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

[Beekissed]

Amen, Pete! This generation is so used to getting everything fast I think they have forgotten that getting good at something usually takes time. If you want to get at chickens, it takes time to learn and time to have your own set of experiences to stand on. The OT thread at least makes a short cut available of putting all the info in 1200 measly pages.

 

[Bulldogma]

Bee Abundant!!! (that's what I want on my mug!!!)

I'll get right on it!

This is why I have chickens..
My husband loved horses and I wanted to fill a house with kids. He bought us a farm. He decided he also wanted to milk goats and show them and bought me some Muscovy Ducks. He said he was buying some chickens too. I said no..I am not cleaning no coop. I was raising and showing American Cocker Spaniels, the last thing I wanted was chickens. My plate was full.

Delisha - loved the whole story! Thank you so much for sharing this!

Anyone ever see this? God it had me laughing so hard.
Drop the food kid! DROP THE FOOD!

The fluidity of those birds is something else!

Don't you love how the dad with the camera is just letting the kid be terrified - LOL!!

It was one of those purchases that is a lot, but it brings a lot of joy, and I think does a good job of helping me complete my website in process. We are doing this as more than a hobby. Everyone likes to see pictures before buying.

My one, most wonderful and prized possession is my camera! When my FIL passed, he left a bit of $ - and strict instructions (directed at me) that it was to be used for something fun and not bills. I got the camera of my dreams and I love it more than most can imagine. I don't love it because of its expense or because its a possession, but because it gives me the most wonderful creative outlet! I love, love, love using it. My family now takes bets on how many photos I'll take at various events or gatherings. It's never less than 200 - LOL!

the culprit was back. A mink. Trap set, runners locked up tight. Shotgun loaded and ready

Git 'im!

Oh my gosh, I just wandered over to the OT thread and there's over 1,200 pages! With this thread I was lucky that I was with it when it started. (Even though it's still hard to keep up with sometimes.) How do you recommend tackling the OT thread?
I sure wish someone could glean through all that and make a page with the highlights like the Natural Chicken Keeping blog. I'm sure there's a lot I could learn, but that's so overwhelming!

I'm going to try, but I have a hard enough time managing the blog and keeping up with this thread - LOL! I invite anybody and everybody to PM me with the best posts from there, or tell me what pages to look on!! You would be my hero(s) if you did!

 

[aoxa]

Bee Abundant!!! (that's what I want on my mug!!!)

I'll get right on it!

This is why I have chickens..
My husband loved horses and I wanted to fill a house with kids. He bought us a farm. He decided he also wanted to milk goats and show them and bought me some Muscovy Ducks. He said he was buying some chickens too. I said no..I am not cleaning no coop. I was raising and showing American Cocker Spaniels, the last thing I wanted was chickens. My plate was full.

Delisha - loved the whole story! Thank you so much for sharing this!

Anyone ever see this? God it had me laughing so hard.

Drop the food kid! DROP THE FOOD!

The fluidity of those birds is something else!

Don't you love how the dad with the camera is just letting the kid be terrified - LOL!!

It was one of those purchases that is a lot, but it brings a lot of joy, and I think does a good job of helping me complete my website in process. We are doing this as more than a hobby. Everyone likes to see pictures before buying.

 

My one, most wonderful and prized possession is my camera! When my FIL passed, he left a bit of $ - and strict instructions (directed at me) that it was to be used for something fun and not bills. I got the camera of my dreams and I love it more than most can imagine. I don't love it because of its expense or because its a possession, but because it gives me the most wonderful creative outlet! I love, love, love using it. My family now takes bets on how many photos I'll take at various events or gatherings. It's never less than 200 - LOL!

  the culprit was back. A mink. Trap set, runners locked up tight. Shotgun loaded and ready

Git 'im!

Oh my gosh, I just wandered over to the OT thread and there's over 1,200 pages!  With this thread I was lucky that I was with it when it started.  (Even though it's still hard to keep up with sometimes.)  How do you recommend tackling the OT thread? 
I sure wish someone could glean through all that and make a page with the highlights like the Natural Chicken Keeping blog.  I'm sure there's a lot I could learn, but that's so overwhelming!

 

I'm going to try, but I have a hard enough time managing the blog and keeping up with this thread - LOL! I invite anybody and everybody to PM me with the best posts from there, or tell me what pages to look on!! You would be my hero(s) if you did!

