Surviving Minnesota!

Good Morning all,

Things have been uber busy in the Cental MN region. We have built 1 expansion mobile tractor coop and purchased a 6 foot by 9 foot fancy outdoor coop. This is in addition to the indoor insulated coop that has been around for awhile. YES Chicken MATH is working well in Benton County.

My kids have successfully wrapped the neighbor woman around their pinky. Neighbor woman will allow her kids to lease some birds from us and her 3 kids will be able to show birds in 4H this year. This was a big accomplishment as the neighbors are as follows: Mom (City Girl from Twin Cities), Dad (Maticulous Country boy from Benton County), 11 year old Daughter (semi city girl), 9 year old Son (Country to the Core) and 7 year old Daughter (Country Girl with Spunk).

My daughter is in stiff competition with Ralphie....she will make certain her PC's will be in prestine condition come the first week of August.....Either that or she will drive her mother crazy with all these different feed regimines and water options available. She recently finished her LQ&E training (animal ethics) and intends to utilize some of her knowledge she derived there.

We have noted an increase in the Bald Eagle Population in our pasture by double. We now have 2 pair of Bald Eagles who have called our pasture home. While they are majestic and all.....it sure makes for expensive chicken rearing....anyone have extra dog kennels or fencing available.
barnie.gif


Raccoons seem to think it is ok to call our yard home as well.....so I trapped one and husband shot another. (The nice coon hunting neighbor needs to be called again....but he is busy with his 8 kids under 10....so I will cut him a little slack and only call him when I have one trapped. Sometimes he likes to use the trapped coons as training for the hounds.)

Anyone heard of buckeyes molting at 5-6 weeks of age. We purchased 6 from Urch on Valentine's Day they feathered beautifully then boom molt.
 
Good Morning all,

Things have been uber busy in the Cental MN region. We have built 1 expansion mobile tractor coop and purchased a 6 foot by 9 foot fancy outdoor coop. This is in addition to the indoor insulated coop that has been around for awhile. YES Chicken MATH is working well in Benton County.

My kids have successfully wrapped the neighbor woman around their pinky. Neighbor woman will allow her kids to lease some birds from us and her 3 kids will be able to show birds in 4H this year. This was a big accomplishment as the neighbors are as follows: Mom (City Girl from Twin Cities), Dad (Maticulous Country boy from Benton County), 11 year old Daughter (semi city girl), 9 year old Son (Country to the Core) and 7 year old Daughter (Country Girl with Spunk).

My daughter is in stiff competition with Ralphie....she will make certain her PC's will be in prestine condition come the first week of August.....Either that or she will drive her mother crazy with all these different feed regimines and water options available. She recently finished her LQ&E training (animal ethics) and intends to utilize some of her knowledge she derived there.

We have noted an increase in the Bald Eagle Population in our pasture by double. We now have 2 pair of Bald Eagles who have called our pasture home. While they are majestic and all.....it sure makes for expensive chicken rearing....anyone have extra dog kennels or fencing available.
barnie.gif


Raccoons seem to think it is ok to call our yard home as well.....so I trapped one and husband shot another. (The nice coon hunting neighbor needs to be called again....but he is busy with his 8 kids under 10....so I will cut him a little slack and only call him when I have one trapped. Sometimes he likes to use the trapped coons as training for the hounds.)

Anyone heard of buckeyes molting at 5-6 weeks of age. We purchased 6 from Urch on Valentine's Day they feathered beautifully then boom molt.


Knowing her is why I kept the little older chicks for myself. I do not have the time to dote on my chicks like she does. I need some "equalizer".... Remind her (like she needs to be reminded) body shape first color second. I am thinking of putting the other (spare rooster) in with the hens for a while, it is too late for this year but the spare has a slightly longer back line than Weinerhead. I wasted too much time with Ed this winter, Next year Ed will not get a shot at the girls..


Also I have one rooster in reserve that is going to EJB, I am tempted to give him a girl or two also. He has a good body shape but his color tend to go a little too reddish. It is a problem I have been dealing with of getting the bay without the red. Mike Gilbert pointed out the red to me last fall.

By doing that I will not have a shower for this year from them but I could have a better breeder for next year.

I am now getting emails from 4H parents all of them wanting started birds for their kids. I bet they want to pay 3 bucks for them too. Next year I might keep more back for myself, and sell them later to the 4H parents that don't plan ahead....Also it would give me a bigger selection to beat MnChickmom Jr with......
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Yeah, them too.

Should be a nice day to take the plastic off the run, has everyone else removed their plastic- if you used it? maybe I'm a procrastinator?
 
Yeah, them too.

Should be a nice day to take the plastic off the run, has everyone else removed their plastic- if you used it? maybe I'm a procrastinator?


I have had mine open for a while, the wind helped take mine off so I got it done early....


I even have my hoses out so no more carrying water!
 
We have a pump in the lake for yard watering but it needs to be hooked up and DH does that cause I don't know how and I can't be trusted with something like that.
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Not that I give the girls lake water to drink...
With the thousands of chickens and guineas you have, you really need the hoses out! You should put a sand point in that big building.
 
We have a pump in the lake for yard watering but it needs to be hooked up and DH does that cause I don't know how and I can't be trusted with something like that.
big_smile.png
Not that I give the girls lake water to drink...
With the thousands of chickens and guineas you have, you really need the hoses out! You should put a sand point in that big building.

I have a hydrant in it, and that will be used for the hatchery when I get it done........

It is currently not working I am not sure if it is the hydrant or the line froze and broke. My Dad said the line froze, but he had such bad Parkinson's at the time we cannot be sure if he knew what he was talking about.

I hope to have several hydrants or sand points put out, it is way too much work carrying water at my advanced age.. not that it would bother all you spring chicks...
 

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