Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[Terri O]

Good morning! Two out in the Bator for the Mother's Day Hatch! There are a bunch more in there so I hope they do something! I had wanted to load up the bators for two more hatches but every two weeks so I could use one just for hatching and then alternate...never got it clean and up running so that is out. ALso I have not been selling as many chicks as I would like...and I am running out of room! Today I think I will put the chicks from the basement out into the barn pen and get the quail done into the basement. There are a few that are still really little and I dont want to put them outside too early. It is still too cold at night for them I think!
Talked with Carol this morning...she is going to a horse auction this weekend near me. Still toying with the idea of another horse. I think she wants to bid for me...alas--I have no $$$$!

THat is very interesting about the cougars. I remember when that one was shot in the Chicago area. Weird that it would even travel down that way! You can keep those big cats; I will stick with my little ones--at least they have no interest in the chickens!

I sold 15 goslings yesterday. I always feel so bad when I have to net them up and the big ones are attacking me. It makes me very sad...I think it is much easier selling birds that are incubated! I have no problem with that at all!

THere was something that I wanted to reply to ghostrider...hmmm. If I could only remember! Guess I will have to open another window to see what it was. BRB...
OK--it was about the feed question. I read that in the battery egg factories the birds eat each others' feathers for protein (and that is fine with the owners cause then they dont have to feed such an expensive ration) so I think it follows that your birds might need more protein in their diet to stop the feather picking. Do you feed a ration that has animal fats and byproducts in it? DO you give them your scraps off of the plates from the house? Can they free range to eat bugs and such? I have not had a feather plucking problem ever and they get all the stuff I mentioned above.
Now if a parrot plucks it can be from boredom, cage situation or itchy skin. I would think that the chickens wouldnt be bored if they free ranged, same with cage situation and the meat scraps and fat would take care of the itchy skin. Also it has been said that red palm oil takes care of that too...you can feed orange veggies to get more of that naturally (vitamin A) because the iol is supposedly not good for bird arteries. HTH!

Sheesh--almost 9:30...I hate to get up cause then the dogs will wake up and want something...but I must go out and feed the masses....have a great day everyone! Looks to be another gorgeous one too! TErri O

 

[WIChookchick]

Good Morning,
We have our internets and phone back up and running.. gotta pay them dernd bills... iffen we doesn't them gall dernet folks turns them off....
I would have posted last night but was very tired!
I have been house/horse and cat sitting for the last 8 days. And having to stay there overnight... bleh!

I have some good news... I had MY first chick hatch from an egg I set in the bator, hatch at exactly 21 days!!
Its a grey/blue faux langashan/Olive egger and either silkie, silkie cross or jaerhon cross.. but purdy!!
Just wanted to share.
Carol

 

[Dr HaHa]

Good Morning Everybody! Raim glad you got some new drawers even if they are home made.

TO that chick has to be the fluffiest I've ever seen! Bl4 thanks for the cake offer but I have to decline you'll see why at the bash.

Thanks for all the B'day wishes! Fried up the morels and am still smakin my lips!

DAS like BBP said I want one! Always wanted a bigger cat. Here kitty kitty!

Think it was last year that the cops said there were 5 cougars in around town. One female in heat and 4 Toms. Haven't seen any sign of them around here but their around. Donny watched a wolf go through his pasture just the other day. A few years back I found 2 sets of tracks in the snow out back couldn't believe the size of their paws!

Doesn't look like trout for supper I keep thinking of things I GOTTA get done. That has to stop soon! Right after......

 

[Stacykins]

So I'm curious, if a male silkie of one color mates with a female silkie of a different color, will the babies be muttish or will some be one color and some the other ??

It all depends on their genetics! You can get some interesting surprises. If you want to get your mind blown, here is a great page on chicken color genetics. It can be rather confusing at first!

 

[Celtic Chick]

Please bear with me, I was a gazillion pages behind.
Bl4, have you ever tried those Fancy Feast appetizers? They aren't cheap, but when I have a cat that doesn't feel like eating, they will make an exception if I give them one of those. I applaud your outlook on keeping him around and comfortable. If they have something that can be treated, treat it. If it doesn't work, at least I'll have a clear concious that I tried. I'm glad he is home & appears to be improving.

Unk, you have me feeling incredibly inadequate in the tomato growing department.
Cind, glad you got some good mommies there. I know I don't need to say it, but treasure them.

