Consolidated Kansas

[chicken danz]

I am sure others will disagree but I would go ahead and take out the dry chicks. If all the eggs were due at the same time, the chances of further hatches decreases in time. I think 12-24 hours is more than plenty. After that length of time I think the chicks need to cool down a little and are ready for some food. I have lost chicks by leaving them in the hatcher.
I hate cleaning house. It makes me grouchy. There is way too much stuff in here and we are both slobs anyway. When my kids were little, I cleaned house in the middle of the night cause it was the only time I could do it without stopping to clean up a new mess. I don't really like having company. It makes me feel uncomfortable and guilty for "sitting around." And I always work myself to death trying to clean up before hand. I always think I will just keep things clean after a clean-a-thon but that just doesn't ever happen. Better to enjoy life than to hate your house and everyone that lives in it. When I down sized to half as much house I thought it would be easier to clean. I was so wrong. I just have more stuff to clean around. And we have a million construction projects that have been pushed aside to finish the inside so it's always trashy looking anyway.
Of course if I had about 35 fewer bird pens to take care of I would have a lot more time to keep the house clean.

 

[TheDownyChick]

Not me...I also have trouble getting pallets apart so I'll be interested to hear other answers on this.  I believe Trish44 was using the pallets as they come and not trying to take them apart but perhaps she will clarify....

I have heard about, but not personally used, a pneumatic denailer called a Nail Kicker that works great from removing nails from pallets and other repurposed wood. eBay has one for $200, which is cost prohibitive for me. But if one has access to the wooden pallets and likes to make things, it might be worth it. This thing drives the nail head on through the hole.

 

[HEChicken]

Okay HeChicken everyone else has been supportive of the lambs. I am glad it is you and not me. I watched my brother in law deal with them and I decided that cute little lambs were not what I wanted. Worst part was that when they were older they really stank. Maybe if you plan to butcher yours you won't have to smell that.
Hey! It's pretty rare to hear I don't want some animal!

Does that mean I am gaining self control??

LOL - they don't just stink when they are older - they stink NOW! Fortunately they are far enough away from the house I don't care, but I can still smell them in my car from the ride home. MY goal is to butcher them later this year so we don't have to over-winter them. DH and I were on the same page but now he's talking about getting the used exposed and raising our own next year so I dunno. It seems like a lot of work over winter to me, to have to give them shelter appropriate to the temperatures we get here, plus feed, keep water from freezing, and if we want to take an out of town trip during the winter months, we'd have to have someone come in and take care of them. So I still would prefer the meat to doing all that but....most of the animal ventures are mine alone, and it is so nice to have DH involved in an animal venture of his own, that if that's what he wants to do, I won't stand in his way. Only two of ours are ewes and the other four are wethers so I see no advantage to keeping the wethers past processing size, so at most it would be two that we would over-winter.

Wow Danz, you got a lot done yesterday. I had a busy day too and I do like going to bed at night feeling I accomplished something. Today I will probably spend many hours on the mower again - with the spring rains, the grass has grown rapidly once again.

Speaking of hatching, this is my first hatch, and it is a regular Hatchstock in there! The incubator if full of feathery babies and some wet ones! I haven't opened it yet, and the first peeps hatched about 7 pm Thursday night. I am thinking I ought to move them, but there are always wet peeps and I don't want anyone getting a chill. I still have several eggs left to hatch but no current pips that I can see. This is such an amazing experience! When should I move them? I so want them all to make it!

If there are none pipped right now, it is a great time to open it and retrieve the ones that have hatched. Just get your brooder warmed up and pop them under the lamp or EcoGlow or whatever you are using. The wet ones will dry out in a hurry there. I usually don't move chicks until they are walking pretty well though as I don't want them flopping all over the place and getting trampled by the others. Congrats on the successful hatch!

 

[tweetybaby2005]

I'm using the pallets as is in my coop to section off an area for the batch of chicks right now. The ducklings are taking up the area sectioned off by the chicken wire. I think I have max'd out my coop right now. I'm trying to move the ducks into their new home but they ran back to the chicken coop. I think the duck house is too big for them right now. May be in another few weeks.

