Consolidated Kansas - Page 1577

Wow! What a find Josie. I used to check CL every day but I just don't have time any more. I got my Dan Powell Brahma and Breda eggs today. They showed up in wonderful shape. I sure hope I get a good hatch. Just to let you know, the guy I got them from bought his stock directly from Dan Powell. (Lives near him.) He told me yesterday he is thinking about selling almost all of his brahmas which are great rare colors Dan developed. I haven't gotten a price or pictures from him yet. I'm just hoping for a great hatch. Just in case you were wanting to replace your brahma girl, he does have buff laced.

I have no idea what I will end up with. I think I got 6 Breda eggs and the rest were Brahma. Can't wait to see if and what I hatch.

Oh Hechicken, I never answered you either. I figure about any day you decide on I can usually work out coming unless I have a doctor appointment or something. I hated that you had to miss our last get together. I can't wait to meet you and anyone else I haven't met.

Sunflower, I normally like the adults the best. Mostly because I know how each of them is going to act. But there is no denying I love the baby animals. I tend to want to bond with them. I just don't have the emotional attachment with most of the babies because I have to sell so many. But when it comes to the special breeds and the special babies that is another matter. I totally love my white peachick and his buddy who is a lemon cuckoo pullet who chatters non-stop. I've never seen a chicken that "talks" as much as this little one does. It's kind of endearing. If she was a future rooster she would definitely become annoying. Right now she makes "love" sounds all the time. 

I love baby puppies and kitties and goats and.......  but I like animals that don't need constant care better.

When do you have to have the birds tested, Loralee? If we have our get together at Heather's and you bring your birds I could test them that day.  I've been trying to get my book back from another tester for two months now. I need to fill out some forms for Josie and find out what happened to her flock number they never sent her. If I have to, I will physically go get it. But I could so do it for you. You probably would only have a few that you are taking right? Let me know if that will work. Of course that would be with Heather's permission to bring them on her place. If that doesn't work we might be able to work something else out.  This is my big weekend for activity but I'm hoping I can slow down a little and work on my projects here instead of having to be gone a lot. I could certainly take a day to test if needed.

Send me a PM and we'll work it out. I doubt I'll be on here tomorrow at all but I'll check back in when I can.

checoukan, what kind of chickens are those?  They reminded me of our rooster, mainly that green on the black.  Here's my rooster, anyone know what he is?

Here are some of our babies, they all look the same to me.  Can ya'll tell the boys from the girls?

These are my older babies, I still can't tell the boys from girls.  I pulled out one that looked just like his dad but he crowed so it was a no brainer.

This one we have referred to as the crazy chicken, it's scared of chickens and we are working on that.  It flies up on people but is not in the least bit afraid of the dog, this concerns me.  Girl or boy?????

What about this one?  Boy or girl?

Night ya'll.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JosieChick 

WELCOME new people! Hop right in to the conversation. I am so far behind...you guys have been chatting!

Keep in mind that breeders with nice stock often have to charge more for their birds because their stock is more expensive. If you are getting too good a deal then there is probably something fishy with their birds genetics. AND sometimes you pay a fortune for birds from someone that is supposed to have really nice birds and get rubbish instead. I am just speaking from experience and don't want you to have to learn from the same mistakes I have. 

 

VERY true about paying more for better lines.  Of course most of us know that first hand as the majority of us are breeding birds from very good lines, and lines that have names behind them, or our own lines we have worked with for years to meet Standard.  I know I have paid $50 a bird and didn't even blink at it-- it was actually a good deal!  It's hard to get started into good birds and you have to buy your way into it.  So while you can save yourself a lot of trouble and expense by buying locally, if you are buying from someone that has invested a lot of money into good quality birds, they don't come cheap.  But sometimes you can get really good deals on culls that they either don't have room for, or that don't fit into their breeding program.  Often those will be the cheapest birds.  Of course, the very cheapest birds would be to buy your chicks from a farm store!  :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by mommahen10 

Welcome to all the newbies, I'm new too.  :) 

 

I left for a day and there is so much going on here that I missed.  Today we tried to go to the state fair and we blew a tire half way there so we decided to turn around because I didn't want to be driving back home in the dark without a spare.  Bummer.

 

All this talk about animal lovers.  My 15 year old and I were walking out in our neighbors pasture, with permission of course, but we came across a calf that was unattended.  There was no momma cow anywhere.  We stood there for a while thinking it would get up because we were so close and it didn't move.  We walked up and pet it and it didn't hardly pick up his head.  There were blackberry branches poking his little face close to his eyes. 

