Colorado

[Mommato5]

I have been looking at Loveland. My only concern is the school district, from what I have been able to research the Poudre school district is one of the best. So that is why we were looking in that area.

I have 4 kids in the Loveland school district, elementary, middle and high schools. 3 are special needs with IEPs, one is gifted with an ALP. I don't have any complaints about the district or the schools they go to. Up until 2 years ago they had gone to New Vision Charter School since it opened, but it went downhill. They cut funding for special needs kids and things got really bad. When we moved to actual Thompson school district schools things turned around and were a lot better. Last year my elementary kids (1st and 3rd grades) had 17 kids per class. This year they each have 24 students per class but they have mixed grade classes, 1st/2nd and 4th/5th. My 4th grader is gifted and takes many of her classes with the average 5th graders (7th grade reading level and started algebra this year!). The middle schools do tend to have a problem with drugs, especially the one my 8th grader goes to. I LOVE the high school my 9th grader goes to. The class sizes are gigantic (I think his largest class is 38 students!) but the teachers are SO involved and come in early/stay late almost every day to be there for students who need help.

Having said that, if your willing to drive your kids, you can choose to send them wherever you want, even Poudre schools. But you have to apply for the transfer, usually no later than the beginning of Jan, and acceptance depends on space available.

 

[dennarahl]

Bumblefoot- duck update- Day 2: I just rechanged her dressings so I wouldn't have to do it tonight when I get home. The little bumble that I took off this morning has now closed and there doesn't seem to be any swelling. The medium bumble came off relatively easily after about 3 minutes of plucking the black scab. I did not see a plug in there that I knew for sure was the plug so after making her keep that one foot in the Oxine, I packed with triple antibiotic, covered with a bandaid and recovered with another clean old sock kept up with the pony band. The absess is deep but not as bad as I've seen in some people.

On the other foot with the large bumble. I was also able to completely take off the black scab. It was much tougher getting to all of it after the first part came off. The wound itself is the size of a quarter and quite deep. I can see the hard white plug in there but am hesitant about working anything out that doesn't come out easily. There was some blood but not as oozing as I would have suspected. I repacked, put a bandaid on and a new sock. I put her back out in the coop.

I have stopped Prep. H creme as I was able to get the dead, scabby stuff off. I'm still mostly concerned about the Large bumble. It's so deep. I still can't believe I didn't notice it before it got so big.

But I did learn that an old athletic sock does make a decent duckie boot when needed to keep the feet clean. She isn't eating much right now but is drinking. I may grab her tonight, rechange her bandages, her socks and keep her in the house one more night. That abscess is still quite deep and at least if I put her in the bathtub, i can make sure she has food, stays warm and is so bored she's not tempted to move much.

decent help page for problems: http://www.worldwidewounds.com/2003/november/Cousquer/Avian-Wound-Management-Part-2.html

If it's like Bowie's the plug should work it's way towards the skin with the scab off and the soaking and everything. I pulled her in today to check her bumbles. One foot was pretty good, the old bumble appeared to be gone, but there was a new injury, so it got cleaned really good and bandaged. The other foot's bumble has come back. It's small, much smaller than it was before, but needed to be worked on. The scab came off well, and the plug is right there. I cut out what I could easily (just like I would for dead skin) and them bandaged it up.

She's also the biggest feather picking victim, and she can't seem to grow them in when there are other chickens around. The last time she was inside for a week, the feathers started to recover but as soon as she was out again, they were all gone. She'll be staying inside for the foreseeable future until all the feathers are fully in. Whee, I thought I was done with diapers when I potty trained my younger daughter... Hahahaha!

That's a pretty good website. I wish I had the ability to do an all out surgery on the bumble. I totally would if I had any knowledge and anesthetics.

