Consolidated Kansas

[Deerfield Acres]

Night before last the pop-door (on a timer) shut out 5 chickens. When I went to check on them about 9:30, they were REALLY pi.. uh, irritated. They were all stacked up roosting on the ramp up by the door, and when I opened the door, they all piled in and chewed me out royally for shutting that *&^% door too early. So I changed the timer by 20 minutes, and last night I only had one hen shut out. I guess it is still closing too early, ya think????? I'll try 20 more minutes on the timer for tonight -- that will put the closing at about 9:10.

My head hen is a Campine, and she was quite vocal in her disapproval of the whole situation. If you have ever been around a Campine, you know what I mean.

Made me LOL! Today I was working outside when my chickens began to have a fit. I had my hands full so I asked the kids to go see what the fuss was about. Turns out our inside cat had slunk out with one of the kiddos and the chickens weren't having it. They couldn't catch the poor cat who was scared spitless until he was on the complete other side of the house. I've never had my chickens tell me something was not satisfactory before. I guess you and I better get our acts together!

I've heard that before Trish but all they are doing is duplicating what nature does. I've read the best way to hatch them is under a broody hen. I am having trouble imagining one of my hens sitting on those huge eggs. I've had them sit on duck eggs before but they didn't hatch. I think your incubator and turner are just fine. People hatch them like that all the time. I have a total of 8 peacock eggs coming soon and I plan to incubate them. If they weren't so expensive I'd let a broody try but that is pretty risky.
I got my outdoor button quail cages finished and got them moved. They are a little freaky cause they have never been outside. They've spent their life in my basement. I had a lone male who killed a couple of females so I just stuck him in with the white doves. He hasn't moved an inch since I put him in there. Scared to death.
I see Ivy posted on chicken chatter. Maybe she just hasn't gotten here yet. Come on Ivy... I need you.
Josie I just sold 50 Seramas and I had a ratio of about 1-6 with roosters and hens. Now since I sold them and two of the hens died it is about 4-6. I have a couple young ones that aren't old enough to breed yet which could even up the numbers a little but for now there are too many boys. I only kept the ones I wanted to breed with. Maybe I should have sold them all.
I had to get a load of feed today but I think I'll wait until evening to shovel it. I need to get back out there.
Just came in to get the camera. It's not painted or finished in any way but here is my button quail cage thing: Yes those are clothes pins I used to hold the doors shut. I tilted the roof which you can't see so it will hopefully drain beyond the back of the pen.

Very impressive, Danz!!!

Now that is a coop!! I will need one of those built at my house next.

If your turkeys are anything like my turkeys it won't matter what size the door is because they won't go through it to come in anyway!

If I was you I would spring for the big door if you want any luck getting them to go through. They seem to be claustrophobic birds, we are going to build our turkeys a hoop house for the winter and cover it with tarps. Mine don't seem too impressed with being cooped but that has just been my luck so far.

HEChicken, that coop is looking great! What a day to put on the roof, though. My sympathies.

JosieChick, that's interesting to know. I would have never thought they wouldn't want to go in. I only have one turkey right now so hopefully it will think it's a chicken for awhile.

The kids and I processed another 20 birds today so I am well and truly tired. I did take time to play with the ducks today. Chopper's and crew are doing just great! Amanda is so pleased that the tiniest duckling that she named Kiki, is now the biggest, except for Chopper. Being the youngest in the family, that's pretty important to her!

 

[Hawkeye95]

Thanks Hawkeye, we have had mites on this group before; I last treated them about 10 days ago. It was about 8:00 last night when all this was happening and I did look at her vent and didn't see anything; last time I could see little red specks around their vents. I dusted her vent area with Sevin again just to be sure. I'll check her again this afternoon when I get home. At this point mites would be prefereable, at least we can kill those little buggers; not sure what to do with a leg problem. I'll keep you posted.

Hopefully that is it. Otherwise, you could have a serious illness on your hands with the legs being weak.

Hawkeye this Sabastopol goose went lame a couple weeks ago or longer. I have no idea why. I thought it was a niacin deficiency but so far she hasn't gotten a lot better. They are such heavy birds I am sure their poor legs take a beating. Josie, told me to buy some of that orange safety fence and some cheap fiberglass posts to make a temporary pen. It won't keep anything out but it is just enough barrier to keep them in. They only need a couple of feet in height and they'll stay in unless something is after them. I'm trying to let them get out and eat weeds and grass. I guarantee you if my yard was fenced these girls would probably have the weeds gone in no time. I might never have to mow again with a big flock of geese. Right now I just made an extenson of their kennel out of a 100 foot roll of fencing so they have a lot of room to graze.

This is Scout, my Campine.

Gorgeous bird!! she's so cute!

