Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[AnneInTheBurbs]

In life, there are many things that can have their pros and their cons. My husband just called to say that he should know Monday morning for sure whether or not he is getting a new job. If he does, I will be going on the road with him. Pro, I won't be alone. Con. I won't EVER be alone. And I will have to give up my little farm (as it is). For clarification, he is a trucker. We will be on the road 3-4 months at-a-time before coming home for a couple of days. We are possibly going to be hitting Aurora up for eggs when we are here. I hope she has enough to sell us!
I currently have 15 hens and a rooster 1 - 2 1/2 -years-old. I will be looking to rehome them over the next week. I will only be asking $5. The five Bourbon Red turkeys I have are another matter. I am holding off putting them up for sale until I know for sure I am leaving. If you think you are interested in a trio of turkeys, please do let me know.
This has been an interesting journey. I am glad I took it, and I am glad I have had you guys to help me along the way. I can't believe I am actually crying right now!
I do believe that in the mid-summers I will spend two months at home to raise CRX. It will satisfy my need to watch something grow, and it will be food for the freezer during the rare times we are home, as well as something for the truck as I will be canning (truck stop food is $$$!!!).
I hope to hear from a few people. Processing 16 chickens and 5 turkeys is a lot of work, and I would have to do it in one day. I am not Wingstone or Fisherlady. They can do anything!

Sending hugs your way.... Tough week for you both!

Anne:

I have given up on grass....and its too expensive to keep throwing seeds..., in the spring I am going with white clover...if I have been informed correctly, its about $10 for a 1/4 acre.....

I will check that out! Thanks.

Everyone looking for grass seed, I don't know if you know but I think it's Scott's that developed a new GMO, roundup resistant grass and seed. Please be careful and try to choose a different brand. That scares the He// out of me that they want to spread GMO grass around the world. Scott's employees are already testing it at their homes

Thanks for letting me know, I wasn't aware they were into grass now. Last I heard it was corn, cotton, soy, papaya and butternut squash. I'm sure there is more.

Uh, as nice as that offer is, it was made a little too late. However, I am curious. Would you have used regular tape, or the designer kind? If I am going to imagine being taped up, I need details!  And to stop thinking of the person that thought... Moving on! (there we go with the duct tape again)




I appreciate all the offers! If I sell most of the birds, there is a guy that has a table, boiling pot, and plucker. I think I can get another mutual friend to help, but it would be a big job, and both guys have "interesting" ways of doing things. One makes them bleed for about five minutes alive (yes, they are really alive) and the other lets them flop headless. Amusing, but messy and bruises the meat. Anyway, that will fill the area.
If I can't get anyone to buy birds, I will have to take Karen up on her offer to come here (next Saturday or Sunday), and whoever is up for helping, I will take you up on it. Free meat, and feed. I should have 2-3 bags of layer feed, a bag of cracked corn, and possibly corn on the cob (given to me, but only fit for animals) and a few huge pumpkins.
If I leave, I will be gone by Tuesday, October 28th. This is really a  time for me. DH is just switching companies and trucks. I get to figure out everything else. I am a good wife. I will not kill my husband. I am a good wife. I will not kill my husband. I am a good wife. I will not...

g

Remember: through richer or poorer, better or worse. Lol. Good luck with your transition. I know I would struggle with something like that too.

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

My little hen, aka Oddball seems to be doing better. The other girls aren't chasing her as much and she ventured out into the yard today. She's still slept in her little box on the porch last night. I think tonight I will put her in with the other hens after dark. Finger crossed we won't have a brawl. I am thinking that is the best way, but I'm open to advice. Thanks for listening.

 

[wingstone]

MC
My son in law will be in your area this week for bow hunting, may be able to get him to transport if anyone down this way wants anything.

Wish I was close, or even capable of that kind of travel. Would help you out in a heartbeat..

You are a better wife than me, I guarantee I would kill the husband if with him 24/7.

 

[LittleMissPurdy]

Uh, as nice as that offer is, it was made a little too late. However, I am curious. Would you have used regular tape, or the designer kind? If I am going to imagine being taped up, I need details!

And to stop thinking of the person that thought... Moving on!

(there we go with the duct tape again)




I appreciate all the offers! If I sell most of the birds, there is a guy that has a table, boiling pot, and plucker. I think I can get another mutual friend to help, but it would be a big job, and both guys have "interesting" ways of doing things. One makes them bleed for about five minutes alive (yes, they are really alive) and the other lets them flop headless. Amusing, but messy and bruises the meat. Anyway, that will fill the area.
If I can't get anyone to buy birds, I will have to take Karen up on her offer to come here (next Saturday or Sunday), and whoever is up for helping, I will take you up on it. Free meat, and feed. I should have 2-3 bags of layer feed, a bag of cracked corn, and possibly corn on the cob (given to me, but only fit for animals) and a few huge pumpkins.
If I leave, I will be gone by Tuesday, October 28th. This is really a

time for me. DH is just switching companies and trucks. I get to figure out everything else. I am a good wife. I will not kill my husband. I am a good wife. I will not kill my husband. I am a good wife. I will not...

hahaha, you be very silly...and yes, pink zebra print is just fine

..hahahha....i really wish we had the coop enclosed, we would be able to house a lot more birds..darn-it!

.....anyway..you are a very good wife, yes..you know how i would have faired

.......

 

[LittleMissPurdy]

MCC, you better not leave us even if you don't have birds! Having spent time talking with you and your hubby, I know you'll get through this. Please stop in here to visit!

I would take the turkey in an instant if I were closer. Heck knowing you had them I was hoping for eggs in the spring.

i was looking forward to those eggs too!

