Consolidated Kansas

[pikeman94]

Maidenwolf.. that sounds delish!!!!

I HAVE A BABY SILKIE!!! It's adorable! Right now it's black with a grey chest. Mamma let me pick it right up! I also picked up another of the eggs and heard the baby in there chipping away at the shell! It's so exciting to see life born.

Pics or didn't happen!

Just kidding that is a geek phrase my co-workers and I throw around a lot. Seriously though, we want pics!

 

[checoukan]

Well, I didn't have anything to do this afternoon after I got home from the Dr. So I went out hunting. This is what I found in one of the back 40's eating wheat grass.

We are giving the meat away to some friends who don't hunt but want the meat. Our own freezers are packed!! He is not as big as the buck I shot last year, but I believe they have the same genetics.

 

[redsoxs]

Awesome deer, checoukan! I am jealous! I shot a doe last night - freezer was running low on last years venison. I hope the colder weekend weather will produce another deer for me. Congratulations!

 

[checoukan]

Awesome deer, checoukan! I am jealous! I shot a doe last night - freezer was running low on last years venison. I hope the colder weekend weather will produce another deer for me. Congratulations!

I hope you get one! This season has been so strange with the heat and all. Maybe with the last quarter, and the cold weather, they will step out. I should have waited on the big brother, but well, this will do!

 

[JosieChick]

Wanted to let everyone know that I'm definitely getting back into chickens. Getting ready to place an order with Meyer Hatchery for my spring flock. When I got their catalog in the mail a couple weeks ago I started getting the same feelings I had a year ago when I first got into this. Just too excited to say no. I found a few other families who are wanting to get into backyard chicken raising as well. We're pooling our order to meet minimums & to save on shipping costs. As of tonight, including myself, I'm ordering birds for 3 other families & still waiting to hear from a 4th before submitting the group's order. I sent them all a link to this forum so hopefully we'll have some additional newbies on the list in the future.

Question for all the Wichita metro area backyard chicken farmers on the forum. Has there ever been a discussion about hosting a Coop Tour? Something similar to a garden tour to educate/promote urban chicken raising. I've read about them in other cities & thought it might be something interesting to try here if there is enough interest. Any thoughts?

Hope everyone has a good week.

Oh dear. I haven't fallen off for a while but it sure does hurt when it happens even if you know its coming. I think the last time I fell of was when I tried riding Denver bareback for the first time!! I thought I could just mount from the ground like I did with my quarter horse mare and when I swung up over that boys back he went into cougar attack mode! Swung 180 and was off like a shot, I just went right over the opposite side of him and was on the ground looking at horse feet tearing away!

I am really stiff and sore today. I went out to ride my horse yesterday - haven't come off in more than three years. I was cantering large circles and my horse stumbled. He tried to recover from the stumble but couldn't and suddenly there was a realization he was going down. I threw myself clear at the last minute so he didn't fall ON me, and because he was halfway down, I didn't have to fall that far myself. Nevertheless, the ground is HARD after all this time with no rain, so it still didn't feel exactly good. I got up and checked him all over and he seemed to be fine, so I got back on and we worked a little more, but I knew it would kick in later and sure enough, I can feel it today. Aaargghhh. I pulled shoes a couple of weeks ago and I think the ground is so hard its actually a little slick and with no shoes he just couldn't get a good purchase on the ground. Hopefully it won't happen again.

Glad you enjoyed them so much! They were donated by a friend down in Andover. We made a duck deal with each other. They were ancona drakes and were at least a year old, probably older than that. I imagine they were probably pretty heavily corn fed too.

Lizzy I am sorry I dont have an answer for you and I hope someone does soon.

I have to share, (Lizzy, plug your duckies ears) I roasted 2 ducks I got from Josie and oh goodness were they delicious and juicy and just perfect. I do not wish to raise ducks but if anyone sells them for butcher or already processed, please let me know for my family is begging for more.

So glad your kitty is doing well and that Flo is settling in. I hope she is happy with her new turkey friends!

