Washingtonians

[Chicken Rustler]

Hey, BYC WA peeps!
Been a long time!
Life is starting to get back to normal. Radiation is over.
I had my final check on my skin today and things are healing up great!
I have a new level of sympathy for burn victims. Wowsa!
Sorry to anyone that needed an answer or info from me in the last couple of months.
I did not realize how zapped I was going get.
Now that I am coming out of it, I can see how bad it was.
My kids are grateful to have their mom back!
I still take naps but am feeling soooo much better.
On the chicken side of life, We are having to beat off the broodys with a stick.
We sold 3 chickens that we hatch last spring to a friend and 2 of them have shared a hatch!
Very cool, indeed!
There is no way I can get caught up on all the missed stuff, so I just want to say...

to the many new peeps!
Hope everyone is doing ok.

So Nice to see ya back. Hey since it sounds like ya got lots of broodies does ya need some eggs to give em a job??? I can set ya up wif some real nice B Am's eggs. I need a replacement roo and silkie has decided she is going on vacation.

Oh and why do I need a new roo? Little bantam rooster all tough and mean I warned ya not to attack my mowin machine. Stupid chicken!

OK NO I didn't really but was a little tempted.

 

[CailetTempest]

Well today I had to call my friend to hurry up and get to my house. One of her rabbits was dead in his cage. The momma of the 10 babies was having problems. Right before she got to my house the momma took her last breath. Apparently heat stroke got them both. There was nothing that could be done.

Well the 10 babies went to her house. Her mom has a little bichon dog that the babies are almost done nursing and going to see if the dog would adopt any of the babies otherwise they are going to try to bottle feed them.

Friend has the attitude of the rabbits are now meat. So kids and I got a lesson in how to dress out a rabbit. Kids thought it was cool. I was like ewwww! but understood the why's and how for's.

Still a little sad bout the babies. It scared me to see the mom suffer and die the way she did and I had no idea what to do for her...

Yesterday was the banding of the boy calves. Um when hubby had me at the feed store and was getting the bands I actually asked him if they were for the chickens legs and why there were no numbers. Lady in line laughed a little and told me what they were for. Yup I felt like a city girl. But I am still learning.

I think I will stick with chickens and ducks, I seem to understand them.

 

[mikeyb]

Well today I had to call my friend to hurry up and get to my house. One of her rabbits was dead in his cage. The momma of the 10 babies was having problems. Right before she got to my house the momma took her last breath. Apparently heat stroke got them both. There was nothing that could be done.

Well the 10 babies went to her house. Her mom has a little bichon dog that the babies are almost done nursing and going to see if the dog would adopt any of the babies otherwise they are going to try to bottle feed them.

Friend has the attitude of the rabbits are now meat. So kids and I got a lesson in how to dress out a rabbit. Kids thought it was cool. I was like ewwww! but understood the why's and how for's.

Still a little sad bout the babies. It scared me to see the mom suffer and die the way she did and I had no idea what to do for her...

Yesterday was the banding of the boy calves. Um when hubby had me at the feed store and was getting the bands I actually asked him if they were for the chickens legs and why there were no numbers. Lady in line laughed a little and told me what they were for. Yup I felt like a city girl. But I am still learning.

I think I will stick with chickens and ducks, I seem to understand them.

Rabbits really, really stink when you dress them out, at least the wild ones do. That's my memory from my days of hunting the little critters.
Would a sprinkler have reduced the heat enough to help the rabbits? I dunno, just askin'.

 

[mikeyb]

I have a Q or two for the crew.
Q. how long does it take you (youall with experience) to dress out a chicken if you pluck it by hand?
Q. How difficult is it to raise rabbits for food and which breed would you suggest for weight to food cost?

 

[CailetTempest]

Rabbits really, really stink when you dress them out, at least the wild ones do. That's my memory from my days of hunting the little critters.
Would a sprinkler have reduced the heat enough to help the rabbits? I dunno, just askin'.

I am guessing something might have helped. I have no experience at all with rabbits. What hubby and I figured is to make sure they have water at all times. And tomorrow give them more shade. Friend said to hang a sheet in front of their cages and wet the sheet down a bit so it should help.

