mapleme
Amethyst
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Post by mapleme on Jun 28, 2020 16:51:52 GMT -6
In other feathered friend news, the "baby" ducks (they are nearly 11 wks old now) are STILL living in my garage because the new duck coop we ordered for an arrival of the wk of June 15 is still not here. And they aren't responding to my email requests for a delivery update. I don't want to train them to use the existing duck coop and then switch them to a new coop in a totally different location off the pond so I am getting frustrated. We have a chicken tractor that we have been putting them in during the day with a plastic swimming pool and we are thinking of moving them in there until the new coop arrives - even at night. I am a little nervous but the whole thing is covered in hardware cloth and we had a rooster live in it for several months with no issues and also 2 groups of meat chickens for like 8-10 weeks. So realistically I think they will be fine in there, and hopefully it is only for like a week or so until the new coop arrives. They get SO PISSED when I put them back in the garage - it seriously sounds like I am holding multiple Donald Ducks hostage. Such angry quacking. I feel like everything I have ordered lately, either on the internet or over the phone or whatever has had issue after issue and I am so over constantly having to email and call people to get the correct products shipped or replacements shipped for products that arrived damaged/broken, etc. It feels like every single thing. I know, pandemic, I'm trying to be patient and understanding but I am running out of pleasantries. Not everything is due to the pandemic. And also, just communicate! The shipping/freight world is beyond effed up right now and getting worse. There are problems on every level, from staffing/employment issues to sourcing issues to delivery issues. Like freight carriers keep not being able to deliver because of closures. So they start calling ahead on every delivery, but that further delays everything. Then their warehouses get full. Then they can't bring new freight from their last hub point. Then those warehouses get full. Then everyone is over ordering to account for shortages (like toilet paper on a massive scale). And other routes are empty, but they can't just up and move warehouses and docks. They can't get adequate staffing because people are either scared to be working or content with the extra unemployment. And then the carriers get lots new employees who don't know what they're doing and mess things up. And with all of the opening/closing economies around the country, it's just going to continue compounding. It's a giant shit show out there.
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Speedy
Sapphire
Posts: 4,613 Likes: 8,575
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Post by Speedy on Jun 28, 2020 18:21:32 GMT -6
In other feathered friend news, the "baby" ducks (they are nearly 11 wks old now) are STILL living in my garage because the new duck coop we ordered for an arrival of the wk of June 15 is still not here. And they aren't responding to my email requests for a delivery update. I don't want to train them to use the existing duck coop and then switch them to a new coop in a totally different location off the pond so I am getting frustrated. We have a chicken tractor that we have been putting them in during the day with a plastic swimming pool and we are thinking of moving them in there until the new coop arrives - even at night. I am a little nervous but the whole thing is covered in hardware cloth and we had a rooster live in it for several months with no issues and also 2 groups of meat chickens for like 8-10 weeks. So realistically I think they will be fine in there, and hopefully it is only for like a week or so until the new coop arrives. They get SO PISSED when I put them back in the garage - it seriously sounds like I am holding multiple Donald Ducks hostage. Such angry quacking. I feel like everything I have ordered lately, either on the internet or over the phone or whatever has had issue after issue and I am so over constantly having to email and call people to get the correct products shipped or replacements shipped for products that arrived damaged/broken, etc. It feels like every single thing. I know, pandemic, I'm trying to be patient and understanding but I am running out of pleasantries. Not everything is due to the pandemic. And also, just communicate! The shipping/freight world is beyond effed up right now and getting worse. There are problems on every level, from staffing/employment issues to sourcing issues to delivery issues. Like freight carriers keep not being able to deliver because of closures. So they start calling ahead on every delivery, but that further delays everything. Then their warehouses get full. Then they can't bring new freight from their last hub point. Then those warehouses get full. Then everyone is over ordering to account for shortages (like toilet paper on a massive scale). And other routes are empty, but they can't just up and move warehouses and docks. They can't get adequate staffing because people are either scared to be working or content with the extra unemployment. And then the carriers get lots new employees who don't know what they're doing and mess things up. And with all of the opening/closing economies around the country, it's just going to continue compounding. It's a giant shit show out there. UPS up here had to stop carrying for some non essential places because they got SO backed up. Hubby was working 10-12 hour days, when his normal is 5! And because of their union they allowed it short term but it couldn't continue long term. They actually are renegotiating their union terms this year and DH is pretty sure that UPS is going to get screwed because of how they handled the pandemic.
