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Post by Werkin Girl on Nov 9, 2022 11:40:39 GMT -6
She's a trooper!
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Post by heavyhitterokra on Nov 9, 2022 20:41:19 GMT -6
Love that video!
What a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. Things like that sure make that task more enjoyable. I used to have a goose named Sweet Pea who would do the same things. He knew where the goodies were and he'd be right there every time I dug up a bug.
I loved that goose! That chicken is definitely a keeper!
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Post by woodeye on Nov 9, 2022 21:12:10 GMT -6
Great video!
Hard working chickens like that are a joy to watch. A few years ago I had a small flock of a dozen Welsummer hens running free on the place, it was so relaxing to watch them scratch at this, scratch at that, just for the sake of scratching. One afternoon I took my leaf rake and raked leaves for a couple of hours, had a pile of leaves about 3 feet tall when I got finished. Didn't bag them at the time, decided it was nap time. MISTAKE! When I came back after a nice afternoon nap, my Welsummer hens had completely obliterated the entire pile, leaves were scattered like they'd never been raked. Not sure if they ever found anything worth eating, but we all got exercise from the ordeal...
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Post by chrysanthemum on Nov 12, 2022 7:52:35 GMT -6
Thanks for the video. The whole flock is looking nice, but it’s good that you have a docile helper in your soil work. The soil looks great, too!
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Post by Tucson Grower on Dec 2, 2022 17:21:45 GMT -6
Back in the day, when I was just 11 y.o. I began keeping my own flock of chickens - mixed varieties. In our backyard in Westminster, CA. But more recently, I began keeping pharaoh quail in La Sienega, NM (a suburb of Santa Fe). Then when I relocated from there to Marana, AZ, I didn't bring them with me, but instead built an incubator that could handle 600 eggs at once. I only ever used it for a batch of about 120 max. That way I established six colony cages, with a different color variety in each pen. That way I could always maintain each color variety, more easily. BTW: when I was training for my next job as tech support for AOL. We didn't get our first pay until we graduated, I sold quail chicks for $1/each at a feed store on my route, for gas money, until I got my first pay. Anyway I had brought them with me to my present location, but about 10 years ago, feral dogs had torn down the cages and killed every bird (but hadn't eaten even one). I've been meaning to repair the cages and get my quail going again, but now I'm going to need to ensure my feed supply, before I put any eggs in the incubator. They can only thrive with game bird feed.
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Post by woodeye on Dec 2, 2022 18:22:04 GMT -6
I enjoyed reading about your quail adventures, Tucson Grower. It's a dirty rotten shame when dogs come in like that and wipe out everything that's big enough to die. That's what happened to my last flock of chickens, it's not acceptable. I wish you much success in getting your quail operation up and running again...
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Post by heavyhitterokra on Dec 5, 2022 15:15:46 GMT -6
I came home from Church one Sunday and had 18 laying hens dead. The same thing, feral dogs killed every one of them, not eating most of them, but leaving dead birds all over the yard. I feel your pain.
All the best in getting your flocks re-established.
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Post by FrostyTurnip on Dec 29, 2022 16:18:50 GMT -6
Wow. Just wow. I just sifted 5 gallon of compost. Wow! I wish I’d have gotten chieekens sooner. I put half baked compost into the redneck cheeken run and WOW
Mel’s Seed Starting Mix:
4 parts compost 2 parts peat or coir 1 part vermiculite or perlite
(Add a squirt of Dawn as a surfactant)
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Post by amyinowasso on Dec 30, 2022 10:18:33 GMT -6
I've never heard of putting dawn in it, but I've made lots of mel's mix. Ron even bought a cement mixer so he wouldn't have to mix it on a tarp. Yes, chickens are useful in the garden. I remember watching Jimmy Stewart (one of my favorite actors) on Johnny Carson. Johnny made some comment about Jimmy's big fancy house, with chickens in the back. Jimmy said he was a gardener and he wanted the chickens for manure. It made an impression on me. How did uyour chickens do in the cold?
