Consolidated Kansas

[checoukan]

Yes, the pictures are of my black rosecombs. I have been breeding for several years now.

I would say, just by the picture, mommahen 10, what you have in the cock birds is a black
australorp. That breed is in the English class of birds. Admitted into the SOP in 1929. Developed in Australia, and bred mainly for egg production. Hens lay a tinted egg, medium weight, very active bird, hens will lay a lot of eggs, but you still can butcher and have a nice size bird for the table. Of course you have a cock bird so he will instill some of those quality's in his pullet chicks.

I like crossing the black australorp over silver spangled wyandottes. Makes BEAUTIFUL hens!

Oh yeah Loralee, I use the bands you can purchase from the ABA. Those bands color change every year. Last years were yellow with black letters. This years are blue with raised letters. These bands are placed on your chicks leg, have to keep trying until they stay. These are a permanet band, the number on each band registered too you. I like them because they do change every year in color, a quick glance and you know what year of bird it is. You can record the number in a book as to what birds where together, who that mating turned out with the chicks. I would be so lost with out my bands.
As you know you can breed and get good quality chicks, from birds 1 and 2. 1 and 3 may produce so-so chicks. but you can breed bird 24 and 3 and get eye popers at the show, then turn around and bree 24 and 2 and get many faults. It is the best way to keep track, and works for show ID. It is what I use, you can see the bands on the rosecombs.

So If you sell some of your chicks, and are banded, if a couple years down the road, someone buys the bird, they could contact the ABA, and find out where the bird originally came from.

Oh my bet I just bored everyone!

 

[HEChicken]

Same with dogs--- I'm not into the puppy stage. I have adopted all of my dogs as adults because I am just not a fan of puppies! LOL I mean, I LIKE them, of course! But I don't want a chewing, pooping, non-house-broke puppy that is going to cry all night. I like to skip right to the point where they want to lay around, cuddle and do their business outside. LOL! But not to say I don't appreciate babies....

LOL - that could have been me talking! We adopted all of ours as adult dogs too - been there, done that with puppies! The only time I had a puppy and it wasn't a hassle was a little stray who was about 10 weeks old and was found abandoned by the side of the road by a client of the vet clinic I was working in at the time. For a couple of weeks I tried to find a home for her with everyone who walked through the door but no one wanted a puppy and in the course of those two weeks taking care of her daily, I grew fond of her and finally broke down and took her home. Setting her down in the house, I followed her closely while she learned her way around the house, and after an hour her sniffing seemed more purposeful, so I snatched her up, ran outside, set her on the grass and she went potty. That was it - she was house-trained! We had a cat door and from then on, she used it to go outside to potty, having apparently got the message that "we don't do that inside". The next day I left for work, and when I got home, walked in with trepidation, wondering what might have been chewed up in my absence. I found....nothing. That puppy never did chew up anything or potty in the house!!! She was my constant companion for years, going everywhere I went except to work (ironic since I worked in a vet clinic, where animals abound, but I didn't want her exposed to illnesses carried in on other people's pets) and I miss her to this day.

We have something similar here, but I think it's more expensive. We paid $24 for a sink and that was 40% off! I'd love to check out the Restore places.


I love wrapping presents! Years ago a friend signed me up for a bow-making class at a local store, Cook's Nook, to learn how to make the big bows they put on their packages. I've been making those bows ever since. I get to buy ribbon in all kinds of pretty colors.

There is a ReStore in Wichita, so if you are ever down this way, you should check it out - I really enjoy browsing through there to see what they have.

You should hire out your gift-wrapping service to those of us who really do NOT enjoy gift-wrapping!

When do you have to have the birds tested, Loralee? If we have our get together at Heather's and you bring your birds I could test them that day.

That's a great idea - I'd love to see how the testing works, even though I don't have any plans to show so may never need to know how to do it!

Checoukan, those rosecombs are really stunning - I love the bright white (huge) earlobes.

Okay everyone, for the get-together, let's plan on Friday the 28th of September - hopefully that day will work for most people but if not, let me know. I kind of had to just pick a day so I am flexible if that isn't going to work. Anyone who doesn't already have my address, please PM me for it, as I'd rather not post it publicly. I will do a variety of bottles of soda pop, and have as much ice as we could use, plus I will provide desserts. I don't need a list of what everyone else is bringing, but if you would consider either a plate of snacky type foods to have out for the duration, or a lunch-type dish for the "main" course, that would be great. I can't wait to meet those of you I haven't already met, and see those of you I have met before, again!

 

[Hawkeye95]

Yes, the pictures are of my black rosecombs. I have been breeding for several years now.

