Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[irishrovr]

Have you thought about finding an old school bell? 

Thank you all for the warm welcome.  Lots of posts to catch up on--you all are a chatty group.
My husband and I live on 35 acres in Dane WI, just north of Madison.  We have three young kids, a couple of horses, 16 hens, one cat, and an ancient yellow lab.  We bought 13 hens and a moveable coop a few years ago, and added some Easter Egger chicks along the way.  Raised some delicious White BB Turkeys last summer.  Adding some new layers and a group of meat birds this spring.
Happy to have connected with some other chicken fanatics from our area...  We are in the country, but it's pretty urban around here so there's not a lot of people interested/obsessed with chickens in my circles of friends!

Welcome!

 

[Celtic Chick]

By snuggle I mean grab and inspect while they are sleeping.

You're not fooling anyone. You snuggle your chickens and you know it!

 

[Celtic Chick]

By snuggle I mean grab and inspect while they are sleeping.

And I forgot to add, less than a week to go on the lavs. You ready?

 

[Terri O]

Good late afternoon! Man I am bushed. Moved the birds around today, dusted, picked louse eggs and Vaselined legs that needed it. Those Marans were the worst! Maybe it is the density of the feathers? The one from JJ, (the roo now named JJ) was just loaded with them. I thought he maybe was a isolated case but every Marans I pulled from 3 different pens had lice! The other birds (Aussies, Ameraucanas and Andalusians) from the samae pens had nary a one! Hmmmm--just noticed that they all are A names...maybe they dont get lice?

THe kids helped me get all this done by closing and opening doors for me and holding pens shut. They are both now sound asleep! I decided to bring them in for an hour nap before dog class since they slept in the car with my friend during the last one; she was not too happy about that!

I think this might be the last day for the sap. The tree's buds look like they have been opening as I watched! I have been boiling all day. This new 50,000 BTU burner sure rips through the propane!

Amy those Kakis are adorable...Almost as cute and my Baby Bobs! Speaking of, I should put up a pic. I am heading to H&rs tomorrow afternoon after Oconomowoc lady. I am hoping that a shorter shift will work for me.

OK--better get some stuff together for the kids tonight. WHat a beautiful day!
TerriO

 

[otonoh]

Evening all,

Just a quick report, the Japanese bantams have stopped being broody, I just removed them and put them in the covered coop for an hour. A student of mine wants the Japanese bantams, she always wanted them but her parents always bought regular chickens. She finally persuaded her dad to help her build a coop, so I am re-homing them with a bag of feed. I decided that I once it gets warm, I don't want to chase the chickens all over the neighborhood. I really love them but in a rural residential I can't have them flying everywhere. I know she will give them a good home. Besides I don't want to cover the run. As soon as it warms up I am going to replant the coop and rotate their pasture. Does anyone have reccomendations of plants, I was thinking of rye grass or alfalfa.

Have a good night

David

 

[Celtic Chick]

Evening all,

Just a quick report, the Japanese bantams have stopped being broody, I just removed them and put them in the covered coop for an hour. A student of mine wants the Japanese bantams, she always wanted them but her parents always bought regular chickens. She finally persuaded her dad to help her build a coop, so I am re-homing them with a bag of feed. I decided that I once it gets warm, I don't want to chase the chickens all over the neighborhood. I really love them but in a rural residential I can't have them flying everywhere. I know she will give them a good home. Besides I don't want to cover the run. As soon as it warms up I am going to replant the coop and rotate their pasture. Does anyone have reccomendations of plants, I was thinking of rye grass or alfalfa.

Have a good night

David

Are you rehoming your seabrights too, David?
I like clover if it is a sunny area, but that's just me.

 

[otonoh]

Are you rehoming your seabrights too, David?
I like clover if it is a sunny area, but that's just me. 

Yes I am, Both the seabrights and Bantams can fly a good 30 ft up into the trees. They are cute but they are too much bother chasing them and I don't want to have the entire run covered. It would be cruel to keep them in the covered run.. I know my student has a large farm with a huge outdoor chicken run. They can fly and not get int much trouble. I got them up north, if you post an ad in the northern wi Craigslist I am sure the seller has more

David

 

[babylady4]

Update on the stew...... it is pretty good! I still can't get past the smell but the meat is good. Kids enjoyed it an DH is in heaven!

 

[Jelinek11]

Thanks for all the good wishes everyone ! Bigz and Delisha- I have CML so it's a a sort of chemical remission. Means that the drugs were finally able to "catch up" and kill the bad cells as fast as they form ----YEA!!!! I am even able to take a smaller dose now which side effects wise is a really big deal

Enough of that, on to important stuff.

Vicki - CONGRATS!!!! My Dad was diagnosed with AML last August. When he was first diagnosed he had 75% of leukemic cells! After 5 rounds of chemo, he is in remission also! Faith and prayers do wonders!

Hey I'm in Manitowoc County too. Did I know you were? I forget things sometimes!

My Dad is from Manitowoc! My Aunt still lives there and my Uncle now lives in Newton! I try to get up there to visit, so if anybody ever needs help with transportation, I maybe able to help!!



I have a question for all of you. I have a friend that lives near Wausau that is having to get rid of his chickens. He has 11 and they all lay an egg a day, they are approx 1year old. He ordered them from McMurray Hatchery. They are the "exotic assortment" He is looking to get $5 a piece, but would probably go lower. Let me know if you would be interested, or know of someone that would be!

 

[delisha]

Delisha just wanted to let you know Mr Blackfoot has taken little Charlie under his wing to teach him about roostering. Charlie is still a small little guy, and next to Blackfoot he's a midget, but they are now pals. Blackfoot doesn't let his ladies pic on poor Charlie, and last night when we told the roosters to take their ladies in Blackfoot went back out to find Charlie. It's cute. The only thing he won't do is let Charlie mate his girls.

I read this to Joe..He laughed and laughed..He really loved Blackfoot..and wanted me to keep him..I wanted to eat him last winter. lol..thank you for the compromise!!

Update on the stew...... it is pretty good! I still can't get past the smell but the meat is good. Kids enjoyed it an DH is in heaven!