Consolidated Kansas

[maidenwolfx80]

michelleml - unless you already have, do your research on the pellet stove. I don't have one but a friend has used one for years and overall they do like it. Some of the things she has complained about: The cost of the pellets keep going up in price. Know what you will have to pay and if they are available where you are. Storage of the pellets. They buy the pellets by the pallet and don't have great storage and have had some be ruined by the weather. And the pellet stoves require electricity to run the auger and fan. No electricity, no heat. They keep a regular wood burner to use if the electric is out. There are now pellets that are made from things other than wood that some people are promoting like grass. Cheaper to grow and process. Might need a special stove or be able to clean it more often. Again, research if you are interested.

Thank you, I too was thinking about, what if th eelectric went out. I myself and interested in purchasing a wood burning stove because we ar on propane and it is just so darn expensive and in a faliing apart trailer

you tend to use alot.....

 

[mommahen10]

Kansas Prairie, do you just make another area to have ashes? They will bathe in it on their own?

 

[Chickies-duckies-etc]

maidenwolf - If you live in an old trailer, please be VERY CAREFUL and smart about if and how you set up ANYTHING that burns wood. Trailers are known for their flamability.

 

[chicken danz]

The wind has changed and is coming directly out of the north now. The temperature is dropping rather steadily. At this rate it will be freezing by afternoon. I guess I should go out to the brooder house and plug in my back up heater just in case the lights don't keep it warm enough in there. I imagine with this wind the wind chill is going to be the worst part. I thought watching the weather it wasn't going to get terribly cold before tomorrow night.
I got an email this morning that I had another olandsk pullet shipped to me yesterday. Sure hope it stays warm enough. I wanted to buy more but he doesn't have any more quite old enough to ship. This is the replacement for the one that turned out to be a Swedish Flower hen. I hope it arrives in the morning.
I get all giddy thinking about getting another new bird. I think this is the final day I am treating my rooster. He seems perfectly normal. I'll watch him a few more days to make sure he is still maintaining well just to be safe. I had their cage in the bedroom but DH is complaining about having to walk on bird feed they throw out, so I will have to find a new spot for it today.
I still have so much to do to prepare for winter. It's coming way too fast!!

 

[JosieChick]

Brrrrrrrr. It is so cold out. Of course it rained the whole time I was out taking care of birds and filling the horse tank and now it has stopped raining. But it is so cold and raw out right now. And of course today was the day I was going to go out and get everything covered in plastic and batten down the hatches for colder weather. I have awesome timing. My poor pea chicks look like popsicles out there. I don't know what to do with their cage other than cover it with a tarp and hope that is enough. Danz, do they need more than three sided protection at this age? I don't want them to freeze to death out there. The other hiccup is the bottom is open wire but there isn't much I can do about that without building a tray of some sort....

 

[maidenwolfx80]

The wind has changed and is coming directly out of the north now. The temperature is dropping rather steadily. At this rate it will be freezing by afternoon. I guess I should go out to the brooder house and plug in my back up heater just in case the lights don't keep it warm enough in there. I imagine with this wind the wind chill is going to be the worst part. I thought watching the weather it wasn't going to get terribly cold before tomorrow night.
I got an email this morning that I had another olandsk pullet shipped to me yesterday. Sure hope it stays warm enough. I wanted to buy more but he doesn't have any more quite old enough to ship. This is the replacement for the one that turned out to be a Swedish Flower hen. I hope it arrives in the morning.
I get all giddy thinking about getting another new bird. I think this is the final day I am treating my rooster. He seems perfectly normal. I'll watch him a few more days to make sure he is still maintaining well just to be safe. I had their cage in the bedroom but DH is complaining about having to walk on bird feed they throw out, so I will have to find a new spot for it today.
I still have so much to do to prepare for winter. It's coming way too fast!!

I get all excited and giddy when I am going to get new birds too lol And sometimes alittle impatient lol. Its that I just cant wait and want them asap. I am glad your roo is doing better and I hope he stays that way. I have barely started preparing for winter, I feel the need to jump start that with the cold weather today, what a big change.

maidenwolf - If you live in an old trailer, please be VERY CAREFUL and smart about if and how you set up ANYTHING that burns wood. Trailers are known for their flamability.

Thank you, good tip. i dont think I would do it until we move we are looking at moving to a house, I cant do this drafty trailer anymore. I think we should have someone help us install that anyway just for safety.

