Consolidated Kansas

[Chickies-duckies-etc]

Danz ~ it is "possible" to trap them with another bird and not lose the bait bird. Put the bait bird in a small cage that will fit in the end of the trap. You might have to fix it to prevent outside access to the bait.

 

[Hawkeye95]

Hawkeye, I had to say "OUCH" outloud when I imaine the impact. I can't imagine really, just... ouch... cringe. I've heard of deep tissue massage, it doesn't sound fun but I can certainly see how it can be useful. I'm glad that you see improvement after just this one treatment. I think you should go ahead and hit this from all angles and see the chiropractor too. I use vinegar to soak my faucet handles in the bathroom. Do you think if I poured it over the faucets it would dissove the hard water buildup? About every year or so I buy CLR to to that, I don't like using it becuase it's so harsh. I've used it on the showerhead before too. I'm going to competely agree with what you are saying about selling online, not really just etsy. It's the way people work. Your picture is adorable. Remember when you were talking about the breeder who was breeding haphazardly and got a good one? Well, I'm not a good photographer but I find if I click that button enough times I may get a few good pics out of many. My dd on the otherhand, every pics she takes is awesome. I definitely think that maidenwolf should check out etsy as a possible avenue for selling her dog treats. If you package them all cute, put a cute little note or tag on them with a ribbon maybe, people will be all over it and the profit margin would be way higher just because they are cute. Hawkeye, that's funny about your dh and the DE, I think I'll pass on that one.

Okie dokie, I need to take my ds so his dr appt for his finger again. I hope this is the last time.

That wasn't much of a difference in the price of electric if it was only $10. I'm guessing you're right about the kids going in and out. They can sure mess up a good system. This summer, they let in all kinds of flies and hot air coming in and out. I got so angry that I ended up locking them out of the house for a while each day-- because I swear-- every 5 minutes, the door would open again and it was making me ANGRY. I would feel another rush of hot air come in the house each time and another flippin' fly along with it. I would tell them In our Out, and then lock the door. So they'd have to knock and it would have to be a good excuse (like bathroom) to come in and not just run in and out for the fun of it.

My Dh buys DE here: http://www.amazon.com/Grade-Diatoma...1352473903&sr=8-1&keywords=Diatomaceous+Earth and then of course, mixes it in drinks and smoothies.

I make chinese fried rice all the time-- I start with the white rice and cool it. Then put it in the pan and brown it, throw in seasoning and soy and THEN push it all to the side and drop in eggs and scramble them in the skillet and then when they are chopped and how I want them, just mix it all together. YUM!! (in Walmart, you can buy powder packets of fried rice seasoning in the Asain section-- it's good!) I also use Sesame Seed Oil in the rice and it makes it taste more authentic. (also in the asian section)

You don't have to use CLR-- I will soak paper towel strips down in vinegar and wrap them around the faucet areas that have mineral build up. They have be VERY wet with vinegar and sort of puddling. Leave them for several hours. you can still use the faucets if you are careful and then I use Comet to scrub them down after that to break it all off and shine it up!

Taking pictures is OFTEN about taking a lot and just hoping for that "one good shot". One picture won't do it. So yeah, you are correct.

Thanks, Hawkeye! I have checked them out on ebay some. I didn't know if there is a lot of difference in the quality of different brands, or if they are about the same. I will spend some time shopping and see what comes up. Lookes like perfect temporary housing in some cases.

They are pretty much the same-- even if they are by different companies. The metal is the same-- I have one of the Gold plated ones that came from the farm store-- got it on CraigsList for $35 and it's no heavier than the ones off of eBay. The eBay ones are black and I like them just as well. Since that is the case, I go with what is cheapest at that point!

 

[Kansas Prairie]

I LOVE this Kansas thread! Thank you all for making this place friendly, educational and fun!

 

[checoukan]

Danz, so sorry about the raptor, you know what to do.
Hawkeye, the Shawnee show is, Oklahoma State Poultry Show. It will be one big show, something like 25-28 hundred birds. Its two days, so I am going to check to see if a person can just do the one day. Entries are due the 16th.
Congrats to all the adoptive parents out there. I have a nephew that adopted a boy from the camen Islands, and a girl from China. Super good kids.

