Surviving Minnesota!

[jerryse]

Ha made it out . Threw a lot of mud but missed hitting anything . Mailman brought me my order of 6 butternut trees . So now I need to plant them between rains .

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Jerry it is slimy in your other town right now. Roads are bad. Frost coming out of the clay around here. I was thinking I have not seen pictures of your lavender cuckoo hatch. Last Tuesday was it...they were suppose to hatch? Or have I missed the photo and need to go back and read more carefully?

Ralphie I hope all is well with you Judy and the chooks and Turkeys. Thank you for testing the murky waters down there in Pierz. Lack-a-dasical stock sales. Good to know.

Ivie: How are you doing with Eagles and Egg layers?

MNChickMom: Looking for Buff Orpington eggs for that classroom hatch. Let me know what's happening for egg availability?

Holm: So you got a 'Jeffrey Dahmer' visiting your house....lovely... For sure let Mom and Dad know about this possibility. I'm sure you are right. That biscuit was brand new and in place for a successful hatch. And your logic that the incubator has worked correctly ... Well you've probably figured it out.
Hard to accuse somebody of something like that...but I think it is what it is. He said those words. And it happened... smells like a rotten egg to me...

Friday I had two extra 15 year olds in the house. Each kid had a friend over. The next day was NWTF banquet that DH runs in town. I don't do much. It's all his show. But we sold out and I think people were spending money. We have a nice banquet too though. Lots of prizes and guns. So People like coming to it. You always will have a grumbler here and there. We finished at 10:00. But somebody who was not getting fed fast enough or hearing the prizes called fast enough still was heard by my husband. I told him that those kinds of folks are to be ignored as they are never happy. Getting a big banquet like that done at 10:00 is pretty darn good. Yesterday I vegged with the family. Went up to my Mom and Dad's. Dad is going to put DS to work today. Burning brush piles. Dad has 500 Norway Pines coming in. They have root balls and the usual spade and lifting of the sod will not work with these. Dad said they recommended a post hole digger for planting them.
I'm getting 50 of them to put a barrier between me and a new neighbor who built an ugly cabin in my field of view and has been brushing out between us so the view is even more to his ugly cabin. Why would he do that? Plus that "brush" is also wild blackberries. He also put a lock on the lake access lot gate and gave nobody else keys to it. My husband cut it with a lock bolt cutter and threw it in the woods. LOL. The same guy came down to the dock last summer, when we were docking the boat-the kids and I- and asked "who are you?!" I told him and he backed off. I think he thought I was a trespasser or something. Anyways DH and him probably need to pow-wow about lake access gates and generally poor neighbor/touristy attitudes. So anyways I will planting a 50 tree buffer between this jack-hind-end of a donkey and me. Dad says they are 3'-4' trees already. Sounds like I won't have but a couple years and the view will be better.

 

[lvie]

Hi BC - nice to hear from you. I want to get the pine trees and plant them on the lot in Aitkin. The DH spent his first night on his own land this past weekend. I won't see him staying here on weekends now for a long, long time. Unless I act like a DW and make a honey-dew list. Fix the garage door - again - is at the top of the list. It broke, was fixed, and broke again. Last weekend he got the pump house built and wired for the pump which should be installed this week. The electricity company has to come back out to finish installing electricity but they did it well enough that he had electric to the 5th wheel. He put a pallet at the bottom of the 5th wheel steps - otherwise it will be a HUGE sandy, muddy mess up there. Now he has me thinking

We have pallets here from building materials being delivered. Hmmmmm . . . . . building pallets hauled up to Aitkin and used on a leveled area outside the 5th wheel for a deck - cool idea. Better than dirt and sand.

Okay the layers are doing okay. I think the new roo takes good care of them while Reggie hides from Copper. Reggie is just a sweetheart. Quiet, docile, scared. I have not seen the eagles around lately but that doesn't mean anything. My NDN (next door neighbor) keeps a closer watch and he was telling me that a flock of owls - about 25 of them - flew through about two weeks ago around dinner time. Great to see but he was nervous for the chickens. It all worked out. And they are beginning to lay again. Remembering many things that have been said on this forum about the slow downs and the pick ups. The eggs vary as they did when they were pullets.

Everything is good.

 

[jerryse]

I did not take pics of that hatch . So many different chicks and lots of them . I have some hatching now . Looks like another good hatch . My expensive shipped eggs are in this batch 9 out of 12 with 1 more maybe . I do not think he will get out . 2 were full term but I think they could not get air . Egg was full . So I think high humidity from all the hatching .

 

[holm25]

My mom actually asked me if I thought he did it before I even thought about him doing it. If he is ever here while the incubator is running again he won't be going upstairs!


Another calf is on the way!

 

[MinnesotaNice]

@MinnesotaNice I went to the Exotic and poultry sale in Pierz, I should have know to turn around and go home when I saw all the signs posted by the sales barn saying they had nothing to do with this sale and Mr. So&so was renting the building and grounds.


