Consolidated Kansas

[Deerfield Acres]

Hawkeye, sorry about the disappointment with the fertility. I guess you might be AI'ing again this year, huh? At least your hens are laying - mine haven't started yet. I keep hoping every day.....

I got so much done today - it felt good to be productive and to be comfortable working outside. First, I got the gutter feeder finally finished. The feeder itself has been finished and working for some time but I had always intended to put a PVC upright into it so it could be loaded and fed directly from the feedroom and I finally got that done today. I had to cut the PVC a little so that it would fit down into the gutter, and then I cut it angled at the top too, to make pouring it in easier. Then just screwed it to the coop wall with some strapping and filled it up. It works like a charm and it will be interesting to see how many days feed it holds.

I then decided to turn over the bedding with a hoe, and by the time I'd carried down several different sized hoes and a couple of rakes to the coop, realized it would be handy to just keep them there. So I got a tool holder and got it installed in the coop too, and now I can keep all my tools there to make it really quick and easy to grab one and turn over the bedding whenever it needs it.

Finally, DH suggested it might be a nice afternoon for processing. I realized it wouldn't be any easier to wait a few days, so I agreed to go ahead and do it this afternoon. We processed 2 LF roos and 2 bantams. It was really sad as these were nice guys, but I am glad to have a few less mouths to feed, and I think the atmosphere at the coop will be more relaxed since the head roo won't have to spend all his time "protecting" the hens from being mated by his competitors. The feather plucker worked pretty well but without a drill press we had to do it with one person holding it while the other held the bird and moved it onto the plucker, which isn't the best way to do it. We were able to pluck about 3/4 of each bird and then finished them off by hand. It was still a lot faster than doing them 100% by hand, and it got DH motivated to buy us a drill press....yay!!!

Trish, although I have no Cream Legbars, I love the color of their eggs and thought I wouldn't mind having a couple of pullets down the road. So....I did join the club as an associate member, just for the interest of following the progress as they get established in the US. Thanks for sharing your experience at the meeting.

Yeah, Hawkeye,

sorry about the lack of fertility so far.

HEChicken, yay, for the new drill press coming up! I'm considering one of those as many birds as we have. I just asked DH if we had a drill press and he said yes! I'm halfway there, aren't I? We processed one bad roo yesterday and he was all fluff and no meat to speak of. Today, we did 6 extra male ducks.

Hawkeye, I'm so proud of my silkies! If you remember, I was really pleased when they learned to navigate the pop door and go into the coop by themselves at night? Well, they never seemed to get that the pop door goes both ways, so every morning I had to lift them out of the coop. I didn't do it immediately, going back down to the coop between 10-11am, hoping that eventually thirst would motivate them to learn how to exit. There is food in the coop, but no water. Yet every morning I went down there and no matter how late I left it, they were still inside the coop, waiting to be carried out. I went away for a few days, and had to tell the chicken-sitter to be sure and lift them out each morning while I was gone. Well, the last week, they have finally figured it out and are getting out by themselves!!! I'm so proud of them for learning this and also pleased as it is one less thing to worry about forgetting to do, or worry about the chicken sitter forgetting when I do have to leave. This morning they must have exited right along with the rest of the flock as they were already outside by the time I got down there.

Cackle Hatchery is in Lebanon, MO so it doesn't take long for chicks to get here from there.

It's supposed to be a pretty nice day, so I plan to go out & work on the coop today & see how much I can get done. DH said he was going to help me, we'll see if he actually does, he's already a grouch today, ugh.

It's no fun working with a grouch. DH has been working on my pens faithfully this weekend and to my great relief he's not grouchy at all.. He's taking off Tuesday through Friday so I think we'll be able to get them all done and then I can get my birds split up for breeding. I will have two set up today so that makes me happy.

I am wondering about the Black Ameraucanas split to Lavender. If I breed splits to splits, won't I get all black, no splits, in the chicks? Is that correct? I want to be sure I know what I'm doing.

 

[Hawkeye95]

That is amazing he is getting around okay! Great picture, I was having a hard time imagining it!

Hawkeye, sorry about the disappointment with the fertility. I guess you might be AI'ing again this year, huh? At least your hens are laying - mine haven't started yet. I keep hoping every day.....

I got so much done today - it felt good to be productive and to be comfortable working outside.

I have the full sisters of your silkies and only ONE of them has laid for the first time a few days ago. She laid once more since then, and hasn't laid again. Glad you got all that work done, and nice you got the roosters fixed up. Glad it saved you time! Smart to put up the tool organizer to keep all your long handled stuff out there.

