Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[BlackBrookPoultry]

I gave my goats away today.

I thought I was fine with it but when I got home and they weren't there to greet me I started bawling. I feel terrible. I loved my little Wether and they both were so scared when I left them. But after the bear took their fence down twice in one week I decided I needed to take action for their safety. I thought about electric fence, but I have no idea how to install it. Also, I don't have a barn so storing hay has been an issue. My husband wants nothing to do with any of my animals so it gets difficult sometimes. I hope I made the best decision for them. I'm going to miss them very much. :'(

 

[Dr HaHa]

Good Morning Everyone! So much going on! The choke cherry trees are in full bloom. Was headed outside yesterday to make some wood opened the door took 2 steps and turned around. WOW Looked at the thermo it was 83 with about a bajillion % humidity. It won't take long for the seeds to germinate with that kind of weather. Going to head out to the woods the this AM. Need the grass to to dry out enough to get it mowed before it gets away from me. Started making a written todo list yesterday, gonna be a very busy boy. Better go let the kids out.

 

[jvls1942]

BBP, at least you had the choice to give your goats away.. I had goats many years ago, I also worked out of town.. So the care and milking fell to my lovely bride.. She also had 3 youngsters to care for and everything else that goes with rural living.. I came home to no goats one day.. I didn't ask.. to this day, I don't know where they went.. Even a dummy like me knows when to keep his mouth shut.. LOL

We had some more heavy rain last night.. Getting into the garden is going to be tricky this year, I am afraid.. I picked up 100 pounds of Russet potato seed.. They are good sized seed, so we can alway eat them if we can't get them into the ground..

The farmer did manage to get his corn planted all around us..

Somebody mentioned planting seeds in toilet paper.. will carrots work that way? I know you can buy planting strips.. but then you might just as well buy carrots from the store.. $$ eh?

are there any tricks I should know when making T P strips?

 

[jvls1942]

DdrH, It is a good thing we know what you mean when you are going to let the kids out.. LOL

I just happened to glance at the bator next to me.. I thought I saw a guinea egg pip.. at closer inspection, it is more than one and one is more than a pip.. due date, 5/16.. these guineas keep doing this to me.. I am going to change their ETA to 25 days instead of 28.. wasn't it just yesterday I mentioned I had a feeling something was due??

edit: there are 6 pure white keets going up to the chickTV..

I transferred about a dozen eggs due 16th and 17 th

these that hatched are from the 13th // 100%

 

[otonoh]

good morning everyone, It certainly rained a lot here last night. No plans for hitting the garden or planting flowers, it is supposed to get in the mid 30's for lows which means frost for me. I now understand when people say chicks are so dusty. The whole bathroom is coated. The birds are getting almost too big for their brooder. I am going to have to bring them out to the coop next weekend whether I want to or not. Hopefully it will warm up. I am not sure if 2 250 heat lamps will keep the coop warm enough until they feather out.
Up to now, I have been in charge of cleaning and feeding and holding the chicks, Once they are outside son number 1 and 2 are taking over most of the duties. I don't even like eggs so they need to step up to the plate since chickens were there ideas.

have a good day

David

I am sorry about the loss of your goats, but I am sure they will adjust and with a bear in the neighborhood, they probably are better off in their new home.

 

[WIChookchick]

Good morning all!
It rained I think last night.. so I will have to wait till late afternoon to mow, IF I can get to it today.. probably going to be tomorrow...

I love the fact my DH did dishes.. I asked if he was hungry.. NO NO.. not hungry.. so I start to reheat two pork chops and steam some frozen broccoli ... I set his chop on a small plate
to put back in the fridge.. he asks if I am nuking broccoli.. I said yes.. "can I have some?"... sigh

Sure enough.. he ate his chop, veggies, and two slices of an old previously frozen french bread... NOT HUNGRY... uh yea..
Well off to hold horses for the farrier.

IN other news Zeus the arab I took in, is in a new home, keeping another gelding company... I will try to ride him next week. He loves his new digs.

Carol

 

[dkvart1]

Carol, you really are chicken enabler aren't you??

BPP

I know how hard that was for you. When we had to part with Rosie years ago I felt the same way, even though she went into a beautiful herd and was well loved by the folks who took her. You did the loving thing and did what was best for them.

I voted and was glad to see the chickens are in the lead!

that it helps in the great chicken battle.

Barlracer Wow! Those silver spitzhaubens are gorgeous. I haven't heard of them before.

