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

[Mountain Momma]

I, too, have been known to 'help myself' to a cutting or 2...

I'm with Noni on this one

I pick seeds. I'll admit it. If I see a stand of unusually colorful nettles or indian paint brush or tall grass I wait till fall and make the kids help me gather those seeds, by the bank, in the grocery store parking lot medians.......in parks. This year I got some Lavender from a huge fragrant bush outside an empty strip mall. Ive got the seeds in the fridge in cute little bags I got from my daughters' room. SSSHHHHH.
Below is something funny while wewait on theQuiz answers......



LOL this hilarious!!

An old man in Miami calls up his son in New York and says, "Listen, your mother and I are getting divorced. Forty-five years of misery is enough."

"Dad, what are you talking about?" the son screams.
...

“We can't stand the sight of each other any longer,” he says. "I'm sick of her face, and I'm sick of talking about this, so call your sister in Chicago and tell her," and he hangs up.

Now, the son is worried. So he calls up his sister. She says, "Like hell they’re getting divorced!" and calls her father immediately. "You’re not getting divorced! Don't do another thing, the two of us are flying home tomorrow to talk about this. Until then, don't call a lawyer, don't file a paper, DO YOU HEAR ME?” and she hangs up.

The old man turns to his wife and says "Okay, they’re coming for Christmas and paying their own airfares."

www.zoesprintablecoupons.com
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[Mtn Laurel]

perhaps next spring getting a few straight run DP breed chicks would ease you into it. You could keep the girls as replacement layers and keep the best looking boy to breed your own chicks the next year.

Actually, that's exactly what I've been considering. Need to expand my coop first thing in spring and figure I'll order chicks soon for spring delivery. The coop should be ready by the time the chicks are of size to be in it.

I'm more than curious as to what breeds Bee recommends as DP birds!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I also think good will is the only way to shop. I couldn't pass up finding 2 identical dresses in the right size for my granddaughters for $3.00



The mugs are beautiful. You certainly are on to something.

These 2 are my chicken wranglers. They love to throw grain to them and are not afraid of them.

Oh my gosh they are adorable, and what a find on those dresses.

 

[Beekissed]

I am waiting for my tax refund to see if I have the where-with-all to build a "Fort Knox" coop & run. My little town just passed an ordinance to allow HENS (up to 12!) in residentially zoned areas. I want chickens for eggs, poo, and bug eating. I have raised beds in my front yard (souther exposure) and want poo for the garden. I am far from self-sufficient, but what I eat matters to me and that what I eat is raised right (healthy & happy until the end) matters, too. I will end and eat those hens who reach retirement age. I will not be breeding my own; unless/until I retire and move onto an actual farm. My lot is not even a quarter of an acre, but I got me some GOOD tomatoes and garlic, this year! I want hens that will lay consistently, but not high production. I am alone & don't need that many. I want them to lay in their season and for years.

You might want to look into electric poultry mesh fencing. It really and truly is the solution to all your needs without having to worry about building this Ft. Knox cooping structure. It's affordable, easy to maintain, will keep predators out and your girls in and you can install it easily by yourself, place it around your coop so that nothing can even make it to your coop. It's pretty strong charge and will make my tough old dog scream bloody murder and never get close to it again.

I'll see if I can scrounge up a pic of how much area is covered with just one 164 ft. fence(dollar a foot at Premier & free shipping, but I've heard of others who are cheaper so shop around). It covered almost the entire garden space minus about 20 ft. of one end. Here are two pics of how big it was to give you a relative idea of the space your birds could have from just one fence purchase. You can click on these pics and they will get much bigger and can give you an idea of the size of the area. For perspective, that coop is 10x12 and the tarp out in the middle is 10x8.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I pick seeds. I'll admit it. If I see a stand of unusually colorful nettles or indian paint brush or tall grass I wait till fall and make the kids help me gather those seeds, by the bank, in the grocery store parking lot medians.......in parks. This year I got some Lavender from a huge fragrant bush outside an empty strip mall. Ive got the seeds in the fridge in cute little bags I got from my daughters' room. SSSHHHHH.
Below is something funny while wewait on theQuiz answers......



LOL this hilarious!!

An old man in Miami calls up his son in New York and says, "Listen, your mother and I are getting divorced. Forty-five years of misery is enough."

"Dad, what are you talking about?" the son screams.
...

