Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[BlackBrookPoultry]

@LizD1- Liz I found an ad on Facebook for "white layer duck hens" from Metzer Farms. $8 each. Located in Burlington you can email her at [email protected], I also have her phone number.

 

[wildsam]

Liz, Muscovies actually take longer to hatch (33 days) than other duck breeds (28 days). They like to roost and they can fly if the wings don't get clipped. Other than that they're usually the same as other duck breeds. Besides the drakes not getting a drake feather.

 

[jvls1942]

good evening, I had to leave early this morning and didn't get home until after supper time..

the neighbor from about a mile down river from us called Annie today.. He found Dora floating in the river behind his place.. she was badly decomposed but he managed to get her collar off and contacted the humane society to get our name .. so ends the mystery .. we don't know how she got into the river, we assume she had a bed made on the flood plane and the hard rains we had the whole time she was gone might have washed over her bed.. ?? guess we will never know for sure..

Muscovy ducks are not as fond of a pond as your mallard ducks are.. the drake gets way larger than the hens.. and some people claim that the feet on the young drakes are larger than a like aged female.. the drakes have a way of raising the feathers on their head to make them stand up.
the meat is darker and they are a beotsch to butcher.. but they do taste delicious.. they have claws and are more than willing to use them on you if you catch them.. the best way to grab them is by the base of the wings right next to the body.. they are like goats when it comes to cars.. they like the darker painted roofs because it absorbs the sunlight best. and they do not bother to hop off when they get the call of nature..

and they do not pull their feet up under their wings when they plop down on the snow and ice.. as a result, they freeze their feet ..

a good deep layer of straw is necessary if you want to prevent them from freezing their feet..

I think they are a direct cousin to a cormorant ..

in many place in Florida and Texas, the wild or ferel muscovy is not appreciated by boat or dock owners due to their messy behavior ..

yes they do fly,, and you might find them on top of the tallest roof top you own..
..........jiminwisc.......

 

[cuties]

Jim, I am so sorry about Dora :,(

 

[Hens and Roos]

Jim- sorry to hear about Dora

 

[babylady4]

Jim, I am so sorry about Dora. I am glad you have closure though, at least you know (to an extent) what happened.

Nothing new to report here.

 

[Cindlady]

Hi All!

Wow, sucks about Dora, to bad.

Again nothing new. well, grandson's birthday party tomorrow, I got a new/used nebulizer machine today, allot newer than the one I have!
That's it.... Night All!

 

[Sclark73]

Sorry to hear about Dora Jim.

Off to the Lil' Outlaw swap in the morning in Fall Creek. I have about 60 chicks to try and sell along with a dozen Lavender guinea keets, hope for no rain. I actually should be sleeping right now as I have to be up to get things loaded at 4am but figured since Jim was whining about being lonely all the time I better check in. And no Facebook hasn't sucked me in, I just have so much going on that I never have time to post. I do however read everyones stories at least daily. I think I will set one more batch of eggs this year for swaps and after just focus on hatching BLRW eggs from the new Foley birds once they start laying.

I downsized all the birds I want gone except for the trio of Foley BLRW I'm selling but wanted to wait until they finish molt as they look horrotious right now. So what I'm keeping for breeding is: 5 Speckled Sussex, 3 Buff Orpington, the new 6 BLRW, Zeus(BLRW Roo from last year) with his 4 mates for EE. Sold my Cochin Bantams, Mille Fluer D'Uccles, Marans, and still have to deliver the one Lavender Orp hen to a lady in Cushing. Forgot about the lonely BO Bantam roo I have, he will just stay as a guard chicken for now as a few days ago something got into the coop and killed his wife. He's not a happy camper and noone would want him anyhow as his comb and few toes got froze this past winter when he escaped the coop during the below zero weather. He's doing fine just doesn't look the best. I recently found out he originally came from Dan Paff who breeds them and he told me all the roos are meaner than hell. I just ignore him and he leaves me alone but if anyone tries to bother him he will let you know and run you off. He's only about 8 inches tall and doesn't scare me but maybe he'd scare someone coming around that doesn't need to be here. lol

Finally made time tonight to put the new brake pads on the Jeep tonight all the way around and spent alot of time vacuuming out the entire thing, what a mess from hauling chickies every weekend. Also got the hatch shocks changed but now that I'm typing forgot to put the new wiper blades on. After all my complaining about buying the Jeep last year I can't complain. After putting the new trans in I've put on alot of miles. It made me to Kentucky and back just find and has been going strong. I do however need to get new tires on it before snow falls I believe. I had to change one of the tensioner pulleys yesterday as it spun off on my way to town, easy and cheap fix though. I had it changed in less than 5 minutes and back on the road besides it only cost $20 for the pulley. I'm actually quite thankful that I know how to do those things as I couldn't imagine having to have someone come work on it for me and the time it would take just to find someone.

