Consolidated Kansas

[mommahen10]

Hi all. I don't have time to read right now but I wanted to update that everyone here is fine. I still have a headache, everyone acts like nothing happened and the little one that got sick is fine now, he's eating and drinking and playing like normal. He didn't act normal last night, he wouldn't even talk last night he just laid there and didn't care what they were doing to him. When I left last night, I turned the fan on the furnace onto fan only and continuous. It won't turn on now, hasn't been on all night. My incubator is running quite low and I'm adjusting a lot and I'm worried about that too. I'm thinking that we are either just out of propane, it says 10% but it's an old tank/guage so I hope it's just empty, or it's the igniter. I can get the fan to come on if I turn it back to fan only. I have a lot going on with that right now, waiting on the propane guy to get here then we will move to plan B. We got the YUCKY mess cleaned up out of the van but I need to go get his carseat done now. BTW, the baby chicks outside are fine they're not staying under the light. The kids reported that the one with the hurt eye is fine too but I haven't looked for myself. I went out twice during the night to check on them, the 1 mo olds light came unplugged so it was a good thing I went out. The coyotes were really close and it sounded like so many of them. I was scared out there and even more scared that everyone was asleep and no one knew I was out there. I was hurrying though. I gotta get busy, but all if fine.

 

[sapphireblu76]

Wow, was I behind on posts again!

My kids have been sick all week and my youngest woke up with pinkeye this morning. Hubby started a new job this week, too. He now works first shift while he's in training, where before, he worked 2nd shift. I've had to change my sleeping schedule, so that I can take him to work and still get the the kids on the bus. DH and my oldest DS BOTH have to be where they need to be at by 7

So, we get up at 5:10am, take hubby to work, get oldest DS to bus, come home, put youngest DS back to bed, get him up again at 8:30, get him to the bus. Then, in 'THEORY', the rest of my morning is free (insert laundry, housework, morning chores -here-). Go get youngest DS from bus at 1:30, youngest DS's naptime, get oldest at 4, go get DH (who gets off at 4), home, dinner, evening chores, baths, stories, bedtime for kiddos... @_@ Last night we went to Midweek at my MIL's church for dinner and so we could all visit with her and my youngest decided he wanted to do the children's choir (at least it's only once a week), so we were there until 8pm. I could barely keep my eyes open by that time. I sure hope I can get adjusted to this schedule soon.

Lost my SLW roo yesterday after losing one of my BR pullets the day before. Looks like respiratory, judging by the yucky stuff dripping from her nose when I was carrying her out of the yard. I think the roo had it, too. He had been looking kinda poor, but he seemed like he was getting better. Anyway, I got Duramyacin (sp?) put in all the waterers. hopefully we can get this kicked in a few days. The BR didn't even act sick, so IDK. Hope I don't have anymore losses.

 

[Trish44]

mommahen, I'm glad everyone is OK, what an ordeal! I'm glad you shared that with all of us though, I wasn't aware of the toxicity of galvanized metal either when it's heated. I wonder how they get away with making those heated water bases with it? Maybe it just doesn't get hot enough to be a problem.

Josie, that sounds more like a raccoon attack to me. I had one pull one of my chickens heads through a chain link dog run before I got my main coop finished & that is where they were staying. It just ate the head off & left the rest of it. I have a book that tells about predator attacks & that is raccoon exactly. I'm sorry for your loss. There just must be a parade of predators out now because my dogs have been barking their heads off at night lately, more than they had been.

Sapphire, I'm sorry for your losses too, it's a bad time of year for respiratory stuff.

Danz, I'll bet those little chipmunks would love a pile of leaves to burrow into. If your yard is like mine it should be that hard right now to find some for them. They're starting to pile up on my front porch from the oak trees in my yard.

I got all the tarps put on the pens last night so I'm happy to have that chore done now. I may have to put a few more cable ties on in places yet, but at least they're on. I need to clean rabbit cages this afternoon later, not a nice chore, but a necessary one. I do use the rabbit droppings in all of my flower beds & the chickens scratch them around for me. You can put the rabbit droppings right on the garden or flowers without them burning, so at least I have free fertilizer all the time.