Danz - sounded like you were running 100 mph yesterday! The duck eggs recipe used saturated salt brine and the eggs get soaked in the solution for about 6 weeks. I use the eggs for soup and also eat them steamed with rice.

I have no time to dust. I'm with you that I only do major xleaning when I'm expecting company. I really should clean more though...

My husband has been so busy lately that there wasn't much done in the farm house. Because of this, I've decided to matters into my own hand. I'll be spending most of my time fixing up the farm house. We are moving in less than 2 weeks. I need the house done before moving I . Lots of painting left to do and I need to get the molding done. Also need to get the bsmt painted as well. If I don't post much, this is why.

Gotta run. Time to get busy.

 

[Polishpal]

Hey guys its my first day of summer and I'm ready to get my gunieas Monday or Tuesday

 

[Chickies-duckies-etc]

M
My goodness, you have been busy. I need to spend more time cleaning and straightening up, but there are always other things to do! I like your theory!

Speaking of hatching, this is my first hatch, and it is a regular Hatchstock in there! The incubator if full of feathery babies and some wet ones! I haven't opened it yet, and the first peeps hatched about 7 pm Thursday night. I am thinking I ought to move them, but there are always wet peeps and I don't want anyone getting a chill. I still have several eggs left to hatch but no current pips that I can see. This is such an amazing experience! When should I move them? I so want them all to make it!

I would take the hatched ones out. I think they do more damage running all over the unhatched eggs leaving them in and they do want to start eating also.

Since I have never used "lockdown" rules and never even heard the term until recently, I don't worry about opening a bater to do what needs to be done. Do it fast, get it closed and let it get back to temp. A spritz of water if the humidity drops too much. But I never even had a thingie to measure the humidity. Had just fine hatches.

I just had about 10 chicks hatch in a box under a light. Long story - I would take the pipped eggs out from under the hen and put them in a box in the btooder to let them hatch, and they did. Once the chicks were on their feet I would take them out of the box. The older one will trample them if they are not stable and walking good.

 

[Trish44]

I am sure others will disagree but I would go ahead and take out the dry chicks. If all the eggs were due at the same time, the chances of further hatches decreases in time. I think 12-24 hours is more than plenty. After that length of time I think the chicks need to cool down a little and are ready for some food. I have lost chicks by leaving them in the hatcher.
I hate cleaning house. It makes me grouchy. There is way too much stuff in here and we are both slobs anyway. When my kids were little, I cleaned house in the middle of the night cause it was the only time I could do it without stopping to clean up a new mess. I don't really like having company. It makes me feel uncomfortable and guilty for "sitting around." And I always work myself to death trying to clean up before hand. I always think I will just keep things clean after a clean-a-thon but that just doesn't ever happen. Better to enjoy life than to hate your house and everyone that lives in it. When I down sized to half as much house I thought it would be easier to clean. I was so wrong. I just have more stuff to clean around. And we have a million construction projects that have been pushed aside to finish the inside so it's always trashy looking anyway.
Of course if I had about 35 fewer bird pens to take care of I would have a lot more time to keep the house clean.

I do the same, when the chicks are fluffed up & walking OK I take them out & put them in the brooder. That way they're not rolling the unhatched eggs all over the place. I used to leave them in there longer, but really they do OK moving sooner. I agree with the house cleaning, who has time to clean house, I would rather be outside taking care of my birds & animals. I hate cleaning & am like some others, only do the big cleaning if someone is coming. My son knows if he comes by surprise he's going to find a dirty house. It doesn't make it any better of course that I have chicks hatching & a brooder in the house right now. I'll clean up the mess when I stop hatching & move all the chicks out.

I'm using the pallets as is in my coop to section off an area for the batch of chicks right now. The ducklings are taking up the area sectioned off by the chicken wire. I think I have max'd out my coop right now. I'm trying to move the ducks into their new home but they ran back to the chicken coop. I think the duck house is too big for them right now. May be in another few weeks.

Danz - sounded like you were running 100 mph yesterday! The duck eggs recipe used saturated salt brine and the eggs get soaked in the solution for about 6 weeks. I use the eggs for soup and also eat them steamed with rice.