I have wanted to try one of my ducks myself but have never had the nerve to butcher one. Most of the ones I hatch do end up in someones dinner. One of these days I'm just going to keep a couple of them around and try them.
I met Josie this morning and picked up Flo who is a midget white hen. She is looking so cute with her tiny little baby tummy! I got tickled at my blue slate Tom because as soon as he saw me walking by with Flo, he was all puffed up and dancing and calling for her. I took her to the Midget pen and of course all the boys had to come visit and start strutting. But one of the girls was all puffed up and had her wings down following her around the pen. Jealous women out there in the turkey pen! I was going to leave her in the cage for awhile but let her out. I think other then the one jealous hen there are no problems at all.
I got my cat to the vet and got her shot. The vet says she is in amazing shape for a 15 year old and her eyes are really clear. I know that is true cause my 16 year old cat has really cloudy eyes and I really don't know how he sees at all.
I need to get out and get busy. I think I worked too hard yesterday and have no strength left for today.

It was murder plucking the ducks! We only had the two but I must have scalded mine four times before I got all the feathers off. They just wouldn't absorb water, imagine that! I kept plucking and finding spots that were totally dry so back in the pot he would go. DH gave up on his and left me to finish it! It took us close to an hour just to scald and process 2 ducks! I imagine a plucker would make it easier but it was terrible by hand.

Oh Maidenhen please send me your duck recipe. I have looked all kinds of recipes up on line and just ended up confused. I'm so glad to hear Mammahen is okay. Medawinks has been absent a couple weeks as well. I hope all is well there. I think Josie was meeting Hawkeye today also so they will both be out of pocket. I told Josie I wanted to see pictures of her new house. Was the duck skinned or plucked. I just can't imagine trying to pluck a duck.

Pretty pea!

That sounds good.... if I remember to baste it. I have a couple late summer hatches that might be subject to going into the pan if they happen to end up being boys.
I just went out...it has gotten much colder and windier!!!
I finally took a picture of my new purple pied peacock. Isn't he pretty? I paid too much for him but he really is a gorgeous bird. He is with my oldest white hen so they should breed this summer.
Click to enlarge.

Yeah!!!! SO exciting. Keep us posted!

Maidenwolf.. that sounds delish!!!!

I HAVE A BABY SILKIE!!! It's adorable! Right now it's black with a grey chest. Mamma let me pick it right up! I also picked up another of the eggs and heard the baby in there chipping away at the shell! It's so exciting to see life born.

Yes, pics are a must! Try not to lift momma too much or a baby might get stuck in the shell. She will sit pretty tight on them until they are all hatched.

Pics or didn't happen!

Just kidding that is a geek phrase my co-workers and I throw around a lot. Seriously though, we want pics!

Phew. I am so tired that I am not tired. Hate that feeling. Ran like a crazy woman today. Stopped at the Nifty Nuthouse in Wichita to buy Christmas goodies to take to Maine and it was just madness in there!! Gave two of our dogs haircuts, Lucie had her post op radiographs and had dinner with the inlaws before driving back up. I am pooped. And this baby has been doing water aerobics all day on top of it all!!!

So my newest dilemma is that the inlaws want to build our chicken coops and horse run in. I don't even know what to tell them. We had planned on having a builder come in and do those things and they are like loading the post hole digger onto their trailer. I am super frustrated. I appreciate their desire to help but they are not builders and I don't even think they have ever built a big building like that. Plus I have spent weeks drawing and re drawing plans for these buildings. I also want to have someone who can assess the location and tell us the best place to put them, how to prepare the ground to aid in drainage and run off and help us with building permits etc. They always want to help with the most ridiculous thing that they are not qualified to do. Its like me saying I am going to go refuel a jet and change its oil before it takes off with a load of passengers! Ugh. I told them we really needed help getting the place finished up here to list more than we needed them to build a run in for the horses.

I am sure that they can help us build fencing when the time comes but that is a ways off....sigh.

 

[mommahen10]

Hi all, I was DAYS behind on reading and I'm really sorry I dropped off the face of the earth. I am all caught up now, sorry this is a HUGE post.

Prairie Chickens, that's neat that your dh wants chicks. I'd be jumping all over that idea.

Josie, did you say your turkey is 65 pounds???? Do all turkeys get that big?

Yay Danz!!! So glad you caught your turkey! What does teflon do? I never thought to look. If they're not intended for animal use why are people using them? I have been so DONE with GE that I always say I wouldn't even touch a GE lightbulb, now I guess I have another reason. Thanks for the heads up and I will definitely be reading the boxes.