Picked up a garage door for my stall in the new garage yesterday for $100 on CL, now just to make the time and get it installed. Only a few more things to finish and the garage will be done. I still want to get the floor poured as last week I bought 25 bags of cement and it only give me a slab about 4 x 7 3 in deep. The bags aren't accurate as they say each bag does a 2x2x3in and I should have alot more than that done. Looking at getting a cement truck here to just get it done at once, they said it will cost about $700 for a 20x32 slab.

Still haven't finished the new winter coop but I have to get it done before snow. I did pick up some insulation for it yesterday at Menards as they are having a sale right now.

Wednesday evening I had to drive my daughter to Mankato Minn to pick up her new car. Less than 10 miles away she calls me the throttle is all the way and she's going over 90 and the car won't stop. Had her put in neutral and turn key off and pull over. She was scared to death and young so didn't know how to react to the situation. A guy stopped and helped us push the car off of the freeway. Called the guy we got it from and chewed him out, he said he was on his way there. After inspection I found that the throttle cable had broke and nothing was holding it from slowing the idle down. I spent 20 minutes digging thru the Jeep trying to find anything like a zip tie to fix the thing. All I could find was a new pack of hair ties I bought at a gas station on my way home from Kentucky as my darn hair wouldn't stay out of my eyes and my clip had broken along with some electrical tape. I took the throttle cable off and twisted 5 hair ties around it and back to the mounting bracket and taped the living hell out of it. The guy showed up and was nearly crying from me yelling. He said he would never sell a car that did that knowing it could kill someone. after seeing his sincerity I decided it was a freak thing and sent him on his way. Went to start Jeep and nothing, what a night. Looked it over and the battery cables were lose. Didn't have anything in Jeep but a wheel weight puller so used that to tighten it enuf to get it started. We finally made it home about 2am Thursday morning. I went right to parts store in the morning and bought new cable ends and changed them in the parking lot. I didn't want to get stranded anywhere.

Anyhow that's a blip of my week and Jim that's why I don't get on here and start as then I make Frenchie sized posts and probably ramble so much nonsense you all get bored and just pass thru it anyhow.

Hope you all have a great weekend!!

 

[jvls1942]

good morning,

stacy, I read every word.. quite a saga you had going..

H&R, yes we have closure,, I never had a situation where we needed closure, but now I understand what it is all about ..

stacy, I poured tons and tons of concrete in my days as a contractor.. you would be surprised at how much a dip here and there in the prepped soil will eat up concrete.. I have poured so much of that bagged stuff lately that I have it down pretty pat.

that trucked in ready mix sure has skyrocketed in price..

here is a tip for pouring a garage.. make the driver dump every bit of the load into a wheelbarrow..
then you can place the concrete exactly where you want it and strike it off after each one or two wheelbarrow loads..that way you never have to wade in the concrete, and strike off is much lighter and easier..
If the driver says he will just shoot a little at a time,, DO NOT believe him..

I learned this from an old carpenter I worked for a long time ago.. he and I poured a 2 car garage with no other help from anybody .. and when we were finished, neither of us was tired ..

but be prepared, some drivers don't like to do this.. maybe explain to the dispatcher what you intend to do.

It really does not take any longer this way..

One more thing, try to get the first load of the day,, It will be more uniform and stable..
many times the driver has extra in his truck and then he goes back to the plant and adds what it takes to make the next load.. the old concrete in the truck will want to set up quicker,, even though it is mixed thoroughly with the new.. and if he does this two or three times that day, the last batch will set up sliding down the chute ..

and don't let them put any additive in to "help" it set up faster in cold weather.. I think they call it calcium chloride.. your best bet is to provide a warm environment yourself..
I could tell you horror stories about that additive,,

I have two people interested in guineas.. sort of.. they contact me, I send them my phone # and then they never call..

there are a TON of guineas on CL..

going to pick all the corn today,, freezing much of it and not sure what to do with the excess ..
will feed it to the chickens if I have to..

............jiminwisconeFTpostafteranother.......

 

[delisha]

Jim, I am relieved you finally found out about Dora. I am sorry that she is gone..

I had Muscovy's..They are delicious. Joe would not eat them for some reason. So we sold all of them. They need to roost like chickens or they will freeze feet off in winter. Ours loved water and to swim. They need deep water to clear nares and to eat food. They like to grab a mouthful and eat it under water. Messy. We had to keep them away from the chickens since the Drakes will breed anything.

Next weekend is the show..I need to get busy.