Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Sorry to hear that cheeka, its hard to lose one, even though you know it can be a possibility. The,mealworm project sounds promising....I think I'll include it in my expansion project but for how I'll stick with dog food for protein....long time ago, I had an office job, habit of having cup soup with croutons and a sandwhich...now, I'm one one those people that reads alot, while walking, sitting, eating....yeah, I remember that soup being the best I'd ever tasted until I looked at it and there was little grubs floating amongst the croutons.....yeah, I freaked out, I didn't know whether I should throw up .....or finish the soup because it sure was good...I just couldn't get past the stygma of bugs. Never had such a yummy bowl of soup again!

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Occasionally one or the other of my chickens will cough when it bolts dry food. Kind of a highnpitched eek eek, some head shaking, then is OK. Only happened with dry food though. I'd think it unlikely only one chicken would be affected by disease, and then there would be other symptoms. I don't hang around the disease threads on this forum because all those illnesses freak me out. Besides, there has to be a mode of transmission and I'm not exposed to any...wild birds? Well, by te time they fly to me they'd be dead already. Some say all chickens have disease, but I disagree.

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Some good news, that I will whisper, since I don't want to jinx myself. I haven't lost anymore chickens due to predators ever since Max flushed a bear out and chased him down and back through the hollow. I cold tell he was onto something big by the way he was barking, so I armed up and started with the ATV down the logging road....graciously bh said he'd go.....we tossed a coin. He said Max chased the bear right at him, crashing throuh brush and sapplings, when the bear saw him he reared up...he got a shot off but missed and the bear high tailed it out of there. I'm hoping the extreme fright has caused the bear to relocate. I've been doing regular patrols around the bottom of the mountain after taking 2 weeks to clear the road, before all this, I've heard something big just over the hill, and the dogs whining in that direction. Its just a little too close for comfort. Now that the leaves are gone...there's nowhere to hide too. I hope its gone for good...but I'm still looking for signs. Wish me luck!

 

[cheeka]

Dang ACW! I'd say for sure too close for comfort! I've got black bear, small... but a nuisance to many. I've never seen one on my property, but I have found scat and tracks through my yard, and BH saw one on my rock wall when he was tending his garden. Says they surprised each other, and BH stayed stock still on all fours, the bear looked closely from about 30 feet max distance, and took off. My neighbor saw it bolt and tried to follow it on his 4-wheeler, but no luck. So I wish You Luck ACW!
yes, it's always a bummer when a chick fails to thrive, but better it die now than to suffer a life plagued with health problems that would lead to early death anyway, probably by culling for mercy.

 

[okallthis4eggs]

Some good news, that I will whisper, since I don't want to jinx myself. I haven't lost anymore chickens due to predators ever since Max flushed a bear out and chased him down and back through the hollow. I cold tell he was onto something big by the way he was barking, so I armed up and started with the ATV down the logging road....graciously bh said he'd go.....we tossed a coin. He said Max chased the bear right at him, crashing throuh brush and sapplings, when the bear saw him he reared up...he got a shot off but missed and the bear high tailed it out of there. I'm hoping the extreme fright has caused the bear to relocate. I've been doing regular patrols around the bottom of the mountain after taking 2 weeks to clear the road, before all this, I've heard something big just over the hill, and the dogs whining in that direction. Its just a little too close for comfort. Now that the leaves are gone...there's nowhere to hide too. I hope its gone for good...but I'm still looking for signs. Wish me luck!

I would have liked to been a squirrel in a tree on the side of that mountain while all that was going down. He will be back. He went for help. Good luck

 

[okallthis4eggs]

Quote: Some will be lost. Natures way of culling the weak. Sorry

 

[okallthis4eggs]

To Keep From Drowning They Crawled From The Ground
All Over The Driveway, Were Earthworms I Found
I Gathered Them Up, I Knew What To Do
I Need Scratch, Bread, And Pumpkin Too
Arranged On A Plate I Would Soon Throw Away
A Ultimate Pie..... This Would Make Their Day
I Knew It Would Go Quick, In The Blink Of A Eye
Eight Grateful Girls Devoured A Tasty Worm Pie


EIGHT

EIGHT.......Today We Laid EIGHT...........A PERFECT DAY........Think Pie Don't Work?

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Hi everybody! Hope you all had a nice Sunday. Just got back from taking my sis down to the IKEA store in the city so she could check out kitchen cabinet possibilities for her new house.

Sorry about your little chick, Cheeka. Grace was so small and weak when I brought her home, I gave her doses of sugar water to perk her up and then watched her to make sure she was eating well. (It was easier because I only had 2 others with her.) Took about 3 or 4 days before I stopped the sugar water doses. Your little one probably would have died anyway, but maybe keep an eye on your other little runty, just in case.

Bears?!!? We have mountain lions, bobcats, and coyotes in the hills around us, but they don't seem to come into the neighborhood very often. Used to think there were no bears in our county, but just a few weeks ago there was a picture of a black bear strolling down a suburban street in a town north of us. Hope nothing big shows up here since my dog is broke!

By the way, thank you all for the encouraging words regarding Belle. Going to be a life style change for her, and for us too, but it's better than the alternative. She's over there snoring on her bed right now!

Got 7 eggs today!

I think I am getting quite spoiled by how much my mob lays. From what other folks say, the second year is less productive, and in the third year, there are hardly any eggs expected during the winter. The hatchery birds supposedly lay a lot those first two years and then burn out quickly. Their life expectancy is shorter as well. And because I read it online, it must be true!!!

It was quite warm and sunny today. The grass grew some more and there is a whole bunch of crazy robins messing around in the back yard. Also, my narcissus bulbs have come up already. Don't usually see them until Feb. Seems like spring here.

Okay, so FF and meal worm farming. I better get off my duff and get cracking. We haven't even started any Christmas prep this year. Gotta get a tree! I love having a tree in the house. That's my favorite thing. I could do without all the gifts and food, but I love the lights on the tree, especially when I take my glasses off and the colors all blur together. It's best when there's Xmas music playing too! There's a chance hubby might have to go overseas for work just before Xmas.

He strongly hinted that he'd rather not go, and his boss is pretty good, but we'll see.

Take care!

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Yeah w4w, and I'm a french model....hahahah.
The main reason I started out there, is to get the dog, bears will run at first, until they get tired of that game, then they turn around. This is the time to stop chasing them. My dog is large, but he's no match for a bear. There's a wolf on the other side. We just need to fence around and let the scent of the dogs deter them, if they persist coming so close to the house this winter,I may have some more pelts to tan. All belle needs to do is bark, or otherwise let you know when something is out there...no dog can take a bear. It s funny, before I had eye surgery, I used to do the same thing...all the lights blurred onto masses of color. The only thing I miss with 20/20. But its nice to be able to actually see the displays now too.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Haha ACW! I'm sure I saw a runway pic of you in haute couture on the web. Too bad that big floppy hat was covering your face!

As for the lights, you can always squint! I saw a video of them doing that corrective eye surgery. Freaked me out and now I'm too chicken!

I would have to wear reading glasses if I got my eyes fixed for distance, so I might as well keep what I've got.