The chick pics are so adorable! And Speckles is so pretty!

Dyno, congrats on the new chicks.

mxm, wow, that's a nice tractor you built. Great job. Beautiful girls too. Any time you wanna hear coyotes, you just stop on by.

Quote:
Hey Bf4, maybe you should set up camp far away from the rest of us so they don't wake us up!

And for all of you who mentioned that FT load up her critters & bring them to the bash, she'd have a convoy of trailers behind her truck! The last one would prolly get there on Sunday just in time to go home.

H&R, I'm not sure why you have to keep replanting your Bing's. Sorry. All I can suggest is to try a different type of sweet cherry in that location? We had one sweet cherry that didn't survive it's first winter, so I went with a different variety. I know the deer love to chew on those trees too.

Terri, shhhhh!!!!! Don't tell my DH!

Hey DrH, I finally got around to making your "loafin' meat" recipe yesterday. I tweaked it a tiny bit, but all in all, super yummy! Absolutely loved it! DH ate almost half of it himself, so I guess he liked it too.

So you've only gotten 3 eggs from your teenie boppers so far? I've been getting one almost every day lately.

They're probably taking turns. They are from the 3 girls that I thought were roos because their combs reddened up so fast. They also got waddles faster than their sisters. 3 of my lavs are doing the same thing, but one of them (the one with the lightest red comb

) is the one I really think is a roo. The whole body shape on that one is different from all the rest. He also has some curly tail feathers coming in. But I could be completely wrong there too.

Terri, that cougar that was shot in Chicago took a shortcut through my yard!

My mom & I spotted it as we were returning from shopping. Wow, was that a huge cat! Easily the size of a larger dog but definitely a cat. There was snow on the ground so DH got a pic of its paw prints. I'll have to try to find that pic. It was on my old camera, so that should be fun! Anyway, luckily that was before we had chickens. We did have our rabbits, though, and it tried getting them, but thankfully DH built that cage like Fort Knox with 1/2" plywood roof/doors and lots of welded wire & hardware cloth! I'm suprised none of the buns had heart failure. I sure almost did when I saw him. Ok, gotta get something done today! Actually, lots of somethings.

Have a great day, all!

 

[Apyl]

It all depends on their genetics! You can get some interesting surprises. If you want to get your mind blown, here is a great page on chicken color genetics. It can be rather confusing at first!

Thanks I'll check it out.

 

[tiki244]

Glad your chicken got saved too raim. MLH was thinking you liked that show!LOL Yup Heritage tomatoes. hehe Gotta have some. Glad I asked so many people have lots of varieties. Love love the photo EL. Wonderful shot. Did too much testing on the Apple Pie shots FT?

 

[raimnel]

TO we have eggs that will be hatching sunday also lol also some to hatch that very last day of may, ALL eggs are outta my silkie coop.
gotta run

 

[Bigfamily4me]

Unk... I want some heirloom tomatoes. I don't like juicey tomatoes though. So keep me in mind for a couple meatier kinds. I also like strange and unusual (go figure)! I'll be good for three plants. Also, how are Ann's birds doing?

CC... I miss your smart *** snottiness when you fall behind on here. So stop doing your chores so much and roll over to the computer more often. Freaking overachiever ....

Terri.... If you want to bring me any of those chicks you aren't selling... I dont have enough chickens yet! I figured out when i weed out all the Wheaten roos for new homes or dinner, that leaves me with 9 pullets! I cant sell eggs to people with that! I do have 7 orpingtons of some kind right now. But with culling, selling, or general chick death, i have room to expand!! ! would take 2 Aussies and 2 Ameracaunas....

Jim... Would you please bring me guineas that are about a week old to the bash? That way I can pop them into the brooder with whatever hatches for me this weekend. Have I told you lately you are the Bestest EVER?!

MLH... I am super duper excited to get Icies from you! HOORAY!

WCC... I can't wait for you to get your Wheatens. You'll love them!


Ok... I love all you others but I do have to go now. I hope you all have a super day!

 

[Angiebubs]

Does anyone here raise/have LF Salmon Faverolles?

If anyone is interested in my 9 month old Barred Rock Roo-please PM me!

Also I saw mention of a white elephant for the bash.....details? (Chicken related? New? etc) So I should bring a white elephant item and a dish to share? Anything else I should know?