Consolidated Kansas - Page 1711

maidenwolf- have you talked to the FSA office, they have different programs, and they have one for women, and first time farm buyers.  Maybe you could talk to them.  Worth your time.  I would think they could help you.

I am for sure a turkey newbie too.  I've only had mine a couple of months and have just the two heritage RP's.  It has been a slow process fully integrating them, and last night was the first time they went through the auto door to roost so....

I started with a 10x6x6' high chain link dog run that is within the chicken yard fence and sight distance from the main coop.  The turkeys spent about 4 weeks in that full time to acclimate them to this being their new home. 

One day when I was sitting down there, the turkeys were pacing the front of the run, looking desperate to get out.  I had fears they would just fly away but decided to take the chance and let them out, hoping I could stay close enough to them to keep them close.  My fears were groundless.  They WERE thrilled to get out but stayed very close to the pen, and after about an hour, went back in voluntarily.  From that day on, I let them out for longer and longer and as they showed no inclination to fly off, I even let them out and then left to go back up to the house and when I went back they were still there, just milling around with the chickens.  Eventually we reached the point that I opened the door of the pen first thing in the morning, and they were out all day long.  Still, they had never gone into the main coop.

One day I left the people door open and Madge wandered in to check it out.  She got up on the roosts and walked around calling in excitement to Ned, who was pretty sure the coop was a trap, but eventually she got him to try it out too.  That night he headed back to the turkey pen to roost, while Madge decided to sleep in the coop.  She eventually talked him into trying the roosts and they both slept in the coop that night.  Since then (maybe 2 weeks ago), they've slept in the coop each night but would only enter through the people door (even though they exited through the chicken door in the morning - I also have the auto door that opens and closes according to light).

I usually pull the feeder outside during the day, so with access to food to eat all day, they had no motivation to go back into the coop during the day.  But when we had the rainy days last week, I left the feeder inside and that is when I observed them going into the coop through the chicken door, so I knew they could do it.  Still, when night came, they "forgot" how to get into the coop if I wasn't there to open the people door, so roosted outside until I carried them in.

Last night was the first night they went in by themselves.  I left the feeder in yesterday due to the high winds so I'm guessing they went in to get a bedtime snack and decided while they were there they might as well just jump up on the roosts.  So I think for the time being I'm going to leave the feeder in the coop and hope to make last night a regular thing instead of an anomaly.

I don't know if that helps?  I wouldn't have the option of locking them in early if I was leaving, because I have too many birds to entice in all at the same time.  The turkeys are friendly and curious about me but don't like to be handled so I wouldn't be able to pick them up.  So for me, that isn't an option and I just have to take my chances that on the nights I am not here, I can get home and put them up (if needed) before predators find them.  Last night, knowing I was going to be gone, I did put the month-old chicks up early so they weren't outside when the sun went down and it got cooler.  But the rest of the flock were on their own, so to speak.

Hechicken, that is so funny! Most people I know that milk goats, have their goats trained to go into the stanchion to eat hwile they are milked. They even go in a specific order and know which goat goes when. They are tremendously smart animals. My only problem was when they were little and they jumped on my cars. I used to the water hose to drench them when they did that which worked but not soon enough to keep them from scuffing them. I let my goats free range and they put themselves to bed. I never had a problem with them going even far from their night pen. Teh only time I kept them penned was when they were or had babies. My dog was inseparable with them.

I was kind of thinking like you Hawkeye that the tylan might be the better choice for the birds. This stuff gets them down so fast I just don't know if the drugs will work or not. I thought I could detect maybe a sneeze last night but wasn't sure if it was a sneeze or he was just clucking. He is really doing awful today. Kind of like the last one. She was fine one day then appeared to have terrible pneumonia the next. I brought them all upstairs and have them on medicated and probiotic water and hooked up the vaporizer with vet RX meds in it. The two girls still seem fine so far.

I hate this. I was to the point of tears. I am trying so hard to build some good breeding stock and have spent a fortune only to have things go wrong.

I really don't see that the basement air would be much different than the rest of the house. It isn't closed off per say and the heater and AC are down there. There is more air movement up here but that is the only difference. And there is a vent close to where I had them so they would be getting much the same.

There's a lot more dust down there cause I haven't managed to get it cleaned up.

I just talked to Ivy. Can't wait to see her. I need to change my plans a little and get my eggs to town early I guess.

DH is going after feed later this afternoon. Maybe the wind will calm by then.

Where do you get oxine?  I have never heard of it.   I use Tek-Trol for  my cleaning, even take it to the shows, and spray the coops down before I place my birds in.  Where do you get it?

We had goats for about an hour, we put them in the stud stall in the barn, the guy that delivered them said to put them in there and they would calm down and we could let them out. One came out over the top of 7 ft wood walls. My husband grabbed a rope went after it, and the children wanted to see the goats and opened the stud stall door to peak in and the other one came out at full speed.. They ran all over, my huband followed them about 1 12/ miles on foot with a rope (that was pretty funny to watch) then when the goats got tired the neighbor helped dh get them roped and loaded up and took it back to the guy where dh got the goats. 

I saw this picture on another thread, I think this is what DH thinks of goats.

Well, everyday, our nosey neighbor would watch Dad standing holding onto this goat's horns.  They couldn't see my mom crouched down milking due to the tall grass growing up the chicken wire fences.  Eventually their curiosity got the better of them and they came over to ask what Dad was doing each evening with the goats.  Was this some new religion?  Was he communing with the goats?  Did he hope the horns had healing properties?  My mom said "Oh no, we're milking the goat" thinking that explained it all, but the neighbor got this weird looking on her face and eventually said slowly...."he does know you don't get milk out of the horns doesn't he?"  Well, Dad heard that and was so embarrassed he said "That's it - we're getting rid of those goats immediately".  And that was the end of our goat-keeping endeavor.

Hawkeye, I sent that lady an email so will let you know if/when I hear back from you.

I hate this. I was to the point of tears. I am trying so hard to build some good breeding stock and have spent a fortune only to have things go wrong.

I really don't see that the basement air would be much different than the rest of the house. It isn't closed off per say and the heater and AC are down there. There is more air movement up here but that is the only difference. And there is a vent close to where I had them so they would be getting much the same.

There's a lot more dust down there cause I haven't managed to get it cleaned up.

I just talked to Ivy. Can't wait to see her. I need to change my plans a little and get my eggs to town early I guess.

DH is going after feed later this afternoon. Maybe the wind will calm by then.

Hawkeye-- Thanks for the info on the horse situation. 

I just love the my 2 roos , and the sickles yes very stunning that pic doesnt begin to do these boys justice. I just really think it is barred and columbian but not sure where the yellow and sparatic maroon feather come from. I will have to get better pic

Here are a couple pic of my toms, they are very handsome

I was going to ask the same question.  You guys swear by Oxine so much I decided to go ahead and order some.  Do you have a favorite supplier?

Does anyone know if a milk crate is big enough for a nesting box for my BO?   I'm hoping they will start laying soon   they are about 25 wks old give or take a week.