I have no time to dust. I'm with you that I only do major xleaning when I'm expecting company. I really should clean more though...

My husband has been so busy lately that there wasn't much done in the farm house. Because of this, I've decided to matters into my own hand. I'll be spending most of my time fixing up the farm house. We are moving in less than 2 weeks. I need the house done before moving I . Lots of painting left to do and I need to get the molding done. Also need to get the bsmt painted as well. If I don't post much, this is why.

Gotta run. Time to get busy.

It sounds like you have a lot to do before moving, but how exciting about the move!

I have two chick buyers coming today to clean out about 40 chicks, so that will help tremendously. Then I have to clean brooders again, a non-ending job when you hatch chicks. I'm trying to wind down on hatching, but still have a few to go yet. I'm being more selective now though about what I hatch, so it will be limited to only 3 breeds now instead of 5.

Everybody have a good day!

 

[sunflowerparrot]

Oh ,okay that makes sense. It always seems like there is lots of potential in a stack of pallets,I was going to use the wood to side the inside of the coop but gave-up and had a bonfire

.

My boyfriend and I take pallets apart using a crow bar to smash the boards loose from the nails... it works pretty well actually. He has so many pallets that we're talking of burning them actually... there is no way we could ever use them all..

 

[JosieChick]

I know! I am a cranky mess so we are two cranky peas in a pod together! Poor little thing was running a fever so the pediatrician put her on antibiotics. She has been sick for 8 days and was just miserable yesterday so it was time. She seems to be feeling better today.

Josie, I don't blame the baby -- I get pretty cranky when I'm sick, too! I hope things turn around soon for you both.

I know, this is a weird time to get sick. I am sure my mom brought cold germs from the airport. I hate the airport, every time I go in that place I get sick!

Hahaha! Lamb chop! We named a steer Buster as children and then refused to eat him when he was butchered. My mom lied to us and told us it was hamburger from the store!!! She told us years later that she didn't know what else to do because we had a whole freezer full of beef and the three children turned their noses up at it when it was brought to the table for dinner. I wouldn't do that now but I also wasn't raised around animals being raised for meat so I didn't know any better then. I hope our children don't have that "detachment" from where meat comes from. That is a goal of mine, to raise kids who appreciate the animals who are food for us and don't think meat just comes from the grocery store cooler in a package.

Josie, so sorry to hear you and baby have been suffering colds. It doesn't seem fair this time of year and for the little ones, does it? I hope you are both better soon.



Thanks to all for the support on the new sheep venture. We are such novices but will learn along the way, I guess. Josie, nope, not naming them - except names like Lambchop, Rack of lamb, etc. LOL.

Sigh, a granny break would be nice! I miss my mom, she was a huge help with the baby. DH's mom doesn't do granny breaks. She just hands her back to me anytime she gets fussy or needs a diaper. She says grandparents get to have the fun and the parents do the hard work. I guess she won't ever be babysitting because I am sure she would have to change a diaper!!!!

I do have a fabulous nose sucker along with half a dozen lousy ones. My dad bought one that is made by a doctor in Sweden and you use your mouth (sounds gross but there is a filter between your mouth and the boogers!) to suck out snot and it works terrifically well!

I actually stripped the diapers and they aren't leaking anymore. Yeah!!! I couldn't figure out why they were leaking so badly then I was like "Duh, detergent build up, strip them!" And it worked like a charm. Hawkeye would be proud. I felt like a dummy that it took me about 8 diaper and outfit changes to think of that!

I think you had the craziest day ever! What kind of geese did you get that can fly?!?

Quote:
Chick dust? What is that? Try 5 incubators and several bins of chicks and ducks in the house at once and you'll finally just give up like I did. I can dust and before I leave the room it is back.
Aw, Josie. I so wish I were closer. I'd give you a granny break. Poor little cherub! Do you have a nose sucker thing for her? One saving grace is when it gets summer you won't have to put many clothes on her so you won't have to change every thing. Aren't you glad you got that really big capacity washer?