It is a great place to pick up a disease or a cheap bird that would bring home and expensive virus. I am debating actually starting a thread on places to go and not to go, kind of a review of sales and swaps. I understand I am maybe a tad more paranoid about diseases and healthy stock than most people. BUT The birds I brought home never left the boxes I had them in and I have them in quarantine for the foreseeable future.

The people running it and the auctioneers they were using had no idea of the value of birds and breeds. I stayed by my birds the entire time until they went into the ring, telling people not to touch the birds or the box when they reached for it. Yep, I am that guy. I got some pretty dirty looks from people when I told them they could not touch my birds or eggs.

I also know I am really protective of my Legbars, I had labeled a box of White Legbars as "Rare" they started them out at $1 a chick.... Yep, that ticked me off. At auctions where the auctioneers starts kind of sets the finsihing price. People seem to think the auctioneer knows the value of something.

I let some birds go at ridiculously low prices, just as I did not want them all back. My quarantine area is only so big. I bought them back at around 10 bucks each. I think a lot of it has to do the crowd that is there for prices also. I was just disappointed. When I had called to see what I needed he said "bring three copies of you NPIP paperwork". I did

I went to hand t to the guy doing the "intake" and he said " what's this?" Another hint the place is not on the up and up.

There was a woman behind me that had ducks, she asked me what the paper work was. I told her and she asked me "Do ducks need that too"

I said under state law they do.

She asked the guy, and he said, " oh no, that's just for chicks".

Which is why I stayed by my chicks and eggs until they went into the ring. I guess I get worried, when we see the beginnings of another year of AI, and while I do not completely believe it is all spread by wild waterfowl, I see this type of sale and cannot help but think it and places like it are huge transmitters of disease.

When my Dad was alive and farming he never bought anything from a sales barn because he thought it was just a good way to bring a disease home. I think my Dad was way smarter than me. When I hear the stories of people buying eggs and now chicks on Ebay without any idea of who they come from and if they have even the least amount of disease control. I can see how AI spreads.

I like knowing where and how birds comes from. I have been a little more lax in the past but the last few years I have become more aware of this. All day yesterday, I heard my Dad's voice saying " never bring and animal home from the sales barn" I sure hope I don't regret it. I hope those little guys don't mind a month in the old shed.



I got eggs from Porter's last year. I got 11 out of 24 to hatch.

Shake my head. I've never been to a poultry sale because I'd seriously come home with 300 chickens, 150 ducks, 87 turkeys, and flamingos. I sold my peacocks and a few ducks recently. The lady picking up some of the ducks asked if she could go back and see the rest of my flock. Now, I don't want her to think I keep all of my birds in a chicken mill setting, but I also don't want to risk any diseases coming in. I told her she could drive by on her way out and see them all swimming in the pond! She didn't like that, but take it or leave it. I wasn't trying to be rude. I even offered her a beer! I thought that was very nice. If I'm picking up birds from anywhere, I wear clean boots and clothes. When I come home, I undress in the garage and wash everything. That's even if I know and trust you. Who knows what dormant crud can pop up.

Did the other 13 eggs develop at all?

We were told the coop needs to be well ventilated, but now I'm concerned we got carried away and they'll be too exposed during our frigid Duluth winters. Any suggestions?
Also, we thought we were done, then decided to do an addition to accommodate room for indoor food and water in the winter.

Ditto what everyone is saying for the vents. Looks great though! I used these for additional ventilation in our coop:

I actually got some work done , Jerry!

I cleaned pen, set up a summer waterer in that pen. I did some brush hogging, until I run the tire off the rim.


And I counted birds for Ivie. I have 152 adult chickens, 18 turkeys and 28 guinea.

I have no idea how many babies have I was not going to count them too. I am guessing I have between 75 and 125 of them.

You need more guinea's!

So do you all remember about a month ago how my incubator somehow spiked in temp and killed the eggs while they were hatching? Well we are almost positive it was sabotage. None of my family members but a kid whos parents are my parents best friends. He cant stand me for some reason. Well anyways. He was staying the night and started joking about killing all the eggs and stuff just to make me mad and I flipped on him for it. Now tonight I was talking to my brother and I was telling him how it would suck if it malfunctioned again cuz I have eggs in there now. And my brother said "Isaiah I dont think that was a malfunction? I think *evilchild* did that because he was joking about doing that stuff all night and asked of we should kill them". After he said that I put two and two together. Anotger thing that seems odd is that the temp has not spiked again since that night.

I know I cant do anything about it now but just kinda felt a little "ranty" about it... I am just sad about it still...

ETA this would not be the first time he has done something to make me mad!

WOW. That's the kind of kid who dissects animals and keeps the hearts under his bed in a box marked "crazypants". That's a tough one especially since there's a friendship involved with the parents. Just keep your distance from him and keep him uninvolved with what you have going on. If that doesn't work, tell him you know people.....scrappy people. I'll kick his a#@ for you then go make soap with your mom.

 

[duluthralphie]

Holm

Your parents know " Little Jeffery Dalhmer" is a young psychopath. They have just not said anything to you to because they do not want to prejudice you against him. We have had friends that were good friends but terrible parents. Talk to your parents and tell them you don't want him there anymore. They will back away from these people for you, I am sure. I know I would.