Maidenwolf, I think your coop looks AMAZING!!! We always repurpose things too. I meant to ask you if you wanted to trade some feed but I forgot. I'm sorry. I don't know how you would get it out of the bin anyway though, that would be heavy. Cute chick. I think she's ready for outdoors since the weather is so mild right now. She's going to be really pretty.

Speaking of turkey hens, my neighbor said that he had turkey hens and they ran off with the wild turkeys. Is that a typical kind of thing. He also said that there is a sale in Yates Center that normally has turkey and what about putting an ad on the facebook swap page or craigslist that you are looking?

WOW HEChicken, it does sound like you had a lot of bird stress. That's so sweet about your duck taking care of the other ducks like that.

Thanks for the input about the bulbs mstng.

Josie dear, if you had a second you would that mean you would have a second baby? That may get a little confusing. It always takes so long to butcher. I got to where I tell my boys they can't butcher more than 4 at once and they have to start by afternoon. I would prefer to be done by dinner time but I never am. I usually still pluck the tiny feathers they miss after dinner. It's a long process. Holy COW!!! I didn't know a turkey could get that big. Isn't there another way to do the scalding part. Maybe pouring it over instead of dipping? I hate to see good meat wasted. I think my boys could put him down quickly, without it being dramatic. Is there a reason you can't use a gun on a turkey? This sounds like aweful stuff to think about. I'm sorry, it just seems like such a waste doesn't it? Are ducks always harder? We have a duck that is maybe 18-24months, do you think he's too old? He thinks he's a chicken.

Hi Kansas Prairie, glad you made it back.

Hawkeye, what about using those strong clamps to hold one side of the plastic while you get the other in place? Those clamps that are like huge clothes pins??? Looks like you got it done anyway and it looks great.

Tweety, I'm so sorry to hear that you had a hard time again. I hope that for whatever reason that this doctor did this botox injection just right and that you get a huge improvement. Can't wait to see pics of your chicks. That's so exciting. I hope we get to see the pics tomorrow. J

Hey, speaking of tarps. I was thinking about the feed sack purses that everyone was talking about and thought about sewing the feed sacks together to use as tarps for windbreaks. Do you think it would work? I thought I could cut them open and wash them and hang them to dry first.

Hawkeye, if you use mouse poison do you think there could be a chance that the mouse would eat the poison and half dead walk out and be eaten by the chickens, then accidentally poisoning the chickens? Yay for getting the plastic up. You did a great job, it looks very neat.

Josie, thanks for sharing the pics. I love them. I love seeing all the different birds and the pics were pretty too.

Take it easy as much as you can Karen, your body is sleepy for a reason.

Danz, I'm voting for using the wagon. That's just what I was thinking when Trish talked about moving her turkey. I'm loving my wagon, I can't imagine life without it. It's still work but I feel like I can manage it without killing myself carrying things that are a real struggle. Thanks for saving me a barred rock boy, I'm definitely in for that one. My dd is coming here from Emporia on Friday I think, I'm just not so sure about asking her to pick up a chicken. She's not too fond of that stuff. I'm sure I will be coming that way at some point. I will let you know. I use tiny crochet hooks if you end up having extra. I don't see that as time wasted at all. You needed to take your time and go through those things. It's good for you.

I've been feeling like I'm hiding, just feeling bummed out in general. I can't get everything done I need to and there is too much going on and it's stressful. We all know how that goes. Yesterday was our 20 year anniversary, and I went to Overland Park to take my dd to the dr. and do some shopping and the truck broke down. We had it towed to my in-laws house but I had the truck filled with supplies from Sam's. My dh came to get me, but we had to transfer all that stuff to the van. Plus pick up eggs/chickens and make room for stuff and kids and it was midnightish before we got home and everything kinda under control. I didn't even see my chickens today, just trying to catch up from being gone and putting things away. I have been out hunting with my ds every chance we get and we are seeing tons of deer but he keeps missing them. I'm just about to that point of wanting to take that gun and do it myself. Not that I even know how a gun works. Danz, I'll pm you my cell in case I disappear again, sometimes life gets going too fast. I’m sorry I worried you.

Trish, thinking about you carrying that turkey makes me think of that day I carried a calf. It was like telling my legs with all my might to take one more step. It's so hard. I wish I could get you a wagon.

Tweety, what are pinkies? And, what's a bucket trap?

