The Old Folks Home

[Alaskan]

Dang!!!!! I HATE THAT SONG

Even when it first came out... And played in EVERY mall in both the US and Europe... I HATED that song!!

Of course... That was back when I liked "Sweet dreams are made of these... Who am I to disagree" and I typed those lyrics from memory the horror of youth.

I so wish that I could redo my life!!!!!

 

[vehve]

Bama, has the water gone down already, or are you still playing Robinson Crusoe on your porch?

We lost a chicken last night too apparently. I went to feed them and give them water this morning, and I found one of the new layers dead in the coop. Looks like it had just keeled over after stepping inside. Rigor was already set, so it has happened some time ago. No signs of anything on the bird, but I noticed it was super skinny. And it hasn't laid for a few days either, looking at my stats. But the rest of the flock seems fine, they're active and moving about.

 

[drumstick diva]

Alaskan I think you need to chill with soothing music. Check out Hawaiian songs from IZ on youtube. He died several years ago but, his music lives on. His last name is impossible to spell or pronounce unless you are Hawaiian. Me neither. IZ is all you have to put in the search box. His best (in my opinion) is his spin on "Somewhere Over the Rainbow."


When I'm depressed I love "Crazy," from Ceelo Green. In the young days it was "Go Now," by the moody blues.

I know how you feel I would love to re-do my life, except for the part of having my son - He's a real keeper. Otherwise my life mainly sucked big time.

 

[perchie.girl]

@Alaskan

You mean by the:

Eurythmics
Sweet dreams are made of this
Who am I to disagree?
I travel the world
And the seven seas,
Everybody's looking for something.
Some of them want to use you
Some of them want to get used by you
Some of them want to abuse you
Some of them want to be abused.
Sweet dreams are made of this
Who am I to disagree?
I travel the world
And the seven seas
Everybody's looking for something
Hold your head up
Keep your head up, movin' on
Hold your head up, movin' on
Keep your head up, movin' on
Hold your head up
Keep your head up, movin' on
Hold your head up, movin' on
Keep your head up, movin' on
Some of them want to use you
Some of them want to get used by you
Some of them want to abuse you
Some of them want to be abused.
Sweet dreams are made of this
Who am I to disagree?

one of my absolute favorites

 

[ChickenCanoe]

We are trying to come up with the best solutions that suit us. We plan to stick with isabelle leghorns, cream legbars, isbars, black penedesenca (day 17 in bator..fingers crossed), and a good quality light brown layer such as a RIR (hint hint Wisher).
@cree57i has a nice isabelle leghorn cockeral for me in TN. (Awesome person btw).
I think I can get more isbar eggs from @KYTinpusher .
I will need to find good quality cream legbars.

Now to figure on enclosures for them. Im thinking of making 1 big coop/run and several small ones. During fall and winter Im thinking of letting all the females be seperated from males to give them a break from mating.
Have any of you had success with having a coop with only males (of different breeds)?
Do any of you give your hens a break?

I don't know your setup or how much space you have. Something to consider is that the Penedesencas do best unconfined with just a safe place to sleep.
I keep some in pens, others free range. The flocks tend to stay to themselves when roaming free. The ones more closely confined tend to be extremely panicky.
I know people that worry about them going wild and not being able to get them back in but actually the opposite is true. When free ranging, they come running to me when I go out. The ones in smaller pens, tend to go crazy when anyone approaches.
They can run like the wind so seem comfortable with escape routes.
The older they get, the calmer they get. Young pullets can be extremely skittish and aloof. By the time they're a year old and understand I'm not going to eat them (yet) they're much calmer around me. They don't like strangers though.
I don't handle them but if you have kids that will handle them a lot as chicks, they will be much tamer (like all chickens).
People call them flighty which I think is why they aren't more popular.
I say they are just not calm and don't handle close confinement well. They only time they fly is when pressed in close confinement.
Another advantage is that they can be kept in very short fences. I've kept flocks of cockerels in 2' fences. Most of my fences are 3'. I've had Jersey Giants regularly go over 5' fences.
Over the years, I've lost other breeds to hawks but haven't lost a bird to a hawk since I've had these. And there are usually 30 to 60 in uncovered runs or free ranging at any time.

I've kept roosters together in a bachelor pad for winter. One time it worked very well but as Alaskan said, you'll need more space with food and water on opposite ends.
I did lose one that they kept from eating and I didn't realize it.
When they grow up together, they usually do fine.
I did have a disaster one time though with roosters that had been separated a long time and one cold night, I decided to put them together. It may have gone better if I left the lights off but they all started fighting in the middle of the night and had to separate them. I should have kept the light off and let them all out first thing in the morning.
This year I have one or two with each flock and there's no overbreeding issue right now. I'll leave them together since this is looking like a very mild winter.
Eventually, I'll build some rooster pens to give them a little frost protection for when it gets below 10F.

