Illinois...

[MeepBeep]

I just need to vent... Election season irks me...

As I have said before I rent a house on 30 acres, the lease doesn't exactly specify how much of the land is 'mine' but there is a mutual understanding that a local farmer tills a portion and what he doesn't till is mine to use if I want... Anyway I maintain the frontage property along the road and deem it 'mine' but I know the landlord (who is very politically connected) likes to use part of the frontage area to post signs for his political friends, because it's directly across from a large retirement community and a good location... A few days ago, some vandal(s) trespassed and removed the signs that were put up... I notified the landlord and the signs were promptly replaced by the candidate... Earlier today my dog is going ballistic because two people ares screwing around by the signs, I go out there to confront them and immediately notice they are posting signs for the candidate running against the guy my landlord supports and had put up signs on my property, I know they don't have permission to post said signs since it's the contender... Anyway remaining cool, I ask the guy(s) if they have permission and he looks at me and says straight to my face that he doesn't need permission because they are on an easement, I inform him that he is incorrect and he is on private property and needs permission... And the gloves were off at this point... He starts to argue with me where the easement starts and my yard starts... So I inform him that regardless Illinois law is very specific in that campaign signs can't be places on government property or easements of any kind so even if it was an easement he was in violation of State law... He then rambles on about how others do it, so it's 'acceptable', I never did understand that two wrongs makes a right logic some employ when they are caught violating the law, anyway... I take a few pictures as the argument ensues and the guys are doing their best to mock me in the pictures, so I asked them if I need to call the police, their reply is 'For what we are not doing anything wrong' to that I informed them that they were in fact trespassing and posting signs without permission on my property... Their response 'Prove it' and my reply was 'Are you really that stupid? I just took a picture of you and your signs both on my property... A little more banter and they finally pull up their signs saying they don't want to make an issue out of it and then pull the passive snide attack of 'Do you want us to remove those other signs on your property as well?' I said no the other signs stay because they asked and were given permission to post the signs... So they come back with 'Your one of those people' and informs me he is the father of the candidate, and I told him that makes his attitude and actions during this dispute even worse and unacceptable...

And we still have a month to go, I suspect it's not the end...

 

[Faraday40]

@MeepBeep
So sorry you had your dander raised today. People do all kids of crazy things & thankfully it was just signage. If you think they may come back maybe you should add a sign like this.

Political issues hit our family as well. DH's parents & his sister will be voting for polar opposites. Any time they speak to each other it has ended in sparks & both sides try to drag us into it.

Seriously??? Do they want us to take sides & expand their silly political bickering? I personally feel that no canidate is worth breaking up the family, so we refuse to discuss politics with either one. I love them & that should be enough.

 

[MeepBeep]

@MeepBeep

So sorry you had your dander raised today.  People do all kids of crazy things & thankfully it was just signage.  If you think they may come back maybe you should add a sign like this.

Honestly if the issue was not so close to the road and easement that could potentially cause me legal issues I would have been holstered up...

Political issues hit our family as well.  DH's parents & his sister will be voting for polar opposites.  Any time they speak to each other it has ended in sparks & both sides try to drag us into it.  

Seriously???  Do they want us to take sides & expand their silly political bickering?  I personally feel that no canidate is worth breaking up the family, so we refuse to discuss politics with either one.  I love them & that should be enough.

I hear you on that, I don't care what political party you vote for, I'm not going to disown anyone or join sides based on politics, especially not family... OK maybe I spoke too soon because the likely soon to be mother in law irks both me and the wife with her political babble, hate and attacks towards anyone that doesn't share her political views, and in the short time we have known her it's already out of hand...

Ironically this political sign issue plays into that picking sides... After informing my landlord of the conflict today over the signs, my landlord informed me that the guy (father of the candidate) that I was arguing with is actually a fellow realtor and friend of his, but he can't endorse the guy or his son due to political differences, followed by my landlord closing the text with 'Politics Suck'...

 

[4stakes]

Skunk should have been killed on the spot. Skunks = rabies. The smell will eventually wear off.

 

[cavemanrich]

@cavemanrich at what temperature do you advise I bring them in? Should I keep them in there all winter? Did you ever let your seramas with the flock? To free range? Or did you keep them in a run?

My seramas were with the rest of the flock with no problems. They carry on quite well. Free ranged well also. They just stayed together with the other hens. I bring all my chickens into winter quarters when temps go below freezing. (around Thanksgiving or so) Housing is inside garage until spring time. They share garage with my pigeons in a separate loft.. I also provide 12 hours of light on a timer.

 

[Faraday40]

My Sebright did OK in the winter with the rest of the flock. She nestled under the big fluffy orps to stay warm. Of course a tinySebright is a little more winter harty than a Serama. I have an insulated coop & a very large run with clear vinyl "storm windows" on all sides. It's like a greenhouse. The windows were made by stapling thick vinyl (like a shower curtain) to wooden frames. They get attached Nov-March. It keeps them warm & dry, so they could dust bathe year-round.

My biggest problem was when it snowed. They stayed dry, but refused to go outside for exercise. Had to come up with boredom busters. Their fav was hanging broccoli on a string. (Of course they got a taste for it & decimated my broccoli plants in spring. LOL)


If you have the space to spoil your chickens with a garage coop, that sounds nice too.

