Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[ErinsFlock]

If you decide to try again in the future, leghorns really are very flighty in the beginning. They will calm down once they get older. Like four or five months. Mine were a nightmare as peeps. I know if I ever get them again, they will be broody raised.

I am not sure I have what it takes to have leghorns. I did read up on them and knew they would be flighty and a bit crazy but I guess they are just not for me and my calmer flock.

 

[ErinsFlock]

Had a rough day today. I fell on the ice again on my hip again. Couldn't sleep last night because of the pain. Went down the hill and seen raccoon prints around my silkie run and duck run.  My traps are frozen to the ground so I can't even set them. Argh!!! Get to my Golden laced wyandotte and Easter egger pen and see blood all over the place, I freak out. It seems my 2 roos, in 2 different pens, are fighting. My older Golden laced wyandotte lost half his wattle and some of his comb to the Black Australorp. They were still fighting through the fence at 3ish when I went back down for water and egg check. Is there anything I should watch out for with my rooster tomorrow? I hope they will not fight tomorrow I don't know what I can do for him. NO way hubby will let this rooster in the bath tub to heal.

Took my son to the doctor's this afternoon and she looked at him and swabbed him for the flu. She said it will take 10 minutes for the test to be completed. She came back in about a minute later and said he was positive for the flu! He is highly contagious and needs to stay home from school for the week. I hope the rest of us don't get the flu. I am going around with the wipes cleaning everything he touches. Argh he has been sick since Saturday night so hopefully we aren't sick yet, we will be ok.

I went to the hardware store this morning and got the ice gripes for the bottom of my boots. Paid $30 for them. I figure they will be worth their weight in gold if I don't fall anymore!!!  I tried them out on the icy hill and I didn't fall!!! e That was my good part of the day!

This current flu that is going around is awful, my 3 year old is spiking fevers between 103.5-104.5. I medicate but it it spikes right back up when the meds wear off. Luckily she is eating well and drinking a ton.

 

[cmf12230]

Welcome! I lived in Dallas when I was a kid. There are auctions about an hour north of Harrisburg Remind me and I can hunt up some links for you.

That would be so awesome!!

hello & welcome ...we did meaties (CX) & turkeys (BBW) last year, looking forward to getting a lot more this spring!!!
Were did you order from?
I think she is pretty no matter what she is ..i know nothing about EE's and Ameracaunas..sorry
oh my goodness ....naughty.

We ordered from Murray Mc Murray's. I plan to also take the kids to tractor supply in March to pick out some bantums. We ordered15 meat birds and 10 various pullets plus the free exotic. Hoping for a colorful backyard! They are suppose to be shipped Feb 7th and we are so excited!!!

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

Had a rough day today. I fell on the ice again on my hip again. Couldn't sleep last night because of the pain. Went down the hill and seen raccoon prints around my silkie run and duck run.  My traps are frozen to the ground so I can't even set them. Argh!!! Get to my Golden laced wyandotte and Easter egger pen and see blood all over the place, I freak out. It seems my 2 roos, in 2 different pens, are fighting. My older Golden laced wyandotte lost half his wattle and some of his comb to the Black Australorp. They were still fighting through the fence at 3ish when I went back down for water and egg check. Is there anything I should watch out for with my rooster tomorrow? I hope they will not fight tomorrow I don't know what I can do for him. NO way hubby will let this rooster in the bath tub to heal.

Took my son to the doctor's this afternoon and she looked at him and swabbed him for the flu. She said it will take 10 minutes for the test to be completed. She came back in about a minute later and said he was positive for the flu! He is highly contagious and needs to stay home from school for the week. I hope the rest of us don't get the flu. I am going around with the wipes cleaning everything he touches. Argh he has been sick since Saturday night so hopefully we aren't sick yet, we will be ok.

I went to the hardware store this morning and got the ice gripes for the bottom of my boots. Paid $30 for them. I figure they will be worth their weight in gold if I don't fall anymore!!!  I tried them out on the icy hill and I didn't fall!!! e That was my good part of the day!

Aw so sorry you fell and got hurt. That's terrible for your son too. Hope he feels better soon.