Good news friend got home, her daughter has 5 of the babies and is bottle feeding them and she has the other 5 babies. Well about 1/2 hour ago Her horse had a baby. UM wow!! She got Fancy already pregnant and was told fancy wasn't due until end of june. But Fancy had her baby today. Both are doing great... baby is up and walking which is good apperently.

Nope i'm not a horse person either. But I can't wait till daylight so I can stop and see the baby.

 

[CrazyChcknChick]

Are you on FB??? There is a Oroville/Tonasket Buy sell Trade and one for the Omak/Okanogan. That is where I listed my Roo and I already erased the posting since they are gone but there were a few people interested.. Let me know and I can get you on the list so you can post on there Cause yup I am in town. Darn it.. loY

Yes, I am. I belong to both groups, plus another one for gardening, but thank you for offering to add me I figure I'll have plenty of opportunity to find them new homes before the feathers really start to fly..they're only about 5 weeks old and just went outside into their new coop. I just thought I'd mention it on here to "chicken people" before I offered them to the general public We're still observing them, trying to decide who gets to stay and who has to go. I had to order my BLRW straight run, so we wound up with two cockerels and two hens, also two GLW males, and the little bantam. Out of the BLRW we're having a hard time deciding on who stays..both are huge, fluffy n cuddly and not very bossy (yet).

 

[4cats3kids1hubby2many]

Quote: For heaven's sake...that is nothing...for that matter. I have not finished it...got busy with other stuff going on and it got set aside. Just glad to have you back.

 

[4cats3kids1hubby2many]

Quote: I will tell you though that mine don't appreciate and give me the stink eye when I squirt them with the hose - multiple reasons why, and yes, one of them is just because it is fun to see how they react...but mostly they are somewhere they shouldn't be or doing something they should not.

 

[4cats3kids1hubby2many]

Well today I had to call my friend to hurry up and get to my house. One of her rabbits was dead in his cage. The momma of the 10 babies was having problems. Right before she got to my house the momma took her last breath. Apparently heat stroke got them both. There was nothing that could be done.

Well the 10 babies went to her house. Her mom has a little bichon dog that the babies are almost done nursing and going to see if the dog would adopt any of the babies otherwise they are going to try to bottle feed them.

Friend has the attitude of the rabbits are now meat. So kids and I got a lesson in how to dress out a rabbit. Kids thought it was cool. I was like ewwww! but understood the why's and how for's.

Still a little sad bout the babies. It scared me to see the mom suffer and die the way she did and I had no idea what to do for her...

Yesterday was the banding of the boy calves. Um when hubby had me at the feed store and was getting the bands I actually asked him if they were for the chickens legs and why there were no numbers. Lady in line laughed a little and told me what they were for. Yup I felt like a city girl. But I am still learning.

I think I will stick with chickens and ducks, I seem to understand them.

Okay, gotta share a bit of info on myself. My first husband used to help me butcher rabbits...kind of was a date I guess. but yes, I was raised knowing my rabbits were for meat. hellped and did for years. Rabbits are much easier than chickens to do. Look like cats skinned out. LOL

 

[CrazyChcknChick]

Since I am relatively new to this chicken adventure: does anyone have experience with really small bantams? We got some SLR bantams and they are SO tiny: while the rest of the lot has feathered and moved outside, they are only just getting some wing and back feathers, are mostly fluff still, and haven't seemed to grow a centimeter since we got them. Now, they've been fed the same as the other birds, even given a special box to eat in at times, because the bigger birds would hog down all the treats before Teeny and Tiny (I know, really original, right?!) could get any. I know the adult weight is only something like 32 oz or something crazy, but sheesh...at this rate, it feels like they'll be inside forever, because they are so small I don't dare put them out. Any idea how fast they grow? They still seem rather fragile: they are in the brooder box with the six chicks hubby brought back from the feed store, and although those chicks are only 2 weeks old they are much bigger and have more feathers. Is this normal for bantams or are my two just not stellar specimens?

I love reading this thread!