Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[jvls1942]

Got home at 6 am from work and my coop light was going on and off. The LED's must not fire real well when it's below 10. Gonna need to get a different light for the next dew weeks I guess according to the forecast. High of 2 Monday.....how the hell can 2 degrees be called a high?!?!

that 2F was being generous, might not even make that..
but you gotta admit, it beats -20F ..

I am wondering if these kinds of temps are going to go long into our spring.. I mean, it might not warm up quickly ?.

check that contact in the bottom of your light socket.. sometimes it gets depressed . just turn off the power and pull the tab up a little
my led is working just fine, and I didn't even close the coop door last night.



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

 

[corewassen87]

I'm off to the other job right now but I'll sure try it when I get home cuz I don't want the laying to stop or get screwed up. Probably should get some corn for the ladies too. They say if you give them corn in the afternoon digesting it all night keeps them warmer.

 

[jvls1942]

I'm off to the other job right now but I'll sure try it when I get home cuz I don't want the laying to stop or get screwed up. Probably should get some corn for the ladies too. They say if you give them corn in the afternoon digesting it all night keeps them warmer.

I would not give them too much corn.. on the average it lowers the protein in their diet.

give them cracked corn if you are going to give them any .

I think that giving them "treats" like scratch feed is why some people are not getting eggs. IMHO.


I give mine just a little of the 50/50 finely ground oats and corn..
but not every day..

so far they are laying OK ..

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

 

[67drake]

Good morning Packer fans.
I have a few noobie questions today.

1. My hens are laying about 90% a day,pretty good I guess. BUT yesterday I got a "soft" egg. It looked flat on 1 side where it was laying. This is the 1st one I've ever seen like this. I've been feeding my hens the Farm and Fleet "adult" laying crumbles. I THINK that's about what it's called,I don't have the bag here as I keep the feed in a sealed bin. It's the bag with the yellow hen on it,if that helps. My wife has been getting day old bread for free at the local bakery that we throw into the outside run some days. I wonder if one of the hens has been loading up on bread treats,and not eating enough crumbles that provide calcium?
Question is,how often do you get soft eggs,and would the not eating crumbles cause this?

2. I have a heated bucket in their coop for water. They tend to get poop in it all the time. I top off the bucket every day,and rinse it out about twice a week. My wife thinks drinking the "poop water" will get them sick,and make the eggs taste bad. I on the other hand don't think it's a big deal. They got poop in their gravity waterer all the time too. How the heck can you prevent not getting some contamination (poop) in the water?
Who's right,my wife or I?

Thanks cheeseheads!

 

[CherMoz]

Another sunny day here!

This is information I used to determine I had an ermine. http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/wildlifehabitat/furbearers.html I cut and pasted the pertinent information below. I do not know how the ermine (which did have its winter coat) died. The carcass was pretty beat up. We do not put poison out.

Long-tailed weasel

National Park Service
Long-tailed weasel (Mustela frenata): The long-tailed weasel is the largest weasel found in Wisconsin, though they are only slightly larger than the more common short-tailed weasel. They are usually 13-18 inches long with a black-tipped, 4-6 inch tail. They are brown on top with white or cream-colored throats or bellies, but like all three species of weasels in Wisconsin their fur may turn completely white in the winter. Like all mustelids, the long-tailed weasel has delayed implantation, so they breed in July, but don't give birth until the next spring. Weasels den in hollow stumps, tree roots, rock piles or under buildings and have an average of six young. Small mammals, rabbits and birds are the common prey items. All three species of weasel may be trapped year-round with a trapping license.​

Short-tailed weasel

Jack Freriks
Short-tailed weasel (Mustela erminea): The short-tailed weasel is the most abundant weasel in Wisconsin. At around a foot long, the short-tailed weasel is smaller than the long-tailed weasel and has a 2-4 inch tail with a black tip. They are similar in color to the long-tailed and, like the long-tailed, their fur may turn white in the winter. Long-tailed and short-tailed weasels can be difficult to tell apart, but in most parts of the state the short-tailed weasel is the most likely to be seen. Tail length is the only good way to distinguish between the two, but it can be challenging to tell in the wild. Like most members of the weasel family, they are nocturnal, and they consume similar prey to the long-tailed weasel. Weasels may be trapped year-round by those possessing a valid trapping license.​

