***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[Chickenfan4life]

Thank you guys for the support. I am okay, now. And it gives me the ability to look forward to going to the coop without having to see that now dead roo harassing my hens.

 

[qldchook]

Thank you guys for the support. I am okay, now. And it gives me the ability to look forward to going to the coop without having to see that now dead roo harassing my hens.

And here comes another chicken addict, with all the good and bad that brings! Well done to you!

 

[Chickenfan4life]

Quote: Thanks.

 

[hotcurltr]

Cathiesue, Shelbydog, and Kyzmette may remember me mentioning the wonderful custodian we have at school. I was knitting her a hat and scarf at the sale in Tahlequa; you know, the day we sat around a single-burner camping stove and filled our faces with hot chocolate and danishes. Mary passed away Tuesday morning. She is survived by her husband and six children. Her funeral was this morning. Near the end of the service, our principal testified to Mary's generous and loving nature. He spoke eloquently and made me proud to be a part of his school family.

I think I'm almost cried out, which is why I'm making this post. Before, I couldn't even think about her, much less write or talk about her, without flooding a room with tears. I chose not to walk past her casket today because I have an image in my head (and in my heart) that I don't want replaced. When she came into my classroom at the end of each day, we'd share family stories and often laughed at how similar our stories were. Once, after I told Mary about a conversation with my DH, she got a serious look on her face and said, "Coral, I think we're both married to the same man." Mary was ten years my junior. I didn't know that until today. I always thought were were within a year of each other, which tells me that I thought of her in terms of our similarities rather than our differences.

Both granddaughters sat quietly during the service. The youngest fell asleep on my lap, and the oldest fell asleep against my side. We came home, had lunch, fed the leftovers to the chickens, and visited with the dogs. I'm worn out. DH wants us to go to mass tonight instead of tomorrow morning. I think I'd rather make more pasta and sit with the chickens. Twenty more minutes and I need to start changing diapers so we can put everyone back into the car. I vote for more pasta. Right now I think more pasta (for the chickens) would be more soothing to my soul.

So sorry for the loss of your friend. It sounds like you have a lot on your plate. It's great you get to keep your grandkids for awhile,although it will get exhausting. Or at least I did when I did the same thing. But now I miss them so much.

I hope you start to feel better

My very first chickie hatched out of an egg laid by my own chickens! Meet Caramel Junior! Caramel the gold sexlink egglaying machine is her mother, and Floyd the somethingsomething EE roo is her father. Wow, it's pretty cool to hatch eggs, but it's even more amazing when they're from your own flock.

Congratulations!

It is cool to hatch your own. Two of my girls have hatched 11 between them in the last week and one will be 17 days tomorow. It's always interesting to see what they produce. I can't say I like it in this cold weather though. I've put mamas with babies in brooders and started making something today for the next one. I'm really happy for you. You know it;s going to be another addiction.

Seeing all the beautiful chickens everyone is getting at auctions is making me wish I could get over my anxiety and get some too. Maybe, just maybe.

I think we need a chicken anonymous group.LOL

I did volunteer work for 7 hours today. And when I get home I find a depressing situation... My two roosters, whom have always peacefully existed, have finally snapped. They were fighting in the yard. Brewster, the really sweet one whom I really love, was losing, quite bloodied.

Well, my dad managed to put down the other rooster, a blue ameraucana. We cant do two separate coops. And the rooster he put down has already nailed me once before, and one other kid. And he's not real nice with the girls.

So while I feel like a terrible person, I think we did the right thing, putting down the blue rooster. Please, guys, dont hate me for letting this happen, I had no idea they were going to fight. They have always been okay, so I hadn't ever imagined they'd fight. I shoulda known better.

Hugs for you.

