The Front Porch Swing

[Blooie]

From Chicken Lady on another thread. Been asked to pass it on to get as many votes as possible.

Small town problems!! Our local newspaper is running a contest to feature one school's prom with an article and photos in the paper.

The students at the school where I teach would LOVE to have their prom featured in the newspaper, but we are a small school and of course we don't have the manpower that the bigger schools have. We are currently in third place I believe, and this is with a LOT of effort. Our biggest rivals are winning and it's killing them.

Maybe you're from a small town or a small school and totally understand what it's like. I figured I would call in a little BYC power to help out my students.

If you wouldn't mind going to this site and voting for Godfrey-Lee High School, I would totally appreciate it! Voting will last until Thursday, April 23, at noon EST. You can vote once per hour (this teacher may be guilty of voting so much that she got temporarily blocked from voting...um...yeah...the things I do for my kids!).

Here's the link! You don't need to register. Just vote and submit. Thank you in advance!

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2015/04/vote_now_for_grand_rapids_pres.html#incart_river

 

[vehve]

Hmm, smart marketing, or cheating? Anyway, I voted.

 

[Blooie]

Been a long time since I posted here about the progress Kendra has been making. Today was huge!

 

[Greyfeathers]

Hey, we're in NW Tennessee, close to Paris Landing State Park. Been a LONG LONG time since I've posted, although I've been in and out reading other's postings. I'm ready to get a couple or few hens as companions and egg laying doesn't matter to me or us. I've had chickens before but they weren't companions although some were friendly. I've read and reread and rereread about Silkies and Cochins and what are usually the best pet type chickens. I'm concerned here with all the rain we get or have gotten at this time of year. I've got a chicken house set up for them, but I usually slip them in the house now and then and always would allow them on the decks with us and actually prefer them to hunt me down for lov'n and snacks. Unfortunately, I've been very ill and have had to have transfusions. Docs still don't know where i'm losing blood or even where it's going and have done a few tests but now have to see cardio since my heart still isn't "acting" like it should. Over the last months, I've learned enough to tell if I'm losing too much at once since my blood pressure will take a steep dive while I'm active, then go back to being overly high if I'm sitting or laying down. It's when it does't recover over a day or two that I have to make a run to the ER. Well, enough of that. I'm pretty upset at hubby since he's stalled on my chick hunt. Now, I don't think I can find the "pet" chicks I'm looking for. I've raised enough birds and rehabbed enough wildlife to find that a lot of times, it's not the type, but the amount of interaction that matters. However, I made a goof with two kinds thinking that and ended up with my hubby being henpecked ( Literally), and both of use being flogged and pecked till we bled. LOL Even our german shepherd kept out of site of those two. I've been looking through the internet to see who may have that special couple or few chicks that fit the bill so to speak, but see that most farm stores haven't a clue as to what kind they have. I'm really wanting hens. I don't mind the size, although hubby thought the cochins where huge compared to his RIR's he knew as a kid. Does he remember that far back? Had to be 65 years or so for him. And what does it matter to him the size? Heck if I know. He's trying to make me promise not to let them run in the house..oh sure..like THAT's gonna happen. I handraised some Bobwhite Quail chicks that were left behind in a dump nest when the first eggs hatched a few days before these did. Poor things. Kept one as a pet..turned out to be a hen. Her name was Que pie. She traveled the states with us and everyone we met had to have a photo taken with her. She LOVED to be picked up and scritched. She always let me know of danger or if she were happy. Loved for me to dig through the garden where she gobbled whatever bug appeared. She knew the refrige where she paced back and forth for a strip of cheese that she'd gobble up like a worm. Always make the cooing sounds for more. Bed time, she'd pace back and forth in front of the TV until I'd walk to the BR with her where she'd hop on the bed and up to a dresser where she had a "nest" made of towels. She'd wake in the morning, hop on the bed and talk to us. She loved to take naps with us, lay on top of one of us. While we watched TV, if she wasn't on a lap, she'd nestle a foot and would be all comfy while you wanted ever so much to move that foot but didn't dare for waking little Que Pie. She lived till she was 16 years old and we've a ton of stories of her and her travelling adventures. We've never had another hen like her and don't expect the next to be like her. I just want one or two to be happy and want the cuddling and attention. But where the heck am I going to find one now, when most places don't have hens of any kind until mid May. Can you tell I'm patient? NOT!. Looked at the ads in Murray, KY, Paris, TN and Clarksville...but so far, either they don't know what they have, or don't have what I'm looking for. :/

