Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[Angiebubs]

Yeah I had a bunch growing for my "kids" too...Sometime in late July when we had some heat they all turned brown and by the time I went out to take a look the wild birds had already picked them clean! I guess they have to eat too...Last year I just took the heads and tied them on a rope in the coop for the chickens to play with...didnt take too long and all seed was picked out!

Dam dog got another bird today while I was at work...one of the younger ducks (I think) the body was there and totally plucked...not a spot of blood...maybe I should let him pick roosters for me?

Have a good one! TerriO

Terri O

Sorry to hear they got one of your ducks!!!
Our hunting dog that I have been so worried about with the chickens-Flicka, well the past year or two has accidentally been let outside when the flock was out and didnt try anything! I had sort of let my guards down with her, and a few weeks ago, my daughter let Flicka out after dark thinking i had locked up the coop. Not even sure why I happened to go out when I did (right in the middle of packing) and found her IN THE COOP with my chicks all yelling. She had one cockerel cornered. When I picked "tank" up he had a scrap on his leg and that was it. However, Flicka must have grabbed her (Maybe soft mouth due to being a bird dog?) and he has been in a cage since healing. He gets around fine but is still limping. I am jsut shocked she didnt kill the bird or get to more of them. I think now that she has seen them all flapping shes all worked up and outside the run watching them constantly UGH!

 

[jvls1942]

good evening,
if you want to caponize your rooster, It should be done when the bird is quite young.. the operation is not always a success as the birds sometimes die ..
if you neuter a dog, does it quit barking ? does a cat quit meowing ? does a horse quit neighing ?
does a steer quit mooing ? does a rooster quit crowing ?

I have to keep Gus tied.. he went down the road and visited some people who did not wish to be visited..

Oko did not come for the guineas,, I turned them loose this morning,, from now on they are free to roam until there is a buyer standing in my yard with money in hand ..

sunflowers,, check a few seeds to see if they are mature,, if they are, get it picked asap if you don't want the wild birds to get them,,

don't bother drying them,, just feed them as soon as you can,, if you don't get them dry in time, they could mold ..
and remember, if you do try to dry them, mice and chipmunks like them , too..

If you want to remove the seeds, which is not necessary, use a horse currycomb

......jiminwisc........

 

[jvls1942]

Quote: similar to a barking collar for a dog , eh?
is it really worth that much money just to have a rooster around ?

 

[bigzio]

Evening All....what a beautiful few hours in the woods, even if I didn't harvest a deer!
Thanks for the information about the meet up bbp and angiebubs....I'd feel the same way bbp. I wish I coulda made it too angiebubs.

Worked hard on the wood pile today. Feels good to know I won't be freezing this winter. Hope to get some more done tomorrow. It will prolly take a month to get it all cut and split. 2 to 3 hours a day is enough wood pile work for me.

I grow sunflowers for the flock too. I grow both boss and the white stripe ones....the heirloom seeds from sandhill really grow some nice heads.... you need a lot of air circulation when drying to keep them from molding....and yes the mice love them as much as the chickens. I leave mine dry on their own as long as I can before I cut the heads....once the wild birds start to harvest them....I then cut the heads...I have prolly 50 heads....

7layer dinner for supper....ohmygosh the fresh garden veggies make it worth a 2nd serving...

Peace...bigz

 

[EagleEyes]

Cuties, or any of you that are interested in Capons, go to the Caponizing thread and you will learn a BUNCH
EagleEye

 

[EagleEyes]

Angiebubs,
I'm not interested in a collar, but the caponizing is very interesting. The folks on this thread are from Kansas/Oklahoma. I was just seeing if someone from Wisconsin did this.
EagleEye

 

[babylady4]

In IL for a job interview, going back home tomorrow. Having a lovely visit with my relatives. Made dinner for my Aunt, Uncle, cousin and family tonight. They all enjoyed it. I made homemade spaghetti sauce, linguini, green bean medley, and a nice crusty baguette. Everyone loved it.

Headed back home tomorrow. I have enjoyed the break from reality, but it will be nice to be back home.

 

[Angiebubs]

Thanks for all the info on sunflowers. Once again, the seeds taken from birdseed or just the old bag of BOSS grew the most beautiful and plentiful. While the "special" sunflower seeds-gave me only 1 plant-HUGE though-8 ft at least? with burgundy flowers. I cut the heads on the yellow/BOSS plants and put them in the shop to dry. However, good point about the mice-I may just go ahead and give them to the flock now rather than saving for a wintery day. However, the burgundy heads-its like there is nothing there? just dried white hulls...and no birds didnt get to them first, as its all tight. Wonder if its a deal where the company made it so you cant save and re use seeds like some other plants?

 

[Celtic Chick]

I agree with Ang: good info on the sunflowers. Thanks for sharing.

I always get volunteer sunflowers coming up in my flower beds that the rodents plant for me. This year I have a ginormous one right in front of the garage. I think it still has a couple of small flowers blooming on it. It is crazy how many heads it produced. I will try to take a pic of it tomorrow if I remember. It doesn't look very pretty anymore now that it isn't blooming much, but that sucker is taller than the gutters. DH had to stake it up.

Sorry to hear you are still under the weather & now your hubby is too, Cind. I hope you are both feeling better real soon.

Good luck on the job, Mel.

Nothing new here. Night all!

 

[Cindlady]

Hi All!

Feeling a bit better.

Sunflowers...I cut the heads when I see most of the seeds form. I but them in paper bags with the stems hanging out and tie them off and hang them some what near the wood stove. Even when the stove isn't lit it's a good place to dry stuff.

That's about it.... night all!