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Post by ovenrack on Jun 28, 2020 18:58:43 GMT -6
I'm sorry, Milano. We had to "take care of" our sick chicken today. It's never easy. Blah. Wishing you all the healthy animals going forward! A sad day for chickens indeed! Which of your chickens has, uh, moved on? Zuma. She was also one of the oldest chickens - actually, the oldest left in my flock. She was either 4 or 5 years old? Anyway. Now I'm down to 7, so it's time to add some new pullets to my flock, if I can get some! None of my current chickens tend to be broody, otherwise I'd totally get some fertilized eggs.
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Post by violajack on Jun 29, 2020 11:35:16 GMT -6
We got a poly barn shovel for the coop to protect the vinyl floor and it is comically proportioned. I love it.
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rugger
Amethyst
Posts: 5,768 Likes: 14,536
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Post by rugger on Jun 29, 2020 12:02:33 GMT -6
We got a poly barn shovel for the coop to protect the vinyl floor and it is comically proportioned. I love it. What are the dimensions of your coop?
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Post by violajack on Jun 29, 2020 12:07:53 GMT -6
4x8, 6 feet tall at the center.
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Post by violajack on Jun 29, 2020 12:09:29 GMT -6
The dog crate wasnt big enough for outside play, so I fenced in some bushes for the little chickens to hang out in during the day.
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Post by violajack on Jun 30, 2020 7:04:37 GMT -6
A sad day for chickens indeed! Which of your chickens has, uh, moved on? Zuma. She was also one of the oldest chickens - actually, the oldest left in my flock. She was either 4 or 5 years old? Anyway. Now I'm down to 7, so it's time to add some new pullets to my flock, if I can get some! None of my current chickens tend to be broody, otherwise I'd totally get some fertilized eggs. What do you do with a chicken of that age after processing? Are they good to roast, or just soup?
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Post by ovenrack on Jun 30, 2020 10:31:29 GMT -6
Zuma. She was also one of the oldest chickens - actually, the oldest left in my flock. She was either 4 or 5 years old? Anyway. Now I'm down to 7, so it's time to add some new pullets to my flock, if I can get some! None of my current chickens tend to be broody, otherwise I'd totally get some fertilized eggs. What do you do with a chicken of that age after processing? Are they good to roast, or just soup? I dunno, we shall see!
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tj
Moderator
Posts: 9,912 Likes: 24,842
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Post by tj on Jul 2, 2020 7:58:28 GMT -6
Omg you guys. Terrible pic. But here’s some of my chickens! My roo is quite petite. Perhaps a bantam?
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rugger
Amethyst
Posts: 5,768 Likes: 14,536
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Post by rugger on Jul 2, 2020 8:38:02 GMT -6
Omg you guys. Terrible pic. But here’s some of my chickens! My roo is quite petite. Perhaps a bantam? So jelly!!
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Chickens!
Jul 4, 2020 14:30:51 GMT -6
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Post by niko8083 on Jul 4, 2020 14:30:51 GMT -6
It’s going to be in the low to mid 90s here the next 2 weeks. How does everyone help keep their chickens from heat stress? I’m adding frozen water bottles to their water founts, I’m giving them frozen ice treats, laying large frozen bottles of water around for them to lay next to, and we have a kiddie pool with a few inches of water in for them to wade in if they choose. Oh, and we have a small fan blowing in the coop to help with air circulation. I still notice them panting and fluffing their wings to help them cool off. Any other tips I may have missed?
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Post by violajack on Jul 4, 2020 16:34:51 GMT -6
That's the same kind of heat we've got here. My chickens love to hang out under a bush right by the coop. I put food, water, and a bowl with ice under the bush for them so they don't have to go far or leave the shade to do anything. It seems to keep them happy. Same with the little chickens in their day pen, food, water, bowl of ice, all in the shade near a bush they like to hang out under.
Edit: I went to take a picture of them hanging out and they've gone off to forage.
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milano
Emerald
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Post by milano on Jul 4, 2020 18:09:59 GMT -6
I've never done anything different in the heat other than to double check the water bowl. They have tons of shade access, and have never seemed bothered by the heat.
