The Old Folks Home

[Wickedchicken6]

Thanks Diva! I keep telling the guys it could always be worse.
The optimist in me keeps hoping things turn out well and I try to roll with what we're getting in the meantime...lol.

I will admit that I was NOT the happiest camper to have to step out of the stuck truck into thigh high snow in my fancy clothes to get to the office with our 16 year old giving me a hard time on getting us stuck.

Sure I was pushing snow with the front of DH's 4x4...but I blame the fact it was HIS truck. I'm pretty positive MY truck would have sailed right through that amount of snow had we been using mine.

 

[Wickedchicken6]

getaclue....I'm envious. Sigh.

How have you been feeling?



penny1960....yes, every year we get older...the snow seems to be more of a chore.


Still not the ice that some of you have been dealing with.

The last 10 or so years we have a lot of rain right before it freezes and snows.
I don't wish the ice on anyone. SO dangerous! I'd pick snow any day over the ice.

 

[Cynthia12]

It was only 4 degrees this morning. Still, all of my laying hens..laid. Even had one of the two pullets that are starting, lay. Right on the ground, under the outside roost. Just a yolk. A whole frozen yolk. Was hard to pull up. No one had even attempted to eat it. Probably already froze before it hit the ground! It did warm up to 25 today. Tomorrow..warmer! 35! At least it's above freezing. Have someone coming to buy some chicks and chickens. My health isn't real great right now. I have to sell some chickens. My husband has been helping me a lot..and they aren't his thing. He knows I love them. Man, it's hard deciding which ones go. I will be better able with just 4, or 5.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Cyn hugs

 

[chickisoup]

My driveway now has nice berms along the side.... so who cares if it snows or ices...now that I have "bumpers" on my driveway, and my risk of rolling my car down the hill is nill...I am all laid back and happy.

It was only 4 degrees this morning. Still, all of my laying hens..laid. Even had one of the two pullets that are starting, lay. Right on the ground, under the outside roost. Just a yolk. A whole frozen yolk. Was hard to pull up. No one had even attempted to eat it. Probably already froze before it hit the ground! It did warm up to 25 today. Tomorrow..warmer! 35! At least it's above freezing. Have someone coming to buy some chicks and chickens. My health isn't real great right now. I have to sell some chickens. My husband has been helping me a lot..and they aren't his thing. He knows I love them. Man, it's hard deciding which ones go. I will be better able with just 4, or 5.

So sorry to hear you aren't doing great. I have fought hard to not expand my flock so I keep I won't have to face what you are having to deal with. I am happy that you will be able to keep some of your feather babies.

This is from my FB friend Sara in the Chickens as Pets group from the UK


"I need help just gave my last girl a warm bath as soon as she went in the water this came out of her. What the heck is it? She will be staying inside for now she's been drinking & eating but is housed with a pair ducks (male &a female)"

sorry for the gory pic so early but I thought some of you might find this fascinating.

here is the follow-up post

"So posted a picture of lash egg yesterday. Took hen to the vet today. The squishy part still attached to lash egg is thought to be her ovary! The vet said she is amazed the hen didn't die instantly. On the plus side the hens wattle is perfectly healthy & pink so hoping it's a good sign. Anti inflammatory & anti biotics given and make another check up app for Tuesday."

I chatted with her and she said, her vet was "gobstruck" that the hen wasn't dead. So far the hen is doing well. I asked her if the vet had any idea of the source of the initial infection and she replied "none". I am just stunned.

I wish we had the highly qualified poultry vets here that they have seemingly everywhere in Europe.

 

[Wisher1000]

I'm no vet, but I would not expect that to be her ovary.

IF it is, she will take on the secondary sex traits of a rooster (larger comb, wattles, crowing, mounting hens.) Hens only have one ovary and if they lose it, they turn (infertile) male. I had one Production Red do that. I would suspect it is just a clot and sloughed lining, and that if she is not too old, she will lay again.

It is really interesting, keep us posted.

 

[microchick]

Cynthia12. So sorry to hear that you are not feeling better and you are having to sell some of your birds. Prayers sent.

As for the snow. Look at the bright side. Especially if it is really cold, the weather is killing off the hibernating bugs!

 

[Wickedchicken6]

It was only 4 degrees this morning. Still, all of my laying hens..laid. Even had one of the two pullets that are starting, lay. Right on the ground, under the outside roost. Just a yolk. A whole frozen yolk. Was hard to pull up. No one had even attempted to eat it. Probably already froze before it hit the ground! It did warm up to 25 today. Tomorrow..warmer! 35! At least it's above freezing. Have someone coming to buy some chicks and chickens. My health isn't real great right now. I have to sell some chickens. My husband has been helping me a lot..and they aren't his thing. He knows I love them. Man, it's hard deciding which ones go. I will be better able with just 4, or 5.

I'm so sorry to hear about your health, Cynthia.

 

[Wickedchicken6]

That's true microchick. If I was to move to a warmer climate...I'd need help in learning how to deal with things like bugs, worms and all that nasty stuff. The cold is wonderful in that respect. The snow can act like an insulating factor and keep the harsh temps from being as damaging to the bugs in the ground. The snow will be great for our fall crops to keep them safe. With all the cold temps of -33C in the last 2 weeks...I broke through into muddy ground under the snow where it isn't frozen yet. I clean the yard off like a tabletop so any bugs there will be completely damaged from being open to the temps.

We attended a supper/seminar last year put on by our local vets and specialists from the US regarding deworming in cattle, Ivermectin and safeguard. It's scary to hear how the bugs are becoming resistant...it's more prevalent in the warmer south. We haven't had any indication of resistance but we took the information to heart about cycling safeguard into the rotation to catch resistant ivermectin worms etc. I greatly dislike worms.

 

[whoop whoop]

That's true microchick. If I was to move to a warmer climate...I'd need help in learning how to deal with things like bugs, worms and all that nasty stuff. The cold is wonderful in that respect. The snow can act like an insulating factor and keep the harsh temps from being as damaging to the bugs in the ground. The snow will be great for our fall crops to keep them safe. With all the cold temps of -33C in the last 2 weeks...I broke through into muddy ground under the snow where it isn't frozen yet. I clean the yard off like a tabletop so any bugs there will be completely damaged from being open to the temps.

We attended a supper/seminar last year put on by our local vets and specialists from the US regarding deworming in cattle, Ivermectin and safeguard. It's scary to hear how the bugs are becoming resistant...it's more prevalent in the warmer south. We haven't had any indication of resistance but we took the information to heart about cycling safeguard into the rotation to catch resistant ivermectin worms etc. I greatly dislike worms.

I totally agree with all. The heat brings out all sorts of nasties. I have never seen so many flies this year. Apparently some guy has 'cultivated' a fly nursery, on behalf of the government to clear away the detritus that builds up all over Jo'burg. I have never in my life seen such big b******s and someone let the door open or whatever because they are resistant to bug kill, even enjoy it and are everywhere.

Don't they know one fly can multiply thousands of times, they have cultivated 60,000 - a plague. I keep cleaning the chooks, their food, cats and dogs get fed and plates washed immediately. Worming everything every week