 

[perchie.girl]

guys I am slipping into a fugue.... so have to back off posting for a while... Its like my nerves are completely exposed every little thing sets me off....

so going digest for a while not away.

deb

 

[Blooie]

guys I am slipping into a fugue.... so have to back off posting for a while... Its like my nerves are completely exposed every little thing sets me off....

so going digest for a while not away.

deb

You do what you have to do...we'll be here when you're ready!

 

[Alice28]

Been a long time since I posted here about the progress Kendra has been making. Today was huge!

Wow! Amazing! That is so wonderful. And the basket on her walker would be perfect for holding chicken food

! She will be going out to feed the chickens by herself any day now. Thanks for posting

 

[Alice28]

guys I am slipping into a fugue....  so have to back off posting for a while...  Its like my nerves are completely exposed every little thing sets me off....

so going digest for a while not away.

deb

X2 on what Blooie said. I'll keep you in my thoughts.

 

[wyoDreamer]

@Blooie Hurray for Kendra!

She is standing and moving pretty good with that walker. Are those the flexible braces that help keep her feet straight for her?

@perchie.girl take care of You! we will hear from you when things right.

@Greyfeathers I am no help in your quest as I have no chickens yet, but I hope you find the chickies you are looking for. I love the story about Que Pie, it sounds like a candidate for a children's travel series. "Travels with Que Pie"
What is your climate like? I will probably get blasted for this but my understanding is that Silkies are a warm climate bird. They don't handle cold weather too well since their feathers are not very insulating. Just an excuse to bring them in the house, right? Are you looking for bantams or standard size birds?

 

[Blooie]

Godfrey WON! Thanks, everybody!

@wyoDreamer Yep, those are the braces, and they do an amazing job. We noticed yesterday that we were going to have to adjust the left one a bit more now - it's pulling her foot inward but nowhere near as bad as it did before. Without these braces her legs cross inward so badly that she literally trips over them. So we are really pleased. These will never "correct" her feet, though. They explained that it's as if you decided you need to lose weight. A belt around your waist isn't going to help you lose weight, but it will keep your pants up while you do. So braces are as permanent a part of her life as her walker, her wheelchair, and her catheters. We are so doggone proud of her progress! And her getting into the car seat will be a real back-saver for us. It's hard to lift her up that high and twist at the same time. That's how I hosed a lower vertebrae in my back a few months ago.

We looked into vehicles with wheelchair lift systems. A new one can be $52,000.00 all the way up. Converting our present vans isn't possible - not all vans are able to handle the conversion and of course the kids and Ken and I own the "unconvertable" ones. There are only a few that can, so we'd have to buy different vans and then have the system installed for 15 - 20 thousand. So that's out. The best alternative is to have her able to get up there herself. As her scoliosis worsens and/or her back starts to tether, that won't be as easy for her as it is now. Seems so unfair that as soon as you attach a "special needs" label to a product the costs go up so high, especially since kids with disabilities are born into families who aren't as well off, not just into those who can afford it. But we wouldn't trade our Kendra for anything...she's so worth it all! I even thought about starting up a GoFundMe account to get at least one van for the kids since they need it more than Ken and I do, but we'd need so much doggone money it that it isn't fair to those who might donate and have us still end up with nowhere near enough. <sigh> Our state also has a "waiver" program that "helps" with things like that - ramps, lifts, etc. - but there are two waiting lists. The kids were on the waiting list to get on the waiting list for the last 2 years, and have finally moved up to the waiting list.

So now you know why the simple act of getting out to the car and into the car seat was such a triumph for all of us.

@Greyfeathers I'm afraid I can't help you in your search much either. What I know about house chickens could fit in a thimble! But Que pie left a might big pair of claws to try to fill, didn't she?