Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[Blarneyeggs]

 
It has been a crazy week for me.

Monday was a meeting with Sylvia's (the elderly lady I help care for) lawyer.  Tuesday was egg shipment day, so a bit of a lazy day.  Wednesday I took my great grandfather to a doctor's appointment - he has unexplained bleeding.  Thursday was Sylvia's final divorce hearing and her anus of an ex finally settled after dragging this out for 2.5yrs.  Friday we had to run out I-80 to 476 to meet a BYCer from New Jersey who bought 5 of my MFCs.  Then do our normal running and drop kids and prepare for yesterday.  We got to bed Thursday around 10 and back up at 1:30am to go to Sharpsburg, MD for the swap.  We got there around 6am and set up.  I sold all my LF Orps, so I am out of that project.  I sold my lone Tolbunt Polish.  I brought home about half of my MFCs.  I bought a SQ black bantam Cochin (came from Tom Roebuck originally).  I also got 2 MFC cockerels from Erin (MsBear - Swap holder).  We left at 12:15pm to head to Aunt Kat's.  Talk about flying.  I don't have a cell phone anymore.  Honestly, we can't afford them right now.  I told Aunt Kat we'd be there between 12-2pm depending on how my sales went.  Yep... 1hr and 45min to make a little over 2hr trip and we had no idea where we were really going (no extra time if we got lost).  Plus, I knew she had a birthday party to get to!  We pulled in just after 2pm.  I helped her the best I could sex the turkeys, picked my trio and chatted for bit and then homeward bound.  We unloaded, set up temporary quarantine pens for all the new birds and then off to pick up kids.  Then pick up Sylvia's prescriptions and finally around 6:30pm we finally ate for the first time all day.  When we got home from the swap Dewey had a flat tire on his Tracker, so we had to fix that and he sat out in the rain and in the dark changing his tire when we got home.  We were so exhausted, we went to bed at 8:15.  Dewey had to work today, so he didn't get to sleep in, but I slept 14hrs.  LONG week!

As for lights in winter, no.  I don't do it.  I don't want my girls to burn out quick.  I have 3yr old MFCs that are still laying every other day.

Winterizing?  I don't do it.  I close windows and clean pens right before it gets to cold to do so.  That's my winterizing.

ETA:  The news everyone was dreading... My pap's tests for lung cancer keeps coming back negative, but they can see the spots in the x-rays.  I told mom that maybe it's just scar tissue?  He worked in the HVAC industry all his life and he smoked for over half his life.  His one whole kidney is pretty much nothing but cancer.  They are going to give him a chemo pill to clean that out.  The cancer on his back is right on his spine, so he will be paralyzed within a year.  The worst news is that the cancer is in all his lymph nodes.  They gave him a year or less to live.  My pap is in denial.  He doesn't understand the gravity of the situation and thinks the chemo pill will totally cure him.  He's 74 and is still working - he milks cows in the morning for a huge dairy farm.  He has retired and came back to work 3x now.  He won't stop working for treatment, either.

Reyvaughn,  so sorry. Didn't mean to neglect the sad news you had posted.  Prayers to your pap and your family

. X2 Bobbie, hope things are looking up for you.

I now have 3 pips  so hopefully by morning we will have some fluffy butts running around the bator (and hopefully some more pips  ) you can hear peeping and the kids are so exciting. I keep running down to check them which isn't easy with a bum knee since their in the basement but I would like to try to video it if it happens tonight so the kids can watch it   Good luck to all the hatchers praying we all have great hatches!!!

I have a zip in the last Marans abandoned by my broody. 6 MF project eggs set for Wing....not a peep outta them. :/

I have 3 gals who will be of laying age at the end of October/ begin of November.  So  if they are just starting when it gets cold.........how does this effect egg laying?

I imagine its individual............and they may lay more in warmer months and time will tell..........just thought I'd ask in case anyone on here has experience with this type of timeline

. I think the most common scenario is for them to continue through the winter, although I have Orp pullets that have come into lay lat summer and then stop completely through winter.

I' m not sure who asked me about the Orps as winter layers, but mine have not done so well, but others on the Orp thread seem to have better luck in that department than me.

 

[LeBlackbird]

Hello everyone, unfortunately getting out of the hobby for the time being. I'll be maintaining some stuff around here but most things are leaving. I'm getting rid of my German New Hampshire quad (100% Imports, would like 70 for the quad), my Buckeye quad (pullets are Lay, Roo is ALBC, would like 55 for them), and 5, 12 week old turkeys (3 Black Mottled, 2 Silver Auburn. Straight from Porters, 15 bucks a piece).








I'm looking for 4h families or homes with kids for my Silkie Trio and my Bantam Ameraucana pair, both are very close to me and I would love for them to find very special homes. The Silkie trio includes my White Rooster, white hen, and splash pullet. The Bantam Ameraucanas are wheatens. Would like $40 for the silkies and $30 for the Ameraucanas but I am looking to find special homes where they will be pampered, which should not be a problem with you guys!






