Consolidated Kansas

[Deerfield Acres]

You make them. Cookie tin, light socket, hole in the side, cord with plug in. Ta da! They are done. I made one last year out of a short stubby popcorn tin I had and it is awesome. Just the right height for the waterer and it was tall enough I could set the light bulb upright. Most of them have to have the light bulb coming out from the side and laying parallel to the top.
I bought another cookie tin after Christmas on clearance and a light socket but never got the second one made. I should be digging that out and get started on it. Most people use like a candelabra type bulb with a regular socket. I have a 60 wt regular bulb in my big one.

Oh! Duh! Sounds like even I could make such a thing!

Karen, thanks for your offer but we are quite a distance. We do get that way sometimes though if you still have some leftovers we would love them. We could use some smaller pieces of lumber to make the doors for the brooders. BUT... guess what??????? My dh got a mileage check and he's going to pick up the sack concrete now!!!!! YAY!!!! He won't get to work on it tonight but we will have it for tomorrow. I'm so excited things will continue moving along. I didn't realize you had so many children. That's awesome. How old are they? Ours are from 24-4, we have 10.

...

I'm cracking up at the thought of letting the kids loose with the decorating. Mine do the decorating too and it's usually pretty tacky looking and I couldn't care less, they have fun and they're learning and it's all good.

Oh, hooray for a floor!!!!!! Congrats! My DH is taking tomorrow off to work on my chicken stuff. Gotta love a guy who will take time off work to help with a project he doesn't even have much interest in. Ours are almost 7 to 16. We adopted 8 kids within 8 years. We have one in high school, four in middle school and three in elementary school. This year they are all in the same school district and that has helped their organizationally challenged mother considerably.

That's my take on it -- they have to try things to learn and it's all good.

...

I used to be Martha Stewart. In fact, my SIL calls me "Martha" for the decorating, the table settings, the cooking and the crafts I used to do. I used to be much more of a perfectionist than I am now. Well, I still am, but it's more theoretical than applied these days.

Cracked me up!

Precious and fluffy

Aren't they just?

Wow, I haven't had a chance to get on here today it's been a busy day & there were so many posts it took me awhile to catch up! There is no way I can respond to everyone, so I won't try.

We had to go to Lowe's this afternoon to pick up my roofing I ordered & the special nails for it, some other screws to put up siding, & some OSB for the roof. It was just a nasty, windy, cold day today. After we got back & my DH went to work I went out & cut off about 100 cable ties & pulled the chicken wire & tarp off the top of the grow-out pen. I was going to put the shelter I had been working on in there, but it turned out there was no way to get it in there. HEChicken will know what I mean when I say the gate to that pen is so narrow you can't get much of anything through it. Sunflowerparrot & R came over to help me, but we couldn't figure any way to get that shelter in that pen, so we ended up putting my extra igloo dog house in there & the other little dog house I did have in there. I never would have gotten that igloo dog house in there if it hadn't been for Sunflowerparrot. She was standing up on the other shelter box & lifting the igloo over the side of the coop, which is 6 foot tall. I was on the inside of the pen & we managed to get it over the top & into the pen without killing anyone. Then she helped me get the fencing I had hooked over the top of the pen. That was some real fun, at one point I had the fence sitting on the top of my head while I tried to hook it onto the top of the pen with cable ties. After she left I got the chicken wire & tarp pulled back over & hooked back onto the pen. Then I got my big tarp out of the garage & hooked it onto the back of that pen & halfway over the back of the turkey pen next to that one. Then I got one more tarp out & put it on the side of the pen, so my imported birds should be OK now for the cold snap. I was the most worried about them since they're more fragile & have been sick. At least they have shelter in there & a break from the wind. I got straw put in the dog houses in there for them to snuggle in & then had to hurry & feed everyone before it got too dark. I was feeding the dogs just after dark & finally got to come in & thaw out. I have to get a couple more tarps tomorrow & some plastic so I can do some more pens & the peacock/ guinea hoop coop yet. I'm also going to move all the rabbits into the cages in the garage tomorrow. I don't want to leave them out in the cold this weekend, I'm afraid they will get sick. That's all I need now is to have sick rabbits. Gosh I hate to have this cold snap come, I know it's time for cooler weather, but I'm not ready for 30s & 40s yet, BRRRR.

