Peeps in Europe!

[Papa John59]

Just remember one thing!! No drilling into fingers this time! Please!!!

What are you gabbing about?
It still has not healed properly...I can feel a small mass under the scar and its still sore at times...guess I did more damage then just the hole in the finger.
But, yes, I will watch where my fingers are in relationship to the drill bit! And thanks for reminding very one!

 

[Papa John59]

Congratulation to @BDutch for being awarded the "Friend" badge!

 

[BDutch]

Congrats for my BYC friend in Germany too.

 

[abpatchy]

What are you gabbing about?
It still has not healed properly...I can feel a small mass under the scar and its still sore at times...guess I did more damage then just the hole in the finger.
But, yes, I will watch where my fingers are in relationship to the drill bit! And thanks for reminding very one!

You know what I'm talking about!!
It still hasn't healed? Have you seen a doctor about that since then?
Glad I was able to remind you! hahaha

 

[abpatchy]

Since the weather has been nice and warm, I 've been letting the 4 week old chicks out into the run. Mostly the little roosters are daring to wander out into the unknown. A couple of hens sometimes as well. Running around, flying. scratching and picking. It's a joy to watch them.
Yesterday my husband helped me put new rings on them. I locked the 7 week old out of their coop. Then I caught each and every one of them 52! Took the old rings off and replaced them. Then put them into the empty coop. Hubby made a list of what I got... (but forgot to note 2 of them, so I don't know if those 2 are roos or hens) But I have 16 roosters and 23 hens in the 4 week old chicks
and 5 roosters and 6 hens in the 2 week olds. So more hens than roosters. Perfect!

And, I had to take out 2 more eggs. Down to 27 out of 70... oh well... It'll do still have almost 90 chicks if they hatch... which will be Monday. Maybe Sunday for the early ones. Immunization will be Tuesday. The marking rings are ordered. I should get them soon.
Always something new to learn!

Happy Easter everyone!!!!

 

[abpatchy]

Today I can show something we built. I wanted to give my ladies a ramp so they can go up and down easier. Most of the time they fly up and down from the perch. But if there are chickens on the ground already they might have a hard time. The problem was the placement of doors...one door into the coop..the next door leads from the first coop into the second coop. So I thought of a foldable ramp. My husband improved on the design. This is what it looks like now.

 

[Papa John59]

Happy Easter!

 

[abpatchy]

Happy Easter everyone!!!

I had quite an exciting day. It started out that I went to feed the chickens. Aaaaand... I got the numbered rings so they can be in a show. I cleaned out the one coop. All excited I went home only to realize that I left my coop key at the coop. Hubby and I went back... and the guys that were there before had left... locking the front gate. Remember where my keys were? Yes... We tried to open the gate but couldn't... went back home to see my neighbor who also has a key... she gave me her key... and just as I was leaving my husband called said one of the guys from the club came and let him in. Oh well...
Then we moved the chick hens into their freshly cleaned coop. Took a while to catch them all. Caught the 8 week olds put the rings on their feet. (one we had to use Balistol for animals to get it over the foot, and one was too small still). I heard a knocking...what on earth is knocking? Well... three chicks ended up being caught between the two outside doors. One is the automated door with a timer and one an additional metal door that can only be opened or closed from the outside. There was blood. Obviously they had been picking on the one chick. But I couldn't see where. I moved it in with the hen chicks. When we were finally done I saw the little hen chick limping. I caught it and noticed her foot bleeding. So she came home with me! Well... to make a long story short... her toe was broken and only hanging on a little flesh and skin. We had to amputate it. Cleaned it and put aluminum spray on it. At one point we tried a bandage... but she pulled it off the little monster.
She was looking for comfort and was all snuggles... we wanted to keep her at home for a day or two... but she wouldn't stay alone... squeezed thru the dog box... I still don't know how! And in the wooden box she just screamed her head off running around. She was happy when she was sitting on my. She is doing fine in the coop now... I can't keep holding her all night! And since she was doing fine... otherwise we would have kept her and gotten a friend for her.

So now all the hens are in one coop all the roosters in another. 2 little chicks have hatched already. Day 20... always very punctual!!

So.. that was my Easter. Hope yours went a little better.
Here the little chick sitting on me just being happy and recuperating

 

[BDutch]

I used the easter weekend to fix the leaking roof of the coop extension of the original coop that was way too small for 8 chickens.

I had second hand perspex from a previous exhibition I could use as underlayer for the wooden roof. I hope it gives no problems with damp. The wood was perfect to keep the moisture in control. But after almost 5 years it got bended too much. And water started to come in at the corners.

What did you all do last weekend?

 

[Papa John59]

What did I do over the weekend? You really asked? Well......to use an American expression, I fiddled-farted around! We pulled out the grill, cleaned it up a bit and grilled on Saturday! Sat with my father-in-law and just chilled. Sunday, after breakfast, we had an Easter egg hunt in the garden. I found the first eggs....in the coop! But they were not colored so they did not count ☹ . Just sat with the in-laws all afternoon, (father-in-law's time is slowly running out) and just enjoyed the weather. Rather boring!

Now do you want to know what I did all day yesterday? I was very productive! As I took a day off from work, I went to Real! They are still open and I bought a new 180 thread count, bed sheet. I then came home and spent the next 6 hours sitting at the sewing machine, making full masks . Sadly, I only got 4 of them finished, but its been 44 years since I learned. So this evening, I will start on the other 3. Then guess what? I get to make a second one for everyone, so 10 more in total. I must say, I am rather proud of my work. My seams may not be perfect, but they are straight. Even wifey was impressed. My son on the other hand, found it to be to girly....his father sitting down and sewing, but after explaining that his grandmother FORCED me to sit down and learn before I went off to college, and explained the advantages of knowing how, he is now excepting it...but says its not something he will need. Oh the youth have much to learn!
If anyone needs a well designed mask and has the skill to operate the machine, I have the design and willing to share.

Now so chicken news....still trying to find paint so that daughter #1 and I can finish our new coop. We have it all designed, cut out and everything, just wanted to paint the inside (at least) before putting the pieces together.
Yesterday, we hit the jackpot....3 eggs! Something that rarely happens, 2 is the norm.

@BDutch, hoping that your roof holds up! Nothing worst than a leaky roof.

Wishing everyone a healthy, safe and enjoyable week!