 

My little chick I posted about yesterday seems quite fine today. 

 

Chicken danz, I wasn't the least bit offended, just so you know.  I really don't have a clue what I'm doing, only doing the best I can with what I have.  Anytime you take something out of what is natural you are going to have to do more to make things work.  Hatching chicks in an incubator isn't natural, we have to artificially do everything to make sure all the conditions are right.  Whenever you mess with what is natural, it's up to you to take it from start to finish but things are going to happen because it's just not as constant.  I tend to relate everything to human babies because I have a lot more experience in that area but it's so evident.  One interventions always leads to another.  I don't like interventions, but I understand there is a time and a place for them.  But once the interventions start, they seem to cascade into more and more of them.  So we take the eggs and artificially hatch them in imperfect conditions and I can't expect for perfection to come from imperfection, although these little chicks seem so perfectly able to adapt which I take no credit for of course.

 

I don't know how I'm going to get any sleep with all the peeping in the next room but I have one chick that has been trying to hatch since this morning. 

Very sweet of you to take care of the calf.  I'm surprised to hear that the owner wasn't too upset or interested, because they are a big investment and you don't want to go losing a calf.  He sounded weak and yes you're right, coyotes will attack a baby calf, or horse, or anything that is a sitting duck out there.  With all that you did-- standing next to it, petting it, picking it up and driving it back up to the barn-- IF the mama cow was interested, she would have let you know and would have given you a run for your money in doing any of that.  It's too bad.  I hope he'll be okay.  It sounds like he needs supplements (milk).  My neighbor next to me had something very similar happen like that last year.  His cow birthed two calves and she took to one and kicked off the second.  It's pretty rare for them to have two.  But he picked it up and brought it up to his house.  I happened to be driving the kids home when I saw him out in his front yard with the calf!  I stopped and wanted to see it.  (we're all pretty good friends down here) and he was already mixing up milk for it and they let the kids feed it.  He didn't have a safe stall for it, so he was putting it in his stock trailer at night because he said the coyotes would take it down.  He is a very responsible owner, though.  Glad to hear your yolk-chick is doing well!  How did it go with the hatching chick?  When they start to zip, I leave them alone.  I have helped also-- because they were shrink wrapped.  We have one from earlier this Spring that we named "Sticky" because I had to give him a bath right after he hatched because he could not move, the gunk was so stuck to him and he was stuck in his shell.  The only other one I helped died within a few hours.  He just had something wrong with him.  

Quote:

Originally Posted by chicken danz 

When do you have to have the birds tested, Loralee? If we have our get together at Heather's and you bring your birds I could test them that day.  I've been trying to get my book back from another tester for two months now. I need to fill out some forms for Josie and find out what happened to her flock number they never sent her. If I have to, I will physically go get it. But I could so do it for you. You probably would only have a few that you are taking right? Let me know if that will work. Of course that would be with Heather's permission to bring them on her place. If that doesn't work we might be able to work something else out.  This is my big weekend for activity but I'm hoping I can slow down a little and work on my projects here instead of having to be gone a lot. I could certainly take a day to test if needed.

Send me a PM and we'll work it out. I doubt I'll be on here tomorrow at all but I'll check back in when I can.

Danz, that sounds great!!!  Do you have the forms for the 90 Day cert?  The ones I got from last month were a double copy-- where you wrote on the front and they send that in, and then I got to keep the copy under it to take to the show to prove I was tested clean.  My only complaint is that the lady didn't press down hard enough for the second copy when she was writing it out and you could not read the band numbers or the gender, etc.  They still accepted it, but it was NOT a good deal. And I'm guessing if I had to use that same copy for the Nationals they would not accept it.   If we were to do the NPIP, we would want to test every single bird and that would take a lot longer.  But I DO eventually want to get my NPIP so I can start shipping birds next year.  I'm hoping that my culls from next year will be MUCH better quality than they were this year.  (they had split wing this year-- which no one can use)  If they only have minor faults, I could sell them as Breeders.  Maybe... I'm getting ahead of myself here!  LOL  I'm hoping that I will run into no more problems.  I may end up selling on CraigsList next year too to get rid of culls if they can't be bred..  Sigh.  

We've had a mist or a sprinkle and I sure wish it would just turn into a downpour for a bit and get it over with.  We need the rain!  Those large cracks in my yard are starting to close, but they are clearly still visible.  Just don't have 2 foot deep cracks now.  My silkies keep falling into one in particular when I let them free range in the evenings.  

