The road less traveled...back to good health! They have lice, mites, scale mites, worms, anemia, gl

[Bulldogma]

Charlotte shouts out a big Good Mornin all! She's growin up ain't she?

MB

Oh - she is a pretty girl!

 

[Pullet Surprise]

Report on Coffee grounds in chicken run: when I quit laughing, I'll see if I can type this out....Finally took some goffee grounds out to dump in the run, they are supposed to be and seem to be VERY good in compost. Well....everyone rushed to the grounds piles, got close, a couple had a tiny taste and then they all looked at me like I was flipping crazy. They were so dissapointed. The roo did not call his girls to them and gave me an evil eye look. I'll check later to see if any were consumed. I don't care if they eat them, it's just that they seem to do such a good job in the compost and attract bugs etc. so was hoping it would help out in the run. We are in such a dry period that the ground and leaves need some help.

 

[Eggcessive]

I have to say that I'm pretty addicted to the Three Bee threads, and hardly read any others now. It would be great if most of you lived nearby because I have no other chicken buddies around where I live. We live smackdab in the middle of farmland USA and very few people I know have chickens. It would be great to talk chickens with my neighbors, but since they don't have chickens I'll just have to keep reading.

 

[lalaland]

good lord, I go out to work a few hours on fortifying the pen and come back to post good news, and there are two pages to read first!

Guess what? First, morning light showed me that the little BA that was laying was a survivor and it was one of the poorly BA's that spent their first year in a bedroom (NOT MINE) that I rescued that was missing.

Second, while I was working outside, the crows started a commotion and I saw a beautiful owl coming back for breakfast.

That owl caused a panic in something in some stacked pallets, and I found the poor little missing BA wedged into a pallet. Had one heck of a time extricating her as she clearly thought death would come if she left the sanctuary of the pallet.

If I were going to try to raise a flock with a rooster and all, these hens that I rescued from the bedroom would be culled in a heart beat. They were good layers before their molt, though, and that is what I want out of them - yard candy and eggs.

Hens wouldn't leave the coop. I finally ushered them out, they are huddled in the haybale windbreak, not eating, not drinking. If I throw scratch pretty close to them, they will venture to eat what comes close, but not anything else, even when it is all under the coop.

I have one hen wedged in a box in the coop, who won't leave the coop. THere isnt any feed or water in the coop.I think after breakfast I will bring her water and a tiny bit of feed. It was her best buddy that got caught yesterday, and maybe she thought it was too close of a call for her.

Only thing is that it is going to start snowing late this afternoon - predicting 6-8 inches, and I wanted them to get used to the changes in the set up before they started balking at the white world again.

Bee thankful - love that.

 

[Mountain Momma]

Oh -and if we go on a book signing tour someday, pleased don't be shocked when Bee and I show up in jeans. Of course I'll leave Bee's wardrobe up to her, but I see no need for dressing all fancy to promote Bee's back-to-basics book. It would be contradictory - LOL!

Well LL Bean has a terrific oversized plaid work shirt in silk and wool. Lots of pretty colors. Would look great with jeans. lol.
L

 

[Bulldogma]

Aoxa, may I have permission to steal a photo or two of yours for a Bee Thankful mug?

 

[Mountain Momma]

And I'm copying down all your amazing wisdom, putting on a few rare tweaks... and your book is writing itself. Just keep doing what you do best, Bee, and in the next few months - who knows? We may be ready to publish.

It's an honor to be allowed to take all your words and start wrapping them up in packages - first for the blog, and soon into a book. I truly believe things happen for a reason, and I have never felt more "in my element" than I do now. I'm living on the farm of my dreams (even though I'm just renting), I'm back to riding horses, I love keeping chickens, and now I have an outlet for my passion for writing... and I even get to do some silly artsy stuff as I go! My heart is so full right now... and that says a lot coming from a mom of a ADHD 17-year-old, and two special needs girls! LOL!

You know - I've been thinking a lot about it. The market for frou-frou ribbons, bows and gingham farm and animal info is huge. It's a fad. Like bell bottoms and permed hair, it will pass. I have a feeling there are going to be a LOT of people out there just waiting for the torn denim and leather version chicken keeping info. We just have to reach them.

The folks on this thread... it's like having a second family... that you actually like!

