Good Morning! 2019

[JimW]

Great to hear from ya Al, welcome back!!

[Farrier1987]

Hey Al, good to see you back. I probably have a roo for you. Give me a call, gotta go to Sarnia Sat and could probably deliver. Still young, 2 months or so but we can talk.

[JimW]

Well just relaxing at home on a Friday evening, soon it will be time to start thinking about back to teaching, but I will wait a couple more days. I have been working on a new chicken pen design, I will post in another thread as my build progresses.

Thursday was my wife and I's 21st wedding anniversary. The day before I got an unwelcome early present. Wednesday I had my nuclear stress test to help diagnose my chest pains I have been having the last few months. At the clinic I had photos of my heart taken after injection of radioisotope at rest and after stress on my heart, as well as ECG taken at rest and during stress. The doctor quickly identified as issue with my ECG when I was under stress. It looks like my heart is fine, but I have a severe partial arterial blockage so not enough blood flowing when my heart is under stress. So I have been referred for the first available angiogram to locate the blockage and hopefully fix it with a stent and not have to have my chest cracked open. For the time being I am on Asprin81, beta blockers, cholesterol pills and nitroglycerin patch. Hopefully I get the angiogram soon.

Since I broke my ankle at the beginning of last school year, I was hoping for a nice uneventful start to this school year, but I guess not. Oh well at least they identified the problem before anything bad happened.

JimW

[Jaye]

Don't stress about it too much, Jim. Neighbour across the street went through a similar scenario, and after two stent procedures, he is right as rain, back to before the problems started for him. There were considerable wait times between procedures, but all was well in the end. I am hoping the outcome will be the same for you.

[Killerbunny]

@JimW My friend had the same thing and is back diving again! He is feeling great now.

[Jaye]

Good morning all. This morning the quail "youngsters" are one day short of six weeks old and this past week a number of them have been demonstrating male tendencies. Of course, two of the prettiest pied variety are male. There is one other pied that I'm hopeful is a female. We have a really pretty golden tuxedo that so far hasn't done anything to indicate maleness, so fingers crossed on that one. It looks like a number of the silvers are female, so that's good. Some time this weekend I will need to try identifying the males by checking out everyone's vent area and banding those that are male, because they need to be moved into the bachelor pad soon, I think. It looks like a good weekend for getting moves done. We also have to start integrating the chicken youngsters into the main coop. We've had to take them off the top of the feed bins and put them in their Junior coop every night this week and I'm getting tired of having to clean off the before I can get to the feed. Biscuit has been the problem, the reason they haven't moved into the main coop on their own. She chases them out. If she tries it tonight when we move them in, she'll be spending the night in the Junior coop. Anyway, coffee's done, so I'd best get on with things. Hope everyone has a good weekend!

[Killerbunny]

Silly question from me, do guinea fowl have the smelliest in the world? Almost like something died! We have to scoop out their little night coop every day.

[Ontario Chick]

Good morning!
Had an interesting hawk encounter yesterday.
Over the years I have really learned to appreciate the company of crows around our place and by osmoses picked up some of their language, especially the ALLAAARM...call, which has served me and the chickens very well, saving few birds lives.

Yesterday, while reading in the gazebo I heard the standard ALARM call, which very quickly escalated in to the angriest crow I have ever heard, something between scream and a vicious growl, and as I looked up I was face to face with a Sharp Shinned Hawk, barely clearing the gazebo screen.
For a moment I had an incredible view of the bird with the sun behind him I saw every feather as clearly as if it was a still picture.
shortly followed by a family of crows, parents and 4 youngsters as they were excitedly discussing the event while circling over the house.

So once again saved by the crows, because I would have never seen the hawk, they fly like ghosts, can't even hear the wings.
Once again the crows earn my respect. :)
Have a good one!

[Kbr42]

Mark this day on your calendar...I have 0 broody silkies for the first time this summer

[kenya]

Mark this day on your calendar...I have 0 broody silkies for the first time this summer

Mine have not stopped, silly girls.