Consolidated Kansas

[lizzyGSR]

I have been feeling guilty recently as I haven't been able to spend as much time with my birds as I would prefer. When we went on vacation for Thanksgiving, I took my birds to a friends' house. This friend has a whole slew of chickens, mostly barred rocks, and 2 pekin ducks. she had plenty of room for my crew, so I just added mine to her flock for a while. Her birds are utilitarian and not pets, so she didn't handle mine at all while I was gone. Now, they act like I'm an ax murderer all over again. It was pretty windy here and both my birds and my horses were pretty spooky. I went ahead and chased my birds out of their pen anyway, though. I had been opening the gate, and they wouldn't get more than a step or two outside of the pen. Silly birds. Anyway, the birds were scaring the horses, and the horses were scaring the birds. By the end of the day, the horses were finally getting a drink from their water trough that was 100-150 feet from the tree the birds were hiding underneath. When I got off work, I put the birds in their pen, fed them, and then went to play with the horses. When I was done with the horses, I went to put the birds in the coop for the night. My goose led the way up the ramp, and the ducks lined up waiting their turn. My drake, Lucky, was near the front of the line. When his turn came, he got most of the way up the ramp and then fell off - most of his girls were watching too! He picked himself up quickly as if to say, "I'm okay!" and then got back in line like an embarrassed little kid. It was so funny! Just the other day, my goose fell out of the duck house when she went to step on the ramp and completely missed it! When she picked herself up, she looked confused about what had just happened. What I don't get is that my ramp is like two feet wide! I don't see why it is so hard for them to stay on the ramp! Silly, silly birds!

 

[chickmama1662]

I have a tragedy to report ... we had a fire early Monday morning and lost our chicken coops and most of the chickens. We don't know for sure how the fire started, are just trying to concentrate on how to move forward. Danz, I'm so sorry but we lost all of the young ones from you, the guineas, the cochins and the polish mix. Out of 37 total birds, all we have left are the 6 roosters that were in their bachelor pen (luckily they weren't locked in their coop) and were at the far edge of their pen when we got outside. There were 3 hens that also, a miracle, made it out of the burning coop. We had one Orphington pullet and she made it outside but she might not make it, she still is in a state of total shock and her feathers are singed pretty good. We're keeping our fingers crossed that she will pull thru. There are also two brown leghorn hens that made it out. They are in better shape, just totally freaked out. Yesterday I left work early and was able to rework their pens and set up a temporary shelter for them so that they would have a safe place to sleep. I need to get them a better place set up so that they will be warm, this nice weather won't stay good for long I'm afraid. Please keep us in your prayers, as you can imagine, this is a tragedy. I don't post much, just read and absorb all the knowlege and support that you all pass on.

 

[pikeman94]

I have a tragedy to report ... we had a fire early Monday morning and lost our chicken coops and most of the chickens. We don't know for sure how the fire started, are just trying to concentrate on how to move forward. Danz, I'm so sorry but we lost all of the young ones from you, the guineas, the cochins and the polish mix. Out of 37 total birds, all we have left are the 6 roosters that were in their bachelor pen (luckily they weren't locked in their coop) and were at the far edge of their pen when we got outside. There were 3 hens that also, a miracle, made it out of the burning coop. We had one Orphington pullet and she made it outside but she might not make it, she still is in a state of total shock and her feathers are singed pretty good. We're keeping our fingers crossed that she will pull thru. There are also two brown leghorn hens that made it out. They are in better shape, just totally freaked out. Yesterday I left work early and was able to rework their pens and set up a temporary shelter for them so that they would have a safe place to sleep. I need to get them a better place set up so that they will be warm, this nice weather won't stay good for long I'm afraid. Please keep us in your prayers, as you can imagine, this is a tragedy. I don't post much, just read and absorb all the knowlege and support that you all pass on.

I am sorry to hear that. I know the feeling of losing one or two birds, but the majority of the flock!?!?!? I would probably need a stiff drink or three to get through that. All I can say is hang in there and let us know if we can do anything to help.

