***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[Kassaundra]

Here are the pics of the greens envelopes Gary made for me a couple of days ago. They are just a small piece of fence (3x2 holes) folded along the bottom edge, zip tied along the two sides and left open at the top. We just secure it to the fence w/ a piece of wire, so it stays put and the girls can pull bite size pieces of leaf.

here it is after the girls are done

and reloaded

in use

 

[Kassaundra]

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Will collards over winter? stay green and growing?

What are you planting for cover crop? I was wanting to plant some cover crops but all my garden plants are still alive and bearing, is there anything I can plant after killling frost?

 

[Ksane]

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Ha! The wheels are spinning now! He's not good at carpentry but he's an awesome mechanic. Although......my 72yr old mother loooooves building things. I've got her busy building a 4' x 4' raised coop (that she'll paint red with white trim) for 2 birds I'll be getting from Michael. All you have to do is give that woman wood and you won't see her for a week til the project is done lol I don't think she even goes inside to sleep. I think I'll go with either plain sand (for grit) or that Swheat catlitter made from wheat and smells good, it's easily scoopable.

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While my heart won't allow me to cull them I do understand why others do it. We all have our own reasons for keeping chickens. I have an actual need to 'take care' of something, baby it and cuddle it, like Robin does. If my reasons for keeping chickens were only for profit or showing then I would go about their care differently. I know my weakness and I accept them

This little pullet just isn't active with them. Stands off by herself and hardly ate all yesterday/last night. They don't pick on her at all, they lay with her and hang out with her. They haven't forgotten her. As far as the dust? Phfft! We live on a gravel road and I have....(ready for this??) 13 indoor dogs (in the house-not the RV). Granted they're mostly old laid back dogs & are fully housebroken but that's still a lot of dogs to step over. I worked for a vet for many years and took care of 20-50 dogs at work every day. It was so easy coming home to just a dozen. So the dust from 2 chickens? I'm betting I won't even notice it. I had 16 Silkies and the 8 Cochins in the RV until they were 6 wks old (it was too hot out for them to go out). I didn't notice any dust at all until I made the mistake of putting DE in their sand to bathe in. I liked to NEVER get that stuff outa' here.

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I knew I could count on you lmao!! Some chickens just seem to WANT to be with people, others don't. Chicken Larry begs to be picked up and petted, this little girl seems perfectly content in here with me in the RV, plus she eats a ton better in here.

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I've always wondered why it's so acceptable, even desirable, to keep huge Macaws inside. They scream, they throw food, they bite. Why is that acceptable yet I've seen people on other threads get hammered for wanting to keep their chickens inside? My husband (Master Enabler) thinks it's a status thing. Macaws cost $1500 so people think it's 'cool' to have them. Chickens can be had for free so I guess a lot of people don't think chickens are so 'cool'.
But I do

 

[Ksane]

Kass, that's a wonderful idea! I see your husband is a Master Enabler also...??

 

[jcatblum]

I do love the green envelopes. Works very nice for the birds & I am sure keeps the greens from being trampled as much.

I think the dust from having chickens is different because of the scratching. When I have chicks in the house the dust is WAY too much for me once they are about a month old. We live in a sand pit so we have enough dust in the air already! People adjust & learn to accept what they love. When I had reef tanks I would get salt build up on things near the tanks. Never seemed to bother me. Once I was done with the tanks the salt residue made me CRAZY!!

When I had my guinea with the hurt leg inside I didn't have dust issues since she didnt scratch, but boy did she stink!! We knew every time she went the the bathroom!

As far as culling goes I understand a pet bird is different than a bird for production. People who are into large production find it cheaper to replace than to repair. Dh says chickens are not pets they are farm animals, not sure if he will ever see past that.

 

[Okla-doodle-doo]

Afternoon chicken buddys! Been catching up today. We(wife and I) went to a motivation seminar yeaterday. It was kind of fun,great speakers,Bill Cosby,Colin Powell,Lou holtz and about five others. But they didn't talk chickens so I was bored easily!lol.
Chopped the birds some more turnip and radish greens,pastured the g. pigs and painted the end of the garage. Took the wifes car in for an emission test(you have to do that here before you can get a tag) Its still nice here but the cold is headed this way.Clouds are getting heavier and wind comming up.
Did a little modifying one of the larger coops .It was for bantams and I had a lot of extra perches. Took them out and and some of the smaller nest boxes. Getting it raedy for the icelandic hens comming in on thursday! Can't wait to get them. I have a strange thing going on with the ice roo I have. He is or appears very healtyh but drinks an unusually large amount of water. I mean to the point his crop is like a balloon! And its all the time. He drinks so much his poop under his roost is a huge wet spot! Not runny like diaherea but just saturated with water! Its normal colored and nothing seems to be bothering him. If he accidently runs out of water I have to limit how much I give him or I think he would drink till he drowned!He is on the same crumble feed as all the others and loves treats. Just never seen one drink so much.

 

[Ksane]

Okla, that sort of stuff always interests me. Here's some links:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/1217/factors-affecting-water-intake-of-poultry
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polydipsia_(in_birds)

 

[Okla-doodle-doo]

Thanks sane ! Thats interesting. At least now I know what to call it! I have a polydipsiaic icelandic! Now thats a mouth full!lolMaybe its a genetic thing from way back from eating so much ice!lol

Temp is dropping and had some thiunder and sprinkles. Not looking forward to 49 degree high for tomorrow!

 

[sjarvis00]

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Wayne is that tongue twister curable? I have never heard of such a thing,

 

[faerielady]

James lost his sunglasses.

He's light sensitive (don't ask me, the USMC knows this and he's got a waiver and always wears sunglasses unless there is no sun at all). So I'm going to hide out in here.

Anything new and interesting going on. on the board?