Surviving Minnesota!

[holm25]

Congrats to those getting chicks today!

 

[KlopKlop]

Dixie is all set up and her change of venue did not change her needs to be a Momma. (She amazes me) She must have remembered the broody coop and she saw the eggs. She nestled right into her Pizza box there loaded with two eggs and had herself some breakfast.

She is setting on a NH/BLRW egg and a Welsummer egg. In the pizza box I put down pine shavings on the bottom then made a little grass wreath on the spot from nearby swamp grasses. Plucked some Mint, Thyme and Oregano sprouts that were just coming up to sprinkle in her nest and she is good to go. Checked her over for pests as well and she's been keeping herself in shape. No creepy crawlies noted.

The Broody coop needs one wall secured a little better. I noted the screws holding it were iffy. This is in the Run but the run is not predator proof. I usually always have the door open anyways for free ranging. I just wanted to get her going on the eggs. She's been broody a good two weeks. We fiddled around and did this to her last time...but she seemed un phased by the extra time setting. Very very determined, good mother.

She will be spoiled with wet layer mash, and healthy kitchen scraps the next 3 weeks or so.

we are excited to see the NH/BLRW mixed chick. The Wellie too of course.

How neat! that is a cool little coop. I have been waiting to see if my BA wants to be broody but she wont commit! she sits on one nest a good portion of the day (so there is only 1 egg in that nest, hers) but then in the evening she evacuates when I feed them and the she goes to roost. I wonder if I gave her her own accomodations like what you have so she wouldn't have to leave the nest to eat/drink if she would commit? my dark Cornish just started laying again after the failed 'love nest' fiasco so I could set some DC and some rainbow eggs if she did. I have a little pen I made from the log splitter crate last fall just needs bedding and a nest!

 

[scandiafowl]

Here they are.
In the incubator today they will go.

Squeeeee!!!!!

36 eggs? Wishing you awesome hatch rates!

 

[MNChickMom]

Congrats to all the new chicks. As for all the new calves and cows....better you than me. (My husband and I helped his family run a dairy farm up until 4 years ago.)

@duluthralphie sorry to hear about your bad day. Loved reading the interaction between you and Holms.

In the mean time I am kicking myself for not purchasing the 5th SS from Ralphie....they are growing feathers and they are beautiful....not to mention they are being trained to eat out of my hand and come running to the door when the kids or I open the door to the coop.

My opinion on the Asian Blues that were sent in error has changed a little.....Greedy....Flighty.....Comfortable with humans. Seeing as I knew nothing about this breed I was totally out of my comfort zone here but they seem to be rising to the top of the pecking order due to size, they are first to the treat hand outs, and they are the first to roost on top of my 40pound feed container. They don't miss a meal, but they also don't peck at each other or any other chicks so I think they are just quick growers. They are not feathering as fast as the Rainbows but are feathering faster than the Buff Orpingtons and Black Osterlops. I will see if I can get some current pictures.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

My opinion on the Asian Blues that were sent in error has changed a little.....Greedy....Flighty.....Comfortable with humans. Seeing as I knew nothing about this breed I was totally out of my comfort zone here but they seem to be rising to the top of the pecking order due to size, they are first to the treat hand outs, and they are the first to roost on top of my 40pound feed container. They don't miss a meal, but they also don't peck at each other or any other chicks so I think they are just quick growers. They are not feathering as fast as the Rainbows but are feathering faster than the Buff Orpingtons and Black Osterlops. I will see if I can get some current pictures.

Okay. I saw some "Asian Blues" or labelled as such at L & M in Park Rapids. And I got the feeling from the labelling they were a Meat bird....? Which would coincide with what you are describing of their eating/growing character. IDK...?

Ok, First off, I have to confess I have started on the Mike's. I might need a lot tonight. My day was rough.

I had trouble getting my taxes to E-File yesterday ( I use turbotax). It never did file, we ended up sending them in late today. What's a little more on the check to them?

When I woke and it was raining I rearranged my day. I was going to, got to Elk River and fed-ex my turkey blood to the lab in Willmar. I had to get my Mom to her doctor in St Cloud at 1:20pm. I decided to just drive the blood to Willmar checking some implement dealers and to see what good finds where setting alongside the road with for sales sign on them. I found a lot of cool stuff, I stopped to look at. Mom was not impressed with anything I looked at.

We got the blood to the lab, they were waiting for it. As soon as I walked in the door they asked if that was the turkey blood. There is nothing worng that I know of with the turkeys, I think they just were that bored at the lab.

We left the lab and drove to St Cloud. Mom did not want to stop anymore. She whined about every little thing I stopped to look at. We then went to Fleetfarm. Again she complained. I got some things I needed there.

We left FleetFarm at 12:45. I knew her Dr was somewhere near Whitney Field. ( old Airport). I got to Whitney Field and the following conversation happened:

Me: Where is your Dr.
Mom: I don't know.

Me: What? I thought you came here a lot?
Mom: I do.

Me: well, how can you not know where it is?
Mom: I never come in from this direction, so I have no idea where it is?

Me: Is it in this area?
Mom: I have no idea.

Me: Huh?
Mom: I told you I do not know where it is!

Me: that's ok, What is the clinics name?
Mom: St Cloud something

Me: that's it?
Mom: Yea, I don't remember anymore.

