Consolidated Kansas

[Trish44]

I'm guessing most of you experienced a storm similar to the one that rolled in to our area last night. We lost power for awhile and all told, got 3" of rain. Since the ground was already completely saturated, that means puddles, puddles everywhere this morning. Our pond has been upgraded to a lake and now takes up a much larger percentage of our property than it did before. The chicken yard is essentially under water. No birds lost but there aren't many places for them to hang out where their feet aren't under water. I had to move one hen with her chick from a pen that was under water to a smaller pen that is elevated on a pallet - just to give her a place to sit to keep her chick warm where she isn't sitting in water.

Miserable. And it is forecast to be 88 today so it is going to be a swamp out there in a few hours. With more storms in the forecast.

On a lighter note, my little cairn, Dizzy, has adopted a chick. Trish, it is the little leghorn I got from you that was raised with the SS by a broody hen. I don't know what it is about this chick that has him so fascinated but he follows her around everywhere. When she stops to eat, he lies down, wagging his tail and when she's on the move again, he follows - at a distance of about 6' so she doesn't freak out, but just to keep an eye on her. I think it is because the night I was teaching them how to go and sleep in the main coop, she ran out the chicken door and tried to go back to her pen. Dizzy seemed to understand that she was supposed to stay in the coop and followed her attempt to go back to her old pen, where I grabbed her and put her back in the coop. Then the two of us sat and guarded the chicken door to make sure she didn't exit again. I praised him for being on top of the situation, so now he seems to feel she is his "project" and he must keep an eye on her. Last night he "put her to bed" by following her all the way into the coop. I manually closed the chicken door, not knowing he was in there, then decided to open the people door and make sure those two were sleeping on the roost rather than the floor. Imagine my surprise on opening the people door, to find Dizzy in the coop, sitting on the floor and looking up at the roost where the little chick was sitting with her sister.

That's so cute about Dizzy picking a chick to watch over! I think what I gave you the last time though was an SS & a Buff Orp, I didn't have any more Leghorns at that point.

I agree with all of you, ENOUGH of the rain already! We had a storm here last night as well, like we needed any more after the day before where we got more down here than anybody north of here. There is already a flood watch for our area & the river will probably come out of it's banks today both in Winfield & Ark City. I'm having a terrible time sliding around in the mud trying to feed, not a good thing with a new knee.

 

[HEChicken]

That's so cute about Dizzy picking a chick to watch over! I think what I gave you the last time though was an SS & a Buff Orp, I didn't have any more Leghorns at that point.

Oh no, its a leghorn. LOL - I guess you forgot. Here is what you wrote at the time:
Quote: This chick has the yellow legs like the others and looks identical to the older group - just a little smaller since its younger. Of course I am calling them Buff Leghorns because they all came out looking 100% buff - that rooster's genes must really be dominant. I'm hoping they carry the mottling gene per their mothers though, so next generation might carry some spots.

This morning the LGDs were barking at something frantically in the pasture. I figured it was probably a snapping turtle but I put on my boots to go and investigate and found it was a huge snake - it looked like the adult version of the pile of snakes I found the other day. Nearby was a dead fish so I picked it up, only to have it wiggle in my hand. I ran and threw it in the pond and then spent the next hour going around finding more. In all, I put 52 live fish and a live bullfrog tadpole back in the pond. Most of them were very fortunate to be alive - they were lying really on just wet ground, with maybe ⅛" inch of water and I'm amazed they were able to live long enough that way for me to rescue them. Of course, I'm sure I just threw them back in the pond so they can become a meal for the herons and egrets that spend all day fishing here

 

[chicken danz]

This morning the LGDs were barking at something frantically in the pasture. I figured it was probably a snapping turtle but I put on my boots to go and investigate and found it was a huge snake - it looked like the adult version of the pile of snakes I found the other day. Nearby was a dead fish so I picked it up, only to have it wiggle in my hand. I ran and threw it in the pond and then spent the next hour going around finding more. In all, I put 52 live fish and a live bullfrog tadpole back in the pond. Most of them were very fortunate to be alive - they were lying really on just wet ground, with maybe ⅛" inch of water and I'm amazed they were able to live long enough that way for me to rescue them. Of course, I'm sure I just threw them back in the pond so they can become a meal for the herons and egrets that spend all day fishing here

They must have swam up when the water was peaked at the highest level. I remember one year the creek near us had gotten really high in a big storm. The ground above the creek bed was covered with hundreds of fish that had gotten caught in the foilage. Then to make it worse we had another rain that washed their decaying bodies back into the creek and the toxins killed hundreds of other fish. I suppose it's all in a balance of nature but it was very disturbing.
I was surprised to have only lost two chicks last night. Wow! How nice that was. Poor chickens are standing in nasty rank mud this morning though.

 

[lizzyGSR]

I find it ironic that ya'll are complaining about the rain. We've had rain in the forecast several times and have missed out several times. WE could actually use the rain. Anyone care to share???

 

[JiltdRoyalty]

I'm tired of the rain too, but we'll all be missing it in a couple weeks! Hope everyone is okay after the storms. Woke up on the only nice day of the week with a truck that won't start. So much to do today! Now I'm waiting on a ride into town to get a new battery. Then back home to get the yard ready for the next couple days of rain. Grrr!

 

[HEChicken]

They must have swam up when the water was peaked at the highest level.

Oh no - other way around. These were washed out of the pond via the spillway when it overflowed last night so were downstream of the pond. I'm glad you didn't lose many chicks this time.

I'm tired of the rain too, but we'll all be missing it in a couple weeks! Hope everyone is okay after the storms. Woke up on the only nice day of the week with a truck that won't start. So much to do today! Now I'm waiting on a ride into town to get a new battery. Then back home to get the yard ready for the next couple days of rain. Grrr!

Isn't it always the way? Whenever something like that happens, I always find myself saying "I don't have time for this" or "This is not a good time for this to happen". Funny thing, is, I NEVER catch myself saying "This would be a good day to have my car break down"

So I guess there really is never a good time to have things happen.

 

[Patriciaallison]

It is a beautiful day here today!
I am looking for a few geese anyone have any close to Edgerton? I have a white Chinese male he needs some mates!
P

 

[chicken danz]

Isn't it always the way? Whenever something like that happens, I always find myself saying "I don't have time for this" or "This is not a good time for this to happen". Funny thing, is, I NEVER catch myself saying "This would be a good day to have my car break down"

So I guess there really is never a good time to have things happen.

LOL I think that is a perfect analogy!

It is a beautiful day here today!
I am looking for a few geese anyone have any close to Edgerton? I have a white Chinese male he needs some mates!
P

Wish it was beautiful here. Looks cloudy and dreary here. I have Sabastopols. I believe all my older ones are sold. I do have plenty more to hatch though. I know there is at least one pipped egg today.

 

[mama23grlz1boy]

Good morning! I'm from the Kansas city area. This is my first chicken experience. I have 8 chicks, but fear that I may have a few roos.

 

[chicken danz]

Good morning! I'm from the Kansas city area. This is my first chicken experience. I have 8 chicks, but fear that I may have a few roos.

How old are they. What did you buy? You can post pictures and we can make an educated guess if they are at least feathering.
Welcome to the forum.