Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[Cindlady]

Well glad to see everyone made through the snow (at least I think so).

WCc... hope that kitty is OK!!!

Made turkey vegi soup for supper... none left!

Well, DH shoveled a path to the coop for me... he was not happy I made a few trips to the coop over the snow

couldn't help it, had stuff to do

. I put in an extra, heavier roost in the small coop for the roosters, and put a sheet up on the side that faces the main coop. Plan was to go after they were settled in for the night, take the 1 hen that was in the small coop (with her 4 "brothers" )and put her in the big coop. Grab the roosters out of the big coop and put them in the small coop. I went and grabbed the hen, opened the door to the big coop and there was a hen stuck in the slats between the coop and the feed storage area!!!

Apparently I missed her slipping into the storage area and at roost time she tried to get out. She was still alive but fading, I ran (well, my run) to the house to get the cordless drill/driver to get her out, got down to the coop, wrong bit! Run back to house to look for the square bit... not in the case! Took me 10 min. to find it!

Poor Girl! By the time I got back down she passed out

But she was relaxed enough I could wiggle her out. She woke up but wasn't walking well so she's in the house in the chicken hospital for observation. The guinea's abscess is back too so she has company. So tomorrow chicken wire goes up over the slats!!! In spite of all the ruckus, I did manage to get the roos in the small coop. Now only Prettyboy and George are in the main coop. And 9 roosters in the small coop. I hope I don't find blood and feathers when I go out there tomorrow

In any case the hens should get a bit of relief!

Speaking of roos, would anyone be interested in some EE/ guinea crosses? They are going at it! And yes, they can cross breed.

Well, got to slice open the guinea (the abscess) and get few more things done... then bed! Night all!

 

[FrenchToast]

Wow, where to start ???

First of all, yep, what bigz says, Build Big !!! I like my Barred rocks, Buff Orphingtons, Rhode Island Reds,Easter Eggers, and Ameraucanas.
Are you planning on getting any roosters ? If so you might want to stay away from the Rhode Island Reds, the roosters can be mean so I've heard.
If you are going for egg size I wouldn't get the Ameraucanas but my Easter Eggers lay a very nice size egg. I"ve never had an Easter Egger, Ameraucana or Buff Orphington Rooster attack me.
Polish roosters are terrible !!!

Oh and the Domoniques and Marans are nice and the roosters are docile as well.

There are so many choices. I don't have any of the breeds that Bigz does (YET lol) but I have all of the above and am very happy with them.
You might want to see if you can get some of each kind. A variety pack !!! Then let the Chicken Math begin !!! lol

I do agree about the production breeds. They will burn out quicker so if you don't think you could cull them after becoming attached you might want to think twice about getting them.

Haven't heard from DrHa tonight !! He must be sitting next to that bator just watching and waiting !!! Hey DrHa you gotta get up now and then or your arthritis we be so bad you won't be able to stand straight !!!
I can just see him sitting there in his robe and slippers. Kodak moment !!! Have L snap us a picture of you starring into your incubator. But before you do make sure your robe is securely tied

This is a family show !!!

So far in addition to the six chicks that hatched out last weekend I have 4 new little silkies. One white silkie that I think came from a Paint/black silke cross. And 3 chicks that came from my Lavender/black silkie pair. The 3 are black or dark blue, not sure yet. 2 of them I had to help out of the shell. They have huge vaulted skulls, almost to big but will have very nice crests. I think the 2 with the vaulted skulls are females !!! YES !!!

Most male silkies don't have the vaulted skull, at least mine don't.

My lavender/black pairs have 8 eggs that they are sitting on. Don't have room in the incubator and I don't want to start up another one right now. I added the 10 paint silkie eggs I got in the mail today along with about 5 from my own pens.

Have to go get more feed again tomorrow. Seems like I just got it. 1000 lbs only lasts me 2 weeks !! I have to start selling eggs, SOON !!
I can hear the wind blowing against the windows. Sounds like winter is finally here !!
Good Night all !!

 

[FrenchToast]

Interesting read from Nutrena plus print a $2 coupon !

http://view.exacttarget.com/?j=fe63...d1679&jb=ffcf14&ju=fe3517727063007c741770&r=0

And on another to print a $5 coupon. http://view.exacttarget.com/?j=fe61...d1679&jb=ffcf14&ju=fe3317727063007c741170&r=0

Cind glad you got to that hen in time to rescue her !

