What did you do with your flock today?

[kurby22]

Today was another big day of work…we are one step closer to the Cooplex being finished!

We were “just” going to move the little white coop and run…which still required cleaning and moving cinderblocks and pavers and dirt and crap. But when we picked it up…part of the wall started coming off and the roof Sooo I could not be okay with that knowing there are rats always on the prowl. SO…we decided the big Omlet coop that is only used as a nest box finally needed to move and be used properly. So that required taking it somewhat apart, detaching the bird netting, moving the auto door control box, unburying it from the hole they’d created underneath, lifting it over a bunch of things, then putting it back together, installing fence, and installing new bird netting, and then moving all the chickens. I’m beat

They have so much more space this way anyway, we just weren’t mentally prepared for all that work tonight

I also vaccinated all my birds on Sunday and am worried I may have done a couple wrong and done some damage I found a chick two nights ago acting weird and another one acts like it has wry neck all the sudden. Gonna keep an eye on them and hope its temporary Screwed either way I guess, have to go with the odds that the benefits outweigh the negatives

 

[Shetland lover]

Well, last eve we lost mom. She had a terrific life, loved and was loved. RIP Bella ♥︎

After conquering the bag disaster yesterday, I was proud and tired. Saved sewing my special order bag for today and it was not as much of a pain as I thought it could be. I had worked it out in my head for days while de-stringing, lol, and it came together nicely and quickly. Despite you know who.
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Scrubbed waterers, filled feeders early as I knew today would be a different day. Had horse duty among a few extra chores while DH worked on the things he needed to.

Got new bulbs so our zapper is back in action.

Another Lani went broody, so she is in Jail. Hope is still happily and crazily sitting on eggs in the broody coop. Girls gave me 16 eggs today. All is well with the flock. Mazie is happier because of antibiotics and spa treatments .
Made soup for a friend so chooks got bone meat to chew on for their snack.

No rat yet. Forgot to add cat food like @kurby22 suggested. Tonight I will try that one. Not sure if rat has moved on?? Nothing else to eat in the shop. Maybe it already has a stash so is good for awhile? These things, i don't know, but I hope to find out.

Many hugs coming your way for you and DH. It never gets any easier losing a loved one

 

[Shetland lover]

I'm sooo sorry for your loss. Hugs and love to all of you.

In my experience they act like they're gone and then you find evidence they've been there all along! They're sneaky jerks!!

I hear ya, at least one of our rats has left evidence of it's existence overnight. A pile of in the empty feeder!

 

[Shetland lover]

My chickens just had a run in with the neighbor's cat. They were out in the yard while I was working on a project and I heard them make a strange, nervous clucking noise.

I walked over to see what was going on and the cat was laying in the grass about six feet from two of the chickens. The cat didn't look like it was in hunting mode, but rather looked like it was laying there thinking, wondering if it could take down something as big as my chickens.

I played the part of rooster and clapped my hands and yelled at the cat. It ran one way and the chickens ran the other. LOL

One more thing to keep an eye out for, I guess. I'll have a couple of cockerels soon, but they won't be ranging in the yard with the hens for a couple of weeks, after quarantine period.

Hopefully they'll be able to take on the neighbor's cat.

Standard size chickens can usually hold their own against most domestic cats so I wouldn't worry unduly once they reach full size. Even my little bantams stand up to my enormous kitties and local cats. Most cats aren't stupid and won't risk a wrathful beak to the eye.

 

[Shetland lover]

I have hanging baskets outside the pens so I tend to drop dying blooms and flowers for them. Today, I watched the ducks eat away at the stems while my Orpingtons, Sunny and Goldie, played tug of war for a petal! I always forget to bring my phone so here's just a pic of Goldie sunbathing. She likes to lay in the sun while the ducks frolic in their pool. View attachment 3526279

Mine all go nuts over rose petals! I have a little troop following me around when I deadhead the roses

 

[Shetland lover]

My girls, the coop and run.

Aww, Such cuties! Are these your first chickens?

 

[Shetland lover]

Broody is broken. Let her out and she is all good. I am finally done planting and transplanting, hopefully new seeds and sprouts survive. I have another that is not wanting anyone else in the coop while she is in a nesting box. Little grump! Back up to 8 eggs today.
I have a fuschia hanging on my porch, which has a bird nest with 4 eggs. This afternoon, found a lot of broken branches on the porch, and in the plant. Usually the mama bird is scolding anytime we get near. No mama or daddy bird to be heard. As I inspect closer, I find Sam's fur on the end of a broken branch. I think he had an afternoon snack.

Oh no! Naughty Sam! We lost a nest of blackbirds to our neighbour's cat last year. They picked a stupid nesting spot and have done exactly the same this yea (same spot) r. Glad to hear you finally got your physiotherapy underway and it's going well. Mine starts next week.

 

[PopoMyers]

Oh no! Naughty Sam! We lost a nest of blackbirds to our neighbour's cat last year. They picked a stupid nesting spot and have done exactly the same this yea (same spot) r. Glad to hear you finally got your physiotherapy underway and it's going well. Mine starts next week.

Collar bone healed up? Glad you get to start soon as well. Didn't realize how hard just moving a thumb can be. We'll both get stronger everyday. Sam jumped from the railing onto the plant, from the evidence. They were little chickadee like birds.

 

[PopoMyers]

Today was another big day of work…we are one step closer to the Cooplex being finished!

We were “just” going to move the little white coop and run…which still required cleaning and moving cinderblocks and pavers and dirt and crap. But when we picked it up…part of the wall started coming off and the roof Sooo I could not be okay with that knowing there are rats always on the prowl. SO…we decided the big Omlet coop that is only used as a nest box finally needed to move and be used properly. So that required taking it somewhat apart, detaching the bird netting, moving the auto door control box, unburying it from the hole they’d created underneath, lifting it over a bunch of things, then putting it back together, installing fence, and installing new bird netting, and then moving all the chickens. I’m beat

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They have so much more space this way anyway, we just weren’t mentally prepared for all that work tonight

I also vaccinated all my birds on Sunday and am worried I may have done a couple wrong and done some damage I found a chick two nights ago acting weird and another one acts like it has wry neck all the sudden. Gonna keep an eye on them and hope its temporary Screwed either way I guess, have to go with the odds that the benefits outweigh the negatives

Just reading this made me exhausted. So much work. So sad about your chicks. Thinking about the 3 I have that aren't vaccinated at all. And maybe more that I have no histories on, that were acquired as laying pullets and hens. What kind of vaccine did you use?

 

[kurby22]

Just reading this made me exhausted. So much work. So sad about your chicks. Thinking about the 3 I have that aren't vaccinated at all. And maybe more that I have no histories on, that were acquired as laying pullets and hens. What kind of vaccine did you use?

It’s the vaccine for Mycoplasma gallisepticum. I vaccinate all my chicks now for it, because I unknowingly brought a chicken in 2 years ago that had it and lost several birds from it. I haven’t lost one over MG since, and Nohope tested negative for it so it seems to be working! Just hard to vaccinate tiny chicks, their bodies are so fragile!