Consolidated Kansas

[cherwill]

I got home this afternoon & sat down for awhile & then went out to do chores & on my rounds found the speckled sussex hen that was acting off last night laying dead on the side of the hill.

Great news! The BLRW has hatched and is happily chirpping away!!!!!! Fantastic!!!!! He is curiously stumbling around inside and playing soccer with the other eggs!!!! I stayef home ftom school to keep an eye on them!!!!! VerY EXCITED

I hope his eye is better.

My road trip yesterday did me in. I was hurting yesterday, but able to function and walk pretty good. This morning I am a hurting unit again. I guess time will ease this up. I hate it when my back gets all inflamed. I'm trying for a goal of going 10 years before another back surgery. I had another neck surgery a year ago next month, but it has been nearly 3 years since I had a lower back surgery. So I've got 7 more years to go. I'm wondering if I will make it. The surgeon told me I would have to have another surgery within 10 years so I am trying to make it at least 10 years to prove him wrong. Sometimes I set some goals for myself just to work harder at getting better.
I have to go get a load of feed today which isn't going to be pleasant. DH is working 12 hour days so he won't be home before dark for the next three days. That means I have to do the shoveling. Not good!!
I am glad to report that JosieChick, her friend, and myself managed to get the ducks off the lake in the park. It went really smoothly at first until one duck escaped. There were some wild mallards with the domestic ducks. The stupid Mallard drake was the problem. He kept freaking out and going back to the water and the last domestic duck would take off with them. Finally we were able to get them convinced to come back up and eat and we got him cornered in a day pen thing. Now the ducks will safely be at a domestic home and be safe. It was nearly 6:00 before I left, but it felt really good to be able to participate knowing that their lives had been saved.

I'm glad you got the ducks to a safe place.

Take it easy and try to rest your back for a couple of days if you can. I hope it feels better soon.

Cherwill- I LOVE mowing! It is so relaxing. I am so glad we have room here for my original gang of girls who are almost 3 years old. I couldn't eat them, they are pets. DH says we shouldn't be feeding them if they don't lay eggs anymore but they lay a little and I am so attached to them that I couldn't butcher them. I did see a wanted ad on the Kansas City craigslist the other day for someone wanting free hens and they said older birds who weren't laying very well were ok. They just wanted a flock of chickens. Obviously I would investigate heavily but there are some people out there that just keep them as pets. I knew of an older lady in Wichita that just had a few old hens that didn't lay and she just cared for them as her backyard pets. So there might be someone out there that could give them a good retirement home. If you find out anything about this, please let us know. My DH is the same about having to feed birds who aren't producing eggs, especially since our space is so limited. I still think there are a couple I couldn't get rid of because I like them so much.

So I had a terrible experience on my drive home last night. This is moderately GRAPHIC so if you are faint of heart don't read on! I'm glad you didn't hit that deer. It was still a horrible thing to see, but it could have been so much worse.

Dh is able to start up on chemo again today and will have two more rotation and then check to see if tumor has shrunk down and then start radiation. im hoping this will be done with by christmas but im not sure . Have to drive into topeka to take him lunch have a great day everyone

It would be great if he could be done in time to really enjoy Christmas.

Well I'll be darned!!!!! There are two buff laced brahma chicks in the incubator peeping their fool heads off! Guess those eggs weren't rotten after all, can't believe they had chicks in them, so weird....

A nice surprise for you!

Mine spend the first few days in a Rubbermaid tub and and a couple of layers of paper towels is enough. I haven't ever had a chick try to eat shavings either. I use a metal lid to a gallon glass jar for feed and water at first, I've never at one drown. I've been really laxed I think compared to others, they just seem so incredibly smart and act like chickens right after hatching. Except for sleeping, they fall asleep so cute. Check out this one sleeping standing up, cracks me up...

That is the cutest thing!

Now for the pics!

Meet Bunny and Rabbit - the easter eggers!



Crow and Butterfly - the Javas (about 3 months old)



Goldie and Lacey - Gold Laced Orpingtons (these girls are a bit older than my current flock by a couple months and were the worst picked on tonight - they held their own though!)


Raine - Splash Silkie!

They're all so pretty, but those EEs are stunning. Mine are all different and pretty, but not nearly as showy as that.

I gave her a 'soap mohawk',

Well, but you have to do that whenever you have the opportunity, right?

 

[mommahen10]

HEChicken, me too. Mine have been outside and they have access to a light but they are rarely under it and never all of them under it. They seem to be enjoying being outside.

Maidenwolf, I usually do papertowels for the first few days now just because there is a risk of them eating the wood shavings. BUT... honestly... I used to put them directly onto the shavings and I never had an issue. I've seen them put them into their mouths but they don't eat it, they put them back down. How would we know if they actually ate them? I haven't ever put marbles in my waterer but now I'm going to have to because if I don't something terrible will happen. I've never had a chick drown, their waterers aren't very deep. I don't put the waterer in until they don't seem so wobbly.

ChicknBaron, I think it's probably just that he's tired. He may be more tired becuase his eye hurts. I would let him rest and if he's not active by morning I would help him drink. I wouldn't be worried about the others not pipping yet either, sometimes it just takes a while.

