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That is exactly the problem. They don’t know. They don’t know me. I don’t want to tell them – atheism horrifies many people around here, and/or triggers a flood of ignorant questions.
Yeah. Probably easier not to tell them. I doubt any good will come of it. Better to be anonymous than “that atheist lady”. I guess I just hope that you have enough of a support network to help you through this tough time. It’s hard not having people in “real” life (and I’m kind of talking out my butt here. For all I know you have like 20 very close friends, but if you’re anything like me you’re pretty much alone outside of your family), but hey, at least your Windstone buddies are here for you, right? 😉
I’m not always the most tactful. I hope I’m not putting my foot in my mouth/just making things worse for you.
Flooding is very scary dragonmedley. I’m sorry your one box died, but at least the other one survived. Kind of cool to go through stuff that has been in storage a while and see what goodies are hiding down there.
Most of mine match.
White Unicorn Family
Snow White Unicorn Family
Chestnut/Pearl (my name for the original color scheme) Ki-Rin Family
Silver Wolf Griffin FamilyThose are really my only families. I have one lap, one fledgie, one mamma, one young oriental and one emperor, along with my GB pebbles, unis, poads and ori that don’t match anything. They’re themed (similar or at least complimentary colors for the most part) but definitely not a traditional family. And then there’s the dinos. Do they count as a family, lol?
I’m sorry for your loss, GardenNinja.
It sounds like you definitely made the right call though, especially considering what your dad had said about dementia back when he was still all there. My grandpa died from dementia after having it for several years. By the end he didn’t even recognize his wife of 59 years. It’s horrible for the sufferer (they’re scared and disoriented on a constant basis) and for the family (having to watch someone you love lose their mind).I’m a teeny tiny bit religious, not super into it by any means, and I certainly won’t give any talk like that if it makes you uncomfortable. I think those that do are just trying to offer comfort in the way they are used to receiving it/in the way that is most meaningful to them. I don’t think they’re trying use it as an excuse to push religion on you. They probably don’t even know you’re an atheist. People tend to imagine that everyone else is like them, so they’d assume you’re religious too and would be happy/hoping to hear that kind of thing.
Anyway, I’m not trying to start anything. I’m sorry about your dad. I’m just glad he didn’t have to have a long, drawn out ordeal like my grandpa did. He’d thank you for that I’m sure. *hugs* I kind of wonder sometimes what my grandpa would have said about the whole thing if he could look back on it as his old self. I wonder if he’d have wanted to be put to sleep or something if that was legal. I’m sure he’d be embarrassed of his behavior. Some of the stuff he said and did was so out of character it was really heartbreaking to see.
Do you feel like chickens are very sickly in general? I mean, you know how some people have a dog that’s in and out of the vet constantly? Do you feel like you have to take the chickens in very often, or is it just once every couple of years?
Ok, though no pressure if it has to wait until after you get back, just take your time.
And I only mention this in case you’re planning on putting his name on the felt pad, I’m really not trying to be rude.
His name was “Tenderfoot” not “Thunderfoot” (though that would make an awesome rooster name XD) His name was Tenderfoot because my brother stomped on his foot so it was wounded and bandaged for a while when he was a baby. And then the bandage would grow into the wound as it healed, so every time we changed it it would start bleeding again. It was bad. (It did finally heal eventually, but it took a long time)Were they healthy girls? I’m trying to figure out chicken breeds and I don’t know anyone who has had bantams.
I’m having such a hard time deciding. Do you think bantams wouldn’t have the same problems because they’re not bred to lay eggs? I just don’t know what to do. Should I get mostly bantams? Ack.
I just discovered that Bobtail Cochin Bantam Chickens are a thing! (Bobtail is apparently the color, not about the tail, but regardless…) Are these not the cutest things you’ve ever seen? The hens look like little Victorian ladies with bustles under their skirts. And they have such cute little faces. Some chickens have really harsh, piercing faces, but these are sooooo sweet and cute.
Please make them a PYO!!!!! *on the floor begging*……………AHEM……I mean *squeak*
Is “wood ash” literally just wood that has been burnt to a crisp and busted up into ashy flakes? Like logs in a campfire?
