The Old Folks Home

[drumstick diva]

Micro did I read some time back that the dogs are gone? Did something happen to them?Was escape artist Varn a bad influence on them?

 

[pennyJo1960]

I am true believer that part of what is happening in natural changes but not concieted enough to know part a very high portion is from us ad if changes are not made

 

[ronott1]

We have had weird winters here since we retired.

Okay, anybody have the answer to this question?

We all know that sunlight and the lengthening of the days is what causes hens to commence laying in the spring and stop laying after they molt, Right? So we are approaching the shortest daylight hours of the year shortly. So why are my hens starting to lay? I mean I'm not complaining. They aren't laying like gangbusters but I got three eggs last week from my Amerauracana and today I got a brown egg from one of my barnyard crosses and two eggs from bantam hens that have just reached POL.

Is the warm weather messing with them? Should I just enjoy their gift eggs and not look too closely at the cause of this early laying pattern? I've never had the girls do this before. They always usually start laying by mid February once the days get longer.

If they are pullets and winter laying breeds, they will still lay some eggs in the winter.

Barred rocks are winter layers

 

[microchick]

lucky you! I don't think it constitutes an answer, but I just observe that the weather/seasons have been so out of whack this year that a lot of natural processes are out of synch. So I have primroses, a clematis and a camelia in flower, the grass is still growing, and somebody laid an egg in the border last week - there may be more scattered around but that one was visible from the lawn.

Agreed, the weather is weird this year. We usually don't have almost 70 degree days in the middle of December here.

Micro did I read some time back that the dogs are gone? Did something happen to them?Was escape artist Varn a bad influence on them?

What?! Goodness no, all 5+2 are still here. In fact, Varn was out for a walk today with Spot and after remembering his manners did great walking on lead. Those pups are almost 2 years old now. He and Rocki are low dogs on the totem pole so they tend to get preferential treatment but all 5 are doing great, healthy, filling out and learning like sponges soak up water. We got Diesel a 'babble ball' and he's a riot carrying it around in his mouth while it 'ad libs' away. So funny to hear 'I'm a good dog' 'ooooo you got me!' and 'you're killin me!' coming out of his mouth only it is coming from the ball.

Sidney is the alpha female with the other 4 and even corrects Ben who is a legend/alpha male in his own mind. Such an idiot dog. Seriously a klutz, he will stumble over his own feet and roll over in your lap and fall on the floor only to bounce back up and do it all over again.

Diesel has come a long way and even when the vet saw him sitting like a little angel beside DH in our car when he went to the vets for his annual vaccines he commented that 'whow! He's finally coming along for you guys!' He hasn't thrown a temper tantrum in ages and I hope that the obedience training is what brought him around.

Sidney, is just an angel by nature. In fact her nickname is Angel Face. When I called her a 'good dog' and told the Amish breeder (who had called her mean at 3 weeks of age) that she wasn't mean, she was just the boss dog and an angel. I had picked her up and looked her in the eyes. Didn't see mean there, saw sweetness and I was right. She is just a doll.

Your god dog is also a sweetie. Fast, smart, powerful and very loving. He sits on DH's lap in the evening and when DH takes him by the front paws and tells him to dance with him, he lets DH weave him back and forth while sitting in his lap and Varn has this big happy smile on his face. I worry more about Varn than any of the others. He and Rocki are low dogs in the pack ranking and get picked on a lot so we give them extra attention and try to give them some 'breaks' from the other dogs. Rocki is natured just like Varn only a bit possessive. Since we have been religious about working with them they have all settled down. We love them and they have their furever home with us.

PS...they still hate cats.

I am true believer that part of what is happening in natural changes but not concieted enough to know part a very high portion is from us ad if changes are not made

Yep, our shirt tails are not clean, Penny but until we stop depending on China for a large amount of what we buy on a daily basis, it isn't going to change. They don't worry about air quality there. I mean can you imagine living there and breathing this every day?

Pictures of air pollution in China. I find it frightening that any country would put the welfare and safety of it's citizens and the quality of the air they breathe secondary to manufacturing.

I also can't believe that some of what they are breathing isn't responsible for what is happening to mother earth.

 

[microchick]

If they are pullets and winter laying breeds, they will still lay some eggs in the winter.

Barred rocks are winter layers

Nope. Two are pullets but they just reached POL this week and started laying even though it's winter temps here. Surprising but not unheard of. The other two are 2 years old and not winter laying breeds. One is Ameraucana the other is a barn yard cross. I have two like this. They resemble Golden Comets but are smaller and more smooth feathered.

 

[Perris]

his annual vaccines

what is this all about? Years ago dogs had shots as puppies, and that was it; they were not give boosters every year or two. Then a few years back they started getting called in for boosters, and it used to cost about £30, then £40, you know where this is going. I am suspicious that corporate profits are driving this rather than animal welfare. Anybody know better/different?

