Consolidated Kansas

[HEChicken]

Josie, congrats on the job interview!

Danz, more Danzsizing!!! What kind of eggs are these that you are getting?

Hawkeye, sorry about your sick kids - strep sucks. I hope she feels better soon. Good luck at the show!

MaidenWolf, do you keep a "log" of the funny things your kids say? When my kids were little I kept a little notebook and wrote down those funny things and now I'm so glad I did as I would have forgotten many of them otherwise. They are now teens but love to get out those notebooks and read through them and we all have a good laugh.

 

[Hawkeye95]

Ha! Ha! That reminds me. They threw one of their squeaky dog toys outside their pen today. I picked it up and squeaked it in my head gooses face when I went out to feed them . He hissed at me. First time I had heard that from any of them. I don't know if he didn't like me squeaking it or if he was mad cause I had his toy. Silly birds. Then when I threw the toy in the pen he was all normal again. I wasn't intimidated at all. I guess I know him too well. I'm too used to the sissy scream and running with his wings in the air!!! I must say I am glad I didn't see all those birds in person before I talked to her. I would have bought the whole bunch. Those lavenders are gorgeous. I think I am going to have beg you for eggs!!!

I got a message and it looks like I am going to get some more chicken hatching eggs this weekend some time. Yeah I know! More danzsizing. I'd rather be hatching for myself this fall and then hatching for profit next spring any way.

oh wow, your geese sound fun! We used to have the plain jane geese when I was a kid. I don't know what breed they were-- they were white, and not overly large. I don't remember them being too friendly. Uh oh-- more eggs, hu? What kind? Another fancy one? I have to admit, that those heritage or fancy breeds do look like fun!

Hawkeye, do you think that your good hatch from shaken up eggs was due to them sitting with the big end up for a couple of days? If it's perfect shipping temps and I have lots of indoor area ready, maybe I should take advantage of it? Are hatching eggs priced better at different times of the year? I keep admiring the pics of the silkies and they're so cute and fuzzy it makes me think they're little, but I realized that it's just becuase they look so fluffy that I think they are little. They remind me of babies. How big are they? This event that you are going to sounds like a huge deal, and a lot of work. I'm so sorry that you have sick kids, that's a lot going on. I hope they get better quickly.

Funny about what your kids said! I often laugh at what mine say, and yeah, I have had to walk out of a room because I didn't want them to see me laughing because I was supposed to be acting serious. Yeah, those shaken up eggs only made it because I let them sit out a couple of days on the counter with big ends up. If I hadn't done that, the air wouldn't have come back up to the top. All shipped eggs should be candled before you throw them in your incubator to make sure that the air is at the top and if not, let them sit until they are (or most of them are). I then will mark the ones that don't look good-- the ones I don't think will hatch. I like to see if I'm right or wrong. Usually I'm right, though. You can see by candeling if they will hatch by the quality of the air sac, how badly it is detached, etc.. Silkies are bantams, so they are small. But they are not as small as some bantams. Silkies are on the larger side of a bantam. But they do lay pretty small eggs. And they only lay about every other day-- sometimes less! They are pretty worthless, actually, because they have black skin, black bones and black meat! So I can't even kill them and eat them. I couldn't stomach the idea of black meat. BUT--- they made up for their "worthlessness" by being super friendly, quirky and of course, fluffy! LOL! They are more on the delicate side-- they shouldn't get wet in the rain, and they are more sensitive to heat in the summer, and winds and the cold in winter. (their feathers are NOT waterproof, so they get chilled to the bone fast) In the summer, I had a fine water mister in their pen to keep them cool. In the winter, I put them in a horse stall to stay out of the winds. They don't always do well with bigger birds, but if you're careful and have a large enough pen, they can do just fine! Most people just have silkie pens and don't run them with anything but silkies. They can't see very well and they will walk into feeders, walls, etc. But a lot of people do run them with the rest of their flock successfully. If you do decide to buy silkie eggs, be sure to ask me to who buy from! I have a list I am keeping of breeders that are not very responsible (like they are breeding split wing, bad toes, bad type) and then good breeders-- those birds will look more like what the SOP calls out for. (standard of perfection) They are more expensive eggs, but that is the way it goes. I pay right around $60-80 for a dozen eggs and I consider that pretty fair. Right now, you may not get a good selection of eggs, as most birds are molting and not laying. But you never know! This would be pretty perfect shipping temps so long as it doesn't freeze.

