Surviving Minnesota!

[duluthralphie]

Ralphie!!

And here I was thinking you went on a trip and caught lobsters. You fibber, you.
I thought something was fishy when he said "wormy"...

No, I was nowhere near the MN forum when it happened.

I never fibbed. We went lobster hunting. Not my fault your so poorly informed on the happenings here.

 

[jerryse]

Good Morning Chickeners . . . . Banty - they went mushrooming.

Maybe you weren't on this forum when that happened last year . . . . Yes s s s s I miss BC also. Duluth and then nothing! She could have fallen down the hill. I hope not. Missing BogTown Chick here! Anyone seen her around? Did she leave us and start another forum? She began this one.

I saw here listed as currently viewing earlier . Probably catching up . Maybe she will post later .

 

[BantyChooks]

I never fibbed. We went lobster hunting. Not my fault your so poorly informed on the happenings here.

Gimme an extra 12 hours in a day and I might be able to keep up here instead of doing the one, two, skip a few, 99, 100 method of posting...

 

[Siggie]

GOOD MORNING FELLOW CHICKENERS! I have MISSED you!!!!! Long story short, had some internet issues and then I just haven't been on the internet hardly at all for the past 2 months! It's a beautiful thing when one realizes that being glued to a computer screen all the time is not a priority anymore...must be the beautiful place I live in now! But I have missed you and there is just way too much to read through so I hope everyone is doing well....spring is finally here I think?

The snow has taken it's time melting so we still have 1/4 of the greenhouse roof to get on but that will be completed by the weekend and then I can start on the inside.

So....being a first time chicken owner, I am a little frazzled because I have TWO broody hens! The first hen is about 12 days into setting on the eggs but the second started about 3 days ago. I think they were getting frustrated with me because they would spend all day collecting 5 - 7 eggs in one nest box but then I would run in and snatch them out before they could sit on them. Of course at the time I had no idea what they were planning or why all of a sudden there were so many eggs in one nest box? (the hens usually spread them out between all six boxes and even a nest they built next to the boxes on the outside)

So then one day I notice my first Cochin sitting in the middle box and she won't move...? hmmm I say, the next day same thing. Then the third day I find her outside the box all spread out like a pancake almost looking like she might be sick? I touch her and she doesn't move (which is strange because my Cochins are flighty and don't like to be touched) I touch her again and she GROWLS at me! Have you ever heard a chicken growl? It's pretty cool

Well anyhow at this point now I am thinking she might be sick (because I am a dumb "first time" chicken owner) so I start to check her vent to see if it look icky....she GROWLS again! This goes on for a few minutes and then suddenly she gets up like I finally annoyed her enough to move....low and behold she is sitting on 5 eggs! She immediately situates herself back in the middle nesting box and proceeds to look at me like I just killed her favorite pet! I decide to try something and I place the 5 eggs in front of her and one at a time she gently rolls them back underneath her! How cool is that! (now remember this is all new to me)

Now she has been sitting on these 5 eggs for about 10 days and then one mid-morning I go out to feed them their afternoon scratch treat and she is out of the box all ruffled up and walking around like she is ready to fight and making some very strange noises! She is very agitated so I go inside and fine one of my Barred Rock hens laying on the nest! I immediately shoo her off and as I do this I see about 10 eggs now in the nest!!!! Oh boy.... my Cochin immediately comes running in and drops herself right back down on the eggs and I don't think she has moved since!
Now I do know that they all can't be viable because it seems when she comes out for a break other hens have been getting in there and laying in the nest. I have since tried to get her to move out of there for a minute so I can candle the eggs and remove the ones that are not viable but she now refuses to move! I don't want her to abandon the nest so I am leaving her there. I plan to spend the entire weekend just sitting out there waiting for her to come out for a break so I can get in there and candle them and remove the bad ones so she doesn't contaminate the nest.

Well now five days ago I had another Cochin sitting in one of the nests and when she got up she had 5 eggs under her. I quickly removed them but now she is in the other nesting box with eggs under her and she has decided I can't have her eggs anymore and now she is staying put! So things have been pretty exciting here these past few weeks.

