The Old Folks Home

[dsqard]

See I am much happier in the heat although I have to admit, not a big fan of humidity. I know, I shouldn't be thinking of moving to VA then

In the winter sometimes I feel like Randy in the Christmas Story movie. I have so many layers on I can't put my arms down

I hate fighting with all the layers. I would much rather just have on shorts and a t-shirt. That is comfy weather to me.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

I like seasons. If it was warm every day I'm not sure what I'd do. They can all be a bit extreme here , but I couldn't live somewhere without the seasons. I think the mid-atlantic is nice, season-wise, but mostly too crowded for me. I'll stick with my 6 months of winter for mental and physical peace and quiet.

I've got to get set up to start processing some roos today. We're also going to have to cull my little crossbeak rooster. He can't groom, and as such, has a constant infestation of mites/lice. He won't dustbathe, because he spends every waking second trying to get food (he's just skin, bones and feathers). He's sweet as can be, doesn't crow, and follows me around like a dog (trying to get me to give him food), but I just can't have a vector in my flock. That one is going to make me bawl. I Sevened him the other day to give him some respite from the creepy crawlies, but I don't want to continue to have to do that, or to risk contaminating the rest of my girls.

 

[dsqard]

Well I have been eyeballing the two toms I hatched this spring. The Blues Brothers are looking mighty tasty. They are just as big as Tom the BR now. I start

when I start thinking of cooking them. I do have to admit there are a few in my flock that I am going to miss if we move. Curious the lav AM, Boo Boo Biddy the light Brahma and even Squirrel the lav AM roo.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Boo Boo Biddy

I'm not even sure we're going to get to the ducks today. We have 7 or 8 roos to do.

The turkeys aren't on the agenda for today, either. They're huge, like 3 times the size of my hens, but I'm on the fence about what I'm going to do with them. If they were just slightly less stupid the decision to keep them would be simple. However, they are insistent upon sleeping anywhere other than the coop. The problem isn't that they don't know the coop is home, the problem is they have never figured out how to use the coops pop door (at least for entering, they can exit out it no problem), and will wait for me to open the human door for them. I made the mistake one night of going out to dinner instead of staying home to put the birds to bed. I got home, it was dark, and one of the turkeys was on the fence (ha!) and we freaked her out. A chase through the woods ensued, resulting in BF (who was in shorts, of course) getting all scratched up, stalking the turkey and then cornering and wrestling it. It's usually not a huge deal to be home every day and convince them at dusk to go into the coop - but the problem is the really short days that we have for a few months in winter - I get home at 4 on workdays and it will be dark. I don't always want to be chasing turkey(s) and I don't want something else to invite them to dinner before I can.

Speaking of the turkeys, the little silkie roo I hatched with them had to go this week, too. He was too small to get in the pop door so was another source of pain in the butt for me, but he had a crush on one of the turkeys, too. It was hilarious to watch him try to woo her. It's a good thing I don't have kids, can you imagine how maladjusted they'd be if this is how the pets I raise turn out to be?

 

[KnobbyOaks]

He was too small to get in the pop door so was another source of pain in the butt for me, but he had a crush on one of the turkeys, too. It was hilarious to watch him try to woo her. It's a good thing I don't have kids, can you imagine how maladjusted they'd be if this is how the pets I raise turn out to be?

 

[dsqard]

Boo Boo is a sweetheart.

She is the only one of my chickens to have gotten bumble foot so far and it was a relatively mild case thank goodness. I don't handle my chickens much (hence the mad chicken chasing I did last weekend when I got the call in the afternoon about the young roos, now that probably was hilarious to watch

) so I was surprised at how well she behaved while I was treating the bumble. No big fuss, no scrambling to get out of the bucket I had her in for soaking the foot. She has been Boo Boo Biddy ever since.

I have also found that the turkeys can be more independent and very stupid. Edith insists on flying out of the pen and getting one of my blue AM hens in trouble with her. I keep explaining to them that there are very hungry coyotes in the area but they don't listen. They love roosting on top of the coops instead of inside. They will use the pop door to go in and out for food. I saw the young BR hen on the roof of the house the other day. I sincerely have to clip their wings again.

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

I found the site by Googling warmest boots in the world, go to the Baffin team site, or www.winterfootwear.com. they develop clothing and boots for people who actually go to Antarctica ....I figured it would be good. Sorry its fall, they have big sales in the spring....but I would buy them full price, they are that warm, and although stiff, have great traction and actually support your ankle in deep snow...I feel like i could walk on the moon in them. Mine are called Nunavut. But they also have some that are more styling, for those days you might have to leave the farm, but still want to stay warm (who knows when you might have to walk) I think I'll go shopping again today. By the way, these are the boots my rooster attacked....geez bird, get a grip.

 

[Arielle]

I have sorrels somewhere--didn't get to use them last winter as we didn't get much snow. Hoping for a few inches this year. SCG-check into sorrels too.

My turkeys roost up high on top of the chicken coops. I don't try to put them in any more. THe young turkeys that suffered a fox attack don't like to go into their coop anymore, DH picks each one out of the pear tree and places them in the safety of a locked coop. Most turkeys don't go into a coop from all that I have read over on the TURkey section.

Enjoying the cooler weather ,and trying to catch up on out door chores that I hate to do in the heat of summer. I don't know why I try to garden, I hate the heat but love the fresh produce.

DSard--which you could bring your feathered friends to your new home. I know of many horse farms that relocate and bring the breeding stock. Otherwise, I'm sure you could find a nice home for them.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

The boots I have now are Sorrel. I love them, they're comfortable and warm, but they're covered in poo, feathers, mud and blood. It's time for a new pair that I can wear off my property without scaring everyone.

Got 7 roosters and crossbeak taken care of today. Just finished putting everyone into shrink wrap bags and started the stock. What a long day. But the rooster tractor is empty now, and we're going to clean it then use it for goat hay winter storage, since their hay is taking up space in our garage where the pellets are going when they're delivered tomorrow.

Tomorrow... it's going to be a quiet morning! Not totally quiet, mind you - we still have 2 roosters left - one from an egg from Dsqard and a teeny tiny showgirl rooster (Thriller). We did 4 banty crosses today (dressed out at 2.5 lbs each) and knew Thriller wouldn't be worth it. He's not that loud, either.

 

[Cynthia12]

DiDi, I can see you getting cold. With that tiny little frame and body, no wonder you get chilly. It is getting chilly here isn't it? I have to wear a zip up sweatshirt out there in the mornings..and I am not, skinny anymore. All of this extra cute chubby isn't helping any though, I am still cold! Did I say cute? lol....
Well, I just heard, that turkeys are kind of dumb. Really? That's too bad. Some are so unique looking..ahem..as in, I've not ever like the looks of their faces, but, those pretty tails all flared out are beautiful. Just males..I do know that much about turkeys.

Ok, me without roosters, has not done any kind of culling for food. So...SCG..when I saw you had said you had taken care of a crossbeak today, I was ready to ask, how do you take care of that?? I thought that was a permanent thing! LOL..then I reread where you started out saying, I took care of 7 roosters! I get it. I'm not always that slow..but sometimes.