I know you made the right decision. I hope you invited him to dinna. Sometimes things have to be done for the good of the others. I also hope The Drs. find out what's going on with you. I know how it feels not knowing

 

[i-love-my-honey]

Hatchery birds to be used as layers are designed to produce on just layer pellets for their 2 to 3 year productive life in a confined layer pen with limited exercise.
I get healthy strong girls who will age longer by allowing them to free range year round, supplementing in winter with fresh greens, adding meat protein occasionally, fresh water with Apple cider vinegar rotated with Oxine in addition to their 18% layer pellet and scratch and oyster shell.
As for proper care...provide an uncrowded dry draft free coop and sleeping roosts with plenty of good ventilation, plenty of nest boxes, clean pest-free nest bedding, scheduled pest management, an indoor dust box and shelter from summer heat.
I do supplement with red heat lamps in the layer room in winter but I don't add light bulbs to extend the hours of artificial light. Sunlight is more natural and I let the bird follow their own cycle.
As the hens have aged, their production has naturally decreased from the 5-7 eggs a week as young layers to the 2-3 as older hens. Several of my girls like NNN and Alice have been broody and raised chicks several times in their lifetime.

I have seen ratios for ACV in water for 1T per gal and as much as 1/4c per gallon. What is best? Can you use the same strength for chicks and adults? Also, do you rotate every other water fill with Oxine?

Do you use diatomaceous earth? I bought some for my garden but saw that it was actually made for livestock and poultry. Would that make a good dust bath indoors?

 

[Chickenfan4life]

Quote: Nope, he was not processed. That was my first impulse, but my mom doesn't want me processing a bird on my own, even if I have done it before. Aside from that, he had three bullets put in him because his death was not on the first one. (Please don't kill me; he was away from the other rooster and my dad took the opportunity.)

And, as for me, the doctor said it's just a disorder some people have. There's nothing much to it..

 

[bardies]

Cathiesue, Shelbydog, and Kyzmette may remember me mentioning the wonderful custodian we have at school. I was knitting her a hat and scarf at the sale in Tahlequa; you know, the day we sat around a single-burner camping stove and filled our faces with hot chocolate and danishes. Mary passed away Tuesday morning. She is survived by her husband and six children. Her funeral was this morning. Near the end of the service, our principal testified to Mary's generous and loving nature. He spoke eloquently and made me proud to be a part of his school family.

I think I'm almost cried out, which is why I'm making this post. Before, I couldn't even think about her, much less write or talk about her, without flooding a room with tears. I chose not to walk past her casket today because I have an image in my head (and in my heart) that I don't want replaced. When she came into my classroom at the end of each day, we'd share family stories and often laughed at how similar our stories were. Once, after I told Mary about a conversation with my DH, she got a serious look on her face and said, "Coral, I think we're both married to the same man." Mary was ten years my junior. I didn't know that until today. I always thought were were within a year of each other, which tells me that I thought of her in terms of our similarities rather than our differences.

Both granddaughters sat quietly during the service. The youngest fell asleep on my lap, and the oldest fell asleep against my side. We came home, had lunch, fed the leftovers to the chickens, and visited with the dogs. I'm worn out. DH wants us to go to mass tonight instead of tomorrow morning. I think I'd rather make more pasta and sit with the chickens. Twenty more minutes and I need to start changing diapers so we can put everyone back into the car. I vote for more pasta. Right now I think more pasta (for the chickens) would be more soothing to my soul.

Hugs to you, and Mary - an emotional hug. Thank you for sharing about her.

 

[muesky]

See, I never would have thought about the surrogate mother thing and I'm sure I'll be the same way going, "I don't remember this about chickens..."
Lol thanks again for the tip!

With my first flock many things they just instinctually picked up but it wasn't till I got adult chickens that I realized what I did not know chickens did... Now I have an established flock and multi-step system to allow the chicks to grow up and slowly integrate into the flock in stages.. As with everything it depends on what works best for the individual and with trial & error what system works best for you..

I am trying but it's so hard with all these lovely chickens coming through these threads!!!!

It is difficult and hanging with this group of enablers is not helpful... hehehe!

You were in Yokuska? Mj's hubby and I knew each other in 1993 from Atsugi but didn't meet again till I went to tour mj's coops!

How cool! What a small world we really live in..

