***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[CityClucks]

Well time to repair to my lair and use Nair if you care, contrair Mofrair don't despair Ti's only my hair, I'll practice first on yonder Hare over there, lest he leapt into the air to only be fair should I miss well then him I shall spare

Looks like those dental drugs aren't quite worn off yet...

 

[CityClucks]

Well, I won't be able to go to poops this year.

I am going to miss seeing you all.

The union is having a meeting with everyone to explain the contract we have to vote on next week. I will be glad when everything gets settled so I can retire. lol

Oh no! You will be missed! I understand though - the stuff happening with American Airlines and the union in Tulsa is really scary. I hope you can retire too!!

 

[CityClucks]

The coop at the lake house is almost finished. Yay! Next week I'll start on painting and putting the finishing touches on it. This coop project turned out much like other projects I start. My first plan was to have a 4 X 8 coop until I thought that wasn't big enough, so turned it into an 8 X 8. Then I thought I'd better add some storage space to it, so now it has become an 8 X 16 coop/storage area. The man who's building it has given me some good ideas for it and I am thankful for the input. Building the pen around the coop is next.

Question: I was considering putting some stick-on vinyl floor tiles on the inside of the coop, but the man who's building the coop said that they probably won't last very long in there. Has anyone used them in their coops? What other types of materials would be good to use? I'm afraid that the wood floors will deteriorate in short order without some sort of protective surface on them. They're painted right now, but that's all. The floor is raised with deck blocks and sits about 6 inches off the ground. Ideas welcomed.

Deanne - you might think about sheet vinyl instead of the tiles. I used it on my 6 x 8 coop floor and it is awesome. Since it's a sheet, there are no tile corners or edges to come up and it is easy to scoop, sweep and spray.

 

[michaeldaugherty]

I will mis seeing all you peep's so much to sat but i just have so manny bird's to get rid of be4 it get's hot....[[[[ Happy International respect for chickens day ]]]] Didnt no they had such thing but it came on the radio,,

 

[Ksane]

Okla, you're having a round of bad luck between your health and the last batch of chicks, I hope things start looking up for you.

Deanne, (did I spell that right?) Yes, I took her to Dr Zinn. I didn't realize I could just call Stillwater and have them see her. I called them just now and am waiting for a call back. They've actually got what they call an avian & exotics branch that sees all kinds of birds. I'd be so happy if there's something they could do to fix this girls problem. Thank you! For your coop (which sounds wonderful!) you could also lay a big tarp down on the floor and cover it with bedding. Then when it was time to change the bedding out just gather the tarp edges and pull it out.

Kass, I feel bad for you. I used to work 3rd shift unloading trucks and I remember the longest I went without sleep was 40 hours. I was a zombie. I had that shift 6 months and never did get used to 3rd shift.

Jcat-it's fixing to rain here, too. I could've swore I read it was supposed to be 97 today and no rain. What I worry most about is my Cochin girls in this heat, they're miserable already. We got their posts set for their yard, it's only 30' x 40' but it's all shaded and under the trees. I decided on 5' chain link and I'm going to hotwire the outside of it in case of coons or stray dogs. We'll probably finish it after POOPS Saturday. My husband got me a park bench for it, they'll get a mister also haha. As soon as I get the money saved up (again) I'll put a table and some chairs and an umbrella there. The heavy breeds with puffy feathers just don't to do so well with the heat.

Monty, Carl called me a few wks back because he remembered me mentioning I might need him to incubate some eggs. He was close to my area and called just to check if I had them because it'd save me an hour's drive. I thought that was really wonderful of him to think of me and actually take the time to call. Little things like that mean so much. I can only imagine how many times he's done those kinds of little things that we don't hear about. I suspect it's a lot.

Beth, your coop is beautiful! The paint makes all the difference in the world.

Mike, I know my husband and I will miss you very much. You're one of the kindest people I've ever met. My husband asks about you all the time.

 

[Poco Pollo]

Looks like lots of folks were on last night visiting. I went to bed early. Too worn out to stay up past ten o'clock.

Robin - Five of the seven guinea eggs hatched. The babies are in the barn brooder making a racket. Four look pearl, and the fifth has white wings. I'm really curious to see how it will change as it grows. I'll take some photos tonight.

I've got a garden to weed. The sun is obscured by clouds, and the wind is below 15 mph, so I think this is the time to evict the weeds. I hope everyone has a great day.

For those of you headed to POOPS tomorrow: Have a safe and happy day! I'll be there is spirit. Help me live the day vicariously by posting your photos and telling stories about your favorite POOPS moments.

 

[tgperg]

This has been a good year for broody hens - as long as I can get past the idea that when they are broody they aren't laying eggs.  Despite several hens playing musical nests and occasionally leaving a nest without a hen, at least 5 hens have hatched out chicks and the Muskovey duck hatched out more than 20 ducklings,     Jaxon found 5 silkie cross chicks yesterday afternoon, wandering around without a mama hen.  I put them into a large bucket with some hay in the bottom and then gathered a hen that hatched out two days ago but hadn't been out of the coop with her chicks into the same bucket.  I am hoping that by putting all the chicks and the hen into a cage at the same time she will accept them as her own and brood them for me.  Since she had not yet clearly seen the colors of her own chicks and these are similar in color, it should work as long as the chicks will get under her when she calls them.  

Yesterday morning I almost tripped over a hen who somehow managed to drag 8 eggs into the garage overnight, and was sitting on the eggs on the bare concrete.  I guess she got tired of her eggs being eaten by the remaining skunks and decided that she needed a safer place to nest.  I tried to move her and she ran away, but came back - so I think I will put a nest pad beneath her to cushion the eggs.  Since she tends to range away from the rest of the flock I am not even sure her eggs will be fertile, so I am giving her additional eggs just in case.  If she is that determined to set, I will assist her.  

Oh wow! You sound like you're having a wonderful spring. I can't wait till we can put up a fence and I can get muscovy ducks again. Our predator situation is too awful for me to have any birds free ranging. I'm tired of feeding the coyotes.

 

[Ksane]

rofl! I missed this post my 1st time reading through haha!! Bill, you might want to detox before POOPS Saturday!

 

[Elwood Lightfoot]

rofl! I missed this post my 1st time reading through haha!! Bill, you might want to detox before POOPS Saturday!
That is me detoxed LOL Still a little sore but much better now I'm ready and raring to go tomorrow

 

[Kassaundra]

Did a walk through of the garden, some of it is looking great, one bed of tomatoes in particular is awesome, and a couple of volunteer vining squash that are going to take over the world, seriously w/ blossoms the size of my head!!! The okra is struggling, and the cantaloupe. I planted a lot of rat tail radish as companions to cuberits, this last fall and this spring is my first ever planting of radish, which I am beginning to think is a mistake, I have been hit w/ flea beetles for the first time ever. And I found my first squash bug eggs today on one of my small patty pan squash plants!!!!

So the war begins anew!!!!! Peas, beans and greens are doing well. Sweet potatoes just went in and I'm still planting them where I have space so it's to soon to tell w/ them, they are still alive and looking spunky. Sorghum is up but off to a slow start. Not sure about the tomitillas and the ground cherry, I direct sowed them from seed out door, not sure what the seedlling look like, but I don't see anything yet that is a possibility. The asparagus from seed is too cute, look like litttle tiny mini-me asparagus.