Hawkeye, I'm so proud of my silkies! If you remember, I was really pleased when they learned to navigate the pop door and go into the coop by themselves at night? Well, they never seemed to get that the pop door goes both ways, so every morning I had to lift them out of the coop. I didn't do it immediately, going back down to the coop between 10-11am, hoping that eventually thirst would motivate them to learn how to exit. There is food in the coop, but no water. Yet every morning I went down there and no matter how late I left it, they were still inside the coop, waiting to be carried out. I went away for a few days, and had to tell the chicken-sitter to be sure and lift them out each morning while I was gone. Well, the last week, they have finally figured it out and are getting out by themselves!!! I'm so proud of them for learning this and also pleased as it is one less thing to worry about forgetting to do, or worry about the chicken sitter forgetting when I do have to leave. This morning they must have exited right along with the rest of the flock as they were already outside by the time I got down there.

That's GREAT!! I really think they are slower to learn things because it's so hard for them to see and so they are much more cautious.

 

[chicken danz]

Maidenwolf, that one is obvious. It is a male Phoenix and brahma mix. The little weird footed bird isn't as clearly feathered in as yours. But I am guessing it is the same thing now that I look at yours. It's neck feathering isn't that mature and it just now started forming a comb.
I just found a chick that hatched I thought came out of my orpington pen. It is black. Obviously I got eggs confused when I was gathering. I normally put the hatching eggs on top of the eating eggs and try to remember which were which. I must have exhanged eggs in the process. Mammahen if you hatch any weird birds I suppose that could happen to you as well.
That's what I get for being too lazy to make two trips with eggs.
I still haven't had any fertile Swedish Flower hen eggs. I only have the one girl laying so far but it's about time I had a fertile egg.
I had one of my little olandsk chicks break his neck in the bin last night. He was laying right by the waterer and had been sitting on top. I suspect he hit the concrete block I have the waterer sitting on on his way down. I sure am sick of loosing birds to stupid things.
I just spent money to get a brand new internet device that was supposed to fix my problems and my internet has been down all day. Let's see... how could I describe my feelings right now? Grrrr!
Trish I got three more emails but since the net wasn't up haven't had the opportunity to read the contents.
I stayed for a dinner after church and just socialized for a while today. Then went to visit my Dad. I came home and fed the birds and it was 4:00 before I got back in. I am feeling really exhausted today for some reason.
They are wanting carpenters and electricians to work on a new addition at the church. I told them I'd come in and help as soon as my hand was well. Why do I commit to more than I can already handle??? I am terrible at keeping my mouth shut. I like doing that kind of thing for someone else other than myself.
I moved the last 50 birds to the ghetto trailer too. They will be pretty crowded in there but they should be okay. I was going to go back out and treat their water with ivermectin but I didn't get back out there. I figure since there are more of them now it's more likely they could get mites or something.
I really need to take some time to build some roosts for them. That would help it seem roomier anyway.
My brooder house is actually empty right now. I hope to get out there and clean and disinfect it thoroughly in the next day or two so I can move some birds out. I still have two bins with chicks here in the house. I put a few more eggs in the hatcher today so I guess there'll be a few more to put someplace.

 

[Deerfield Acres]

Okay, I just flipped back to Hawkeye's Lavender chart so now I've got it. Thanks, Hawkeye for the chart. I'm in need of a chart for everything since I read extremely fast but only retain bits and pieces. I'm going to save it so I don't keep asking the same question every other week.

I don't get to help JosieChick Sat because I have to taxi kids. Our oldest is taking the SAT's and one of our girls has an all day honors band thing. DH and I will have to divide and conquer.

I got my Swedish Flowers in their breeder pen today - yay!

So far I have my Black split Ameraucanas penned and now the Swedish Flowers. Once everyone is in their breeder pens, Danz is going to come and do their NPIP testing.

Happy Superbowl to fans of such things. We have it on -- DH has been looking forward to it. I have an aunt and uncle coming by in a little bit for a visit.

 

[maidenwolfx80]

