Mike CHS
Herd Master
I have said it before but I often wonder what you do with all of your free time. 
Farmerjan's journal - Weather
- Thread starter farmerjan
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #872
farmerjan
Herd Master
- Joined
- Aug 16, 2016
- Messages
- 12,715
- Reaction score
- 52,427
- Points
- 768
- Location
- Shenandoah Valley Virginia
Read or sleep!!!!!!!I have said it before but I often wonder what you do with all of your free time.
Bruce
Herd Master
I bet! I've got 24 layers and they are eating a fair bit of feed even though they have access to the outdoors all day long. Can't imagine how much meat birds would eat. Guess I'll be seeing an increased intake when the snow hits. Not much nutrition in snow.
- Thread starter
- #874
farmerjan
Herd Master
- Joined
- Aug 16, 2016
- Messages
- 12,715
- Reaction score
- 52,427
- Points
- 768
- Location
- Shenandoah Valley Virginia
Well, it is a cool wet evening. About 55 degrees from a high of only 60. We got some rain/showers today. Not as much as they said, ours was more misty sprinkles kind but it was starting to actually lightly rain when I left to go up and catch up the meat birds.
I had stopped earlier and put feed in feeders in the 5x10 pen, as they were about empty, (I had planned that) and they all went in for the feed so I shut the gate. I have been leaving them out loose. Put a waterer in there and some shavings so they wouldn't be dirty. Went up about 3:45, carried them 2 at a time to the crates on the back of the truck.
Got good and wet but got them all loaded by about 4:45. My son came by with his 2 birds, offered to help but I had just loaded the last 4 . Took the 2 big cooler chests too, and they will put them in the coolers, in their big walk in cooler after they are done. I said to put the 14 smallest in vacuum bags and the rest 16 or so, just in the cooler and I will part them out at home.So they are gone.
Of course, the farmer texted with the broiler houses, and said the "birds" go out in the morning, at 3:30 a.m..... So I texted him back and said to let me know approx. how many there are left behind. If there aren't very many I may just not bother. I can go get them within 24 hours. But then I get to thinking that they would be good added feed for the cats.... Well we will see. If there aren't too many I won't make a special trip.
The farmer where I took the chickens said they got nearly 2 inches of rain, but we haven't had that much. Maybe a couple tenths???
. Now it looks like it is passing out of the area and we won't get much, if any more; temps look to be in the 70's days and all sun again. 
We really need an all day/night slow rain of 2 inches or so..
Not much else... I just made a bowl of soup because I was cold and damp. I did take an extra shirt and sweatshirt with me so that I could change out of the wet stuff. But you know how that dampness gets so I wanted a bowl of soup. Am going to get a good HOT shower and go burrow under a blanket and maybe read a book for awhile...
I had stopped earlier and put feed in feeders in the 5x10 pen, as they were about empty, (I had planned that) and they all went in for the feed so I shut the gate. I have been leaving them out loose. Put a waterer in there and some shavings so they wouldn't be dirty. Went up about 3:45, carried them 2 at a time to the crates on the back of the truck.
Got good and wet but got them all loaded by about 4:45. My son came by with his 2 birds, offered to help but I had just loaded the last 4 . Took the 2 big cooler chests too, and they will put them in the coolers, in their big walk in cooler after they are done. I said to put the 14 smallest in vacuum bags and the rest 16 or so, just in the cooler and I will part them out at home.So they are gone.Of course, the farmer texted with the broiler houses, and said the "birds" go out in the morning, at 3:30 a.m..... So I texted him back and said to let me know approx. how many there are left behind. If there aren't very many I may just not bother. I can go get them within 24 hours. But then I get to thinking that they would be good added feed for the cats.... Well we will see. If there aren't too many I won't make a special trip.