I'm going to get my flu shot this afternoon, we get them free at my DH's work. They used to just have us get them & file insurance, but they started last year just giving the families shots out at GE too. I guess they can buy it cheaper & have their own nurses give it than having insurance pay for someone else to give it.

It's really windy & cold here today, I had to dig out warmer clothes to wear. I got really cold out there putting on tarps last night, it probably didn't help my chest cold any, I'm still coughing.

 

[chicken danz]

Josie yeah it broke my heart. The peachick was all feathered back in and looking beautiful too. It would come up to eat but would run from the other peachick,even though he never acted aggressive to it at all. I think he was still traumatized from being picked on.
I would say your attack was raccoon as well. I would think mine was if I hadn't had this owl ripping off heads. And surely the dogs would have noticed. They are out there barking at stuff all the time. I don't have a trap or I would set one just to be sure as long as the cats were inside. It really infuriates me. I don't spend a bunch of dog food to have birds killed. I am sure you don't either. I'm not mad at the dogs but still feel powerless against this attacker.
DH is making a gate so I can shut up the white peachick for now. I hate to restrict their area cause they are loving all that space. But I need to move the white eyes peafowl in the pen with him.
Actually we have no leaves. You would think bu the way the wind blows around her it just blows them away .I am sure if the leaves would stay put the soil would be much nicer as well. I need tons more trees I guess.

 

[JosieChick]

Yeah, I am pretty bummed out. I need to move the ducks into the main pen and we are going to get the hot wire back up and running this weekend. I have lost a couple other ducks but that was before I covered the run and they just disappeared into thin air so I figured it was a bird of prey before. I couldn't see an owl dragging the duck under the a frame to chew on it. I am a bit frustrated because I feel like Molly can't handle it all herself. She just doesn't hear as well as a younger dog and she tries hard but she can't be everywhere. Lucie was really helping her a lot at night. I am worried for my geese. We are are going to move them this weekend too into pens closer up by the house. I don't think a predator would dare come up that close with the flood light and the dog right there.

Josie yeah it broke my heart. The peachick was all feathered back in and looking beautiful too. It would come up to eat but would run from the other peachick,even though he never acted aggressive to it at all. I think he was still traumatized from being picked on.
I would say your attack was raccoon as well. I would think mine was if I hadn't had this owl ripping off heads. And surely the dogs would have noticed. They are out there barking at stuff all the time. I don't have a trap or I would set one just to be sure as long as the cats were inside. It really infuriates me. I don't spend a bunch of dog food to have birds killed. I am sure you don't either. I'm not mad at the dogs but still feel powerless against this attacker.
DH is making a gate so I can shut up the white peachick for now. I hate to restrict their area cause they are loving all that space. But I need to move the white eyes peafowl in the pen with him.
Actually we have no leaves. You would think bu the way the wind blows around her it just blows them away .I am sure if the leaves would stay put the soil would be much nicer as well. I need tons more trees I guess.

 

[Hawkeye95]

Where in Missouri are you maidenwolf. I don't blame you for trying to get away from them. I drive school bus, and well I have kids I know would come to live with me if they were given a choice.
Rotissarie chicken , mashed tata's, and steamed califlower. Be ready in about 45 minutes!!

What a mess, for sure, MaidenWolf! So sorry about that, but that was down right insane for them to knock a bird in the head. Sounds like they are lacking in common sense. Personally, if a bird were up on the house, I'd leave them. Geez, idiots. OMGosh... Checoukan-- that dinner sounded AMAZING!!!!

I spent the other part of the afternoon running around in circles with my tape measure again!

I moved furniture and moved it again and changed my mind over and over about where I was going to put this monster cage for the chipmonks. I had planned to put it in the front room but it would have meant removing a couch.. ..DH didn't want to tackle that cause this couch is an antique and it weighs a ton. So I managed to get the room cleaned for the most part in the process of moving furniture ...only to put it all back where it was. Then I started moving furniture in the dining room. The cage is there for now. I ran out of daylight to get the bins all set up with digging material for them. Hopefully tomorrow I'll get it all finished and they can move into their new home.
My goal is to get that enclosed deck built as soon as possible so I can move the cage and the incubators out there.
I'm also going to get my rear organized enough to try to sell some of this excess stuff I have around here. I have ten times more furniture than this house can hold. Most of it is stuff I really want to keep but I have lots of other items that I could let go of. I just need to get reasonable about them.