You chicken ladies are awesome! Way to go wrestling that dog igloo and fencing into submission!

Okay, I'm off to get some beauty sleep -- hope it works!

 

[ChicknBaron]

anybody have any ideas on what might of happened that a chick that is apparently not a black australorp hatched out of an australorp egg?

 

[maidenwolfx80]

Thanks guys they are precious.. When I put my hand in with them they run to my hand and chirp and jump around and peck at my fingers.. And when I begin messing with the food with my fingers they run over and start eating,,, it is killing me with cuteness. My daughter said "look they already know who momma is"

I am sure you all will get tons more pics. I have a lady here in town needing to find a home for 2 pigs and some roosters if anyone is interested let me know.
Trish--- it is going to get chilly this week I guess it is time to get winter prep rolling.
Chicknbaron-- I dont know about eggs but I was very impressed with Ideal Poultry with these chicks I got today. The delivery was fast and even shipped a day early arrived on the 2nd morning, all chicks were alive and healthy and active. I will be ordering from them again. the prices were excellent and the selection for this time a year was great.

 

[cherwill]

Who was looking for someone to take older hens? Here is that craigslist ad: http://kansascity.craigslist.org/grd/3311847197.html

Obviously it would need some investigation because they could be lying but if not it sounds like a sweet deal for some older girls that don't lay very well anymore?

It was me (DH, actually), but I wasn't in a hurry. Wonder why it's flagged for removal? I could see it if they were looking for roos. Oh well.

I've always loved decorating and over decorating everything. I still love it I just think about it now instead of getting it done!

I went out to work some more and decided to get busy picking stuff from the garden. I picked two huge buckets of peppers and still have half of them to go yet. That is just picking the bigger stuff. I don't think I should have to buy any peppers of any kind all winter. Or maybe all of the next year. My chickens do love them though. I picked a few cucumbers and gave the chickens a treat while I was at it.
I actually went out to get a butternut squash and never got that far. I found a recipe for a butternut Cream pie and just have to try it. Bending over to pick about did my back in. I got the vent covers on the chicken houses, closed some windows and some wood doors. I was so cold I just figured the chickens would appreciate it. So in all that I never got started on hanging fence again.

We have a freeze warning for Saturday night. I'm a little freaked out tonight because there was an end in sight with the painting. If it's too cold, though, that'll be a problem. I had figured we'd be done some time this weekend if we could work all day. You're not supposed to paint if it's less than 50 degrees, so it looks like we only have afternoons and maybe not even that on Saturday. I guess I could go pick what's left in the garden in the morning. I have a ton of tomatoes, but they're mostly green. I should have some peppers. Most of the eggplants have bug holes in them, but I've left the plants in the hope that it would keep the bugs away from the tomatoes and peppers. I just give the eggplants to the chickens, so they're happy about the bugs. My aunt and uncle are here from California and I've barely seen them so far. I'M SO SICK OF PAINTING!!!

Precious and fluffy

Major cuteness!

 

[mommahen10]

ChicknBaron, I wish I knew what kind of chick you have. Maybe a pic would help for someone more skilled than I.

maidenwolf, adorable chicks!!! What kind are they? I have one that looks like the one in the middle I don't know what kind it is. I look forward to watching your chicks grow up. Where is town? How big are the pigs? We have room and could use them if it's not just too far.

Danz, I haven't done well storing fresh peppers. I already put a ton chopped into the freezer but there so many more out there. We're still eating cucumbers, and we tried to plant a late crop of corn but they didn't get too big. It happens to be it's right beside the chicken coop so I give them some every day. I hold it through the fence and they go crazy.