Now it wont stop, I told DH this before I brought the first ones home and I am asking for an incubator for xmas lol...
So the new pullets I adopted, I took one more today,, yea I know but I didnt have a buff orpington and she just looked at me and didnt run when I came to her and she was free and I am saving her from having to go to a home were she will be treated terribly. I was going to take all 10 but knew I could not.. These girls are the ones I have isolated and they have gotten out twice and foraged among my flock, I am glad they are healthy but I am still worrying..

I got an incubator for xmas last year! Best gift I've gotten in a long, long time! I would recommend the Brinsea Octagon if you are going to get a small incubator. It holds about 24 eggs. They also have larger sizes-- 48 and on up. But that one is such a good price and just about the right amount for starting out. Brinsea has a facebook page that they will run coupon codes on. Then when they do and you are ready to buy-- go sign up for their email letter and they will send you another coupon code that you can combine with the first one. But they only give you like 30 days to use it. So don't do it until you are ready to buy.

Josie, congrats on the job interview!

Danz, more Danzsizing!!! What kind of eggs are these that you are getting?

Hawkeye, sorry about your sick kids - strep sucks. I hope she feels better soon. Good luck at the show!

MaidenWolf, do you keep a "log" of the funny things your kids say? When my kids were little I kept a little notebook and wrote down those funny things and now I'm so glad I did as I would have forgotten many of them otherwise. They are now teens but love to get out those notebooks and read through them and we all have a good laugh.

Yeah, my youngest is just really whiney. Sigh. I love the idea of keeping a book of what the kids have said. I haven't done that.

 

[Hawkeye95]

MommaHen -- just for humor, this is what Silkies look like dressed out! Although-- I'm guessing these are the European silkies that are twice as big as our silkies here. Our silkies here in the USA would NOT be this large! LOL These are HUGE!

pretty scary compared to how cute and adorable they look with all of their feathers!

 

[chicken danz]

Oh Josie, Now I am jealous. I really was afraid to get more boys cause I didn't want arguing amongst them. You have to promise me eggs or a baby! I told Dennis last night I should have taken the whole group because they were so pretty. But then you would have missed out. I think you are better equipped to handle them any way. Besides, I had fun yesterday, but I could sure tell you were getting totally wiped out by the trip home. The girl here is very nice but her chest isn't quite as curly as a couple of mine.
Dennis said he was reading about Sebbies (I couldn't believe it!) and it said because of their curly feathers they weren't able to stand the cold quite as well as a normal goose. Had you heard that? I have to build their housing better anyway but now I am wondering just how substantial to make it for them. Any ideas on this? I hadn't heard that before.

maidenwolf, my dh said no to potbelly pigs.

All this talk about beauty sleep. My youngest was sitting on the potty and he always sits there forever and I get so bored waiting on him. He asked me to get a balloon out of the bathtub and I did and he said, "You can get it becuase you have looooooooong arms", and while I was completely bent over getting it he blurted out, "and you have a biiiiiiigggggg butt". He wasn't being stinky, he was just jabbering like they do. I had to walk out, I was cracking up. Then the other kids asked what was wrong because I was laughing to the point of tears and my 8yo said "It's okay Mom, you don't look hideous!." OMGOSH!!!!!

Reminds me of my second daughter. She was maybe 2 or so. She was always pointing out the body parts like kids do. You know like Eye, nose, ear etc. She always got confused and called elbows boobs, and boobs elbows. I was laying in the tub one day taking a bath kind of sideways with the left half of my body in the water and the right half out. She was jabbering and pointing at my body parts and saying what they were. She pointed at my elbow and said "Boob!" I said, "No that is an elbow." She very indignently pointed at my left boob which was covered in the bath water and said, "So what is that in the water drowning then?!"

Yeah, they are giant dorks. My gander will bluff at me during breeding season but he never follows through! They are so funny when they hiss.

Wait until you see this lavender boy! He is fabulous. Awesome head and neck and a beautiful color. He is the nicest of the bunch! Hope I have some lavender babies in the spring! They should be really nice baby goobies.