I'm so sorry Michelle. That's terrible. I have put 8 weekers in with my chickens before but I prefer to wait until about 3-4 months usually.

Lizzy, I am cracking up at your silly ducks!

Oh chickmomma... I'm so sorry for your tremendous loss. That's terrible. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers too.

Trish, I don't think you need plastic on the south too.

Lizzy, that's so cool about the quail!!!!!

OMGosh Danz! You did get a lot done. I ordered some nipple waters and I now have 3 coolers. I hope to get started on some watering systems to save some time and energy. The kids don't seem to mind these kind of jobs but I think they have a double motive too.

Trish, I had one little pen that got really wet and yucky all the time. I started sort of shoveling the wood shavings into the dirt instead of trying to take them out during the summer time. I would shovel a scoop down the dirt and get some dirt too then fold it over so it was somewhat mixed. The shavings turned to dirt, although looser dirt. This last time I cleaned it out I decided that I could actually take it out again. The height of the dirt level on the side is actually higher and there isn't a lower area in the middle anymore. I think it's going to work, if it smells I would have to do something different but I think tossing up the dirt too allows it to dry out. Sorry to hear about your ink spill. I would let it dry on the carpet. I would then use cheap hairspray and dab with my finger on a dry towel very gently in a twisting motion while lifting upward if that makes sense. Some spots if are only on the very surface of the carpet and type of carpet, maybe you could barely trim the carpet? I hope you were able to get it out.

WichitaKidd, glad to see you are getting back in. They are too amazing to say no to. That's a great idea to do chicken tours. It's so fun to see other set ups and birds and get ideas.

Ouch HEChicken, I hope you aren't too bruised up from the fall.

Maidenwolf, I got the eggs in the incubator this morning and I wrote down all or your codes so I would remember. Maybe I mean so I don't have to remember. I was going to ask that about the little bantam eggs too. I would think that being smaller they wouldn’t take as long to hatch. I didn't know what to do with Anubis, he's just sooooooo pretty and fluffy and feathery and HUGE! I left him in the pen you had him in overnight and he didn't seem in the least bit aggressive. My mil has been telling me that I needed another rooster in there in the layer coop that we are over working Daniel. There are an aweful lot of chickens in there. Since we got the turkeys from you, and knowing your chickens are better now I wasn't worried about disease and he really looks healthy and no one can deny that he's strong, we went ahead and put him in the layer coop. I figured the boys would duke it out and they would live in harmony, lets just say that we left them to their devices and went to work and it's clear that whatever happened Anubis won. Daniel was by the back fence all by himself and Anubis at the front surrounded by all the girls. I feel so bad. I feel like I traumatized Daniel now. Do you think they'll work it out? I didn't want to hastily remove either of them though. I'm thinking like how when a toddler pitches a fit and you give in then the next time you try it takes even more to get the desired result. If they are almost over a hump I don't want to give up. I've had an egg or two smeared with a little blood before and didn't think too much of it. I guess it reminded me of what we call 'skid marks' when babies are born, little tiny tears that heal really fast.

Lizzy, could the hurt duck possibly be the one who fell off of the ramp? I hope it gets better quickly.

Wow Danz, it really is purple. I thought it may be purplish or something but I never imagined such deep vibrant purple like that. That's amazingly beautiful. Sorry you lost your ducklings. That's so sad.

OMGOSH checoukan!!! He's HUGE. Please come here and show us how to do this!!!

Josie, it is sweet that they want to help but I totally understand that you want to do it right so you don't have to do it again. That's tough.

 

[cherwill]

We had another bird fly over the fence this morning. This time it happened when DH was out there, so now all of a sudden he's ready to start clipping wings. When I'm the one there during the escapes and he's at work, he just thinks it's funny! It wouldn't be a big deal except I know what will happen if one escapes while Gypsy is out there.

I'm starting to go into my usual holiday panic. It took longer than usual this year, but it's starting! There are always a few people I find it nearly impossible to shop for, and since DH is now a captain, we have to take his entire shift out for dinner. His captain started that little tradition years ago, and now it's expected of everyone. I know this is uncharitable, but I have a lot of social anxiety in the first place, then add an obligation in the middle of a time when I'm already freaked out about how much has to be done, then add the expense of taking 10 people out to eat ...

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!

This is why I love critters so much -- the entertainment is priceless!