Josie, I will wait, and I will post an ad as soon as I figure out where to do that. That is gross shipping in old popcorn, the butter and salt can't be good for the eggs.

Karen, my dh is taking off half a day tomorrow to do my floor in the new coop. YAY!!! Please advise on this 'beauty sleep' concept, I seem to be doing something very wrong.

Wish I had answers for you cherwill but it does seem that the painting will be limited. I'm sorry. I'm sure you'll find something else that needs done, sounds like you've already got a back up plan.

 

[Hawkeye95]

there was too much-- I can't respond to everyone, so sorry!

I hope everyone is a have a great day. my DH is not feeling so good for the past two days. Chemo is kicking his but this time around his throat and mouth hurt so he isn't drinking or eating very much. He's been sleeping a lot sense Tuesday and now its cold outside so he cold more.


Chicken are eating more now that we made it more like the crumbles some so that's good. How do you winterize your pens or do you?

So sorry your Dh isn't feeling well. I use straw bales to block wind, I shut the North window and then when it's really cold, the east window and then I just leave the south window and door open for air.

We spent a good bit building another coop, we've exhausted all of our supplies that we've collected over the years, but we can't go any further on it until we buy the floor. We planned on doing sack concrete but after what we've already spent it's cost prohibitive at this point and now the coop is on hold until next pay day and my dh only gets paid once per month so that's pretty sad that it's only the 4th, but that's nothing new. Anyone have any other good ideas for flooring? We have the siding, but we don't want to put it up until the floor is done because it's not a huge coop. Thankfully, we don't really NEED this coop right now, but it would have helped and been convenient to have it. I want to rotate them around so we can redo another shed we're using for a coop.

I listed some pullets, I guess I'm not expecting them to sell this time of year but I will be prepared to stick to a fair price this time.

I have eggs in the incubator, nothing stinks yet so that's good. I have to look like a fool talking to my eggs as I turn them.

Did you build your coop right on the ground? You CAN use the dirt as your floor. You can piled up straw or shavings into it. But if the straw gets wet, it will be a mess. The pine shavings will hold up better and not mold. You can also throw in a bunch of sand. We found a quarry here that will load up our truck with sand for like $40! That's a lot of sand!

I sold about a dozen polish this morning for a prayer but I was glad to move them. At least it will pay for my new goose. I sold them at meat prices which is dirt cheap and then gave her two extras.
I do hope she breeds them because she has some awesome birds in the mix and a few that aren't so much.

Sounds like you still have most of your nicer Polish, right?

Tweety, have you seen those cookie tin heated waterers? They look really simple and cheap.

Danz, that's terrible about the eggs. That's a lot of money to get just a few chicks. Do you think the seller knew they weren't fertile? I'd agree they probably weren't fertile or they would have developed a little, maybe they held them too long before sending them? I don't know but that really stinks.

Check the link in the bottom of my signature-- I made up a mini website with pictures on how to make the cookie tin heaters. Also-- shipped eggs usually only have a 50/50 chance of making it in the mail. They get shook up, their air sacs get broken, and sometimes, the yolk is broken, too. So you can have all fertile eggs sent to you-- and most likely you are, but you'll still get about a 50% hatch just because they got shook up. Even if the egg looks fine-- that doesn't mean that some genetic link in the egg wasn't disrupted enough to go ahead and develop. There are lots of threads about shipped eggs here on BYC. Lots of things can go wrong. So, don't be too quick to say the eggs weren't fertile.

I've had 0 hatch from shipped eggs and I've gone to the other end by having most of them hatch... you never know!

Well I have an interview tomorrow morning for a grooming position at a pet resort in Overland Park. I am kind of nervous, I haven't had an interview for over 5 years! And our washing machine is on the fritz so if anyone has an recommendations for front loader, stackable washers let me know!

