Surviving Minnesota!

[duluthralphie]

Yesterday I found a baby squirrel that had fallen out of the nest, if it had been seconds longer my cats would have had it. Today I took it to Wild and free in Garrison. They take in wild animals care for them and set them free. I don't care if my cats hunt adult squirrels and they rarely catch one but the baby with eyes still closed deserves a better chance.

Saint Francis and Saint Jude are rolling over in their graves. They are afraid of being replaced by Saint B.

I am such a loser, I am a failure and have no self worth, I did not even know there was a place in Garrison that would take a pitiful squirrel. Even if there was I know I would never drive the hour to Garrison with one. How long was the drive for you? I am thinking it was nearing an hour.

I am going to ask my kids to engrave my gravestone to say " He met Saint B once"........

Now for my huge story of the day. I went down to move the last eggs out of the incubator and shut it off. I had 29 guinea eggs in it. I moved 26 to the hatcher, of them 1 is doubtful. I almost pulled the plug and decided to take one last look to makes sure it was empty. I found a lone turkey egg. I had forgotten. It was placed in with the Guinea eggs. For some reason one stupid turkey laid an egg in the guinea nest I found. I candled it and it was good. Not wanting a solitary lone poult that will become a huge PITA I decided to go out and check the Partridge Chanticler that is sitting on 3 of her own eggs. I figured they would be bad, I have had such bad luck with them.

I waited until well after dark because she is so flighty and I did not want to scare her off the nest. I opened the box, reached in, and immediately pulled my hand back with a new 2 inch deep hole drilled into the top of it. She had decided to not be flighty. I got an egg out from under her, the guinea egg I gave her a week ago. It was too early to tell if it had any development. I put it back and grabbed one of her eggs. It is about day 15-16 is my guess. It appears as it is going to hatch.

So, I am going to be stuck with a lone Turkey and the 10-14 days later a lone guinea. Not good. Why can hens not be trusted to do what is expected. How can she hatch an egg from bird pairs that never seem to hatch? Do PC have different hatching requirements?

I might send the eggs to Saint B and let her deal with the lone PITA birds.

 

[jerryse]

Morning everyone . Seems everyone is busy . I pulled more weeds out of the garden last evening . Early and late for outdoor work in this hot steamy weather .

 

[duluthralphie]

Morning everyone . Seems everyone is busy . I pulled more weeds out of the garden last evening . Early and late for outdoor work in this hot steamy weather .

Morning Jerry!

I fed Coffee some Chicken of the woods yesterday. I have not heard if she is alive today or not. BTW I had a piece too, It was really good. Judy and my Mom finally agreed to a piece last night when I was still alive and not in the hospital. Judy liked it my Mom not so much.

 

[Cebarmlds]

Saint Francis and Saint Jude are rolling over in their graves. They are afraid of being replaced by Saint B.

I am such a loser, I am a failure and have no self worth, I did not even know there was a place in Garrison that would take a pitiful squirrel. Even if there was I know I would never drive the hour to Garrison with one. How long was the drive for you? I am thinking it was nearing an hour.

I am going to ask my kids to engrave my gravestone to say " He met Saint B once"........

Now for my huge story of the day. I went down to move the last eggs out of the incubator and shut it off. I had 29 guinea eggs in it. I moved 26 to the hatcher, of them 1 is doubtful. I almost pulled the plug and decided to take one last look to makes sure it was empty. I found a lone turkey egg. I had forgotten. It was placed in with the Guinea eggs. For some reason one stupid turkey laid an egg in the guinea nest I found. I candled it and it was good. Not wanting a solitary lone poult that will become a huge PITA I decided to go out and check the Partridge Chanticler that is sitting on 3 of her own eggs. I figured they would be bad, I have had such bad luck with them.

I waited until well after dark because she is so flighty and I did not want to scare her off the nest. I opened the box, reached in, and immediately pulled my hand back with a new 2 inch deep hole drilled into the top of it. She had decided to not be flighty. I got an egg out from under her, the guinea egg I gave her a week ago. It was too early to tell if it had any development. I put it back and grabbed one of her eggs. It is about day 15-16 is my guess. It appears as it is going to hatch.

So, I am going to be stuck with a lone Turkey and the 10-14 days later a lone guinea. Not good. Why can hens not be trusted to do what is expected. How can she hatch an egg from bird pairs that never seem to hatch? Do PC have different hatching requirements?

I might send the eggs to Saint B and let her deal with the lone PITA birds.

LOL You are so funny

It is 38.5 miles from my house to Garrison, so not bad probably 40 to 45 minutes depending on 'traffic'.

I gave Cocoa 6 eggs 21 days ago, one was not developing so I tossed it. I was just out and brought her fresh kale from the garden and can hear some peeps but still see unhatched eggs when she lifts up.
I don't want to stick my hand under her like Ralphie would do.

 

[lvie]

Hello my Chickeners. What a lovely morning before the heat strikes. I have been having a difficult time AFTER taking an antibiotic my dr. prescribed late June. I took it for 10 days and then was done. I have not taked any antibiotic for years. Someone should have been nice enough to tell me what they can do to a body. Struggling.