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.

How heartbreaking for you.

I hope your Orp is hanging in there. As everyone has said, let us know how we can help.

We have a house!!! So now we need to get the gang moved.

Woo hoo!

Last night, I made a dumb mistake. I thought I'd share so others can laugh at/with me. I started filling the stock tank (water) for my horses last night. Then, I went and got one of the horses to play with. Not long after I started playing with the horse, I realized that I had forgotten the water, so I just turned it off, leaving the end of the hose in the tank. We are on well water, and after I turned the water off, the siphon from the pump started sucking the water out of the tank. When I got up this morning, I had a frozen hose and only 6-12 inches of water in the bottom of the stock tank. GRRR!! So, I had to move the hose to a sunny location and let it thaw out so I could water the horses again today.

Oh my! That sounds like something I would do.

EDIT: I should probably add that these birds were difficult to catch and aren't as tame as they look. They only stayed in my hands for a rather brief time until they realized that they could fly away.

Neat pictures. They're pretty birds.

To add insult to injury today I was carrying an old printer that doesn't work any more from upstairs down & didn't realize it was leaking ink as I walked down the stairs with it, so it dripped all the way down my stairs on the carpet & then got on the tile downstairs too. I was able to wipe up the tile fast & get it mostly off there, but I don't know yet if I'm going to be able to get it out of my carpet.

Gah! I hope you can get it all out. I guess that's one benefit to having no carpet in the house, like we do. The downside is that dust bunnies gather more easily and it shows dust just like furniture does.

Wanted to let everyone know that I'm definitely getting back into chickens. Getting ready to place an order with Meyer Hatchery for my spring flock. When I got their catalog in the mail a couple weeks ago I started getting the same feelings I had a year ago when I first got into this. Just too excited to say no. I found a few other families who are wanting to get into backyard chicken raising as well. We're pooling our order to meet minimums & to save on shipping costs. As of tonight, including myself, I'm ordering birds for 3 other families & still waiting to hear from a 4th before submitting the group's order. I sent them all a link to this forum so hopefully we'll have some additional newbies on the list in the future.

Question for all the Wichita metro area backyard chicken farmers on the forum. Has there ever been a discussion about hosting a Coop Tour? Something similar to a garden tour to educate/promote urban chicken raising. I've read about them in other cities & thought it might be something interesting to try here if there is enough interest. Any thoughts?

Hope everyone has a good week.

I'm happy to hear you're finally in a place where you want chickens again. I know from having loved and lost dogs over the years that sometimes it feels like the pain of losing them just isn't worth it. Eventually the point comes where I realize the joy they bring me is worth every bit of the pain. I'm so glad you can feel the joy, or the anticipation of it, again.

A coop tour sounds like a great idea. We're close enough to Wichita we might even be able to get there for something like that. I know there are garden tours and pond tours, so why not a coop tour?

I am really stiff and sore today. I went out to ride my horse yesterday - haven't come off in more than three years. I was cantering large circles and my horse stumbled. He tried to recover from the stumble but couldn't and suddenly there was a realization he was going down. I threw myself clear at the last minute so he didn't fall ON me, and because he was halfway down, I didn't have to fall that far myself. Nevertheless, the ground is HARD after all this time with no rain, so it still didn't feel exactly good. I got up and checked him all over and he seemed to be fine, so I got back on and we worked a little more, but I knew it would kick in later and sure enough, I can feel it today. Aaargghhh. I pulled shoes a couple of weeks ago and I think the ground is so hard its actually a little slick and with no shoes he just couldn't get a good purchase on the ground. Hopefully it won't happen again.

Ouch! I'm glad you were able to get clear. If you get a chance and have a tub, a nice hot soak in the bath might help. Back when I was in junior high or high school, I had a horse get down and prepare to roll. My dad was freaking out a quarter of a mile away, yelling at me to get off. I knew that, but had to wait until the horse was down far enough that I could step off the side he wasn't going to roll on! It's probably a good thing you could get back on and ride a little longer -- you might be even more sore if you hadn't.

Click to enlarge.

So pretty!

I just went out to feed and I had lost 14 baby ducks. They were all in a pile. I suspect they got cold and got suffocated. Ouch!! That really hurts. There won't be any profit on this bunch of babies. The others will just pay for the food they've eaten.

Oh no; how sad.

