***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[Ironsights]

Hope you're safe up there! We didn't even get rain so far.

 

[Clink]

Another close call, hope everyone is alright

 

[NanaKat]

@ sharkman I got the lumber today to make mine today. I need to put plastic on the floor because it's treated lumber. It has to stay outside when not in use. Once it gets rained on and dries a couple times it will be fine. I'm going to put wheels on it because I used to drag the old one around with the tractor and that's why I need a new one. I'll make it not as high this time, more in line with yours but longer. I leave the birds in quite awhile, so they'll need the room. They stay in the shop with the brood light until they don't need the heat.
I wasn't so serious about this until I got on this site!

Yep, we are all great enablers here! you have caught the bug.

An older lady told me the other day the someone had stolen about 50 T posts right off her pasture fence. Just left the wire fall.

At $5 a piece new, someone was making life hard for her. Plus the rains have made it easy to pull them out. Sureley someone noticed them taking the clips off to get them out. such a shame.

I had ask about the differences between delawares and Columbian rocks. I think I have one of each... any thoughts??

The one on the left is Delaware and the one on the right is Columbian.

Was just hanging out, with the birds, for this brief respite in the weather, before round number 5,346, for this year hits us, and noticed my Black Jersey Giant rooster, crouched down, on the ground, like something was wrong. Normally, he's quite the "Cock of the walk", but tonight, he seemed very placid. One of the turkey hens came by him, and pecked at him, pretty severely. He just took it. Soon, the other turkey hen came over, and pecked him, and he got up, and limped away, towards the tom turkey, almost like the tom, was to be his protector. My tom, typically very aggressive and dominant, was actually nice to him.
So, I went and tracked him down, caught him, and looked him over. Sure enough, he had an open wound on his left foot, and sign of infection going on. The foot was hot and swollen. So, I grabbed my emergency medical kit, told my wife to get her stool and a pillowcase, and proceeded to get set up, to do bumblefoot surgery on him. Fortunately, for him, it was a fairly minor case, compared to the case that got me initiated into chicken surgery. We got the kernel out. Flushed him with iodine then penicillin, then injected him with 3cc of penicillin, in the thigh of the affected foot. Then bandaged it well, and put him back in the coop. He would have gone in a recovery pen, but with over 100 chicks right now, I have no hospital room/brooders available. But, last year, when I did my first bumblefoot surgery, on a RIR hen, I had none then either, and she did fine, with it being re bandaged and a new injection, every two days.
Anyone have any better solutions?

Looks like you caught the bumble foot in time. I keep a collapsible dog crate on hand as a quick isolation pen. You can set it up in the regular coop. If you like to recycle... use upright freezer shelving wired together to make a temporary pen. Old oven racks make good window covers and can be wired together for a pen.

 

[SharkmanDan]

I've been forced into being a recycler/repurposer, over the past year. Those are great ideas. Thank you. For now, I think Johnny (The Chicken in Black) will probably do okay. At the moment, about all I have on hand, that could be repurposed to be made into one, is some tin, that I'm planning to sheet the next couple of coops with. I'd hate to cut it up, and make it worthless, for sheeting coops.
My chickens have a huge run/pen. 50'x75'. About half of the general laying flock, escape over the 5' fence, every day, and go out free-ranging, then come home at night, to get back in the coop. Recently, I was at a friend's place in Warner, who raises show birds. I really liked his setup. He had several, long, narrow runs, side by side. So, I'm thinking of breaking my run/pen up, into multiple sections, each for different breeds. That would give each breed a 15'x50' run, covered by poultry netting.
Right now, I have some nice purebred hens, cooped up with roosters not of their breed, just to give them some security. But, eventually, I'd like to start breeding my Marradunas and my Blue Andalusians. PLUS, I want to get my Jersey Giants, in a pen, by themselves. The same with my black Australorps. Right now, they are all in the community layer pen. I have one rooster, each breed, and two Australorp hens, as well as 5 JG hens. I'll be looking for more, to add to those coops, as I get more into this.
In so doing, I can take two of my Speckled Sussex roosters, and put them in with the 40 or so, general laying flock (it SHOULD be down to 30, at that point), and keep just one rooster, for my six laying SS hens. That way, if there is a problem with the rooster that I choose, I can always swap him out, for another one. If I were to send the other two to freezer camp, or caponize them, for later harvest, then I must hope I've chosen well. This way, I'm leaving my options open.
Also, next month, I'm going to go for my NPIP certification, which should be beneficial. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[YardBirdMom]

An older lady told me the other day the someone had stolen about 50 T posts right off her pasture fence. Just left the wire fall.

I hate a thief! T-posts aren't cheap either!
@nankat, you have an awesome neighbor & I hope the tractor gets returned to its rightful owner.

Mud, mud, mud everywhere. Not complaining mind you, we are coming out of the drought, but I'd sure appreciate a week to dry out before more comes. Luckily the bad stuff stayed south last night & hope everyone in that area is okay.

My mama & her 10, assorted, babies are fairing well in the new mini coop, although the grass is quickly turning to mud & I'm debating about what to do. IF it would dry up enough I could use the tractor to pull it foward and have them on grass again....but is there really any point? At this rate of rain it'll be mud inside of a week.
The garden is too wet to get into, bits of grass are taking over *sigh* So, I'll just wait it out & work like mad to fix it layer

My black Sex-link is a super good mama to her Red Sex-link chicks, all 3 of them.

For today, I am happy to see the sunshine & listen to the birds sing!

Everyone take care!

PS: With the new chick additions & coop my neighbor has coined me "the crazy chicken lady" I mumbled something about "chicken math" & said hush lol

 

[Hearts4Animals]

How was the auction in Newcastle? We drove by about 6 and it looked packed. We didn't want to get caught there if we needed to go to shelter. It was a good idea for us. At one point there was a tornado headed straight for us. Thankfully once it got to Chickasha it fizzled out. Got another inch of rain. Garden is starting to look good.

 

[Kassaundra]

Thought I would share my idea for free (upcycled) self watering seed starters or plant containers.

Start w/ a plastic bottle, any size will do

Cut the top off the depth you want your plant pot

Take your favorite ice cream store's paper bag. (this is ness if you want ice cream)

Measure a double thickness of the bag the depth you will need. You will need the paper to go nearly to the bottom of the bottom bottle and up an inch or more into the top bottle.

Roll it up and stick it through the cap hole like this.

Fill the top part w/ your favorite potting soil, and the bottom w/ water.

Watch your seeds grow, this is passion flower.

Shaped bottles can look really nice. You can spray paint the bottle w/ that krylon plastic paint (or anything that will stick) if you want a fancier opaque finish, like for potted plants (think African violets) instead of temporary garden seed starting.


You can use any size bottle.

 

[TipihlowLadies]

How are the mosquitoes everywhere else here they are like bald eagles in size what do y'all use for the chickens for mosquitos?

 

[lonnyandrinda]

How are the mosquitoes everywhere else here they are like bald eagles in size what do y'all use for the chickens for mosquitos?

For all the rain we have they really haven't been bad here yet. But now that the heat is moving in I'm sure they'll swoop in and carry us away soon!

 

[2A371]

Help!!!!...so it finally dried up enough to burn some brush...I looked through the pile to make sure no chickens were inside (all of mine are white rocks so the white birds are easy to spot). Being sure all my chickens were safe I lit the pile. I was standing guard when I heard a tiny squeal. Rescued one small rabbit from the fire. Seems unharmed. About 2-3 weeks old, maybe older. Walking around, eyes and ears are open and alert. I can't find any wildlife rehab places open to take this little guy.im in the poteau area, if anyone is close and has experience, please help!!!