Maidenwolf, that one is obvious. It is a male Phoenix and brahma mix. The little weird footed bird isn't as clearly feathered in as yours. But I am guessing it is the same thing now that I look at yours. It's neck feathering isn't that mature and it just now started forming a comb.
I just found a chick that hatched I thought came out of my orpington pen. It is black. Obviously I got eggs confused when I was gathering. I normally put the hatching eggs on top of the eating eggs and try to remember which were which. I must have exhanged eggs in the process. Mammahen if you hatch any weird birds I suppose that could happen to you as well.
That's what I get for being too lazy to make two trips with eggs.
I still haven't had any fertile Swedish Flower hen eggs. I only have the one girl laying so far but it's about time I had a fertile egg.
I had one of my little olandsk chicks break his neck in the bin last night. He was laying right by the waterer and had been sitting on top. I suspect he hit the concrete block I have the waterer sitting on on his way down. I sure am sick of loosing birds to stupid things.
I just spent money to get a brand new internet device that was supposed to fix my problems and my internet has been down all day. Let's see... how could I describe my feelings right now? Grrrr!
Trish I got three more emails but since the net wasn't up haven't had the opportunity to read the contents.
I stayed for a dinner after church and just socialized for a while today. Then went to visit my Dad. I came home and fed the birds and it was 4:00 before I got back in. I am feeling really exhausted today for some reason.
They are wanting carpenters and electricians to work on a new addition at the church. I told them I'd come in and help as soon as my hand was well. Why do I commit to more than I can already handle??? I am terrible at keeping my mouth shut. I like doing that kind of thing for someone else other than myself.
I moved the last 50 birds to the ghetto trailer too. They will be pretty crowded in there but they should be okay. I was going to go back out and treat their water with ivermectin but I didn't get back out there. I figure since there are more of them now it's more likely they could get mites or something.
I really need to take some time to build some roosts for them. That would help it seem roomier anyway.
My brooder house is actually empty right now. I hope to get out there and clean and disinfect it thoroughly in the next day or two so I can move some birds out. I still have two bins with chicks here in the house. I put a few more eggs in the hatcher today so I guess there'll be a few more to put someplace.

I just think he is a super handsome guy. The black one with gold around his collar I pictured a few weeks ago is from that phoenix hen too. They are both about the same size but both have feathered feet. They are maturing quickly and the black one has been crowing for 2 weeks now and mated the silver laced polish yesterday. She came from you at the same time. She has been running around making LOTS of noise the past 2 weeks. I didnt think she would be ready yet but she sure sounds ready.

 

[Frizzled Pink]

Wow was I glad for the sunshine this weekend. Last of the breeding pens all separated but we leave them for at least 3 weeks to make sure all are fertile by the exact rooster that we want with them--I know this is probably longer than need be but I would rather wait longer just to make sure as my luck I would be the one to have a "hmm what is this". Boy was it a crowing contest tho--made me laugh. The slw bantams and sfh should be good to go in another week.

Tomorrow is lockdown for me on the frizzle cochin eggs. 3 of the eggs (all blues) are dancing around like crazy. I haven't seen the Mille's move yet but still hoping

, I am obviously candling challenged as I thought they were all no go's.

Josie hope you had a good workday

Trish--Thanks again for my dear Sven--he showed me today how well he can "puff up" to show off for his 2 girls and that he can crow really loudly each time I was anywhere near his pen. Have you figured anything out with the game camera yet as to what is happening?

Hawkeye-oooh darn about the silkie, hopefully just needs a little more time as the AI doesn't sound like too much fun to me

Hechicken--yeah that they figured out the door ---most of the time its the little simple things that make our lives a bit easier

 

[maidenwolfx80]

I have the farm innovators pro series incubator. I found there to be a moisture problem. I had 5 eggs drown before hatch. When eggs started hatching the humidity raised to 80%+. Does anyone know how to solve these issues?

 

[KansasKid]

Wow, a lot of posts to go through in a day or so. I vent sexed the 3 today. Two males. One female. The bloody things have got to go before everything starts laying again. They aren't mean or anything just loud....really loud....one gander and a quiet goose is fine but three ganders makes you want to pull your hair out. I might be willing to trade or work something out for any other exotic waterfowl. Or possibly silver phoenix???
Please pm me, i'm not as consistent as i used to be on here.

 

[ocap]

. Last of the breeding pens all separated but we leave them for at least 3 weeks to make sure all are fertile by the exact rooster that we want with them--I know this is probably longer than need be but I would rather wait longer just to make sure

i will be trying to keep my flocks on grass (chicken tractors) and also separated for breeding during the growing season. My question is: will there be too much fighting between flocks when I put them all back together in my "winter coop"? Or should I plan on separate cages all winter also.

 

[HEChicken]

ocap, I've never separated them out as you are suggesting. My feeling would be that there would be some initial squabbling and then they will figure out a pecking order and will be fine. My only concern would be the multiple roosters being combined. I just had to process some younger cockerels because the head roo wouldn't tolerate their breeding with "his" hens, and it was creating tension for the whole flock, as instead of being a good roo and keeping a watch out for predators, he spent his time watching the cockerels so he could chase them away from any hen they approached. So in your scenario, I'm guessing there will be some fighting among the roosters once they are all combined. Perhaps you can have two winter coops - one for the boys and one for the girls?