I have another set of 4 peacock eggs coming in the mail probably tomorrow. The person who sent them to me said they should lay on their side & be turned manually. Has anybody who has hatched peacock eggs heard this before? I have the other set in the incubator in a bigger egg holder being turned just like the chicken eggs, that is what I had read before to do. This is the first time I had heard these other instructions. They said the peacocks have more trouble getting stuck in the shell & the auto turners don't keep it from happening.

Good luck on the turkey pen, and I've never heard of doing anything special about peacock eggs either! So interesting! I hope they all hatch for you!

I had to get a load of feed today but I think I'll wait until evening to shovel it. I need to get back out there.
Just came in to get the camera. It's not painted or finished in any way but here is my button quail cage thing: Yes those are clothes pins I used to hold the doors shut. I tilted the roof which you can't see so it will hopefully drain beyond the back of the pen.

WOW-- this looks incredibly nice! I love it! Beautiful pens!

That's so funny because after going around and around on this point in my new coop build, I've decided to do the same. My current coop, I have to walk in and collect eggs and I kind of like that because it gives me a chance to check the feed level in the feeder and make sure nothing is amiss in the coop. Nevertheless, I had planned to have my nest boxes on the outside, and was trying to figure out how best to do that, when it hit me: why do they have to be on the outside? I'll be entering the coop every day to check on things anyway - why not just collect eggs from inside while I'm there and save myself the hassle of the extra supports for external nest boxes, worries about leaks etc. So, although I have not yet built the nest boxes, I have planned where they will go when I do.

Another thing you might look into is Marek's. I don't know a ton about it, but believe it does cause gradual leg paralysis among other things.

That is looking really great - good job!


Well, it is another hot one today. I spent all day yesterday working on my coop. It was forecast to be 92 but that is in the shade and I was in the sun, on a ladder, roofing most of the day. It may be the hottest I've ever been. I know I've never sweated as OBVIOUSLY as I did yesterday and all of my clothes were practically wringing wet by the end. Had to drink gallons of water just to get through the day.

By the end of the day though...we had the roof pretty much on (still need to add the roof vent but although we had it sitting right there, we had run out of energy so decided it will have to wait until the next coop-build-day - hopefully this Friday.
Here is a photo of our progress by the end of the day yesterday:



And now a question: I am planning to install an auto door. After researching several different models, I decided on the one I want. It operates via a light sensor so will close the coop at different times throughout the year, depending on the amount of light (seasonally). There is an option to use a timer instead but I'd prefer to use the light sensor as long as it works well. Anyway, the company has two sizes available. The standard size is 9x12 and the larger is 11x13. Right now, the standard would work for all the birds I have but as I plan to have turkeys at some point, do you think I will need the large? I will have heritage turkeys and my preference is MW or RP's, so they won't be huge birds but I still wasn't sure if they'd be able to squeeze through the 9x12 door or if I should play it safe. What do y'all think?

I love the idea of having a whole large shed for a coop! I should have thought of that before I dove into the cute little backyard coop I made. Mine isn't the easiest to walk into, so it is really nice to collect eggs on the outside. But I can certainly see the ease of walking in. Your coop is really coming along fast! Great job! Seymore my past turkey would get into anything-- very small holes, it didn't seem to matter. But if it's not much more to go bigger, it might make it easier on everyone.

Also-- Mareks-- this is what I found it says, so I hope the bird with the weak legs isn't a victim of this.
Marek's disease is caused by a virus belonging to the Herpes virus group. The neural type of Marek's is typified by progressive paralysis of the wings, legs and neck. Loss of body weight, anemia, labored respiration and diarrhea are common symptom. Birds have ruffled feathers, a slight tremor at onset of the disease, strained defecation, loss of appetite and are dehydrated. Affected birds have a tendency to sit and when forced to move, have an unsteady gait. Vent picking is common and a whitish diarrhea frequently develops.



Well, been gone most of the day and trying to work on cleaning the house while it's too darned hot to work outside. I got a good start and now it's time to wrap it all up for the evening and put everyone up. It sure went fast!

 

[Hawkeye95]

Made me LOL! Today I was working outside when my chickens began to have a fit. I had my hands full so I asked the kids to go see what the fuss was about. Turns out our inside cat had slunk out with one of the kiddos and the chickens weren't having it. They couldn't catch the poor cat who was scared spitless until he was on the complete other side of the house. I've never had my chickens tell me something was not satisfactory before. I guess you and I better get our acts together!


JosieChick, that's interesting to know. I would have never thought they wouldn't want to go in. I only have one turkey right now so hopefully it will think it's a chicken for awhile.

The kids and I processed another 20 birds today so I am well and truly tired. I did take time to play with the ducks today. Chopper's and crew are doing just great! Amanda is so pleased that the tiniest duckling that she named Kiki, is now the biggest, except for Chopper. Being the youngest in the family, that's pretty important to her!

