Consolidated Kansas

[MarcAustin]

Some clean sand will work or some cage bird grit, just don't feed them silica sand.

What is Silica Sand? I have beach sand i 'borrowed' from Pensacola Beach (the really white kind) and some rougher sand from St Petersburg.

 

[ChooksChick]

tnt, good luck with your son's appt, hopefully they will have some answers for you.

Hawkeye, my coop didn't smell at all for months & then just recently it got to smelling with an ammonia smell, so I figured it was time to clean it out. I had an awful lot of poop & shavings in there. For the most part the poop was all dried except for the latest stuff. The worst area of course was right under their big roosts. I have a 2x4 frame I built on the one side almost the full length of the coop where most of the birds roost. There are maybe 3 or 4 that use the old 2x2 roost just because they started there I guess. Anyway, it's clean to start over for the hot months. I know it will take awhile for the compost action to start again, so I guess that's one reason not to do it very often. I just felt like I should get it done before it gets any hotter.

tweety, I'm sure your ducks will get used to each other. I never had a problem with mine fighting or anything once they were used to each other.

It's so humid here today, I'm sweating already. I think I hate humidity worse than anything, I just don't take that well or the heat either. Well I sold my two little doe rabbits this morning first thing. I had them up for sale for a week with no inquiries & then had two people wanting them in one day. These were the ones I had rescued from being eaten by a snake & I couldn't stand it. At least where they're going they won't have that fate. I kind of hated to get rid of them, but they just don't fit into what I'm planning to do here, so some had to go to make cage room. Now I've got to get out today & work on the outside hutches. I've got to get those operational so I can move more rabbits outside for the summer. I think it's just going to be too hot in the garage since it's a metal building with only two small windows. I may end up having to build another hutch in the end. I have enough outside ones for 9 rabbits so far & I think I have 11 & 5 babies. Of course the babies are just tiny right now & have to stay with momma.

Things started earlier for me today than usual. The people coming for the rabbits didn't want to wait any longer to go back to Wellington, so I didn't look my best when they came, oh well. I've got a guy coming soon for eggs too. I have two regular customers now, so that's nice that I haven't really had to advertise that much lately.

I had the same thing happen yesterday- coops were all fine and WHAMMO! the heat hit the still moist ground and my brooder and a couple of the coops are overwhelming all of the sudden.

To all of you having family struggles, I'm keeping up but have had little time to update- I'm praying for you all. I really want things to work out well for each of you and yours.

I'm going to go to job #4 for a bit now...

 

[chicken danz]

Renee, did you get those button eggs from Sandy? I am hoping to make a trip up to your area soon and do your flock and Sandy's and anyone else in that area that needs birds tested. I haven't set a fee for it yet because it will depend on how many people want testing done. In your spare time

you might see if any of your acquaintances near you need PT testing done. Maybe we can schedule on a day that everyone is available.

 

[chicken danz]

Marc if I were going to use either of those I would use the rougher sand. Its a good source of calcium too.

 

[msjfrizzle]

My prayers for all of you with difficult situations, too. I've been out of town (DH's friend's funeral) and swamped with too much to do in too little time.

The secretary at my school sent a link just now about an auction in Yoder on Saturday. I thought I'd pass it along if anyone is interested, even though it's not chicken stuff. It looks like lots of horse-related items, as well as a "Large selection of animal skulls; Cast and Wrought iron items." Apparently it's the first of 3 auctions. I'd love to go, but my band has 4 gigs

, being St. Pat's day (we play Celtic music).

I'll let you all know when get details on the other auctions.

Back to teacher-work-day.

 

[HEChicken]

tks so much ! Do you just put grit in with the feed, or scatter it around near the feeder ??

I have done it two ways - putting it in a bowl (separate from the feed), or just putting a handful on the ground. It doesn't seem to matter much to them - when they need it they take it.

 

[Hawkeye95]

If i havent mentioned, thank you all for your support and tips thus far. Knowing I can reach out to experienced people puts me at ease. Newbie question of the day: Yesterday I was on the back stoop with one of the sussex who should be about 2-3 weeks now. She found a patch of these purple weeds and start going bonkers over them. Someone mentioned before about waiting awhile to let them have any grasses, but she was just picking the flowers off. I stopped her after the 2nd when I suddenly panicked they might be poison. See attached pic. Okay to treat with these? wait awhile? anything else? They all seem to be doing well and growing but sometimes they seem like they could use some entertainment. Also, the sexlinks seem to be mentally challenged compared to the sussex and BRs . Thoughts?

Oooooh yes-- I don't know what that stuff is-- but my birds love that too! They eat it even before it gets flowers on it. My turkey and silkies eat a ton of it. No one's died yet.

If your chicks are going for it and eating it, let them. They seem to know what they can handle and it's good for them.

 

[tweetysvoice]

Tweety I put ducks of all ages together. That picking at each other stops after they get used to each other. I think it is just a duck thing. Chopper is kind of rough with the new babies but within a few hours he lets them settle in with him. I've never had an older duck actually injure a younger one. You would think they would but they don't. Little ones can get trampled if the ducks are frightened and it is crowded but that is pretty much where it ends.

tweety, I'm sure your ducks will get used to each other. I never had a problem with mine fighting or anything once they were used to each other.

I

Awesome. That's really good to hear. It didn't seem like they were actually hurting them, more like trying to pick them up and carry them around. Which I thought was hilarious considering that they are only a week or two apart in age. You guys have eased my fears. Thank you.

 

[Hawkeye95]

Trish, glad you got your two does sold! Yeah, so far my coop is doing pretty good. Like I said, it smelled the worst when I first started the DLM. Don't know why it started smelling better, but other than smelling "chicken-y" it's not a bad smell.

Danz, good luck on the goose, that sounds like fun. What kind is it. Well, officially happy anniversary to your parents! Henbit, hu? Never heard of the name, I just recognize it. We have some of that in great big patches in the yard. That is where Seymore likes to pick it. I say have at it! I've been picking it for days and throwing it in with my silkies since they don't get a lot of greens. They just eat it down.

 

[Hawkeye95]

My prayers for all of you with difficult situations, too. I've been out of town (DH's friend's funeral) and swamped with too much to do in too little time.

The secretary at my school sent a link just now about an auction in Yoder on Saturday. I thought I'd pass it along if anyone is interested, even though it's not chicken stuff. It looks like lots of horse-related items, as well as a "Large selection of animal skulls; Cast and Wrought iron items." Apparently it's the first of 3 auctions. I'd love to go, but my band has 4 gigs

, being St. Pat's day (we play Celtic music).

I'll let you all know when get details on the other auctions.

Back to teacher-work-day.

Hi Jill! Some time I'd like to go down to the Yoder auction, since it's supposed to be really big and have a lot of neat animals there. Maybe we can coordinate a time next month or something.

Have fun with your band this weekend!