I made the decision to not separate them from the flock, one because I don't have a place to keep them separated and two I don't want to try and integrate them all back in if any chicks should survive. I figure the farmers in the old days never worried about stuff like this... chickens have been doing this forever without our help and naturally since they are here, it appears they probably don't really need our help with separating and silly human stuff like that. They have a huge pasture to roam in and I have noticed that if I keep them locked in the coop/run area the two roosters fight but if they are out in the pasture free ranging, the two roosters work together to protect the flock so I think as the old saying goes "Location, Location, Location!" I am going to try this brooding thing the old fashion natural "chicken" way and see where it gets me. If it is a disaster, then next year I will have to figure a way to separate them. Wish me luck on that, please.

So....I think I made up for my being MIA for these past few months - in one post....!!

 

[Cebarmlds]

GOOD MORNING FELLOW CHICKENERS! I have MISSED you!!!!! Long story short, had some internet issues and then I just haven't been on the internet hardly at all for the past 2 months! It's a beautiful thing when one realizes that being glued to a computer screen all the time is not a priority anymore...must be the beautiful place I live in now! But I have missed you and there is just way too much to read through so I hope everyone is doing well....spring is finally here I think?

The snow has taken it's time melting so we still have 1/4 of the greenhouse roof to get on but that will be completed by the weekend and then I can start on the inside.

So....being a first time chicken owner, I am a little frazzled because I have TWO broody hens! The first hen is about 12 days into setting on the eggs but the second started about 3 days ago. I think they were getting frustrated with me because they would spend all day collecting 5 - 7 eggs in one nest box but then I would run in and snatch them out before they could sit on them. Of course at the time I had no idea what they were planning or why all of a sudden there were so many eggs in one nest box? (the hens usually spread them out between all six boxes and even a nest they built next to the boxes on the outside)

So then one day I notice my first Cochin sitting in the middle box and she won't move...? hmmm I say, the next day same thing. Then the third day I find her outside the box all spread out like a pancake almost looking like she might be sick? I touch her and she doesn't move (which is strange because my Cochins are flighty and don't like to be touched) I touch her again and she GROWLS at me! Have you ever heard a chicken growl? It's pretty cool

Well anyhow at this point now I am thinking she might be sick (because I am a dumb "first time" chicken owner) so I start to check her vent to see if it look icky....she GROWLS again! This goes on for a few minutes and then suddenly she gets up like I finally annoyed her enough to move....low and behold she is sitting on 5 eggs! She immediately situates herself back in the middle nesting box and proceeds to look at me like I just killed her favorite pet! I decide to try something and I place the 5 eggs in front of her and one at a time she gently rolls them back underneath her! How cool is that! (now remember this is all new to me)

Now she has been sitting on these 5 eggs for about 10 days and then one mid-morning I go out to feed them their afternoon scratch treat and she is out of the box all ruffled up and walking around like she is ready to fight and making some very strange noises! She is very agitated so I go inside and fine one of my Barred Rock hens laying on the nest! I immediately shoo her off and as I do this I see about 10 eggs now in the nest!!!! Oh boy.... my Cochin immediately comes running in and drops herself right back down on the eggs and I don't think she has moved since!
Now I do know that they all can't be viable because it seems when she comes out for a break other hens have been getting in there and laying in the nest. I have since tried to get her to move out of there for a minute so I can candle the eggs and remove the ones that are not viable but she now refuses to move! I don't want her to abandon the nest so I am leaving her there. I plan to spend the entire weekend just sitting out there waiting for her to come out for a break so I can get in there and candle them and remove the bad ones so she doesn't contaminate the nest.

Well now five days ago I had another Cochin sitting in one of the nests and when she got up she had 5 eggs under her. I quickly removed them but now she is in the other nesting box with eggs under her and she has decided I can't have her eggs anymore and now she is staying put! So things have been pretty exciting here these past few weeks.