Karen, it's way past bedtime here and I'm quietly on my laptop trying not to wake my dh. I totally blew that reading your post about the roo flying around, that's too funny. It sounds like you all had great fun, makes me wish I had come.

Tweety, I love all the pics. You chose awesome names too. They're beautiful!!!!

Hawkeye, Your chicken is beautiful! I've only bathed one once, it was a chick with severe pasty bottom from Orcheln's, it's fine now. I've never seen a silkie in real life but it just looks like a little ball of fluff, it's sooo darned cute.

ChicknBaron, he's so cute!!! He fluffed out nicely. How many more eggs do you have hatching? I had so many in my incubator, and I took some out not knowing better and there were more pipping. Then I was in a catch 22 for the rest of the hatch. I couldn't tell if they were shrink wrapped until I looked closely and started helping, but they were shrink wrapped. But when I open the incubator to help the ones that needed help it also hurt the ones that didn't need help. I think that my last hatch I reacted on instinct and if I had thought a little more I likely would have had a better hatch if I had let the shrink wrapped ones work at it longer even if it meant.... ugh.... cringe.... I hate to say it, but even if it meant sacrificing them becuase I hurt many more by opening the incubator to help them. You really can't tell what is going on inside of the shell. If you help, always go slowly and very tiny bits and wait inbetween. If there is any bleeding then stop but that also means that the chick is likely fine and not ready. There isn't any bleeding or very little bleeding if it's truly just ready. The risks are bleeding and the unabsorbed yolk, it's just scary. So if you just have a few left in there, maybe help or maybe not. If there are many left in there you may want to just leave them alone and take it as it comes. I'm sorry, I know it's really hard stuff. They're probably all fine and more likely than not it'll be better to just leave them be. Keep us updated.

Maidenwolf, can't wait to see your new babies.

Goodnight all.

 

[maidenwolfx80]

thanks ,,, I am up bright and early in hopes that I will recieve a call from the post office

Had the brooder light running all night to keep it warm,, COME ON CHICKIES!!!!!

 

[ChicknBaron]

i have 4 in the incubator unhatched, 2 are pipped, the 2 that are, will have been pipped for 2 full days after school today... that being said, if i don't see any progress from now to when i get home i think i'm gonna try and help them since the other two are pipped yet... From the wellie egg i haven't seen pretty much any thing from it or heard it but the reason i think they are shrink wrapped is because the aussie has made a Big pip and looked like it was trying to zip but is stuck sooo... it looks like i might be helping them out later in the afternoon... wish me luck

 

[maidenwolfx80]

Oh good luck let us know how it goes

 

[checoukan]

Hey Did anyone else besides me noticed that Hechicken won the BYC SPIRIT AWARD!!!
Way to go!!!!!!!!

 

[chicken danz]

I am so far behind on posts I can't possibly catch up. Maidenwolf I have ordered from Ideal two times and it took 2 days both times.
Josie you've moved so many birds I wouldn't think you'd have much left. BTW I am going to buy another Sebbie hen from a friend of mine. She is 2 years old. Do you think she will get along with my group? She did have a couple blue saddle backs that were smooth breasted, but they were male. I didn't know if you'd be interested or not. Her husband has been fighting cancer all over his body for years and he has some very severe types right now and has to make several out of state trips for special treatments, so she is reducing her animals. She is selling her birds too cheap so if I can help her I certainly will. I know you are downsizing but I know you wanted a smooth breasted as well.
I've got to say Josie and Hawkeye, that little silkie looks awesome. Her markings are so perfect. I thought she as adorable before but she is just gorgeous all cleaned and fluffed.
That reminds me. I cannot believe how totally soft the English Orps are. They are so much more fluffy that the American breed. I totally love them. I want to breed some of those English traits into my American girls.
I need to check my incubator. I believe I have some more eggs due to come out in the next day or two. I also should be getting some eggs in the mail today with luck. Sure hope they arrive in good shape. I spent a chunk of $$ on them. I hate having to have eggs shipped to get what I want.
I got my feed and managed to get it all shoveled into the barrels late yesterday,but let me tell you it was not a pleasant thing. My back and legs were singing. I really need to get out and do some fencing but I just don't know if I can handle it right now.
In past years I decorated outside for every holiday. Lots of lights and stuff. Of course I never had dogs that would steal things and I had porches to decorate, and of course lots of traffic. I have a fortune in decorations and it seems such a waste not to use them. I love putting on a light show of sorts for people. Dennis says no one will see it so why go to the trouble but I still love to decorate. I have some Halloween decorations I'd love to display. I am just so undecided what to do. I guess I could sell all this stuff but what fun would that be?

 

[chicken danz]

No I didn't Rosie! That is awesome. Congrats Hechicken.

 

[Trish44]

, congrats HEChicken!

Today is going to be a busy one, I probably won't be on much today, so hope you all enjoy the cool weather & have a good day!

 

[mommahen10]

ChicknBaron, 2 full days does seem kinda long. Let us know how it goes, you may still have to do a little and then stop. I hope all goes well.