“We can't stand the sight of each other any longer,” he says. "I'm sick of her face, and I'm sick of talking about this, so call your sister in Chicago and tell her," and he hangs up.

Now, the son is worried. So he calls up his sister. She says, "Like hell they’re getting divorced!" and calls her father immediately. "You’re not getting divorced! Don't do another thing, the two of us are flying home tomorrow to talk about this. Until then, don't call a lawyer, don't file a paper, DO YOU HEAR ME?” and she hangs up.

The old man turns to his wife and says "Okay, they’re coming for Christmas and paying their own airfares."

www.zoesprintablecoupons.com
See More

Funny

 

[aoxa]

We got into chickens for our own, evolving reasons. We had lived on bases for the past twelve years, and I wanted to do something off the wall. I wanted fresh eggs, which I had never had, so I picked assorted layers. That way I could see which I liked more, and go from there. Then I decided I needed yard candy. With such a big piece of property why not have walking ornaments? And that's where the Cochins and Silkies came in.

It's going pretty well. We know which breeds are good, and have figured out the ones we do not like. After this winter I'll know if my others will make the grade as well.

We have a huge barn, and even though we've talked about other animals, I don't think we'll get anything more than chickens. So, it's like a living experiment, try a few breeds at a time and keep the ones we like. Our first hurdle will be eating these Wyandottes, they might be pretty, but they aren't fun at all.

That is definitely a wise approach when you are first starting out and you don't really know what breed to choose out of several likely breeds...get a variety and see how they work for you.  I've done that all along and slowly have built up a list of those I like and those I would never have again.  When you have the space to do this and can have larger flocks, it's a good way to learn fast what you like or don't like.  While you are learning you are also making meat for the freezer and learning to recognize certain body traits that naturally come along with a good DP breed. 

Excellent start!  This is also the first response I've heard of that nature from a newbie, where they intentionally are carving out their choice breeds through hands on experience...the best kind. 

I'm with you both on the Wyandottes. Just do not like them. I had one that I loved.. She was a doll, but they are not as hardy or fast growers as I like. I had to cull all three of them. The only 3 chickens I've killed (except one silkie chick who was trampled).

They are beautiful. but hey.. You CAN get that beautiful lacing in better producing breeds! It's a work in progress for a lot of breeds, but it's coming!

I'd like some laced Plymouth Rocks... Plymouth Rock is my very favourite.. Barred, Partridge, Silver Pencilled.. I only have barred, but would love some partridge! I'd love a couple of really nice Whites too.

 

[aoxa]

I am waiting for my tax refund to see if I have the where-with-all to build a "Fort Knox" coop & run. My little town just passed an ordinance to allow HENS (up to 12!) in residentially zoned areas. I want chickens for eggs, poo, and bug eating. I have raised beds in my front yard (souther exposure) and want poo for the garden. I am far from self-sufficient, but what I eat matters to me and that what I eat is raised right (healthy & happy until the end) matters, too. I will end and eat those hens who reach retirement age. I will not be breeding my own; unless/until I retire and move onto an actual farm. My lot is not even a quarter of an acre, but I got me some GOOD tomatoes and garlic, this year! I want hens that will lay consistently, but not high production. I am alone & don't need that many. I want them to lay in their season and for years. 

I called my first coop Fort Cox. Still have the sign in my new barn

 

[aoxa]

Bee,

I love your Mr. Dad rooster with the meaties. So cute! Love a good rooster.

What happened to this guy? Is this a really old picture?

 

[Mountain Momma]

I'm with you both on the Wyandottes. Just do not like them. I had one that I loved.. She was a doll, but they are not as hardy or fast growers as I like. I had to cull all three of them. The only 3 chickens I've killed (except one silkie chick who was trampled).
They are beautiful. but hey.. You CAN get that beautiful lacing in better producing breeds! It's a work in progress for a lot of breeds, but it's coming!
I'd like some laced Plymouth Rocks... Plymouth Rock is my very favourite.. Barred, Partridge, Silver Pencilled.. I only have barred, but would love some partridge! I'd love a couple of really nice Whites too.

I like my Plym rocks too. Very reliable and good natured. I like the red and black contrast too but the striping isnt as nice as those other ones with the optical thing going and I think its ashame you get a good layer or great stripes but not both.
L

 

[Mountain Momma]

I called my first coop Fort Cox. Still have the sign in my new barn

hilarious. What do you call your now coop?

a friend's dog. Not mine just thought he was worth showing since he is so unusually cute.