I agree with that. I havent come across it yet thankfully. Thank you for the tips though. You cant be too careful when buying from someone you do not know. I can see how a prized stock can be more expensive. I would do the same. I guess you have to keep in mind that if it sounds to good to be true it probably is and maybe you ought to look at it closer..

Quote:

Originally Posted by mommahen10 

 

checoukan, what kind of chickens are those?  They reminded me of our rooster, mainly that green on the black.  Here's my rooster, anyone know what he is?

 

 

 

 

I can't tell boy from girl.  But we have other chicken experts here that may be able to do it.    Just wanted to say they are pretty!  Love the dog and the barred rock.  I don't know what your black birds are, but they aren't what Checoukan has.  She has Black Rosecombs-- they are named after their comb, which is different, and they have white earlobes and they are bantams.  You have a single comb and red earlobes.  But yours are really pretty!  Someone may have some idea of what they might be.  :)  Is your son holding the rooster?  The chicken looks dead!  LOL  

Yes,  the pictures are of my black rosecombs.  I have been breeding for several years now. 

I would say, just by the picture, mommahen 10, what you have in the cock birds is a black

australorp.  That breed is in the English class of birds. Admitted into the SOP in 1929.  Developed in Australia, and bred mainly for egg production.  Hens lay a tinted egg, medium weight, very active bird, hens will lay a lot of eggs, but you still can butcher and have a nice size bird for the table.  Of course you have a cock bird so he will instill some of those quality's in his pullet chicks.

I like crossing the black australorp over silver spangled wyandottes.  Makes BEAUTIFUL hens!

Oh yeah Loralee, I use the bands you can purchase from the ABA.   Those bands color change every year.  Last years were yellow with black letters.  This years are blue with raised letters.   These bands are placed on your chicks leg, have to keep trying until they stay.  These are a permanet band, the number on each band registered too you.  I like them because they do change every year in color, a quick glance and you know what year of bird it is.  You can record the number in a book as to what birds where together, who that mating turned out with the chicks.  I would be so lost with out my bands.

As you know you can breed and get good quality chicks, from birds 1 and 2.  1 and 3 may produce so-so chicks. but you can breed bird 24 and 3 and get eye popers at the show, then turn around and bree 24 and 2 and get many faults.  It is the best way to keep track, and works for show ID.  It is what I use, you can see the bands on the rosecombs.

So If you sell some of your chicks, and are banded, if a couple years down the road, someone buys the bird, they could contact the ABA, and find out where the bird originally came from.

Oh my bet I just bored everyone! 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawkeye95 

 

Same with dogs--- I'm not into the puppy stage.  I have adopted all of my dogs as adults because I am just not a fan of puppies!  LOL  I mean, I LIKE them, of course!  But I don't want a chewing, pooping, non-house-broke puppy that is going to cry all night.  I like to skip right to the point where they want to lay around, cuddle and do their business outside.  LOL!  But not to say I don't appreciate babies.... 

LOL - that could have been me talking!  We adopted all of ours as adult dogs too - been there, done that with puppies!  The only time I had a puppy and it wasn't a hassle was a little stray who was about 10 weeks old and was found abandoned by the side of the road by a client of the vet clinic I was working in at the time.  For a couple of weeks I tried to find a home for her with everyone who walked through the door but no one wanted a puppy and in the course of those two weeks taking care of her daily, I grew fond of her and finally broke down and took her home.  Setting her down in the house, I followed her closely while she learned her way around the house, and after an hour her sniffing seemed more purposeful, so I snatched her up, ran outside, set her on the grass and she went potty.  That was it - she was house-trained!  We had a cat door and from then on, she used it to go outside to potty, having apparently got the message that "we don't do that inside".  The next day I left for work, and when I got home, walked in with trepidation, wondering what might have been chewed up in my absence.  I found....nothing.  That puppy never did chew up anything or potty in the house!!!  She was my constant companion for years, going everywhere I went except to work (ironic since I worked in a vet clinic, where animals abound, but I didn't want her exposed to illnesses carried in on other people's pets) and I miss her to this day.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cherwill 

We have something similar here, but I think it's more expensive. We paid $24 for a sink and that was 40% off! I'd love to check out the Restore places.

 

I love wrapping presents! Years ago a friend signed me up for a bow-making class at a local store, Cook's Nook, to learn how to make the big bows they put on their packages. I've been making those bows ever since. I get to buy ribbon in all kinds of pretty colors.

