physical injury would be more likely to ensure medication than a generic 'it hurts'. He's either noticed that his son is back into some bad habits, or has just gotten to the last straw and isn't giving him the benefit of the doubt anymore & wanted to warn you so you don't get caught up in it. I'm like that w/ my cousin... everyone was all Poor Sherri... until she conned my mom into a ride to their place then she took off w/ her friends and got so high she was talking to a tree when her friends called my parents to come get her. Did I mention she took her baby w/ her to do this? My dad sees it, but she gets my mom on her side every time. Like, every time it comes up I have to remind my mom that everything w my cousin is lies.

Ok on a happier less warped note guess who is now excess rooster free? This woman right here, that's who! One of my mom's church freinds stopped by to talk to mom I had to tell her mom passed a few years ago. She didn't know, she's been living in Indiana. Anyhoo I took her to see the chickens, she has a little flock of RIR's on her daughter's property. Daughter built her a tiny home so she could stay close to the family "now that's a good daughter". Back on track, I had her feeding Cookie bread and she was LOVIN it! So many old lady cackles watching him jump for it lol! Well she said the magic words " I wish I had a rooster like this".... I said he's yours i'll crate him and you take him home. She tried to give me 20 bucks but I didn't take it. So i'm back to just grumpy molting Negan, who seems to love me double time right now.

Jealous! Would you like me to mail you a beautiful lavender orp?

So, I had an interesting day. The 5 chicks that were in the stationary coop got moved out to the field. The 3 Cornish in the group got moved into the run with the Banty pullets since there will be less competition for food there. The oops chick and off colored Chocolate Orp got moved to into the field along with some bigger Cornish and EEs from the Banty pen. The 4 month old chicks that have been inside for WAY too long got moved out to the stationary coop, the two Cornish babies that hatched 1.5 weeks ago were left in the indoor brooder and I just moved 7 new Cornish babies in with them! I had 8 eggs that made it to lock down, one didn't survive to hatch.
View attachment 1513175

While moving birds around, I also was helping put everyone away for the night, so we started trying to herd Mama Leghorn and her babies into their box. When she was flapping around and squawking, I saw something REALLY odd on he toes. AT first I thought she had nasty bumble foot. Turns out, she had rock hard mud/poop balls on two of her toes. I've seen this happen before with chickens in a wet area, but only pea sized lumps on their toenails. Nope, these babies were the size of peace pits. It took a couple sessions of dunking her feet in water, carefully squishing the balls between two rocks, repeat, before we got her toes free. I'm sure she feels much better now. There was a week where we had a LOT of rain and we didn't move her enclosure as much as we should have, I think that is where it started. They also didn't impede her movement much, so it was hard to tell what went wrong.
View attachment 1513176
After I moved the 7 new hatchlings to the brooder, I set my last batch of eggs for the season (I'm pretty sure, don't hold me to it though). When I set new eggs, I always candle the eggs I set the previous week. I'm SOOO glad I did this. While I was candling some of the eggs that are supposed to hatch next week, I saw that one of them had a window of shell popped out. I panicked a bit, thinking I might have broken the egg. Nope, turned out, it was a PIP! I think this is an egg that got partially incubated outside, brought inside, moved to the incubator and the embryo SURVIVED the trip! So I just turned on my lock down incubator which I just shut off less than 30 min before and popped the egg inside. Hopefully it hatches. It still has some active veining when I looked in the window and it looks like it may be a malpo, so I'll probably be assisting a bit tomorrow if it doesn't hatch overnight.

Chickens are never boring, that's for sure!

Those toes! That happens to mine too, I feel bad for missing them, but most of them don't let me pick them up. Plus there's the attitude I get for daring to pick them up and touch their feet.
How's the mama leghorn doing w/ her babies? Is she still mothering them?

 

[Redhead Rae]

WOW Rae!!! That was some day you had.

Those mud balls can be like bricks. Good thing you saw her issue. I have one girl that loves to dig in damp spots and gets them. Totally hard to prevent.
To your surprize early bird.
For the MD and his progress!

Woot indeed!

Look what I found in my incubator this morning!

The little one didn’t need any help after all. I’ll move it down to the brooder once it fluffs up and can walk steadily.

I’m really impressed with the speed at which you’re sleep training him.
It’s a real struggle.

I was talking to my sister yesterday and we were laughing about when people have those rare “good babies”. The ones who hardly cry, sleep alone in their cribs from the beginning, in other words ,
Not like our kids.

Thanks, I am too. He is usually quick about picking up new routines if we are consistent.

Overall he’s a pretty good little guy. He’s never cried for longer than 30 min at a stretch except for one time when he was really sick.

If he has a fault is that he is as stubborn as a mule. I need to figure out a way to keep him from running off. Right now he thinks it is a game of chase if he is walking away and I call him back.

Morning all Did I mention that the bator is chirping?



The three babies are doing great. Mom is starting to wean them. The boy is the smallest of the three but still determined to practice his manhood... Not working out so well for him but we'll give him time. Both adults have proven to be good parents. Also the little boy is a bit thicker in the head than the girls. He'll sniff the electric wire, squeal, move a few feet over and repeat...