Karen, I'm betting your turkey will follow the chickens and go right in where ever they go! I know my Seymore was an "only child" and she would squeeze into small holes that the chickens went into. Nothing bothered her. You might not have any issues. But they do like to roost up pretty high when they are older. If I didn't get out there in time, Seymore would be nearly 20 feet up in the rafters of my horse barn for the night. So another 20 birds all dressed up!! You are one hard working mama! What is your trick for getting so many done at once? Are you mainly processing roosters? I hope they were nice and meaty!

 

[cherwill]

This is Scout, my Campine.

What a pretty bird!

I've heard that before Trish but all they are doing is duplicating what nature does. I've read the best way to hatch them is under a broody hen. I am having trouble imagining one of my hens sitting on those huge eggs. I've had them sit on duck eggs before but they didn't hatch. I think your incubator and turner are just fine. People hatch them like that all the time. I have a total of 8 peacock eggs coming soon and I plan to incubate them. If they weren't so expensive I'd let a broody try but that is pretty risky.
I got my outdoor button quail cages finished and got them moved. They are a little freaky cause they have never been outside. They've spent their life in my basement. I had a lone male who killed a couple of females so I just stuck him in with the white doves. He hasn't moved an inch since I put him in there. Scared to death.
I see Ivy posted on chicken chatter. Maybe she just hasn't gotten here yet. Come on Ivy... I need you.
Josie I just sold 50 Seramas and I had a ratio of about 1-6 with roosters and hens. Now since I sold them and two of the hens died it is about 4-6. I have a couple young ones that aren't old enough to breed yet which could even up the numbers a little but for now there are too many boys. I only kept the ones I wanted to breed with. Maybe I should have sold them all.
I had to get a load of feed today but I think I'll wait until evening to shovel it. I need to get back out there.
Just came in to get the camera. It's not painted or finished in any way but here is my button quail cage thing: Yes those are clothes pins I used to hold the doors shut. I tilted the roof which you can't see so it will hopefully drain beyond the back of the pen.

That's a really nice looking setup.


Yesterday, I think DH and I overdid it in the heat. We thought we were drinking lots of water, but after our last lawn and before we'd gotten to the community garden, about 4:00, we both started feeling weak and a little shaky. We went home and drank a lot of water and had a snack. We felt better, but neither of us felt up to par the rest of the night. It's all good today, though.

We dug up another horseradish at the bonus garden, a small one, and are planning to pull some more beets tomorrow. I found a recipe for a beet and horseradish relish to use with roasted meats. It sounds interesting and I want to try canning some, maybe Thursday while DH is at work.

My niece's ducks, Doug and Stan:

 

[medawinks]

I am so impressed with all the building and cages etc.... I need to get busy and figure out a solution here.... Right now my birds just have a covered roost and nesting in a converted dresser....

I started teaching extended school year and have been so beat that I haven't really enjoyed my time out side with the chickens this week. I am not liking that......

Danz, what farmer's market will you be going to? I will buy a couple dozen and I bet Sera would go roust up some customers for you

 

[medawinks]

I had to laugh when reading about the pop door closing early!!! IF my silly group would actually go up the ramp to their roosts, some are only 2ft off the ground, I would be thrilled!!! My silkies are going up to roost, maybe because they followed Bloom, but the rest.... Huddled in the corner in the run.... I have to go put them on their roosts EVERY night. Just like putting kids to bed too! This one has to be by that one and can't be by this one and pushes that one.... It was a chicken soap tonight, with helpless chickens all waiting to be waited on....

 

[HEChicken]

I had to laugh when reading about the pop door closing early!!! IF my silly group would actually go up the ramp to their roosts, some are only 2ft off the ground, I would be thrilled!!! My silkies are going up to roost, maybe because they followed Bloom, but the rest.... Huddled in the corner in the run.... I have to go put them on their roosts EVERY night. Just like putting kids to bed too! This one has to be by that one and can't be by this one and pushes that one.... It was a chicken soap tonight, with helpless chickens all waiting to be waited on....

You're so funny!

I must admit, I've always used the same method of parenting the birds that I do the kids - let them sort it out among themselves for the most part! Chicks always seem to be more comfortable huddling in a pile on the floor but as they get older they tend to seek out the roosts. I let them figure out when they're ready and one day I walk in and find they're all up on the roost and I never really noticed it happening.