 

[chickmama1662]

Thanks, I appreciate your offer.

 

[michelleml]

I have a tragedy to report ... we had a fire early Monday morning and lost our chicken coops and most of the chickens. We don't know for sure how the fire started, are just trying to concentrate on how to move forward. Danz, I'm so sorry but we lost all of the young ones from you, the guineas, the cochins and the polish mix. Out of 37 total birds, all we have left are the 6 roosters that were in their bachelor pen (luckily they weren't locked in their coop) and were at the far edge of their pen when we got outside. There were 3 hens that also, a miracle, made it out of the burning coop. We had one Orphington pullet and she made it outside but she might not make it, she still is in a state of total shock and her feathers are singed pretty good. We're keeping our fingers crossed that she will pull thru. There are also two brown leghorn hens that made it out. They are in better shape, just totally freaked out. Yesterday I left work early and was able to rework their pens and set up a temporary shelter for them so that they would have a safe place to sleep. I need to get them a better place set up so that they will be warm, this nice weather won't stay good for long I'm afraid. Please keep us in your prayers, as you can imagine, this is a tragedy. I don't post much, just read and absorb all the knowlege and support that you all pass on.

So sorry to hear this i hope your hen can pull thru

 

[maidenwolfx80]

I have a tragedy to report ... we had a fire early Monday morning and lost our chicken coops and most of the chickens. We don't know for sure how the fire started, are just trying to concentrate on how to move forward. Danz, I'm so sorry but we lost all of the young ones from you, the guineas, the cochins and the polish mix. Out of 37 total birds, all we have left are the 6 roosters that were in their bachelor pen (luckily they weren't locked in their coop) and were at the far edge of their pen when we got outside. There were 3 hens that also, a miracle, made it out of the burning coop. We had one Orphington pullet and she made it outside but she might not make it, she still is in a state of total shock and her feathers are singed pretty good. We're keeping our fingers crossed that she will pull thru. There are also two brown leghorn hens that made it out. They are in better shape, just totally freaked out. Yesterday I left work early and was able to rework their pens and set up a temporary shelter for them so that they would have a safe place to sleep. I need to get them a better place set up so that they will be warm, this nice weather won't stay good for long I'm afraid. Please keep us in your prayers, as you can imagine, this is a tragedy. I don't post much, just read and absorb all the knowlege and support that you all pass on.

Oh goodness! I am so sorry. I wonder what happened? You are in my thoughts and I hope you can rebuild from this and keep you r remaining birds safe.

HEChicken- thank you, I love rcycling things into something else. The only thing I bought for this coop were screws. And the first thing I ever built. So I was very proud of what I accomplished.

 

[chicken danz]

chickmama that is so sad. Made me tear up a little bit to think of those poor birds. I can't imagine what a frightening death that was for them. I just don't have any chicks available right now other than cockerels or I'd offer you some more. Maybe by the time you get rebuilt I'll have some girls go broody that aren't supposed to. I am so sorry.
I just added insurance to my house insurance to cover my buildings. They won't cover the birds which is of course the biggest expense but I could insure the buildings. I was thinking how possible it would be for one or many of them to burn down. I've already had a couple of close calls. Anytime there is electricity involved there is always some danger.
I am on the run and just checked in. Just wanted to say how sorry I am.

 

[HEChicken]

I have a tragedy to report ... we had a fire early Monday morning and lost our chicken coops and most of the chickens. We don't know for sure how the fire started, are just trying to concentrate on how to move forward. Danz, I'm so sorry but we lost all of the young ones from you, the guineas, the cochins and the polish mix. Out of 37 total birds, all we have left are the 6 roosters that were in their bachelor pen (luckily they weren't locked in their coop) and were at the far edge of their pen when we got outside. There were 3 hens that also, a miracle, made it out of the burning coop. We had one Orphington pullet and she made it outside but she might not make it, she still is in a state of total shock and her feathers are singed pretty good. We're keeping our fingers crossed that she will pull thru. There are also two brown leghorn hens that made it out. They are in better shape, just totally freaked out. Yesterday I left work early and was able to rework their pens and set up a temporary shelter for them so that they would have a safe place to sleep. I need to get them a better place set up so that they will be warm, this nice weather won't stay good for long I'm afraid. Please keep us in your prayers, as you can imagine, this is a tragedy. I don't post much, just read and absorb all the knowlege and support that you all pass on.

