Opa's place -Where an old rooster visits with friends

[tntchix]

Thanks, Opa. The record was definitely a blessing, at least. I have never hibernated so long. I'm one town over

from you. I grew up in sw lower mi and moved out here yrs ago. Had a stint in Tx, (not my thing) job for hubs, moved back to old place, fixed her up and feeling pretty good back home.

Yeah, it is tough around here for most, but I like it here. Close enough to town if I have to go and far away enough if I don't. (Stops all those impulse trips with gas prices) LOL

Best part is I can raise chickens w/o issues.

 

[EweSheep]

Winter certainly was pretty brutal this year and cooler weather a bit later as well. Got some rabbits last year and was surprised how well they adapt to the ever changing weather we had, warm one day, then bam, freezing cold.

Fishing was a bit better as I heard from fishermen around here. Bigger and more hungerier than usual LOL!

I haven't gotten my garden tilled yet but it looks like this week will be a washer with chances of rain each day. I've have done the tried test seed the glass gem corn (got four out of 12 sprouting) then an envelope of Simpson leaf lettuce stashed in my drawer, dated 1998. Well, what I got to lose, let's try! Needless to say, they DID sprout! I thought any seeds older than two years would be needing to toss out into the garbage bin!

Glad you are still here, Opa! Our club is running good but darn it, the demands of our members wanting chicks outnumbered breeders. Now we got our egg chart which it was a feat in itself!

 

[Opa]

My Welsummers are laying pretty good considering that the hens are now 4 and 5 years old. I placed 20 eggs in the incubator last Monday and hopefully the majority of them will hatch since I definitely need to replace the existing birds.

On Friday I took my 89 year old farmer friend to see a cardiologist for his annual checkup. The doctor decided to take him off one of the medications he has been on and then told him to plan on coming back in 12 to 15 months. He now only takes a blood pressure medication and another for cholesterol. Not bad for someone working on his 90th year.

Each morning, when he gets up, he immediately calls me. Lets it ring one time so that I know he is okay. I set up a special ringtone so that I will know without looking that it is him. If he hasn't called by 9am I call him and if there is no answer I head for his house. Each morning I can't help but smile when my phone plays "he takes his tractor another round".

 

[tntchix]

My Welsummers are laying pretty good considering that the hens are now 4 and 5 years old. I placed 20 eggs in the incubator last Monday and hopefully the majority of them will hatch since I definitely need to replace the existing birds.

On Friday I took my 89 year old farmer friend to see a cardiologist for his annual checkup. The doctor decided to take him off one of the medications he has been on and then told him to plan on coming back in 12 to 15 months. He now only takes a blood pressure medication and another for cholesterol. Not bad for someone working on his 90th year.

Each morning, when he gets up, he immediately calls me. Lets it ring one time so that I know he is okay. I set up a special ringtone so that I will know without looking that it is him. If he hasn't called by 9am I call him and if there is no answer I head for his house. Each morning I can't help but smile when my phone plays "he takes his tractor another round".

It does my heart good to hear folks taking care of one another. I especially love the ringtone!

 

[drumstick diva]

X 2

 

[mamagardener]

I bought 7 day old chicks, they are now 4 weeks old. Here's hoping that they are all hens like they are supposed to be. I could probably deal with one rooster, but since I let my chickens out in the yard everyday with my kids around I would rather not have a rooster. I am just hoping one day one or more doesn't start crowing.

I only have 5 adult hens left. The 2 Easter effects are 5 years old and still occasionally lay. The 3 plymouth rocks are about 3-4 years old and lay a little bit more. I can't wait to be getting lots of fresh eggs again!

 

[Opa]

Last spring I purchased 6 Black sex links and 8 ISA browns. When they started laying late last fall I culled all of my older birds. With the 6 Welsummer hens I have a total of 20 large fowl hens. I'm currently getting 15 to 22 extra large or jumbo eggs each day. This kind of production has convinced me that I will now replace the entire flock every other year. With feed costs constantly rising feeding birds that are less productive is something I will no longer do.

 

[mamagardener]

That is so true about the cost of feed. If older birds are kept, they might as well just be considered pets, because they are not really contributing much. The only thing they are supplying is manure for the garden.
I have thought about just getting a few new chicks every spring, to make sure to always have some fresh eggs. I really hate it when I have to buy eggs even though I have chickens.

