Surviving Minnesota!

[Cluckies]

Quote: Hahaha! if you are going to be in the elk river area in the next couple of weeks, let me know, I'll meet you, I wouldn't mind buying some and trying them out!

 

[memphis]

Ralph, I have a baker that pays me 3.00 per turkey egg. Apparently they are great to bake with. He will use them in his layer cakes, then freezes the cakes until he needs them. I made various pound cakes & nut breads last fall that I froze & used during the holidays. They were great.

Holm...he looks good. Looks like he's enjoying being a house bird!

Also, my SS are some of my more layer back & easy going chickens I have. Even Gregory Peck. He used to keep an eye me if I pick up a hen but was never agressive. He did love the girls a little too much......so I sold him a few years ago. They are also the best forgers I have. They like to go hunting for bugs in my garage.

 

[KlopKlop]

I have a bad habit of towing my new farm toys home in the dark....





Here is a photo from the ad

 

[NathanZee]

Hello again! I was out west for the last two weeks on vacation. While I was gone my Buff orpington hen died.

But the rest of the flock is doing good, and I'm going to get ready to start hatching!

 

[ejb3810]

Ralphie, if you get that incubator which you referenced I may be able to hear the fireworks from your household up here. I doubt that your Mrs. would be favorably impressed, unless your plan is to start a business in competition with McMurray and Hoover?
I will not post photos from my place at this time, as I don't wish to hear the laughter coming from the Banana Belt. there may be more snow still hanging in the trees than you saw down there all winter. Tree damage is substantial.
Klop, I resisted the temptation to buy one of those big Redwood incubators at an auction a couple years back. A man I knew had previously raised Ostriches and had it for that. His widow had an auction to sell much stuff after his passing. When I saw the immaculate condition of the incubator I left the auction immediately, as I anticipated it would go for a low price and knew who would be the final bidder if I stayed.
It did not get above freezing here yesterday. A testimonial to the saying that "it is colder by the lake". Although the St Louis river is open, I don't think the man who jumped from the Bong Bridge will be found until fishing season.
Nice mower Klop, that should speed up your mowing time.
Holm, the rooster looks pretty good and is definitely leading a pampered life now. Chickens in the house is justification for intervention in a civilized society?

 

[duluthralphie]

I like my dining room chicks!! On a day like today when I get up, look out and see the ground is white again I need them to over come the depressive thoughts that accompany the return of that white.

I ended up fighting with the one farm innovator incubator all day yesterday. It ran stable temps for a week, yesterday I put egg in it and it spikes. Also my Girlie thermometers were giving me fits too. I shook one down and my klutzy old hand let it slip to the ground. Luckily it landed on the dog and not the floor. So I looked at it and it looked good. I shook it down and put it in the incubator. I then sat down to have the rare cup of coffee I have and saw what looked like confetti stars on the floor. I cussed my SIL then. She thinks it is funny to send "confetti" in every card she sends. ( Why a woman over 60 feels this childish need is beyond me).


I went to sweep them together, while wondering what Judy opened from her and why? She knows we always open her stuff over a waste basket. I swept and the stars became long black streaks on our hickory floors. A word used to mean Manure went through my head immediately. I went and got soap and water to clean the mess. When I turned around at the sink I saw footprints in black! I got the darn stuff on my socks! I cleaned the floor on my hands and knees. Cleaning mercury off the floor is not as easy as it sounds. I then threw that thermometer away. The girlie thermometers are great except they are hard to shake down.

I had another one in the hatcher that was having temp spikes. I was smarter than to shake that one down (after a few unsuccessful tries) so I put it in the freezer to drop on its own. Never put a hot thermometer in a cold freezer. So I lost two thermometers yesterday. Now I risk the wrath of Judy when I order more of them. She thinks I have too many already.


EJB sorry about the tree damage. that heavy snow can be a killer on them. Was is trees in your yard or trees for the landscaping business that were damaged?

A friend told me they were trolling for a guy below the bridge. I thought he said the high bridge, that is were we normally had the swan divers. I do not recall anyone doing it from the Bong before. I an guessing he was a guy that thought outside the norm. Depending on where he jumped, the Bong has some pretty good currents under it. He could travel aways. It is always sad when someone seeks a permanent solution to temporary problems.

I have my first PC chicks hatching tomorrow! And I have my PC/EE hatching. Ed is going to be a Daddy!

Nathan welcome back hope vacation was good. Sorry about the hen.

Kloppers, the bumper sticker on the front of the tractor would get me a years worth of double secret probation. Not that I did not have those same thoughts about the hawks yesterday.

I kept all the chickens locked up all day long. They were not happy. I brought them new water at around 3 and they let me know they wanted out as they rushed the door. I think they thought "bumper Sticker thoughts" about me.

I have meetings to go to in Foley today so they are stuck in again. These hawks have me paranoid.


Cluckies I am sure I will get to ER soon so I can get you some turkey eggs. Tomorrow I am going to tour Coffee's farm when I bring Porter to her. One less Tom is a good thing. I will be down to 2 extra Tom is all then. I have plans for them as dinner guests.


PS. EJB I showed Judy the picture of that incubator and she was not impressed with it. I did not even tell her I wanted it, when she said "You Can't have it"....

Which is sort of like a challenge to me.... so time will tell.





I would worry about bringing a bug into a walk in incubator. I think those Holm found would be more practical from a bio-security point of view. It is better to just reach your hands and arms in than actually walk into one.

.

 

[jerryse]

Got a notice that my raspberry plants will be shipped this week Boyne and Mac Black . Some will be planted here and some will be potted for planting at the lake . Scion wood for grafting is in the mail . Roorstocks should come soon but no notice yet .

Ralphie I did my part to remove evil waterfowl yesterday . Bought 3 Muscovy drakes at the sale barn yesterday . Butchered them froze two and ate 1 .

 

[KlopKlop]

Got my new toy.... Eh.. Tool. Got my new tool off the trailer this morning and into the stable

Now I have a big one and a little one!

 

[ejb3810]

I thought it was Klop that posted the link to the big incubators, but it was Holm. Holm you are a very young man and have lots of time to start a chick order business. I think you need those incubators.

Ralphie tree damage is in the yard and woods. Lots of broken branches and even trunks on some smaller ones. Lost a major part of a 25 yr old Amur Maple.

Klop that tractor must have come from Wisc. or Iowa?

 

[KlopKlop]

ok, and one obligitory video