Surviving Minnesota!

[Cluckies]

I had a terrible day yesterday...

I had to move chicks out of the house. I spent the day building mew brooding pens in the shed. Gitmo is located in the shed I have brooders in. The whole day I had to listen to the broody PC complain and yell at me. She never shut up all day long! Then when I would move the chicks if one of them squawked or thrashed about she would scream louder at me.

By the end of the day I was ready to give her a batch of chicks to raise. But I held tough.

I am moving more birds today. I think I finally have enough eggs hatched. I am done hatching BA's and EE's. The woman that wants Chauncy was all excited when I told her she could come and get him. I look at it as one less rooster.

I have about 24 CLBs that hatched no white ones so I assume my next one should be white...

I have about a dozen EE chicks, they all came out with black and yellow down on them, I was expecting some reds, Some look like they might actually be blue. The BA's all look the same white wing tips and bellies/chest and black as coal on the rest of them. I did not get any of my EE/BA mixes that I want to make into pea comb BA's, if I can. I did not get any PC's this hatch again, I got only 2 SS's.

I did not get done with my "chores" until 9:30 last night. We ate quick and sat down to watch TV. Our old white lab wanted to sit next to Judy. The poor dog could not even get on the couch by herself. I had to help her up. It is so sad to see my best friend getting so crippled up. I wish there was something we could do, but I am not going to spend thousands of dollars on a 11 year old lab. At times when she s outside she seems like a pup running and playing, but when she gets in the house she seems to stiffen up. Kind of like me, I work all day or play with the kids and feel like a youngster then when I get in the house every muscle and joint aches.

Ivie How is Tom this morning?

For your old puppy, pick up some glucosamine from chuck and dons, really helps, and give aspirin (buffered) once a day or when needed. Our old duke (lab shepherd mix) lived to 13 with this help, oh yeah, also fishoil.

UPS should deliver my roostocks today . Got some pin cherry seeds in the mail today . Going to stratify (cool moist period ) them for planting . These will go to the lake property . Got a eye appointment today . Diabetic so checking eyes .So no grafting today .

Here is a story I have not shared with you yet . I have a rare case with one eye . A few years ago I contracted Toxoplasmosis . Got really sick and nobody new what I had . I got better when I got antibiotics for a sinus infection . So in about 5 years January 2012 my vision got wavy in my right eye . Took awhile to find out it was the Toxo parasite in my optic nerve . So they treated me with steroids and antibiotics to put the beast asleep and clear the inflammation . Then a few months later scar tissue contracted and detached the retina . So I had surgery . Never got back to normal . The surgery caused a cataract so I had surgery for that . Bottom line I can see some in that eye but can not read with it . Plus there is a blank spot in the middle of my vision in that eye . Still a little wave in the vision .

Wow, never heard of that. So sorry you had to go through that

Rainy weather must have everyone inside today! We are going to have lakes on our property by the end of the day as the puddles grow.

Believe it or not most of my flock doesn't mind going out in the rain as long as it isn't too windy or a down pour. I see them splashing about in puddles all the time, plus chasing down the worms.


As long as we are talking plants, my tomatoes are growing so well! I started working on repotting them last night. right now they are in the little plugs that come flat, then you add water and they are about 1"across and 2" tall. The roots are starting to poke out the sides so they are getting upgraded to 4" pots. They will be huge by the time I take them to the market in May. I am having great luck with my seedling 'chamber' I was worried about leggy plants but haven't had issues!

What is the best way to keep them from getting leggy?

Quote: Grandmas, gotta love em...

Ralph that is a great deal! Maybe I will accidently put a hammer in our washing machine!

Quote: https://www.pinterest.com/loriviellieux/
ivie, what crafts do you do? scrap booking and card making?

Hi ya all. Been checking on Tom today and he is out free-ranging now and seems to be doing okay. Of course eating is not the same as it once was. Its a learning curve for him too.

When the DH returns to the yard I have him call me so I am outside and around the DH when he is getting out of the truck. I don't mind dropping what I am doing to keep my birds beak intact. Whats left of it.

I didn't do any culling today but I slept for four hours! Holy Cats! I figured it would be easier (?) to do the deed when I was not tired and when I was feeling better. LOL. I don't think that cheerful culling is a possibility.

can he pick up food with his beak? also, check his crop at night to make sure it is full or at least has alot of food in it to make sure he is getting enough, otherwise you may have to make him some mash.

Jerry, you have given a very good secret away to the uninformed plant lovers. It is a good way to save time and money.
By the way, this is no April fools joke. It is snowing quite enthusiastically here, about 1/2 inch and piling up. Ralphie send some of that Banana Belt weather up here!!
This prolonged winter weather is bovine schieze as far as I am concerned!!

I have a problem with a weasel, and thus far have not caught him. The last time I had a problem with one he made the mistake of going into the garage. I waited for him to come out, and when he did I blasted him with a 12 guage. Luckily no pellets ricocheted into my wife's Escalade, or I would not be around to tell about this episode. Even so she thought it poor judgment to shoot onto the concrete in front of her vehicle. I told her no fowl no harm.

Hope you take care of the weasel problem before he does any damage... no good!

Wow, took me all night to read all of what you guys wrote over the last couple days. Wow! lol
Congrats on the new calf Holm!

Well, as I was telling Ralphie when he was over, I have one SLW chicken who is not feeling well. She is still hanging on, i'm not sure exactly what is wrong with her. I'm treating her for sour crop as it feels balloony to me at night. but it is hard to tell with her as she is my smallest chicken, but she has a roll of fat right over her crop area. my other chickens who are way bigger do not have this roll. when I was holding her the other day to check her out, her comb turned dark purple and she couldn't breath. after I put her down she went back to normal. her comb was looking darker than it should, like maroon, but the last 2 days it seems a brighter red. Fingers crossed. I hope she pulls through, she is my head hen and there would be chaos without her

before she became head hen there was chaos, then she took control. Funny, smallest hen took charge. lol

 

[destiny_56085]

Awesome!! I will definitely look into it later. Would you be able to ship to ND

I can ship.... however its usually about $65 with express mail and new Horizon box. Day olds start at $10 each. Price goes up with age and quality. A few cheaper pet caliber juveniles available too.