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Post by ovenrack on Jul 5, 2020 16:00:59 GMT -6
Yeah, shade and water are fine here.
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milano
Emerald
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Post by milano on Jul 6, 2020 18:38:08 GMT -6
One of my chickens got hit by a car today (we think). M is a wreck, and keeps asking "why do my animals have to die?" and it's damn near killing me.
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tj
Moderator
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Chickens!
Jul 6, 2020 20:16:41 GMT -6
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Post by tj on Jul 6, 2020 20:16:41 GMT -6
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rugger
Amethyst
Posts: 5,768 Likes: 14,536
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Post by rugger on Jul 6, 2020 20:56:11 GMT -6
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Chickens!
Jul 7, 2020 6:00:53 GMT -6
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Post by niko8083 on Jul 7, 2020 6:00:53 GMT -6
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Post by pbandj714 on Jul 7, 2020 7:53:58 GMT -6
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Speedy
Sapphire
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Post by Speedy on Jul 7, 2020 9:57:39 GMT -6
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milano
Emerald
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Post by milano on Jul 7, 2020 11:55:26 GMT -6
Thanks all. I really felt like my chickens stayed together as a group and did better with a rooster, so I'm going to see if I can find one that someone is rehoming. They used to all wander together and very rarely ever went near the road, but over the past several months after we lost our rooster they all seem to just spread out and wander alone and I have chased them out of the road several times. They aren't smart creatures, but the roo seemed to keep them in line. For anyone who is going to free-range their chickens, something to consider.
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tj
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Chickens!
Jul 8, 2020 20:21:56 GMT -6
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Post by tj on Jul 8, 2020 20:21:56 GMT -6
Ok. So. Somebody talk me down.
I went to my new house today to meet my chickens and learn how to take care of them. And her routine is so intricate and I’m panicking that I don’t have the bandwidth to manage it.
And also my asshole bantam rooster Teeny attacked both my kids and got them E in the face and P multiple times in the legs.
Please tell me I can do this.
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milano
Emerald
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Post by milano on Jul 8, 2020 20:42:15 GMT -6
Ok. So. Somebody talk me down. I went to my new house today to meet my chickens and learn how to take care of them. And her routine is so intricate and I’m panicking that I don’t have the bandwidth to manage it. And also my asshole bantam rooster Teeny attacked both my kids and got them E in the face and P multiple times in the legs. Please tell me I can do this. You can do this. But I would get rid of the rooster. We had a rooster that attacked M's face when she was younger and it got her like less than a cm away from her eye. He was dead within minutes. It is ok to tweak her routine a bit if its cray cray. We can help you make it more manageable.
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tj
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Chickens!
Jul 8, 2020 20:55:20 GMT -6
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Post by tj on Jul 8, 2020 20:55:20 GMT -6
She’s totally cray. Like she sits in there for 1-2 hours per day holding chickens. And gives them mealworm and scratch greats every single day.
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Post by ovenrack on Jul 9, 2020 6:01:07 GMT -6
She’s totally cray. Like she sits in there for 1-2 hours per day holding chickens. And gives them mealworm and scratch greats every single day.
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Post by ovenrack on Jul 9, 2020 6:01:53 GMT -6
On many days my only chicken interaction is opening and closing the doors, and collecting eggs.
We have a feeder set up for 5-7 days, and a 5g waterer. So. Yeah. No.
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tj
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Chickens!
Jul 9, 2020 7:36:07 GMT -6
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Post by tj on Jul 9, 2020 7:36:07 GMT -6
On many days my only chicken interaction is opening and closing the doors, and collecting eggs. We have a feeder set up for 5-7 days, and a 5g waterer. So. Yeah. No. Ok, yes. We have 2 5g waterers and 2 large feeders for 10 chickens. So she’s just crazy right?
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milano
Emerald
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Post by milano on Jul 9, 2020 7:57:55 GMT -6
On many days my only chicken interaction is opening and closing the doors, and collecting eggs. We have a feeder set up for 5-7 days, and a 5g waterer. So. Yeah. No. Ok, yes. We have 2 5g waterers and 2 large feeders for 10 chickens. So she’s just crazy right?
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Post by ovenrack on Jul 9, 2020 10:42:04 GMT -6
Ok, yes. We have 2 5g waterers and 2 large feeders for 10 chickens. So she’s just crazy right?
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