No, I know know you’re not trying to scare me. It’s just good to be well informed.
I’m glad to know, because I’m the kind of person who goes all out for my pets.
I was so depressed after my breakup that my friend/coworker said I really ought to have a pet or something to keep my mind occupied. She went with me to get a baby hamster. Her name was Butternut.
I loved her so much. Had her for probably three or four weeks, and one day when I came home from work I could tell something was wrong with her. She was freezing and limp and you could tell she was dying. It was awful. I called all over and nobody treats hamsters.
Finally found a place that did. Rushed her over there, got xrays, oxygen, antibiotics, anything they said basically. Spent $241 on a $15 hamster, and she died anyway. I knew she probably would, but I wouldn’t just let her die without trying like a lot of people would because I could have just bought 16 more hamsters for the price I paid trying to save one. The money isn’t the point. I got her, and it was my responsibility to take care of her.That being said, I shouldn’t take on animals that I “know” are going to have really expensive medical problems with relative frequency, because I WILL spend all of my money trying to help them. I can’t not do everything in my power to try to save them. They’re my babies.
So, out of the following, what are the odds do you think that they’ll have major medical issues?
-Rhode Island Red Hen
-Barred Rock Hen
-Australorp Hen
-Silver Spangled Hamburg Hen
-White Cochin Hen
-Silver Spangled Hamburg Rooster-White Cochin Bantam Hen
-Red Cochin Bantam Hen
-Black Cochin Bantam Hen
-Barred Rock Bantam Hen
-Rhode Island Red Bantam Hen
-Self Blue Cochin Bantam Hen
-Barred Cochin Bantam Hen
-White Cochin Bantam Rooster(If it makes it any easier, I think all of the different colored cochins should be the same except for their color. That’s what the woman who works at Ideal Poultry says, but she honestly didn’t sound that knowledgeable, so idk. Maybe there are health issues that come along with certain colors)
#1 cause of premature mortality in many of these popular breeds is reproductive illness (peritonitis/salpingitis/cancer/acities). I hope this all makes sense. The only reason I care so much about this is that it is a helpless feeling to see your favorite pet hen/friend succumb to something that we humans have essentially bred into them. It’s sad.
Could I have the hens spayed or something? I know you had a hen die of ovarian cancer…Is any of this stuff preventable in any way, or is this just kind of their fate?
If you teach them from chicks to understand that a snack is coming each time they hear the recall noise, they will learn fast. Some people also associate a hand signal with this. It’s up to you.
There are also things you can do in their pen/run to provide enrichment for them. Chickens are smart and get bored… Things like a “chicken garden” where plants can grow up through a protective mesh (so that the chickens can’t dig the roots out) gives them a place to eat greens and hunt bugs; foraging toys, hanging treats, dust bathing areas… all will keep them content in a pen! Since you have to pen them, make sure you get breeds that are known to “tolerate confinement”. Some breeds go bonkers if they can’t range, and others are okay with it.Are chickens like dogs in that when you teach recall, eventually you don’t actually give them a treat every time, or is it important to give them a treat every single time because otherwise they won’t trust you anymore? Dogs you end up substituting life rewards (a pat on the belly, a walk, etc) for food rewards, but I don’t know that you can do that with chickens in a way that’s meaningful to them. Do they ever stop coming when you call them if they know it means they have to get put away? I know dogs can sometimes avoid coming when called because they know it means the fun is over.
What training treat do you find is best? I’ve heard scrambled eggs or mealworms make the best treats.
I’m totally down with giving them enrichment within the run. Which I have now decided will be 16×20′ so 320 sqft total if we count the space under the coop, which they will be able to access. Would a tub of DE make a good dust bath? I’ve heard that if I just leave them to their own devices they’ll turn the entire run into a dust bath, lol.
Will write more. Gonna take a quick shower.
Sorry to turn your PYO thread into a big chicken discussion!! I have a really bad habit of going overboard about chickens. They’ve made that big of an impact on me!
Don’t be sorry. I’m glad it’s gone in this direction. If anyone else has chicken stories to share, please feel free. This is kind of therapy space for me, so we’ll just call it group if other people want to chime in 😉
