***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[sjarvis00]

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Thanks for the info on the sale alway injoy reading wat they had at the auction ..

rexbandit,
Roy Leftwitch and a few others often send thier better cull birds through that sale. they will have some very good (final cuts) this time of year. You just have to really pick through them, its all very minor stuff or a mix of a male line and female line birds not how you would want to breed them but in pairs to help them sale.

 

[jcatblum]

I do understand about the deer Jarvis. Plan on putting up some deer fencing after the major plot is prepped, but I still expect to find deer damage. I just wonder what my 4 dogs are doing @ night while the deer have been eating all the pears from our tree.

I know the birds would love if I offered live bugs through the winter, but dh said no growing bugs. I do plan on sprouting wheat through the winter. Thankfully I have a good stash that I grind for flour. The wheat I normally buy from Oklahomafood.coop has went up this yr-- as have all grains. We have a few acres of oak trees, imagine I will rake up leaves for the birds for them to scratch in & bug hunt. At least it will give the birds some entertainment.

 

[bfrancis]

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I've wondered about filling the runs with leaves myself, give them something to do, eat remnant bugs, and create a new compost layer....but didn't know if that would be a good idea. You've done it with no issues?

 

[jcatblum]

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I've wondered about filling the runs with leaves myself, give them something to do, eat remnant bugs, and create a new compost layer....but didn't know if that would be a good idea. You've done it with no issues?

Once we moved out to Cement my chickens fell in love with leaves! The land hasn't been lived on in 5 yrs, so you can imagine years of old leaves at the edge of our woods. Anytime the chickens were let out they would run to play in the leaves. I haven't went as far as composting the leaves inside the run, but have heard others mention the extra heat the leaves provide in the winter. Until a few months ago all my birds were allowed to free range. As we had continued to acquire birds I now have 4 pens that do not free range, so the plan is to give those 4 pens the leaves. As long as the leaves are dry they shouldn't compost quickly. I am assuming it would be best to change out the leaves or use them as a deep litter method.

I would rake the leaves out of the run weekly if your goal is to create garden compost. If you are doing a thin layer of leaves the chickens will scratch them until they disappear, or at least that is what mine do with the hay they kick out of their nesting boxes.

 

[jcatblum]

Kass I tried to plant some starts of walking onions I was gifted. It was the yr we had too much rain. The rain that went on for a month straight in June. That yr the rain killed most of my stuff! Never tried the onions again. I am a lazy onion user, I use alot of dehydrated onions. I buy the big jug @ SAMs. Think it is about $12 @ samsclub & it will last me about a yr. Already hopped just add water; I know it is cheating, but my family freaks out anytime I cut onions. I do use fresh onions for all my canning. But casseroles & such get dehydrated onions.

 

[Kassaundra]

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We are on 12 acres and have to compete with the local deer population for garden goodies, so we always have to plant heavily. I put cantelope, watermelon, sweet corn, climbing beans, and sweet peas all over the property to try to keep them at bay. It helps but isn't fool proof.
I planted over 100 started Cantelope one year, and did not get to eat 1. But the hunting season was good.

Look at the bright side not many of us can plant cantaloup and harvest meat!

 

[Kassaundra]

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I use some dehydrated, but have never had affordable access in the quantities I use onions in. Everytime I cook almost I put onion in something. I am planning (when my bed gets big enough) to dehydrate (and freeze ) my extras b/c I do not have any place for overwinter storage, just an unheated garage that freezes so they would ruin.

 

[GotGame]

I have a birchen modern game bantam hen i will let someone have free but it has to be picked up here or i can bring it to the newcastle show in the morning. Call me if.interested 405-240-0120

 

[NanaKat]

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NNBreeder...what is LS-50?

Vet update...he has worked on the eyes of Macaw Parrots so is somewhat familiar with the eye structure of a chicken. A cursory check on the Splash hen reveals that the eyeball itself is intact so he won't have to remove the eye. There is a lot of Gunk accumulated inside the outer lower eyelid that he will be able to remove and flush the eye area out. Same for Popeye. Both will be lightly anesthesiced so they won't feel pain. He is being extra careful with the hen since she is laying now. Even suggested putting a layer of spanish moss in the bottom of her carrier box in case she laid today. I think he is a real chicken person. Both birds will be on a stronger antibiotic for the bacterial infection... I think it is spelled "clamoxil" and a homeopathic ointment. He is going to do some online research on his DVM sites before the procedure for information on the best anesthesia and dosage to use. Should be able to pick them up around 4:30pm.

Carl, I told the vet I had a new rooster for the blue cochins girls and if he had to use Popeye as the guinea pig for the surgery in order to save the BLRW splash hen, I could cull him, but would prefer not to if possible. Since we are down to the one rooster and the two hens in your line, I want to do all that can be done to protect that genetic line you worked so hard to produce. Hopefully there will be enough fertility in the eggs produced soon that you will get some great chicks.

Did it look anythnig like this? When I got home yesterday I noticed her eye was shut from a distance, when I got closer it just looked aweful! After I wiped it clean from all the gunk i could still see her eye in there but that side of her head looked like it had half a golfball shoeved under its skin, very swollen! I thought it might be a spider bite or snake bite.

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk164/sshavney/e03e4447-4d6a-487e-b0a6-054bcdb4aefc.jpg

Popeye and Splash both had eyes that were swollen much bigger. Neither one of them had a runny nose...Your baby might be sick. What other symptoms does she have?

 

[NanaKat]

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Congratulations!!