Wow, what a commotion this morning! I ordered a few chicken saddles last week for some of my girls and I just picked them up this morning. You would've thought that some strange creature had invaded the coop! Poor Cotton was the first one to get hers on and she freaked out which made the saddle fly up funny. Then everyone thought there was sone kind of beast on her and was running and yelling all different directions. Cotton was trying to run to them, they were trying to run from her and the saddle was just flopping on her back. I finally held her a few minutes to calm her down when she came running to me (she NEVER does that!). Once she was calm, Lady and Daisy got theirs on. They didn't seem to care so much about theirs. Lady ran around for a minute but then settled down to pick at it under her wing. Daisy just stretched her wing out weird for a second and was fine. The 3 girls wearing them seem to have calmed down now but everyone else in the coop is rather freaked out about them lol. I'll get some pictures later

I would have loved to see a video of that! I can only imagine... Those silly girls, they can be entertaining.

That would be so awesome!!
We ordered from Murray Mc Murray's. I plan to also take the kids to tractor supply in March to pick out some bantums. We ordered15 meat birds and 10 various pullets plus the free exotic. Hoping for a colorful backyard! They are suppose to be shipped Feb 7th and we are so excited!!!

Congrats! Have you had chicks and chickens before? They are SO much fun. I got mine last spring and I only wish I had more space to have more girls! (And some meaties, and a turkey and a.....) Can't wait to hear what your "exotic" is!

 

[SilkieSensation]

 
I officially HATE winter. Yesterday's ice and last night's snow coating did me in this morning. Went to take care of everyone and I was really being careful and I fell and slid about 5 feet down my hill. I was at the top of my hill and I had to try to stand back up and grab the chicken feed and make it down the rest of the hill without falling again. Of course I landed on my arthritic hip. Looks like I will be hobbling around for the rest of the day. Not looking forward to checking for eggs later.

I hear ya! I fell twice yesterday. Landed on my already sore elbow and made it worse. It's the combination of nasty winters and getting older. Now I understand why so many people retire to FL. Yesterday that was feeling like a really good idea.

This is precisely why my 11 yr old has been on bird duty since the snow started flying. She bounces better than poor old mom. I end up on my butt almost every time I go out, so I have been staying in as much as possible.

 

[barbiegirl]

My son went to help me with the chickens this weekend and fell down the hill too. He is a big boy and almost 16 years old. That was before he was sick. I fell so far 2 times, my hubby fell 2 times the same day, my younger son fell once and my older son (he has nothing to do with the chickens) fell once going to my car! I guess that's the bad part of living on a mountain! Those ice grippers are a godsend. My hubby went out this morning with me to help with the water and he was slipping and slidding on the ice. (he didn't want to put on the ice grippers I bought for him. I was fine going down the hill. Kids usually bounce better than us old folk lmao My son is a lineman and doesn't bounce lol

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Cotton, Lady, and Daisy sporting their new saddles

 

[wingstone]

I had a morning visitor...I do not condone feeding them, but they sure are pretty.

 

[SilkieSensation]

My son went to help me with the chickens this weekend and fell down the hill too. He is a big boy and almost 16 years old. That was before he was sick. I fell so far 2 times, my hubby fell 2 times the same day, my younger son fell once and my older son (he has nothing to do with the chickens) fell once going to my car! I guess that's the bad part of living on a mountain!  Those ice grippers are a godsend. My hubby went out this morning with me to help with the water and he was slipping and slidding on the ice. (he didn't want to put on the ice grippers I bought for him. I was fine going down the hill. Kids usually bounce better than us old folk lmao My son is a lineman and doesn't bounce lol

My 11 yr old is a "fluffy chick" so has plenty of padding. I send her out to feed, she comes back in laughing to tell me she slid on her butt twice. Doesn't usually phase her too much unlesd she lands on something other than smooth ground or catches her foot & twists it. I would be totally covered in bruises & have several broken bones if I landed like she does.

 

[hendricks115]

I came out of the coop earlier to my super dog growling at a fox that had tried to sneak up. My Ruger was blocking his way to me and the coop. The fox was not afraid of me and not having a gun I threw the feed bucket at it. It ran a few feet away so I yelled for my pup and we ran. I spent the last hour trying to dispose of the very strange acting fox. Things I learned today:
1. I'm a terrible shot and need LOTS of target practice.
2. Trying to be Annie Oakley while having the flu (fever, shaking and weak) is not a super idea.
3. My 20lb pup has the heart of a lion and is my protector. (He's getting a piece of deer steak for supper)
4. Pistol needs to be on my hip whenever I go out. Feed buckets are only mildly effective.
5. Finally, crazy animals need to stay away from my coop because even though I can barely stand today I will defend my flock.