Yes, I love how the parents continue to film

As for the camera, it brings me much joy as well. I've always loved taking pictures and videos. Since I was very young. I have to be behind the camera... Never in front of it!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I don't know what went on in my Pekin coop last night or early this morning. My 1st thought when I opened the coop and saw bloody birds was a weasel somehow got in. The evidence isn't adding up to that 100% . But 1st things 1st. My Pekin drake is dead. Bloody but no real visible killing wounds. My 3 girls are a mess but alive and in the bath tub. I'm heading out shortly to buy Nustock for their wounds. After I clean them up some more. The girls all have some feathers on their necks missing, one is missing some skin, and all have a few puncture wounds.

So 1st Nustock. Should I also pick up some Calf manna to help boost them? AVC? Need your help Bee!

stony so sorry to hear this, I hope your girls pull through.

 

[stonykill]

stony so sorry to hear this, I hope your girls pull through.

thanks Miss L. They are looking a little better. 1 actually finally started preening herself a little while ago. They are in a dog crate with heat lamps for the time being.

 

[Beekissed]

Quote:
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.

 

[IttyBiddyRedHen]

So sorry for your loss Stony. I hope the survivors make it through ok.

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

Funny all this is coming up today... just got a call from my kids' school asking if they could include our family as Christmas present recipients from their charity this year... It had never occurred to me that we would be "that family." I quickly told the school that while we felt so honored they would be so kind to us, I worried that if we said "yes," we could be taking that opportunity away from a family with greater needs than our own. We have been SO blessed this year! We are being allowed to live on the most beautiful farm in the most beautiful house for nearly nothing in rent. My husband is employed - he doesn't make a whole lot, but he IS employed right now when so many others are not. My 9-year-old is getting horseback riding lessons and I have been allowed to work at the barn in return for her lessons.

The Big Guy above has been watching out for our family, and feeling as blessed as I do right now, I can not it good faith accept charity from this group. Heck - we feel like we're living high on the hog right now - even if my son is getting a coat and my daughters are getting clothes for Christmas. They'll be thrilled with their new stuff! (Not to mention I'm sure their grandparents will come through with some fun "splurge" gifts!) We've lived without extras for so long that we no longer think we need them.

And you know what? I'm happier than I've been in YEARS!!!

Just one little thought, BDM~
In order for the circle to be complete, we have to be as good at receiving, as we are at giving.

This was a hard one for me. Ever since I could form words, and realized the world was not my friend (I'm gonna guess about 3) my motto has been "I'll do it, myself!"
But I always had a heart for giving. I would give my new, cool thing away in HS if I thought the person who needed it, needed it more than I did.
I was not, however good at receiving. This short-circuited my ability to bless the givers by receiving what they offered. Then they get their needs met, and so on...
Once I realized that they needed to get blessed by giving, too, I employed this as part of a balanced life.
Now, people give me fridges and stuff.
Just throwing that out there.

 

[Miss Lydia]

thanks Miss L. They are looking a little better. 1 actually finally started preening herself a little while ago. They are in a dog crate with heat lamps for the time being.

Good to hear.

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

About the OT thread: There are whole groups of people who are starting from the beginning...like reading a big book..and copying and pasting pertinent items into a Word Document for their own use. We were getting a lot of complaints about how long the thread was and how people didn't want to sift through all that information and I usually just tell them that WE all had to sift through and GIVE the information, so if we can do it, they can do it...even if they got to the party late.

Time is time and all of our time is valuable, so if the information is important enough for people, they will take the time to read it. And, trust me, those who take the time are very, very glad they did. You won't find any blog, website or forum that has the quality and variety of information that the thread contains anywhere else. I guarantee it.

Right now the thread is moving its followers to the next phase in chicken keeping but it won't mean much unless someone has the basics down pat first. It will still be helpful but it deals with knowing what to cull for in a flock to get the best quality of birds and performance, and most folks that are just starting out are trying to find out how to just keep the dang things alive. It will all make much more sense if one starts from the beginning.

Of course, if anyone has an immediate question or concern it is usually answered quite promptly.

We like threads that are going somewhere...and these two are going somewhere good. Hop on!

It took me 3 months of neglecting my family to tackle the OT thread, and it was worth every second of it.
It is possible to skim, once you know what you are looking for, and who the experts are.
Nothing wrong with reading the last hundred pages first and then going back to the beginning, tho, if 1200 pages seems daunting to start!