Surviving Minnesota!

[lvie]

Good Morning Chickeners . . . . I did see them using a broody to put chicks under on line on u-tube. Of Course I just assume (gullible) that it works - why wouldn't it. Not factoring in that there is a hen involved in the process.

Okay - I put Reggie back into the coop last night. He hasn't spent a day in that coop since Copper arrived. Understandable. I left him and came out 20 minutes later. (there was that voice again; the one that says go check the coop and there is a heat lamp on the floor and this one I put off for about five minutes while I did some dinner things and then I went out). I found poor Reggie in a corner of the not-covered run with his head caught in the wire. I am sure he would have struggled. (strangled) I remove him from the predicament and put him on the roost INside the nest box coop. At 12:30 I woke and haven't been able to sleep since.

I ordered that coop from Tractor Supply as I told you I had done. But I cannot wait a week to get that coop to separate them. Finally, about 3 a.m. (after washing all the floors on the main level of the house) I lay back down and did some relaxation breathing. OH! I have a coop. (Ralphie - have you been laughing at me.) The one the DNext-door neighbor made me. It is 4 x 8. It needs some fixing up but - then I started planning that when I can go out there this morning and do this and that and I am making lists. Then, for some reason, my brain has to begin listing who would be good in that coop with Copper.Ugh!!!

So I prepare what I can on that coop and do the necessary chores and catch Copper and put him in it. He was aggitated as he likes his current luxurious living conditions. He paced back and forth and then I add three hens and all seem content. Then I talked Reggie back into his coop and he visibly relaxed.

Then I call Tractor Supply (I ordered this about 7:00 or later last night) to cancel the order. They are in Tennessee. I check to see where it is in the shipping process and it is not suppose to arrive here until Friday the 24th. It has not shipped. Which I think is reasonable since I just ordered it. I understand how fast these orders get processed in these days of computers. TS can cancel it but they are going to keep the shipping charge (29.99 because they have a shipping special going on) My attitude was Nay, we have three days in the state of Minnesota to rescind on any purchase (I think -

) So they cancel the purchase order and fully intend to keep the shipping expense on an order that has not shipped and I lied. I said that the same coop is in stock (which I did check but to which I apologized as a stupid move on my part for not checking before placing the order [if you understand what I am by saying that]) and that I intended to go pick it up locally. Okay - a little different attitude from them. But they are still going to keep the shipping fee. I responded that I would not be very happy about that. They responded that maybe, just maybe, they could manage to give me a one-time refund on the shipping. (Thats good with me as I only paid it one time and like, TS - you are going to track me somehow to tell me if I order again that five years ago on March 16, 2017 I placed an order and cancelled it and you gave me a one-time refund so now I want to cancel this order - five years later - and TS cannot give me a shipping charge refund) Sorry guys but I NICELY said that there would be alot unhappy people who purchase chicken food at TS that might hear about this. WHAT A HASSLE. It won't happen again. Besides, I am getting too old to be doing this stuff - arguing about a stupid cancellation. I am just one little ole lady trying to live in a a young peoples world where there are no customer service skills and the customer is not right. As a matter of fact they are all dumb!

So GOOD MORNING!!!

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Thank you all for the compliments on Sylvia. I don't know why I like her so much. Perhaps because she has come so far with us and is the last of the originals and because she has character. She isn't worth a d*** if you look at production. But she's actually been helping the rooster out with bird of prey calls etc. So there's some value there right?
Plus she's got that sugary voice.
She came all the way around the house and was on the front porch with Lucy. Wyandottes! I suppose with the rain they will stay there and poop all day. I gave them some venison stew to eat just before their mid morning nap on my front porch door mat.

Ivie: What a hullabaloo. I ordered the wrong phone case for my son and cancelled it with Walmart within minutes. It didn't work. It was delivered and I lost out on the "over $50 & shipping is free" gig by adding the right case on a second order. ugh. I just decided it was pennance for fast fingers.