So sorry for your loss. As Pikeman said, if there is anything anyone can do, let us know.

 

[chickmama1662]

Danz, I'm trying not to think about their last moments; I can only hope that the smoke got to them first. Thank you all for your replies and prayers. We do have insurance that would cover the buildings, but then we would lose our "no claim discount" which would raise our homeowners insurance 20% in the event of a second loss. Still trying to decide if we're going to file a claim or not. I will check with all of you when I am ready to add more birds; maybe some of you will have some ready that you will be able to trust us with. Thanks again.

 

[Trish44]

chickmama, I'm so sorry to hear of your loss, I mirror what the others said that if there is anything I can do let me know. I don't have any extra chickens right now either other than a rooster, but in the spring I will.

I went out this morning & got the two other tarps put on my turkey pen. At least now that will block the major part of the wind. The front of the pen faces south, do you all think I need plastic on that part? They like looking out so much I hate to have to close that all in so they can't see out other than the door. I'm thinking they should be OK with the sides & back covered because the back faces north. It also is down under the trees & in behind my other two pens, so it's in a kind of sheltered spot. I haven't covered any of the fronts of my other pens, just the sides & back & the hoop coop also has an open front. I thought about putting some plastic on the front of my grow-out pen & still may, it does get some northern exposure. Whatever I'm going to do with any of them I have to do it this week & that includes cleaning out pens. This is the last week of decent weather. I looked at the forecast for next Monday & it's going to be super cold & chance of snow, ugh. I had to think of that coming, I know it's supposed to be winter, but oh I hate it so much. If you all have things that you need to finish outside now is the time to do it.

Danz, I know what you mean about how nice it would be to have everything in one place with electric & water & all. I'm getting to be in the same boat you are any more, well not quite as much as you. I have added so many pens this year that now besides my main coop I have 5 other pens & will have more when the breeder coop is finished to have to have cords & haul water to. I hope I'm not getting in over my head because I don't want to spend hours every day caring for birds. I like them a lot & they give me a lot of joy, but I don't want to work myself to death taking care of them. I just want to have enough to hatch a few pure bred chicks each year to offset costs for feed & enough eggs to sell to do the same. I got a new egg customer the other day, he is a Russian guy. He emailed me from my Craigslist ad & came & got 4 dozen eggs, he seems really nice. Between him & my other customer who buys several dozen at a time & Sunflowerparrot until she gets enough of her own eggs, I don't think I will have a problem getting rid of extra eggs now. I still have a few pullets that aren't laying yet, 3 Welsummers & a Lavender Orpington. None of my imported birds are laying yet either, which is for the best since they're still not in their own pens yet. I did notice that the SFH roos are going after my Salmon Faverolle pullets, so they must be getting close to point of lay now. That would be an interesting mix wouldn't it? I haven't gotten my new Salmon Faverolle rooster yet, but I have no pen to put them in yet either.

Speaking of roosters, the Wheaten Ameraucana rooster I got from Josie yesterday is just gorgeous! I guess things happen for a reason, I hated to lose my rooster, but this guy is even more beautiful than the other one. The pullet is very nice also. They're settling into their new home today & the new rooster is already arguing with the SFH roos next door to him. They're having crowing contests out there. I don't know who it was, but there were two roosters crowing in the middle of the night last night, crazy birds. Have any of you had that problem with your roosters crowing at night? We think it may be our big outdoor pole light that confuses them, they wake up & see the light & think it's daytime. The black Ameraucana roo that is adjacent to the light in his pen often does that.

Well I hope you all enjoy the day, we have to take advantage of the weather while we can, it's ending soon. For all of you that have been sick, I hope you recover fully soon so you can enjoy Christmas with your families.