 

[7 Biddies]

Last spring I purchased 6 Black sex links and 8 ISA browns. When they started laying late last fall I culled all of my birds. With the 6 Welsummer hens I have a total of 20 large fowl hens. I'm currently getting 15 to 22 extra large or jumbo eggs each day. This kind of production has convinced me that I will now replace the entire flock every other year. With feed costs constantly rising feeding birds that are productive is something I will no longer do.

I just got 7 new back in March, with thoughts that I would cull my 2 year old flock this fall, when the new ones start laying and the older ones start moulting. You echoed my thoughts about cost effectiveness; especially since I'm buying organic feed. After reading about others' chickens being 3+ years old, I was feeling a little guilty. However after reading your post, I feel much better, now.
Thanks for the reality check.

Seven

 

[Opa]

It's been a while since I've posted on this thread and since sleeping is much of an option with all the fireworks going off in the neighborhood, I figured it was a good time to ramble.

We just returned from a two week excursion taking Granny to visit relatives in Missouri and Arkansas. Since her health is pretty good and we never now what tomorrow might bring I decided we needed to head south. One the first day we drove to St Louis and spent two nights with the daughter of one of Granny's brothers. While with her we went to Grant's farm and then to Merrimac Cavern.

Grant's farm was once owned by Ulysses S. Grant and for many years was the private retreat of the Anheuser Busch family. Since my cousin lives quite close it was a great morning excursion. Then after lunch we decided to drive the 70 miles southwest to Merrimac Caverns.

While the cave is supposedly handicap accessible if if hadn't been for the kindness of strangers we would probably still be there. We had taken a wheel chair for Granny and in several spots the incline was so steep that it was all Hope and I could do to keep the chair from running away from us. While that was a little scary in was nothing compared to the difficulty of pushing the chair back up.

At several places the incline was so steep that even with the assistance of a couple of young guy in the late thirties or early forties we all were puffing when we finally reached a level spot. When ever we would reach an incline the would give me trouble someone would always step in to help.

It definitely was an outing that verified that there still are a lot of kind people in this world who will help a stranger without having to be asked.

On the third morning of our trip we headed further south to Arkansas to visit with two of my father's brothers and their wives. While the two days and nights we were there was a wonderful visit, it was also a little sad. The one aunt who has hundreds of flowers of countless varieties, is no longer able to main them in the immaculate beds as she once had.

One of my uncles, who recently turned 85, is no longer able to hunt. Forty plus years ago he came to Michigan to deer hunt with my father and I and gave him a very good knife as a memento of the hunt. One morning on this visit as, he and I sat on the porch drinking coffee, he gave the knife back. Since he has no children he didn't want it to disappear when he passes. While it was a very touching moment, it made me very aware of how old all of us are.

From Arkansas it was off to southwest Missouri to spend time with my oldest and my youngest sons. As my three boys were growing up I expected that this two would stay close and that the middle son would move to parts unknown, yet just the reverse happened.

While visiting my sons and their families, we went to a FFA show where my granddaughter Morgan was showing her Hereford bull. After all the animals had been shown, judged, and ribbons awarded they held a no claim auction. The animals are led into the area and an auctioneer "sells" them. Many businesses, politicians, families and friends bid. The only difference is that while the top bidder pays the child for their animal they only get a picture of it and any ribbon that the animal had won. The purpose is to encourage kids to become involved with farming and help offset the costs of raising their animals.

Since Granny was getting rather tired we didn't stay for the "sale". However, when my son Joe returned home he told me all about how it was.

Morgan had also show a pair of hogs and once was brought into the sale area. Her hog brought her $360 dollars. As the auction progressed it became apparent that the better known a family was, the higher price the animal would bring.

When one little girl stood in the area with her pig the auctioneer was almost begging for someone to bid. When Joe became aware that nothing was happening he got his wife to go to the other side and bid against him until the amount reached the $150 he had in his pocket.

When the little girl nervously came to him after the sale to thank him and give him the ribbon she had won. He knelt down so she wouldn't feel intimidated by his size and told her how he thought she had the best hog is the show. As she handed over the cherished ribbon he asked her to keep it for him so that every time she looked at it she would be reminded of what a wonderful job she had done raising that hog.

As he stood the girl's teary eyed mother came and thanked him as well. He told me that it was all he could do to not become emotional as well.

The incident reminded me that I have not only raised a great son, but more importantly, a very kind and caring person.