Surviving Minnesota!

[Cebarmlds]

Well, I lost the RIR and am in mourning. She was doing fine and I took her outside, set her on the patio while I went to prepare her a separate place in the coop. I came back and she is gone. That was this morning. I looked forever this morning. no sign of her. And then I watched, walking the river bank off and on all day. She took a drink from the waterer when I put her down so I know she was doing okay. I am so sad!

Other than that I worked outside all day. Finished enclosing the big coop and transferred three older girls to the smaller coop. They are pecking alot at the younger girls. Enough of that. Especially when there is another coop available.

Sad day for me.

Sorry for your loss Ivie.

 

[duluthralphie]

Ivie , real bummer about your RIR. Sorry..


I had a busy day too. I used the "chicken merry-go-round" on some roosters today. That thing is amazing. My son in law and I processed 20 birds in less than 90 minutes.

I made a killing cone out of a plastic bucket it worked great too. We bled them out fast, scalded them and had the feathers off in just a few minutes. About 10 seconds a bird to completely pluck them. I have video I will post later.

I moved birds, I have about 40 going to live with a nice Asian family on Saturday. We tried to herd the young turkeys into the Guinea Gulag, they would have nothing to do with that plan. We will try again tomorrow. I kept my old CLB rooster and 4 young ones. One is going to Hutch. Not sure which one yet.

I have my guineas caged and ready to move in the morning. They will move in with the turkeys in Guinea Gulag.

I can now start sorting my breeders and culling.

The BA rooster I used the last 2 years is going to the nice family on Saturday. I am done with BA's! I will keep some of the pullets and hens, maybe. I might sell them too. who knows.

I am beat tonight. I need to get up early and get going in the morning. It is bath day and moving day for the birds.

 

[KlopKlop]

Ivie , real bummer about your RIR. Sorry..


I had a busy day too. I used the "chicken merry-go-round" on some roosters today. That thing is amazing. My son in law and I processed 20 birds in less than 90 minutes.

I made a killing cone out of a plastic bucket it worked great too. We bled them out fast, scalded them and had the feathers off in just a few minutes. About 10 seconds a bird to completely pluck them. I have video I will post later.

I moved birds, I have about 40 going to live with a nice Asian family on Saturday. We tried to herd the young turkeys into the Guinea Gulag, they would have nothing to do with that plan. We will try again tomorrow. I kept my old CLB rooster and 4 young ones. One is going to Hutch. Not sure which one yet.

I have my guineas caged and ready to move in the morning. They will move in with the turkeys in Guinea Gulag.

I can now start sorting my breeders and culling.

The BA rooster I used the last 2 years is going to the nice family on Saturday. I am done with BA's! I will keep some of the pullets and hens, maybe. I might sell them too. who knows.

I am beat tonight. I need to get up early and get going in the morning. It is bath day and moving day for the birds.

Sounds like you are making progress on your winter preps! im sure you will be sleeping well tonight. I need to get cracking on converting my shop into the new chicken coop but that means i need to move my tools to my new shop.... which means first i need to... and first i need.... i will get there though just gotta get this garage done!!!!!

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Ivie. Sorry about that RIR. Sounds like she was a favorite.

Ralphie good job with your Bus-Boys and the whirly-thinga-majig. Sounds like fun....?

Okay I had an RJ happy camera tonight.


How does he know they are bird of a feather? I'm forever amazed by chickens.




Finally resting after a day of trying to establish himself as lead in the pecking order. He finally took the buckeye hen down a level. LOL.



My Handsome Junior curious through the bachelor buttons.



Hand feeding him here. Plucking clover gently from my finger tips. Fingers crossed he's a 'good one'.

 

[Minniechickmama]

Today I came home and my partridge Cochin bantam hen was just sitting in a corner a little fluffed up and closing her eyes. I think she is sick, she breathes hard when I pick her up but not with her mouth open.
I don't know what is wrong with her what should I do?

Is she molting? Some of them shut down for a couple of days when it hits them.

 

[Minniechickmama]

Maybe it was the wet weather? I agree mine took extra long to get decent sized too. Nothing close to what I had last year.

There seems to have been less bugs this year in terms of everything besides misquitos. Maybe that has something to do with it

The neighbor's didn't grow well in Spring, mine were a late batch, so I am not sure what to think of it. Knowing others had the same problem really has me scratching my head though. These were the fastest feathered CRX I have raised so far, so I am sure that had some contribution to an answer. I didn't even weigh the batch today when I brought them home, just put them in the freezer. I did get the upright defrosted so I can fit a half pig in that. We are going to have to cook a lot more to empty the two out by next year. LOL It is a good thing I didn't find a quarter of beef somewhere, I wouldn't have room! One shelf though is full with various stocks and soups which I don't usually have so much of. With our son liking to cook and needing to make his exotic concoctions, he has a few bags of stock for that. It's soup season, so time to get some batches cooked and ready to go for those days I don't fee like cooking much and can just heat it up.

Garlic is in! man o man i forgot how much work it is to break down that much garlic in one sitting! haha i probably planted twice what i did last year and im still thinking maybe i should go put a little more in

I better get moving on ours this week. I have some cleaning and clearing to do, then a little tilling. We have a hole maker that does 20 at a time. It is something my husband made with dowels attached to some boards. It is pretty slick with the soil is soft enough.

Ivie. Sorry about that RIR. Sounds like she was a favorite.

Ralphie good job with your Bus-Boys and the whirly-thinga-majig. Sounds like fun....?

Okay I had an RJ happy camera tonight.


How does he know they are bird of a feather? I'm forever amazed by chickens.




Finally resting after a day of trying to establish himself as lead in the pecking order. He finally took the buckeye hen down a level. LOL.



My Handsome Junior curious through the bachelor buttons.



Hand feeding him here. Plucking clover gently from my finger tips. Fingers crossed he's a 'good one'.

I have not had a single problem with a Welsummer yet with temperament or abusing the hens. I just wish their combs and wattles would hold up better for me. Still, I am keeping a pen of them around.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Good morning, Minnesota!

 

[Cebarmlds]

Good morning

 

[KlopKlop]

Morning all! We had a wet night but today is supposed to turn sunny and 70!

 

[lvie]

Ivie. Sorry about that RIR. Sounds like she was a favorite.

Ralphie good job with your Bus-Boys and the whirly-thinga-majig. Sounds like fun....?

Okay I had an RJ happy camera tonight.


How does he know they are bird of a feather? I'm forever amazed by chickens.




Finally resting after a day of trying to establish himself as lead in the pecking order. He finally took the buckeye hen down a level. LOL.



My Handsome Junior curious through the bachelor buttons.



Hand feeding him here. Plucking clover gently from my finger tips. Fingers crossed he's a 'good one'.

So handsome!