***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[bfrancis]

I've grown Castor beans for years but haven't planted in about 5 years, I still have a ton of seeds if anyone needs some, I never heard the term "gopher purge" but have always planted the Castor beans to deter them.

BBAcres you should just jump in with the crowd at the back that's yacking more than bidding and we'll all introduce outselves, some of us just look scary but we're not really

Bill, I think you, Al, and I should sit somewhere else so we don't scare the new folks, or post a sign that says, "friendly if fed" lol!

Did someone say blue Ameraucanas went for a good amount? I've got a pair if someone is interested....

 

[Kassaundra]

No rain here, just got a short sprinkle yesterday. Fingers crossed we get some rain this wk!

Now I want some caster beans! Anything to help kill gophers!!! How much do I have to worry about my other animals if they nibble the leaves or parts? Doubt my goats have ever found a plant they don't like.

Caster bean plants are extremely poisonous especially the seeds. My Gma had caster beans and goats and never had a goat to eat it, not saying no goat ever would, just that she never did. The seeds are by far the most dangerous so you could just cut the flower heads off before making seed except for one to replant. I don't know about chickens since my Gma's chickens were always confined to a run.

 

[Ksane]

Nana, I saw the Silver Lace Cochins and if I'd have gotten any adult birds those would've been it. I was just still too leery of bringing adults in. We did get a dozen standard size SL Cochin eggs though. But I can only fit 6 in my little incubator because there's 4 Modern Bantam eggs in there. But Firefly is going to take the other 6 so at least they won't go to waste.

Christina, I saw you and I think I saw your daughter, too. I felt stupid walking up and saying hi because I didn't know if you'd remember me. It took all my courage to walk up to Bill and introduce myelf. I'm sure he thought I was some goofy stalker. The 1st guy I asked if he was Bill wasn't lol I'm so glad you rescued those 2 RIR. I was tempted to just to get them away from the turkey tom. They didn't look like they appreciated his attentions at all. And my husband sounds like yours-on the way over I asked him, "Now what do you say when I see birds I want to bid on???" He says, "Okay....??" I said NO! Let's go over this again. I ended up with just 17 chicks but he was wanting to bid on all the little mixed chicks because he felt sorry for them going so cheap.
Oceanseve-you have 2 babies? Oh good! It hadn't even *occurred to me there'd be chicks at the auction. The only bird auction I went to was last winter and there were no chicks.
Robin, you hatched 5 out of the 5 Fav eggs under the broody?? No way! I need to use broodys.
BBAcres, sure you can have a couple Lavender Ams! I have no idea their sexes though. I don't suppose I could interest you in a 5-6 wk old Salmon Bantam Faverolles boy, could I? lol He's from good lines but I don't need 2 boys.
When birds twitch their heads like that more often than not it means they have lice or mites. Which is pretty much a gimme at auctions anyway. The bird you were describing might have been a Red Pyle OEGB possibly. And I'm 99% sure he was a boy. And no way he'd get along with baby chicks so if he was the one you were talking about it's good you resisted.
The baby Silkie's legs are really twisted. One of my mixes (10 generations inbred from the nieghbors) has legs wobbly and twisted from the knee joint, his toes are twisted, too. It wasn't anything I could've straightened out, it looks double jointed or something. He's only 5 1/2 wks but he's to the point he can't really walk very well, we might be faced with putting him down. It's not going to hurt to give it a shot with some sort of splints for the Silkie baby.
Bill, I was so glad to meet you!

 

[Nektosha]

Years ago my Mother introduced me to Organic Gardening magazine.....back in the 70s. She started composting and using organic methods in her garden and inspired me to do the same. I've been doing it ever since. Back then the comment was with $60 of seed, you could produce $600 in food for your family. Looking back at the amount of produce we have harvested over the years...that's a pretty good ratio. While seed prices have risen, so has the price of the grocery store produce.

I still have a few issues that I bought in the 70's! I'm feelin' ooooold.....

Good Mornin' Everyone, was up late so slept in a wee bit, went to sleep with it thundering and woke up it's still thundering, looks like the storms are moving east just to the south of me I might get to work in the yard for a while today I need to let the mowing crew out to roam today the grass is growing like it's trying to make up lost time LOL, I hope everyone has a great day

Same here since we're just a few miles apart... Keep wanting to go play in the dirt, but with my luck, I know as soon as I do, it'll just pour down on me.