There is a ReStore in Wichita, so if you are ever down this way, you should check it out - I really enjoy browsing through there to see what they have.

You should hire out your gift-wrapping service to those of us who really do NOT enjoy gift-wrapping!

Quote:

Originally Posted by chicken danz 

When do you have to have the birds tested, Loralee? If we have our get together at Heather's and you bring your birds I could test them that day.

That's a great idea - I'd love to see how the testing works, even though I don't have any plans to show so may never need to know how to do it!

Checoukan, those rosecombs are really stunning - I love the bright white (huge) earlobes.

Okay everyone, for the get-together, let's plan on Friday the 28th of September - hopefully that day will work for most people but if not, let me know.  I kind of had to just pick a day so I am flexible if that isn't going to work.  Anyone who doesn't already have my address, please PM me for it, as I'd rather not post it publicly.  I will do a variety of bottles of soda pop, and have as much ice as we could use, plus I will provide desserts.  I don't need a list of what everyone else is bringing, but if you would consider either a plate of snacky type foods to have out for the duration, or a lunch-type dish for the "main" course, that would be great.  I can't wait to meet those of you I haven't already met, and see those of you I have met before, again!

Quote:

Originally Posted by checoukan 

Yes,  the pictures are of my black rosecombs.  I have been breeding for several years now. 

 

I would say, just by the picture, mommahen 10, what you have in the cock birds is a black

australorp.  That breed is in the English class of birds. Admitted into the SOP in 1929.  Developed in Australia, and bred mainly for egg production.  Hens lay a tinted egg, medium weight, very active bird, hens will lay a lot of eggs, but you still can butcher and have a nice size bird for the table.  Of course you have a cock bird so he will instill some of those quality's in his pullet chicks.

 

I like crossing the black australorp over silver spangled wyandottes.  Makes BEAUTIFUL hens!

 

Oh yeah Loralee, I use the bands you can purchase from the ABA.   Those bands color change every year.  Last years were yellow with black letters.  This years are blue with raised letters.   These bands are placed on your chicks leg, have to keep trying until they stay.  These are a permanet band, the number on each band registered too you.  I like them because they do change every year in color, a quick glance and you know what year of bird it is.  You can record the number in a book as to what birds where together, who that mating turned out with the chicks.  I would be so lost with out my bands.

As you know you can breed and get good quality chicks, from birds 1 and 2.  1 and 3 may produce so-so chicks. but you can breed bird 24 and 3 and get eye popers at the show, then turn around and bree 24 and 2 and get many faults.  It is the best way to keep track, and works for show ID.  It is what I use, you can see the bands on the rosecombs.

 

So If you sell some of your chicks, and are banded, if a couple years down the road, someone buys the bird, they could contact the ABA, and find out where the bird originally came from.

 

Oh my bet I just bored everyone! 

I'm SO GLAD you are back Rosie!!!!  LOL!!  I love chatting about this and I have sooooooo much more to learn!  I am such a newbie and just trying my best to be as ethical as I can in my breeding and trying to keep good records to track my birds.  I've been using zipties on all of my birds, so I know who was hatched when and who their parents are.  But it would be nice to switch them all over to bands and just record numbers.  I'm up to using combinations of multiple zip ties on a leg with different colors on them so I can keep track!  LOL  My method is the best it can be considering I am not using bands.  

But I have to buy bands this weekend so I can get them in time for Nationals.  I will check the ABA for their bands, thank you for that tip.  And to be honest, I think you've told me this before, but I wasn't ready to do anything.  It all takes time to get around to being more serious about driving to shows (and having birds that won't embarrass you, either!).  Tell me, can I put these bands on a nearly mature adult?  Or do they have to be put on as chicks??  I can go ahead and buy them, but I will need bands I can put on teenagers.  (cockerels and pullets)  They are nearly grown, but not quite.  I love the idea of color coordinating the year, so you will always know what year your birds are.  NICE!  