Well, definitely dont go to the Home page highlights of Christmas and your chickens. Lol. One nice lady has made stockings for her individuals and is now embroidering their names on them....lol. Such sweet people with oh so much time!
L

 

[Beekissed]

Charlotte shouts out a big Good Mornin all! She's growin up ain't she?

MB

She's lovely, Melabella! Just wanted to say, if that is your name, it is the most melodious and pretty name I've heard in a month of Sundays...I love saying it! Melabella. I said it again!

Report on Coffee grounds in chicken run: when I quit laughing, I'll see if I can type this out....Finally took some goffee grounds out to dump in the run, they are supposed to be and seem to be VERY good in compost. Well....everyone rushed to the grounds piles, got close, a couple had a tiny taste and then they all looked at me like I was flipping crazy. They were so dissapointed. The roo did not call his girls to them and gave me an evil eye look. I'll check later to see if any were consumed. I don't care if they eat them, it's just that they seem to do such a good job in the compost and attract bugs etc. so was hoping it would help out in the run. We are in such a dry period that the ground and leaves need some help.

We have been dry here also...so dry that, for the first time in a winter coop, I've been dumping their dirty water into the DL. Needed moisture to cook. Now we are getting plenty rain so I'm hoping I can get some good humidity in the coop from this.

I have to say that I'm pretty addicted to the Three Bee threads, and hardly read any others now. It would be great if most of you lived nearby because I have no other chicken buddies around where I live. We live smackdab in the middle of farmland USA and very few people I know have chickens. It would be great to talk chickens with my neighbors, but since they don't have chickens I'll just have to keep reading.

Me too!!

Been like that for some time now, first with the OT and the FF thread and now this totally delightful, gentle learning center. I feel so blessed!

good lord, I go out to work a few hours on fortifying the pen and come back to post good news, and there are two pages to read first!
Guess what? First, morning light showed me that the little BA that was laying was a survivor and it was one of the poorly BA's that spent their first year in a bedroom (NOT MINE) that I rescued that was missing.
Second, while I was working outside, the crows started a commotion and I saw a beautiful owl coming back for breakfast.
That owl caused a panic in something in some stacked pallets, and I found the poor little missing BA wedged into a pallet. Had one heck of a time extricating her as she clearly thought death would come if she left the sanctuary of the pallet.
If I were going to try to raise a flock with a rooster and all, these hens that I rescued from the bedroom would be culled in a heart beat. They were good layers before their molt, though, and that is what I want out of them - yard candy and eggs.
Hens wouldn't leave the coop. I finally ushered them out, they are huddled in the haybale windbreak, not eating, not drinking. If I throw scratch pretty close to them, they will venture to eat what comes close, but not anything else, even when it is all under the coop.
I have one hen wedged in a box in the coop, who won't leave the coop. THere isnt any feed or water in the coop.I think after breakfast I will bring her water and a tiny bit of feed. It was her best buddy that got caught yesterday, and maybe she thought it was too close of a call for her.
Only thing is that it is going to start snowing late this afternoon - predicting 6-8 inches, and I wanted them to get used to the changes in the set up before they started balking at the white world again.
Bee thankful - love that.

1. I love that expression and I'm going to steal it! Yard candy and eggs....that pretty much sums up my needs...except for meat too.
   
2. I always keep my feed and water in the coop and you are probably finding out why right now. You never know when you will need them~ or the flock will need~ to be indoors for a time and it's just easy to keep all the essentials in one place. Animals are at their most vulnerable while eating and drinking~they have their heads down and they are distracted. This is when predators are most likely successful in nailing one. If my birds know there is an active predator in the area they will try to work their way to shelter by dashing across the open spaces to a shelter...but if the pred lingers, they eventually get hungry and thirsty and so they will make a mad dash for the coop from their chosen shelter so that they can shelter all day if they need to do so until that predator is gone. Predators are not only opportunistic but they also notice patterns~like the feeding times of their prey. I just keep my flock safe while they eat and drink during these high predation times and they use forage as a supplemental feed during winter. In the spring that reverses and the feed is the supplement. In other words, they always have feed and water in the coop in case that is the place they need to be for the day. I don't do outside feedings at all.

 

[jockeyeba]

Just for fun...

I like it!! 

 

[Beekissed]

Well LL Bean has a terrific oversized plaid work shirt in silk and wool. Lots of pretty colors. Would look great with jeans. lol.
L

LL Bean????

That may be alright for BDM, but this ol' cheap gal shops at Wally World or Good Will.