***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[okracefan]

Need some help from the tractor people on here. We bought a used post hole digger, apparently it had been sitting outside for some years, but we got it hooked up no problem, then he went to raise it and the shaft and sleeve that extend from the pto to the digger is rusted apparently. Any tips on how to get it unstuck?

try some PB Blaster,

 

[BBAcres]

LOL, that is just wrong! Funny, but ....

Haha I had to post it.

 

[old*cowboy]

I do lots of business at weatherford Tractor Supply. They have one of the best chick displays I have seen. Chicks always look good, and the help there seem to know something about chickens. Without seeing the chicks at Lawton in person I wouldnt say one way or another about their care, but you would figure a large store like that would know if they had chick problems it would hurt business. If thwey do in fact have a problem, I hope they get it taken care of. Lots of people do not have a clue about chicks health when they buy them. If the store sales sick chicks, they are pretty much doomed as several of the folks buying them will not have the knowledge to fix them. Was there any died chicks there. That is one thing about baby chickens, when you can tell they are sick, lots of time it is too late already. they seem to die fast.

 

[RetiredArmyWife]

Shawnee's Atwoods has a knowledgable employee that watches the chicks very carefully. She really gets after anyone who tries to touch any birds. She can't be there all the time though.

The girl at Atwoods here in Lawton seems real good also. She seems really busy all the time though. Every time I go there she is working as hard as two people. I used to cashier there years ago and they couldn't keep anybody as head of the farm department because it was too much work and not enough people to help.

 

[RetiredArmyWife]

I just love that picture. Unfortunately, my dog killed one of my hens today so no more dog in the chicken pen here or over at Jack's when I am helping catch birds. I thought Louie was doing so well. He ignores the birds walking around but a hen on a nest is just too much of a temptation for him.
Plus, i loved that little hen.

Sorry about your hen.

 

[RetiredArmyWife]

I do lots of business at weatherford Tractor Supply. They have one of the best chick displays I have seen. Chicks always look good, and the help there seem to know something about chickens. Without seeing the chicks at Lawton in person I wouldnt say one way or another about their care, but you would figure a large store like that would know if they had chick problems it would hurt business. If thwey do in fact have a problem, I hope they get it taken care of. Lots of people do not have a clue about chicks health when they buy them. If the store sales sick chicks, they are pretty much doomed as several of the folks buying them will not have the knowledge to fix them. Was there any died chicks there. That is one thing about baby chickens, when you can tell they are sick, lots of time it is too late already. they seem to die fast.

I must say this is the first time I have seen this at our TSC. The store just opened last fall. Every other time I have gone in there the chicks looked healthy. The cages are always clean too. I don't know that they were not being taken care of, or if they just got a bad batch. Either way they should not have been out on the sale floor. The medicine should not have been left open there either. Some weren't moving at all, but it is hard to tell without touching them if they are alive or dead. I don't mean to bad mouth a store, but I know what I saw.

 

[Kassaundra]

Robin glad to hear your boy is getting better.

 

[Ksane]

Have many of you here raised Dark Brahma chicks? My 5 are just 4 days old now and they're so calm. They just hang there in your hand staring at you when you pick them up, they're awesome. They're not sick, as soon as you put them down with their buddies they run all over the place eating and playing.
I love this calmness. Is it a Dark Brahma thing? Are Buff and Light Brahmas calm, too?
Oh, and MJ-I'm so sorry about your hen. I don't trust any of my dogs for a split second.

 

[Oakieridge]

Well my weekend has come to and end. Got lots done this weekend compared to last weekend. We got 2 of the A frame coops completely finished and now all 3 A frame coops have happy babies in them. My 8 week old Buff orphingtons in one, my 5 week buff orphingtons in another along with my "barred rocks". Bought them last month in at auction, they are NOT BR's but look alot like Australorps. I am going to hang on to them to see if they turn out to be decent layers or not. Glad I got those barred rocks last week at Newcastle now. I wasn't planning on buying them but for 75 cents each I couldn't pass up the dozen cuties. Jack's little Buff Brahma banty cochins are in the 3rd one. We have the frame up for a 4th one and the wood cut for a 5th one. Plus got 2 of the 10 runs all emptied of all the straw and pine shavings and sprayed down with oxine. Then got all 4 of the brooders in the house cleaned, oxined and all chicks happily back in their brooders.

I am not happy with the birds we bought last night. I am going to call the folks at the auction to let them know the birds we brought home are sick. It may just be change in enviroment but I want to let them know in case others have an issue. I know they can't do anything about it. They are in isolation (that is how we do all our new birds). We got a trio of bantam partridge cochins for Kurt. Those and the Columbians are on his wish list. But the roo and one of the hens have a sneeze. We are treating with Duramycin 10 now in case this is a respitory thing and not allergies or a change in homes. I know stress of auction and moving a bird can bring out illness so we have decided no more auction birds. We had decided that before now but I gave in and bought them. So if you see me at auction DO NOT let me buy any birds, lol.

We did buy a Little Giant incubator and a dozen black banty cochin eggs. I am going to attempt a hatch with this incubator, so far it is holding about 99 deg. today. We will see how it goes tomorrow. If it holds a decent temp I will put the turner in and see if it still holds the right temp and them set some eggs. We want a cabinet incubator but can't seem to find one this time of year. Hopefully we can find a used one soon or we will buy a new one come July.

Oh also harvested some radishes from my raised bed. Can't wait for the turnips to be ready, the kids love turnips. Hope everyone has a great week, we are back to our normal routine after the kids were off of coops this week for homeschool.

 

[modernman]

I have to do some bragging on one of our fellow members here on this site. As most of you know Modernman runs the Newcastle auction. Last week at this auction My wife thought the Phoenix longtail fowl was pretty. I told her yes, but they was only selling cockerals, no pullets and I would love to get her a pair, but this would not work with no pullets. Well crap, they pulled a pullet out of the box. So I bought a pair beings I am that kind of husband. I awaited till the fowl I took were sold so I could put them in a box. I went out to box them and they were gone. I figured somebody had stole them and told one of the guys that was working the auction. He dropped everything he was doing and flew into gear. He looked to and fro, then had the young lady that is already very busy behind the table where you pay out make a few phone calls. Low and behold the guy that had sold them had someone else pick up his boxes and got my birds as well. Modernman PMd me and told me he had my fowl back. I told him great, but in all my confusion looking for my fowl, I left a good wire cage down there. He told me he had the cage and would bring it and the fowl to Blanchard if I was coming. He did just that. Now folks I go to lots of auctions chickens and others. I have never had anyone go to this much trouble to help a person out. I just wanted to publicly thank Modernman and all the others that help make this a great auction.

We try to be fair and honest to everyone. I'm glad your pleased with the auction. We try to be helpful like that with everyone and also glad your wife got her birds!