Hi Dude!
No words, just a hug for you and your better half and a prayer for wisdom and understanding from the insurance assessor and that you might yet be able to recover some of your materials (and maybe a another bird or two???-yes, I don't know how to surrender). Hope after the assessor visit you are able to take a deep breath and to start looking forward.

ETA: just read your last post, sounds like you are already getting the plans together!!!!

On a happier note, it's FINALLY on the UPS truck and on it's way!!!

I really didn't expect it to take this long to ship (pre-ordered in August) but I guess this really is perfect timing. Now I will have a good read while I watch it snow and wait for my new chicks to arrive in the spring.

I had read it was supposed to be released in January 2014 and was shocked that it was still on pre-order this past summer.
I'm looking forward to getting it. I found it on Amazon for 15.85.

I have, for two years I think? Put all extra males and growing out cockerels into my veggie garden pen.

It has a table coverd with a tarp for a coop.

With all of the males in there, they would not roost in the table, they would roost in two seperate clumps on twiggy bushes.

Anyway, it is a big area, about 16x24 and at the right times of year a veritable jungle of greenery.

You do need two feeders or the bottom guys do not get food.

...
X2

 

[Beer can]

Lol. Humidity is fine...3ft of rain each week is making me rethink my stance on climate change.

Lol. Some here were saying the same, been warm all winter, really nice. They say we broke the record for temp, held since '84 lol....It was below zero avg last two yrs with -25 windchill for months last two winters. Record breaking COLD here for two winters lol. Same warm weather in the 90s here also, El Niño and La Niña yrs are kind to us in the north east, otherwise it's usually 'butt' freezing and 'butt' deep in snow.

The first attack was back in winter of 2009/10. But they've been back several times, killing chickens on one of those occasions. The first time she paid up within a couple hours and told me she wouldn't have blamed me if I killed the dogs. They killed 9 chickens on that occasion. I've kept a loaded 12 gauge on the back porch ever since.
She called animal control herself and asked them to take them. AC told her that her dogs would likely be rehomed but they weren't. When the deadline came for rehoming and they were to be put down the next day, she went back to rescue them.
One morning I went out and one of the dogs went from building to building, lunging at the coop windows trying to break in. Scared the bejeesus out of the chickens.
I really didn't want to kill the dog so I shot over it's head as it ran home. This was after it had taken a couple more chickens for which she was slow paying.
I read her the riot act. She said, "what do you want me to do?" I said I want her to keep her dogs on her property and that my chickens aren't coming on her property.
She said, "what about the coyotes?" I said, "the coyotes aren't killing my chickens, your dogs are."
I told her that was the last day her dogs would be coming home.
She was shocked when I told her that her dog had come back because she had them tied up. I told her it broke its chain. You can see the big chain hanging from it's collar.
That's twice the dog has broken a chain.

Hard shooting a dog when you know it's the owners fault. I've been lucky so far. Worst one was coming from a farm mile down the road, pit lab mix. Kept breaking it's chain, trying to breed my beagle. Fired a shotgun over it's head once. The last time it showed up I called their house at four in the morn, wife said I couldn't call that early!!?? Drove by their farm later that day, dog was hooked a log chain.
The few other dogs that have 'trespassed' haven't bothered the chickens, bottle rockets chase them off when I catch them. Except for a border collie looking mix from another farm across the road over a hill probably a mile away also. It's either deaf or not gun shy, bottle rockets fired at it didn't faze it, six quick fire 12gauge over it's head one day and it just looped around our place and finished pissing on whatever it wanted to and left.I ignore that one now, comes and goes every few months. Other two are two different neighbors house dogs, if I see either of them I usually hear their owner calling for them.
If any killed my chickens...I've heard too many have almost whole flocks wiped out by dogs, can't say what I'd do. Time, feed, even a thousand dollars a chicken wouldn't pay for the time and work.

@Alaskan

You mean by the:

Eurythmics
Sweet dreams are made of this


one of my absolute favorites

Ever heard Marilyn Manson's cover of that song? Watch that vid, Lol!

 

[Wisher1000]

Quote:

Ever heard Marilyn Manson's cover of that song? Watch that vid, Lol!

That will make you appreciate your nice boring life.....

