The Old Folks Home

[chickadoodles]

Dominant genes. I don't think of them as the only thing that gets passed on, rather, I think of them as something that trumps everything else. I wonder though. Remember the rhode island red bantams that got hatched out last October (I think it was). I think there were 6 or 7 of them. The daddy was a rose comb and the mama a single comb. I expected the rose comb to trump the single comb and at least 90% of the offspring would have rose combs. Sounds dominant, right? I suppose if we had hatched 100 chicks out of that cross, there may have been 90 with rose combs but as it was, with 6 chicks, one had a rose comb.

So... I'm as lost as ever on this dominant gene thing.

I had a easter egger rooster in the hen run last year and he mated one of my andalusians and I did not think about it. I hatched out some of the hens eggs and one turned out to be a andalusian pullet with a rose comb she is very pretty and lays a white egg.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

pishaw! that ain't snow, THIS is my snow.

...


Now, the "What are windows for? To see outside? Really?"



My poor chicken coop. And yes, it had chickens in it.


...

The view towards my front door, in an average snowfall winter.

Nice snow pics. I'd enjoy them more if we were having a normal hot miserable St. Louis summer but this year has been fantastic. I just saw on the news that it is 38 degrees in Cadillac, Michigan this morning.


Some Missouri snow pics. And yes there are chickens in all those buildings.
























And a blue Jersey Giant for Ron.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

No way you got that much snow!! I had to have my hubby take a look. I love having the longer 4 seasons. Man, did you ever have summer?

SCG you sure are cheerful for someone with that amount of snow after what?, a week of summer. Are you sure you are okay with it?

These were a couple years ago winter pictures. Don't worry, there's still grass on the ground although I can't say we're still in the short season known as "summer." It's a nice chilly air this morning, it's hovering around 50.

Alaskan, you have lovely pictures. We have some days that we wake up and the snow is up the doorframe and days when the snow is up to your crotch.





I don't mind the snow as much as the ice. I hate the ice and we get ice storms every couple years. But the worst part of winter is once it starts it doesn't thaw until spring, so everything is additive. If you do a crappy job of snow removal just once in the early season, you're basically screwed for the rest of winter. You have to plan in the early season for where you're going to put all the rest of the snow.

 

[vehve]

Yeah, you really need to plan where you place it. The part I hate the most about winter though, is when the temperature is jumping around 0C, and everything is basically a huge slushie. I prefer the proper winters, when it's cold but dry.

 

[drumstick diva]

SCG Gee we have the same face mask but, I can't stand the open nose-too cold, so I put a piece of tissue behind it.

 

[vehve]

I tried one of those face masks when skiiing once, but even at -25C it didn't seem to do much good. Mostly I feel that the moisture of my breath just clings to it and makes it colder. Better to get used to the cold, in my opinion, than to use those.

 

[dsqard]

Please stop talking about that four letter word. I know it is still August but I can already feel the cooler mornings. I know we are still getting up into the 90's but it always seems like the return of cold weather is just around the corner. I know many people think the snow pictures are pretty and they are but after a month of it (and we don't have nearly as bad winters typically as SCG) I am ready to pack my crap and move south.

 

[subhanalah]

My plan is to keep the run snow free and covered with bedding, and hopefully they'll enjoy playing in the snow outside the run. Not much free ranging to do in the snow though. I don't think they are too thrilled about pine needles as a source of greens.

they make a refreshing tea packed with vitamin C!

 

[getaclue]

For all of you having to suffer with snow, I don't envy you. DH is from Indiana. I'm a native Floridian. I saw snow for the first time 6 years ago, in KY. Drove home in a freak snowstorm. KY was fine, but Tennessee had not sprayed the de-icer on the roads, and it was awful. People that were used to driving in the snow were sliding off the road. 4 years ago we went to visit my MIL in Indiana. It had snowed, but was already thawing. It was fun for about 10 minutes. By the next afternoon, it had melted. It didn't snow again until after we left. I was glad for that. It looks pretty, but it's nasty stuff! DH was talking about moving up there after he retires. We shall see.

When I checked on the coop, everyone seemed to be doing fine. They younger ones are a bit scared, but not overly so. The little cockerel is protecting the younger ones from the older ones. He's a bit scared, and lacking a little in confidence, but he's doing really good. Things will settle down over the next few days as they all get used to their new surroundings, and get used to being together. I grabbed each of them in turn, and sat them next to me on a hay bale. They calmed down, and seemed to enjoy my attention. I normally rotate run time every day between the groups of chickens. The older chickens were protesting not getting their day of run time. Mealworms helped soothe their ruffled feathers. I am going to let the youngsters have the run for a couple more days, until they get comfortable, and settled in good.

It's pouring rain out. DH went and got donuts for us. He can be a real sweetheart sometimes.

 

[bamadude]

From Publix?

winn dixie. On sale for $6.99 lb