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

[stonykill]

Good to hear.

thanks! They look a little pathetic, but quack at me when I walk in to check on them.

 

[aoxa]

Sorry, Stony...didn't see this part.  No calf manna.  The ACV is fine but they are getting the proper electrolytes if you are using the FF.  Just let them be and let them get over it.  They'll be fine in this cold weather. 

Hope you catch your mink...they sure are pretty.  Stink though. 

 

    I didn't buy the calf manna. My local Blue Seal only had 50 lb bags. I don't do FF. Although I may just start some for just them to help them recover. They really didn't eat today. Drank a little. 

        I opened the hole back up in their coop. Put 2 traps baited with duck innards right inside the door so if it goes back in tonight it has to go right in a trap. My trapping buddy said that was the best way to go about it. 
     For the time being they are in my work shop in a dog crate. I'll turn the heat lamps off shortly once I am sure they are completely dry. 

    Thank you

That sounds like a good trapping plan. Hope he comes back to get trapped.

Those creatures are small and can get in really small spaces. Kind of glad we don't live close to any water :/

They didn't get at your sumatras any did they? Just the ducks?

 

[aoxa]

This is for you Bee Clementine LOVES the snow. Bounces around like a puppy.

 

[Miss Lydia]

thanks! They look a little pathetic, but quack at me when I walk in to check on them.

Thats a good sign. and a hero in your drake for sure.

 

[stonykill]

That sounds like a good trapping plan. Hope he comes back to get trapped.
Those creatures are small and can get in really small spaces. Kind of glad we don't live close to any water

They didn't get at your sumatras any did they? Just the ducks?

nope, just got in one of the duck coops

 

[Beekissed]

Hey Bee! My cultures are strong.....smells like I'm fermenting sauerkraut! It poots too like the posts I was reading in the meat chickens thread on fermented feed.......

That's good! Successful fermentation achieved! Mine was farting again last night...no smell, though.

Is the "sour" smell normal? I don't mind it but my husband hates the smell in the office now

and can I add a lot more to adjust the soupiness & it will "keep"?

Yes, it is, but it shouldn't be stinking up a room unless the room is warm and small and your ferment is uncovered. Mine is about 5 ft. from the head of my bed and my sensitive nose can't smell it unless I take the lid all of the way off and stir it. I leave a lid on it but crack open on one side to let out gas. I never smell the gas it lets unless my head is over the open bucket.

Yep...you will always be adding more feed and adjusting the soupyness each time you need to add to the quantity, but you will get it down to a science soon and you will know how much to add of feed and water to get the consistency you like each time you add fresh feed.

 

[Sally8]

aoxa--that dog is beautiful! What a pretty picture.

 

[Beekissed]

Quote:

She IS a puppy! Even my old Lucy would get all bouncy and playful with a new snow. She and Jake would wrestle and chase each other like they were years younger and let out on recess. I always loved to watch them being "wolves" in the new fallen snow.

 

[aoxa]

Clementine LOVES the snow. Bounces around like a puppy.

She IS a puppy!  Even my old Lucy would get all bouncy and playful with a new snow.  She and Jake would wrestle and chase each other like they were years younger and let out on recess.  I always loved to watch them being "wolves" in the new fallen snow. 

 

Oh yes I know she's a puppy Should have worded that differently! My 8 year old dog does the same thing as well. Snow brings out the puppy in most dogs (the ones who like the snow).

The geese liked it. The turkeys were iffy on it, but stayed out longer than the chickens. The ducks were about as pleased as the turkeys, and the chickens were just having none of that.

 

[colburg]

Anyone else want to chime in on why you got your birds and why you chose the breeds you got? I'll try to work on it tomorrow to get some of these answers consolidated and see if I can come up with some advice on what breeds I think will be suitable...though there are many, many suitable breeds for any given purpose but I can give you some info about the breeds I have had and why.

This is almost too much too keep up with. Read 1 page and 2 more replace it. Hopefully I get this in on time.
WHY
1) I was born on a farm, almost literally. Raised on a farm. Took a break for 10 yrs(college and some work). Now I own a farm. Animal production is the next logical step. We did 1,500 head of cattle when I was in high school, but never butchered any. I have the land and willingness to work.
2) My parents started chickens about 5 yrs ago, the eggs were amazing. Their husbandry isn't the best, sometimes downright sloppy, and they don't get enough eggs for themselves now.
3) What is going into our food today? Anyone know the answer? GMO's? Antibiotics? Hormones? How does this affect us? Anyone noticed that children are entering puberty younger and younger? I have two daughters that I want to live long healthy lives. What's going into my chickens? Hopefully non-GMO feed, but I haven't verified it. Mostly grass, bugs, clover, alfalfa, rye, orchardgrass, etc. Beef comes from my Dad, pork comes from FFA hogs after they show them then don't know what to do with them.
4) You think food's getting high now? You think Mr. Geithner's 1.5% inflation goal is OK? Those are funny gubmint #'s BTW. Look up substitution and hedonics. There are several tricks used. I'll get off my soap box now. Anyway, food prices are not going to decrease or flatline. They're going up, up, and uuUuUuUuUuUPPPP, and my paycheck isn't growing that fast.
5) I don't just want to survive, I want to thrive. Goal #1 is eggs and chicken for my family. Goal #2 is to expand into selling eggs and meat.

Ever used Murray Mcmurray's chick selector? http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/chick_selector.html This and some info from my parents is how I selected mine.
We're trying several breeds right now. We'll narrow it to a few breeds based on our trials, this thread and the OT thread.
BREEDS
Black Austrolorps. Heat Resistant, Good Layers/Meat, Good foragers, Bigger in size.
Red Stars and Black Stars - Eggs, eggs, eggs. There are claims of the reds being good for meat too. Of course, I ordered before I learned that production tends to fall after 1-2 yrs.
Delaware - Same as BA's and recommended by my Mom as some of their better chickens. Of course, that's before they ordered 50 RIR's.
RIR - Same as BA's.
25 Brown Egg Layer Mix - Trial and error. If they survive and produce to our standards and make it worthwhile to ask "What is this?", then they may be worth ordering again. (Cruddy experiment, I know.) But, I have no problem eating every last one of them.
Cornish Rocks - tried a couple because I've never been around meat chickens. Worked out great. Probably going to do some meaty trials in the spring. 25 CX, 25 Red Rangers, 25 mix n match roos(extremely cheap) if I can talk the DW into it. Unless I learn better between now and then.

Oh, BEE, I almost forgot. Starting a few years ago at christmas time I've made Green Chile Honey Roasted Pecans and more and more people are requesting them each year, so it's not just me that thinks they're good. If you're interested, I'd like to send you some as a small token of appreciation. Your advice and knowledge is worth much more than what I could ever repay so please let me do a little something.

I promise not to add any Habaneros or Bhut Jaloka chiles. Just plain ole hot ones. Bee likes it HOT is stuck in my head. Anyway, send me a PM if you'd like some, my treat.