Southern NY, Dutchess county and below

[Cheeky Chick]

So, my daughter threatened to move out if we get meat birds.

She's a vegetarian anyway, so I'm wondering what her malfunction is. I explained the life of a, let's say, Purdue roaster, compared to one that's lived it's life in our yard...I don't think she was convinced. I told her I'll make sure she has loads of soy burgers and fish to eat.

I told her that her father wants to get a pig for pork...she turned green. She's never even MET a meat pig. She thinks I'm gonna be roasting Wilbur and Babe over the fire pit. I was attacked in college by a Sow who's piglets I had to examine and vaccinate. I have no deep committed love for pigs. OK, Wilbur IS cute, but he's a cartoon pig. 200lbs of angry Hampshire is quite a different story.

How do you guys feel about keeping a pig for meat? Chickens for meat? I'm still on the fence, but it was fun poking at DD this morning. Then we went to Mass and a girl that has a huge crush on my DS2 was sitting in front of us. Talk about yer awkward situations. My DD and DS1 were having such a good time making DS2 uncomfortable. He's 11, it seems that 11 year old girls are into boys these days. I was trading stationary and riding horses at 11. I also found out that 11 Year old boys turn beet red when 11 year old girls bat their eyelashes at them in church. All very amusing. DS3 just wondered OUT LOUD if that's JOSEPHS GIRLFRRRRRIEND. OMG. I think everyone near us was laughing.

Ahh, another eventful day in Rosie's family. The cochins are outside in the crate inside the coop, and all of the big girls are perched on top. It's gonna be an interesting day of dodging poop for the little girls I can tell you that!

 

[Cheeky Chick]

Found these 2 heron type birds in my yard at dusk last night! I believe they are juvenile grey herons from what I am seeing in my search to identify them. Very gracefull and on the prowl it looked like for bugs?
I need a good camera. DH said 1 was there in the early morning yesterday as well. I hope they stick around. Long as they don't eat chicken.

Cool! Don't they usually hang around water? I love your yellow rose bush too!

 

[smkchick]

I was looking out the window over the kitchen sink, when my EE Nana flew up onto the back of a deck chair to look at me. I said hi to her and she attempted to fly through the window and bounced off the screen. I opened the back door to make sure she was ok. She ran full speed into the house and into my bedroom , flew into the brooder that used to be hers. It now has the orpington and Ameraucana chicks in it. They all froze still and became silent just looking at each other. Then Nana looked at me with the stink eye and started complaining. She was like ' I KNEW it ! Your cheating on ME!!!' I held her for a little while before putting her back outside. She is just too funny.

 

[magsrags]

So, my daughter threatened to move out if we get meat birds.

She's a vegetarian anyway, so I'm wondering what her malfunction is. I explained the life of a, let's say, Purdue roaster, compared to one that's lived it's life in our yard...I don't think she was convinced. I told her I'll make sure she has loads of soy burgers and fish to eat.

I told her that her father wants to get a pig for pork...she turned green. She's never even MET a meat pig. She thinks I'm gonna be roasting Wilbur and Babe over the fire pit. I was attacked in college by a Sow who's piglets I had to examine and vaccinate. I have no deep committed love for pigs. OK, Wilbur IS cute, but he's a cartoon pig. 200lbs of angry Hampshire is quite a different story.

How do you guys feel about keeping a pig for meat? Chickens for meat? I'm still on the fence, but it was fun poking at DD this morning. Then we went to Mass and a girl that has a huge crush on my DS2 was sitting in front of us. Talk about yer awkward situations. My DD and DS1 were having such a good time making DS2 uncomfortable. He's 11, it seems that 11 year old girls are into boys these days. I was trading stationary and riding horses at 11. I also found out that 11 Year old boys turn beet red when 11 year old girls bat their eyelashes at them in church. All very amusing. DS3 just wondered OUT LOUD if that's JOSEPHS GIRLFRRRRRIEND. OMG. I think everyone near us was laughing.

Ahh, another eventful day in Rosie's family. The cochins are outside in the crate inside the coop, and all of the big girls are perched on top. It's gonna be an interesting day of dodging poop for the little girls I can tell you that!

Rosie, I thought about keeping meat birds for about 5 minutes and decided NOT.LOLOL Pigs are so darned smart I couldn't raise one for food either. I am a hipocrite for sure.......but I admire anyone who can raise for consumption. Here my place is too small and I know my critters too personally.....I am a wussy.

 

[magsrags]

Cool! Don't they usually hang around water? I love your yellow rose bush too!

Yes, they are coastal/marsh birds. We are only about 1 block from the beach and are surrounded by water/marsh and forest in the protected Greenbelt here. I see egrets....hawks....snowy owls.....screech powls ...herons and so much more. Even a beaver was found a few weeks back inland. Imagine that!
I've been growing flowers trying to attract the hummingbirds which are coming back as well. This shows me we are cleaning up well cause they are so fragile. Even clams are now back in our water and fishing has improved. Deer now swim over from NJ.and because it is illegal to hunt here we have large familoes of them which I see every week at least.

Funny, that little yellow tea rose bush wintered outside this year and came back so nice!

 

[smkchick]

Hey there just ran across this we are from cold spring (the forgotten westeren side of putnam)

Welcome Tony!

Cold Spring is not forgotten here. I LOVE Cold Spring!!

 

[smkchick]

Hi All!

I had a great time at the school closing celebration. Saw a couple of my old classmates, and siblings of others. Including a brother and sister of one of my best friends growing up. Their mother still lives down the road from my mom, so it was great to see the moms hugging and laughing. I'll post a picture of us all once I get home to my own computer. I brought over an Italian dinner and we all pigged out and watched a movie. My sister and I shared our old room and laughed until we fell asleep. It was great!

I got home in time for a bagel and coffee with Bobby before work this morning. Two of the April chicks were roosting on the big board when I checked the eggs this morning, but they must have slept in the nest box because there was a ton of poop in there. I may have to close that box off at night so the babies get used to sleeping elsewhere. I just have to get up early to uncover it so the big girls can get to it to lay their eggs. Or maybe they'll use a different box? There are 4, so of course they all have to use that one. Grrrr...

I'm looking forward to some gardening this afternoon. So much to clean up in the front yard. I also have to work with Bobby on increasing the size of the containment for the compost heap. All that chicken poop is starting to add up!

Bobby said the girls (including the dog) were very quiet this morning. He thinks I'm the problem...

 

[Toxic Chicken]

The older babies are outside for a few hrs of fun today.

 

[frankschick]

Washington County Ny is a great place for vegetables, chickens, pigs, horses..we have one acre and we have fruit, lots of vegs and 15 chickens.

 

[Toxic Chicken]

So... I put the big girls in the play pen with the older
babies. One of the 4 week old orps was beating up
on the big girls. Does that mean its a Roo?? It was
funny to watch this little pipsqueak, only 1/4 their size
chasing them and trying to pull their tail feathers. The
big girls had enough and flew out lol.