 

[FrenchToast]

Here ya go everybody. Who needs a spell checker now ?

Check this out !

And this:

 

[Cindlady]

I like that kid!

Yep... still up

I saw the hen that got stuck do a strange thing in the chicken hospital...she was picking up straw and throwing it on her back.

Is this some sort of "I'm hurt, I must hide" behavior? BTW she is limping.

But her wings seem OK.

Oh, when I went to get the roos, both broodys were sharing a nest... it looked so cute. I also noticed that a hen will sit right on top of a broody to lay an egg... weird but I guess it's a way of getting eggs hatched.

OK, going to try that sleep thing I heard about.... night all! (again)

 

[FrenchToast]

Yep, I'm still up too. OM fell asleep in his chair and he has to go into work early in the AM so I've been wondering when he was going to get up and go to bed. Finally went out there and asked him if he was going to get up. He is a crabby bear if you startle him so I try not to but guess who would hear about it in the morning if he over slept !

OK, I guess it's safe to go to sleep myself !

Cind, I've seen chickens do that with their bedding. I don't think it is a pain thing. Isn't that cute when they brood together ?

That's one smart hen, egg dropping on another hen, one way to get out of going broody !

OK, better get some sleep before the sun comes up and the roosters start crowing !!

 

[Dr HaHa]

Great Morning All! Except that I think TO gave me a defective egg. It has a hole in it but the weird part is that its broken from the inside.

The membrane isn't broken yet but...

It's only day 19. It's coop egg. Bigzio how about a full name of Choo Choo the Tijuana ho?

FT glad ET wasn't hurt! Well except maybe his pride. Going to pass the chick little story on.

Yup they'll toss hay on their backs when they move in to a nest Cind. Think it's cute too. Just checked, more shell broken and now making lil chirpin noises

I've got the same thing going on as CC no adjustment to # of posts. But I did find the PM thingy. Thanks for the guidance Tomski! I'm totally lost with how Jim is set up.

He did send me a very funny story on how he teaches his chicks to poop on a string to fertilize his garden. KNA good to hear fro you! WCc good job on the kitten hope it makes ! Hope Tiki gets a monitor soon! Can't figure out why I can't get the cursor on the other side of this smilie

 

[Dr HaHa]

Choo Choo is napping. Watched her pokin at the membrane, thinkin she'll be out by tomorrow. A barn egg next to her is getting inspired and acting like a mexican jumping bean. No robe FT, towel, in case I get excited and dribble a little.

Guess I have to go play on the tractor the back part of the driveway is drifted to around 5" not a prob for the Jeep but L's car would be a "B". Might as well do the whole thing. Darn it! That should help the neck.

 

[Terri O]

Good morning! I have just a couple of mins before heading to work...I want to leave enough time in case I have to shovel the drive out....what a great start to my day! LOL--I feel much better after some sleep. Congrats on the pip DrH! I know if will be a cute one what ever you name it! I wish I could have gotten some eggs for you from the partridge hen and Phoenix roo! She hides hers so well...I am sure she will be out with about 15 chicks later this month! She is the mom to Road Runner, Checkers and little Turk. Most of her others I have sold to the Hmongs...I dont really need another flock of chickens running about now do I...
CC--I thought you would like the seat belt comment too....
Good save on the hen and the kitten Cind and WIchch! I turned around on my way home last night too...I thought I saw a snowmobile or car in the ditch...it was just some heavy bushes--thanks GOD!
FT-I had something to say to you too....hmmm--cant remember what it was now. Oh yeah vaulted skulls...every time I read that I thank the Lord that I dont have one! It sounds terrible! I wonder if their brain is bigger to take up the vault or if it is just like air space...bats in the belfry? Weird...what we do to animals...

OOPS! 9:08--I better get a coat and go! Later...have a fantastic day! Terri O

 

[Tomski]

Good Morning!

Brrrrr Cold outside this morning! We only received 2-3 inches however, there are drifts up over a foot in some places. The wind is still whippin' outta the North. I wonder what the wind chill is? After all this warm weather, it sure seems REALLY cold... LOL

Still haven't plowed out yet, although I did shovel a path to the coop and run. Chickens are hangin' out in the coop this morning - I can't blame them. I didn't throw any scratch in the run this morning - I'll wait until this afternoon, maybe it'll warm up.

I've gotta head to Transfer Station (also affectionately known as 'da dump).

Hope everyone stay's warm and has a great day!

Laters....

Tom