I made the decision to not separate them from the flock, one because I don't have a place to keep them separated and two I don't want to try and integrate them all back in if any chicks should survive. I figure the farmers in the old days never worried about stuff like this... chickens have been doing this forever without our help and naturally since they are here, it appears they probably don't really need our help with separating and silly human stuff like that. They have a huge pasture to roam in and I have noticed that if I keep them locked in the coop/run area the two roosters fight but if they are out in the pasture free ranging, the two roosters work together to protect the flock so I think as the old saying goes "Location, Location, Location!" I am going to try this brooding thing the old fashion natural "chicken" way and see where it gets me. If it is a disaster, then next year I will have to figure a way to separate them. Wish me luck on that, please.

So....I think I made up for my being MIA for these past few months - in one post....!!

I love broodys. What you could do now is go mark the eggs so if another hen lays in the broodys box you can remove the new eggs because once they start hatching she will probably give up on the unhatched ones. Then in a week from now I'd candle.

And welcome back

 

[EMorical]

244+ posts & 2 cups of coffee later

Guess that's what happens after being busy for a week!!!!!

 

[lvie]

244+ posts & 2 cups of coffee later

Guess that's what happens after being busy for a week!!!!!

Too many posts to catch up on - thats what happens. Its been mostly jibber-jabber. Holm has had many, MANY new calves born! Ralphie has been working hard. Jerryse needs sunshine - NOW! BogTown Chick is MIA. Last we heard she was going to Duluth with the kids to play for the weekend and now we can't find her. Getting concerned. MoM lives north of Fosston - WAAAYYYYY up in the boonies. MNNice got a confession from her neighbors son (hes around 30-ish) that is was his dog and not an Eagle that got one of her birds - oh . . . . and he offered her free labor and $20 for the concrete driveway he says she needs. ILL is planning a big business adventure with some of her birds which some of her relatives may help her with and would be a ton of work. Kind of interesting to hear how Europe eats some of their poultry.

Anyone else have reviews.

This review is the view of one chickener and not intended to offend or condone or brag up any one chickener. IF, for some reason, you feel it is not complete feel free to add to it, change it, or write your own review.

 

[Momof3plustwins]

Too many posts to catch up on - thats what happens. Its been mostly jibber-jabber. Holm has had many, MANY new calves born! Ralphie has been working hard. Jerryse needs sunshine - NOW! BogTown Chick is MIA. Last we heard she was going to Duluth with the kids to play for the weekend and now we can't find her. Getting concerned. MoM lives north of Fosston - WAAAYYYYY up in the boonies.  MNNice got a confession from her neighbors son (hes around 30-ish) that is was his dog and not an Eagle that got one of her birds - oh . . . . and he offered her free labor and $20 for the concrete driveway he says she needs. ILL is planning a big business adventure with some of her birds which some of her relatives may help her with and would be a ton of work. Kind of interesting to hear how Europe eats some of their poultry.

Anyone else have reviews.

This review is the view of one chickener and not intended to offend or condone or brag up any one chickener. IF, for some reason, you feel it is not complete feel free to add to it, change it, or write your own review.

That is a pretty good summary review of the happenings. But you did forget that i hatched out 4 of Ralphie's Toads and 7 of his Dominique eggs! That is my most exciting news. But otherwise that is pretty much what has happened. Good job. I should have you write my chapter reviews for my Grad School class! It would be a great help!

 

[Bogtown Chick]

I'm Here, I'm Here....

Ed I survived your neck of the woods. We stayed at the Edgewater for one night. Waterpark and Did some shopping with the kids. Went to Old Chicago before the room was ready & Osakas for dinner. I want to tell you all this because Duluth gets a bad rap for it's bad weather-deservedly so- but the service in the restaurants in the stores in the mall, etc. Duluth is a NICE town. As a person who likes a smile with service it was noted everywhere in that town. People are nice there. I didn't remember that from my time there going to UMD. But as an adult who goes to Brainerd or St. Cloud shopping. I think I'll switch to Duluth. Just because of the nice factor.
DS and I also did a beach walk Friday Morning down at Park Point. DD likes her teenager sleep and doesn't know what she is missing. It was far from tropical that beach but there's something about the waves rolling in and walking on the sand talking with one of my teenagers makes it okay that I'm still bundled up in a parka. He skipped rocks ...love watching kids skip rocks and take in nature. It's little but for me I love the little precious things.