Oh Josie, Now I am jealous. I really was afraid to get more boys cause I didn't want arguing amongst them. You have to promise me eggs or a baby! I told DH last night I should have taken the whole group because they were so pretty. But then you would have missed out. I think you are better equipped to handle them any way. Besides, I had fun yesterday, but I could sure tell you were getting totally wiped out by the trip home. The girl here is very nice although her chest isn't quite as curly as a couple of mine. It's kind of hard to pick her out from the group.
DH said he was reading about Sebbies (I couldn't believe it!) and it said because of their curly feathers they weren't able to stand the cold quite as well as a normal goose. Had you heard that? I have to build their housing better anyway but now I am wondering just how substantial to make it for them for winter. Any ideas on this? I hadn't heard that before.

MommaHen -- just for humor, this is what Silkies look like dressed out! Although-- I'm guessing these are the European silkies that are twice as big as our silkies here. Our silkies here in the USA would NOT be this large! LOL These are HUGE!

Oh that looks nasty. Nope I don't think I would want to eat one!

Well I am getting more Marans eggs and a few more blue barred rock eggs. And even though I was NOT going to get them and hold out for Rhodebars, I am getting a dozen legbar eggs. I really wasn't planning to breed them because I don't think they'll hold their high prices long, but she has several so I am going to try a dozen of them. I see the problem with auto sexing as being; if you don't sell chicks in pairs exclusively, you are going to end up with tons of left over roosters. I am just not good at saying no!!! She has been really awesome to deal with so I feel I owe her a little.

 

[HEChicken]

Reminds me of my second daughter. She was maybe 2 or so. She was always pointing out the body parts like kids do. You know like Eye, nose, ear etc. She always got confused and called elbows boobs, and boobs elbows. I was laying in the tub one day taking a bath kind of sideways with the left half of my body in the water and the right half out. She was jabbering and pointing at my body parts and saying what they were. She pointed at my elbow and said "Boob!" I said, "No that is an elbow." She very indignently pointed at my left boob which was covered in the bath water and said, "So what is that in the water drowning then?!"

 

[JosieChick]

Josie, congrats on the job interview!


MaidenWolf, do you keep a "log" of the funny things your kids say? When my kids were little I kept a little notebook and wrote down those funny things and now I'm so glad I did as I would have forgotten many of them otherwise. They are now teens but love to get out those notebooks and read through them and we all have a good laugh.

What a cute idea! I will have to do that. I never thought of it but kids say the funniest things. My mom used to keep scrapbooks of all the artwork and really good school work grades we got as kids. I always love looking through those things that she kept and she always wrote little notes next to them.

oh wow, your geese sound fun! We used to have the plain jane geese when I was a kid. I don't know what breed they were-- they were white, and not overly large. I don't remember them being too friendly. Uh oh-- more eggs, hu? What kind? Another fancy one? I have to admit, that those heritage or fancy breeds do look like fun!
Yeah, my youngest is just really whiney. Sigh. I love the idea of keeping a book of what the kids have said. I haven't done that.

Hope your kiddos feel better soon! The sebbies are a ton of fun! They crack me up. Mine have neoprene pool toys that they like to take in and out of their kiddie pools with them. Along with all the pieces of rope, sizable pebbles and bungee cords they pick up around the yard!

Oh Josie, Now I am jealous. I really was afraid to get more boys cause I didn't want arguing amongst them. You have to promise me eggs or a baby! I told Dennis last night I should have taken the whole group because they were so pretty. But then you would have missed out. I think you are better equipped to handle them any way. Besides, I had fun yesterday, but I could sure tell you were getting totally wiped out by the trip home. The girl here is very nice but her chest isn't quite as curly as a couple of mine.
Dennis said he was reading about Sebbies (I couldn't believe it!) and it said because of their curly feathers they weren't able to stand the cold quite as well as a normal goose. Had you heard that? I have to build their housing better anyway but now I am wondering just how substantial to make it for them. Any ideas on this? I hadn't heard that before.

I am planning on splitting several of these birds into pairs and trios for breeding season into separate pens. I am going to select for body size and shape, neck head and shape and try to plan some fun color matches. Not all of them will go into breeding pens but will stay as a flock in a separate pen. Only the best of the gang will be intentionally hatched from as planned groups. I have one young white curly that has a snaky neck so he won't go in. They are supposed to have thick, short, stove pipe type necks, a high domed head with short, refined beak. One of the girls on the sebbie thread think Arabian horse head.

