CntryBoy777 - The Lazy A** Acres Adventures

[NH homesteader]

Yeah he doesn't give me problems anymore. My problem cockerel is in the freezer. Making yourself look big and scary helps too!

I really really wanted guineas. Then I spent some time around some. Deafening! And I've heard they're bullies to chickens, and they fly. Really well. And they like to take off and roost on your neighbor's roof and poo everywhere. Or so my friend tells me anyway. But some people do enjoy them.

 

[Mini Horses]

I have about 45-50 chickens right now. Several breeds -- Black/Blue Copper Marans, Buff Orpington, Jersey Giants, Comets, Silver Wyandottes, Super Blues, EEs, Black & Lavender Ameraucana. Only 1 Barred Rock and I do like those, just down to the one hen. In Spring I will sell newly hatched chicks @ some of the chicken swaps. Yep, even with TSC, they still look for breeds not carried there. If the people only want a couple, not something they order. Plus, I often have some started pullets which takes the chick issues off of them -- many prefer that route.

The 10" of snow yesterday kept almost all of them in their coops. Today began at 7 degrees and they only looked out the door and said "nope"..... didn't even want to walk on that white stuff, plus it was so frigid out! warm water served several times a day, food always there -- hey, why go out?

THEN -- 12 goats would not even THINK about stepping out.
So food and warm water all day...and it was about 4 times a day with warm water to all of these guys. So, while watching them, I notice that one doe -- probably trips again! -- has a mucus string. So, I check udder and she could go but I told her to wait until Tuesday when it would be 60, vice tonight when it will be about 14 OK, I begged her to wait!!! Now, I have to keep going to check or I can't sleep all night. These 5 are in a big barn with plenty of bedding (which they are adding to with hay waste) BUT -- 14 degrees is too cold for wet kids!! (have 7 more in another barn).

The 14 minis were thrilled with the new roll of hay and wanted little else besides the 3" of ice off of their water trough......The other 5 minis can't eat hay, get senior complete feed, warm water.

The piggies were snuggled in their straw fill huts and just jumped out to eat, have some warm water and back inside. Good pigs!

So I spent almost all day outside and it is COLD. Frigid!! Very extreme for us. Average this time of yr are 40 days, low 30 nights. Oh, roads are covered with snow & ice. Fortunate that I don't have to go anywhere until Wed. Out to check goat now.
Time to put my barn cams back up!!!

 

[Bruce]

The guinea reports from SuperChemicalGirl (she's a pharmacist) over on BYC are hilarious ... as long as they are happening to her and not to me.

 

[Bruce]

OK, I have a stupid question for y'all down in the frigid south that are carrying warm water to the animals several times a day:

Why not get a heated water bucket??? I have one for my 2 alpacas. Merlin drank from it as well. Seems like it would be worth the cost (they or stock tank heaters aren't that expensive) even if you only need them once or twice a year unlike those of us farther north that leave them plugged in for 5 months. Maybe you don't have electricity where the animals are??

 

[NH homesteader]

I don't even have heated water buckets. It's on my list! Very difficult to do with pigs, I assure you. But the goats will be getting heated buckets as soon as I figure out which ones to use.

 

[CntryBoy777]

Well Bruce, ya heard Right. I learned about them at a very early age, our 24 were Free range on 180acres. I was in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades when we were there. It was my job to watch them to see where the nests were. I certainly don't want ya to take it wrong, but they Don't Hollar at nite, unless something stirs them on the roost, a limb of a tree. But, they are the best "Alert" that something strange is around. There are many that use them as "WatchDogs". I used to get a kick out of reading duluthralphie on BYC, he terms them as Gangsters. Also, ya have to crack the egg on a counter top, stove, or heavy pan; the shell is very hard and the size of a sm/md chkn egg.

 

[CntryBoy777]

Well on the heated bucket, there isn't any power available at this time, but it is intended on an upgrade. I just don't like to use extension cords to reach over 100' by having to route it Over the fence of the goat pen, or on the ground with moisture and goats bouncing around playing Chase. I do have a bucket htr from TSC, but still have things on the List above that right now, even plan on running a spigot to the goat bldg with PVC buried and insulated above to inside the house. those come with the expansion of the goat house. Because if I continue on, we will get some more goats. Star is 10 this yr and has had a rough life being a pasture goat, but not expecting her to last much longer, so would like her to train a couple more young ones before she does, and get her away from the boys tbat are driving her crazy when she comes into estrus. It is difficult to separate 3 goats, so thinking about 2young female pygmies.

 

[CntryBoy777]

@Mini Horses I know this weather sure does make the "Routine" things much more difficult, and ya truly are Amazing. I really do hope your girl listens to you and allows you to get to Warmer weather and some much needed Rest, not to mention some Heat. We sure want ya to know our Thoughts and Prayers are with you and that everything goes extremely Well for you thru all that you "Face".

 

[Latestarter]

@Mini Horses I know the thought of "change" to a new place you've never been to is a bit scary, but we have a "welcoming committee" pretty well established down our way in NE TX Land is affordable, and though it does get cold for a few days, it generally only lasts a few days. Gonna be back up in the 70s here starting Tuesday through about the end of the week. If you'd like to come down for a visit, you'd be welcomed

Best of luck with your upcoming kidding(s)! Bundle up and stay warm!

 

[babsbag]

Guineas are annoying and noisy and I LOVE THEM. They do fly but usually only when frightened, they sleep high up in the trees, they ignore my chickens for the most part, they are horrible mothers, and they are great watchdogs.
The hang together as a flock always...I have 7 of them. They are like a brigade walking along chest to chest. They don't move out of the way of cars very readily so good thing they aren't on a busy road. The entire "clan" will raise and protect the keets, but the sitting hen usually gets scared off by raccoons before they ever hatch. I collect the eggs and hatch them whenever I can. The keets need game bird or turkey starter or they usually have leg problems.

I have had two mean roosters in my time, they went into someone else's stew pot. Since mine free range they have never been a problem other than those two Colombian Wyandottes. I think I have about 10 roos that never go in the coop and probably another 4 or 5 that live in the coop. Since I incubate and keep a lot of chicks I have an over abundance of roosters but if they don't bother me I don't care. I do thin them out on occasion and sell them for $5 each on CL and they go like crazy.