***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[artsyrobin]

morning folks- out to take care of critters this morning
no losses- am thinking of making some outside nest boxes- cooler than the inside of the coop- have a good one and try to keep cool!

 

[NanaKat]

I've been using Vi-Tol in the water for a month now and the chickens do drink more water.

I like the idea of an outside nest box...I have some old bee hive boxes I can use to adapt for that. Think I'll close up the wall mounted unit and set a box on the floor by the window in the hen house and one outside in the run. Watching those hens trying to lay in the small cubicles of the wall unit has bothered me the past week...they pant soooo hard. I'm still getting about 10 eggs a day from 34 hens.....even the australorps have cut back on their laying. (My blind hen Angel hasn't laid an egg in 6 weeks...but she is special and has a forever home)

I'm going to go ahead and set up the deck (squiggly hose) mister today and attach it to the pen wall between the pens so both sides get some benefit. I have to figure out the hose mister and will set that up in the next few days.

We keep an industrial fan going during the day. It is set up in front of the hen house screen door and depending on the direction the winds are blowing either blows into the hen house or pulls air thru the hen house from the south windows. The lower the fan is to the ground the better... warm air rises and a fan suspended above them only pulls the warm air back down on them.

I feed the girls layer pellets and they get scraps from the kitchen as well as cold treats during the day and free range time. Since we have very few shade trees around the barn, the hens get to free range from 6:30 to about 8:30 and then go back in the pens. They get a hand full of scratch when they return to the pens and a few handsfull at night. The young chicks are on medicated crumbles and get the same treats and a hand full of scratch morning and night.
I like the idea of wet oats for everyone.

Anyone noticing that their birds are losing a little weight? I have a few I'm going to start giving a separate mash because their breast keel is getting thinner. Crumbles, cream of wheat (cooked), yogurt, egg yolks, peas and berries. I have them separated into one pen so it will be easier to feed them their special diet for a while.

 

[CityClucks]

Wow! The overnight crew was busy on here last night...or early this morning - I've enjoyed catching up. My birds get out in the early morning - about 6:30 to 8:30 like NanaKat's. I've let them into my garden...it's not doing anything anyway, but there is some shade from the cucumber leaves and plenty of bugs in there for the ladies to find. Happiness is watching a chicken eat a wasp.

I got my first egg from one of my two California Whites yesterday - in a nest box even! Somecluck laid a soft shelled egg on the henhouse floor this morning - the other CA White was in there when I found it, so maybe it was her. They turned 18 weeks old this weekend, so they're right on schedule!

My birds are hot too - the Light Sussex are the ones I worry about most - they are so big and heavy. Part of me hopes they start laying soon, although I worry about the added stress on them.

 

[coop101]

morning all, found a cartoon that fits this MONDAY completely.

 

[Kassaundra]

Good morning, finally made it home, worked an extra shift this week, but started at a new less busy (most times anyway) station at least over the weekends (the new station part). Checked on the girls and garden, both are doing well considering the heat.

Like the idea of the soaked oats. During the winter I was sprouting oats, I'll start soaking some for them today. The comment was made about the smell, I'm assuming that they will slightly ferment, but that is okay and won't hurt the girls?

Squash and cukes are doing well, and I'm holding my own against the squash bugs. Tomatoes plants are looking good, blooming thier fool heads off, but still no tomatoes, hoping for the fall. Eggs have slowed down a little, but not as much as I would have thought.

 

[okcarla]

Good morning everyone!

Here is a free livestock guardian advertised in the Shawnee area. He sounds like he'd be great on the farm, although the person doesn't mention chickens. He sounds like a great guardian and is absolutely beautiful. Our pyrenees are great around chickens.

http://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/grd/2487994926.html

People like to flag (remove) ad's for livestock guardians that are listed in the farm & garden section, so here's what the ad says:

LIVESTOCK GUARDIAN/ FREE TO GOOD COUNTRY HOME (SHAWNEE/MEEKER/JACKTOWN)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: 2011-07-11, 8:09AM CDT
Reply to: [email protected] [Errors when replying to ads?]
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I POSTED THIS DOG BEFORE, BUT WAS FLAGGED FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON. HE IS HALF GREAT PYRENEES HALF BLACK LAB, WEIGHS 130 TO 150 PONNDS. HIS NAME IS EAMON (AMEN). THAT'S AN IRISH THAT MEANS GUARDIAN. HE IS VERY GOOD WITH CHILDREN OF ALL AGES. THE ONLY REASON WE NEED TO FIND HIM A HOME IS THAT I HAVE 2 OLD LABS AND HE HAS BECOME A LITTLE MALE AGGRESSIVE. THIS DOG GOES NOT JUMP ON PEOPLE. HE LOVES GOATS AND ABSOLUTELYHATES COYOTES. HE WILL NOT ALLOW THEM ANYWHERE NEAR YOUR HOME OR ANIMALS. IF INTERESTED PLEASE CALL 279-4556 OR EMAIL. THANKS

 

[Buckguy20]

Hi everyone! It was fun reading al of the stuff from the late nighters. I might have to join them and just sleep during the day.
Hope everyone has a great day.

 

[Buckguy20]

Chat topic: Who all has too many chickens right now and needs to downsize.

I sure to need to trade or sell some but I think prices are down. I haven't had a chance to get to an auction lately. I need to make a trip to Cement since I have never seen Peaches and Doc's new place.
So whats everyone's thoughts. Ride out the heat wave or try to start selling some birds.
Discuss!

 

[Sooner]

I need to downsize but that seems to be a steady problem for me. I don't plan to add anymore to my flock & hopefully will make it to a fall auction to get rid of a few before winter hits.

 

[sjarvis00]

Quote:
Sooner, You can Downsize your flock but Lil-Sooner needs to increase hers... That sounds good to me.. Do I need to get that started with a donation?