The Old Folks Home

[dsqard]

Ron your source seems to agree with what my doctor told me. I asked about the shingles vaccine when I went in for my physical. I know my dad had them and was in extreme pain. I don't want to go through that and since I had the chicken pox as a teen, I figured I would ask. I have a few years before getting the vaccine. Hopefully it will be less expensive by then. Not sure if all insurances cover the vaccine and it is very expensive.

 

[pickitfarm]

I found this:

Thanks Ron. So I have a little over 10 years to go for the vaccination. Isn't it true that if you had chicken pox you are more susceptible to getting shingles?

 

[ronott1]

Ron your source seems to agree with what my doctor told me. I asked about the shingles vaccine when I went in for my physical. I know my dad had them and was in extreme pain. I don't want to go through that and since I had the chicken pox as a teen, I figured I would ask. I have a few years before getting the vaccine. Hopefully it will be less expensive by then. Not sure if all insurances cover the vaccine and it is very expensive.

I have "several" years to go too....Well a bit more than 5.

 

[ronott1]

Thanks Ron. So I have a little over 10 years to go for the vaccination. Isn't it true that if you had chicken pox you are more susceptible to getting shingles?

Yes, but it seems to be age related.

Chicken Pox is a Herpes type of virus. I think they call them retrograde? They stay dormant in your body and can become active later. This one starts as chicken pox and then later comes back to life as Shingles.

You have to have had chicken pox to have Shingles. You can get chicken pox as an adult though too if you did not have them as a child.

 

[pickitfarm]

Yes, but it seems to be age related.

Chicken Pox is a Herpes type of virus. I think they call them retrograde? They stay dormant in your body and can become active later. This one starts as chicken pox and then later comes back to life as Shingles.

You have to have had chicken pox to have Shingles. You can get chicken pox as an adult though too if you did not have them as a child.

I had them when I was in elementary school, during the summer to be exact....not a fun way to spend school break. All of my siblings got them one right after the other. My case was not as bad as my one sister. She was the first to get them. So looks like a I will be putting that on list of things to do at 60.

 

[chickadoodles]

I found this:

Quote:


Last year when I got the flu I had a few blisters starting on my back where I was starting to get shingles, and my doctor gave me some tamaflu. I took it for the flu but it also got rid of the shingles overnight. I guess because it is an antiviral.

 

[Cynthia12]

Someone asked what the tubes were made out of in that little honey bee house..so I asked..here is the answer he gave me.

Cynthia...The little tubes are made from the reeds that are down around the lake. Not the native reeds but those really tall ones that have become a problem. I used the bottom feet of the reed because it is thicker and bigger round. They are jointed so they work out really good. I used different lengths of 3-6 inches. If the bees nest in them then i can see what length they prefer and make all of them that length next spring. You can actually buy man made ones on line that you can reused but i figure why waist money when the reeds are free.

 

[tcmstalcup]

Good news, today is the first day I have not come home to a dead chick.....my job is an hour away and I fret the whole way after having the first death on Tuesday. The brooder is in a tiny bathroom sitting in the bath tub. I have the heat lamp about 3ft above the brooder box. The one I did not expect to make it, is closer because I have been wetting it to de-mat it. I am letting it go now because it seems to be getting a lot out itself. It keeps scratching its head and I think that is because of the matting. I want to put it in the box with the others but am afraid they will pick on it, though when I put other chicks with him/her, it pecks them really hard. I have turned the heat lamp off for awhile because I noted they were really warm when I picked the chicks up for butt inspection. . Do you think I should turn on the bathroom exhaust fan? Any other suggestions...Please?

It is considered anecdotal but works for me. Put natural apple cider vinegar in the water. One hatch I decided it wasn't doing anything and quit and had major problems. Added back and babies cleared up fine. It certainly doesn't hurt anything

 

[pickitfarm]

We do put ACV in our adult flocks water. It is okay to put it in chicks water?

 

[tnspursfan09]

I have had one of those weeks that just make me want to cuddle up with a good bottle of bourbon and let the world melt away. With my luck, though, I'd probably trip over a chicken and break my silly neck.

oO(sigh)

Cricket and Dobby (formerly Dottie) have gone from being besties to being mortal enemies who try to kill each other every chance they get. I've been doing my best to keep them apart, but I can't keep them seperated forever. It's made my decision on which of my four roosters to keep a lot more difficult. I wanted to keep Dobby and Cricket, I love my little bantam menace and DD throws a fit every time I mention getting rid of Dobby. I love him, too...we hand raised him...but what she thinks is cute, like him dancing at her, is him trying to dominate her, which is not a good thing. He's going to be huge. He's already taller at almost 6 months than his father, Diego, and has that LH attitude. If I just keep Cricket DH is afraid he wil be useless when it comes to protecting the girls from predators...he's so tiny. Diego it a great protector, gets along with all the roosters unless they try to undermine his authority...then he wil put them it their place...but he's never violent about it. Unfortunately DD and DH are afraid of him. He was quite a handful when puberty hit, but has mellowed out and is a wonderful rooster...but he's not all cuddly and sweet. He's the boss man...and knows it.
Maybe Dobby will calm down once his hormones calm down. I just don't think that I can keep them out of each other's way till then. Right now I've been putting Cricket to bed in the little coop and having them take turns ranging with the flock. One day I'll let Cricket out and the next, Dobby. If I get rid of My two older roosters and keep these two will they calm down with less compitition? Or will it get worse? I wish I knew.
Yesterday we had our first bbq of the year. DD found my DS's old girlfriend on FB and invited her so I got to visit all day with my grandson, Draven, who I hadn't seen since he was six months old. He's the same age as Maddy. That was the high point of my week, watching them run around all day. Draven loved the chickens. Maddy had a ball showing him her room and all her toys. Both became buddies almost immediately. When it was time for them to leave they were both crying. Draven wanted to spend the night, but his mom decided against it since he didn't have any extra clothes here, but she did promise that I could see him whenever I wanted.

She agreed to let him stay here Easter weekend so that he could watch the chicks hatch from the Easter hatch-a-long. Yippee!!!
DH bought a new above ground pool so he dismantled our old one, which was damaged when a tree DH cut down this winter fell the wrong way. I plan on using it as a liner for the creek bed that is running through my garden, it will connect the two little ponds and give more room to the goldfish and frogs that live there. The chickens and I spent most of the week digging the creek deeper and wider and moving plants and rocks around. They feasted on all the creepies and crawlies that we unearthed. The below zero temps that we had this winter killed my lavender and rosemary. Almost killed off the oregano, as well...but it seems to be making a comeback.
DH and DD are also almost finished building the outside brooder/growout area.

But they hit a snag yesterday when they called me over to inspect it and I noticed that there was no door to the run. Door?

We forgot all about putting in a door. They are at Lowes right now, buying more wood. Hopefully I will have a door by the end of the day and can move the babies from the livingroom to their new home outside.
The dogs are barking, so they must be pulling up now. I'll try to get pictures of the new brooder (and door)this evening.

I hope all my TOFH friends have a good weekend. Oh...and a big WELCOME! to all our new members.

sandi