 

[destiny_56085]

You could also check with Laurie Mcsparron from ND (Barn of Angels) or Ron Gilbertson from Dent MN. Both raise show caliber silkie and would be within driving distance for you.

 

[KlopKlop]

For your old puppy, pick up some glucosamine from chuck and dons, really helps, and give aspirin (buffered) once a day or when needed. Our old duke (lab shepherd mix) lived to 13 with this help, oh yeah, also fishoil.

Wow, never heard of that. So sorry you had to go through that 

What is the best way to keep them from getting leggy?

Grandmas, gotta love em... :/



ivie, what crafts do you do?  scrap booking and card making?

can he pick up food with his beak?  also, check his crop at night to make sure it is full or at least has alot of food in it to make sure he is getting enough, otherwise you may have to make him some mash.

Hope you take care of the weasel problem before he does any damage... no good! 

You need plenty of light to prevent legginess. The best way, if you are growing under lamps, is to keep the plants with in several inches of the lights so they don't have to reach for the light

 

[I Love Layers]

Would you like two pregnant cats? 

Probably not

I live in the SW part if ND

 

[ejb3810]

Jerry, I have been tempted to use the grow bags for nursery stock but have not tried them yet. I have hundreds of plant pots which I can recycle at no cost other than to clean and disinfect, but there are advantages with the bags. Where did you buy yours from?

Well it is official, winter is back. We got about 3 inches over night and temp is 18 degrees at 8:00. the next several days are forecast to be below normal temps as well, and normal this time of year is not that great.

I need a barn cat to take care of rodents, weasels and rabbits, but hard to find one that does not hunt birds.

Ralphie, it will help to defray expenses with selling the EE chicks, and it legitimizes hatching some more. You could likely develop a good market for those EE chicks as people want those colored eggs. The same goes for the dark brown laying breeds. I hope the weather in the Banana Belt is better than mine or you won't get done what you want very quickly.

 

[Cebarmlds]

Good morning folks, yucky snow here about an inch and it's windy.

 

[duluthralphie]

Jerry, I have been tempted to use the grow bags for nursery stock but have not tried them yet. I have hundreds of plant pots which I can recycle at no cost other than to clean and disinfect, but there are advantages with the bags. Where did you buy yours from?

Well it is official, winter is back. We got about 3 inches over night and temp is 18 degrees at 8:00. the next several days are forecast to be below normal temps as well, and normal this time of year is not that great.

I need a barn cat to take care of rodents, weasels and rabbits, but hard to find one that does not hunt birds.

Ralphie, it will help to defray expenses with selling the EE chicks, and it legitimizes hatching some more. You could likely develop a good market for those EE chicks as people want those colored eggs. The same goes for the dark brown laying breeds. I hope the weather in the Banana Belt is better than mine or you won't get done what you want very quickly.

I am seriously think of getting some of those growing bags, I have never heard of them before. I have a couple of those kiddie pools around here. I did not really understand what the air on the roots does. I would think it would make a root ball in and make the plant root bound. Obviously I am wrong. It just defies what I was taught as a kid, and keep with me as the "proper" way to grow plants.

If I planted tomatoes in them, how would I stop them from lodging. We have enough trouble with that when they are rooted in terra firma.

Judy and I sat up late and binge watched "shameless" last night, so I have not been outside yet. It does appear the Banana Belt is going full force today. The Cottonwood trees are in bloom. There is so much of that white fluffy stuff they drop on the ground! I am thinking it is pushing an inch or so. Matter of fact the county sent plow trucks out to get the fuzz off the road in front of my place. I would assume it lowers the coefficient off friction to the point braking action is dangerous. The wind is really blowing today. I think the honey jars blew right over us an is headed to Jerry, Could someone up there send another balloon, please?


Also while watching TV, the spoiled little chick went into the crying fit again. You would think it is being murdered. Judy finally said, " could you pick up that bird soI can hear the show"....

As soon as I picked it up it snuggled down into me and sat an "cooed". I think she is going to spoil that one. I tried to get her to pull a Coffee and breast feed it, but she refused, I cannot tell you what she actually said, as I would be back on probation again. I did warn the little chick that it would be living in a stock tank next week and no one would hear the crying.

I think I might have goofed last night also, When I gave the woman that took all the EE chicks I think I might have given her one of the rose comb BA's I am trying to develop. I had them in a pen with the EE's and I had a Blackish EE. I still have it this morning. Now I have to contact her and apologize.




EJB I hope to have a line of Dark brown eggs next year. I have big plans to set up a small hatchery here. I am even going to try and build a cabinet hatcher and get a website to try and sell more chicks. I just wonder how many would really buy them, do to the problems we have shipping them this time of year. the other thing I really like trying to make these other "breeds" (I know they are not real breeds) . But how many people would want a rose or pea combed BA?

I wish I had Jerry's ability and knowledge on breeding chickens. I really enjoy the crosses. I have gotten nothing but compliments from those that have bought and have seen all my breeding coops and pens, so I must be doing that part right.

 

[duluthralphie]

Good morning folks, yucky snow here about an inch and it's windy.

Windy as all get out, no snow here, just a bunch of Cottonwood fuzz...

 

[I Love Layers]

Good morning folks, yucky snow here about an inch and it's windy.

It's 45F and 7:45am in SW North Dakota