Least weasel

Keven Law
Least weasel (Mustela nivalis): The smallest of the weasels found in Wisconsin, the least weasel is about 6-inches long, with a short tail. They are the smallest living carnivore in the world. Unlike the other two weasels in Wisconsin, least weasels don't have black tips on their tails, though they may have a few black hairs. Least weasels, like all Wisconsin weasels, may turn completely white in winter. Their reproduction is similar to other weasels, as they have six young in spring and den in hollow stumps, tree roots or rock piles. They also have similar diets to the other two species of weasel, preying primarily on small mammals and birds. Their small size means they are difficult to trap and their fur does not have much commercial value, though the pelts are used for education. Least weasels may be harvested year-round with a valid trapping license.

I hadn't heard of the Least weasel before. My mom said when she was a girl, they had a weasel in their chicken coop.
Drake: I agree with your wife. Keep their water as clean as you can.
Chickenscratch: I do not know why your chickens would not be laying for you.

Cindy: Good dog!! ​

 

[Daethen]

Drake, I give mine crumbles but I supplement with oyster shell to be sure that they have enough calcium available. I get soft eggs now and then. Not near as much as my girls are young and are finally getting into the laying habit. I still have one that lays a very thin shelled egg though.

 

[Celtic Chick]

As Jim said, too many treats will "dilute" the amount of calcium in a hens diet, which can cause a soft shell issue. If it becomes a problem, I would suggest mixing the oyster shell in with your feed to be sure they are all getting enough. You don't have to do this forever, just until they learn to eat the oyster shell on their own. New pullets sometimes don't know to eat the oyster shell, so mixing it with the feed will teach them. HTH

I agree on keeping the water, and food, as clean as possible.

Feeding a chicken anything will cause digestion, not just corn.

Good info on weasels. Thanks for sharing.

 

[delisha]

Happy New Year to you all!!!!!!

Our ****** hens aren't laying. They have light, it's not cold (by our standards at least), they aren't sick, so I don't know what the free-loading things need.

Oh well, if they don't start laying before Spring, I'll be asking for some fertile eggs and I'll have 5-7 in freezer camp! I'm thinking I'd like another batch from Robin of her lav orps (if she still has them that is) and Vicki's blk orps were great broodies, so if she still has any of those, I might take a few. But otherwise, these ladies better do a big turn around and soon! With the way this "winter" is going, spring might be here early!

Well, I've been fermenting bread, so if anyone is interested in a starter batch, just let me know. I also have kombucha. I mainly have been making ciabatta bread with the starter until I perfect it, but there are so many other breads to make with this white starter. If I really want to have to starters going at once, I could have a whole wheat starter and be able to make pumpernickel and rye too.

That's about it for now.

They are getting older so eggs per year is going to be reduced. They should still give you 200-250 a year. Each fall your older girls will take a good two to three months off. They go broody more than other breeds and need the time off to recover before the big winter hits. They should start lying again any time now that the cold is progressing.

I don't have any more chickens. I should be getting some of mine back in a few months. I have not closed on the cottage yet...I am waiting forever for the well report to come back. I think they took a long Christmas and New Year vacation.

Happy New Year!!

As Jim said, too many treats will "dilute" the amount of calcium in a hens diet, which can cause a soft shell issue. If it becomes a problem, I would suggest mixing the oyster shell in with your feed to be sure they are all getting enough. You don't have to do this forever, just until they learn to eat the oyster shell on their own. New pullets sometimes don't know to eat the oyster shell, so mixing it with the feed will teach them. HTH

I agree on keeping the water, and food, as clean as possible.

Feeding a chicken anything will cause digestion, not just corn.

Good info on weasels. Thanks for sharing.

X2

 

[Cindlady]

Hi All!

Nothing new here.

Rudy is doing his job, haven't seen a coyote today.

Night All.

 

[chikenscratch]

They are getting older so eggs per year is going to be reduced. They should still give you 200-250 a year.  Each fall your older girls  will take a good two to three months off. They go broody more than other breeds and need the time off to recover before the big winter hits. They should start lying again any time now that the cold is progressing.

I don't have any more chickens. I should be getting some of mine back in a few months. I have not closed on the cottage yet...I am waiting forever for the well report to come back. I think they took a long Christmas and New Year vacation.

Happy New Year!!

X2

Delish- I am so out of the loop. We should talk and catch up!!!

Cindy- would you be willing to share your green goop recipe?