Consolidated Kansas

[ashncarson]

Just wanted to share photos of my new chicks from HEChicken

 

[chicken danz]

Nope Sharol, the girls may or may not have copper hackle feathers. In fact if you show them you want the copper color. But I understand to keep the copper in them you need some girls without copper. I don't really understand it all.

 

[cherwill]

Since I can't spell Ameraucana it must be an EE, right?

That must be right.

I miss having fuzz butts! They're so cute.

I promised some pictures of the 4-H kids with their dressed up animals. Here are a few.




Trevor (Turken cockerel) as Dracula won 1st Poultry. He's wearing a red and black cape and was a crowd favorite.



All the poultry entries.




The whole poultry class.



Emily (Americauna/EE hen) dressed as Miss America.



Lacey (Silver Laced Cochin hen) dressed as a sheep.



Lacey's baby as a lamb.



Luke (EE cockerel) as a mummy.



Dragon (Black Langshan cockerel) as a robber--my son told the judge Dragon robbed Atwood's of all its chicken feed.

Great costumes. Those kids are very creative. Dracula hanging upside down and the sheep are my favorites, but they're all really good.

I just had a near miss on our first hawk attack.

All the chickens (9 adults, 2 12 week old cockerels, and 6 7-8 week olds) were in the yard. I had just kicked back for a little nap when I heard Marlena (my broody) go ballistic in the yard. By the time I got to the window, she was in a (beak to beak) standoff with an immature redtail about 10 feet from my front door. At first I thought it was my brown chicken (about the same size as Marlena or a tad smaller), and then I realized that THAT was no chicken. I yelled and by the time I got out the door, it had flown off. There were lots of tiny gray feathers around where they had been, so I suspect it had targeted one of Marlena's BCM chicks. I'll have to inspect them tonight when they go in. They are flighty, and they really don't like to be handled. There wasn't any blood on any of the feathers, so I'm hopeful that she/he (the victim) wasn't hurt. Way to go Marlena.

I've had hawks divebomb the yard before, but I've never seen one on the ground before.

Go Marlena! She's pretty tough.

Just wanted to share photos of my new chicks from HEChicken

They're really pretty.

 

[zigzag45]

Had some excitement last night. KCI (airport) reported record rainfall for Sept 19th. Towards the end of the storms, but while it was still pouring, I looked out back to see all of my birds sitting on the ramp to get into their coop -- in the downpour. They had been under the coop during the down-pours, and apparently the door had closed before they decided to venture out. So, I head out in the heavy rain, which has created a ton of mud, press the button, the door slowly goes up, and none of them move. Not a one... I had to pick each up, put them through the door, where they still just sat, until I put another one in, then the first one would scamper out of the way. As I was doing it I realized how dark it was inside the coop, which was likely a factor. I hung a flashlight from the ceiling for a few minutes so they could get settled in...

Also made an interesting discovery yesterday. After putting down grass seed around their run, I had kept them more in their run more to let the seed sprout. Now that it's sprouted, it appears they are eating the new grass shoots. I thought they'd just eat the seeds, I guess someone told them how healthy freshly sprouted seeds are. I think my back yard will never be the same with the birds back there!

It was either HeChicken or Ralph who said that he puts a bale of straw in the coop and the birds distribute it. I tried that. My coop is 6x4 and already has alot of pine chips, so I just put a flake in. It sat for half a day or so and then when I checked, was fully distributed and mixed in with the wood chips. That was amazing.

Do you guys prefer wood chips or straw as bedding? My coop is raised (Purina design). I'm not sure which is cheaper at this point.

 

[Aliaslucyvp]

Regarding the sick birds that won't get well - can't do any harm to dose them with Grapefruit Seed Extract! I think it is great for everything, and can't hurt.

 

[HEChicken]

Do you guys prefer wood chips or straw as bedding? My coop is raised (Purina design). I'm not sure which is cheaper at this point.

I have never used wood chips. Several years ago I bought 60 bales of straw and built a straw bale coop (closing in the deck at our old house). It worked great for a long time, as the straw provided a wonderful wind break against the cold winter winds. When we moved to the country, I built a more traditional building and that left me with a ton of straw that was still good, so we dismantled the straw bale coop, put it under our pole barn to keep it dry, and now use it as the bedding in the coop. For me it has worked great because I am able to keep it dry. If you are in a situation where the straw is getting wet, it will mold and will turn into a stinky mess. But as long as its dry, it works fine. I find that the birds "cut" it up into small pieces, so by the time I need to empty the coop, the bedding is wonderful mulch on my veggie garden.