 

[dennarahl]

I have 4 kids in the Loveland school district, elementary, middle and high schools. 3 are special needs with IEPs, one is gifted with an ALP. I don't have any complaints about the district or the schools they go to. Up until 2 years ago they had gone to New Vision Charter School since it opened, but it went downhill. They cut funding for special needs kids and things got really bad. When we moved to actual Thompson school district schools things turned around and were a lot better. Last year my elementary kids (1st and 3rd grades) had 17 kids per class. This year they each have 24 students per class but they have mixed grade classes, 1st/2nd and 4th/5th. My 4th grader is gifted and takes many of her classes with the average 5th graders (7th grade reading level and started algebra this year!). The middle schools do tend to have a problem with drugs, especially the one my 8th grader goes to. I LOVE the high school my 9th grader goes to. The class sizes are gigantic (I think his largest class is 38 students!) but the teachers are SO involved and come in early/stay late almost every day to be there for students who need help.
Having said that, if your willing to drive your kids, you can choose to send them wherever you want, even Poudre schools. But you have to apply for the transfer, usually no later than the beginning of Jan, and acceptance depends on space available.

The choice deadline may be even earlier than January. In Adams 12 the deadline was early December, so if you're really interested in using the school choice program, then you'll want to look into it now, even if you don't know where you're going to live.

 

[dennarahl]

A viable alternative might be contacting some paving companies and asking about getting Millings - this is old blacktop that has been roto-milled off the surface of a road that can be spread on a dirt surface and rolled level. It will still cost some to get it rolled, but once done it's almost as good as a regular paving job, and usually far less expensive.

Our driveway loop is done this way by one of the prior owners. So far it's been great. Our only problem is that the railroad ties that hold it all in place are starting to degrade, so we need to get them replaced or re-anchored or something.

 

[WendyGeisler]

This morning....
at 6:18 the chicken alarm went off. I have never had this happen before and I have no idea what exactly happened.

But I was sleeping in my bed when all of my chickens started screaching and bwoking as loud as possible. I jumped out of bed, and ran to the window.
It was fairly light outside and I could see nothing wrong, I grabbed my coat and shoes and ran down to our sliding glass door, turned on the flood lights, and sprinted out side to the coop. I could find nothing wrong. 6 of the 7 girls were perched on the roosting bar looking out the window. I checked inside and didn't see any predators, mice, snakes, ect.. I scanned the whole yard and didn't see anything, but something was upsetting my girls. I have had chickens for 8 months now and never had anything like this happen. Once they saw me they all quieted down, I came back inside and all was quiet.

I have a fantastic coop with a web cam inside, automatic door, heater lamp. All of the windows are covered with hardware cloth and removable plexiglass (which is not up against the coop, there is a good inch gap for ventilation). I have complete confidence in the coops ability to keep out a raccoon or large predator.

Any ideas from those more experienced what happened?
My coop is withing 15 feet of our new house. We still haven't made a secure run (still discussing all of the plans) but the coop is within a large chain link fence next to the house.
I am scratching my head wondering what upset the girls.

 

[coloradogal]

I have been looking at Loveland. My only concern is the school district, from what I have been able to research the Poudre school district is one of the best. So that is why we were looking in that area.

When I moved out here, I was also concerned about district. I wanted them in Cheyenne Mountain because it was a good district down here so I paid a lot of money to live there. I'm almost embarrassed now to even remember that. By the time my son was in 6th grade, i realized that I just wasn't happy with his education anyways, pulled him out, put him in an online,self-paced program where I had control over his education and waited. By the time he finished a normal 8th grade curriculum (a year early) the early colleges program had started. Now at 17, he's just a couple of classes shy of his associates in college. What I'm trying to say is don't get bogged down too much at school district. Colorado is an amazing state with many options when it comes to schooling. Find a place where there are people you get along with, where you can go out of your house and feel safe and where your values are being taught. I don't care how good a school is if they are teaching a political or historical agenda that just isn't factually correct. My little one is in the Peyton school district. It's a farming community and what I do know is the school shares our values. If I get called into school and I'm wearing mucking pants, they won't think less of me or her because they are just like us. I also have the confidence that they will not turn her mind against values that I hold dear.