YAY, good luck!!

Well success! I gathered all my supplies and went out and got the new peafowl building all wired. I really want to put in underground cable to it but didn't want to leave it unfinished so I wired a male plug into the junction box I installed. If and when I finally run a wire out there I will just have to remove the plug and hook it to the trenched in cable. I put two outlets in each of the stalls. Hooked it up to an extension cord. then plugged in a circular saw in the most distant outlet. Voila! I have power. The peachicks were very unhappy with me because they wanted in the building to get out of the cold wind. It was so cute...they were peeping like normal chicks do when they get chilly. They crawled under the mamma peahen. I wish I had had a camera with me. I turned around and one of them popped up in the middle of her wing. So cute!

Congrats on your pea's pen getting wired up!! Whew! Just in time for winter!

Where do you get cookie tin heaters?

I think the kids would have a blast doing that, but you'd also have to be prepared for anything and everything to happen. Try as they might, disasters just happen so I couldn't guarantee there wouldn't be any breakage or kids strung upside down with decorative lights, dangling from your trees!

I buy them at Goodwill!! Or any other thrift shop for like a dollar. Or you can buy them new at Walmart, etc... Check out the bottom of my signature, and I have a step by step picture guide on how to build them!! Be sure they are deep enough and big enough to set a water fount on top.



Okay, I lost half of my multi'd posts. Ah well. I would have been typing all morning if this thing had kept them all. Sigh. I'm here-- just super busy. I sure thought I'd be able to get on more. I did get my registration papers filled out for the Nationals. I had to go out yesterday and figure out who was going with who. My son and I are splitting them up-- he's doing Junior and I'm doing Open. We are each taking 2 pullets and 2 cockerels, so 8 birds total. I don't think I can handle more than that right now!

That reminds me! All of Checoukan's posts went away that I had multi'd! Hmmm... I hope Ivy is doing well and it sounds like she is settling into her new job? Nice that you sisters get to spend more time together. Family is precious. Thank you for the advice on mites in the ears. I've never seen that, but from now on, I will be on the alert if I see head shaking! Interesting! OH and you asked me where the ASBC Eastern Nationals was being held, and it's in Sedalia, Missouri. I noticed they are also holding a Special for Rosecombs and Polish up there! (it says 2 specials, so maybe a big regional or club(s) meet?) Should be a big show, as they are also holding an International Waterfowl meet there too! Plus it looks like a lot of Regional meets for several other breed clubs. I bet it's crazy up there! So excited!!!

 

[Deerfield Acres]

anybody have any ideas on what might of happened that a chick that is apparently not a black australorp hatched out of an australorp egg?

Just a mix up of some sort at the hatchery, impossible to pinpoint. A pic would help or maybe it's a very funky Australorp?

It was me (DH, actually), but I wasn't in a hurry. Wonder why it's flagged for removal? I could see it if they were looking for roos. Oh well.


We have a freeze warning for Saturday night. I'm a little freaked out tonight because there was an end in sight with the painting. If it's too cold, though, that'll be a problem. I had figured we'd be done some time this weekend if we could work all day. You're not supposed to paint if it's less than 50 degrees, so it looks like we only have afternoons and maybe not even that on Saturday. I guess I could go pick what's left in the garden in the morning. I have a ton of tomatoes, but they're mostly green. I should have some peppers. Most of the eggplants have bug holes in them, but I've left the plants in the hope that it would keep the bugs away from the tomatoes and peppers. I just give the eggplants to the chickens, so they're happy about the bugs. My aunt and uncle are here from California and I've barely seen them so far. I'M SO SICK OF PAINTING!!!

Major cuteness!

Well that's the pits. Painting does seem to stretch on into infinity. My sympathies!

