Southern NY, Dutchess county and below

[Imprfctme]

I love all this detective work you are doing, Carolyn. It is helping me understand what I can do up here in Dutchess County, just in case I have another problem with shipped birds. Thank you!

I love just reading all of this Carolyn! You are like top inspector detective! It's amazing what you can accomplish over the phone.

 

[Imprfctme]

Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs are great! Friendly, mellow. But Big Dog means Big appetite and Big Doggie Poops!!!!

Oh how well I know this. I now have a dog that is a multi-baggie per "go" dog. I have newspaper bags stuffed in every coat pocket and then some, but naturally she always has the urge when I am out of bags.

 

[Imprfctme]

I have a friend here in Westchester who summers in the Hamptons. Yes they are very rich, but she grew up on Long Island and is very sweet. Anyway, she has four children, and her youngest daughter is just the most amazing animal lover there is. She's five now but when I tell you that this girl has a gift for animals, she really does. You can just see it in some people. Does anyone know a zoo / farm / nature center where she could hang out or go to camp this summer and just be with animals? She was great with my chickens and this is when she was just turned 4. She also loves horses, big dogs, etc. I told Cathy I'd ask you guys, hoping you might have some suggestions. Thanks!

 

[Imprfctme]

Oh also, Janey is selling Girl Scout cookies this year through Daisy Scouts. I can ship boxes to you in April which is when they come in. They cost $4/box and this year's selections include:

• Savannah Smiles - lemony things​
• Trefoils - shortbreads​

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• Do-Si-Dos - peanut butter oatmeal​

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• Samoas - caramel coconut hydrogenated palm oil awesomeness​

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• Dulce de Leche - carmel​

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• Thank u Berry Munch - some sort of health biscuit blergh​

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• Tagalongs - peanut butter and chocolate​

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• Thin Mints - requires no description​

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Just in case you were jonesin' for any!

 

[magsrags]

And big doggies on the furniture! I loved my labs, but I have to admit the froo froo dog is easier on the house...

I'm with you suzanne. Thus my little affenpinschers rather than my usual choice in big breeds. My girls look just like banana joe (alas not groomed so nicely and Lola passed last year). My breeder knows the truesdales for many years and was from LI before she moved/retired to Fla. 4 years ago. She still has 4 I believe.....but no longer breeds them, now she rescues.

And as large breeds age the problems are so stressfull due to their size issues/hips etc. Poor babies. I love them all.

 

[Carolyn252]

I started the Big Spring Cleanup this afternoon. Took the hose and blasted both sides of the tarps covering the walls of the ChickArena. Hosed down the outside of the plastic playhouse coop. Sprayed it all with vinegar water and used up almost a whole roll of papertowels wiping everything down. As soon as it looks like it's not going to be blowing icy winter winds anymore, I'll remove the tarps and hire help for shoveling out the year's worth of poopy pineshavings and cart it all to the composting spot next to the garage. Then I push the playhouse over so its open bottom is tipped way up in the air and I crawl inside and spray and scrub and wipe and hose and spray and scrub and wipe and hose and wipe again. Then it's a day to let the sun and air dry it all out and then new fresh shavings and then I'll take my two new pullets from Chicken FairyGodMother Roberta. Can't wait to get to meet them and give them names and learn their personalities.

For the first two weeks, I'll keep them in the little wooden hen house that's inside the ChickArena so they stay safe while my four big girls get to know them.

 

[littlecritters]

If at any time anyone out here on LI is going to use the PDC in Melville, I would be happy to go there to pick up the eggs/birds/whatever.  It is literally about 10 minutes down the road from me.

Maybe we need to be focusing on picking the eggs up at JFK and not allowing them to get as far as Bethpage.  Not sure how we would do this, but JFK is only about 30 minutes from me, and it would be worth the trip to save the $$ everyone is losing on damaged eggs.

I believe the post office has an "air dock" for receiving express shipments at the airports where you could pick up the eggs.

I started the Big Spring Cleanup this afternoon.  Took the hose and blasted both sides of the tarps covering the walls of the ChickArena.  Hosed down the outside of the plastic playhouse coop.  Sprayed it all with vinegar water and used up almost a whole roll of papertowels wiping everything down.    As soon as it looks like it's not going to be blowing icy winter winds anymore, I'll remove the tarps and hire help for shoveling out the year's worth of poopy pineshavings and cart it all to the composting spot next to the garage.  Then I push the playhouse over so its open bottom is tipped way up in the air and I crawl inside and spray and scrub and wipe and hose and spray and scrub and wipe and hose and wipe again.  Then it's a day to let the sun and air dry it all out and then new fresh shavings and then I'll take my two new pullets from Chicken FairyGodMother Roberta.  Can't wait to get to meet them and give them names and learn their personalities. 

For the first two weeks, I'll keep them in the little wooden hen house that's inside the ChickArena so they stay safe while my four big girls get to know them.

Carolyn, You are so inspiring! I can't wait to get the Florida birds out of our house and into the coop. I will have a major cleanup but it will be so rewarding.

Heather, please tell your friend about Sprout Creek Farm in Lagrange. They have amazing programs for kids. http://www.sproutcreekfarm.org/summers.asp

 

[littlecritters]

I tried sprouting wheat and some bird seed for the chickens this last week. It was so easy and fun. Surprisingly, even our silkies loved the treat. Anyone with kids or grand kids ought to give it a try.

 

[queenchick16]

I tried sprouting wheat and some bird seed for the chickens this last week. It was so easy and fun. Surprisingly, even our silkies loved the treat. Anyone with kids or grand kids ought to give it a try.

My husband has been growing his own sprouts for years. He puts them in this concoction he makes every morning. I use them ontop of salads. They are great. With some varieties it does smell like you just cut the lawn and dumped it in my kitchen though.

 

[smkchick]

My husband has been growing his own sprouts for years. He puts them in this concoction he makes every morning. I use them ontop of salads. They are great. With some varieties it does smell like you just cut the lawn and dumped it in my kitchen though.

Lawn? What lawn? I have free-range chickens!

The woman who ran the fall crochet square swap is doing a flower square swap for the spring, if anyone is interested. It's called "flower power" or something if you want to search it. Should be gorgeous. My fall afghan turned out beautifully. And was promptly grabbed up by my daughter...