 

[Beer can]

Now to figure on enclosures for them. Im thinking of making 1 big coop/run and several small ones. During fall and winter Im thinking of letting all the females be seperated from males to give them a break from mating.
Have any of you had success with having a coop with only males (of different breeds)?
Do any of you give your hens a break?

The people I hear that keep bachelor coops have good things to say about it, keeping them separate. I thought about it, but by time I culled the obvious faults for SOP, I was down to two cockerels of each of the two breeds anyway.
I've talked to a guy in PA that has many rare breeds. He keeps his breeders, trios or quads in chicken tractors, guess it works out good.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Lol. Some here were saying the same, been warm all winter, really nice. They say we broke the record for temp, held since '84 lol....It was below zero avg last two yrs with -25 windchill for months last two winters. Record breaking COLD here for two winters lol. Same warm weather in the 90s here also, El Niño and La Niña yrs are kind to us in the north east, otherwise it's usually 'butt' freezing and 'butt' deep in snow.

Hard shooting a dog when you know it's the owners fault. I've been lucky so far. Worst one was coming from a farm mile down the road, pit lab mix. Kept breaking it's chain, trying to breed my beagle. Fired a shotgun over it's head once. The last time it showed up I called their house at four in the morn, wife said I couldn't call that early!!?? Drove by their farm later that day, dog was hooked a log chain.
The few other dogs that have 'trespassed' haven't bothered the chickens, bottle rockets chase them off when I catch them. Except for a border collie looking mix from another farm across the road over a hill probably a mile away also. It's either deaf or not gun shy, bottle rockets fired at it didn't faze it, six quick fire 12gauge over it's head one day and it just looped around our place and finished pissing on whatever it wanted to and left.I ignore that one now, comes and goes every few months. Other two are two different neighbors house dogs, if I see either of them I usually hear their owner calling for them.
If any killed my chickens...I've heard too many have almost whole flocks wiped out by dogs, can't say what I'd do. Time, feed, even a thousand dollars a chicken wouldn't pay for the time and work.

Ever heard Marilyn Manson's cover of that song? Watch that vid, Lol!

That is so true. We don't put near the value on our time that we should.
I can never figure out why people on craigslist sell hens for $10. I'd rather eat every bird than give them away.

I think next year will be a La Niña year. I'm planning for a cold winter next year. This year's El Niño is also responsible for the floods in the UK and South America too.
Another effect is that the North Pole is warm now. Today it will be 30 in Chicago and 33 in the North Pole.

The people I hear that keep bachelor coops have good things to say about it, keeping them separate. I thought about it, but by time I culled the obvious faults for SOP, I was down to two cockerels of each of the two breeds anyway.
I've talked to a guy in PA that has many rare breeds. He keeps his breeders, trios or quads in chicken tractors, guess it works out good.

That's why, along with having limited space and time, that I've decided to raise only on my favorite breed.

 

[NotAFarm]

I don't know your setup or how much space you have. Something to consider is that the Penedesencas do best unconfined with just a safe place to sleep.
I keep some in pens, others free range. The flocks tend to stay to themselves when roaming free. The ones more closely confined tend to be extremely panicky.
I know people that worry about them going wild and not being able to get them back in but actually the opposite is true. When free ranging, they come running to me when I go out. The ones in smaller pens, tend to go crazy when anyone approaches.
They can run like the wind so seem comfortable with escape routes.
The older they get, the calmer they get. Young pullets can be extremely skittish and aloof. By the time they're a year old and understand I'm not going to eat them (yet) they're much calmer around me. They don't like strangers though.
I don't handle them but if you have kids that will handle them a lot as chicks, they will be much tamer (like all chickens).
People call them flighty which I think is why they aren't more popular.
I say they are just not calm and don't handle close confinement well. They only time they fly is when pressed in close confinement.
Another advantage is that they can be kept in very short fences. I've kept flocks of cockerels in 2' fences. Most of my fences are 3'. I've had Jersey Giants regularly go over 5' fences.
Over the years, I've lost other breeds to hawks but haven't lost a bird to a hawk since I've had these. And there are usually 30 to 60 in uncovered runs or free ranging at any time.

That's why, along with having limited space and time, that I've decided to raise only on my favorite breed.

CC, your description of your Penedesencas could have easily have been written by me about my Icelandics......except the 2 foot fences part

my Icelandics look at fences as a challenge and I've lost two females to hawks, one this fall and one two years ago. Not too bad since mine free range all day most days of the year.

Ditto, on the "I've decided to raise only my favorite breed".

Glad to hear you are on high ground and not in danger of the flood waters.