Age has taught me that unless you are trying to get into an Ivy League school, secondary school really doesn't mean much anymore. What good is AP credit when your high schooler can just take college transfer from the local community college? It wasn't like that when I was their age. Then it did matter. Not so much anymore. Community matters more. Having youth around them that share their values and socioeconomic backgrounds matter. Anyhoo, that's just my take.

If it's like Bowie's the plug should work it's way towards the skin with the scab off and the soaking and everything. I pulled her in today to check her bumbles. One foot was pretty good, the old bumble appeared to be gone, but there was a new injury, so it got cleaned really good and bandaged. The other foot's bumble has come back. It's small, much smaller than it was before, but needed to be worked on. The scab came off well, and the plug is right there. I cut out what I could easily (just like I would for dead skin) and them bandaged it up.

She's also the biggest feather picking victim, and she can't seem to grow them in when there are other chickens around. The last time she was inside for a week, the feathers started to recover but as soon as she was out again, they were all gone. She'll be staying inside for the foreseeable future until all the feathers are fully in. Whee, I thought I was done with diapers when I potty trained my younger daughter... Hahahaha! 

That's a pretty good website. I wish I had the ability to do an all out surgery on the bumble. I totally would if I had any knowledge and anesthetics. 

I'm going to rely on the drawing salve and hope it works its way out. I haven't done the feet yet today but she did eat last night. That's a huge start.

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

It could be a bird landed in front of the window and scared them. No way to be sure but that's about all I can think of. That is probably the only thing that has upset my girls. We have never had predator problems but the shadow of a crow set them off one day and a flock of doves flying over startled them another day. Ironic, because there have been days when I have seen hawks but the ladies didn't even notice them.

 

[coloradochick]

When I moved out here, I was also concerned about district. I wanted them in Cheyenne Mountain because it was a good district down here so I paid a lot of money to live there. I'm almost embarrassed now to even remember that. By the time my son was in 6th grade, i realized that I just wasn't happy with his education anyways, pulled him out, put him in an online,self-paced program where I had control over his education and waited. By the time he finished a normal 8th grade curriculum (a year early) the early colleges program had started. Now at 17, he's just a couple of classes shy of his associates in college. What I'm trying to say is don't get bogged down too much at school district. Colorado is an amazing state with many options when it comes to schooling. Find a place where there are people you get along with, where you can go out of your house and feel safe and where your values are being taught. I don't care how good a school is if they are teaching a political or historical agenda that just isn't factually correct. My little one is in the Peyton school district. It's a farming community and what I do know is the school shares our values. If I get called into school and I'm wearing mucking pants, they won't think less of me or her because they are just like us. I also have the confidence that they will not turn her mind against values that I hold dear.
Age has taught me that unless you are trying to get into an Ivy League school, secondary school really doesn't mean much anymore. What good is AP credit when your high schooler can just take college transfer from the local community college? It wasn't like that when I was their age. Then it did matter. Not so much anymore. Community matters more. Having youth around them that share their values and socioeconomic backgrounds matter. Anyhoo, that's just my take.
I'm going to rely on the drawing salve and hope it works its way out. I haven't done the feet yet today but she did eat last night. That's a huge start.

Amen Coloradogal!!!!

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

Ok, THAT is funny! My Momma Summer is trying to take a good dust bath but two of her Silkie babies have 'joined' her and snuggled in so close she is having a hard time kicking dirt on herself! She keeps rotating to try and get a better angle but the kiddos rotate with her! They are practically on top of her!

 

[dennarahl]

Ok, THAT is funny! My Momma Summer is trying to take a good dust bath but two of her Silkie babies have 'joined' her and snuggled in so close she is having a hard time kicking dirt on herself! She keeps rotating to try and get a better angle but the kiddos rotate with her! They are practically on top of her!

I love it when they do that. When they get big enough, mom pecks them in the head to get them to move away.