I would say, just by the picture, mommahen 10, what you have in the cock birds is a black
australorp. That breed is in the English class of birds. Admitted into the SOP in 1929. Developed in Australia, and bred mainly for egg production. Hens lay a tinted egg, medium weight, very active bird, hens will lay a lot of eggs, but you still can butcher and have a nice size bird for the table. Of course you have a cock bird so he will instill some of those quality's in his pullet chicks.

I like crossing the black australorp over silver spangled wyandottes. Makes BEAUTIFUL hens!

Oh yeah Loralee, I use the bands you can purchase from the ABA. Those bands color change every year. Last years were yellow with black letters. This years are blue with raised letters. These bands are placed on your chicks leg, have to keep trying until they stay. These are a permanet band, the number on each band registered too you. I like them because they do change every year in color, a quick glance and you know what year of bird it is. You can record the number in a book as to what birds where together, who that mating turned out with the chicks. I would be so lost with out my bands.
As you know you can breed and get good quality chicks, from birds 1 and 2. 1 and 3 may produce so-so chicks. but you can breed bird 24 and 3 and get eye popers at the show, then turn around and bree 24 and 2 and get many faults. It is the best way to keep track, and works for show ID. It is what I use, you can see the bands on the rosecombs.

So If you sell some of your chicks, and are banded, if a couple years down the road, someone buys the bird, they could contact the ABA, and find out where the bird originally came from.

Oh my bet I just bored everyone!

I'm SO GLAD you are back Rosie!!!! LOL!! I love chatting about this and I have sooooooo much more to learn! I am such a newbie and just trying my best to be as ethical as I can in my breeding and trying to keep good records to track my birds. I've been using zipties on all of my birds, so I know who was hatched when and who their parents are. But it would be nice to switch them all over to bands and just record numbers. I'm up to using combinations of multiple zip ties on a leg with different colors on them so I can keep track! LOL My method is the best it can be considering I am not using bands.

But I have to buy bands this weekend so I can get them in time for Nationals. I will check the ABA for their bands, thank you for that tip. And to be honest, I think you've told me this before, but I wasn't ready to do anything. It all takes time to get around to being more serious about driving to shows (and having birds that won't embarrass you, either!). Tell me, can I put these bands on a nearly mature adult? Or do they have to be put on as chicks?? I can go ahead and buy them, but I will need bands I can put on teenagers. (cockerels and pullets) They are nearly grown, but not quite. I love the idea of color coordinating the year, so you will always know what year your birds are. NICE!

This is why I love talking to you about how you set up your pairs and trios, etc. It makes a lot of sense now when you explain how different birds can do well or really flunk out on creating good chicks. I think after some extensive chatting with other silkie breeders, it looks to be that the best way to breed out faults would be to work with multiple roosters and pair them or work in trios to offset other faults in each other-- and keep a close eye on who is throwing what kind of faults. I've discovered this year that one rooster isn't going to be the end-all to beautiful birds that meet Standard. I need to set up a better cage system -- I'm thinking stacking next year when we build our new barn. I get to take over the front 25 X30 feet of my horse barn for my silkie project! But until then, I'll have to work with my wire dog kennels that are stacked in my garage. Which is fine, because when I go out to do AI in the winter, it's right there and easy access for me and I don't freeze my bootie off. What kind of a record book do you use? I have made up a form on my drawing program and made spaces for how the chicks were at hatch (vaulted or non), toes, etc and then spaces for parents, hatch date, what shows they attended, a list of faults or concerns -- like combs, feet, wings, etc.. I'm not going to record any of my culls. Do you ever record culls so you know what happened from year to year?

I'm really excited, nervous and scared about this ASBC Eastern National... I hope my birds hold their own. I don't expect to win anything, but I sure don't want to be the worst looking birds there, either! I've seen the birds mine will be up against, there is no way. BUT, I'm looking forward to meeting everyone, making friends and hopefully creating long standing friendships with them.

 

[Hawkeye95]

LOL - that could have been me talking! She was my constant companion for years, going everywhere I went except to work (ironic since I worked in a vet clinic, where animals abound, but I didn't want her exposed to illnesses carried in on other people's pets) and I miss her to this day.


Okay everyone, for the get-together, let's plan on Friday the 28th of September - hopefully that day will work for most people but if not, let me know. I kind of had to just pick a day so I am flexible if that isn't going to work. Anyone who doesn't already have my address, please PM me for it, as I'd rather not post it publicly. I will do a variety of bottles of soda pop, and have as much ice as we could use, plus I will provide desserts. I don't need a list of what everyone else is bringing, but if you would consider either a plate of snacky type foods to have out for the duration, or a lunch-type dish for the "main" course, that would be great. I can't wait to meet those of you I haven't already met, and see those of you I have met before, again!