Danz, glad to hear the pig is okay and doing well. Little bugger better be getting fat! LOL Sounds like you just turned yourself into a circle there. Its hard to sell things that you have sentimental value too... but then I think, do I want to live like that? Most likely if someone comes out to pay cash for a nice antique sofa, they are going to take care of it. Maybe you could do a bit of selling and decluttering and save up for the porch?

Maidenwolf, thats cool, you are not all that far from me.
well my headache finally let up. Oh man sure was trying to get me down for the count. Think I will feel better in the morning. Well my husband came home and said he just bought some more land! We wanted to buy this ground, but didn't think we could ever get it done. They ended up offering it at a really good price. Hoping to ge anouther 65 right next too it. If we can get this done by the first of the year, we will be able to get about 25 head more of momma cows!! YEEHAW!!! Maybe I can retire early.

YAY!!! So excited for you that you got the land for a good price, too! It would be nice to raise and sell them. My dad and I were talking about meat goats today. The market for them is getting stronger and they require less food. I know a lot of you all have had goats here... so it's a thought in the back of our minds. What do goats taste like? Are they gamey or pretty good?? Our 4-H has a couple of families that do market goats and they tend to always win, too! They know what they are doing, for sure.

Well, I did something really stupid this evening. I wouldn't normally blab about how dumb I can be, but it seems that half of my family knew better and half did not so if I can save someone else from doing something similar then I have to tell. I have these chicks in the house, I haven't been able to find my usual waterer I use in here, so we've been improvising, no big deal. Well, I found the missing waterer so I wanted to wash the feeder and use it for feed again and set it all up right. So I washed the feeder, but I wanted it to be completely dry before I added the feed. I didn't want it sitting on the counter while I was cooking dinner, I needed it done so I can move on with my chores. Silly me, or idiot me, put the galvanized metal waterer on the stovetop to dry it with heat like I do the cast iron skillet. OMGosh! It stunk so bad. I instantly got a headache, my throat started hurting, and I noticed the smell and that it was discoloring and I turned the stove off. The kids were all outside directly outside the kitchen window which was open. My 8 yo called for me, her throat hurt. I knew what it was, this was seconds after mine started hurting. My 15 yo came in, saw what I had done and started yelling to get everyone out of the house, which he and I were the only ones in the house but they all came in to see what the fuss was about. He was saying it's extremely toxic, you can't heat galvanized. So, we got everyone out of the house, the chicks were all asleep at this point which I thought was weird but I walked right past them. We talked on the deck a bit to figure out what to do, decided to go get the ipad to look it up and we did and then decided to call poison control to be sure. Poison control said that it's not likely we would be harmed by such a small exposure, plus the windows were open, plus the kids were outside and I was the one most exposed and I just had a headache and sore throat. We were advised to open the house and leave for a few hours and that's what we did.

The kids got in the van, I went back in and opened the windows and turned on all fans, left the doors open, lights off to keep the bugs away. I grabbed my sleeping chicks, and basically shoved them in the outdoor brooder, which it's not in that room yet so I wasn't ready to do that at all. They have a light on, but now the chick with the hurt eye is in with them all. Talk about shocking them. So we left and intended to go to town to a friend's house to bathe kids and get them ready for bed so we could still be on a reasonable schedule. We didn't get very far at all and my 4yo fell asleep, it was very early for this but I still didn't think too much of it. Then not 10 minutes later he started throwing up and I got so scared. No one has been sick, he had been fine all day long. We went directly to the ER and spent a few hours there. He continued to throw up, they gave him meds. The dr. said that it is probably due to the exposure to the metal toxins but that there is nothing they can do other than treat symptoms. We are home now, and my poor dh got the couch because the little one is staying right beside me tonight. We are to follow up with the dr. tomorrow. I still have a headache, but my throat isn't sore. The house didn't smell at all when we got home, but it's still very cold in here. I had my dh go out and check the chicks, he said they were all huddled together under the light but a couple of them out eating. I'm so worried about them too. I will probably bring them back in tomorrow. The chick with the hurt eye seems fine still, I'm just worried they will start pecking at it again. It looks better today than it has since we got her. I'm wondering if it didn't start draining to begin with and that's why they started pecking at her. Still, we don't need that nonsense.
I'm going to go out and check the chicks myself, I can't possibly rest without knowing they're alright.