Tonight I noticed my muscovies sitting by the fence looking a little lost (I just moved them into my vegie garden area yesterday, very temporarily since we're moving this weekend). They have a dog igloo in there that I had planned on them using to sleep in at night but I forgot to tell them that. So I tried to share that piece of information with them this evening and it involved chasing them down, grabbing a couple, putting them in the igloo, and having them stay there just until I had grabbed the next two. Then I'd hear them jumping out and joining their flock mates. After half a dozen tries (the most I ever had in there at one time was three), I gave up and told them to sleep wherever they wanted and next week when we're moved to the new place, we'll figure out more permanent sleeping arrangements anyway.

 

[cherwill]

Yeah, we still haven't figured out the trick with the EEs. They want to roost in the nesting boxes even though there's plenty of room for all the birds to roost on the roosts we built for that purpose. It's hard to shove a bird out of the nesting box when a bigger bird is shoving back. Sometimes we can get them out and set them on the roost, but of course they're never happy

with who they're roosting next to.

 

[Trish44]

Well I didn't get my turkey pen done yet. I went out there & worked for about 3 hours tonight & got the shelter box attached to a pallet & the roof hinges on it. That's as far as I got besides carrying it over to where it's going to sit, which was quite an ordeal. I had to build it in the driveway where I had room to work & then I was going to use the two wheeler to get it to where I wanted it, but I couldn't get it past the rocks on both sides of the brick walk to the garage, so I ended up having to just muscle it a little at a time until I got it up there. It's going to sit right behind my Ameraucana pen & those birds weren't happy sitting on their roost when I came over there with that big box, they were griping at me a lot for disturbing their sleep. I wonder what they're going to think of Turkeys being in the pen right behind theirs, The Turkeys talk a lot, so we'll see how the chickens react to them. The dogs will of course have to check them out too, they log in everything I think in their little brains when I bring something else new out. They will probably get in trouble for barking at them like they did the little chicks & then quit when they finally decided they belonged there & I wanted them to watch over them too. They sat for the first night right outside the run beside their pen. I can't wait to get this Turkey pen done so I can move them out, they're so dirty, they're not even white any more. I put fresh litter in their brooder box & by the next day it's brown & awful, they're just messy birds. At least I will be able to clean out this pen easier than that brooder box. They just freak when I put pine shavings in the brooder, you would think I was putting aliens in there the way they act.

Cherwill, those are some cute little ducks! I see all of these cute ducks & geese & I want some, but I have enough on my plate right now with the turkeys & hopefully peachicks before too long.

KarenS, I don't know how you do all you do, gosh another 20 chickens, that's a lot. You should have chicken for awhile with all the birds you have processed lately. I was kind of surprised that my DH said we should do that next year. I would have never thought in a million years he would say that.

My DH has been working a little at a time here & there trying to get the foundation like he wants it. If he ever gets it all level & square I'll take a pic of it so you all can see where we're going to build. He needs to go out there with the chainsaw before we start building & cut a few tree limbs to get them out of the way. I think it will be a great spot for a coop if we ever get to the point of building it, he is so S-L-O-W. If it was something for him he would be on it a lot faster, but it's not & it's not important to him, so it gets lower priority than his running.

 

[chicken danz]

Cherwill, your nieces ducks are so cute. I like crested ducks. I only have crested in the cayugas here.
You guys are so funny with your chicken roosting stories. I always just let mine learn to roost on their own and choose their own spot. Of course there are still a discussion or two between the ladies if someone gets too close to someone else's designated place. The littles always seem to crowd in a corner though. It never fails the first place they always roost is on top of the waterer! That way it is sure to run down the sides and into the water!
Medawinks I was just thinking of you this morning when I let the "back porch boys" out. That's what I call the Salmon and the D'uccle. They do the same thing. Huddle back in the corner. I have a 25 wt red light in the back of their crate they get under. I could probably turn it off. They certainly don't need it at their age. Those guys fight all day long. The D'uccle thinks he is the boss regardless and chases the Salmon off. But at the same time they are always together. You see one you'll see the other. He even chases the Salmon away from food and water. But come night time they are snuggling together.
Thanks for offering to buy eggs. If I do happen to go to the farmer's market I will probably just go to Burlington. That would be a bit too far to go for eggs. They'd probably sell faster in Topeka but that would eat more gas than the eggs would bring. I was afraid I would sell too many pullets, but at this rate I think I can let several more of them go. Plus I have so many that are broody right now that's even more layers I potentially have. Last summer I was scrounging for enough eggs. My older girls have really slowed down now, but he young ones are cranking them out like machines.

Hechicken I am impressed. My radishes are just coming up. I planted them quite late and they really should be grown cool so I was happy they even came up. I do hope the chickens like them because I will be the only one eating them here and I got a really good stand so far. I planted my sweet potatoes I started yesterday. I am sure I didn't do it right but the plants look pretty healthy. I just bought store sweet potatoes and experimented. If I get a few sweet potatoes I will be thrilled. We could certainly use some more rain. I definitely need to get the garden mulched.