Well, I have my first Cream legbar chicks I hatched, one to go, and it looks like both maybe males

I thought it would be fun to mess around with some auto sexing chicks, and I kinda like the looks of the chickens, something different.
Not much going on, and it is so windy out man hold on to your hair might blow it off.
Ivy had a rough week, wednesday would have been Her daughters 22nd birth day. So she has really been sad, she misses Katie so much, Its just not fair!!!!

Well, hope everyone that is under the weather gets to feeling better.

 

[maidenwolfx80]

I love all the ideas coming in. recipes look delicious and inexpensive and so love the household and beauty product ideas. I have been doing this for years. I have worked with herbs and essintial oils for years so I incorporate these into those recipes. Like adding lavender oil to my vinegar and water that I clean with, I put a couple drops of bergamot oil on an old dryer sheet and throw it in with my laundry to scent my laundry and for a fabric softner, I steep herbs (depending on what benefit I need, every herb has different properties) and use the "tea" to rinse my face, hair and body, you can also clean with the "tea" I love working with herbs and have been teaching my friends what herb works for what action, that is my area and I love it. There are so many things that herbs and essintial oils can replace.

Danz- I am so sorry about your predator problem, darn it all. Maybe those 2 missing will show up somewhere. I really hope you do what needs to be done to protect your investment. I moved the cochin and cochin cross, "Beauty and Beast" over to the main coop last night, and moved my 5 weekers, we call them the Goddess chicks because we names them all after Goddesses lol, to the shed/grow out barn. Under the light I put a wireless thermomator so I could monitor and early this morning the temp was 58 under the light. When I went out to open up the door they all ran out chirping and running around. I was relieved.. Beauty and Beast were alittle scared this morning but were not beat to a pulp so I was happy. Everyone seemes to be doing great, I was so scared that those chicks were not going to be ok, and yes I checked often lol...

Michelleml-- I have a roo who does that quite often my DH makes fun of him saying he is saying " nu-uh girlfriend" lol but he is the only one and he does it most when he is scared or being chased it seems. I have not found any mites, I know it doesnt mean thehy are not there because sometimes you cant see them. But I was thinking maybe he has a crop issue and is doing it to adjust his crop.Perhaps it grew wrong and now he constantly has to adjust food in his crop??? He has been doing it for months so I dont think it is a cold with him.

Congrats ladies for adopting children and being such wonderful role models. Take time to treat yourselves and spend time with your kids and enjoy them.

The turkeys roosted on the front porch night before last and I swore that wasnt happening again it was such a huge mess. So last night I hearded them in to run, I thought fine they dont want in the coop they can sleep in the covered run. About 45 mins after I got everyone put up and was sitting here checking BYC I heard my head roo Cherokee yelling, I ran out to a terrible racket and looked to see all 6 turkey frantically rushing the chicken wire windows at the bottom portion of the run. I opened the door and they rushed out there were feathers everywhere like something had gotten a bird, they were all pulled out and some were blood feathers, I searched but it is all sealed tight and no signs or attack. The had busted half the chicken wire off and their heads were bruised and cut. I am glad I didnt go ahead and put them in with the chickens. So they went right back to the porch and slept... GEESH!!!! Now I dunno what to do. Any suggestions on how to get a turkey to not roost on the porch.. I fear that if it starts raining at night they wont be able to see to find cover.

 

[sarajoy]

Good morning all! I am the new "Mom" of five juvenile brahma's - three light and two buff (she threw in the buffs for free). So I'm up to ten chickens, 2 rir's hens, 2 young buff brahma hens, 3 young light brahma hens, 2 mature lb hens, and one mature lb rooster. I am so so so excited. The young ones survived their trip from Georgia fairly well - were mailed on Wednesday and got here today. They were very hungry, and didn't even give me time to lift them out of the boxes, just pushed against the side, tipped them over and scrabbled out searching for food. Ate and ate before turning to water, and are now exploring. Going to keep them in the run for a couple days till I know they've recovered fully from the trip, before letting them out and about with the mature chickens. I'll tuck them into their little private coop cave before letting the mature ones in this evening. I know there will be an adjustment for them all. But these five new chickies seem fairly fiesty and will hopefully hold their own with the mature birds, though of course they'll be at the bottom of the pecking order at least for a time. It's a good day today!! Sara

 

[checoukan]

maidenwolf, gonna be hard to stop them from roosting on the porch. Gonna have to put up something to keep them from being able to land there. Cattle panel or something.
Here are two my cream legbar chicks that hatched yester day. I think both are dark males. I was hoping for a female. Oh, well, they are cute babies!!