Mom of 3 + 2 ...aha...I see. Well whew there on that one. I hope that it is just sinus issues or something. Did they try antibiotic on you? or do you dare try a Nedi pot or whatever it is? Inner ear issues? That must be a pain to deal with those kind of symptoms.

Ralphie: I'm jealous you have a new computer. I should spill on my old one...

Jerry we had rain overnight and a skin of ice on my county road. Kids had no school today due to end of quarter. So glad they weren't on the roads. Although I think the main ones are okay. Lots of mud out there too. woof-tah.

 

[Momof3plustwins]

I love when Spring comes but I do HATE Spring also! I hate mud and Spring in fact creates mud.

On a funny side note, I have been letting our chickens out to free range for a couple weeks. Monday I saw a hen poking around in the dog house which is filled with straw. The dogs don't seem to use it at all. I checked and there were no eggs. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday were so busy I never even thought to look again. Went out a few minutes ago to check the wood stove and look for eggs. Saw a hen walking away from the dog house and a hen inside. Yep 9 eggs in there! I guess I will have to check there daily too until we get the portable fence netting up again. The ground has to thaw for that first though.

 

[MNChickMom]

I feel for you layers. I've been in bed for last 24 hours with influenza like symptoms.

 

[I Love Layers]

I feel for you layers. I've been in bed for last 24 hours with influenza like symptoms.

That sucks. We get vaccinated for influenza. When my oldest sister was little she got it And because they didn't get the shot it was over $1000 in appointments and shots for my parents and other sister, since mr and my younger sister weren't born yet. Hope you feel better...

 

[holm25]

Figured I would post some 2 week old pics! I think I have 3 EE Roos, 1 Dom roo and a Yokie roo. And then 2 EE pullets, 1 Polish pullet, 1 Spitz pullet and a yokie pullet. But I could be wrong with the spitz and Pollack.

 

[lvie]

To the person with a might be sinus,anyway dizziness, please, please, please drink some diluted lemonade. It neutralizes the PH in your body and may take care of the issue. May not but may. After that I, or alternating beverages, I would be drinking ACV and honey. Honey being the natural antibiotic and ACV is just good for everything. Up the Vitamin C to like 4,000 to 5,000 mg I am not a dr and am not trying to play dr. Just sayin that sometimes these things work. But do what you believe to be best in the whole ordeal. And the final comment (gotta always include this comment) Your gonna do what you want anyway.

Next, Holm - cute - cute - cute! I am living my Spring Chickie life this year through each of you. No, No, No - not getting any chickies.

Cold outside - especially with the wind. Not liking it but wth? Just about ready to warm up the sewing machine.
I know I had more to say - Oh! MnChickMom - hope you feel better soon. Same to you and drinking liquid while you are down and out. ACV helps us loose weight too! Just a little side note as I have been drinking alot of ACV lately

 

[MNMomma]

Got our 2 Orpington chicks yesterday. The Buckeyes are about a week out yet. Man, are they cute! I could just watch them all day. They seem to be acting normal, but one of them is making weird poops. It almost looks the food is not getting digested completely. I am reading all sorts of terrifying things that this could mean! Is there anything I can do to help ensure they don't die? The brooder is at 90° in the middle, with a little warmer spot under the light, and cooler by their food. They have been eating and drinking plenty and they look ok otherwise. I have them on non-medicated starter food, and plain water. Should I be adding anything else, or doing things differently?

The opinions seem to vary across the board.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Put a capful of Apple Cider Vinegar in their water with the "Mother" in it. That bacteria will normalize their gut and you'll see the poops the way they should be within a few days. Another thing is to be sure that brooder isn't too hot. It makes them drink more, creates stress = weird poop. I think you've got the jist of it by keeping just one side of the brooder cool and the other warm. You can also see by how the chicks lay. You might be able to bring up the lamp (cool it) if they are sleeping a ways away from eachother....or if you note the excessive drinking/runny poops continue.

Yay. You'll not regret getting chickens. What fun.

 

[MargaretAnneHK]

Love all of these pics and great info.