Next: The DH and I went to the Sherburne Cnty Fair on Saturday evening. We looked for the quilts (I found one 4-h project) and then at the chickens. Lottsa Leghorns. But there were a few different birds there too. Seabrights are small and beautiful. DH walked around them saying there is a BO and there is a ISA and here is one BR. So funny! He stopped walking, looked at me and said "you have sucked me in." Smirk, smirk.

It has been one year now since I got my first year. I have learned so much - of course - to be expected. Alot of what I have learned has been on here. I have also learned that I do not like having Roosters. They are so very handsome. What they do to the hens is well, pure selfishness. LOL. I don't like the backs of the hens all ripped off. I do not care if my hens hatch babies. And I am not trying to breed. I THINK my coop is reasonably secure. And the DH HATES the mess when they are allowed to free-range, which was my original intent. Maybe more fencing so that they can free range.

One of my SS is a lover. I walked out to the coop this a.m. and somehow she had gotten out. The last couple of times I walk up to her she just flattens out and allows me to pick her up. She has a whole litany of stories to tell me as I hold her and talk to her. So that is fun.

Then I have two BA and one has the black eye with the gold outer ring and the other has a completely black eye. No color. The black eyed bird is a little stouter than the gold-ring eyed bird. Could it be a Maran? Don't even know how to spell that. Same coloring as the BA on the feathers and the irrasidy of the green/blue. Just not the same two birds. What say you friends?

Okay - gotta run - places to go - meaning a drive that I may take up to Fergus Falls to visit a cousin and then to my nephew's wedding in Frazee. IF I can even sit to do it. Gotta move and shake to find out IF I am hoping in my vehicle to go. TMI

 

[jerryse]

Volunteer gourd / squash . Seeds from a gourd .

This one is semi bush type and looks to be crossed with a zucchini . It has much larger leaves and vine diameter than a gourd . FYI gourds can be fried when small just like any summer squash . They get tough quicker due to a harder shell developing .

After removing 5 loads of weeds . These are my vine crops . Cucumber , honeydew , cushaw squash and Dickinson pumpkin . The squash and pumpkin make excellent pie .That area is about 15 x 36 . A lot of weeds . I will put preen down now . I got behind . I was waiting for them to get a good start before using Preen . Life happened and I got behind .

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Rained again this morning . Hot and steamy now . Hot and steamy week ahead . So I have been browsing the net . All you berry foragers I need info . I have discovered that the Canadian blackberry is thornless or only a few prickles . Anyone encounter this one while picking wild berries ? Interested in it for breeding hardy berries that are large and thornless . I think the wild ones I have seen up there are the Wisconsin blackberry ( rubus Wisconsenis ) . Probably the same species we have in Illinois . There are several species listed in most states . Good ID info is hard to find .

Jerry we are headed up to Ely/Boundary Waters in early August. I will look around for said thornless black berry. I'll see if I can get you a slip of it. Most stuff I've ever seen though of course around here is with thorns.

Morning Jerry!

I fed Coffee some Chicken of the woods yesterday. I have not heard if she is alive today or not. BTW I had a piece too, It was really good. Judy and my Mom finally agreed to a piece last night when I was still alive and not in the hospital. Judy liked it my Mom not so much.

Mmmm. Sounds wonderful. Interesting that they start out with sort of that puffy white look. Did you just cut off the outer edges of it? That's the most tender part.

Volunteer gourd / squash . Seeds from a gourd .

This one is semi bush type and looks to be crossed with a zucchini . It has much larger leaves and vine diameter than a gourd . FYI gourds can be fried when small just like any summer squash . They get tough quicker due to a harder shell developing .

After removing 5 loads of weeds . These are my vine crops . Cucumber , honeydew , cushaw squash and Dickinson pumpkin . The squash and pumpkin make excellent pie .That area is about 15 x 36 . A lot of weeds . I will put preen down now . I got behind . I was waiting for them to get a good start before using Preen . Life happened and I got behind .

Jerry you're making me miss my vegetable garden. It's been just too busy around here.

So in DH's shed we have insulation up and plastic over the top of it. Some of it got press board panelling to cover but alot did not. Waiting for further funds/time. Well I do believe a critter got locked in the shed...because a ton of insulation is torn down, as in some desperate attempt to get out.....and now in that mess of a shed/storage I am slightly worried that we will have a strong death smell at some point. Nothing as yet. YUck. Kids must have left that door open a while or something. We have reopened the door to see if whatever it is will leave.

Lots of logic going on around here.

I'm still roosterless. I need to go pick up Junior soon....

 

[jerryse]

Branched coneflower a native wildflower . Likes the forest edge . Can reach 3 to 6 feet . Usually about 4 feet .

 

[MNChickMom]

Chicken pedicures were given to 9 chickens tonight. Holy dirt and disgusting. Surprisingly, all except the silver laced Wyandotte loved the water and clippings.

 

[Cluckies]

Hi peeps. Suppose to be a hot one the next couple if days. I could have used some of that rain, they mentioned. Getting to be drought season around here again like every year... I am not looking forward to the heat. I worry about my girls. If it gets to bad, they may end up in the basement for a spell, lol, (don't tell DH.)