Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[Amyable]

I was just going to say, kristi go touch the plant and report back on if it stings or not. Then you, and we, will know.

 

[irishrovr]

Unk, Amy is right.... that is nettle, but it sure does LOOK like just sprouting berry canes! I did a google search on both raspberry plants and stinging nettle.

Nothing exciting happened today. I went to work, chit-chatted with me neighbors, raked out the flower beds, and made dinner. I would like to start taking my plants outside to start hardening them off, but baby steps....

Visiting the ducks tomorrow..... sounds like a plan.

I started hardening the plants yesterday afternoon. They're loving the sun! Today I put them out in the morning before going to open the store but I put them where they wouldn't have sun for a long time. Hope I can just move the whole shebang out there for the duration soon!

Does anyone have or know anyone with a plow that will fit an International Super H (1953). We're looking for one so we can plow through all the heavy sod - the rototiller just isn't going to put a dent in that stuff!

We started taking down some old fencing and cleared out some unwanted vegetation in the old chicken run today. We're going to fence in a much larger area for them to run. Once the garden is planted their free ranging won't be quite as free as it is now.

Danny Boy went after the hubs a few times today (testosterone!) and he threatened to make chicken soup out of him if he didn't stop. DB did stop nipping at him after he brought out the big tractor but he kept a watchful eye on him just the same. Boys!

Judge - sorry about your broody's babies! What a bummer!

G'nite all! Sweet dreams! ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ............

 

[Celtic Chick]

Quote:

Love this. My mother in law makes head cheese every time we butcher. I was skeptical......it is nothing like that weird jelly crap from Oscar Mayer!! It's pretty good!

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have been trying to tell these people for a long time that head cheese is awesome, IF you know someone who knows how to make it properly. Unlike the OM crap, it's not made with snips & snails &..............

.......you know. It is up to the people making it that determines what goes into it. I like brussel sprouts too!

Vicki, that play pen for your chicks is cool! Where did you get it?

Bigz, I'd say you're one of the few that might just have the legs for the dukes.

I watched the race. Too bad Jr. wasn't much of a factor, but he finished better than I expected. Shorties just aren't his game. Now next week I expect him to rock.

I agree with Bigfam (honestly) on not giving up on broodies. If you have them separated from the flock in their own area that the chicks can't get out of, the mom (if she's a good one) will take care of those babies wonderfully. Just make sure to have food and water close by if the eggs aren't all due at the same time. She will teach them how to eat & drink, and they will dart in & out from under her when they are cold. It is so adorable to watch a momma & her chickies. It is also a great idea to have this broody area inside the coop somewhere (if you have the space) so the rest of the flock can look but not touch and get accustomed to seeing the babies. That helps greatly in the introduction department. And I'm thinking the only reason your broody left the nest was because someone else bullied her out of it to lay her egg. All the more reason to keep the broody in her own accomodations. Much less stress all around.

I must agree on the fabulous weather today, finally!

DH helped me clean out the entire coop today.

What a job! But what an improvement. I sprinkled some DE around before spreading out the fresh wood chips, and DH turned over the soil in the dust bath area, which the chickens really approved of. I also gave them a roasted pumpkin to keep them busy while we were cleaning. I tried putting saddles on a few of them but they weren't having any of that. I got one on.

Guess there is always tomorrow. Sweet dreams, all!

 

[Cindlady]

Hi All!

Judge... sorry about your chicks.

vicki... cute babies.... love the playpen!

Ok, too tired to do many responses...but I do want to get this out.
I cut open the dead chicken. I don't have batteries for the camera so couldn't get pictures. Everything seemed to look good however. on one side of the liver there was yellowish white flakes. Kinda like hard fat. The liver on that side looked like it was breaking down. The color looked good but it was mushy, and broke up easy. No sign of worms unless they were too small to see. No worms anywhere else either. At least nothing big enough to see. I even had on my extra strong glasses.

Can't find one of the hen turkeys! NOT a good day!

