Surviving Minnesota!

[holm25]

I have sand in two of my coops, I like it better than wood chips as long as the sand is forever deep.

I seldom have to clean those coops, the water is wicked away, and the solids just disappear...I suppose break down into the sand..

If you have sand try to feed them outside, feed droppings can screw up the sands magical properties.

We don't have sand here. On the farm we have REALLY rocky gravel but that's it.

I might just do some experimenting and see what works good. My only issue with the chips is that the birds love to scratch and pick but there is nothing for them to pick in the brooder as they waist no food during their feedings.

 

[BantyChooks]

removing the ducks would 90% the time...

Ah, but I'd be 100% sadder... Dux make me smile.

Unfortunately, their innocence clashes with your soul, so you hate them. Poor guy.

 

[duluthralphie]

Ah, but I'd be 100% sadder... Dux make me smile.

Unfortunately, their soul clashes with your innocence, so you hate them. Poor guy.

I fixed your post.

 

[holm25]

I wonder if leaves would work?

 

[BantyChooks]

I fixed your post.

You broke it, silly. Not fixed it.

 

[duluthralphie]

I wonder if leaves would work?

I think they would hold the moisture instead of dump it like the sand does.

 

[I Love Layers]

Gave away a Leghorn×Chantecler rooster today and sold 4 Ee hens along with a rooster. Sadly my Bielfelder rooster died, he was old and had a murmur. So now I'm on the search for another. Ive been trying to work with the cochins daily now. They're all making good progress especially the blue pullet and black cockerel

 

[duluthralphie]

We don't have sand here. On the farm we have REALLY rocky gravel but that's it.

I might just do some experimenting and see what works good. My only issue with the chips is that the birds love to scratch and pick but there is nothing for them to pick in the brooder as they waist no food during their feedings.

Bring me down a load of rocks and I will trade you sand for it... LOTS of sand.

I had a person here the other day asking if we hauled all the sand in and why...DUH

 

[jerryse]

Morning . Sun is supposed to return this afternoon . I am ready for it . This taking it easy is boring . Knee is improving . Got a broody who hatched 9 of 9 . Bantam . Her own eggs . Tomato plants doing ok . I need to plant some seeds . Beans and squash .

 

[Siggie]

good morning all. I think I broke my Cochin of being broody (the one that bit me) I warned her that if she kept playing musical nest boxes, I was going to dump her eggs because they would be no good. Well yesterday when I came home from work, she was on another nest AGAIN. I picked up her eggs and they were cold but I gave them back. I went in last night to close them up and she was yet again, in another nest! And there they eggs lay in the previous nest, ice cold. I took them and threw them away. This morning she was out and about with the rest of the flock so I think she decided she likes it better outside and not sitting on some dumb old eggs for forever! I think part of the problem is that she is at the bottom of the pecking order and is getting pushed from her nest all the time, poor thing....

The Wyandotte however has not moved an inch...I am worried that she isn't even getting up to eat or drink? I put some seed down for her and I am going to put a water dish near her for now. She is acting like her eggs are about ready to hatch but I know for a fact she has only been sitting for about 5 days. She is surrounded in feathers she has plucked and she is hunkered down! I have no idea how many eggs she is sitting on (mostly because I am a wimp and don't want to get bit again!)

Well yesterday I planted more of my herb seedlings outside and yes, you guessed it...it got down to 28 degrees overnight...but they are tough little buggers and didn't even wilt! Only the strong survive up here