Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[BlackBrookPoultry]

I apparently was too focused on building my coop to be warm in the winter. It's locked up tight at night and gets too stuffy. I'll have to make a screen out of hardware cloth for the window I guess.

 

[Dornes]

Well, met with Carol today and got the two chicks. They are integrated just fine and I actually set up a huge brooder in the living room. Man that thing takes up space, will be nice when I have my living room back though. Think - rubbermaid christmas tree storage tote. Yep, one of those! lol. Tree got tossed out of the tub and the chicks got put in as soon as I got home

Another scorcher today - kids are playing in the water like they are tadpoles and hubby is unloading hay sileage. Yes, it is HOT.

Well, time to whip up some sandwiches and feed my brood. (of the people variety) and then off to the barn to do some milking. Man it's gonna be a hot one in there tonight!

Hope you had fun at the mini-swap today! Can't wait to hear what everyone swapped and got!

 

[babylady4]

Call Duck pipping!!!!

I helped a little

I don't want another baby getting stuck and not able to hatch and then dying on me...... I can see the membrane and that there is blood in it so I am letting it sit tight until it sounds weak.....

TO, you let me know how those coneflowers work for you. I can always supply you with more. I have a yellow iris too from the bash!!! What is the big leafed plant that send up a spike blossom??? Comfrey????? I got it from the bash and have no idea what it is.

Looking at the calls that are 'supposed' to hatch right now..... it looks like only 2 have made it to the hatching stage

the other eggs are full but I don't see movement. I set about 8 on the 29th so HOPEFULLY they will all be hatched out by the Saturday of the Bash!

Hubby wants to go out to eat so I'll catch you all later!



Dr.H get some Gatorade into yourself!!!! And take a calcium/magnesium supplement along with some potato chips!

 

[Dooner]

Well, got the floor placed. The corner posts fit just fine, which was a real relief. The four walls went up without a hitch. The roof is sitting on top, but need to add a couple of boards and attach it. I recruited all the young men at the birthday party to carry it out of the garage and put it in place. It weighed a ton! I hope not too much weight for the structure. Next is the inside, trim and touchup. I will post final pictures when all done. You can't see it but it is on 22" legs. A 7x4 foot run will attach on the right side (only a couple feet tall) and they will also be able to go under the coop which is 4x6'.

 

[MustLoveHens]

Evening all hope you all managed to stay relativly (sp) cool!

DrH-I hope your feeling better and that you took it very easy today. The wood can wait, I pretty positive that the trees will be there when you get to feeling a little better. I don't think you'll hurt their feelings if you miss a day or so of hacking at them!!

Dooner-that is a cool coop!! I can't wait to see when it's done!

Dornes-a rubber maid Christmas tree storage container!! That would make an awesome brooder with loads of chick room!! I say forget the tree and turn it into a brooder!!

bl4-I'll keep my fingers crossed that the hatch goes well for you.


Soooo, the show was fun but as it turned out I did not compete. Dh had a going away party for a coworker to go to that started at 4pm. So we had to make sure we left Richland Center with enough time to get back here, shower, feed dogs and leave enough time to get to the party. So before I placed the birds, we checked what time coop out was. It was going to be 3 or 4 so that was not going to work to show this time. You can't take birds out of the show cages until coop out so I decided to not enter them. It's ok though. I sold Agatha the Sebright to a very good customer of my DH's and I took Winston but no one wanted him. Poor Winny the Roo! I also took two Barnevelder just because pullets but no takers on those either. I have to say that they were rather relieved to get home! Valerie was a total trooper but I need to work on her 'tude. She likes to peck at hands a little when she is caged and that will get her DQ'd in a show.

I have to say the the show was a great mid sized show with 500 to 600 birds. There were a lot of Waterfowl there especailly the Heavy Duck breeds and the best Call Duck breeder in North America was there. His birds are amazing. I love the East Indie Calls. So beautiful. If I ever get Calls those are the ones I want. Those and Cayuga's.
Let's see what else, there were a boat load of Cochins. Terri O's Modern Game contingent was there but none were for sale! Sorry Terri!! I did the the name of the breeder though! De Long Poultry down in Darien/ Clinton. He has a FB page!
Oh there were some Geese- Super Africans, Brown Chinese, some Toulouse, a Sebastopol, and one other one I can't remember the name of. One of the Polish frizzle roosters that was there was DQ'd for stabbing the judge... The Bantams were out in force but they usually are-especially the OEGB's.
There were no pheasants so when Buzzy is old enough it will be fun to show her and see peoples reactions. There were also no Standard OEBG so that was a bummer....No Asils either, but they are rare up here.
The Swap/sale are was so so for at this show and there were tons of ducklings for sale.
I met a bunch of great chicken people and talked up BYC.