I just realized yesterday what my GD was doing... She's two... So she hasn't quite got her words down yet. She was rambling on and on pointing at my work monitors... had no idea what she was saying. then she left. When I turned around she had brought her chair into the office and set it up in front of an old printer I have on the floor. It has a little monitor on it as well. she was sitting in the chair playing with the buttons on the monitor, when I asked what she was doing her answer was clear:" I'm working."



FNF, If I'm anything, it's slow.... But getting it done right is worth the time...

So cute!

 

[Redhead Rae]

Those toes! That happens to mine too, I feel bad for missing them, but most of them don't let me pick them up. Plus there's the attitude I get for daring to pick them up and touch their feet.
How's the mama leghorn doing w/ her babies? Is she still mothering them?

She is still a gem of a mama. After we unearthed her toes, we put her in the box with her babies and she started doing broody mama clucks to them before we shut the lid.

 

[WVduckchick]

So I signed papers this morning! Nothing goes wrong until I take physical possession. I did get more pictures of the “coop”.
View attachment 1512695
Front:Overhead door is rotten at top and bottom. Outside frame is also pretty done for.
View attachment 1512696
The back.View attachment 1512694
The large hole I then took the inside pictures through. LOL
View attachment 1512685
The right side without roof.
View attachment 1512686
What’s in the hole. Looks like some sort of wood floor was there.
View attachment 1512689
The wood chipper I inherited. You can see some cement by the overhead door. Inside beams look good.
View attachment 1512692
Inside right. Again beams don’t look bad.
View attachment 1512691
Inside left. Mystery medicine cabinet.
View attachment 1512688 View attachment 1512690
Up
View attachment 1512693
A large hole...pretty sure this is how my tenant took up residence.

I agree, you have a great base to work with. You’ll get it done!!

So, I had an interesting day. The 5 chicks that were in the stationary coop got moved out to the field. The 3 Cornish in the group got moved into the run with the Banty pullets since there will be less competition for food there. The oops chick and off colored Chocolate Orp got moved to into the field along with some bigger Cornish and EEs from the Banty pen. The 4 month old chicks that have been inside for WAY too long got moved out to the stationary coop, the two Cornish babies that hatched 1.5 weeks ago were left in the indoor brooder and I just moved 7 new Cornish babies in with them! I had 8 eggs that made it to lock down, one didn't survive to hatch.
View attachment 1513175

While moving birds around, I also was helping put everyone away for the night, so we started trying to herd Mama Leghorn and her babies into their box. When she was flapping around and squawking, I saw something REALLY odd on he toes. AT first I thought she had nasty bumble foot. Turns out, she had rock hard mud/poop balls on two of her toes. I've seen this happen before with chickens in a wet area, but only pea sized lumps on their toenails. Nope, these babies were the size of peace pits. It took a couple sessions of dunking her feet in water, carefully squishing the balls between two rocks, repeat, before we got her toes free. I'm sure she feels much better now. There was a week where we had a LOT of rain and we didn't move her enclosure as much as we should have, I think that is where it started. They also didn't impede her movement much, so it was hard to tell what went wrong.
View attachment 1513176
After I moved the 7 new hatchlings to the brooder, I set my last batch of eggs for the season (I'm pretty sure, don't hold me to it though). When I set new eggs, I always candle the eggs I set the previous week. I'm SOOO glad I did this. While I was candling some of the eggs that are supposed to hatch next week, I saw that one of them had a window of shell popped out. I panicked a bit, thinking I might have broken the egg. Nope, turned out, it was a PIP! I think this is an egg that got partially incubated outside, brought inside, moved to the incubator and the embryo SURVIVED the trip! So I just turned on my lock down incubator which I just shut off less than 30 min before and popped the egg inside. Hopefully it hatches. It still has some active veining when I looked in the window and it looks like it may be a malpo, so I'll probably be assisting a bit tomorrow if it doesn't hatch overnight.

Chickens are never boring, that's for sure!

Congrats on catching and hatching the early bird!

The mud balls, mine get them too, and they are hard to see on the cochins! I usually hear them when they walk on the ramp or top of the coop.

Mud ball remover - small pliers. The kind with the gap in the middle. Break off small chunks at a time if necessary. Use the gap to not smash a toe! Lol. Much easier than trying to wash them off.

Morning all Did I mention that the bator is chirping?



The three babies are doing great. Mom is starting to wean them. The boy is the smallest of the three but still determined to practice his manhood... Not working out so well for him but we'll give him time. Both adults have proven to be good parents. Also the little boy is a bit thicker in the head than the girls. He'll sniff the electric wire, squeal, move a few feet over and repeat...



I just realized yesterday what my GD was doing... She's two... So she hasn't quite got her words down yet. She was rambling on and on pointing at my work monitors... had no idea what she was saying. then she left. When I turned around she had brought her chair into the office and set it up in front of an old printer I have on the floor. It has a little monitor on it as well. she was sitting in the chair playing with the buttons on the monitor, when I asked what she was doing her answer was clear:" I'm working."



FNF, If I'm anything, it's slow.... But getting it done right is worth the time...

