BeccaOH: Update of just STUFF

[BeccaOH]

Been a busy holiday season.

On the 21st I got my NPIP testing renewed for another year. Counted that I have 105 chickens, 22 ducks, and 4 geese. My rabbits are up to 10 now. I have 7 does I can breed. Really is time to start planning for that. If I have an average of 7 bunnies then I'd have 49! But one of my does gave me litters of 10 and 12 last year. That's a lot of babies to sell for Easter. I need some nesting boxes the babies can't get out of as I lost some last year that crawled out of the mother's cage.

We have heard a fox calling out at night and saw it cross our yard around noon on the 23rd. It is a red fox that has lost some of its brilliant coloring for winter. Nice size. So far, though, I've seen no evidence of it up around my poultry pens. I watch for tracks in the snow and the only tracks I find are deer and my neighbor's dog that will do a daily patrol around my property.

We definitely had a white Christmas, but nothing that made travel a problem. We had a family gathering Christmas Eve. Christmas day I dropped in to QA's place with a few presents for the gang. She fed us some wonderful ham. Too bad it wasn't one of those piggies from last January/February. Her room addition really enlarges the house, and the wood burner makes it cozy.

We had another family gathering Sunday with cousins in from Iowa. My sister arrives this Thursday, and I still don't have her gift ready. I'm taking the rest of the week off work to use up vacation days.

Happy New Year!

 

[BeccaOH]

Forgot to mention one of my best Christmas gifts. My mom stuffed my stocking with 1000 cable (strip) ties. I loved it. I use those things all the time for projects around the poultry pens. Even helped hold up my outside Christmas lights.

 

[lorihadams]

don't you just love those things!?!?

Glad you guys had a good holiday.....that's a lot of birds girl!

 

[BeccaOH]

Not much new on my end. Just trying to survive winter. Talked to my mom about it, and I seem to remember hard winters and snows during my elementary school days. The blizzard of '78 was when I was around first grade. I can remember snow days and bus mishaps in winter through elementary. In high school, though the snow days were much rarer. I drove to school the last couple years and don't recall snow being much issue. Through college I'd call home and get snow reports and hate when I'd miss a storm, which was still rare.

But the last couple years it seems that we are entering a pattern for harsher winters for storms and frigid temps. I rely heavily on heated waters and run my poultry together as much as my set up will allow so they can share the limited waterers. I really need to start thinking about breed separation for spring chicks/ducklings, but I don't have the waterers for all my breed pens and can't be out there taking them water 2-3 times per day.

I'm dealing with frostbite on my big combed roos. The Marans are hardest hit. Their combs and wattles are huge, and they have been in a pen where condensation builds up on the ceiling and they roost too close to that ceiling. Their wattles also get dunked while drinking. I'm trying to think about how I can remedy that. My Wheaten Marans roo is in bad shape. His wattles are swollen to 4 times their normal size, and he can barely hold his head up. I put him in my "barn" for a night, but I thought it was still too cold (water cups were freezing even in day), so last night I moved him to the house garage where the temps are in the low 60s. He seemed a bit perkier this morning. But at this rate, I may have to figure out how to dub him, and he probably won't go back out for a month. Of all the roos, he is the one I most value.

I'm getting one duck egg a day, but the chickens have been laying quite well despite the weather. Some pullets are starting to lay, and I'm loving the dark Marans eggs.

QA found 50# bags of wheat for around $5 each. So she and I are trying to feed that to spread out our expensive layer rations. I add in some cracked corn too. Hopefully the egg production doesn't go down drastically.

Here's hoping for an early spring!

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

I hope you Wheaten Maran perks up soon! Tell him Aly demands it!

 

[Farmfresh]

Try using Vaseline on the combs and wattles. You may have to reapply every two or three days, but it offers a lot of protection.

 

[BeccaOH]

All the Roos are looking better. The Wheaten is eating and drinking and standing again.

Felt warm today at around 36.

 

[keljonma]

We used to put food grade lanolin (oil) on the roos' combs....

Glad to hear your birds are looking better, Becca. Hope you and your mom are doing well also.

I was working full time (3rd shift) and going to university full-time (1st shift) when the blizzard of 77/78 hit. My car wouldn't start that morning and all the classes were cancelled. It was a mess and something I'd rather not live through again.


We have over 2 feet of snow up here - and it is still snowing. The good news is that the temps are back into the 20s, instead of below zero.

 

[BeccaOH]

We didn't have the ice or snow too bad. Only lost TV satellite signal Tuesday evening due to ice. Power stayed on, but I attribute that to the fact that I prepared for it by drawing over 40 gallons of water for me and the critters.

We've gotten just enough ice and skiff of snow to make my work parking lot a danger zone. I fell Wednesday evening flat on my back and cracked my head. Every thing seems okay, though I'm sure my neck could use a chiropractic adjustment. Just wish the chiropractor wasn't an hour away.

 

[MorelCabin]

Becca...do you have alot of ventelation in your coop? Sounds like you might have to open it up a little more to let the condensation escape. I lost my favorate roo to frostbite on his comb a few years ago. First bird i ever brought in the house...but we were having -40 temps for a wekk, and my poor silkies actually had frost growing on thier feathers.