.....they-(MCC & Hubby) are fun , aren't they?!

 

[wingstone]

Breeding question ( keep it clean )

Over the summer I had a bantam Cochin that was always broody, eventually I gave up and left her keep a few eggs... well she hatched 2 of them.... problem is at the time I had an extra white bresse rooster in that pen.... I am thinking he may be the daddy to both of them since both are white and one has dark skin....
Question is would you keep these 2. I think it is a pair, and just how much influence would the white breed have on future generations...
These 2 are very sweet, the first to greet you when entering the pen, also like to jump up and sit on you.....

I am not breeding my bantam for show or anything, I just like having them around... but I also do not went to throw my colors off to much.

 

[emorems0]

If you were planning on sending your roosters to freezer camp eventually and one of them got a seemingly minor leg injury at 16 weeks old (black australorp), would you send him to camp early or wait it out to see if the leg issue resolves?

We have 3 roosters, I'm hoping to convince DH to let me keep one... so we'll have 2 for freezer camp. Probably best to process them at the same time, right? I had my 3yo out with me yesterday as I was working on fixing up some lingering work on the coop and we let the chickens out into the grass on the side of their run. I ran inside to check on the baby for a minute and left the 3yo in with the chickens (she had been being really good with them and generally is very good with them). A few minutes after I came back out I noticed one of the roosters was limping a little. She told me she didn't pick him up, but my guess is that she did pick him up and then dropped him funny when she let him go. He stands on it and walks on it, just limps a little and has been laying down more frequently. He did put himself back in the coop last night and came out again this morning, still limping though. When I brought some treats out this morning I noticed he had his foot up and was standing on one leg so I thought maybe he stepped on something and she didn't hurt him after all. I tried to get a look at his foot but it started to rain and I had the baby outside with me. If it's a sprain or something from landing funny when he was dropped, it's just sore and will resolve itself, right?

 

[chippysmom327]

If you were planning on sending your roosters to freezer camp eventually and one of them got a seemingly minor leg injury at 16 weeks old (black australorp), would you send him to camp early or wait it out to see if the leg issue resolves?

We have 3 roosters, I'm hoping to convince DH to let me keep one... so we'll have 2 for freezer camp. Probably best to process them at the same time, right? I had my 3yo out with me yesterday as I was working on fixing up some lingering work on the coop and we let the chickens out into the grass on the side of their run. I ran inside to check on the baby for a minute and left the 3yo in with the chickens (she had been being really good with them and generally is very good with them). A few minutes after I came back out I noticed one of the roosters was limping a little. She told me she didn't pick him up, but my guess is that she did pick him up and then dropped him funny when she let him go. He stands on it and walks on it, just limps a little and has been laying down more frequently. He did put himself back in the coop last night and came out again this morning, still limping though. When I brought some treats out this morning I noticed he had his foot up and was standing on one leg so I thought maybe he stepped on something and she didn't hurt him after all. I tried to get a look at his foot but it started to rain and I had the baby outside with me. If it's a sprain or something from landing funny when he was dropped, it's just sore and will resolve itself, right?

I'd give it a few days andif it does't resolve then process him. Remember, pecking order is EVERYTHING or chickens. They try to not show any weakness. His foot probably hurts worse than he is showing. I personally wouldn't want one of my animals in lots of pain for longer than they have to be, even if they'd be going to be processed anyway.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Can you break a broody that already has babies? Sounds like a horrible question but let me explain. Cookie has been VERY violent towards Cloud's babies, even through the divider between the two of them. If one of Cloud's babies gets to close to the divider she'll try to attack it. Well she'd been being pretty good lately and the babies are all almost 2 weeks old so I thought it would be nice to let the girls take them out to do some actual free ranging today so I opened the pen and watched. All was good, Cookie brought her 3 or and was digging in the leaves and doing great. Then Cloud stepped out and all was fine (Cookie doesn't care about Cloud at all) but then Cookie charged into Clouds side of the pen and violently started to attack one of Cloud's babies. Cloud git turned around somehow and ended up on the wrong side of the barrier and couldn't get through. I managed to grab Cookie and no serious damage was done but I don't see how I'm ever going to get them out and integrated into the flock if Cookie is going to attack them. Cloud is a very good mother and very easy going. She would take Cookie's babies in a heartbeat no problem. So is there a way too break Cookie and give her babies to Cloud for her to raise or do I just have to wait until she loses interest.

 

[stake]

If you were planning on sending your roosters to freezer camp eventually and one of them got a seemingly minor leg injury at 16 weeks old (black australorp), would you send him to camp early or wait it out to see if the leg issue resolves?

We have 3 roosters, I'm hoping to convince DH to let me keep one... so we'll have 2 for freezer camp. Probably best to process them at the same time, right? I had my 3yo out with me yesterday as I was working on fixing up some lingering work on the coop and we let the chickens out into the grass on the side of their run. I ran inside to check on the baby for a minute and left the 3yo in with the chickens (she had been being really good with them and generally is very good with them). A few minutes after I came back out I noticed one of the roosters was limping a little. She told me she didn't pick him up, but my guess is that she did pick him up and then dropped him funny when she let him go. He stands on it and walks on it, just limps a little and has been laying down more frequently. He did put himself back in the coop last night and came out again this morning, still limping though. When I brought some treats out this morning I noticed he had his foot up and was standing on one leg so I thought maybe he stepped on something and she didn't hurt him after all. I tried to get a look at his foot but it started to rain and I had the baby outside with me. If it's a sprain or something from landing funny when he was dropped, it's just sore and will resolve itself, right?

To chime in, I wouldn't make any decisions until you get to the point where you have too...its been my experience that lots of times chooks heal up quickly...my two cents....