Aww, sounds like a truly amazing dog. I understand about that. As for the gathering-- count me in!! But... what time??? I will bring something, but it might be on the easier side since I will be trying to transport a bunch of silkies down to you and for Danz to test! LOL!! Danz, are you game for testing me for the 90 day Cert?? Tell me how much to pay you for the tester stuff-- that liquid what-it-is.

I have been looking at my birds and think I may go ahead and bring up 4 or 5 birds to the show. I need to go hunt down those bands that Checoukan told me to get!

 

[sunflowerparrot]

LOL - that could have been me talking! We adopted all of ours as adult dogs too - been there, done that with puppies! The only time I had a puppy and it wasn't a hassle was a little stray who was about 10 weeks old and was found abandoned by the side of the road by a client of the vet clinic I was working in at the time. For a couple of weeks I tried to find a home for her with everyone who walked through the door but no one wanted a puppy and in the course of those two weeks taking care of her daily, I grew fond of her and finally broke down and took her home. Setting her down in the house, I followed her closely while she learned her way around the house, and after an hour her sniffing seemed more purposeful, so I snatched her up, ran outside, set her on the grass and she went potty. That was it - she was house-trained! We had a cat door and from then on, she used it to go outside to potty, having apparently got the message that "we don't do that inside". The next day I left for work, and when I got home, walked in with trepidation, wondering what might have been chewed up in my absence. I found....nothing. That puppy never did chew up anything or potty in the house!!! She was my constant companion for years, going everywhere I went except to work (ironic since I worked in a vet clinic, where animals abound, but I didn't want her exposed to illnesses carried in on other people's pets) and I miss her to this day.

There is a ReStore in Wichita, so if you are ever down this way, you should check it out - I really enjoy browsing through there to see what they have.

You should hire out your gift-wrapping service to those of us who really do NOT enjoy gift-wrapping!

That's a great idea - I'd love to see how the testing works, even though I don't have any plans to show so may never need to know how to do it!

Checoukan, those rosecombs are really stunning - I love the bright white (huge) earlobes.

Okay everyone, for the get-together, let's plan on Friday the 28th of September - hopefully that day will work for most people but if not, let me know. I kind of had to just pick a day so I am flexible if that isn't going to work. Anyone who doesn't already have my address, please PM me for it, as I'd rather not post it publicly. I will do a variety of bottles of soda pop, and have as much ice as we could use, plus I will provide desserts. I don't need a list of what everyone else is bringing, but if you would consider either a plate of snacky type foods to have out for the duration, or a lunch-type dish for the "main" course, that would be great. I can't wait to meet those of you I haven't already met, and see those of you I have met before, again!

What time?

 

[HEChicken]

Well geez, you guys are asking HARD questions LOL. Really flexible on time - shall we say between 11:30-12 to meet? Plan on staying as long as you want - I don't have anything going on that afternoon at all.

 

[Trish44]

checoukan, what kind of chickens are those? They reminded me of our rooster, mainly that green on the black. Here's my rooster, anyone know what he is?
He looks like an Australorp to me, I compared pics online & he matches perfectly. I only have hens in this breed, but I'm pretty sure that's what he is.





Here are some of our babies, they all look the same to me. Can ya'll tell the boys from the girls?
I can't tell much from this pic, you have to look at feathers around the neck & if they develop the saddle feathers pointing down close to the tail. If they have those saddle feathers they're roosters. These look like Black Sex Links.



These are my older babies, I still can't tell the boys from girls. I pulled out one that looked just like his dad but he crowed so it was a no brainer.
That one Barred Rock over to the right sure has a big comb, I would bet it's a rooster.





This one we have referred to as the crazy chicken, it's scared of chickens and we are working on that. It flies up on people but is not in the least bit afraid of the dog, this concerns me. Girl or boy????? This one is a rooster, you can tell because of it's tail & it's getting the saddle feathers back by the tail.






What about this one? Boy or girl?


Night ya'll.

I had some fun last night, I had decided it was time to incorporate my two new pullets I have had in quarantine into the general laying flock, so I went out to try to catch them with my net. The pen they were in is just really hard to work around, so I was able to catch one & of course the other one got loose. I wasn't able to catch her before she got away from the coop & Jasmine saw me trying to catch her & joined in the chase. She seems to think that it is a game now if I need to get a chicken back in or catch one. I'm not sure how I'm going to curb that behavior. I'm sure in her mind she is helping me, but in actuality she is making things worse by chasing the chicken further away & scaring it. Anyway, I lost track of her so I decided to get the rest of my chores done before it got too dark & then try to find her. It got totally dark before I got back to it so I had to take my flashlight out & just happened to look under a pile of limbs after a few minutes & there she was crouched under there to sleep for the night, so I was able to pick her up pretty easily since they can't see well in the dark. I wasn't having a good time of it last evening anyway, the cats were just being awful until I could get them some food & get them out of my face, the dogs were fighting over spilled chicken feed, I mean a knockdown dragout fight that I had to break up, & then the loose pullet. I was about fit to be tied by the time I got in from doing chores, I'm glad it's not like that every night.