Saturday DS started his job at a resort. They are paying him well! I'm so excited for him and all he's going to learn. And he's happy he's earning bank! DD starts this weekend at the same resort. Hopefully I don't get called out there to break up a fight. But I am the proud Mom of workers. They are interested in it. They know where Money comes from outside of Mom and Dad. Yay.
DH, DS and I have colds again. It's so stupid. I'm sick of being sick this winter. Part of it is my nutrition and lack of exercise. This I know. My immune system is crap.

Chicken front: Junior has no snow to contend with and he is in full strut for Spring. He is a lovely boy who dances & dances and has his dance card full all day long. He hits the roost at 7ish and you can hear a pin drop in that coop as all the girls and him are zonked out before it's dark.

All that foraging and ...romancing. They sleep like the dead. Sylvia, my 5 year old Wyandotte is a bit on the outs from the rest of the flock. Junior has exiled her a bit. I don't like that...but it is of her own high hen making when she challenged him last summer for lead of the flock. She's too set in her ways to undo it either. I have two layers that like the laying box up on the front porch of the house. That makes egg collecting nice. But I like going down to the coop too and finding eggs. I do love my hobby. I'm selling two dozen eggs a week. One customer. My little mason jar has enough for two bags of feed now I suppose. LOL.

Smaller lakes are out as of yesterday. Big ones still with ice. It won't be long though. Pretty honeycombed out there. Early Early ice out season. I have not looked for Morels yet. My snow path still is mounded up clay. Some frost in the ground yet.

Holm I think you would make a fabulous vet. You have animal compassion ...and people compassion. I have had vets that didn't really talk to me that well. And I've got a vet who deals with humans very well. He understands I'm the one taking care of the animal. So as great as it is to work with just animals....you get the people that go with those animals too. And I'm sure there's alot of PITA stuff being a vet. Also you are too young to get married no matter what Memphis and Ralphie tell ya. LOL.

MoM those Toad Babies are Gorgeous and BIG! Such a cute picture with your daughter.
MNChickMom. I love those photos of a barn being taken care of. Love it! And the community of helpers there....Love it more...
Ralphie: I'm loving your ranging shed rooster stories and the woes of the ornery Pollack.
Ivie: We need photos of all your hard work and coopage.
Siggie! Welcome back. I would mark those broody eggs. Otherwise you have a hen setting and setting and setting waiting on half developed eggs. They are little stealers too. I had to laugh that you were checking vents to determine what the matter was!

Oh gosh you crack me up. Because that's what we do when something is wrong as chickeners...we check vents and poop. LOL. OMG I love it....

EM...hows that gorgeous old coop coming along?
Jerry: We need to get you up north. White Pine is waiting for you. I haven't checked out Kego...but I'm sure it's out.

Work has stepped up the pace. And the more posts you get out of the loop the harder it is to read it all and get a post in! LOL. Sheesh.

Blanch Ranch I'm glad you are back from lovely travels. It sounds wonderful. Congrats on new birdies.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

all true, she took us lobster hunting. I had never seen a lobster before. I only took one small one home. Next time I am going to hide as many as I can to sneak home. They were so good!

That was kind of my fault. I should have been thinking that you had not had them before Ralphie. Here I was kind of looking for Jerry because his eyes. And showing off to out of staters and such....well you know how it goes. I think we'll make sure Jerry doesn't take home all the goods next time.

He found a chanterelle on his own after all. We'll have to have a 2nd annual hunt this fall. And Fingers crossed more Lobsters to be found. I really want a hen though... Need to find one of those.