Surviving Minnesota!

[BantyChooks]

It's the principle of getting what you pay for here in America!

Here in the civilised world, an 8-ball is used in pool....

 

[EMorical]

@MinnesotaNice ---- we have 274 little chicken nuggets out in the barn. Our local Runnings rain checked their "Special" @1.29$ and we went big! But really, the market is wide open for us here in the boonies....I haven't even advertised or told anyone besides immediate family and we are up to 50 sold already

Loved the chick surgery photos!!!

@I Love Layers ----- we also got a skunk tonight. Boom! (Literally - boom - and figuratively, "boom - yessssss")

Considering the sneaky lil devil ended up having a den too close to comfort to the yard I am definitely doing a happy dance!

 

[lvie]

One thread saw an improvement on the 3rd or 4th day. Chick held its own. Also lots of recommendations for added riboflavin (B complex) or maybe save-a-chick electrolyte and vitamins might not hurt.

Good Job on the Chickie. When I did the leg taping I left it for a week but also I added Vitamin E by dropper. What I read it helps with Wry neck also. What do I know because neither chick survived - actually, after weeks and weeks of no improvement they did not survive. Not the same deal as the feet. Pretty brave chickener.

 

[lvie]

Quote:
Well, if it was American made stuff you know that it costs more than imported stuff. Its that way on everything in America. Geeze . . . why in the world do I even need to point that out?

 

[lvie]

Good Morning Chickeners . . . . yes - this is a true WIN! On the other hand I could not sleep so I got up for some company and here you all are from yesterdays end of day. Thanks for staying up for me last night Chickeners.

 

[jerryse]

Morning . Lot of posts . Tells me how the weather has been . Not great here either . BC and the broom . Sometimes you got to put on the hat and let them know who they are dealing with .

Then it also brings to mind something about firey tempers and red hair .

Can't imagine that nice young man I met setting you off .

Ralphie on that white . The white tinged yellow is genetic .

 

[Bogtown Chick]

He's been going through his manhood transition this winter Jerry. My little blonde haired innocent is now the household agitator. Still a good kid just testing the water.

And DD still in and off with her agitating. Although I find lately it's the boy who sneakily gets her started.

Lol. I figured I best break that broom over the stool versus them.








And yes. The German Scandinavian cross does make for fiery response. Could be red hair. Too lol.



Where is Ed lately? Still supervising his wife shoveling?

 

[jerryse]

Anyone growing peas up north ? When do you usually plant them ? Thinking of trying some at the lake since I probably would miss harvest here . Should of planted here before now . Harvest is usually early June here .

 

[Momof3plustwins]

Anyone growing peas up north ? When do you usually plant them ? Thinking of trying some at the lake since I probably would miss harvest here . Should of planted here before now . Harvest is usually early June here . 

I usually plant peas the beginning of May weather permitting. Being a cold weather crop vegetable they do fine with May temps and July starts to get hot for them. We are picking in June and July. I seem to get some mildew type of fungus on the leaves later in the year. So I try to pull the plants as soon as I am done with the main crop to help prevent in the following years. Not sure if it helps though! Some people around here planted potatoes and onions around Good Friday. Well it has barely been above freezing the past few days and there is snow on the ground. Glad I waited. I did get the garden tilled in April so the ground was opened up to soak up this moisture more easily. After it dries out now we should be in the clear for cold weather crops. I like to get my carrots in early as they take FOREVER to even sprout!

The hens and roosters have been separated out for nearly 2 weeks. I suppose it is time to pick out some breeding groups and get going on that. I don't have much to choose from as I may only have one rooster and a hen of the same breed because we ordered so few of so many breeds! I should say my husband did that! I am going to hatch out some of the breeds we plan on keeping around and the rest of the roosters will become soup.

So right now I think I am going to put the RIR roo and hen in with some of the Red Sex Links, which said ISA Brown on the packing slip. These should become our laying flock for the next couple years as the RSL are starting their 2nd year. They are 1 in a week or so. I am going to put the GLW roo in with the 2 GLW hens and the one SLW hen. All of our stock is hatchery so I am not really concerned with mixing the two. Although I think I read that any males out of the SLW should be silver and the females gold? Probably more of a yellowish gold but it could help sex at birth at least the males. Debating on whether keeping of of those males (if I get one) for breeding because it would be a split male carrying silver and gold and maybe get more silver hens using him. Again just for our backyard colors as I am not getting into showing chickens. Except to bring a bunch of different breeds to the county fair to show off different breeds. I don't think many realize how many different breeds of chicken there are!

I also want to use the black australorp roo over my barred hens to get black sex links. Just for fun! So I would put my BA roo in with the 2 BA hens and then the 3 Barred Rocks and maybe the Dom hens. Which I am selling to a 4-h family-No, not your Doms Ralphie! The Doms from Cackle. I have to make room for yours! Before I do that I am doing some barred rocks and then selling that rooster to a family up the road who has 9 BRs and wants a rooster. I think in hopes of a broodie and to get chicks. I also said I would sell her a couple chicks too if they decide. I told her I needed the roo for a few more weeks then she could have him. So now I need the snow to melt and Spring to come back. The sun is out shining bright so I do not expect the snow to last much longer. But welcome back the MUD! Ugh I have such a love/hate relationship with Spring! Heavy black/clay soil is not fun! I'd take a bit of the sand from the banana belt dunes in areas of my yard!

I have been meaning to ask as I thought it was curious a while back when we discussed worming the chickens. Eating earth worms can give the worms?

Ok I have to get to Payroll taxes, the last of my Grad school homework for the semester-only to start summer classes in a couple weeks!, and chicken chores. Those CX sure do like to eat a lot-especially 80 of them!

Call your local feed mill to grind you a tote of feed and deliver it when you do a large number for sure! Saved us a ton on feed costs last year! I should get the feed fermenting again also. SO much to do! I called for 1500 lbs of feed yesterday! Should come close to being what we need until butchering.

 

[Momof3plustwins]

Oh! I also forgot about the buff Orpingtons too. I can tell those roosters are antsy to get out of their bachelor pen!

I too am getting rid of the cuckoo Marans. From what I have seen I am getting a tan egg with lots of thick brown splotches on them and not very many. I love the look of the rooster though! He is huge! But I wont be keeping them. He will definitely go down the road I have to pull the hens out and see how well they actually lay before I decide on them. Mine also came from Cacklel like Ralphie's.