AL - Recording baby steps: Newest Addition

[AL]

I love crazy Agnes. She is the star of chicken TV around here. And she is fun to look at as well... so pretty with her lacy markings and fluffy butt.

I got your PM, FF, THANKS!! It will be on the schedule in the very near future!

Well, I survived the MRI. Just a note to say valium does nothing for severe claustrophobia. It took the edge off but I still had to go into hardheaded stubborness overdrive to get through the ordeal. I had the poor techs cracking up, and they were trying so hard to be nice.

"no, really. It's cute how you think I'm joking and all, but you gon' have to get me out of this thing!"


So today I will do nothing the rest of the day. I am whipped - whether from the drugs or the mental fight I have no idea. I need to take a nap before work anyway.

Sweet Pat seems pretty content in her run by herself. I threw some straw in a corner and she made a little nest. She hasn't been laying during her confinement though, should I be concerned? Or is it just stress?
She really doesn't try to get out, doesn't pace the fence or even come out of the shelter when Poppy starts his "I found treats" chirping. She just doesn't want to fool with them. I gave her the leftovers of the flock block and some BOSS / scratch so she just does her own thing. I hate her being alone though.
OH and it is supposed to get in the 20s again this weekend.... will she be ok? should I put a lamp out? bring her inside? risk putting her in the house with the others (after dark , but then in the morning is when I am worried about them getting her).

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

glad you made it! was wondering



might be a little cold with one hen alone. can you put a light on for her?

 

[savingdogs]

When we were isolating a hen in winter we just put her in a dog crate in the foyer overnight, worked fine! It is warm there but not overly warm and convenient. During the day she went back out.

 

[Denim Deb]

When Henrietta was the only chicken I had at home, I had a small igloo dog house for her. She was fine, even last winter when we had a ton of snow. (I just had to dig her out a couple of times.)

 

[AL]

Thanks for the input... I put a tote bin in the (former) meatie shelter with some straw to see if I could convince Pat to go in there, but she just makes a nest in the straw in a corner, so I guess I will bring her in, or at least crate her with some straw and put her in the big chicken house.

I let her out with the others and they did fine for about 15 minutes, and then Poppy saw her. He charged at her and she ran from him - he chased her. She ran beside me and he still came at her, so I snatched him up by his tail feathers (much to his humiliation) and held him while she settled down enough to eat some more with the other hens.
He left her alone (and tried to convince me to eat the treats he was showing me) for about another 10 minutes, and then he was chasing her again. She was making good time getting away from him and she just stopped and lay down ... not squatting for him, just laid down. He ran in front of her and pecked her head. She just lay there and ducked her head - he would peck her / pull head feathers then stop for a second and stare at her, then do it again, the whole time I am outside the fence yelling at him and looking for something to throw because my knee won't let me go faster than a hobble. I scooped her up and put her back in her pen with some BOSS and scratch and gave her a boiled egg. Poor Pat
I felt so bad that I picked up some blueberries when I went to the store and gave them to her. She was happier

I don't know anything about chickens - but why would he be so mean to her? He wasn't trying to mate or anything, just yanking head / neck feathers while standing in front of her.

My Old Neighbor walked out this morning in time to see a hawk "hopping" to get a hen hiding between some big barrels - and Mr ON's big roo attacked it! Poppy is too busy beating up on sweet submissive hens to go after a hawk. What a bully.

Bought 2 kinds of horse feed, dog food, layer pellets, sweet onion bunches, and some Yukon Gold potatoes.

 

[AL]

oh I forgot - I wanted to ask about the planting instructions that the feed store typed up for the potatoes. They say to "dust them with sulfur" ? Any opinions?

 

[AL]

and another add on....
I emailed this guy
http://pensacola.craigslist.org/grd/2170919540.html

"two barrow hogs ready for the table

I have raised these hogs since their birth in a humane way. They have plenty of space to move about, no growth hormones, steroids or medicated feed. "

Ad goes on to say he will deliver to the butcher for the buyer! $200 each... whatcha think?

Then there is another with no price listed, a little further away
http://pensacola.craigslist.org/grd/2171014751.html

 

[BarredBuff]

Cool AL!

 

[Farmfresh]

and another add on....
I emailed this guy
http://pensacola.craigslist.org/grd/2170919540.html

"two barrow hogs ready for the table

I have raised these hogs since their birth in a humane way. They have plenty of space to move about, no growth hormones, steroids or medicated feed. "

Ad goes on to say he will deliver to the butcher for the buyer! $200 each... whatcha think?

Then there is another with no price listed, a little further away
http://pensacola.craigslist.org/grd/2171014751.html

That is the way I buy most of my meat. Before you buy ask what butcher he uses and get their prices. Find out what the pork weighs and then figure about 65% of live weight as the amount of meat you will get. Then you can get a rough per pound price.

 

[AL]

I haven't heard back from either one of them yet

It is supposed to get to 27 tonight and Pat was asking to go into the big chicken house. I went ahead and put her in since everyone was already on the roost. I will set my alerm for early so I can make sure she is safe from Poppy.

Tomorrow I am hoping to make donuts! And Mr. ON wants to talk to me about planting potatoes . By the way... anyone know about the instructions to "dust with sulfur" ?