AL - Recording baby steps: Newest Addition

[Farmfresh]

Your dog story reminds me of a pony story.

A few years back we had an ice storm here. (We are so lucky we get those a LOT around here. ) My D1 was home alone and went out to care for her animals. When she was out in the pasture she hit some bad ice and fell flat! It was so slick she couldn't get on her feet and the temps were falling fast. Her pony Cayenne saw the she was in trouble and went close over to her and my daughter was able to literally climb up the pony to get back on her feet! Then just like she was a trained service dog the pony slowly so slowly walked my D1 back to the gate. It is good to have a big helpful critter around when you are flat on your back!

 

[AL]

Aren't animals awesome? I saw where a Newfoundland dog was barking to get out of its owner's house - they let it out and it ran next door where the elderly neighbor had fallen!

It is so cold here! It is 38* right now (yes cold - this IS Florida, ya know? ).
Evidently I am going to have to schedule some computer time for the meats, they did not read the BYC thread about chickens in Florida don't get cold. They all sat lined up in the shelter screaming, even after I put the feeders out in the sun. All through out the day I would look outside and there would be 2-3 eating and the rest were in the shelter. it is supposed to get to about 30 or so tonight, so laugh if you will, but I am going to give them a heat light when I get home. (Maybe it is that our cold is so damp and just gets in your bones??)

Yesterday during my slip and fall incident I twisted my already bad knee. It has been a trial getting around today. Hard times are the catalysts for great ideas! Instead of hauling 2 (2) gal buckets of warm water back and forth for my cantankerous old mare, I pulled my garden hose in through the backdoor and hooked it up to the hot water faucet meant for a washing machine. It was great! Just run a couple of buckets of hot water and it stays warm almost all day sitting in the sun. I was so proud of myself. Then it happened - the "Lori Factor" went into effect (aka - "if I didn't have bad luck I'd have no luck at all" syndrome)

When the trough was full and I turned off the water, I remembered that is how we siphon my parents big fish tank - run some water through the hose, turn off the water and disconnect at the faucet and the tank siphons empty. So I turned off the water and went to the back door to pull on the hose to get it out of the tub (so the tub didn't siphon empty into my kitchen!). As I slid the hose through my hands a stench so foWL it turned the air colors hit me.... I had that slimy stinking nasty chicken poo (not even the semi-solid poo) smeared thickly on both hands where the hose had slid through it. the best part? I have a very small water heater, so I had no hot water to wash my hands. They didn't feel clean until I scalded them at my parents house lol
Now dont' get me wrong - I am not a poo-phobic. I worked for a vet for 5 years and you haven't scooped poo until you've dealt with parvo poo. 2 years ago my old mare colicked and an old horseman told me to give her a garden hose enema - so I did (I did wear a glove that time ). But this was just NASTY!!


Under a freeze warning for tonight . I actually love this weather. After 4 years with no heat I can't wait to get home and turn on the heater.... my friends laugh when I say that I "crank it up to 58*) .

I have new photos of the meats, now that they are 6 weeks old. There is some size change, but I'll have to add them tomorrow from home.

 

[BarredBuff]

Im anxious for the pics!!
Im gonna try some CX next year.

 

[framing fowl]

Hard times are the catalysts for great ideas! Instead of hauling 2 (2) gal buckets of warm water back and forth for my cantankerous old mare, I pulled my garden hose in through the backdoor and hooked it up to the hot water faucet meant for a washing machine. It was great!

What a great idea! That's one I'm going to be tucking away in my brain for sure!

 

[Dace]

Hahaha...I've been enjoying your stories

We have hit a real cold patch here in So Cal....although we are warming back up again but we have had frost several mornings this week, it is so odd to see white on the ground this early in the year....usually it only happens (where I am) a handful of times a year!

Hope your weather warms up

 

[AL]

FFowl - the last couple of years I have hauled 8gal (4trips w/ 2 buckets) twice a night to that hateful old mare . I was thrilled with the hose!

Dace - it is better today, but I think our lows are supposed to stay in the 30s. They even say we'll see the 20's early next week. I refuse to accept their reality.

BBuff - here ya go.

I am really disappointed, I expected more of a difference because in person they look like they have grown - but in photos they just look taller, no meat. Yes, the ground is nasty - dirt, rain and meaties do not go well together. They'll get fresh stuff tomorrow when I am off work.

This is this week's "meat flower" vs last week's meat flower
6wks

5wks

 

[BarredBuff]

Thats bad, but they look to be growing.

 

[lorihadams]

They look like mine at 6 weeks. Are you giving them any scratch grains or cracked corn? Try switching their feed ration over to about 20% of the grains and see if they start to pack on a little weight. I have 25 that are enjoying 20 less birds cause now they can eat more.

They have about 2 more weeks to go, they'll get bigger, just relax!

 

[AL]

I do toss a handful or so of scratch in with them, but it really isn't much considering 21 birds. I'll start giving them a little more.

I'll weigh them tomorrow and see if there are ANY candidates for a Saturday processing. Friend's BF works offshore and as soon as he comes in he will be chomping at the bit to get home to Mn to go hunting. At some point friend will go join him there, so this could get interesting.

blah

 

[Farmfresh]

Where did you buy your chicks from to start with?

There are some hatcheries that just have better birds to begin with. I tried birds from several hatcheries, but I have never been happier than with the Cornish Rock birds from Welps hatchery. They are huge chicks when you get them and always seem to do well.