However, when I do run out of straw, I will probably switch to swift pick shavings, as I can just buy a couple of bales at a time as I need them and don't need to store them as I would straw. These are really fine shavings that are sold in a "bale" at the feed store. It isn't really a bale but is pressure packed into plastic so it expands way beyond what it originally looks like. They are called swift pick because it is easy to sift horse manure out of them, but I like them because the particles are small and soft and I think it would make really good bedding for the coop as well.

 

[Trish44]

Had some excitement last night. KCI (airport) reported record rainfall for Sept 19th. Towards the end of the storms, but while it was still pouring, I looked out back to see all of my birds sitting on the ramp to get into their coop -- in the downpour. They had been under the coop during the down-pours, and apparently the door had closed before they decided to venture out. So, I head out in the heavy rain, which has created a ton of mud, press the button, the door slowly goes up, and none of them move. Not a one... I had to pick each up, put them through the door, where they still just sat, until I put another one in, then the first one would scamper out of the way. As I was doing it I realized how dark it was inside the coop, which was likely a factor. I hung a flashlight from the ceiling for a few minutes so they could get settled in...

Also made an interesting discovery yesterday. After putting down grass seed around their run, I had kept them more in their run more to let the seed sprout. Now that it's sprouted, it appears they are eating the new grass shoots. I thought they'd just eat the seeds, I guess someone told them how healthy freshly sprouted seeds are. I think my back yard will never be the same with the birds back there!

It was either HeChicken or Ralph who said that he puts a bale of straw in the coop and the birds distribute it. I tried that. My coop is 6x4 and already has alot of pine chips, so I just put a flake in. It sat for half a day or so and then when I checked, was fully distributed and mixed in with the wood chips. That was amazing.

Do you guys prefer wood chips or straw as bedding? My coop is raised (Purina design). I'm not sure which is cheaper at this point.

I use pine shavings in my coops & straw or grass clippings in my outside pens. The shavings are great for the DLM & don't seem to get wet. I just keep adding fresh shavings & stirring it up to keep things from clumping & every 6 months I do a total cleanout. I compost what comes out of the coop & it is really good for gardens or flower beds. I tried buying pine shavings from the COOP here but I really don't like the sawdust like stuff they have, I prefer the type Orschelyn's has in the cubes.

 

[zigzag45]

However, when I do run out of straw, I will probably switch to swift pick shavings, as I can just buy a couple of bales at a time as I need them and don't need to store them as I would straw. These are really fine shavings that are sold in a "bale" at the feed store. It isn't really a bale but is pressure packed into plastic so it expands way beyond what it originally looks like. They are called swift pick because it is easy to sift horse manure out of them, but I like them because the particles are small and soft and I think it would make really good bedding for the coop as well.

 

[chicken danz]

Personally I like wood chips better. They are less likely to mold and easier to clean up in my opinion. I like straw for nest boxes however. I would think the fine shavings are the same thing. Personally I don't buy the fine shavings because they tend to get into the waterers more readily. Also I worry about chicks ingesting them while they are picking around. Everyone has different preferences though. I have purchased both. I also avoid brands that have big rough chunks in them. A lot of difference comes in different brands. Always buy the compressed bales to get the most for your money. I like the bales that TSC carries about the best of any I have purchased.
I can't believe how every one got rain. We got a tiny bit during the evening last night. Once again we are still in the dry hole.
I also take all of my old shavings and put them on the garden. It's actually done a wonderful job. I have started putting them on the flower bed now for the same reason. We have terrible clay here. I am hoping the birds will scrape some of them in there as well this winter.
I really should till it up and replant it but that is like starting over. Too much work!!!
I'm having a lot of trouble with my neck. I've had too many surgeries on it and I am fearing I may have to have another one. I can't seem to get prescription pain pads to stop the pain and they work better than anything. I feel like an old bear right now. It's hard to act decent when my head and neck is killing me.
I need to be getting around and get some stuff ready to go to town. I really would like to just stay home today. No such luck.

 

[sharol]

I've used the baled pine shavings that I can get at our local Sutherlands for 3 years. I like them because I can pick up the poo under the roost easily in the mornings. I use a modified deep litter coop, and I only clean it out completely once a year (next week). The coop is 6x8, and it takes 2 bales (about 6$ each) when I set up after cleaning. Then I add shavings as needed. I also use DE with them to help with the drying. If it starts getting dusty, I just add another half bale in a pile in the center and spike it with some scratch. The girls spread it around.

I do use baled straw for a windbreak/shelter in the run and then when it starts deteriorating it goes into the garden as mulch.

As long as the bedding is kept fairly dry, I don't think it matters.