If it's any consolation, your parents friends will be raising grandkids with 3-6 different fathers or mothers amnd having 42 year old kids living at home in 25 years. This I know. Our friends are like that, and no we do not see them much anymore.

Kids that never leave home and grandkids and step grandkids living with them is the penalty God will enact on them for being crappy parents and not teaching the kid right and wrong....Nothing a few good spanking 10 years ago would not have solved.....


No charge for this counselling session......

 

[MinnesotaNice]

Ha made it out . Threw a lot of mud but missed hitting anything . Mailman brought me my order of 6 butternut trees . So now I need to plant them between rains .

Butternuts are amazing! I wish we had the soil for a few butternut trees. Ours is better suited for weeping willows. I could fix that with a tractor, but DH says something about protected wetlands, etc.

Friday I had two extra 15 year olds in the house. Each kid had a friend over. The next day was NWTF banquet that DH runs in town. I don't do much. It's all his show. But we sold out and I think people were spending money. We have a nice banquet too though. Lots of prizes and guns. So People like coming to it. You always will have a grumbler here and there. We finished at 10:00. But somebody who was not getting fed fast enough or hearing the prizes called fast enough still was heard by my husband. I told him that those kinds of folks are to be ignored as they are never happy. Getting a big banquet like that done at 10:00 is pretty darn good. Yesterday I vegged with the family. Went up to my Mom and Dad's. Dad is going to put DS to work today. Burning brush piles. Dad has 500 Norway Pines coming in. They have root balls and the usual spade and lifting of the sod will not work with these. Dad said they recommended a post hole digger for planting them.
I'm getting 50 of them to put a barrier between me and a new neighbor who built an ugly cabin in my field of view and has been brushing out between us so the view is even more to his ugly cabin. Why would he do that? Plus that "brush" is also wild blackberries. He also put a lock on the lake access lot gate and gave nobody else keys to it. My husband cut it with a lock bolt cutter and threw it in the woods. LOL. The same guy came down to the dock last summer, when we were docking the boat-the kids and I- and asked "who are you?!" I told him and he backed off. I think he thought I was a trespasser or something. Anyways DH and him probably need to pow-wow about lake access gates and generally poor neighbor/touristy attitudes. So anyways I will planting a 50 tree buffer between this jack-hind-end of a donkey and me. Dad says they are 3'-4' trees already. Sounds like I won't have but a couple years and the view will be better.

Is the lake access on his property? Sounds like your typical "this is my land: no tresspassing" d-bag. I hope he understands the concept of lake access. Sad about the blackberries. I'd consider myself lucky to have those growing so close.

Holm

Your parents know " Little Jeffery Dalhmer" is a young psychopath. They have just not said anything to you to because they do not want to prejudice you against him. We have had friends that were good friends but terrible parents. Talk to your parents and tell them you don't want him there anymore. They will back away from these people for you, I am sure. I know I would.

If it's any consolation, your parents friends will be raising grandkids with 3-6 different fathers or mothers amnd having 42 year old kids living at home in 25 years. This I know. Our friends are like that, and no we do not see them much anymore.

Kids that never leave home and grandkids and step grandkids living with them is the penalty God will enact on them for being crappy parents and not teaching the kid right and wrong....Nothing a few good spanking 10 years ago would not have solved.....


No charge for this counselling session......

This is funny. And true. Very true.

 

[lvie]

Holm

Your parents know " Little Jeffery Dalhmer" is a young psychopath. They have just not said anything to you to because they do not want to prejudice you against him. We have had friends that were good friends but terrible parents. Talk to your parents and tell them you don't want him there anymore. They will back away from these people for you, I am sure. I know I would.

If it's any consolation, your parents friends will be raising grandkids with 3-6 different fathers or mothers amnd having 42 year old kids living at home in 25 years. This I know. Our friends are like that, and no we do not see them much anymore.

Kids that never leave home and grandkids and step grandkids living with them is the penalty God will enact on them for being crappy parents and not teaching the kid right and wrong....Nothing a few good spanking 10 years ago would not have solved.....


No charge for this counselling session......

LOL Ralphie.

And you know what Holm - its all true. Honest! I would not leave this twirp alone for one minute. I would be on him like stink. Any room he goes into I would follow (cept the bathroom) He will know you are onto him and that he is not to be trusted and (he is younger than you right? and you are not 18 yet right? I mean, he gets too sassy you can take him right?) Shame, shame, shame on me! ! !

 

[holm25]

Ralphie, Minnesotanice and Ivie thank you. I actually happen to love his parents and all of there other kids just not him. They actually have a son who is probably around 12 and loves poultry and loves picking my brain and so does his dad. His dad always texts and asks questions along with the son. The oldest and I have never gotten along but one day I put my foot down when he made a comment on his grandmother (I love his grandparents and get along with them really well) and we really don't get along now. I just avoid him and he avoids me. He has never done this to their bords or anything even though he dislikes them. I think it's just his pure hatred for me that caused this. If I asked him about it he would lie about it like he does everything... We already made it clear he will not be here whenever i have eggs hatching. Other than those I have nothing here he can destroy.