We are continued from here: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/867158/
The P & L DAILY CHAT THREAD #1 - Anything goes!!!
love that picture, Dominiquers?
Dusty, where are you? i had a medical question today, and you never showed, but that's OK, i called my neighbor...
guess you are working on that brooder mansion??? ready for a visit from the chicken fairy???
tf
Dusty my dear! So nice to find a new place to chat with you. I loved the interior of the "homestead". When we come down(or is it up) this fall to bring you your plant warming gifts. Maybe I can bring you a few chickens also. I also have some banties if you just want something cute to play with.
George
i like your mama hen wat breed is she
josh
Good Morning...
Yes, those are Doms TF...Just a pic I found..but that is the breed my Grampa had for many years...No Chicken fairy for me just yet...I apparently still have to share my brooder house with Farmer Dave until he gets the rest of his junk out of it...and I am none too happy about that, but I do still have to get the outside pen fencing done up anyway, and that will have to wait till I get more in the bank..Other things like fuel oil for this winter unfortunately will have to take prescidence for now...
My dearest George...So good to see you over here!! I'm thinking it is *UP* since I am way north of you...LOL...I'm glad you like the house...I love it...I've had a few comments on all the wallpaper, including the ceilings...I must admit it would not be my preference, but it grows on ya after awhile...I will be doing some things later on to tone it down some...
I am planning on brown egg layers Geo...I want to be able to sell them locally...Stick a sign in the yard kinda thing...LOL..Egg money will pay for the feed, and a tad extra if I'm lucky...
I've been busy this weekend trying to get the house whipped into shape, and dispose of all the bins sitting around glaring at me...Since I am off today as well, I plan to use it in the yard...I have my trellis to put together and get my roses in the ground...My little Fairy is doing very well in the tub so far...I am trying to watch the sun, and see where best to put her that she will get what she needs, but that I can still see her and enjoy her...If you get another good start, I would love to have it...I have 2 of those 4x8 wrought iron pieces, and I would like one on each of them...
See this window?? It is in the utility room and faces south into that huge yard...I am either going to convert it to a door, or put a doggie door in under it, and fence a run for the dogs equal to that siding on the house...It will be about 25x50 for now...
That is the only place I can do it that is not brick, and none of the current doors face in the right direction for them...Eventually the whole yard will be post and rail whitewashed to match the house, with the green wire behind it, but that takes more bucks than I have at the moment... :-)
I am going to put my veggie garden there on the south side of the Brooder house, and the compost bins behind it...Will make cleaning out the brooder easy, and feeding the garden easy too...LOL At my age, I'm all for easy... LOL
Y'all have a terrific day... I'm off to dig out my wheelbarrow and shovel...
Hmmmmmm you sure you want a doggy door, ANYTHING from outside can and probably will get in. Including teenagers. Have a nice day off. Every day is a day off for me, but I still have to work LOL. Been in one of the flower gardens weeding and putting down that mulch in the flower beds, I got for the brooder that I dont need. Fed and watered all the critters. lets see 80 some chicks 6 3 week old puppies, mama dog, daddy dog, another dog that is 8 mo old, Key Key and her new kittens. Weed eated Pulled more weeds. Water the veggie garden and the west yard. And its almost 10 am. I still have the house to do, laundry out my behind. Oh gosh. I need a vacation, whispers out loud I am loving it. Oh and I have to mow the yard but that will be tonight when its not 96 degrees out. Its only 82 now so not to bad.
Compost bins will you help me do mine, I am clueless how and HUBBY is being a putz about building one. I do need to get an apple picker 1st.
Is there a thread here that is chicken raising 101 that could be shamelessly bumped up or could we start one that could maybe be always on top? Kinda like tips and tricks to raising chickens.
I dunno Luvs.. But I can make us one....LOL
I will find the thread from our dear friend Carol Eads in Alaska that recently passed away...She had the MOST fabulous compost bins on earth, and I intend to copy them...They had boards that were in slots so you could add more the deeper it got, or take away when it got low...She had pics of it, and recipes...I'll post it when I have time....
Yep, doggy door or door to the yard or both...ain't no critters either 4 legged or 2 legged or even 1 legged snakes can get past these dogs of mine...They will kill anything that moves, and put the fear of the Creator in any human they don't know...
Hey Josh!
She is some kind of mutt bantie. I paid 1.00 for her. I have been told she is an old english game mix. Something duck wing?? Her name is Penny. LOL
Geo
Yes Dusty, you already have another fairy rose started for your fall plant warming.
I love you Geo baybee!!!! Smoooootch!!
Here ya go Luvs...
Chicken 101 just for you....
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/873761/
thanks. I just want to do the right things. that way I can check when there is a question or an emergency may come up and all i can do is look it up. you peeps are awsome
I wanted to share my silkies.. Simon & Shelby... She is so little and follows him everywhere.. I picked them up to show a friend who had never seen silkies and he put his wing around Shelby.. LOL.. it was so cute and romantic..
In truth, we all know, I did not have hold of him securely and I wobbled and he flung his wing to catch his balance and it happened to land very gently and protectively across little Shelby.. looking oh so sweet... I had to allow this city girl to go home and share this country story to all that would listen!
OHHHHHHHHHHHHH how cute. I wont look again............ I want some.
An economic chicken explaination.. LOL
I bought chickens with the idea of feeding the family with eggs.. and maybe down the road with meat, an idea I had to learn to get use to..
