Want to come back on this forum after almost two years!

[Farmfresh]

Good news on the up coming duck trade. Also good work on the culling process.

When you get about 4 to 6 sorted out get them cleaned and processed. That will help you get on with the culling business believe it or not.

Sometimes we keep putting it off and putting it off, but a nice stewed hen supper with golden broth in out tummy and suddenly everything just makes much more sense.

 

[TanksHill]

Ok, I have a question FF. How old can a hen be to make a nice "stew pot dinner" ?

I need to start doing this as well. I have some really old girls out there.

Zip ties..... got those.
Separate pen for holding... I will have to work on that.

It's such a learning process.

 

[Farmfresh]

The zip ties make a quick easy tagging device for a temporary mark. If you mark the culls they really don't need to be separated until the last 12 hours when you want to "clean them out" by giving water only and withholding feed.

Even old hens make a nice meal if you cook them in traditional moist methods. Stewing, Chicken and Rice, Dumplins etc...

 

[lorihadams]

We are going apple picking tomorrow....I plan on drying mine.

My chicks are swiftly outgrowing their brooder too....

I have 2 older hens that I would love to process but they are hubby's and he says that they will die a natural death of old age....men.

Sorry about all that driving....goodness....how long do they have to have physical therapy 5 days a week?

 

[TanksHill]

What is that saying Lori.... "Men treat their pets like they treat their women..." At least when yo get old you will be well taken care of.

 

[lorihadams]

yeah, I guess I should feel lucky, right? At least I know I won't end up in the stewpot!!!

We have these two hens that we "rescued" from a local feed store. They had their beaks trimmed aka mutilated and we felt sorry for them and took them home. They were our first 2 hens. Etta and Hussie. Spoiled rotten birds.

 

[homesteadmomma]

We are going apple picking tomorrow....I plan on drying mine.

My chicks are swiftly outgrowing their brooder too....

I have 2 older hens that I would love to process but they are hubby's and he says that they will die a natural death of old age....men.

Sorry about all that driving....goodness....how long do they have to have physical therapy 5 days a week?

Well the youngest has been in PT for four years now and will be the rest of her life. Hopefully the oldest will be done in about two months!

 

[homesteadmomma]

This week has been interesting to say the least. On Monday everything was fine around here and by Tuesday morning our pig was not eating. I wasn't too concerned yet as I talked to an old timer pig farmer and he told me that he probably ate something and would be fine in about two days. That made sense to me as one of the kids had given him deer corn the day before and I thought maybe it had upset his tummy.

Wednesday came and he was no better but really no worse and I figured he should be good the next morning.

Thursday morning he wouldn't even stand up and I realized something was desperately wrong with him. I wasn't sure what to do so I called the old farmer again. I couldn't find much info on the internet but did learn that if a pig went off his feed it was BAD news. I was spoon feeding water into him and figured we were going to lose him which was devasting to me not only because of the money and time involved but I care about all the animals here regardless of their purpose. The farmer told me to give him Pepto-Bismol. He ate four tablets for me and then promptly threw up a worm in my lap. I realized then I had lots of issues going on. I ran to the feed store to get some wormer but they only had the kind that went into the feed or water. He wasn't eating or thinking at this time so that did me no good. I bought some pencillin for him, I was desperate at this time. I came home and put a shot of pencillin in him while he laid there and let me. I made him drink some more water out of my hand and put a heat lamp on him. I told him I was sorry that I didn't take better care of him and was a lousy pig owner. Heck, I even told him I loved him. I went back out at 1 am and spoon more water in his mouth and he stood up but fell down. I covered him with more hay and said another prayer.

Friday morning I had to leave early and dh told me he would check on him. I called the vet and he told me that he had a liquid wormer that I could squirt in his mouth. I told him I had given him a burnt log earlier that week and he only went "hmmmm". I came home and the pig was standing up and drinking water. I wormed him, gave him another shot of pencillin and left him in peace. He had started pottying back in his potty corner which I assumed was a good sign.

Saturday morning he was bouncing all over and demanding lots of feed. Another shot of pencillin and he did great the rest of the day.

Today he is crazy, can't fill him up and he is demanding lots of love.

Crazy pig!!!

 

[Farmfresh]

Wow what an adventure! I am glad your pig is doing better now. Sounds like it was a combination of things running him down.

Animals are always ready to teach us something new.

 

[freemotion]

Yowza! Glad he recovered!