Me: that's ok. What's his name?
Mom: I don't know

Me: What? How do you not know his name?
Mom: It's some new young guy.

Me: ok, what's the old Doctors name?
Mom: I don't recall, It was Doctor something or other.

Me: You don't know his name either?
Mom: I only saw him a couple times.

We then had to go from Whitney Park all the way to Hwy 10 and 23 so she could find her way back. Even then she got lost. Finally she says, "I think that is the place."

She finally got there!....


After the Dr we drove home, it was uneventful, I was afraid we would have had to go to Minneapolis to find our way home,...(sarcasm intended)...

When I got home I changed clothes and went to do afternoon chores. As soon as I got to death row, I knew I had a problem. I sold a Slate Blue Turkey yesterday and a hen. The lady vet said it was fine to sell, just keep normal sales records. I sold a hen to the same guy. I told Judy I was keeping the last Blue alive incase I needed it for breeding. (These were the birds Judy sentenced to death for beating on JJ.) The Blue is lying dead looking right up against the fence and the cage door. There is a post between them with about a 4 inch opening. I pulled it out, it was stiff, but as soon as I pulled him out he blinked his eyes and moved a tad. He was cold to the touch. I took him into the brooder shed and put him in an empty brooder and turned the light on. I did a few things and checked back on him, He was dead. So much for my back up breeding plan. Does anyone know why when I get down to one rooster or tom it commits suicide? Do they do this to spite me?


I took the Tom outside and started the bobcat to go hook up to the post hole digger. I have a 20 inch augur for it so it works great to bury dead birds. I am just hooking it up and I think."hmmm, I better not bury this incase the test is bad" I had about a 5 minute argument with myself before going in and calling the Lady Vet. She told me I could not bury it because if they need a tissue sample it would be decomposed. I had to double bag the dead turkey and put him in the freezer. SO I have a turkey in Freezer camp awaiting embalming and burial.


Judy came home just when I was carrying the double bagged dead turkey into the house. That conversation did not go well either..... When I came up from the basement ( where the freezers are) I thought I would point at a shiny object so she would not hound me over the dead bird in the freezer.

Now for the one piece of good news of the day! I got my first PC chick, It is a cute little thing. But not overly bright. I used that as the shiny object. ( you young guys remember the shiny object lesson for when you get married, it can get you out of all kinds of trouble).....

I said " Judy. look in that hatcher, we got our first PC.". The PC chick is sitting in the middle of the incubator under the fan, on top of the eggs that have not hatched. I told Judy. " look at that stupid thing he is going to get his head cut off in the fan"...

Just then the chick looks at us and stands up. His head is in the fan and he is hanging there. I open the lid and he comes up with the lid! I said "oh Fudge" 4 times.

I grabbed the chick and pulled him out expecting a dead chick! He was still alive. I held him called him cute and stupid, then moved him into a brooder, while I await another PC! My flock is now 4. 3 normal ones and one with a brain injury..

That is/was my day!

Ralph. I'm sorry I giggled quite a bit through your trials and tribulations from yesterday. Good think Mike's was in stock at your farm fridge. I see your punctuation and grammar stay in tact while PUI (Posting under the influence) much better than I can do.

I'm sorry about the Turkicide and brain damaged chicks. those are hard things to go through. And Wondering around St. Cloud with Mom must have been fun. LOL. St. Cloud Medical Group? I think they are up by Hennen's right? LOL. Anyways Glad it all worked out there.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

How neat! that is a cool little coop. I have been waiting to see if my BA wants to be broody but she wont commit! she sits on one nest a good portion of the day (so there is only 1 egg in that nest, hers) but then in the evening she evacuates when I feed them and the she goes to roost. I wonder if I gave her her own accomodations like what you have so she wouldn't have to leave the nest to eat/drink if she would commit? my dark Cornish just started laying again after the failed 'love nest' fiasco so I could set some DC and some rainbow eggs if she did. I have a little pen I made from the log splitter crate last fall just needs bedding and a nest!

Thank you KlopKlop. A dark quiet place of her own with a couple eggs pressing on her breast....might just push her over into the broody zone.
This coop is quite rag tag and pieced together with junked cabinets. And a piece of tin left over from our shed. I leave it open a crack there so she can come and go as she pleases for a broody poo or dust bath...whatever she wants to do. Stretch her legs. The opening I leave big enough for her but too small for my other hens. Who have been known to donate to her clutch.

 

[KlopKlop]

Okay. I saw some "Asian Blues" or labelled as such at L & M in Park Rapids.  And I got the feeling from the labelling they were a Meat bird....?   Which would coincide with what you are describing of their eating/growing character.  IDK...?

Hoovers advertises them in the Dual Purpose section along with the rainbows

 

[MNChickMom]

Okay. I saw some "Asian Blues" or labelled as such at L & M in Park Rapids. And I got the feeling from the labelling they were a Meat bird....? Which would coincide with what you are describing of their eating/growing character. IDK...?

They were substituted for Plymouth Barred Rock by the Hatchery (ordered thru the feed store) supposedly they were a "very close match". If my friend does not want them as layers they will most likely go to freezer camp as I am not set up for that many layers.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

This photo just in from the Kindergarten classroom. What lucky kids.

 

[holm25]

This photo just in from the Kindergarten classroom. What lucky kids.

Do I see a rock on the back tray?