ChicknBaron, I wish I knew what kind of chick you have. Maybe a pic would help for someone more skilled than I.

maidenwolf, adorable chicks!!! What kind are they? I have one that looks like the one in the middle I don't know what kind it is. I look forward to watching your chicks grow up. Where is town? How big are the pigs? We have room and could use them if it's not just too far.

Danz, I haven't done well storing fresh peppers. I already put a ton chopped into the freezer but there so many more out there. We're still eating cucumbers, and we tried to plant a late crop of corn but they didn't get too big. It happens to be it's right beside the chicken coop so I give them some every day. I hold it through the fence and they go crazy.

Josie, I will wait, and I will post an ad as soon as I figure out where to do that. That is gross shipping in old popcorn, the butter and salt can't be good for the eggs.

Karen, my dh is taking off half a day tomorrow to do my floor in the new coop. YAY!!! Please advise on this 'beauty sleep' concept, I seem to be doing something very wrong.

Wish I had answers for you cherwill but it does seem that the painting will be limited. I'm sorry. I'm sure you'll find something else that needs done, sounds like you've already got a back up plan.

Yay for our DH's!!!! The beauty sleep is more a theory than a concept, a perpetual scientific experiment that goes horribly wrong every night and yet, I keep hoping for a great outcome.

Check the link in the bottom of my signature-- I made up a mini website with pictures on how to make the cookie tin heaters. Also-- shipped eggs usually only have a 50/50 chance of making it in the mail. They get shook up, their air sacs get broken, and sometimes, the yolk is broken, too. So you can have all fertile eggs sent to you-- and most likely you are, but you'll still get about a 50% hatch just because they got shook up. Even if the egg looks fine-- that doesn't mean that some genetic link in the egg wasn't disrupted enough to go ahead and develop. There are lots of threads about shipped eggs here on BYC. Lots of things can go wrong. So, don't be too quick to say the eggs weren't fertile.

I've had 0 hatch from shipped eggs and I've gone to the other end by having most of them hatch... you never know!

YAY, good luck!!


Congrats on your pea's pen getting wired up!! Whew! Just in time for winter!


I buy them at Goodwill!! Or any other thrift shop for like a dollar. Or you can buy them new at Walmart, etc... Check out the bottom of my signature, and I have a step by step picture guide on how to build them!! Be sure they are deep enough and big enough to set a water fount on top.

Oh cool! Thanks Hawkeye, a picture's worth a thousand words. Good luck at the show!

 

[HEChicken]

I am not looking forward to this chilly weather. I was freezing today.

Good luck at your interview today! You may find you stay warmer this winter than in previous years

Oh! Duh! Sounds like even I could make such a thing!

Yep - they are super easy to make. Do you use the black rubber bowls for water at all? I have several different sizes and what I've found is that sitting one of those on a cookie tin heater keeps it from freezing quite nicely.

anybody have any ideas on what might of happened that a chick that is apparently not a black australorp hatched out of an australorp egg?

My guess is that it wasn't an Australorp egg at all. It sounds like you ordered these hatching eggs from a hatchery? If so, I would guess that someone messed up when packing them and grabbed an egg from another bin and put it in. Either that or a non-Australorp got into the Australorp pen. Since they lay brown eggs that don't look that different from the eggs of any other brown egg layer, there would be no way to tell by looking at the egg itself, what breed it came from.

I have a ton of tomatoes, but they're mostly green. I should have some peppers. Most of the eggplants have bug holes in them, but I've left the plants in the hope that it would keep the bugs away from the tomatoes and peppers. I just give the eggplants to the chickens, so they're happy about the bugs. My aunt and uncle are here from California and I've barely seen them so far. I'M SO SICK OF PAINTING!!!

