***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[NanaKat]

Our three inch rain did a number on the pens I had not yet finished....so today's job is to get out there and get them finished. It is really humid right now, so Im in for a break to rehydrate and then hit it again.

Then I need to finish canning the rest of the beets.

Our chickens are intelligent birds!!! I was watching One Eyed Jack, the Black Birchen Wyandotte who lost an eye fighting another young rooster. When he eats from the big feeder, he has learned to bring his good eye along the side and let the rim of the feeder hold his long wattles out of the way so he doesn't peck them when he eats. He does it every time he goes for food. He even does it when he is getting scratch with the other birds.


Kyzmette, how is your little hen doing? And did the violets,Monarda (bee balm), Perennial Ageratum come up? If not, I have plenty of plants and seed.

 

[Poco Pollo]

Predators have been awful this year. Hercule, my precious boy from Kassaundra, was taken at dusk by a great horned owl last week. His girls were watching babies, so they declined the free-range option that day. Hercule was taken while defending two standard Cornish hens. I was putting the last group of free-rangers to bed when the attack happened. I'm still having nightmares about the sound the owl made. Kassaundra - if you have a scaleless gene carrier male I can buy, please let me know. Hercule was amazing, such a good daddy. I miss him.

A couple capons, my free-range bug eaters, have mysteriously vanished during the day. John saw a coyote behind the barn last week, so I suspect he's the reason my capon boys are missing. I set two traps in a grassy area near a pen that isn't being used. I heard a commotion around noon and checked the traps. One was snapped, and the other trap was holding an angry, young coyote. He showed me his teeth repeatedly before I dispatched him. Do young coyote males have to fend for themselves? Do they get kicked out of the pack when they're mature? I'm trying to figure out why this one was hunting during the day, alone. That's an assumption. Maybe there were two, and one got away.

 

[NanaKat]

The mommas kick them out when breeding season starts. The big males don't like competing young males around either. Young females stay with the pack. Once breeding season is over, the older males will allow good hunters back in the pack, but they must show submission to the alpha males. Those that can't hunt for themselves don't usually make it unless they partner with other young males.
If it were me, I'd set those traps for the next few weeks. The other male, if there is one, will be wary for a few days, but an easy meal will be very tempting.

Gophers, rats, voles and other small game have not yet recovered from the May floods. The big Hawks, owls and coyotes are very active closer to homes with poultry.

 

[Kassaundra]

Predators have been awful this year. Hercule, my precious boy from Kassaundra, was taken at dusk by a great horned owl last week. His girls were watching babies, so they declined the free-range option that day. Hercule was taken while defending two standard Cornish hens. I was putting the last group of free-rangers to bed when the attack happened. I'm still having nightmares about the sound the owl made. Kassaundra - if you have a scaleless gene carrier male I can buy, please let me know. Hercule was amazing, such a good daddy. I miss him.

A couple capons, my free-range bug eaters, have mysteriously vanished during the day. John saw a coyote behind the barn last week, so I suspect he's the reason my capon boys are missing. I set two traps in a grassy area near a pen that isn't being used. I heard a commotion around noon and checked the traps. One was snapped, and the other trap was holding an angry, young coyote. He showed me his teeth repeatedly before I dispatched him. Do young coyote males have to fend for themselves? Do they get kicked out of the pack when they're mature? I'm trying to figure out why this one was hunting during the day, alone. That's an assumption. Maybe there were two, and one got away.

So sorry about Hercule

and the capons. I have some young ones and several boys, haven't checked to see who is a carrier or not, and eggs in the bator.

 

[Kyzmette]

Predators have been awful this year.  Hercule, myprecious boy from Kassaundra, was taken at dusk by a great horned owl last week.

Oh no, not Hercule! I'm so sorry Coral. Great big hugs! I know he was a special boy.


Does this look like boy peas? It does to me, and I'm terribly disappointed if it is.

 

[Kyzmette]

Kyzmette, how is your little hen doing?  And did the violets,Monarda (bee balm), Perennial Ageratum come up?  If not, I have plenty of plants and seed. 

Dot is hanging in there, but her eye is still a horrible mess. Two days ago I saw the first sign of necrosis setting in, and she's getting a pus pocket. I took the final step you suggested and flushed with oxine. Today the pocket is bigger, but she's perching on the edge of her tub, so she must be feeling better. If she survives the loss if the eye she'll be okay, so hopefully the infection won't turn inward.

I don't think the other flowers survived. I was really disappointed the bee balm didn't come back. I sure did get some gorgeous irises this year, and lots of blades, so over the next couple of years I'll have an explosion of blooms! Every time I see them I think of you and Kass.

 

[NanaKat]

Kyzmette, how is your little hen doing?  And did the violets,Monarda (bee balm), Perennial Ageratum come up?  If not, I have plenty of plants and seed. 

Dot is hanging in there, but her eye is still a horrible mess. Two days ago I saw the first sign of necrosis setting in, and she's getting a pus pocket. I took the final step you suggested and flushed with oxine. Today the pocket is bigger, but she's perching on the edge of her tub, so she must be feeling better. If she survives the loss if the eye she'll be okay, so hopefully the infection won't turn inward.

I don't think the other flowers survived. I was really disappointed the bee balm didn't come back. I sure did get some gorgeous irises this year, and lots of blades, so over the next couple of years I'll have an explosion of blooms! Every time I see them I think of you and Kass.

I'm glad to hear Dot is somewhat better.
I treat every other day with a drop of Oxine in the eye. You do want to keep down infection. Allowing the eyelids to seal together when the infection is gone will help her survive.

I can send you seed to the Monarda. The seedlings have the citrus scent and are easy to distinguish. I always scatter seed in several new locations to insure I have a new crop of plants.
Iris are an old favorite.

 

[mjgigax]

Sorry predators took your birds, Coral.
The gophers have come back to full speed here so maybe they will feed the owls in this neighborhood.

I candled eggs today and the dozen Speckled Sussex eggs I bought for 5.00 just to fill the incubator were all fertile. I have that big Sportsman and I am slowing down on hatching my own birds. But I hate to run the incubator for 20 or so eggs from the breed I still want more chicks from. I still want more Cochin chicks for my Lavender project and more Chocolate Orpingtons and I am completely hopelessly unable to resist Showgirls. I already have two little Sussex pullets that Muesky gave me. If any of the Sussex eggs hatch does anyone want some chicks? Speckeds are very sweet birds and so calm.

 

[Kyzmette]

Mary Joe, this is Truffle, from those wildcard eggs. Does she look chocolate?

 

[lonnyandrinda]

Oh no, not Hercule! I'm so sorry Coral. Great big hugs! I know he was a special boy.

Does this look like boy peas? It does to me, and I'm terribly disappointed if it is.

Sorry, boy peas.

Mary Joe, this is Truffle, from those wildcard eggs. Does she look chocolate?

I don't know anything about the chocolate gene. But she looks a lot like a black sexlink to me.