South Carolina

[WestKnollAmy]

Can I get a YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! So you guys know how I'm working for my Dad - and how he sold the company back in January. I have basically been told that they already have one of me in this market - so they will not have a place for me once the transition has completed. Freaks me out - I carry the insurance for our family. Jason works for a very small company - makes VERY low wages, and has no benefits as they don't offer any.
Well - I had decided that I needed to go back to school to finish out my RN. I interviewed and was offered another job with another company in town doing what I do now - but at a third of what I was making. I have until Friday to give them my answer. I have already registered for classes - and the only point that this entire plan hinged on was if Jason could find another job with benefits.
Well - the school system that he worked for as a temp last year - JUST HIRED HIM!!! He'll be making twice what he currently makes - AND - we'll have state benefits, state retirement, 401K! This means that I get to go to school full time AND be a SAHM! My class schedule is such that I only have school 2 days a week, and will be out in time to pick up the kids every day. Mom has agreed to keep Amelia in the mornings on Tues/Thurs so I can go to classes.
I can't TELL you how incredibily happy and thrilled this has made me. And how relieved.... So relieved. I get to finish my RN and then I can kick tushie doing what I know God meant for me to do. HAPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!

Fantastic! God knows best!

 

[Patsy29332]

Can I get a YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! So you guys know how I'm working for my Dad - and how he sold the company back in January. I have basically been told that they already have one of me in this market - so they will not have a place for me once the transition has completed. Freaks me out - I carry the insurance for our family. Jason works for a very small company - makes VERY low wages, and has no benefits as they don't offer any.
Well - I had decided that I needed to go back to school to finish out my RN. I interviewed and was offered another job with another company in town doing what I do now - but at a third of what I was making. I have until Friday to give them my answer. I have already registered for classes - and the only point that this entire plan hinged on was if Jason could find another job with benefits.
Well - the school system that he worked for as a temp last year - JUST HIRED HIM!!! He'll be making twice what he currently makes - AND - we'll have state benefits, state retirement, 401K! This means that I get to go to school full time AND be a SAHM! My class schedule is such that I only have school 2 days a week, and will be out in time to pick up the kids every day. Mom has agreed to keep Amelia in the mornings on Tues/Thurs so I can go to classes.
I can't TELL you how incredibily happy and thrilled this has made me. And how relieved.... So relieved. I get to finish my RN and then I can kick tushie doing what I know God meant for me to do. HAPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!

Talk about things coming together for the better!!! AWESOME!!!

 

[Moonchild]

Wanted to post a pic of Lacey: The Chicks have finally started intergrating into the main flock and coming out from under neather my leland cypresses.
Lacey aka lil runty with cool looking pattern on her chest. I'm just glad they started coming around to see whats going on.


Ghost love her coloring

The Three Sisters playing in the ivy...Mrs.Lyles, Ghost and Lacey

 

[leirob007]

I actually asked about this in the Raising Chicks forum earlier today because a couple had crusties this morning. They kicked back a corner of the paper towels last night and I think they ate some wood shavings. I just added some QuikChik to their water tonight - hoping it clears up...way harder to inspect those little fuzzy butts than I imagined!
So, at what point do chicks stop being absolutely horrified when they see a person? I have one or two curious/brave ones...but the majority totally smash themselves into the corners when I appear. They spread back out after a few mins, but I feel terrible freaking them out.

when they turn 3 weeks old and rush you as soon as they see you come up with the feed bucket. my 4 week olds knocked off my glasses and hat today.
I lost 6 of my 3 week olds today. 6 foot black snake was in that cage ( the only one I have on legs 3 feet off the ground ) it came in through the chicken wire had consumed 3 and could not get back out of the cage. and had killed 3 more before it met it's master.

 

[leirob007]

10 days to 2 weeks is always the correct answer. here is another tip. if you let her go broody and hatch out. and take the chicks away and put them in a brooder box with starter/grower they will grow out 10 times faster and she will go right back to laying.
to get them over being broody up the calorie intake on her. mix a little honey in her feed is a good way. make her too restless to sit still and shoo her away from the nest box. or put her where she can not get to it at all. if she gets " mean with you " reach under her palm up and pick her up by the breast letting her legs dangle. pet her then toss her on the ground. she will get over it in a hurry.

After a hen goes broody how long afterwards til she start laying again? And is there something i should give them?

 

[Avonshire]

when they turn 3 weeks old and rush you as soon as they see you come up with the feed bucket. my 4 week olds knocked off my glasses and hat today.
I lost 6 of my 3 week olds today. 6 foot black snake was in that cage ( the only one I have on legs 3 feet off the ground ) it came in through the chicken wire had consumed 3 and could not get back out of the cage. and had killed 3 more before it met it's master.

First I am so sorry! I do not look forward to the first time I have a predator get into my coop. I was telling my husband tonight about your snake--mainly because he is the coop builder--and he said his friend at work showed him a picture of a huge black snake that had been eating her chickens. Strange coincidence? Where in Upstate are you?

 

[Cpntherfan]

10 days to 2 weeks is always the correct answer. here is another tip. if you let her go broody and hatch out. and take the chicks away and put them in a brooder box with starter/grower they will grow out 10 times faster and she will go right back to laying.
to get them over being broody up the calorie intake on her. mix a little honey in her feed is a good way. make her too restless to sit still and shoo her away from the nest box. or put her where she can not get to it at all. if she gets " mean with you " reach under her palm up and pick her up by the breast letting her legs dangle. pet her then toss her on the ground. she will get over it in a hurry.

thanks alot

 

[WestKnollAmy]

I keep forgetting to post, but this was Day 1. The second feed trough worked pretty good as a waterer since I couldn't find a 1 gallon the week before they came. I kept it shallow for the first day so they wouldn't get soaked if they hopped in it - which they did a lot. But I now have the lid on it and they seem to use it just fine. I'll upgrade them to the 3 gallon once I expand their area in a week or so. I think my chicks are hot-natured because they don't like hanging out under the lamp and the temp against the left wall is usually only around 90 degrees. One or two will wander over there and nap, but no one hangs out there.

Awww! They look happy!


And I meant to say welcome to all the new comers on our thread, too! Just been really busy here at West Knoll Farm with birds and gardens and stuff and then some other stuff.....

 

[Patsy29332]

when they turn 3 weeks old and rush you as soon as they see you come up with the feed bucket. my 4 week olds knocked off my glasses and hat today.
I lost 6 of my 3 week olds today. 6 foot black snake was in that cage ( the only one I have on legs 3 feet off the ground ) it came in through the chicken wire had consumed 3 and could not get back out of the cage. and had killed 3 more before it met it's master.

WOW! I sooo hate this for you! Ironically...I had my first snake in the coop today too!!! 4 ft or so...got my eggs but luckily that was all...and all it will ever do again since it was still there when I got home...trusty .22 smi-auto discouraged it from ever bothering eggs/chicks or me again! I certainly hope the snakes don't find my chicks 'cause that would mean they have entered my house!!! LOL (I found a 7 ft one in the house a couple years ago before I began my adventure with chickens...hope to never have THAT happen again!!!)

 

[Patsy29332]

Wanted to post a pic of Lacey: The Chicks have finally started intergrating into the main flock and coming out from under neather my leland cypresses.
Lacey aka lil runty with cool looking pattern on her chest. I'm just glad they started coming around to see whats going on.


Ghost love her coloring

The Three Sisters playing in the ivy...Mrs.Lyles, Ghost and Lacey

They certainly are growing and looking so well loved and healthy! Beautiful girls!