Originally Posted by 22qZoo
I had satellite internet the first two years I live in the country. I couldn't wait to get rid of that crap. I have the verizon thing and although it is sporatic it works okay if you don't mind resetting it when it gets stubborn. I had to get a new sim card for mine because the original was faulty.
Okay HeChicken everyone else has been supportive of the lambs. I am glad it is you and not me. I watched my brother in law deal with them and I decided that cute little lambs were not what I wanted. Worst part was that when they were older they really stank. Maybe if you plan to butcher yours you won't have to smell that.
Hey! It's pretty rare to hear I don't want some animal!

Does that mean I am gaining self control??

Where did you advertise your chicks? I need to sell some adult birds and have had no luck at all.

I have two chick buyers coming today to clean out about 40 chicks, so that will help tremendously. Then I have to clean brooders again, a non-ending job when you hatch chicks. I'm trying to wind down on hatching, but still have a few to go yet. I'm being more selective now though about what I hatch, so it will be limited to only 3 breeds now instead of 5.

Everybody have a good day!

 

[Trish44]

I know! I am a cranky mess so we are two cranky peas in a pod together! Poor little thing was running a fever so the pediatrician put her on antibiotics. She has been sick for 8 days and was just miserable yesterday so it was time. She seems to be feeling better today.
I know, this is a weird time to get sick. I am sure my mom brought cold germs from the airport. I hate the airport, every time I go in that place I get sick!

Hahaha! Lamb chop! We named a steer Buster as children and then refused to eat him when he was butchered. My mom lied to us and told us it was hamburger from the store!!! She told us years later that she didn't know what else to do because we had a whole freezer full of beef and the three children turned their noses up at it when it was brought to the table for dinner. I wouldn't do that now but I also wasn't raised around animals being raised for meat so I didn't know any better then. I hope our children don't have that "detachment" from where meat comes from. That is a goal of mine, to raise kids who appreciate the animals who are food for us and don't think meat just comes from the grocery store cooler in a package.
Sigh, a granny break would be nice! I miss my mom, she was a huge help with the baby. DH's mom doesn't do granny breaks. She just hands her back to me anytime she gets fussy or needs a diaper. She says grandparents get to have the fun and the parents do the hard work. I guess she won't ever be babysitting because I am sure she would have to change a diaper!!!!

I do have a fabulous nose sucker along with half a dozen lousy ones. My dad bought one that is made by a doctor in Sweden and you use your mouth (sounds gross but there is a filter between your mouth and the boogers!) to suck out snot and it works terrifically well!

I actually stripped the diapers and they aren't leaking anymore. Yeah!!! I couldn't figure out why they were leaking so badly then I was like "Duh, detergent build up, strip them!" And it worked like a charm. Hawkeye would be proud. I felt like a dummy that it took me about 8 diaper and outfit changes to think of that!

I think you had the craziest day ever! What kind of geese did you get that can fly?!?
Where did you advertise your chicks? I need to sell some adult birds and have had no luck at all.

Josie, I have been advertising on all the poultry swaps on Facebook that I can find, I don't care if it's in my county or not. I also have been advertising on Craigslist, but haven't had much interest from there. That was a huge relief to have those 40 chicks leave today, whew they were starting to eat me out of house & home. I have 4 more hatches coming & then I'm done for the year. The last one is partially eggs I bought from Bargain on BYC to get another bloodline in my lavender Ameraucanas, they have gorgeous lavenders. I have hatched a few lavenders myself this year & am growing those out to see what I have & will replace my breeding stock for next year. Those hens are two years old & the rooster is black split to lavender, so hopefully next year I will just have lavenders in that pen. That's what most people want anyway instead of black. I will keep my Wheatens because they're popular, but I have had a horrible time trying to get any extra pullets this year to add to the one I got from you, it's not been a good year for those chicks for some reason. I just love Rodney the rooster though, he is such a beautiful & nice guy. I hope little Amelia feels better soon, that's so miserable when a tiny baby is sick like that.

So with all the chicks leaving today with 2 different people & some eating eggs, overall it was a busy but productive day. Now I have to go buy groceries, oh well it's one of those things you have to do.