Surviving Minnesota!

[duluthralphie]

I burned a "brush" pile yesterday, because of the 4 days of rain and warm temps. I thought we would not have enough snow in a few days.

I am not sure how much actually burned, When I last checked it (last night) it was burning pretty slow and had gotten to the trees from this year, I doubt they will burn. I will be going out to check in a little bit, after more coffee. (it is in the middle of a field of snow so I am not worried it will spread. I can hardly keep it going with my Pro-Global warming accelerants.

This 25 above at coffee time is so great!

 

[MinnesotaNice]

I hope everyone is getting a chance to enjoy the beautiful day! It almost smells like Spring.

I thought my white peacock, Snoop Dogg, was dog dinner yesterday. DH caught the neighbors dog sniffing around and found complete chaos around the coops. He found our female peacock hiding in a snow bank. Ducks were in the trees and the chickens were tucked in the corner of the coop. When I got home, I followed Snoop's tracks but it ended into nothing. I didn't find blood or feathers anywhere. Before nightfall, he came flying from who knows where to the top of the chicken coop. He finally left the coop again this morning. I could really do without the neighbors dog.

 

[MinnesotaNice]

Figured I'd share some photos I snapped. ALMOST as cool as Nathan's flight shots! My Chocolate Ripple female doing what she doesn't really do best....

 

[duluthralphie]

I hope everyone is getting a chance to enjoy the beautiful day! It almost smells like Spring.

I thought my white peacock, Snoop Dogg, was dog dinner yesterday. DH caught the neighbors dog sniffing around and found complete chaos around the coops. He found our female peacock hiding in a snow bank. Ducks were in the trees and the chickens were tucked in the corner of the coop. When I got home, I followed Snoop's tracks but it ended into nothing. I didn't find blood or feathers anywhere. Before nightfall, he came flying from who knows where to the top of the chicken coop. He finally left the coop again this morning. I could really do without the neighbors dog.

It is too bad the ground is frozen. BUT I have an incinerator I use on dead animals, mainly chickens, if you should accidently need it. No questions asked. Just bring a tank of LP. I have beer and spirits.

 

[duluthralphie]

I have one coop I a not getting eggs out of. It makes no sense. It has lights just like all the other coops. Last week I got 2 eggs in one day from one of the nest boxes.

Why would 8 hens/pullets lay 2 eggs on one day and nothing for weeks either side of it?

I lost a few gold balls out of that coop too. I thought maybe a rat?

But I keep mouse and rat poison bars in those black boxes so the chickens can't eat them and mice and rats can. I ad new ones every couple months. as they do get eaten.

I do not feed in the coop so there is no other feed in there.

Then it dawn on me. Squirrels! So I googled do squirrels steal eggs? I have 5,000 squirrels around here. Thanks to the people from the city coming out here and releasing their nuisance squirrels in the wildlife refuge.


This is the video I found!

I am now declaring full blown war on squirrels and not this half hearted one I have had.

 

[Cluckies]

Quote: I hear you on the time, I did a free trial a few years back, didn't do anything else except play on that site for the whole 7 days.

I have one coop I a not getting eggs out of. It makes no sense. It has lights just like all the other coops. Last week I got 2 eggs in one day from one of the nest boxes.

Why would 8 hens/pullets lay 2 eggs on one day and nothing for weeks either side of it?

I lost a few gold balls out of that coop too. I thought maybe a rat?

But I keep mouse and rat poison bars in those black boxes so the chickens can't eat them and mice and rats can. I ad new ones every couple months. as they do get eaten.

I do not feed in the coop so there is no other feed in there.

Then it dawn on me. Squirrels! So I googled do squirrels steal eggs? I have 5,000 squirrels around here. Thanks to the people from the city coming out here and releasing their nuisance squirrels in the wildlife refuge.


This is the video I found!

I am now declaring full blown war on squirrels and not this half hearted one I have had.

Who knew this could happen?

A lady at my work said she has lost 6 of her 16 chickens over the last 2 weeks, she didn't know why. I said well, if nothing else, I would treat them for Cocci if you are not going to have a Veterinarian run some tests. she said great idea. Can you guys think of anything else it could be? Neither she nor I have heard of any viruses going around... She lives in the northeast metro, Forest lake area I believe.

 

[MinnesotaNice]

@Cluckies , what kind of symptoms are her chickens having? This weather makes my coop feel wet. I'm keeping my fingers crossed all stay healthy.

@duluthralphie , do you have a trail cam that takes video? That might answer some questions. That, or maybe they're non egg laying chickens. I have a few of those. Very rare breed from what I hear.

 

[jerryse]

Morning . I win . No matter what Ralphies rules say . Edited to add

 

[MNChickMom]

Good morning all! Loving this warm weather.

 

[jerryse]

Hey BC you actually were 1 degree warmer than we were here in the tropics yesterday .