I also have a bunch of 5-7 month old bantams looking for homes, 2 roos (1 Silver Duckwing OEGB and 1 Rhode Island), and 5 pullets (1 Red Cochin, 1 Silver-laced Cochin, 1 Porcelain D'uccle, 1 Mottled D'uccle and 1 Dark Cornish) 5 for the roos, 10 for the pullets

Thanks guys, love all of you! I'll still be around with occasional updates on the layer flock,
Susan

 

[LittleMissPurdy]

** Blanrney- I was just about to ask you about Orps. and their laying habits over winter... Going to eventually have a couple..Love those fluffy-butts!! Okay- So, they do usually lay continuously throughout winter ? (In general I am speaking) You are having issues with your laying in the cold? How old are your birds?

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

All:

While I'm posting like a maniac, I have one more story to tell from my neighbor(She'll have chicks in the spring)....She related a story of a friend with a backyard thing with three chooks....no problems...their gsd passed and a month later a fox came in a got all three....I know my pair have chased a fox about a 1/2 mile last year when they got loose...(I was walking the dogs later and a property owner related having my dogs running through her backyard in hot pursuit...)...If you have chooks I think a pooch helps alot.....my two cents

I agree stake! Thankfully, we already have an awesome dog here.

Love craigslist! Found a free sign on on there today that I an use for two of my walls, plus I can use the hinges for a door or nest box. Woohoo! :

And I love using the dancing smileys.

 

[LittleMissPurdy]

The cages came from a thrift shop that got them from a lady who bred Persian cats in them. They are open bottom, so I made solid bases for them out of plywood and 2x4's. The bottom cages obviously have legs because I am to fat and lazy to bend over. The bases for the top cages just sit on top of the bottom cages. When I am ready to clean them, I can either vacuum them out with the shop vac or I can take the cage off the base and then take the base outside and scrub/scrape if they get that bad (they can if they scratch all the bedding out like they have been). I need to put backs on the top cages to help keep the shavings in better.

So cool!! Love the thrift shops!! and the "free" section on craig's...hahaha, yard sales...you name it!! I do like the set up...think I would have to have pull outs(trays) or something like that...I'm not very big, and not much left in the muscle area to be lifting all those cages...hhahaha...maybe even put in sand w/ the pull outs...hummm, now I am thinking and that is very dangerous!!!...here comes the brooder...

mmmwwwaaahahahah...

Prudy:

I haven't been able to find out, I have it narrowed down to a BO or a GLW....a double yolk once a week...(a small bonus).....

I have a BL & Partrige-Wyandottes, BL is just a tad over a year & the Partridge is 10 months, she just started to lay...

yeah-took her long enough!!, but I have gotten 4 eggs from her since the 16th, so I think she is doing good for just starting... Now, is the double yolk "thing" something that runs in the Bo's and Dottes or is it just a random occurrence with all breeds?

 

[LisaYolkUm]

I was amazed how much stuff I could gather from Craigs list!

I got lots of wood, the dresser, 15-20 cinderblocks, flooring, shingles, all free

If you have the luxury of taking your time.........you can get all your supplies

I found the hardware stuff like screws, hinges, clasps etc........although they are small in size........they do add up in costs.

I saved a lot by going to yardsales for these too.........

I also simply love............the hardware ties that are re-usable...........I did a lot of securing things with wood and screws etc ........and the hardware ties are so effective and fast and easy.........I highly recommend them!

 

[Diz78]

Happy birthday blarney!

 

[LittleMissPurdy]

I agree stake! Thankfully, we already have an awesome dog here.

Love craigslist! Found a free sign on on there today that I an use for two of my walls, plus I can use the hinges for a door or nest box. Woohoo! :

And I love using the dancing smileys.

Great find!!! & I know what you mean!!!

...hahaha...free wood is always good

, well..free anything is good!!!

 

[LittleMissPurdy]

Hello everyone, unfortunately getting out of the hobby for the time being. I'll be maintaining some stuff around here but most things are leaving. I'm getting rid of my German New Hampshire quad (100% Imports, would like 70 for the quad), my Buckeye quad (pullets are Lay, Roo is ALBC, would like 55 for them), and 5, 12 week old turkeys (3 Black Mottled, 2 Silver Auburn. Straight from Porters, 15 bucks a piece).








I'm looking for 4h families or homes with kids for my Silkie Trio and my Bantam Ameraucana pair, both are very close to me and I would love for them to find very special homes. The Silkie trio includes my White Rooster, white hen, and splash pullet. The Bantam Ameraucanas are wheatens. Would like $40 for the silkies and $30 for the Ameraucanas but I am looking to find special homes where they will be pampered, which should not be a problem with you guys!






I also have a bunch of 5-7 month old bantams looking for homes, 2 roos (1 Silver Duckwing OEGB and 1 Rhode Island), and 5 pullets (1 Red Cochin, 1 Silver-laced Cochin, 1 Porcelain D'uccle, 1 Mottled D'uccle and 1 Dark Cornish) 5 for the roos, 10 for the pullets

Thanks guys, love all of you! I'll still be around with occasional updates on the layer flock,
Susan

...sorry to hear you are getting out of the "hobby", I hope you will return again and soon.

., you are still keeping a flock?..Yes, I see that now, sorry...You do have quite the menagerie of birds there, lovely!

 

[LittleMissPurdy]

come on guys...I am totally post-hogging this place!!!! Stop me......

please!!!!!....hahahha.., must be the coffee...way too much coffee...

.