Sorry didn't mean to be a poop on the way home! I was just burned out. It had been a long day and I hadn't eaten much and got dehydrated because I forgot to bring my water bottle into my interview. I was planning on having time to stop on the way home and eat lunch too so I was glad we stopped to eat even if it was for junk because I was half starved!

I have read that they don't do as well in cold and wet weather because their feathers are not as water and wind resistant as a normal feathered goose. I was so paranoid the first winter with mine and we built a makeshift wood shelter thing but they never went in it! I wound up just putting straw out in big piles for them to sleep in and they did fine. A couple times I went out in the morning and all their feathers had little beads of ice frozen to them and the first thing they would do was dive into their freshly filled ice cold pool for a bath. Brrrrrr!!!!! So I think as long as they have a three sided thing to go into and some straw they will be fine. We built a hoop house this year for ours but I doubt they will go in it much but its there if they want it.

 

[chicken danz]

I just sold a car. This was my dream car. A luxury sports car that I loved with every ounce of me. Problem is it sat so low to the ground that I could no longer get out of it because of my back. So it has sat in the driveway maybe 2 years without moving. Insurance on it was very expensive even after dropping it to liability only because of the kind of car it is. One of my neighbors offered me half of what it was worth but I took it anyway cause I need to buy tags and pay insurance at the end of this month. I hate to see it go cause I'll never own another high end car like that that is more pleasure to drive than anything I could imagine.
But I can use the money. He also agreed to buy another car I own, but after he left, DH said he needed my car for parts for one of his cars but didn't want to pay for it. So I guess DH is going to sell him a different car if he wants it and I will just eat the money I was going to get from mine. It's all immaterial I guess as long as we get another vehicle moved out of here. There is no reason to have vehicles sitting around I can't drive in my opinion. I just wish DH would work on his spare cars and at least get one running and get rid of the rest of the stuff.
I need to make a trip to the bank and deposit some money before I spend it!!!
I have 4 brahma chicks and one Breda chick in the hatcher. Looks like I got some nice colors. I just wish I had a lot more of them. There's still a few eggs left to hatch.
We turned the heater on last night. It just got too cold in the house. I haven't ventured outside yet . Burr!

 

[chicken danz]

Josie, I didn't think you were a poop. I just could tell you were beat. So was I really, but you have a much better excuse!!!
Hummm! I didn't think about building them a hoop house. I could see them enjoying that. I keep telling DH I want to section off a portion of the barn for them but he refuses to answer which means he doesn't want me to do it.
I made a phone call and sent DH after 6 bales of straw so I can get some bedding down for the birds before tonight. But it still isn't getting me ready to venture out into the cold!!!

 

[maidenwolfx80]

.


I got an incubator for xmas last year! Best gift I've gotten in a long, long time! I would recommend the Brinsea Octagon if you are going to get a small incubator. It holds about 24 eggs. They also have larger sizes-- 48 and on up. But that one is such a good price and just about the right amount for starting out. Brinsea has a facebook page that they will run coupon codes on. Then when they do and you are ready to buy-- go sign up for their email letter and they will send you another coupon code that you can combine with the first one. But they only give you like 30 days to use it. So don't do it until you are ready to buy.

OOO thank you for the info that will come in super handy..

 

[mommahen10]

Hawkeye, I don't think I could get past the black either. They just look weird all dressed out. That's funny. I think I'll just enjoy looking at your silkies from a distance, I don't think they're sturdy enough for our lifestyle. I would have to bring them to bed with us or something and I don't think my dh would appreciate that.

Danz, I'm cracking up about your funny story. I'm sorry about having to let go of your car, but you're very right. What's the point of having it if you can't use it. It's just time for it to go then, it's not doing anyone any good just sitting there.

I'm going to head out to take the kids to town, they're all stir crazy. There won't be any more cute chicks to look at, they're all gone.

Hey, I saw on Craigslist that there is some type of sale coming up in Pittsburg that a hatchery is doing. It looks like they're travelling selling chicks. I may have to go check it out just for fun. I really like seeing different breeds and I've just never had the opportunity to see anything more than the basics.