 

[mommahen10]

Danz, that's so exciting that you have a new pullet coming. Surely she'll do fine.

Last night I dreamed about the wiring in the furnace specifically 2 wires that were wrong but I didn't know what and I spent a lot of time trying to figure that out this morning. Guess what???? That's exactly what was wrong with the wiring, just those 2 wires and I had to figure out where they went. Now it's working and works fine with all settings. YAY!!! Heat just in time.

I'm going out to check on my baby chicks.

 

[chicken danz]

Great save Mammahen! And now you don't have to pay that heater guy!!!

Josie I think yours are probably feathered in enough now they should be alright. Three sided protection should be plenty. I have a heat lamp out for my peachick but he sits on the roost anyway so it isn't helping him any right now. Do you happen to have access to some old carpet pieces or something you could throw in the bottom of the cage? Of course it would get all poopy but it would keep the bottom warmer.
If I had room I would buy your peas from you just so you don't have to worry about them. Is there a place to put them at the new place you are interested in?
Do you have a big tarp you could just throw over the top for now. We bought a bunch of $1 clamps and use them for everything. Surely Orshlems or Walmart has something similar. Here is a link on line just to show what I am talking about. I think we got ours at Harbor freight but I'm not sure.
http://www.zorotools.com/g/00059801...ium=cpc&utm_campaign=Google_Shopping_Feed&kw={keyword}&gclid=CJzB9_DTnLMCFRR7nAodfSgAjA
You could just attache the tarp a few places with these and it would hold until the weather is better.
I still haven't made it outside. I am avoiding it like the plague. Guess I should bundle up and go freeze for awhile.

 

[maidenwolfx80]

Danz- I am needing to go do outside chores as well as brooder chores still, the sad thing is the brooder is in my house lol, The turkeys keep coming up and peeking in the window at me maybe they finished off their food form last night already,, time to go fill them or they will give me hell..

 

[JosieChick]

Danz, that's so exciting that you have a new pullet coming. Surely she'll do fine.

Last night I dreamed about the wiring in the furnace specifically 2 wires that were wrong but I didn't know what and I spent a lot of time trying to figure that out this morning. Guess what???? That's exactly what was wrong with the wiring, just those 2 wires and I had to figure out where they went. Now it's working and works fine with all settings. YAY!!! Heat just in time.

I'm going out to check on my baby chicks.

You go lady!! Who needs a repair guy who doesn't show up!!!!

Great save Mammahen! And now you don't have to pay that heater guy!!!

Josie I think yours are probably feathered in enough now they should be alright. Three sided protection should be plenty. I have a heat lamp out for my peachick but he sits on the roost anyway so it isn't helping him any right now. Do you happen to have access to some old carpet pieces or something you could throw in the bottom of the cage? Of course it would get all poopy but it would keep the bottom warmer.
If I had room I would buy your peas from you just so you don't have to worry about them. Is there a place to put them at the new place you are interested in?
Do you have a big tarp you could just throw over the top for now. We bought a bunch of $1 clamps and use them for everything. Surely Orshlems or Walmart has something similar. Here is a link on line just to show what I am talking about. I think we got ours at Harbor freight but I'm not sure.
http://www.zorotools.com/g/00059801...ium=cpc&utm_campaign=Google_Shopping_Feed&kw={keyword}&gclid=CJzB9_DTnLMCFRR7nAodfSgAjA
You could just attache the tarp a few places with these and it would hold until the weather is better.
I still haven't made it outside. I am avoiding it like the plague. Guess I should bundle up and go freeze for awhile.

Yeah, I have a couple tarps and am going to go out and attach them to the sides. I have to find the ladder because the thing is so darn tall. I should have done this weeks ago if I had half a brain. I was kind of thinking maybe I would put straw on the bottom. Then I could just rake it out to clean it. The bottom is hardware cloth so it wouldn't fall through and would keep them warmer. We are going to look at the house on Friday. There is a barn on the property but we are going to have to build something to house birds so we shall see. I am thinking we are going to build a metal three sided shelter like you have for your peas and just make a really long one and separate it out to have enough pens for all my birds. I have my layers in the three sided metal run in and they seem really happy right now. In fact they are the only birds that have not gotten sick with any of the URI crap I have had out here. So I am thinking people who go open air maybe are on to something. That fresh air exchange is really good for them as long as it isn't drafty. It is so windy and cold though out....I am being such a giant wimp. I have to move the mower in the garage too but the crib is sitting in its spot!