Can't wait to get to another show! And with that I'mm going to bed....it's been a long hot day! Cheers!

 

[Frizzler]

Looking for a little help here. We came home today and this evening to a ton of dead birds. We had a birthday party to go to this afternoon at 3. Got home at 6:30 and found 2 dead turkeys. Then at 7 we went to a retirement party and were gone 2 hours. Came home to at least 14 more dead birds. Both my ducks, 1 more turkey and a whole bunch of chickens. So here's what has us stumped-What the heck did it??? All of the birds were within a 30 foot radius. There were even chunks of feathers in the coop, but the bird was 150 feet from the coop in the backyard. We had 3 hawks hanging around yesterday, but will hawks kill more than one a day? Only 2 of the birds, a turkey and a chicken, were partially eaten. The rest hardly had any damage or marks. This is such a disheartening thing. I'm so bummed, most of the birds were my favorites. How come they didn't take all the stoopid mean roos? Please, any help or input would be so helpful. I have a picture of some of the birds all in one area and one of a eaten bird, but don't know if I should post it here. PM me if you want to see it, it may help in figuring out what this is.

 

[WIChookchick]

MLH- sorry you didn't get to show your birds, you will have to tell Hurley what was expected of you and your birds for showing and what can potentially DQ some ones bird.

I don't think there will ever be a STANDARD OEGB-- the last part of their name is bantam... unless you meant something else...

My day was fun filled and I drove ALOT.. Dorner is one of the nicest people I have ever had the privilege to meet. I am so glad that the Salmon favs will fit into her flock.. she is already doing chicken math!! we are all such enablers!

So then I drove to Sweet Folly's and got to see the growing duckies, and her trio of special bantams.. I am not exactly sure what they are, but the roo may not make it long term, something is wrong with his leg.
Her antique incubator is working FABULOUS!!! Poor TO was expecting 8 mini, teeny baby quail.. she got 10, as one hatched last night and one this morning..
I called her after leaving SW's and told her that 1 was smaller than a marshmellow peep, I think 2 of them quail would equal one peep...
I am glad I did tell her because her first words.. "I am gonna have to rethink how I am going to brood them!!" And they are on a higher protein which of was no issue to the grand master of growing chickens.. LOL
SO I got there first as Hurley was enjoying an ice cream with her GENIUS of a son who is talking, knows his letters, numbers and can almost read at the tender age of 2!!!

OMG Hurley has the nicest birds and if I haven't said it before...I LOVE YOU GUYS!! I got a pair of blue maran hens with light cuckoo markings on their necks. And a blue/cuckoo rooster with the gold gene, he has a light gold sheen to his neck feathers.. (hearts around smiley insert here).
WOWOWOWOW...

I have put them into the stall and Bert my blue cochin bantam roo and Damien(?) got into a major fight... now mind you he is twice the size IF not more than Bert...and after a few grudge matches...Damien was sulking on a roost, and Bert was business as usual.. WOW.

TO is coming to my place tomorrow to get some odd and random chicks I have gotten over the last few weeks..
A wheaten/blonde faced ameracauna pullet, a red star looking turken pullet and what ever else catches her fancy.. LOL

Well I am off to bed soon!
Carol

 

[Celtic Chick]

I am by no means any kind of predator expert, Friz, but with so many dead & alot with little to marks on them, I'd have to guess a weasel did the initial killing. Something else probably came later & ate a few of them. My sis had the exact same thing happen to her more than once. Some weasels are/can be small, & get into some pretty small, unnoticed openings.
I am so terribly sorry for all your losses. That is really heartbreaking. I wish I could do something for you.

Same thing as my sis also is that it got most of her absolute favorites last year. This spring, something got many of her sassy roos, so be careful what you wish for.
Hope this helps you. So sorry again.

 

[Frizzler]

Thanks Celtic. Now that you mention weasel, I found a dead ferret/weasel looking critter in front of the house about a month ago. It was dead and somewhat eaten. Thought maybe the cats caught it, but after some asking around someone mentioned that an owl could have dropped it. Could a weasel take down a turkey I wonder. They were at least 10 lbs.

 

[shantibirdy]

Frizzler, wish I could help you, but at least wanted to let you know how much I feel for you right now. What a terrible thing to have happen.