Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[Terri O]

Everyone must still be sleeping....shshshshshsh! I am not usually the first one to post in the morning. Probably by the time I am finished there will be more! Figured I might as well stay in and drink my coffee-I always seem to spill it while doing chores. I have to cook to day as you know...making some deviled quail eggs AND regular eggs too! I just thought I would make a few quail ones and say "if you are on a diet, I made special low-cal ones!" Yes I am a comedienne while at work. Those old folks need to smile at something...some of them are SO CRABBY! So I try my darnedest to lighten the mood at lunch.

The weather guys just said we have chances for showers? THat sure would be welcome around here! While we were riding the other day I noticed that the corn is starting to curl. First time I have seen it curling while still being so short! Yes, rain is welcome for sure!

The 4H meeting went well last night. Got almost everything done for the stalls at fair in 2 weeks. Just a few other things to cut out with the crikut and I am not doing it!

There is a past memeber of the club who has the bigger one and owns the font we are using so that is good. All I have to do is find a wood grain texture plate for the letters. Yeah--shopping at the scrapbooking store! One of my favorite things to do!

NOt much else for news...how much can happen while sleeping? I hope you got done what you needed to do Cind.
Remember the potato experiment I did 2 years ago planting in 55 gal barrels? The internet assured me that the potatoes would grow above the seed and I should get like a million pounds in the barrel. Well let's just say I was disappointed! It sure sounds like it would work! I cant remember who is hilling them now...that sounds like plenty of space to me! Mine are hilled to 8" with not too much of a trench to start. I may spread grass hay between the rows now to conserve moisture and make sure the sun doesnt get the spuds. I have learned long ago Jim to mark the rows with zipties on the fence because for some reason I never can find them when I dig otherwise! (hill or no)

Have a fantastic day everyone! Pray for a little shower please! Only 71 here compared to 80 at this time yesterday. Terri O

 

[Apyl]

Good Morning everyone. Well DH has half a day today since he was originally suppose to be driving to get his kids from Illinois. Well now the 16yo isnt coming because the mom refused to put her on the train and the other 2 ( different mom) are actually being delivered to the Dells . Which is fine by me since we wont have to pay gas. They'll be here tomorrow. Boy is it going to be a shocker. They though were we lived before was hickville because it wasnt the city I can just imagine the complains when they see a yard full of sand and chickens lol. We've be warned 12 yo step-DS is having an attitude problem lately so looks like I'll be getting all my wood piles moved while he is here lol. Step-DD is another story, poor kid, she is10 but maturity and IQ of maybe 5. She gets along good with my 3yo so at least my youngest DD will have someone thats a girl close to her level. Anyway, I am need to clean up the house before DH gets home with my truck. Once he's here I have grocery shopping to do. I'm going to try and do 2 weeks worth today so I dont have to drag all the kids with me next week to do a weeks worth.

On the chicken/duck front. I'm still having issue with some roosters going after Shifu. At first I though Shifu was a girl but them as he/she feathered his/her voice became quiter so I thought I was wrong and he/she was a boy. Well now I'm 2nd guessing myself again. My 3 roosters keep trying to mate her/him. They dont attempt it on any of the other male ducks, so does that mean Shifu is actually a girl? Or does it mean my roosters are morons lol.

Well I hope everyone has a good day. Time to get the kids breakfast.

 

[chikenscratch]

Morning all!

I've got to vacuum out the van today then pack it all up. I'll have to drive over to my friends house to do that, our vacuum sucks!

DH decided that last night was perfect for fixing a leaking coolant pipe. Well as it normally goes with his repairs, a job that was "easy" took forever. Anyway, I haven't driven the vehicle yet, but I tell you I am worried about leaving tomorrow and driving 13 hours to Knoxville now!!!! I am grateful that he was willing to help out, but concerned on the quality of the work. Time will tell!

The girls survived the heat yesterday. I little bit of panting, but otherwise okay!

Time for more coffee and then I'll get to work.

 

[kristip]

Morning everyone... we my chicken seems a bit better this morning. Will take her in backyard to see how she is walking because she does not like basement floor. Woudl not eat the fruit I was giving her though. Will have to see if I can get her to eat before joining the others. Poop is a little runny but dont know if I got that one for the day.... otherwise she is more alert and cooing with me.
She always was a little snortly but last night it was really bad but seems back to little snortles now. Hoping it is not a big deal. I have had her for 4 months or so, still new.

have a great days everyone

 

[MustLoveHens]

Morning all!
Just caught up and getting ready to go to the market.
The rabbits and chickens are ok from the heat yesterday and I gave them V&E's this morning. I did take the Broken Black doeling from the coop/barn and put her in the basement. She was not looking to swell last night. She is such a good bun. I had to bring her in through the masses of canines and she just was like Oh hey guys! Whats up? Never offered to kick out of my arms or anything as the dogs were pestering me! I think I'll name her Bee Bee or Bea. Since I keep calling her the Broken Black! Ooo! Maybe Beatrice! That's a good rabbit name!
I checked her last night and she was way more comfortable in the cool basement I think Ben enjoyed the company!
I think I will set up some kennels down there and bring in the rabbits. I have to look at the weather forecast.

The Girls were all hot last night but ok.

Other then that, we took it east yesterday to keep out of the heat. The dogs stayed either in front of the fan or the AC unit. Smart things.

