MyHouseIsAZoo2's SS Journal

[Myhouseisazoo2]

Day 10
Not much interesting tonight, cleaned the ducks pool and did some small maintenance...then went to work.
Will need to spot clean pens/yard tomorrow before work. And check on the feathers Twinnie put in the freezer, I suspect she didn't label them so I won't know how long they've been in there :'c

 

[sumi]

Feathers in the freezer?

 

[creativetwinszoo]

Feathers in the freezer?

To kill of any little bugs/parasite we can't see, Twinnie read it somewhere that it should be done before selling or using in crafts

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Makes sense!

 

[Myhouseisazoo2]

Looks like Twinnie beat me to it...
I've been told by a lot of people that putting them in the freezer for two weeks kills off all parasite's/undesirables.

Youngest sis says we should wash the roosters a day or so before they go to freezer camp if we plan on keeping the feathers... I think maybe we'll wash them Wednesday this week and feed them some cat or dog food either Thursday or saturday (to make the feathers glossier) then cull next Wednesday<-- I feel like that darn days spelt wrong but auto correct keeps popping it up as that

 

[sumi]

Oh, o.k. It just sounded a bit odd LOL

Apple Cider Vinegar in their drink water will help improve their feather condition. I use a ratio of 4-5 tablespoons to a gallon water, ACV water for 1 week, then clean water for 4 weeks, ACV water for 1 week... rinse and repeat.

 

[Myhouseisazoo2]

I will have to try the ACV.
Right now they get de-wormer (we have so many stupid pigeons that keep landing in our yard), nutradrench <- I'm fairly positive I spelt that wrong, and some other vitamin stuff that I can't remember the name of. The girls get additional crushed oyster and layers mash with their scratch and all birds get a treat every other day or so... Generally it rotates between what I've got. Sometimes its bananas, apples, watermelon, lettus, cabbage ect. And their favorite is mealworms, though I generally throw this around the bottom of their pen after I've cleaned it and throw new straw on it. I love watching them peck and scratch around for them and they seem to like it enough.

Suzanna takes the cake though, if she see's I've any type of treat or thing in my hand she tries to automatically take it. She loves grape tomatoes (they all do but she seems to be the queen here) she will even try to do tricks for them. its great when we've got M.O.M running and we've so many tomatoes we don't know what to do with them!

 

[Myhouseisazoo2]

well its been a bit since I got on here...
Not much excitement over my way, been working a bunch (long night shifts)
And there's freaking construction just about everywhere where I live
On the plus side:

I now have 4 of my six hens laying! I am slightly worried because they all lay their eggs in the exact same spot... Which is great for collection purposes but is concerning for others...
Also I've started reading the book my mom bought me a while back Hatching &Brooding Your Own Chicks by Gail Damerow. I kinda flipped through it a while ago but didn't really read read it. So I figured I probably should (especially since I've been contemplating on saving up for an incubator)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001U...200_QL40&qid=1412612869&sr=8-3#ref=mp_s_a_1_3 <--- I'm really thinking about this one as it has plenty of good reviews. I looked at a smaller one but the reviews were.... Rather unhappy...
I'm also contemplating on moving a few things around the yard so I can set up a mealworm tank for the ladies and my babu's.
Fed the Roosters a can of cat food this morning and ended up having to lock my dog in the house cause she kept chasing them off and wouldn't leave the dish alone >:V
her old owners fed her nothing but cat food so I think she believes the dish was for her even though I'd just fed her.
Gonna try to wash them tomorrow morning/noon and cull them on Wednesday.

My tomato plant is finally growing a tomato!!

and the questionable pumpkin/squash is flowering as well

 

[Denim Deb]

I have the Brinesea mini, and love it. For now, I don't want more than 7 chicks at a time, and I've been more successful w/this than I ever was w/my styrofoam incubator.

 

[Myhouseisazoo2]

I definetly don't want a styrafoam one! Since I generally work weird hours I'll need one that does pretty much all the work for me. Bexause more often then not I have terrible time management and would probably forget to flip them at one point or another :'(