DH left today from Boston area, driving, headed to Janesville for house closing on Monday! YAY! Just keeping my fingers crossed that everything is good to go at walk thru!

Today is my last day at work

I'm sure gonna miss my client. Never thought I could have so much fun driving around a 91 year old man! He's a real character, sweet as the day is long and funny as can be. And at the end of the drive we have chocolate ice cream! And I get paid for this! Think we've found him a great replacement, she'll ride with us today. Of course he keeps threatening to put nails in my tires so I can't leave. He says I've spoiled him and he isn't letting me go! Bless his heart. He was raised in an orphange on about 40 acres and they farmed to provide their own food. We've been discussing chickens and he can't believe that there are chickens that lay blue and green eggs. I've promised to write him and send him pictures of my chickens (for some reason it tickles him that I WANT chickens) and their pretty eggs. He said I shouldn't waste my time writing as he doesn't write well enough now to answer (like I care if he answers back, I know he has no family and only one friend left), but he said he'd love to see pictures! Did I mention I'm really going to miss him?

Have a wonderful day folks!

 

[FrenchToast]

Hey all !!!

Just got my brand new LapTop last week and I'm up and running again !!! Full Speed Ahead !!! I had the extended warranty from Office Depot and my old laptop bit the dust a week after the warranty expired but they have a 30 day grace period. They couldn't get the parts so I got a total refund in the form of a gift card for Office Depot. So Hubby and I took a 200 mile round trip to Greenbay to pick out a new one. Bought the extended warranty again for $160.00. Got the premium warranty which covers spills physical damage etc. So I have to put in a good plug for Office Depot. I would highly reccommend them !!

Anyway on the chicken note. I am now the proud owner of a nice Lavender Silkie rooster. Had him shipped from NY. Made it safe and sound even after he got misrouted !!!

Just got an order from Ideal hatchery, lavender and Porcelain Dutch Bantams and three (last ones they had) lavender silkies. The silkies are very nice for hatchery. Have correct toes, black skin, and one has a vaulted skull.
Some barred rocks and Rhode Island reds. Needed them like I needed a hole in my head !!! I ordered the silkies and didn't want to get all roosters for packing peanuts so got the barred rocks, dutch and RIR's.

Hey Jim, I love your nesting box. What did you do for the hinges??? I sent you an email about your guineas, did you get it or are you ignoring me !!!

What colors do you have again?

I'd love to add to my bloodlines. I've got 18 eggs now 1 week in the making, doing good. 18 our to 45 but I did leave them out in the nest for a while to collect and they were older and cold too.

I have most of them sold. I'm collecting for myself now. I sure love those guineas.


Sure wish the weather would dry up. I think being way up here in Nashville I definately will have the last garden in. Hubby built me a greenhouse last year and I haven't even started my seeds. To busy with chicks.
Geezzzz- Need more hours in the day or need to be 20 years younger !!!

 

[jvls1942]

DKVART1. My wife has been doing the home care for over 25 years.. One woman told Annie that if she left her, she (woman) would die.. It happened that Annie did have to leave her, and she died within a week.. coincidence ???

I am heading to Mt Horab today.. I will be building that chicken coop for the autistic boy.. I will be gone until Monday afternoon.
I hope we can get it all finished by then.. It will be 8ft x 40ft.
and that is where those nests are going that I just built..

dog is barking..somebocy must be here..

 

[jvls1942]

FToast.., sorry.. I have gaps in my memory bank.. I have just pure white guineas and light gray,, some might call them pewter ? I am not good with colors.. I have about 30 of them out there, about 1/2 & 1/2 .. I have had 10 hatch so far and they are all pure whites.. each one has a black dot on it's head.. wierd..

I have not turned them loose for the season, yet.. I want to collect a few more eggs before they go off and hide their nests.
or get eaten by the fox..

Otono/Dave you do not have to heat the whole coop.. just hang one of those heat lamps about a foot off the floor.. The chicks will huddle under and around it and they will be plenty warm.. You might be surprised to watch them hardly go under it..

they must have quite a few feathers already, eh?

I have 5 and 6 week old chicks in one of the breeding pens and they do not even go under the heat lamp except when they bed down for the night.. and that is just for the flocking instinct, not the heat..

that sure is some fine sneezing dust, isn't it? LOL

Our first attempt at raising chicks , we put 200 of them in an unfinished unused bedroom.. You want to talk dust !!!!

the humidity must be high today.. all the bators are at 52%..
a bit higher than I like.. I'll just let them go dry and stay that way for a couple of days to compensate..