I know I don't need anouther breed, but if I get a few hens, would be a novelty in the hen house. They are so sweet and cuddly right now, wish I had a broody hen!!!

 

[checoukan]

sarajoy, don't get in to a big hurry to let your new babies out with the older birds. I don't know how old they are, but the hens will try to re-establish peck order, and most likely will kill the younger birds, or injure them. You are going to have to make a pen for them and keep them separate. You also need to quarintine them for awhile so you can make sure they didn't bring a bug in with them.

 

[HEChicken]

Also Etsy. People will buy anything off Etsy. I do! LOL I love Etsy and love shopping it. People love dog stuff. Pictures are VERY important-- they sell your product. I have a degree in Graphic Design and half the degree is how to market, what makes it marketable, what setting and colors to use..etc. People are VISUAL. If they can't see it, they move on. If the picture is dark, blurry, or not close enough up, they move on. Settings that are cute-- like just off the top of my head-- dog biscuits on a picnic setting with maybe a tea set -- bright colors-- yellows grab attention. You don't have to buy things to accomplish this. Shirts, handkerchiefs, towels-- all of these can be disguised into the setting. Framing the photo to leave out things people don't want to see. You can have the messiest kitchen-- or a dank dark room-- but if you make a spot to set it up, drag over a lamp to have good lighting and frame the picture to cut out everything BUT the setting, it can look charming and cute and more trendy and upscale. These things flat out work. I know even on craigslist where someone will list something and if there is no picture, I don't bother reading it or looking at the ad. Same with Etsy-- if they have a pretty crappy photo of the product-- even if the product looks nice, I just don't feel inclined to buy if I can see a stack of dirty dishes next to it or laundry thrown around in the background. I have white couches-- and i use them a lot to "set the stage" for some shoots.

That is a really good point. I guess the old saying "a picture is worth a thousand words" really is true. I am not good at thinking about good settings for photos - I will have to work on that.

I win mine on eBay! check out the dog exercise pens and start bidding. Set a price you are comfortable with. I got my last one for $31!!! But I've bought them for around $35-40. I NEVER go over $40. And make sure you are getting free shipping-- do NOT bid if there is shipping-- or just make sure you lower your price to not go over your amount with the shipping included in it.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/42-Black-Ex...658?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35c16ad0da this one is at $36 right now-- I'd put in a bid to $40 and that's it. (free shipping)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/30-Black-Ex...019?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d06beac3b this one is only at $15.50 with free shipping. I'd put in my max bid for $40 and leave it. If it goes over, just wait.

These pens are up for bid ALL THE TIME. So don't be hasty. Check their height-- and make sure you are getting what you want. I don't need anything over 24-30 inches in height with my silkies. You might need something higher if you are doing something different. So pay attention to the height-- they come in 40" maybe 45" inch heights on the taller ones.

Oh, here's another way to save money. Instead of setting a max bid on eBay, use eSnipe. It is a service that bids for you. The way it works is you login to eSnipe and tell it what item you want to bid on and the maximum amount you want to bid. Then it logs in as you, 4 seconds before the auction ends, and bids the lowest amount it can, to win the auction. For example, inthe one above that is currently $15.50. If you set a max bid on eBay of $40, every time someone bids on it, your bid is automatically raised, until you reach the $40 threshold. So, say the person who currently has it for $15.50 also has a max bid set, then every time you bid up, that other person's bid goes up as well. And, way before the auction is over, it could have gone past $40. But if you use eSnipe, your bid isn't placed until 4 seconds before the auction ends. So it might stay at $15.50 until the end, and at the last second, eSnipe bids for you and gets it for $16.50. I've used eSnipe for years and just love it. You can set bid groups too, so say there are several you are interested in, but you only want to end up with one. You set up a bid group, and that tells it that once its won an auction, it should cancel any others you've got it set to bid on. I have really saved a lot over the years by just setting bids on eSnipe and then forgetting about them. I never even login again to check what the price is at because I don't want to be tempted to raise my bid. Eventually I will get an email telling me I've won an item and then I know to login and pay for it.