Tomorrow is lockdown too.

That is really scary!! Glad you told us that, I would have had NO idea!! Hope you all are feeling okay today.

Oh, Hawkeye, I'm been meaning to tell you how great the silkies are doing! They spend their days in the chick pen with chicks that are a month old. They seem to be perfectly content there, because although they like to get out and explore and eat some greenery, the LF hens tend to pick on them. So, although they are much larger than month-olds, they all seem to get along great, and they have plenty of room to move around without concern about someone running up and pulling their crests when they didn't even see it coming.

In the evening, I go and let them all out for the last hour before bedtime and then stay with them to make sure no one picks on either the silkies or the chicks. They all get very excited to get out and run and fly and find green things to eat. As the light wanes, they flock towards the coop, where the chicks are put away in the nursery, and the silkies have their little space in the coop that they like to sleep. In the morning they wait in the coop for me to come and carry them back to the chick pen.

I love how they hear my voice and come running to me to be picked up!

I'm soooooo excited to hear that the silkies are doing great over there!! YAY! They will be great little broodies for you by next Spring! We had them pretty well trained to love to be held and carried around. They love attention, and I think pretty much all silkies are like that. Even my boys like the attention. But my girls are absolute sweethearts. They just snuggle in.

 

[HEChicken]

Josie so sorry about your duck being attacked.

I read on the forum awhile back about Duke DP traps, the DP standing for "dog proof". The way they work is you put the bait (marshmallow recommended), in and the raccoon has to reach in to get it, where the trap springs, like a little handcuff around the paw. The raccoon can't withdraw the paw so is stuck there until you find it and dispatch it. It is humane in the sense it doesn't hurt them, can't accidentally trap a small dog or cat, there is no poison set out to put birds at risk, and from everything I understand are super effective at catching them. At the time I kept it in the back of my mind in case we ever have a problem with them out here, and I looked at them on Amazon for around $20. It might be worth investing in one. I even considered investing in one just to have for when I do need it so I don't have to wait on an order to arrive when I have an active problem, but I haven't done it yet.

If you look at YouTube, there are tons of videos showing the traps in action.

Trish, glad you were able to get winterized. I got the last storm window on my coop this morning. I would have done them both last week but a hailstorm had broken a panel on one of them and I had to take it to the glass shop to get it repaired. It cost more to repair it than I paid for the original window at Habitat's ReStore, but that's the way it goes, I guess. I did consider going back to the ReStore to see if I could just buy another one but figured a few months down the road, the chance they would have one the exact same size might be a little slim. Anyway, it is done now.

Maidenwolf, sorry about the neighbor issues. I've been lucky to almost always have good relations with my neighbors but the house on one side of me at my last house contained people that ended up angering almost everyone in the neighborhood at one time or another. I was really glad to get away from them. The only problem with moving specifically to get away from bad neighbors though, is that you never know what you're going to get in the new neighborhood. Hopefully things will calm down for you after awhile.

 

[Deerfield Acres]

Ah Danz and Josie, sorry for your losses, that just stinks. Then it's so much work to beef up security.

mommanhen10, I didn't know about heating galvanized being toxic, either! Thanks so much for sharing the info with us.

Hawkeye, there's a woman that lives close by who raises meat goats. I think her website is something like Jireh Enterprises? I'll look it up, if my feeble brain can remember to do so.

checoukan, congrats on the land! I'm fighting a bad headache today. No fun.

Trish, you and Danz get the prize for getting the most projects done.

