Freya and Smokey Joe both cute, glad they could come too, it wasn't too hot for them either.
@ilovemybabychickies, how's your new rescue bird? Hope she's recovering.
Recipies:
my mom's German potato salad, and I made a lot more for Saturday.
peel and boil about eight potatoes, then slice...
I'm making the German potato salad and cucumber salad tomorrow, can't wait to see you all Saturday!
I'll bring two Australorp chicks, one might be a cockerel, not sure, and another pullet, probably a Sapphire Gem. Anyone interested in the EE cockerel? He might stay here if there's no interest...
You will never run out of raccoons, also opossums, foxes and sometimes roaming dogs. Better to reinforce your chicken housing! Electric fencing is a big help, and actually predator proofing at least your coops makes the most sense.
We also free range, and it took us years to build our coop...
So that was off topic, but our birds are doing okay. Cold water in drinking containers, lots of shade under trees and shrubs, and insulation in the main coop roof.
Some are panting, but all doing well in the weeds and shade. Now that I'm home, maybe watermellon tomorrow.
Mary
DH and I were at Tillers, near Kalamazoo, for the weekend Midwest Ox Drover's annual fun meeting, and it was HOT! Outside, but a nice big tent fort shade, and lots of food and water, pop, lemonade to stay hydrated, but HOT, hope next year has milder weather. People from all over, and many ox...
@Sally PB, I think that this is not a good time to dig up Sassafras, or much of anything else, much as I'd like some of your plants. Maybe if it rains a lot this week? Likewise our lilacs, we'll see.
And I can bring rolls, or maybe if I'm more ambitious, German potato salad.
Mary
It's a little far, but there's an auction at Geyer Farms near Williamston. And craigs list, and post signs with a picture at your local feed stores.
Mary
He's very handsome!
Unfortunately one of my EE 'pullets' from TSC is looking very boyish too, so your boy can't come here.
And will you be coming to our pot luck 'Chickenstock' on June 28th? Maybe someone there will be interested, and it's a fun gathering every year.
Mary
Those staples alone aren't enough. Attaching the hardware inside with staples, and then wood strips screwed over the top to framing is much better. And at least more window sized openings, especially on the leeward sides of your coop. And shade! Trees and shrubs help, and insulating the roof...
It's great to have a shed conversion, that's where we started with our coop adventure.
You have nowhere near enough ventilation, unless that solid door is open all the time.
Think one square foot per bird, and more given your climate. A three sided shed would work really well for you, but...
I agree about not wanting his genetics here, also not so happy with a couple of his hatchmates, for other reasons. Not having a good experience with our small group of Chanties. Two hens have damaged hocks, not typical injuries here, One hen is a miserable biting wretch when she's in a nest...
No fertile eggs, he's been unwell for a while, and hindsight is a wonderful thing; he wasn't breeding as enthusiastically as normal for a few weeks.
I have ten TSC 'pullets' of various breed types, all a month old, and at this point wouldn't mind if one or two turned into nice cockerels, just...
I do try to keep two Chantie boys and two EE bantam boys, but this time there was just too much drama, and the 'spares' had to move on elsewhere. :barnie
Mary
It's been a while since I've posted, and didn't have any chicks this spring. Sadly, my only Chantie rooster, two years old, died today, after being ill for about a week. He's at the MSU path lab for a necropsy, I really want to know what's wrong. :hit
Nobody else is ill, not respiratory...
Today I'm taking my two year old Chantie rooster to MSU for a necropsy, a very sad event, as he's dying, and I want to know for sure what's going on. He leaves a big hole in our flock, no youngsters here to take his place, at least not yet. I didn't order any Chantie chicks this year, and now...
Gravel or sand will not be nice with chicken poo all over and through it, and can't really be hosed off or cleaned. Wood chips or shavings with chicken manure will turn into garden wonderfulness! Rake it sometimes, or compost it, and the birds will enjoy digging for worms and will be a much...