Mammahen ~ about the cell phone ~ I heard some where that the phone companies that "forced" people to take data packages now have to pay them back. I don't have a cell,so didn't pay attention, but you might check it out.

Wow - I never heard about this. We've never had a data plan and I didn't know people were being forced to have them.

Well the owl was successful again. He left this bird in the pen so I am guessing the dogs heard him after he struck. I chased this buff laced polish around last night to get him shut in the pen. It was dark out and I was tired. He ran into the duck house and I just really didn't feel like crawling in on my hands and knees to try to catch him. I figured if he stayed there he would be okay. Well the dumb cluck (pun intended) must have gotten out and tried to run for the new area I fenced in yesterday. DH found his headless body in that outer uncovered pen area. There was a silver laced polish that stayed with him I don't remember seeing yesterday so I don't know if the owl may have already gotten it. This darned raptor is cleaning me out! Heaven knows how many other birds I've lost I haven't realized. I have untold numbers of Marans and brahmas I just wouldn't notice if they were gone.
I really am doing all I can but I don't think the problem will end until I find some way to eliminate him.

Golly - I am so sorry about that darned owl getting another one.

HEChicken, last year, I tried hanging out all of our laundry during the middle of summer and when I got my bill and it was about $10 less I was so crushed. I'm sure it just got even more hot out at the time too, but I worked so hard. I think it's because I was doing 4-5 loads per day and all of the opening and closing the door just made the AC work harder. This year I washed a couple of loads early in the morning and took them out at once, did the same thing in the evening. I only went out twice, I still didn't notice a difference. I think it's not me at all around here, I think it's so many people going in and out. I finally gave up and just turned the AC off and said we aren't going to die, we're just going to be hot. We haven't had cable TV in many years, I sometimes feel badly about paying for internet but I can't imagine being without it. WE have Netflix, but only the $7.99 plan. We still have a home phone and cell phones. I keep thinking about ditching the home phone but sometimes I'm glad it's there. We don't have good cell service at home. We were being forced to have a data package on our cell phones even though were weren't using data, after 2 years of this it was making me so angry because it was $10 per phone and we have 5 with the kids too, I went in to give them a piece of my mind and they removed it. I wonder how long they've been willing to remove it? I should have kept checking, there is no telling how many months we paid that. My dd works at Save A Lot and she brings home big bags of taped bananas, we eat them until they're mushy and then freeze them for banana muffins. I sometimes think I should start doing coupons again but I rarely set foot in the grocery store. It's usually I tell my dh to bring home specific things because I don't want to spend the gas either. I know that sounds crazy but it's not unusual for me to not leave our property for 3 weeks. I really like the idea of doing the surveys, I am going to check that out. The 'other things', when our flannel sheets wear out they always get thread bare in the middle but the entire outside is good for rags. I cut them up and have a serging day and serge all of the edges. I have tons of these handy all the time. So when I started using cloth it was just that I had a reaction and these were handy and I didn't care about them. I've considered making them, but then I think about how nicely the single layer of flannel just unflolds and washed so clean I didn't know if I sewed them if they would wash as easily. So, I keep using them that way.

HEChicken, did you post the recipe with cabbage and ramen? I copied it to try later. I've got a huge recipe list to try right now, it'll be nice to have something different from our norms.

No, I think that was Tweety. I have it saved though and need to try it. I've saved almost every recipe that has been posted here - I love to have some new ideas for things to prepare for meals - the family gets tired of the same ol' same ol'.

I LOVE this Kansas thread! Thank you all for making this place friendly, educational and fun!

I've been procrastinating. I bought steel wool two days ago but haven't got it out of the package yet. With a cold front coming in this weekend I really need to get busy on that today. I'll let you know how it goes. (Kansas Prairie has been helping me fix our furnace to those who are scratching their heads wondering what this crazy post is all about.)

Oh - a question for all of those who make their own home-made laundry soap. This is something I've never tried and would like to but....does anyone know if the home-made soap is okay to use in front-load machines? Since you have to use the special HE soap that is low sudsing, I would hate to try a home-made recipe and have it break the washer....