I've grown Castor beans for years but haven't planted in about 5 years, I still have a ton of seeds if anyone needs some, I never heard the term "gopher purge" but have always planted the Castor beans to deter them.

I'd love to have some! If... see below...

Caster bean plants are extremely poisonous especially the seeds. My Gma had caster beans and goats and never had a goat to eat it, not saying no goat ever would, just that she never did. The seeds are by far the most dangerous so you could just cut the flower heads off before making seed except for one to replant. I don't know about chickens since my Gma's chickens were always confined to a run.

What about cats & dogs getting poisoned? The chickens are enclosed in their run, and the garden is in an area the horses can't get to, but the other critters have free run and I was thinking of planting the castor bean around the veggie garden. The moles/gophers have been driving me crazy in the garden for 2 years now. I've tried the poison pellets you put in their tunnels, the sonic doohickeys you put in the ground, and killer traps you put over their tunnels. They just laugh at me. The cats do a better job of getting them than I do. They catch a mole every now and then and they catch a lot of shrews. I don't even know if I have just moles or gophers too. Any ideas?

Here's new pics of the mystery chick. I'm sure it's a roo by the way he carries himself. He's small so I'm guessing bantam since all the girls his age are bigger than him. He's also taking forever to get his feathers. The closest I can tell is maybe partridge cochin. Any guesses yet?

 

[artsyrobin]

here is a link that may help - since he is young, it is probably fixable
http://www.peafowl.org/ARTICLES/1/

Here is what was marked as a blue or black silkie, guess its a blue???

Sorry ones so blurry I didn't want to pull it out of the cup and bother it again. What do you think? Should banding it do ok??? It's pretty vocal.

 

[Kassaundra]

About caster beans and dogs and cats she had both and never any issues.

 

[Ksane]

Here's a picture of one of the Spitzhaubens from last night. I don't know where they came from so I'm sure they're not great quality or anything-but I'm loving these guys. I'm kicking myself for splitting the 6 with the other bidder now. Carla on this list has some great quality ones and I'm surely getting eggs from her now. I was really worried they'd even make it til morning they were so thin. They might've been in with a group that wasn't letting them eat. They've literally done nothing but gorge themselves since they've been here lol They even slept in the food bowl and would wake up when I checked on them and reach under them and start eating again lol They're really super super tame. And if this is how this breed is I really want a few more. They're all a little top heavy from huge crops-they can't make themselves sick overeating, can they?

 

[BBAcres]

Quote:

When birds twitch their heads like that more often than not it means they have lice or mites. Which is pretty much a gimme at auctions anyway. The bird you were describing might have been a Red Pyle OEGB possibly. And I'm 99% sure he was a boy. And no way he'd get along with baby chicks so if he was the one you were talking about it's good you resisted.

The baby Silkie's legs are really twisted. One of my mixes (10 generations inbred from the nieghbors) has legs wobbly and twisted from the knee joint, his toes are twisted, too. It wasn't anything I could've straightened out, it looks double jointed or something. He's only 5 1/2 wks but he's to the point he can't really walk very well, we might be faced with putting him down. It's not going to hurt to give it a shot with some sort of splints for the Silkie baby.

I would love the faverolle. We splint the legs with vet wrap and a band-aid. If it doesn't help I will have my dad put him down. He said that's what they always did growing up so he's not sure about splinting. But we are giving it a try. I'll cry like a baby I'm sure. Well. I'll pm you about the chicks. I'm on my way to my moms.

 

[catcat]

Happy Easter, Everyone! I'm new here and new to raising chickens. Just a backyard coop and run with 6 pullets but loving it!

 

[Elwood Lightfoot]

About caster beans and dogs and cats she had both and never any issues.

I have never had any pet or animal eat them although I didn't have goats when I last grew them but I'm betting that the animals know when a meal is going to be bad for them, at least I would hope so LOL

I can bag you up a handful of seeds you can either stop by on your way home and get them or I can drop them off at the store on my way past this next week