The farmer where I took the chickens said they got nearly 2 inches of rain,
but we haven't had that much. Maybe a couple tenths???. Now it looks like it is passing out of the area and we won't get much, if any more; temps look to be in the 70's days and all sun again. We really need an all day/night slow rain of 2 inches or so..Not much else... I just made a bowl of soup because I was cold and damp. I did take an extra shirt and sweatshirt with me so that I could change out of the wet stuff. But you know how that dampness gets so I wanted a bowl of soup. Am going to get a good HOT shower and go burrow under a blanket and maybe read a book for awhile...
frustratedearthmother
Herd Master
- Joined
- May 7, 2013
- Messages
- 8,360
- Reaction score
- 16,130
- Points
- 673
Bowl of soup, hot shower, good book and a warm bed! Good way to end a cold damp day!
Baymule
Herd Master
Glad you are getting the chickens done. We butcher ourselves, it's a job! I am always glad when we are through.
- Thread starter
- #877
farmerjan
Herd Master
- Joined
- Aug 16, 2016
- Messages
- 12,715
- Reaction score
- 52,427
- Points
- 768
- Location
- Shenandoah Valley Virginia
Well, seems they have a new field rep and the left behinds had to be gone within hours of when the house was emptied. He texted me and said if I couldn't get there by 10 he was going to have to kill them. There were less than 30 and I told him to go ahead as I couldn't get there til this afternoon. Said the field rep was there already and had a fit that there were still live birds. Like he has nothing else to do on this farm with 80 dairy cows and calves to also feed? He was P.O.'ed at her and I don't blame him.
So one less thing to deal with this fall now. I will go get the butchered ones tomorrow, and be done for the year. Just have my purebreds. I may move them up to where I had the meat birds as they will be able to run out loose some, that they can't do here. I am also thinking that it will make taking care of them easier on him when I have my surgery etc, he won't have to come down to the house, especially if the weather is bad and he has to work 12 hr shifts at VDOT, they will be close to him. I can feed the cats here easy enough on the front porch and not have to go out in snow or bad weather with crutches. I'll think on it for a few days. They will have a bigger pen up there too than they have here, but it won't be moveable like the chicken tractor here. Something to consider.
Sun again today, so the little rain is past. We got .3 inches. It is a help. but not nearly enough to even get the grass to grow. It is nearly 70 out and very nice. I am going to get some stuff together and go to the recycling center, take junk to the dumpster and go haul a load of water. Will probably do some laundry today or tomorrow to take advantage of the good sun drying conditions. Time to do blankets and such, to have them smelling nice to put on the bed.
So one less thing to deal with this fall now. I will go get the butchered ones tomorrow, and be done for the year. Just have my purebreds. I may move them up to where I had the meat birds as they will be able to run out loose some, that they can't do here. I am also thinking that it will make taking care of them easier on him when I have my surgery etc, he won't have to come down to the house, especially if the weather is bad and he has to work 12 hr shifts at VDOT, they will be close to him. I can feed the cats here easy enough on the front porch and not have to go out in snow or bad weather with crutches. I'll think on it for a few days. They will have a bigger pen up there too than they have here, but it won't be moveable like the chicken tractor here. Something to consider.
Sun again today, so the little rain is past. We got .3 inches. It is a help. but not nearly enough to even get the grass to grow. It is nearly 70 out and very nice. I am going to get some stuff together and go to the recycling center, take junk to the dumpster and go haul a load of water. Will probably do some laundry today or tomorrow to take advantage of the good sun drying conditions. Time to do blankets and such, to have them smelling nice to put on the bed.
Mini Horses
Herd Master
Winter before long and they won't be wanting to move anyway. Besides, you can't move them after surgery, for a while. You could always wait a month before moving to DS house.
CntryBoy777
Herd Master
I'm sure ya will enjoy the break and hope all goes well with your recovery, and maybe winter will be kind and not be too messy for ya or your son having to clear roads and such.....
Baymule
Herd Master
That stinks about the rep pitching a hissy fit and you missing out on the chickens. What a waste, when you could have taken them and used them for what they were intended.
