Surviving Minnesota!

[jerryse]

French FROG?

Yeah I saw it mentioned on another and had to check it out . Never did figure how it got the name . They seem to be from lots of places .

 

[Rhetts]

Has been raining here all day. I hear tell the roads are extremely bad. Rain supposed to switch over snow at some point. Temp according to weather.com is 35.

Do you Southern MN folks have any snow left?

 

[bantiesrule]

The only things in my chicken medicine chest is some sulmet (probably expired ) and a hatchet . I use the hatchet for most problems . Sometimes have blood stop powder on hand .

Does the blood stop work for you after using the hatchet? I, myself, have never had good luck with blood stop once the hatchet was employed. I've had zero survival rate.

NOW that I KNOW about adding new birds to an existing flock I would definitely separate any newbies by quite a few feet to make sure they are healthy when they are pullets. NOW that I KNOW about adding new birds to an existing flock I will build a smaller enclosure for the new chicks, to adjust to being outside, with a small coop to roost in but no egg nests as they are just not needed. This enclosure will butt up against the current run and is just for chicks; so that the existing flock can get used to them. There will be a way to let the chicks access the main run but not the existing flock to access the chick run. SO much that I wondered about or worried about last year - no big deal this year. That is the learning curve. Chickens are easy and EVERYONE should have at least two. The eggs are fantastic and they are so fun to watch for hours at a time.

I have never watched my eggs for hours at a time, so I went and tried it. Only took me 10 minutes to decide that watching eggs is kinda boring, but everyone has their own kind of entertainment. Now, my chickens, them I can watch for hours at a time.

 

[KlopKlop]

Does the blood stop work for you after using the hatchet? I, myself, have never had good luck with blood stop once the hatchet was employed. I've had zero survival rate.

I have never watched my eggs for hours at a time, so I went and tried it. Only took me 10 minutes to decide that watching eggs is kinda boring, but everyone has their own kind of entertainment. Now, my chickens, them I can watch for hours at a time.

Someone is feeling a little sassy today

 

[Cluckies]

 
The only things in my chicken medicine chest is some sulmet (probably expired ) and a hatchet . I use the hatchet for most problems . Sometimes have blood stop powder on hand .

Does the blood stop work for you after using the hatchet? I, myself, have never had good luck with blood stop once the hatchet was employed. I've had zero survival rate.

 
NOW that I KNOW about adding new birds to an existing flock I would definitely separate any newbies by quite a few feet to make sure they are healthy when they are pullets. NOW that I KNOW about adding new birds to an existing flock I will build a smaller enclosure for the new chicks, to adjust to being outside, with a small coop to roost in but no egg nests as they are just not needed. This enclosure will butt up against the current run and is just for chicks; so that the existing flock can get used to them. There will be a way to let the chicks access the main run but not the existing flock to access the chick run.  SO much that I wondered about or worried about last year - no big deal this year. That is the learning curve. Chickens are easy and EVERYONE should have at least two. [COLOR=FF0000]The eggs are fantastic and they are so fun to watch for hours at a time.[/COLOR]

I have never watched my eggs for hours at a time, so I went and tried it. Only took me 10 minutes to decide that watching eggs is kinda boring, but everyone has their own kind of entertainment. Now, my chickens, them I can watch for hours at a time.

hahaha!

We still have some snow here, it is working on getting gone with this rain today. Fingers crossed!

 

[jerryse]

Does the blood stop work for you after using the hatchet? I, myself, have never had good luck with blood stop once the hatchet was employed. I've had zero survival rate.

No I keep it on hand for bleeding emergencies . Also works when I trim a egg eaters beak . In case it bleeds too much .

 

[Cluckies]

Well I got home from my meeting in Elk River and fed the sick chickies. The one you brought me tonight Ralphie died in my hands. Boy is that a hard one. She drank some water and it formed a bubble on the side of what I think is the crop. So it wasn't swallowed correctly is what I am thinking. She kept drinking from the tube and I thought - she is really thirsty. So I probably over fed her. I feel like a killer. Terrible..

Sorry for your loss, we can only do our best with these babies.

 

[Cluckies]

Although research on this site says buy from a breeder for docile temperment...we may end up with hatchery for first group of chicks. I am "uber" interested in the first aid kit for poultry as my only experience with chickens is with meaty birds. As far as egg color is concerned.....as long as the yolk is yellow and egg is edible works for us.

How well do Barred Plymouth Rock and Buff Orpingtons get along? These are the top 2 choices from the kids for 4H? Any recommendations on docile rooster?

I have a Buff Orpington, she is a sweetheart to me, she gets along fine with my other girls (EE, GC, SLW) I'm sure they get along fine with barred rock as with any other hen. I just won't get one again cause of how bad I felt when she got frostbite that first year. Terrible. She came through it fine though, I just worried the whole winter is all, lol

Cluck-Cluck a couple of weeks ago with last years winter dubbed comb.

 

[lvie]

Quote: hahaha!

We still have some snow here, it is working on getting gone with this rain today. Fingers crossed!

WHO is watching eggs for hours at a time? Not me. Chickens - yes; eggs - no way. Don't even hatch eggs - just eat them.

CLUCKIES - we still have snow but it is quickly disappearing. Yea!

 

[lvie]

It hasn't even been a week and I am discouraged about SC. So I went online to look up all the Wry neck information again. It just seems that she has a deformed neck - then I read someone else's story about the same observation. She is getting feathers and hoping around and eats well from the dropper. I am becoming quite attached to SC. We spend alot of time together. I just want her to straighten out! NOW! Up to a month. I am marking the days. She will probably get fitted with diapers and sleep with me when this is all done. LOL. Not a chance in this lifetime will that happen. Anyways . . . . just sharing.