Utah!

[Lilwanis]

Finished processing the noisy boys. Four of them. They weren't 4.5 lbs like Henry, but all were around 2.5 processed weight. In my fridge settling now, then off to freezer camp. I am too exhausted to be emotional about it now.

 

[Desert Springs]

Lil, I always think that it's bad form when neighbors turn you in for something without approaching you, first. If you don't know it's a problem, how are you supposed to deal with it?? I'm glad you found out that you have the space to keep your birds. Good night, some people are just never happy. I found out today that I have a number of neighbors that aren't happy that some of my chickens wander. Hmm, funny, because they all told me they were fine with it.

I don't get people. Insert rant here.


Well, I had an older neighbor come visit today. He has kept chickens before and loves them, but sold his last flock before winter. He's interested in getting more chickens. It's very possible that he will be taking a few of my birds for me, including my RIR, my BR, and my Barnevelder. He's also interested in a rooster, and he may take one of the half-Icelandic cockerels I have running around out there. It makes me happy to know that they might have another home with someone who cares for them, even if I cry when I have to let them go. My neighbor seemed very interested in my blue Ameraucana, too, but I'm not sure yet if I want to let her go so soon......

And (sorry for the novel) I checked the Icelandic eggs I have here last night. I've let them sit for two days, and the air cells in three stuck back to the shell!

Got a few more than are semi-stuck, and a couple that are downright loose. I put them all under one of the broodies last night, and I'm feeling more hopeful than I did when I first got them. Sphinx, thank you again for helping me with these eggs, too!

HI Red,

I don't get people either.... I guess us chicken people are just too honest. Anything less is just a waste of everyone's time!!!

Good luck

on your eggs!!!!

 

[Cynthia12]

Ha, he found a way to keep his chickens cool in the summer.

 

[Sphinx]

Sara, I love that watermelon "cake". What a clever idea.

Lilwanis, I'm starting to feel a little sad that evidently everyone in the group has seen your house but me. Lame! I'm glad that you're making headway though. What great news for you. I'm sorry you had to process some of your boys. I still want you to teach me how to do that sometime.

Ace, congratulations on the human baby!!! Remember, candling humans doesn't work (which is really a shame). Olive Eggers really are a lot of fun. If i had to drastically reduce my flock, they're amongst those I'd keep.

Red, I don't understand people who don't talk to their neighbors either. I think it's so much better to try and handle things one on one. If you do end up rehoming a couple girls, I still am looking for free young hens for a friend. I gave her my kindergarten hatch, and it's turning out that all but one are roosters. Poor lady! You are so welcome for the icelandics. I set them bottom side up in my incubator (which is a trick in my bator), and let them sit until last night like that. When I checked, there's only 1-2 with imperfect air cells. I won't tell you the results of the candling unless you want to hear.

Cynthia, I'm ROFL at the chickens in the pool.

 

[Desert Springs]

Red, I don't understand people who don't talk to their neighbors either. I think it's so much better to try and handle things one on one. If you do end up rehoming a couple girls, I still am looking for free young hens for a friend. I gave her my kindergarten hatch, and it's turning out that all but one are roosters. Poor lady! You are so welcome for the icelandics. I set them bottom side up in my incubator (which is a trick in my bator), and let them sit until last night like that. When I checked, there's only 1-2 with imperfect air cells. I won't tell you the results of the candling unless you want to hear.

Cynthia, I'm ROFL at the chickens in the pool.
Okay Red and Sphinx,
Please explain the bottom side up reason. This is something new for me.

I don't think people know how to interact anymore. It's a social skill that technology has bred out. Sad!!!
I just had a friend (and neighbor) who told me my guineas have been in another neighbor's yard, attempting to pick bugs off their tomato plants, and unfortunately damaging the tomatoes themselves. As I had already approached that neighbor (periodically) asking if any of my poultry were a problem, I was slightly irritated that she hadn't told me herself. I took it upon myself to purchase T-posts and bird netting, and fencing her garden (by myself). She expressed she didn't think it would be easy for her to manipulate the watering around the netting, but as she is quite miniature in stature, it soon became apparent to her that it was an efficient and easy way to obtain the required safety of her garden, and easily, in fact, to water. As we all (4 neighbors) were just mentioning that only 2 grasshoppers have been spotted this whole season.... no ticks, no snakes, no coyote... the guineas are doing their jobs.... just a little too efficient in the neighbor's garden...lol.

Really is sad though that the neighbors couldn't have come to you first. Now there will always be hard feelings.

Again Sara, I have a sledge hammer to re-arrangement where your front and back yard is located, in reference to the door.

 

[Desert Springs]

Huge thanks to 6kidsfarm for the delivery of the turkey feeders!!!!

Now the rubber tubs can be used for the purpose originally intended. Plus I love the heavy quality (they just don't make 'em like this anymore!!!!) Adjustable, yet tough enough if a bok bok tries to roost, they don't fold up, or fall apart!!!

 

[Sphinx]

Desert, when eggs are shipped, sometimes the air cells are damaged and are wiggly, or even floating all over the egg. This is bad. If you rest the eggs with the air cell up (which is how you should store your hatching eggs ANYWAY), sometimes they'll fix back into place. If they don't, some people incubate like that for a while, or even the entire incubation, trying to get the air cell to fix back into proper place.

 

[sillycmoy]

So my Naked Neck Ollie today I noticed that her neck looks like dry skin, just on the very top part. Usually its not so flaky looking, like a peeling sunburn. And of course I noticed it after I put them out in the free range, and she gave me my run for my money with the look, your not picking me up right now mom, I'm eating. So I never actual was able to catch the little stink to really look at it. I will have to go out around noon when she's back up in the back under the tree for shade.

I don't think it could be mites, I have DE in their favorite dust bath hole, and I just sprinkled more in the coops 2 days ago. I put it in every week, unless I'm doing it wrong. Do you think she could have gotten sunburned? They literally have shade 100% of the day, and I very rarely see them out in the hot hot sun.

So is there something that I can put on it. It really looks like it needs lotion. I feel like a horrible momma, it wasn't there yesterday that I noticed anyways.

Also last question. My neighbor said that I should start putting golf balls in the nest boxes so they know where to lay their eggs when they start. How early do I want to do this? All of them are Apr 3 and younger, except the Cochin Mix and I think the NN are the beginning of March, they are almost 5 months old, the rest are 4 months and younger.

 

[RedIII]

Karen, I would say when they are old enough to lay and look like they are checking out the nest boxes. Of course, if your girls are like my RIR, they decide that they don't like the gold balls for interior design and try to shove them under the wall.............

And with your NN, it could be sunburn

My BO has bald patches on her back and wings where the roos had torn her feathers up, and we worried that she was getting sunburned because it looked so raw and chapped. We just broke a leaf off our aloe vera and slathered it on the exposed spots. She protested at first, but her skin is looking much better now.

Desert, I'll have you know that I am a little jealous of your sturdy feeders! Those metal ones can really take a beating.

Sphinx, now I am going to worry that the candling results were bad, lol. How long have you had them in there? Three days? Just so you know, those Icelandics are well known for coming early. It's not uncommon for them to hatch on day 19 or 20, from what I've seen.

 

[RedIII]

Ha, he found a way to keep his chickens cool in the summer.

I so want to do this.