This is why I love talking to you about how you set up your pairs and trios, etc. It makes a lot of sense now when you explain how different birds can do well or really flunk out on creating good chicks.   I think after some extensive chatting with other silkie breeders, it looks to be that the best way to breed out faults would be to work with multiple roosters and pair them or work in trios to offset other faults in each other--  and keep a close eye on who is throwing what kind of faults.  I've discovered this year that one rooster isn't going to be the end-all to beautiful birds that meet Standard.  I need to set up a better cage system -- I'm thinking stacking next year when we build our new barn.  I get to take over the front 25 X30 feet of my horse barn for my silkie project!  But until then, I'll have to work with my wire dog kennels that are stacked in my garage. Which is fine, because when I go out to do AI in the winter, it's right there and easy access for me and I don't freeze my bootie off.  What kind of a record book do you use?  I have made up a form on my drawing program and made spaces for how the chicks were at hatch (vaulted or non), toes, etc and then spaces for parents, hatch date, what shows they attended, a list of faults or concerns -- like combs, feet, wings, etc..  I'm not going to record any of my culls.  Do you ever record culls so you know what happened from year to year?

I'm really excited, nervous and scared about this ASBC Eastern National... I hope my birds hold their own.  I don't expect to win anything, but I sure don't want to be the worst looking birds there, either!  I've seen the birds mine will be up against, there is no way.  BUT, I'm looking forward to meeting everyone, making friends and hopefully creating long standing friendships with them.  :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by HEChicken 

LOL - that could have been me talking! She was my constant companion for years, going everywhere I went except to work (ironic since I worked in a vet clinic, where animals abound, but I didn't want her exposed to illnesses carried in on other people's pets) and I miss her to this day.

 

 

Okay everyone, for the get-together, let's plan on Friday the 28th of September - hopefully that day will work for most people but if not, let me know.  I kind of had to just pick a day so I am flexible if that isn't going to work.  Anyone who doesn't already have my address, please PM me for it, as I'd rather not post it publicly.  I will do a variety of bottles of soda pop, and have as much ice as we could use, plus I will provide desserts.  I don't need a list of what everyone else is bringing, but if you would consider either a plate of snacky type foods to have out for the duration, or a lunch-type dish for the "main" course, that would be great.  I can't wait to meet those of you I haven't already met, and see those of you I have met before, again!

Aww, sounds like a truly amazing dog.  I understand about that.  As for the gathering-- count me in!!  But... what time???  I will bring something, but it might be on the easier side since I will be trying to transport a bunch of silkies down to you and for Danz to test!  LOL!!   Danz, are you game for testing me for the 90 day Cert??  Tell me how much to pay you for the tester stuff-- that liquid what-it-is.    I have been looking at my birds and think I may go ahead and bring up 4 or 5 birds to the show.  I need to go hunt down those bands that Checoukan told me to get!  :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by HEChicken 

LOL - that could have been me talking!  We adopted all of ours as adult dogs too - been there, done that with puppies!  The only time I had a puppy and it wasn't a hassle was a little stray who was about 10 weeks old and was found abandoned by the side of the road by a client of the vet clinic I was working in at the time.  For a couple of weeks I tried to find a home for her with everyone who walked through the door but no one wanted a puppy and in the course of those two weeks taking care of her daily, I grew fond of her and finally broke down and took her home.  Setting her down in the house, I followed her closely while she learned her way around the house, and after an hour her sniffing seemed more purposeful, so I snatched her up, ran outside, set her on the grass and she went potty.  That was it - she was house-trained!  We had a cat door and from then on, she used it to go outside to potty, having apparently got the message that "we don't do that inside".  The next day I left for work, and when I got home, walked in with trepidation, wondering what might have been chewed up in my absence.  I found....nothing.  That puppy never did chew up anything or potty in the house!!!  She was my constant companion for years, going everywhere I went except to work (ironic since I worked in a vet clinic, where animals abound, but I didn't want her exposed to illnesses carried in on other people's pets) and I miss her to this day.

 

There is a ReStore in Wichita, so if you are ever down this way, you should check it out - I really enjoy browsing through there to see what they have.

 

You should hire out your gift-wrapping service to those of us who really do NOT enjoy gift-wrapping!

 

That's a great idea - I'd love to see how the testing works, even though I don't have any plans to show so may never need to know how to do it!

 

Checoukan, those rosecombs are really stunning - I love the bright white (huge) earlobes.

 

Okay everyone, for the get-together, let's plan on Friday the 28th of September - hopefully that day will work for most people but if not, let me know.  I kind of had to just pick a day so I am flexible if that isn't going to work.  Anyone who doesn't already have my address, please PM me for it, as I'd rather not post it publicly.  I will do a variety of bottles of soda pop, and have as much ice as we could use, plus I will provide desserts.  I don't need a list of what everyone else is bringing, but if you would consider either a plate of snacky type foods to have out for the duration, or a lunch-type dish for the "main" course, that would be great.  I can't wait to meet those of you I haven't already met, and see those of you I have met before, again!

What time?