Chirping!!
Any hatched or just chirping from pips?

 

[apryl29]

Last night I got to enjoy a couple of firsts..
A field mouse was caught in one of my traps, by it's foot.. it was still alive. So I got the experience of beating a mouse to death with a brick.

Then Nibbler found a dead bird and was trying to eat it so I got to chase her around while screaming Drop it! Don't eat that! Get back here! Let go of it!
Then I caught her and tried to get her to let it go... finally she dropped it & my dad scooped it and the mouse up.

Good times.

 

[rjohns39]

I can see one setting in the tray and one just got free of the shell and is sleeping. eggs are rolling around in the tray so zipping is underway.

 

[Chickassan]

Good blissfully peaceful morning everybody! The only one upset this morning was Negan because he didn't have anyone to puff up at. Hobo was a little off put too she ate her breakfast then did that wonky egg song but with no egg. Beavis is like brother...what brother? Kind of weird for me not waking up to the dueling banjos of crowing lol!

Devil's advocate... he probably figured the guy was ok b/c he didn't go to the hospital in an ambulance. If he had asked you if he was ok you likely wouldn't have had a better answer than It looked pretty bad, or He was alive when he left. And the drug reference could have been b/c some addicts will intentionally hurt themselves to get drugs from ers. A physical injury would be more likely to ensure medication than a generic 'it hurts'. He's either noticed that his son is back into some bad habits, or has just gotten to the last straw and isn't giving him the benefit of the doubt anymore & wanted to warn you so you don't get caught up in it. I'm like that w/ my cousin... everyone was all Poor Sherri... until she conned my mom into a ride to their place then she took off w/ her friends and got so high she was talking to a tree when her friends called my parents to come get her. Did I mention she took her baby w/ her to do this? My dad sees it, but she gets my mom on her side every time. Like, every time it comes up I have to remind my mom that everything w my cousin is lies.


Jealous! Would you like me to mail you a beautiful lavender orp?

Yeah I know, it is an odd situation over there for sure and from an outsiders perspective everyone is screwing up somehow. I appreciate what he was trying to do don't get me wrong but I found his choice of time to warn me just a little "tacky". If he was that concerned come talk to me, i'm right across the road don't wait until I tell you your son was bleeding on my doorstep. Only my take on it though, he probably had his reasons. And noooooooo as handsome as lavendar orps are and as much as I dig you as a person I do NOT want your cock in the mail.

 

[apryl29]

Woot indeed!

Look what I found in my incubator this morning!
View attachment 1513294
The little one didn’t need any help after all. I’ll move it down to the brooder once it fluffs up and can walk steadily.

Thanks, I am too. He is usually quick about picking up new routines if we are consistent.

Overall he’s a pretty good little guy. He’s never cried for longer than 30 min at a stretch except for one time when he was really sick.

If he has a fault is that he is as stubborn as a mule. I need to figure out a way to keep him from running off. Right now he thinks it is a game of chase if he is walking away and I call him back.

So cute!

I dated a guy whose son thought it was a game to run off. It was so frustrating. I usually ended up carrying him b/c of it. He was a feisty one.. I'm certain my kids did that too, but I was a lot younger back then and it was easier to deal with, ie. chase them. Good luck to you! They do eventually stop, but then they start it up again when they're around 15.

I agree, you have a great base to work with. You’ll get it done!!



Congrats on catching and hatching the early bird!

The mud balls, mine get them too, and they are hard to see on the cochins! I usually hear them when they walk on the ramp or top of the coop.

Mud ball remover - small pliers. The kind with the gap in the middle. Break off small chunks at a time if necessary. Use the gap to not smash a toe! Lol. Much easier than trying to wash them off.



Chirping!!
Any hatched or just chirping from pips?

Mud and snow are what kept me from wanting anything w/ feathered feet. The pliers are a great idea. I usually just pick them off w/ my nails. Pliers would be much less gross.

 

[Redhead Rae]

I dated a guy whose son thought it was a game to run off. It was so frustrating. I usually ended up carrying him b/c of it. He was a feisty one.. I'm certain my kids did that too, but I was a lot younger back then and it was easier to deal with, ie. chase them. Good luck to you! They do eventually stop, but then they start it up again when they're around 15.

Ack, don't remind me. I don't want to even thing about him as a teenager yet.

Mud and snow are what kept me from wanting anything w/ feathered feet. The pliers are a great idea. I usually just pick them off w/ my nails. Pliers would be much less gross.

I tried with my nails, didn't work. That is why we used rocks and water baths. The pliers would be MUCH better. I had trouble holding the rocks because I was flooded with adrenaline. Catching and holding birds that fight as hard as she did really jangles my nerves.

Last night I got to enjoy a couple of firsts..
A field mouse was caught in one of my traps, by it's foot.. it was still alive. So I got the experience of beating a mouse to death with a brick.

Then Nibbler found a dead bird and was trying to eat it so I got to chase her around while screaming Drop it! Don't eat that! Get back here! Let go of it!
Then I caught her and tried to get her to let it go... finally she dropped it & my dad scooped it and the mouse up.

Good times.

Sounds like you had a night almost as busy as mine, maybe more stressful even.