Washingtonians

[SadieSue]

Quote:
Isn't that the truth! I've still got 6 Silkies and 4 Seramas here in the computer room. I love having them here because I'm trying to handle them every day so they're friendly as these are primarily pets. They'll be moving outside when the VF coop in finished and I know I'll be relieved but right now I'm still enjoying them. I think that the Seramas just might be staying in the house or garage. They seem so fragile to me.

But just this morning I went to feed and water the almost 7 week old English Orpingtons in the mini-coop and cannot believe how much they've grown! They're HUGE! It's hard to believe that just 3 days ago those Baby Hueys were still living in my house. (Baby Huey - now there's a pop culture reference you have to be older than the hills to understand.)

 

[Teva]

VelvettFog/Dave - You'll be so proud of John! He just came inside with a single tear on his face and a HUGE scrape on his knee from falling on the garden steps while digging in the mud. He told me, "I'm not crying and I'm really tough momma, but I tried what Mr. Dave told me to do and I spit on my knee and rubbed it in and then I told myself I'm OK!" but it still does hurt a little"

You might not love kids very much, but they sure love you!!!

LOVE IT! We tell our kids to shake it off.....and it's pretty cute to watch them shake their whole bodies for a few seconds. When it doesn't help, then I tell them to rub dirt on it!

 

[SadieSue]

VelvettFog/Dave - You'll be so proud of John! He just came inside with a single tear on his face and a HUGE scrape on his knee from falling on the garden steps while digging in the mud. He told me, "I'm not crying and I'm really tough momma, but I tried what Mr. Dave told me to do and I spit on my knee and rubbed it in and then I told myself I'm OK!" but it still does hurt a little"

You might not love kids very much, but they sure love you!!!

Awww... it just about kills me when sweet little boys are trying to be tough. Mr. Dave sure made an impression on them, didn't he? I hope that boy will still be getting a big hug for being so brave...

 

[Teva]

Oh, my, now we're straying into the age topic................can a person be 47 and have a 3- and 5-year-old???? Oh YES SHE CAN!

It took me a while to find the right guy to have kids with! I'm 42. We've been married for 13 years. Most people have a hard time believing I'm retired from the Army, especially when they see my young-uns.

 

[SadieSue]

Yay! My solar powered automatic chicken door is out for delivery today.

We asked multiple neighbors if they'd be willing to walk over and open the door to the run for a little while each day while we went camping. We offered to pay them. Not a single neighbor would do it. So, we decided to just bite the bullet and order an automatic chicken door so we won't have to rely on neighbors at all.

My husband thinks his family members will be willing to swing by and check on the chickens once each day. Since most of them raise animals, and some even raise chickens, I'm hoping he's right.

No one will need to feed them - the feeder is really large - almost too large for three chickens. They don't have water them because we have a nipple system attached to a large bucket. They should be OK just being peeked in on.

Anyhoo... at least my chickens will be able to get into the run each day.

I'm so glad chickendoors.com has quick shipping.

I have the Foy's Solar Sensor Automatic door on my LF coop. I LOVE it! Instead of having to get up at 6 AM to let them into the run - I don't have to haul my lazy bu** out of bed until 7:30 to let them out to free range in the yard. So did you order the "Pullet Shut" door? No matter the brand - I think they're all pretty wonderful. You'll love yours!

 

[Teva]

They didn't even give you any ideas? I would call them back in the morning and tell them you want him checked by a specialist or internist. Fluid in the abdomen can be many things, but none of them are any good, I'm sorry to say. At his age, it could be his heart, or lymphoma...I definitely would not wait until Monday to have more done with him.

Hi Cloverleaf!

It's not his heart, his Xrays showed it was fine. I'm not willing to pay double for a weekend visit somewhere 45 minutes to an hour away. Felix is 12 years old, he's in his golden years. He gets around okay, is eating and drinking, and isn't bothered my anyone touching his tummy. He has a hard time sitting on his haunches, but other than that he doesn't seem to be in any pain. He can still jump up onto the couch to sit next to me. The ultrasound and fluid biopsy on Monday will tell us more. If his belly doubles in size between now and then, then I will take him in for an emergency visit. Unlikely though. I appreciate your concern!

 

[itsren]

That's just horrible about your neighbors. Even if I thought chickens were disgusting, I'd still help my neighbor out! What has the world come to?

I find it frustrating. I've known most of these neighbors 12-15 years. My husband has known most of them his entire life - as my husband lived here before any of them moved in. It is getting pretty awkward, esp. now that we have chickens. We all seemed to have a great relationship until we had children. We're the only ones with young children, even though some of them are not much older than my husband and I. My children are not appreciated, neither are the chickens. If my kids so much as step on a curb, or come near a pristine lawn, heaven help us. Two days ago one of my neighbors took 2 of my kid's bikes away from them because they rode their bikes into his driveway. I can't say I was too happy. The bikes were taken away before we even knew there was a problem. They should have come over to talk to us. We were easily available - both my husband and I were in the back yard (facing the cul-de-sac) working on the coop. We could have dealt with the issue ourselves - we're pretty disciplinary with our kids. The kid's came screaming and crying into the house, but we didn't understand that the bikes had been taken from them. My kid's had to go over yesterday and get them where he left them out on his lawn overnight. If they had been stolen, there would have been a much bigger issue! Yesterday, the other neighbor lined his entire driveway with orange cones. Seeing that had me nearly in tears.

We put up a basketball hoop on our property facing the cul-de-sac. They don't like that, either. They think a bouncing ball is too noisy. When I first heard that complaint, I (possibly - probably- immaturely) made a point to go play basketball with my kids every single evening for a couple of weeks after I got the complaint. I was pretty upset about it. My kids are good kids who do normal kid things and I'm not going to keep them inside to appease the neighbors. They need to have space to be kids and to grow up. Personally, I'm more worried about the teenage gangs that roam our streets at night breaking into cars, than I am about 3 little kids who like to play in a cul-de-sac during daylight hours.

 

[itsren]

(Baby Huey - now there's a pop culture reference you have to be older than the hills to understand.)

And I totally get it!

Sigh. But I have the soul of a 25-year-old...

 

[itsren]

I have the Foy's Solar Sensor Automatic door on my LF coop. I LOVE it! Instead of having to get up at 6 AM to let them into the run - I don't have to haul my lazy bu** out of bed until 7:30 to let them out to free range in the yard. So did you order the "Pullet Shut" door? No matter the brand - I think they're all pretty wonderful. You'll love yours!

Yes, I got the Pullet Shut. I have a small coop, so I couldn't get one that has a sliding door. I'm hoping it will work great.

 

[FirewifeJess]

Quote: But don't you KNOW that kids are MUCH quieter and you can spend SO much less time with them if you simply turn on the TV, give each of them a handheld gaming device, and stuff them full of treats???