 

[chicken danz]

Thank you all for taking part in the brainstorming. I'm loving it and I find it uplifting and motivating. It's so nice to see good ideas and be reminded of ones I've forgotten too.
X2

I tried the survey stuff but spent hours and hours and then nearly every time I would answer a bunch of questions then they would say I wasn't qualified for that survey. I finally just quit and never figured out to collect what earnings I had after months of answering questions.It was like $5 or something. I think you need to be a consumer of lots of products and read lots of books, watch lots of TV commercials, movies, magazines etc and be young for it to be worthwhile.
I unfortunately like my creature comforts. I never watched TV but I do now when I am ready to crash in the evenings. My body calls it quits by about 7:00PM. I guess the meds wear off and I just can't go any more. I have to watch the news. I usually fall asleep before I get it all but I still have to watch it. I rarely listen to the radio any more, I don't take newspapers. I used to read the news every morning on the computer but I go here now instead. I try to catch the weather and the local news so I know what is going on around me.
I can't eliminate my home phone because my cell phone doesn't get reception here. DH actually found some kind of thing that is supposed to help reception he was going to check into. It was like $350, but if it worked it would save us a bundle over paying for a home phone eventually. The internet is my link to the world. I couldn't function without it.
Mammahen I am very much like you. I go to town on Fridays to deliver eggs unless DH is off and I can twist his arm to do it. I go to town on Sunday morning for church. Maybe once a month I go to a larger city and make Walmart run to pick up staples, and try to combine the trip with dog food, chick starter, etc. Normally DH needs to go get something so I just ride with him and save myself some gas. Anytime I can get him to pick up something for me so I don't have to go any where I do.
Once about every 10 days I get a load of feed but most of the time I just write out a check and DH goes to get it for me.
Other than that I rarely leave the property.


Does anyone have a great link for the DE so I don't have to take time to research that???? Try this one:
http://wolfcreekranch1.tripod.com/defaq.html
I wanted to have a clothes line here but my attempts result in dirty cloths from the gravel road and the pollens from the fields. Also they just become irrisistable to dogs when they flap in the wind.

I want to try a homemade deodorant but I bought this salt stone and I can't seem to use it up. I can't do baking soda toothpaste, only because I can't get by the taste. I love the idea of freezing precooked beans. I'm a little OCD about washing clothes and toilet flushing.
We try to limit toilet flushing around here as well unless we have company coming. The worst part is the urine seems to stain the toilets really bad. Then that is extra work to clean.
Danz, that story about your ex-husband was so sad. You did what you had to for your kids, you're a tough lady. I can't believe you had to endure that.
The stories don't end there. It took over two years before my divorce was final and every trick in the book was involved. By the way, this same man filed for divorce 4 different times and put me through hell each time. The last time I finally refused to go back to him. I really did love him but enough was enough. ( I have a problem in being too forgiving! But I'm learning!) I do feel that the hard times made me who I am today. I am so much more able to look at things that would have used to upset me as nothing I can't handle now. The real blessing out of all of this is that my kids and I were super close. We formed a relationship of caring for and respecting each other.
We had some of our best Mom and kid times when the chips were down. It's the memories they bring up and laugh about. The worst thing about it all is that I had to work so many hours I missed precious time with them.
The other day when I made dirty rice I was so tempted to throw eggs in it but I don't know how to do that to make it like the Chinese restraunts do.
Whip the egg up, make sure the other ingredients in the skillet are hot. As you stir, drizzle the egg in turning with a spatula. Remove from heat. The egg should finish cooking in the heat of the other stuff. Continue to use the spatula until it is done.

HEChicken, did you post the recipe with cabbage and ramen? I copied it to try later. I've got a huge recipe list to try right now, it'll be nice to have something different from our norms.
I cringe each time I read about Ramen noodles. MSG makes me violently sick. I have to check labels of everything I buy and ask restaurants if they use it before I can eat there. Ramen noodles is loaded with it. I only ate them once in my life. I was sick for days afterwards. They tasted great however. I envy people who can actually eat that stuff.

I've grown basil for years and it takes over everything. I finally had to spray it with roundup. I like oregano much better. I use it in tons of stuff. Chives are super easy to grow. And sage is awesome. I have a patch of lavender that is awesome. I like to pick the flower stems and just put them in a container. If you want an air freshener you just reach in and crush some of it. My daughter in law uses it in cookies and other dishes. The ducks discovered it this year and ate it like crazy but it came back. I have some creeping thyme as well. I love just crushing the leaves on the herbs and enjoying the different smells even if I don't use them to cook with.