For those of you with chickens that are getting over heated, bringing them in the air conditioned house is fine. The birds still are insulated from the sudden change and like us, they will cool down on their own. I usually just but them in the basement and let them drink room temp water at will when they are able to drink.
What you have to watch is cooling them off with cold things (think ice water and the like) and doing so to fast. If you try to cool them down with cold water or get them to eat cold fruits and such, you lower their body temp to fast and cause them to go into shock. The best way to cool an over heated bird down is to soak their feet and legs in cool water, just below room temp. As they respond (perk up) you can add a little cooler water if you feel it's necessary. Also take a rag and soak it will the cool water and wrap it around their comb and wattles. The comb and wattles are what the birds use to cool themselves down.
Also most birds with heat exhaustion will not drink or eat until they cool down. Keep room temp water with V&E's (or just a tinge below room temp) in front of them at all times as they are in their "hospital" setting area. Let them fill up on water before food. They may not eat for 12-24 hours depending on the severity of the heat exhaustion. That is perfectly fine. When they are wanting to eat, a little bit of yogurt is good along with their regular rations. Avoid giving them treats or too much food because their systems are still getting regulated. Small portions at first. HTH

Well, best me off to the market!
Later!

 

[Dr HaHa]

Good Morning All! Read this AM and then lost the internet so I did chores. Bigz that is so wrong on so many levels! Sorry to hear it!

Jim you are either a big fat liar or oldtimers is kickin in. "nothing to do"

Hope all the sick chickens are getting better! MLH that sounds like very good advice Thanks! cs Safe Journey! There was so much more. Thinking about taking the feeder away from the kids and try feeding them twice a day. Think the SLW's are too fat and not laying as they should. Dang yard could use a mowing again, well at least the back yard. L was in one room and I was in the kitchen makin B'fast and we both happened to be looking out the window at the same time as the local crop duster flew over low. Goldie and B'two were in the front yard and freaked out running for cover. OMG it's a Terry Dactyl!!!!!

 

[vickiw]

Morning all!

A little late because hubby and I got all the watering done!

I even used the hose to soak a nice wallow for the girls under their new bench for when it gets hot later, I thought. They were having so much fun they didn't want to come out of their run to eat grasshoppers.

Coop is clean, eggs are gathered, breakfast done, watering done, so now all I have to do is switch the hose to a different rain barrel when it's full and hide from the heat! I am not doing any weeding until it cools down this evening.

All my critters are fine and I am so sorry for those who are not.

BF4~I wish I could offer some help/advice but I am too much of a rooky in those things to even attempt it without pics, sorry.

TTFN everyone! Going to go hide from the tourists now

 

[kristip]

Thanks everyone for the tips on chickens... it is really helpful. Besides an internal egg layer/prolapse pullet that passed and one that met the coon last year, this is my next medical issue for a hen in 3.5 years. Not too bad I think. She seems to be better. Was not interested in food and water, but seems to be walking just fine and is perky, so put her back in with the other girls before the rain hits (YEAH)stayed out there with her for a bit and she seems fine. Found some old spinach greens I tossed in there earlier and looked like those were interesting. I will check her in a few hours after the storm. It shoudl cool things off which will be good for all of them.

otherwise I am just watching some kids this morning which is messy but keeping my kids entertained. gotta hit the library and then off. Interesting read in The Newlyweds. more a true to life novel. Almost done and pretty good.

 

[Celtic Chick]

The weather guys just said we have chances for showers? THat sure would be welcome around here! While we were riding the other day I noticed that the corn is starting to curl. First time I have seen it curling while still being so short! Yes, rain is welcome for sure!

I couldn't agree more on hoping for those chances of showers, but alas, we were skunked again!

This morning and early afternoon it sure looked like some impressive rain was going to move in out of the south and west, but nada. They fizzled, kinda like my grass. Now the sun is out & the temps went through the roof. Yuck! This AM, it was 86 in the coop, then it dropped to 81 for a few hours (whoo-hoo!), now it is 98!

At least the critters got to enjoy some beautiful cloudy weather while it lasted. And I got quite a bit of yardwork accomplished.

Terri, did you get any sprinkles by you? Or anyone to the west of Waukesha County? I'm sure some of you northerners would gladly trade with us.

I hope you dry out soon and for a long time.

It is starting to look like October around here. My willows are dropping a lot of their leaves. It is the only place there is still some patches of green grass left.



This is what my grass looks like everywhere else. At least we haven't had to cut it in at least a month, I guess.

 

[MustLoveHens]

Afternoon all!

Wow CC! Your grass looks like mine! The weeds are all green but curled and wilty looking and the grass is brown....I need to mow the weeds down but just to dang hot to ride a lawn tractor for 1 1/2 hours to get it done. They only place that looks decent is the little patch of lawn where I clean out the waterers.
DH and I were driving around Fort Atkinson area and we passed a soy bean field that looked terrible. Poor little soy beans.....

Just got home from a few errands and DH spritzed the bunnies and watered the filbert and apple trees while I fed the dogs.

Went to F&F and got two apricot trees so we are planning on where to plant them.

Other then that, everyone seems ok. Hot but ok. It was cooler for a bit but then the "storm" front moved out and we got sun and heat again.

I might wash the truck tomorrow. Maybe if I do that it will rain...

Later