 

[ChicagoClucker]

If anyone is interested in some cochin bantam chicks, I have a deal for you.
There are a total of 4-5 chicks and they are 2 weeks old. 1 is frizzled mottled. There are solid blue and blacks, and mottled. I also have some older cockerels, frizzled and smooth if interested.
Pm me

 

[Faraday40]

@Junibutt

Besides his good looks, Brick is turning out to be a great little roo. He's beginning to calm down when picked up. Today I tested the roos with treats.

Mr Dummy- as usual - gently took the piece of bread from my hand & called his hens over. He allowed them to take it from his beak or the ground. He does not try to snatch treats from my hands & only takes treats if offered directly to him. He's the flock leader.

Brick will take treats from my hand (if a hungry hen doesn't steal it 1st), but he's a little shy. Once he had the bread, he ran off, put it down & called the hens over.

Moose (the biggest but youngest) is also timid around me. He doesn't like being held. He only allows me to pick him up at bed to go in the garage & in the morning to go back out. (If I try to pet him during the day, he runs away!) If I hold out a treat for him, he will grab it & run. When a hungry hen came & picked up HIS bread, he pecked at & chased her. She would not drop his bread, so the chase circled around the yard until she ran past me. I stepped into his path & the chase immediately ended.
Later Moose tried to take advantage of a hen while she was eating a treat. She squawked, so Brick immediately ran to her rescue, knocked Moose off the hen, & chased Moose away. Way to go Brick!

I find it funny that Brick's in the #2 spot. He's short, round, & doesn't even come up to my knee. Moose is easily the tallest but my line of orps grow tall then take about a year to get that round shape. The choc orp from you - Godiva - started laying at only 5 months. (Mine tend to take 6-8mo; One hen took 9 months!) It's so interesting to see the differences within the same breed.

 

[chickendreams24]

If anyone is interested in some cochin bantam chicks, I have a deal for you. There are a total of 4-5 chicks and they are 2 weeks old. 1 is frizzled mottled. There are solid blue and blacks, and mottled. I also have some older cockerels, frizzled and smooth if interested. Pm me

You're killing me here! Lol Cochin's have been on my list forever. but I promised DH2B that we would wait until next year for them.

@Junibutt Besides his good looks, Brick is turning out to be a great little roo. He's beginning to calm down when picked up. Today I tested the roos with treats. Mr Dummy- as usual - gently took the piece of bread from my hand & called his hens over. He allowed them to take it from his beak or the ground. He does not try to snatch treats from my hands & only takes treats if offered directly to him. He's the flock leader. Brick will take treats from my hand (if a hungry hen doesn't steal it 1st), but he's a little shy. Once he had the bread, he ran off, put it down & called the hens over. Moose (the biggest but youngest) is also timid around me. He doesn't like being held. He only allows me to pick him up at bed to go in the garage & in the morning to go back out. (If I try to pet him during the day, he runs away!) If I hold out a treat for him, he will grab it & run. When a hungry hen came & picked up HIS bread, he pecked at & chased her. She would not drop his bread, so the chase circled around the yard until she ran past me. I stepped into his path & the chase immediately ended. Later Moose tried to take advantage of a hen while she was eating a treat. She squawked, so Brick immediately ran to her rescue, knocked Moose off the hen, & chased Moose away. Way to go Brick! I find it funny that Brick's in the #2 spot. He's short, round, & doesn't even come up to my knee. Moose is easily the tallest but my line of orps grow tall then take about a year to get that round shape. The choc orp from you - Godiva - started laying at only 5 months. (Mine tend to take 6-8mo; One hen took 9 months!) It's so interesting to see the differences within the same breed.

Brick sounds like such a nice boy! I love our double barred really all of our orps from Junaid and from you(Faraday40) they're spectacular and oh so sweet!

 

[Junibutt]

@Junibutt

Besides his good looks, Brick is turning out to be a great little roo. He's beginning to calm down when picked up. Today I tested the roos with treats.

Mr Dummy- as usual - gently took the piece of bread from my hand & called his hens over. He allowed them to take it from his beak or the ground. He does not try to snatch treats from my hands & only takes treats if offered directly to him. He's the flock leader.

Brick will take treats from my hand (if a hungry hen doesn't steal it 1st), but he's a little shy. Once he had the bread, he ran off, put it down & called the hens over.

Moose (the biggest but youngest) is also timid around me. He doesn't like being held. He only allows me to pick him up at bed to go in the garage & in the morning to go back out. (If I try to pet him during the day, he runs away!) If I hold out a treat for him, he will grab it & run. When a hungry hen came & picked up HIS bread, he pecked at & chased her. She would not drop his bread, so the chase circled around the yard until she ran past me. I stepped into his path & the chase immediately ended.
Later Moose tried to take advantage of a hen while she was eating a treat. She squawked, so Brick immediately ran to her rescue, knocked Moose off the hen, & chased Moose away. Way to go Brick!

I find it funny that Brick's in the #2 spot. He's short, round, & doesn't even come up to my knee. Moose is easily the tallest but my line of orps grow tall then take about a year to get that round shape. The choc orp from you - Godiva - started laying at only 5 months. (Mine tend to take 6-8mo; One hen took 9 months!) It's so interesting to see the differences within the same breed.

That sounds like Brick. His mom and dad were not too big either, however they were not as stocky as Brick. Well he still has a lot of growing to do. His half sister is almost 7 months now and still has not started laying. With the days becoming shorter, maybe she wont start till Spring