Danz, I sent you a PM regarding the contact info about the peachicks for a couple people. I hope you find a friend for your little peachick, it may not be white, but at least he/she would have some company. Mine seem to be very happy together, so that has worked out really well, the little guy I got just came in & has acted like he's always been here. I can't wait to see him grow & develop. My hens are really filling out & looking nice right now.

I'm getting ready to call & order the roofing material for my breeder coop, so I get to get the color of roof I want instead of what they have on the shelf. The roof is going to be the most expensive thing on the coop, but I think it will be worth it. We're going to use the Ondura corrugated roofing & I'm getting the dark brown, it will go well with the color I'm going to paint the coop, which will match our house. I think the more natural colors will blend in better with the area & woody place the coop is instead of standing out like a sore thumb. I'm excited to start closing it all in, that will be progress!

HEChicken, that sounds great on the get-together, Sunflowerparrot & I plan to come together. I may make the dish I just made the other day to bring, it's kind of comfort food, we'll see.

Well the silly girl that was supposed to come two days in a row finally contacted me last night & said that if I could sell the rabbits to go ahead & sell them, that she has trouble getting away. I hate to tell her, but I already have made arrangements to sell them to someone else. I can't believe people think you should just hold things for them forever & not show up or contact you. From now on I'm just going to sell to whoever shows up with the money first. I have gotten burned several times by being nice & holding things. You want to be fair, but then people doing reciprocate with that. The guy that is supposed to come get the rabbits said he wants to come this evening some time to get them on his way back from the fair. I hope he lets me know what time he's coming. I have another one that is wanting to trade me bricks for the remaining rabbit & I will if he ever changes his security settings so I can PM him my address. He is expecting me to post it on a swap page & I won't do it. People are so strange sometimes.

 

[HEChicken]

Trish, I can't wait to see the breeder coop coming along - I didn't even know you could order other colors - good to know for the future. I was looking at some of those materials at Lowes when building my coop but then I was gifted some roofing materials, I wound up saving the money and using those materials instead. I never intended to have a red and green "Christmas" coop but that's the way the cookie crumbled.

Sounds like an entertaining evening. How are the new pullets doing with the rest of the flock this morning?

 

[Trish44]

HEChicken, Yeah, they have a color pallet of those roofing materials, but you have to order a minimum of 10 sheets, which we may not end up using all of, but I can always use them on top of rabbit hutches, I have some I got free from a friend that were used that I have on several hutches for coverings over the nest box part, it works great. What I like about it is it's flexible & not really heavy. It should last for a very long time. I'm also ordering two skylights that are special order to go in the roof to let in more light since it is a shady spot there, I will just offset them to give more light in more places. Those are more expensive than the regular roofing, so I can't really afford too many of them. Oh I don't think your coop looks like a Christmas coop at all, it looks nice. I just happen to have the option to do mine in earth colors, so that's what I'm going to do. I think you did a great job on your coop.

The new pullets seem to be doing pretty well so far, one is more bold than the other & she came out right away & started picking around in the yard with the others when I let them out, the other one is more shy & she kind of hid behind the little guinea pen & in the coop for awhile. Hopefully she will get more comfortable & come out & learn to fit in with the others too. It's funny how different they can be with different personalities just like people. Hopefully these two will start laying soon & my other young ones too. I just think quite a few of my hens from last year must be going into molt or have been in molt. I have noticed quite a few are finally growing in feathers on their backs that got picked out when I had Big Red & there were too many roosters. Maybe that's why they have been eating like starved birds because they're growing feathers. They have just been putting down some serious feed lately, I hope they level off on that or I won't be able to afford to feed them all. My two little pullets in the garage that have been sick are slowly getting better, I had already taken the little roo back outside, but the other two are improving slowly. The Swedish Flower Hen pullet is almost well, but the Cream Legbar pullet is taking longer. They just may be more prone to things here since they haven't been in this country long. I'm still treating the ones out in the grow-out pen too. There are still a few that need treatment yet, but they're all eating like pigs & running around, so I think they're doing well. I hope to be able to move the 3 Welsummer pullets out of there soon. I just want them to be closer to the size of my other pullets before I move them or they will get picked on.

Well my DH just left for work early, so I need to get out now & go work on my turkey pen, I want to take the top off & try to redo it so the water doesn't stand in the tarp. Wish me luck that I can get it done by myself!

 

[sunflowerparrot]

I can't believe how expensive it is to build a coop! $1700 later, and we're almost done! My boyfriend did an amazing job on this thing.. Just need nest boxes and the hen door cut out... oh, and a handle on the outside to make it easier to pull open the door.