 

[microchick]

Our vets here give the regular puppy shots and then their first rabies shot is a one year shot. When they are one year old they get a three year shot and then once a year boosters on their distemper and lepto shots. I'll probably give ours their boosters starting this year for the two oldest and next year for the 5 cattle dogs for distemper/parvo and leptospirosis. Our dogs all drink out of whatever water source they are near so I insist on the lepto vaccine even with the risk. I had a GSGD get lepto after drinking out of a mud puddle that evidently squirrels were peeing in as they jumped from tree to tree.

What I have read is that the Rabies and other booster vaccines last longer than what the vets want you to think they do. It makes for interesting reading on the internet.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Our vets here give the regular puppy shots and then their first rabies shot is a one year shot. When they are one year old they get a three year shot and then once a year boosters on their distemper and lepto shots. I'll probably give ours their boosters starting this year for the two oldest and next year for the 5 cattle dogs for distemper/parvo and leptospirosis. Our dogs all drink out of whatever water source they are near so I insist on the lepto vaccine even with the risk. I had a GSGD get lepto after drinking out of a mud puddle that evidently squirrels were peeing in as they jumped from tree to tree.

What I have read is that the Rabies and other booster vaccines last longer than what the vets want you to think they do. It makes for interesting reading on the internet.

They definitely do cause some of them can even be lifetime immunity or at least a lot longer. There are some that advocate for minimal vaccination or even no vaccines (after the initial ones of course) because they just titer test every year and only vaccinate when needed. Usually it is not needed as they are, indeed, still immune! But the titer tests aren’t as common and might be more expensive. But some feel it’s worth their health. Idk. Ours have always been healthy even with full vaccines. and also rabies I think might be harder to get the titer test for cause I think you have to have it approved by a veterinarian or something whereas the other ones you can just do it if you want.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Agreed, the weather is weird this year. We usually don't have almost 70 degree days in the middle of December here.


What?! Goodness no, all 5+2 are still here. In fact, Varn was out for a walk today with Spot and after remembering his manners did great walking on lead. Those pups are almost 2 years old now. He and Rocki are low dogs on the totem pole so they tend to get preferential treatment but all 5 are doing great, healthy, filling out and learning like sponges soak up water. We got Diesel a 'babble ball' and he's a riot carrying it around in his mouth while it 'ad libs' away. So funny to hear 'I'm a good dog' 'ooooo you got me!' and 'you're killin me!' coming out of his mouth only it is coming from the ball.

Sidney is the alpha female with the other 4 and even corrects Ben who is a legend/alpha male in his own mind. Such an idiot dog. Seriously a klutz, he will stumble over his own feet and roll over in your lap and fall on the floor only to bounce back up and do it all over again.

Diesel has come a long way and even when the vet saw him sitting like a little angel beside DH in our car when he went to the vets for his annual vaccines he commented that 'whow! He's finally coming along for you guys!' He hasn't thrown a temper tantrum in ages and I hope that the obedience training is what brought him around.

Sidney, is just an angel by nature. In fact her nickname is Angel Face. When I called her a 'good dog' and told the Amish breeder (who had called her mean at 3 weeks of age) that she wasn't mean, she was just the boss dog and an angel. I had picked her up and looked her in the eyes. Didn't see mean there, saw sweetness and I was right. She is just a doll.

Your god dog is also a sweetie. Fast, smart, powerful and very loving. He sits on DH's lap in the evening and when DH takes him by the front paws and tells him to dance with him, he lets DH weave him back and forth while sitting in his lap and Varn has this big happy smile on his face. I worry more about Varn than any of the others. He and Rocki are low dogs in the pack ranking and get picked on a lot so we give them extra attention and try to give them some 'breaks' from the other dogs. Rocki is natured just like Varn only a bit possessive. Since we have been religious about working with them they have all settled down. We love them and they have their furever home with us.

PS...they still hate cats.


Yep, our shirt tails are not clean, Penny but until we stop depending on China for a large amount of what we buy on a daily basis, it isn't going to change. They don't worry about air quality there. I mean can you imagine living there and breathing this every day?

View attachment 2450815
View attachment 2450817
Pictures of air pollution in China. I find it frightening that any country would put the welfare and safety of it's citizens and the quality of the air they breathe secondary to manufacturing.

I also can't believe that some of what they are breathing isn't responsible for what is happening to mother earth.

But think we have a president coming in that will make a impact getting that in line as he is beleiver in climate change will eventually kill the humans around the world

 

[Perris]

As a rule I prefer to treat when necessary, rather than prophylactically. So combination shots - which quite a lot seem to be now - are out for me.