Last year was frustrating because it was so hot that my tomato plants wouldn't set fruit. Finally when the weather cooled off a little in September, the plants started to set fruit by the hundreds and then we had that early frost in October, before they had had a chance to ripen. I didn't want all the effort I had put into them throughout the season to go to waste so I picked all the green fruit and made Green Tomato Salsa, and I have to say, it was about the best salsa I've ever had. It was super easy too. If I recall correctly, I diced up the tomatoes, put them in a big stock pot with a diced onion and some peppers. I used hot peppers because that's what we grew and had a ton of and we like hot stuff. Then I added a cup of ACV, and simmered the pot for a couple of hours. Cooled it a little, ran batches through the food processor until it was broken down a little and looked like salsa, and put it in my canning jars.
I hate painting too. And, I have a little I need to do this weekend as well

I buy them at Goodwill!! Or any other thrift shop for like a dollar.

Thrift stores are a good idea! (On the other hand, if you have to go out and buy new cans, you get to eat the contents

. Then you can tell DH "But I HAD to buy the cookies, dear, I'm doing it for the chickens").

Sorry if I missed anyone - there were a LOT of posts yesterday. I got busy and got my roosts lowered to 3' and I am really happy with them now. I sat in there last night to make sure everyone can get up there and they all could. I put a cinder block in as a step up for them and they all eyed it and figured out right away that's what it was for. Several of them are unhappy with the low roost once they are up on it. I think they got so used to roosting on a 6' roost that it feels too low for them. I noticed them looking up and eyeing the rafters, trying to figure out if they could get up there somehow (they can't because I ran chicken wire under them to prevent birds getting up there). They paced and grumbled for awhile but eventually settled down. The other thing they're unsure about is where the prime roosts are now. They were used to all trying to get on the top roost and only when they ran out of space up there, did the lower status birds roost on the next level down. Now that they are all on the same level, there is lots of pacing back and forth from one to the next trying to figure out where the "high status" roosts are LOL. They'll get used to it and it will be so much better for their feet. Several of them have bumbles but are still laying and not limping so I guess they're not bothering them yet.

Cyrus jumped me again this morning. Sigh. I knew he was working up to it, so I walked up to him a few times to make him walk away and submit. He did the first few times, but I guess it just got to be too much for him and he had to have another try at me. If only he weren't such a good rooster in every other respect. He is so constantly vigilant - always with the flock and nothing ever escapes his attention.

 

[mommahen10]

Sorry HEChicken, it's time you have a talk with him about what come of a naughty rooster. He's a sneaky guy, isn't he? If it were me, I would say game over because it's not worth getting hurt or having someone else get hurt. My rooster has huge spurs, I would be scared if I felt his behavior to be unpredictable. I wouldn't want to have to watch my back because sometimes I get busy and forget to look back. I'm sorry you're having to deal with this, it's hard stuff.

Hawkeye, yes, he did build it right on the ground then I said.... hmmmm.... How about a floor to make it easier to clean? He about had a cow at first but this little coop was build directly to the side of the barn so he only had to build 3 walls with the 4th back wall being the barn. The up side is cost of course but the downside is that he had to follow the slope of the barn roof which made a bit short, but not too short for short people like me to get in there. Anyway, I don't want to build the floor up much, that's why we thought concrete. Our big coop was here when we bought this place, it has a dirt floor too. We put a really fine rock in it that packs together and down. It's still a pain and I can't get the smell out of there, not that a chicken coop is supposed to smell pretty but there's just no good way to clean it. We sort of scrape the top and shovel it out but that's about it. I wanted something that I could clean better. I will still put some straw on top of the concrete because if I scoop out the dirty the floor should still be decently clean. I hope.

Ha ha, the beauty sleep theory is never going to prove itself. I can't ever get a good night's sleep.

 

[maidenwolfx80]

Mommahen-- the chick in the middle is a silver laced wyandotte, the orange one is a RIR, and there is a black australorp, black langshan and a dark brhama I got 2 of each
I am in drexel it is 15 mins or so south of louisburg if you know where that is. I do not know th eage or size of the pigs. She is having to move soon and has no choice but to find homes for all the animals. I can find out more info if you would like or get her number and you could call her direct.