***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[lonnyandrinda]

I found a red velvet ant near my back door today. I thought the chickens would eat it, but NO! Way! They looked at it and turned the other way. Maybe it gives off an odor they don't like? Anybody know? I do know they are actually a wasp and the females only sting but I would have thought it would have been eaten quickly.

This is a female Red Velvet Ant, but it is actually a wingless wasp. The females lose their wings after spring mating and make a nest in the ground. Very painful sting, hence the nickname "cow killer." My dog (who also tries to eat our bees) will go after it, I haven't noticed if the chickens will or not.

 

[Kassaundra]

Ksane awesome news for you.

We don't have many cow killer ants, but even my girls though they haven't seen many (or possibly any) won't touch them, they will scarf down black widows, but not touch cow killers.

 

[Ksane]

I call those gorgeous bugs "cow ants". I've seen a ton of them lately, they're hard to stomp and kill.

I've been hatching out Bantam Ameraucanas and Araucanas plus the others I've hatched. I have a lot of boys, like a dozen of them counting the 2 boys my daughter hatched out. So it's something I'm going to have to set aside money for.
I'm going to try to place the male Araucanas I hatched (not from Joe's eggs). So if anyone wants a couple Black double-tufted & tailed male Araucana you can have them. I also have a real pretty tailed & non-tufted Splash Araucana boy. I don't know why over 1/2 the hatch had tails, the breeder said she didn't use tailed birds. They're still purebreds though so I'd love it if someone would take them!

 

[mjgigax]

ummmmm...and just how many boys do you have?

I wonder if the older boys will also turn into good mamas like the younger capons do?


For dinner tonight will be roast turkey, fried okra, roasted garlic potatoes and a tomato-onion-cucumber salad with a vinegrette dressing and frosted fruit and yogurt soft cream for dessert.....yummmmm.

What time should we all show up?

 

[Ksane]

Quote:

Quote: ETA: Oh! And I'm 95% sure the 2 Buff Orps I got from Bill are GIRLS! So glad.

 

[BlanchardOK]

Soooo now I have a single goose. Was at home working on this and that and get a call to run to where one of the church members was - come fast was all they said - so I run over and there in the middle of a parking lot is a goose just sitting there. I walk right up to him/her and pick him her up and she snuggled me. The store just wanted her gone so brought her home for now until I can try to find out where she is from. Very tame, and so sweet - more then my ducks that I have here already - so have her in a separate run and she is just so happy checked on her and each time she runs to the door to see and and talk to me.

 

[chickchickchiky]

Soooo now I have a single goose. Was at home working on this and that and get a call to run to where one of the church members was - come fast was all they said - so I run over and there in the middle of a parking lot is a goose just sitting there. I walk right up to him/her and pick him her up and she snuggled me. The store just wanted her gone so brought her home for now until I can try to find out where she is from. Very tame, and so sweet - more then my ducks that I have here already - so have her in a separate run and she is just so happy checked on her and each time she runs to the door to see and and talk to me.

I love my geese they are my chicken guardians and they do a good job for me. I have 7 of them. She must have been hand raised if she is that sweet for sure.

 

[nocityboy]

For lunch today I went to the county assessors office and filled out a farm tax form, soon no more taxes on my feed and pen materials.

Tuesday while I was at Okracefans house, he had a chochin chick having trouble hatching. I wetted the dried membrane and peeled some of the shell off the membrane. This morning I was told it's doing fine. We think it's from his lemon blue hen and black roo, I was told it would be a brown/red or a brown/red /blue.

 

[averytds]

Anybody have contact info for Dwayne Woolman, please pm me. He's a no show for judging today & only phone # in my packet is disconnected. He was coming up from OK and I want to know if he's ok w/ the heat and all.

 

[jcatblum]

I was almost 100 post behind! Yesterday we planted a lb of green beans (yes I know I am a couple of wks early due to the recommended date but I am willing to gamble on the weather). Also planted 1/2 lb of purple hull peas & 128 tomato plants!!!! I left all the old tomato plants, so come fall we will be enjoying all the fresh tomatoes! Yesterday I picked 40 lbs, imagine it will be even less when I pick again. But the good news is my plants still have a good amount of fruit that is waiting to ripen.

Tony, that rabbit does look cute. I am going to have to double check with her & see if she wants a dwarf or large rabbit. She plans on keeping it inside, so I think she desires a dwarf.

Nana I will PM you the recipe I used to make mild cowboy candy, but it is still plenty warm! I think it has the same heat as salsa now. Can't wait to try it on my hot dogs. Think it will be yummy!

Mitzi, I think you really do LOVE your chickens! So will you have to keep them in a dry clean spot inside (like a dog after wards) for 2 wks? Still remember when I took our boys in to be neutered. They were the saddest things for about a wk. I wan tot get the Pyrenees done, but I don't want to deal with the recovery!

I don't want to jinx myself, but we are working out the details of picking up a large purchase tomorrow. Until it has arrived here I don't consider it a done deal. I will be excited to share the experience with everyone! In the AM we are going to set up at Lawton Farmers Market. Don't have much to take, but I knew it was more than we would sell in Anadarko & the kids LOVE Lawton market. Since we lived in town there for 12 yrs they get to see lots of people they know. Think we are going to do 1 more wk of market then take a break. Garden is slowing down & kids want some time to hang out at the water park & with their friends before school starts back.