Night all

 

[vickiw]

Hi CC!!!~ like I said, this is actually (or originally

) my puppy's travel pen and also served as her "nursery". I bought this one @ FF 4 years ago. They were pretty hard to find then but now they are all over the place and come in a lot more sizes. I think this was the medium at the time but now you can get them that are really huge. I love it because it is a lot easier to haul around then a traditional metal break down cage and weighs a lot less too. It's super easy to clean (the floor just sticks on with a couple velcro tabs so it's easy to put in/remove at any time) and those mesh sides are strong enough to stand up to even puppy claws. Ok, got just found the info sheet, it's called the "Deluxe Pop-up Playpen". Mine is made by Ware Manufacturing Inc. Which I believe were the first to make them but I've seen several others on the market, and at FF, since. www.waremfginc.com in case you want to check them out. Honestly don't remember what I paid for mine back then, but I see them on sale all the time. I have seen some that are pretty poor quality tho, so if you're thinking of buying one, I'd check them out good first.

Beautiful Morning everyone!!!

CL~how is the rest of your flock this morning? any sign of trouble with anyone else???

Judge~how's the baby doing? When my "mom" went broody and I shoved the neighbor's eggs under her, I put her in a dog cage with a cardboard "nest box" inside it right into the coop. It was a tight fit but worked out great. I would chase the girls out of the coop and let mom and baby have the run of it for a while and later on I let the girls free range while mom had the run and eventually everybody was together and the only integration issue I had was when they were "rearranging" the pecking order but no body got violent about it. I was really hoping my momma would go broody so I could shove these new chicks under her, but no luck.

Now, off for another cuppa, oh, BTW, FRENCHIE???? no more from my neighbor. Hope she isn't getting cold feet about Teddy, and NO, I do not want another puppy (well, actually I do, I ALWAYS want another puppy) t;he timing just isn't any good right now.

 

[Dooner]

Morning everyone,
Thanks to everyone for your kind words about Princess. No sign of her. I feel a need to replace her, I guess that is the chicken math. My DW is not real keen on that though, I think she feels we are lucky we have gotten away with having them for the last two years. I never will understand how having a couple of chickens in your backyard is not allowed. Especially when your backyard is over an acre. I agree, I should live somewhere else if I don't like the rules. Another local community turned down chicken ordinance. You can have three non stop barking dogs, you can have neighbors who walk there dogs and poop on your yards, or a neighbors dog who walked across our newly poured concrete patio, etc., but God forbid a couple of chickens. BTW I love dogs. S I guess I will stick with my current four. . We struck a deal though that if I lose another one, I will get two to replace, hopefully I can find some then. Found some rabbit fur a couple feet from the feathers, must be someone's hunting grounds. Question or the free rangers, do you just accept the fact that ou will lose some to the circle of life or how do you avoid it? I hate to keep them penned in all day. Other thought is to create an area with a "roof" of that thin netting over some area.????

 

[Dooner]

Oh yeah, one more thing, would I totally out of my mind to look for a farmer that would rent out space for me to put up my own coop or even a small property that I could put one up? Lot of money which I don't have right now and a lot of hassle, but.....

 

[JustJohn]

Morning everyone,
Thanks to everyone for your kind words about Princess. No sign of her. I feel a need to replace her, I guess that is the chicken math. My DW is not real keen on that though, I think she feels we are lucky we have gotten away with having them for the last two years. I never will understand how having a couple of chickens in your backyard is not allowed. Especially when your backyard is over an acre. I agree, I should live somewhere else if I don't like the rules. Another local community turned down chicken ordinance. You can have three non stop barking dogs, you can have neighbors who walk there dogs and poop on your yards, or a neighbors dog who walked across our newly poured concrete patio, etc., but God forbid a couple of chickens. BTW I love dogs. S I guess I will stick with my current four.

. We struck a deal though that if I lose another one, I will get two to replace, hopefully I can find some then. Found some rabbit fur a couple feet from the feathers, must be someone's hunting grounds. Question or the free rangers, do you just accept the fact that ou will lose some to the circle of life or how do you avoid it? I hate to keep them penned in all day. Other thought is to create an area with a "roof" of that thin netting over some area.????

An area covered in aviary netting is kinda obvious proof that you have chickens to anyone who wants to complain. Now if you had a dog kennel with that shading tarp on it, that would be less obvious.

 

[Dooner]

Not a bad idea.....I would have to figure out how to get them from the coop to the kennel.... . I think I will post a few pics of what I have to get some ideas from you all.

 

[vickiw]

dog carrier. that's how I move my girls around when needed.