But as I was learning about the chickens and trying to decide what breed would be good for my area, weather, kids, me.. and such I couldn't decide, so I ended up with a few of 15 different breeds and my first year would be an experiment.. so far just 3 months I have learned a lot... I know I have far to go.. and Dusty, I love the 101 thread, I will be posting many questions.. even if I now have the answers.. it would have been nice had I had them prior to making the mistakes.
So why silkies.. I only bought a few, because they are cute.. lol.. and everybody has to have a reward for all the work they do.. I went into the chicken phase knowing it would be work.. it would be a change of lifestyle for me and I wanted my own little personal reward.. the silkies I decided would be my garden buddies.. they would "help" me in my Hosta gardens eating the slugs.. pooping top grade A fertilizer.. and turning the soil for a bit of airiation. Little did I know when I bought 8 straight run, 1 would arrive doa, and 6 would be crowing before they were 12 weeks old... lol... yep.. Shelby is the only pullet! I am going to figure out who needs to go... luvs you are 700 miles from me.. you are more than welcom to meet me halfway next year (with a gaot in tow) and I will give you a silkie or two.. lol (see tf.. I don't have to drive that far) ;-)
does anyone know why my chickens bury the golf balls i put in thier nest?
cuz they don't want to play golf.. they want to lay eggs????
lol see how you are, ok lets see I need to go to tams get the goat then meet with you to pick up the silkie. its quite the possibility. just gotta figure what seat the goat is gonna ride in and diapers for it. I seen chicken diaper. maybe i can drag tf with me.
then why don't they lay
nahh, its only 300 to her house.. she has to bring the goat to you.. she said she would... lol she said you had tea and gossip... or something like that..
LOL Fran. I lost it there. Laughed so hard I had tears. Mom put golf balls in her nests that snakes were getting into and them hen didnt bury them, the hen i would guess thought yea go ahead snake take it I dare ya.
jordan, I was just being silly... I really don't know... mine are not ready to lay.. I have heard to put in golf balls, but have also heard if there is something wrong with the egg the hen will get rid of it.. maybe your hen thinks thats a goofy looking egg.
LOL yea that i do.
just one of seven is laying. shes been laying for a week and a half.
How old are they jordan, maybe they just are not ready yet.. and maybe they are laying somewhere else.. I just read where somebody found like 20 something eggs under their henhouse.. never thinking the girls would lay during the day and not in the early am... just always checks and nope, no eggs so went on her merry way... and then while cleaning found the stash of eggs... LOL
Not saying your girls are hiding... but.. maybe it's just not time to worry yet..
Are all the experts sleeping this AM???
i don't think they should lay for about 2 more weeks, but the littlest is laying. maybe she is an early bloomer? she also wants to sit on her eggs
I have no idea why they are burying the golf balls.....are they bored or maybe like fran said, they are getting rid of the bad egg? I haven't heard of that before, with golf balls or fake eggs. I'm interesting to hear what others have to say about it though. Is it the one that is laying that is doing it or the others? I would not be surprised if you end up with some girls hiding their eggs. We have found a couple of HUGE hidden nests and I think we might have a couple doing it now. We are going to have to put a fan in the hen house and lock them up after our broodies get done hatching eggs. Have to re teach them that hiding eggs is BAAAAD! Laying them where mama (me) can find them is GOOOOD! : )
Your little one that wants to sit on eggs........are the eggs fertile?
Catscan......if you wonder by this way, L2G and I have an 'ask the expert' question about Apple Cider Vinegar. I have heard that ticks will stay off dogs if they are drinking ACV and I have been slowing adding it to there drinking water......do you know how much is optimal for this? Also, what are the benefits again for giving it to chickens and what is the dose? I was thinking it was 1T of ACV to 1 gal of water, but I could be wrong.
Christy
yes her eggs are fertile and it's the other ones hiding the balls not her
Huh, I wonder why the other's are hiding the golf balls? I'm not sure if you find it funny or not, but I think it is pretty humorous! Are you going to let your little one sit on her eggs?
I've got another idea......how about a 'How to hatch your own eggs 101' thread? Maybe with Question #1 being How to clean and sterilize your incubator....which is the question I have right now. What can I use that won't eat through styrofoam?
Christy
Awesome idea Christy
Vinegar or maybe alcohol?
Ask and ye shall receive.... LOL
Bird hatching 101 at your service....
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/873924/
I tossed out some fried squash, okra, cuck's into the brooder. They had no use for that an hour ago, now its a mob to get a bite. I can see myself now cooking for chickens. I have the squash to cook. Okra is in short supply right now.
daylily dose she go broody much ??
speaking of different foods..
I have a lot of left over 4th picnic foods, potato salad, baked beans, cole slaw.. fruit salad.. I already gave my birds the fruit, but what about the other... can they have stuff like baked beans?
Just from my own personal experience I give my chickens every kind of table scrap, including baked beans and bits of meat if that is what is left on the plate. I have even given them food that has turned a bit in the fridge......they love it all. I don't know if I would give them anything with too much salt all at one time though, but don't ask me why. I just don't think it is good for them.
Christy
from my experience frans they can have everything except onion it makes there eggs go bad (yuck)
josh
Josh, I give my chicks onions, but not a whole lot of them. I haven't found that the eggs are any different than any others. Of course when I say a little bit, I am talking about 1/4 cup in a 5 quart of table scraps.
GG
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