Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[shantibirdy]

Sorry I've been off for awhile. School had started up and I just didn't have time to do anything but the bare minimums to keep the show running around home. But I think of everyone a LOT!

My son and his partners haven't gotten a new restaurant going, but they are still running their catering business which continues to do well. Their time will come.

The duck flock is getting past middle age and they aren't laying much. 4-5 eggs per day out of the flock of 22. Hope someone keeps feeding me when I get past my useful days!

Hope everyone is off to a good start to the week after the holiday!

 

[jvls1942]

break time !! everybody take a break..

I had to thread 6 rod ends.. tried to do it in the house, but as it turned out, I needed to use a vise.. yup, the vise is mounted on the work bench outside.. and baby it's cold outside..

It won't be long and I should have another goose tray ready.. good thing, too, one more egg will fill up the tray in the bator..

TerriO, I was working on a solid milk chocolate color with my muscovys.. I had it pretty well mastered with these last ones I just sold.. It was hard getting rid of any white feathers and especially the white heads.. It took me 3 years to get as far as I did..
I am not going to mess with ducks, at least not next summer..
If I ever get ducks again, I think I will get the Pekins..
we used to raise a few of them every summer when we were kids.. then we always sold them beause nobody wanted to eat our pets..

My dad had a bathtub where he kept his minnows for fishing.. We used to put the ducks in there to swim.. and they did.. It was great fun to watch them dive under the water and chase down those minnows and eat them.. If dad ever got wise to us, he never let on.. we used to catch frogs and toss them in the tub, too.. ducks love them..

better get back to the egg tray.. laters..

..........jiminwisc..........

 

[MustLoveHens]

Afternoon all!
Not much to report here, although when I went to Petco to get some dog supplies and to start the ol' Christmas Pet Shopping, I got some meal worms for the Girls. 500 just did not seem to be enough! I think I'll drag out my meal worm farming kit and give it another go. I think the last time the worms got to cold so I have to figure out a warmer place for them.

I have been meaning to post this pic. Dh was at a poultry swap and brought him home as he was "Free to Good Home". We named him Token since he was the token cat, but since then I aquired another cat that needed a home. I was not looking for any cats but I guess sometimes they find you. Token is not afraid of the dogs what so ever but Ichabod is rather shy around them. Although he does have a mean "tease the dogs" streak in him!

Here is Token:

And this is Ichabod-another "freebie":

 

[Celtic Chick]

Oh, MLH, they are just adorable! What pretty kitties. I can see why they had to come home with you.

 

[bigzio]

Chilly Evening Here... i agree Jim, time for a break! Cut a small load of wood today, it's my only source of heat. i should have enough to make it through this winter, but we all know that next winter is on the horizon and the wood pile needs to be there or it's gonna be dang cold in the house next winter.

Nice kitty pics MLH....hope they turn out to be favorites at your place. It seems to work out best with kittens. The older ones we adopt just aren't the same down the road. They are happy here, but definitely miss something in their past?

No need to be sorry shanti for being busy with life, that is a full time job for sure. Glad you are thinking of us all here

Good to hear the catering is going well for your son.

bigz

 

[Terri O]

Good evening! Just waiting for the turkey, chili, lime soup to get done...should be just about time...it smells delish! DH did have to run to the store cause I didnt have limes or chilis! Geez--the main ingredients! Tomorrow we will have soup again..more like the traditional turkey LO soup. The carcass broth is cooling now--that is a day and a half type soup!

I think we are dismantling our fish tank so DH can hang the TV on the wall...does anyone have any desire to own a gigantic plecostomus? Ours is 10-12 inches long...about 5 years old. There are also 2 neon black tetras about 2" long...that is all we have in there....

OK soup is done...gotta run! Later--Terri O

 

[BlackBrookPoultry]

My poor plecostamus is like 10 yrs old and only 6-7 inches long. Maybe the tank size is keeping him from growing!

 

[Terri O]

BBP--Maybe he needs a friend??? LOL--Terri O

 

[Angiebubs]

MLH: Kittens are adorable!!!!

My girls decided to take a break from laying starting on Thanksgiving (2 hens old enough to lay)...and still have not resumed? I know they can slow down in winter-but to stop altogther for 5 days? They ere laying either daily or ever other up to Thanksgiving. The only thing other than the daylight that I can think of is-possibly over weight? not sure how to tell. I have been giving them sprouts (BOSS and bird seed) every 3 days...and a few veggie/fruit treats....would this fatten them up to much? I also always have "grower" food out (as I have 13 younger ones) with oyster shell always available.....any suggestions?

 

[MustLoveHens]

Thanks for the nice comments on the kitties!

Angie-It's actually very normal for your hens to stop laying altogether or lay very infrequently this time of year. Hens need a minimum of 12-14 hours of light to lay eggs regular- like. If you wanted to, use lighting to increased the "day light" and you should get eggs again. I have some young hens that did the same thing as yours. So no eggs till spring from them
I do have special "sun" light bulbs in my coop but those are for the rabbits more then the hens.

I doubt your hens are fat from what your feeding them. A fat hen feels well, fat. And heavy. Pick up a fat chicken and you now it's fat!
The "grower" is fine to feed esp. with the oyster shell. I would however stop the bird seed or feed it in very small "treat" type hand fulls. Bird seed is to low in protein and if the hens developed a taste for the yummy "empty" protein stuff, then they don't have enough protein to produce eggs. It's kinds like running a race after stocking up on Cheetos.....