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Post by heavyhitterokra on Dec 30, 2022 13:58:48 GMT -6
I have a big, mean, white, Leghorn named. "Fog Horn." He used to have the largest comb and waddles I've ever seen. I'll bet his comb was pushing 3" inches. His waddles and comb are both blackened, nearly to his head at the moment from getting frozen solid when the temperatures dropped from 52° to 0° in a matter of 54 hours' time. I imagine they'll both fall off before Spring arrives.
There is a reason Northern breeds of chickens all have short combs and waddles in their genetic makeup. That poor Leghorn breed ought not to be sold or traded North of Louisiana.
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Post by FrostyTurnip on Dec 31, 2022 5:56:17 GMT -6
I've never heard of putting dawn in it, but I've made lots of mel's mix. Ron even bought a cement mixer so he wouldn't have to mix it on a tarp. Yes, chickens are useful in the garden. I remember watching Jimmy Stewart (one of my favorite actors) on Johnny Carson. Johnny made some comment about Jimmy's big fancy house, with chickens in the back. Jimmy said he was a gardener and he wanted the chickens for manure. It made an impression on me. How did uyour chickens do in the cold? Dude over at Baker Creek puts Dawn in his seedling mix. I find it exceedingly helpful. Our property is windy.
It went well with the cheekens. The 4 we put into the tractor during the day had burn on the tips of their combs. Not bad considering. The coop is an old storage shed with a small open doorway with an old window screen as a door. We hung heavy frost cover over it and it worked very well but it stymied air flow. After the first morning, we learned to bring the waterers indoors overnight.
Because the coop is too small, I had cleaned it before the cold came in and put down fresh composted wood chips.(it is just big enough and perfect for them to perch and sleep). I learned a ton and the renovation will benefit.
We already moved the redneck run. When we move the compost and the run for the third time, I”ll have about 25’ x 8’ more garden space. ____
I have that pet chicken that gets bullied, so I let her out. She sticks close to the run or near me when she’s out. I’ve been watching her scratching habits. Seems when she scratches with high interest, the soil is good. Thinking those would be good planting areas. Curious stuff.
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Post by macmex on Dec 31, 2022 7:07:04 GMT -6
Buckeyes were completely unfazed by the cold. No frostbite at all. But I did lose some Muscovy drakes. I think one couldn't handle the cold and was bullied, so he was unable to get enough shelter. Two others disappeared during one of the coldest nights. They were sheltering in the spring fed area of the pond. I think coyotes jumped the fence and got them.
Frosty, those Barred Rocks are really good and it sounds like you have a very good strain. Keep in mind that you can keep them going (breed your own) almost indefinitely if you are vigilant to select for the good qualities and cull undersized, off type or weak birds.
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Post by FrostyTurnip on Dec 31, 2022 12:38:03 GMT -6
With exception to the long cold, I know it’s par for the course to lose some animals, but sorry about your Muscovies!
Thanks for the encouragement. Now that the 60ct box of eggs is at $25, there’s no turning back. A roo is in their future.
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Post by heavyhitterokra on Dec 31, 2022 19:50:09 GMT -6
George,
Reading about your Muscovy ducks disappearing during the cold snap caused me to recall that one of our two resident Canadian Geese flew away during the height of the storm. The one that stuck around with the Cotton Patch Geese was heartbroken and walked around by himself, honking for most of the next day. Just a little before sundown that evening, I heard a lone Canadian Goose, flying low and honking, and honking, so loudly, and for so long that I went outside to see what was going on.
A few minutes later, I saw the missing goose come walking through the dry creek bed about 50 yards South of our house and went to drive her home with a walking stick in my hand to guide her. (Geese are easier to drive than sheep). Who knows why? Attempting to drive my chickens would be like trying to herd cats, but the geese are very attentive to my actions and drive very easily.
I'm guessing that things just looked so much different to her after the snow that she lost her bearings? I don't think that she intended to wander off that way, but was probably swept off course by the high winds the day before and was unable to figure out exactly where home was. Lucky for her, the gander honked all day long the next day as an audible homing beacon. The goose that I found walking back home in the snow was very lucky there were no foxes, coyotes, or bobcats nearby. She made it home just fine.
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Post by woodeye on Jan 5, 2023 5:05:04 GMT -6
Loved the story about your geese, heavyhitterokra.
I feel like it qualifies as a wild goose chase...
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