My very first chickie hatched out of an egg laid by my own chickens! Meet Caramel Junior! Caramel the gold sexlink egglaying machine is her mother, and Floyd the somethingsomething EE roo is her father. Wow, it's pretty cool to hatch eggs, but it's even more amazing when they're from your own flock.

Congrats on the new babies!!

I did volunteer work for 7 hours today. And when I get home I find a depressing situation... My two roosters, whom have always peacefully existed, have finally snapped. They were fighting in the yard. Brewster, the really sweet one whom I really love, was losing, quite bloodied.

Well, my dad managed to put down the other rooster, a blue ameraucana. We cant do two separate coops. And the rooster he put down has already nailed me once before, and one other kid. And he's not real nice with the girls.

So while I feel like a terrible person, I think we did the right thing, putting down the blue rooster. Please, guys, dont hate me for letting this happen, I had no idea they were going to fight. They have always been okay, so I hadn't ever imagined they'd fight. I shoulda known better.

I hate to put down a bird but will gladly do it for the safety and health of my flock.. Mean roosters are a no go on my farm and will sell them or kill them rather then deal with them..

Cathiesue, Shelbydog, and Kyzmette may remember me mentioning the wonderful custodian we have at school. I was knitting her a hat and scarf at the sale in Tahlequa; you know, the day we sat around a single-burner camping stove and filled our faces with hot chocolate and danishes. Mary passed away Tuesday morning. She is survived by her husband and six children. Her funeral was this morning. Near the end of the service, our principal testified to Mary's generous and loving nature. He spoke eloquently and made me proud to be a part of his school family.

I think I'm almost cried out, which is why I'm making this post. Before, I couldn't even think about her, much less write or talk about her, without flooding a room with tears. I chose not to walk past her casket today because I have an image in my head (and in my heart) that I don't want replaced. When she came into my classroom at the end of each day, we'd share family stories and often laughed at how similar our stories were. Once, after I told Mary about a conversation with my DH, she got a serious look on her face and said, "Coral, I think we're both married to the same man." Mary was ten years my junior. I didn't know that until today. I always thought were were within a year of each other, which tells me that I thought of her in terms of our similarities rather than our differences.

Both granddaughters sat quietly during the service. The youngest fell asleep on my lap, and the oldest fell asleep against my side. We came home, had lunch, fed the leftovers to the chickens, and visited with the dogs. I'm worn out. DH wants us to go to mass tonight instead of tomorrow morning. I think I'd rather make more pasta and sit with the chickens. Twenty more minutes and I need to start changing diapers so we can put everyone back into the car. I vote for more pasta. Right now I think more pasta (for the chickens) would be more soothing to my soul.

My condolences to you and for your friend's family.. I am bless to have such wonderful custodians at my school and know that it would leave a big hole in my heart if something happened to one of them..

I have seen ratios for ACV in water for 1T per gal and as much as 1/4c per gallon. What is best? Can you use the same strength for chicks and adults? Also, do you rotate every other water fill with Oxine?

Do you use diatomaceous earth? I bought some for my garden but saw that it was actually made for livestock and poultry. Would that make a good dust bath indoors?

I use diatomaceous earth in the places my birds dust bath and mix it in their dry food every couple of weeks to worm the flock..

 

[bardies]

Was at the Blanchard auction and there were actually chickens there! I saw in person some Crevecours (sp?) Those were cool looking birds! There were also a few banty looking cochins. We left early though - I have no idea on the prices.

 

[Ksane]

Such very sad news, Coral ,I'm sorry so many people had to lose such a wonderful lady :-( To go back to those familiar rooms and halls with her gone would be so hard. Her kids must be devastated.

Kyz, you're a sap like me. And hatching chicks from your VERY OWN birds *is different. They're so special bec use they came from birds you raised yourself. The ones I've hatched from my own birds have been way way healthier and stronger, too. I don't know why.

As far as the mean rooster, no judgement here. My1st concern is the well being of my favorites. Fair or not, those are the rules. And there's far too many gentle roosters out there to justify keeping an aggressive one.