 

[Hawkeye95]

Thank you that was very uplifting and sweet. It is still going on evn today with her. I have not said a thing. The girls were sent over to heard teh turkey back home and lock everyone up in the coop around 5pm last night. The woman wouldnt come over lol, and I told the kids they would need to ask her(being their dads GF) to come help because he isnt going to be easily lured home because he has been accepted into my flock, she looked at me and said " she wont come over here because she is scared of you" HHMMM ok I am all of 5'0 144lbs but I am big and scarey lol. At least I know she will not come over here... This morning-- every morning the kids come over and wait for my daughter about 5 mins before they have to go to the bus, this morning "she" was standing on her porch screaming so loud we heard her inside, and the kid went back over and did not come back and she stood and watched them until the bus left,,, its a shame that I have to deal with this. I did talk with my daughter and she understands. I just want to move away were I dont have to deal with it ya know? Be alittle more peaceful. With out all the static and friction you feel when it is this kind of a situatiion.. Sorry for the gabbing I needed to get it out

Thank you for the love

Really? Were you are you? I live in drexel if you are familiar with it. It is south on 69 hwy south of louisburg. I could learn a thing or two from you, glad to know I have someone close.

This is a really tough situation and honestly, I'm sure the other lady is feeling equally as upset and not wanting to live near you either. It's too bad about the kids, but this is the way things work sometimes. The best thing you can do it be sure not to call her names in front of your kids and try not to act to upset when your kids are around. This can really shape how they handle situations in the future and the calmer and more relaxed they "see" you, the more level headed and clear thinking they will stay in situations they face in the future. I don't think you should have to move. But if you are renting and it's something you want to do anyway, then it could be a great opportunity. But I certainly would not do something that would make things harder for a temporary situation.

OH MY GOSH!!!
mommahen, I knew heating galvanzed metal really stunk, but did not know it was toxic!!! So Glad everyone is ok!! Wow, what a close call.

I have some galvanized feeders, but for the most part all of my small waterers, and feeders are plastic so they can be disinfected. Anything porous cannot be disinfected well.

Oh man its supposed to be really windy here to day. Ivy said it is already blowing about 40 mph up at Hiawatha, she is chopping at the bit wanting to get out of there. She will be stopping by danz's friday morning before coming down here. I am getting danz bantam polish. I shouldn't but oh well I have cut down, and out of some of my other breeds so, this will be one of my fun projects. HMMM silky's, and polish.

What a combination !

Polish and silkies... why does that sound familiar??? OH RIGHT!!! I am really finding so much humor in what you are doing lately! I've always been a Polish fanatic (the LF version, that is). And then my dive into silkies is something I wanted to do when I was a kid and my dad refused to get them for me! But one thing we've laughed at over and over on the Silkie groups-- is that silkies and Polish go hand in hand. Nearly everyone who has silkies also raises Polish. So there you go. You are now officially "one of us".

Welcome to the club!

The wind is really blowing hard and my allergies are kicking up even inside the house.
I moved the chipmonks to their monster pen today and they look tinier than ever. I still have a lot to add to it and little changes to make but I was afraid they were going to escape that tiny little cage they were in. I need to make a couple of nest boxes and fill a bin with some borrowing material. I put a bag of stove pellets in a bin for them to borrow in but they aren't showing any interest. Maybe they are too dense. I think if I had a bin full of dry clean leaves it would be perfect for them. They have an old towel which is getting torn up but they love borrowing in it. I'll see if I can get some pics later today.

I'm sooooo sorry about your little peachick. So sad. I would be furious. But I don't know what you can do with an owl. I can't wait to see a pic of your chipmunks!!

Sorry all, I am so far behind on reading, I will get caught up.

Danz how sad about the pea. Do you think its an owl. When I went out this morning something had eaten the head off my male crested duck.

He was still in the pen and under an a frame I built out of pallets for them to go under. I haven't dragged him out yet but it looks like it just ate the head???? And everyone else in the pen is fine? What ever it was it was in the pen and somehow managed to get him over the divider fence and into the uncovered half of the pen and under the A frame? I can't imagine an owl doing that? I don't know what else would come in and kill the duck and only eat its head and leave the rest unless it got interrupted? I think Molly is going to get shut in their tonight in case it comes back. Do you guys think a coyote would jump a fence and kill one duck but not take it with it? That pen is right where Lucie chased the coyote away the night she got hit....I just don't know what to do.

