Surviving Minnesota!

[Bogtown Chick]

Amazing difference in those eggs.

Well yuck!!!




I just spent the morning with a rooster festooned with mites. He didn't roost high the night before last and his back looked wet but there had been some rain snow mix so didn't really think much about a wet back. This am I saw somebody pooped on his back... A messy one. So I brought him up to clean it off. So I start water and a bit of baby shampoo and guess what comes up for breath of air. Gross gross gross. Clean him up as best I can because there's thickets of blood and exudate... Mite eggs I suppose. Blow dry to fluff him out a bit. Then Ivermectin pour on drops. Everybody else got drops too. Except Sylvia who looked like she was going to try to push me out a rare winter egg.

Ugh. Merry Christmas to me.

 

[KlopKlop]

Amazing difference in those eggs.

Well yuck!!!




I just spent the morning with a rooster festooned with mites. He didn't roost high the night before last and his back looked wet but there had been some rain snow mix so didn't really think much about a wet back. This am I saw somebody pooped on his back... A messy one. So I brought him up to clean it off. So I start water and a bit of baby shampoo and guess what comes up for breath of air. Gross gross gross. Clean him up as best I can because there's thickets of blood and exudate... Mite eggs I suppose. Blow dry to fluff him out a bit. Then Ivermectin pour on drops. Everybody else got drops too. Except Sylvia who looked like she was going to try to push me out a rare winter egg.

Ugh. Merry Christmas to me.

gross but at least you are prepared! glad you found it before it got too bad

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Thanks for reply kloppers. I try to do my best by them but stuff sometimes sneaks by. I've my suspicions on how we are in this predicament again. But let's just say it's a lesson learned for sure now that I will never make again.

 

[duluthralphie]

Great Job BC,,

How do you avoid that kind of stuff? Birds that free range are in contact with other birds ( tweety birds and such).

Also mine love to chase mice, chipmunks etc, I know the squirrels eat from the chicken feeders. They are all walking, crawling flying infestations waiting to happen.



I went out and gave the Creramettes some treats today. They loved them. BUT do you think one had enough gratitude to lay a pretty blue egg for me? NOPE< ungrateful birds!

 

[Rhetts]

hi all. nothing too much new in my neck of Minnesota.

Ralphie I take it you are back home with out Carrie or Taylor. I would have assumed you would be flying all over in your new jet by now not mingling with us lowly chicken folk if you had them in your pocket.

We are watching the two white face herefords for signs of pending labor/delivery. Since I know nothing I am trying to learn off the internet. Who knows if what I read is baloney or not! but still I enjoy watching the cows almost as much as the chickens!

The chickens are not happy with the weather. They refuse to go outside no matter what the treats I have. They are spoiled in their coop! The bachelors I have are a little more adventurous and are outside all day long.

Hope you all are enjoying winter now that we finally have it. I know I am LOVING the snow. I LOVE SNOW!!! I was so happy to see it finally come and stay!

Happy chickening all!

 

[duluthralphie]

No, I decided to keep the old Wife for a little while longer, after all I have a Christmas present bought and I would hate to waste it....

Rhett, it is easy to tell when a cow is close to delivering. Their udders get huge and the nipples stick out and are reddish. They look like another ounce of milk and they will burts most times. Also butt area swells like crazy.

Sorry for the graphics.....

little calves are so cool, they are up in a few minutes wobbly a few days then run like rabbits, jumping and playing.


Are you predator problems over?

 

[Rhetts]

No, I decided to keep the old Wife for a little while longer, after all I have a Christmas present bought and I would hate to waste it....

Rhett, it is easy to tell when a cow is close to delivering. Their udders get huge and the nipples stick out and are reddish. They look like another ounce of milk and they will burts most times. Also butt area swells like crazy.

Sorry for the graphics.....

little calves are so cool, they are up in a few minutes wobbly a few days then run like rabbits, jumping and playing.


Are you predator problems over?

I have not seen the wolf since early November. DNR was out coyote hunting about 3 weeks back right out here. Asked for permission to go on our land. They had a plane out for spotting it seems.
Your wife is lucky to still be around. You should remind her of that. And she gets a present?! Wow!! she is LUCKY!
Yeah about the cows that is what I read online. Glad to hear I wasn't reading junk. We moved their hay and water so I can see the herd from any window on the backside of the house. Pretty cool to wake up and open the curtain and I can just sit there watching the cows. Not too keen on having a calf in December but the guy they came from is how he preferred things. I know it all depends on the farmer and what not. But it just seems cruel here in our winters for a newborn out there.

 

[duluthralphie]

Dec/Jan is actually a good time to calf. The air is drier albeit colder, but like with chickens moisture kills not cold. Dry the ears as soon as possible, the rest should be fine.

The spring calves tend to have more respiratory problems, as I recall. Besides when warm weather comes watching the 4 month old calves will be fun!

 

[Rhetts]

Dec/Jan is actually a good time to calf. The air is drier albeit colder, but like with chickens moisture kills not cold. Dry the ears as soon as possible, the rest should be fine.

The spring calves tend to have more respiratory problems, as I recall. Besides when warm weather comes watching the 4 month old calves will be fun!

What I am told by my brother in law is that they like the idea of the calf being able to eat grass in the spring when it comes in so the calf has more time to put on weight before the next winter. Makes sense. I have been reading an article on problems that might arise while the cow is calving. I want to try and be as prepared as I think I can. (since none of us my Dh and I and the inlaws have no calving experience)
We were told after the fact that one of the white face didn't nurse her first calf and he didn't know why. I would hate for that to happen again with this second calf.

Farming is fun times!! What a learning experience!

 

[duluthralphie]

Things Judy would not want to know about, Part 2:









And Ginger posed for pictures today, I sent them to Porter's as he asked for a decent picture of this genotype. I hope he likes one.