I don't think coyote. I guess I could be swayed to think raccoon because it was suggested. I have never encountered them. But I have had coyotes attack and they drag the bird off and then scatter feathers from one end to the other. Next time you are down, or your DH is, I'd like to hand off the maternity clothes! I could just mail you the jeans that would fit now if you want and you can get the rest later.

Wow, was I behind on posts again!

My kids have been sick all week and my youngest woke up with pinkeye this morning. Hubby started a new job this week, too. He now works first shift while he's in training, where before, he worked 2nd shift. I've had to change my sleeping schedule, so that I can take him to work and still get the the kids on the bus. DH and my oldest DS BOTH have to be where they need to be at by 7

So, we get up at 5:10am, take hubby to work, get oldest DS to bus, come home, put youngest DS back to bed, get him up again at 8:30, get him to the bus. Then, in 'THEORY', the rest of my morning is free (insert laundry, housework, morning chores -here-). Go get youngest DS from bus at 1:30, youngest DS's naptime, get oldest at 4, go get DH (who gets off at 4), home, dinner, evening chores, baths, stories, bedtime for kiddos... @_@ Last night we went to Midweek at my MIL's church for dinner and so we could all visit with her and my youngest decided he wanted to do the children's choir (at least it's only once a week), so we were there until 8pm. I could barely keep my eyes open by that time. I sure hope I can get adjusted to this schedule soon.

Lost my SLW roo yesterday after losing one of my BR pullets the day before. Looks like respiratory, judging by the yucky stuff dripping from her nose when I was carrying her out of the yard. I think the roo had it, too. He had been looking kinda poor, but he seemed like he was getting better. Anyway, I got Duramyacin (sp?) put in all the waterers. hopefully we can get this kicked in a few days. The BR didn't even act sick, so IDK. Hope I don't have anymore losses.

OMGosh, and I thought I was busy. YIKES!!! Sorry about your birds. Duramycin is no longer my first pick on drugs. If it doesn't help, they are selling OxyTet in Atwoods right now, maybe TSC has it too. A bottle of Tylan 50 is only about $11-- it's injectible, but should clear it up.

Yeah, I am pretty bummed out. I need to move the ducks into the main pen and we are going to get the hot wire back up and running this weekend. I have lost a couple other ducks but that was before I covered the run and they just disappeared into thin air so I figured it was a bird of prey before. I couldn't see an owl dragging the duck under the a frame to chew on it. I am a bit frustrated because I feel like Molly can't handle it all herself. She just doesn't hear as well as a younger dog and she tries hard but she can't be everywhere. Lucie was really helping her a lot at night. I am worried for my geese. We are are going to move them this weekend too into pens closer up by the house. I don't think a predator would dare come up that close with the flood light and the dog right there.

Sounds like a good plan.

Ah Danz and Josie, sorry for your losses, that just stinks. Then it's so much work to beef up security.

mommanhen10, I didn't know about heating galvanized being toxic, either! Thanks so much for sharing the info with us.

Hawkeye, there's a woman that lives close by who raises meat goats. I think her website is something like Jireh Enterprises? I'll look it up, if my feeble brain can remember to do so.

checoukan, congrats on the land! I'm fighting a bad headache today. No fun.

Trish, you and Danz get the prize for getting the most projects done.

I would love to see her website! I want to know what they taste like, too!

 

[HEChicken]

I would love to see her website! I want to know what they taste like, too!

I was interested in this too so I just did a google search and found this: http://www.freewebs.com/ksgoatlady/ Hopefully it is the same one Karen was talking about. DH and I have tossed around the idea of goats and I'd be interested in checking this out with you or as well as you....

I haven't eaten goat but an interesting fact is that goat meat is the most widely consumed meat throughout the world! Although in western countries we eat more beef, pork and chicken than anything, in other parts of the world where an animal the size of a cow can't be supported, goats are the mostly widely raised animals for meat and I guess overall, more pounds of goat meat are consumed than anything else. So it can't taste *that* bad LOL.