I HAVE A BABY SILKIE!!! It's adorable! Right now it's black with a grey chest. Mamma let me pick it right up! I also picked up another of the eggs and heard the baby in there chipping away at the shell! It's so exciting to see life born.

Congratulations!

Well, I didn't have anything to do this afternoon after I got home from the Dr. So I went out hunting. This is what I found in one of the back 40's eating wheat grass.

We are giving the meat away to some friends who don't hunt but want the meat. Our own freezers are packed!! He is not as big as the buck I shot last year, but I believe they have the same genetics.

Nice! DH hasn't been able to hunt the last couple of years and he really misses it. It's hard to find places to hunt any more, at least it is around here. Most people won't give permission so you just have to know someone, and DH's schedule makes it hard for him to have many days available. If he's not working, he's often still on call and can't leave town. He will be very jealous of that buck!

So my newest dilemma is that the inlaws want to build our chicken coops and horse run in. I don't even know what to tell them. We had planned on having a builder come in and do those things and they are like loading the post hole digger onto their trailer. I am super frustrated. I appreciate their desire to help but they are not builders and I don't even think they have ever built a big building like that. Plus I have spent weeks drawing and re drawing plans for these buildings. I also want to have someone who can assess the location and tell us the best place to put them, how to prepare the ground to aid in drainage and run off and help us with building permits etc. They always want to help with the most ridiculous thing that they are not qualified to do. Its like me saying I am going to go refuel a jet and change its oil before it takes off with a load of passengers! Ugh. I told them we really needed help getting the place finished up here to list more than we needed them to build a run in for the horses.

I am sure that they can help us build fencing when the time comes but that is a ways off....sigh.

That's a tough one. If you're like me, you don't want to hurt them, but you want your stuff done right, and you want it done the way YOU want it done. I hope they take the hint and decide to help the way you need it.

 

[sunflowerparrot]

HELP! Hygrometer FELL over on 2 of the eggs and I have 6 pips and cannot open the incubator to get the hygrometer off - is this ok??? It has always been attached to the side by a magnet/sticky piece - it is made of brass so has some weight to it.Suggestions? Here is photo of it:

 

[maidenwolfx80]

Tweety- congrats. I like silkies but dont own any yet, I bet they are just so cute when they are so tiny.
Josie- For being that old they were delicious or maybe it was part because of the recipe. I take no credit because that was the first time I roasted a whole duck.
Danz- I am sorry about your ducks. What a disaster.
Mommahen- Thank you, we are making readjustments to is in spring to fix the little things, but it makes me feel good to use something otherwise thrown away. It also needs a fresh coat of paint,, or 2. The chick is so stinky cute, I am not sure what she is but you can see alot of the light braham she just doesnt have feathered feet. I dont know about the turkey hens running away with the wild ones but why not? It isnt impossible. I really want a couple girls I miss my hens

I told dh that is what I wanted for xmas but he wont buy me birds for gifts, he found it rediculous and said but dont you have enough birds out there? "sigh" he just doesnt get it.. I am glad Anubis stood his ground and that the hens took to him. They wil duke it out and come to terms. Usually in a case with multiple roosters they will either figure out who is most dominant and state that roo as alpha or divide and make 2 flocks and each roo will have its own hens and they will live happily. Give it some time, Daniel just knows that this is the first time he has really had to stake his claim so he isnt sure what to do, Anubis had to fight for everything here since all my birds run at the same time.

Cherwill-- dont worry I have 2 kids to buy for and I have bought nothing... I have no money todo so. It is either buy gifts or pay rent. I am broken hearted because of it, this means I have to tell my 8 year old that there is no Santa, goodness I dont wanna do that. So I am searching with no results for a way to do get somehing at least. It is devestating. Idont know how I will pull it off this year but I think my next step is asking my MIL. I hate always asking her for money, they have bills too and she always gladly gives me what she has and this year they are pretty low on funds and I fear it is because she has been helping us too much. I cant ask my family because my family and I are not speaking because they have better things to do. I want to find another way to get some xmas cash instead of having to ask her.

 

[lizzyGSR]

Well, I didn't have anything to do this afternoon after I got home from the Dr. So I went out hunting. This is what I found in one of the back 40's eating wheat grass.

We are giving the meat away to some friends who don't hunt but want the meat. Our own freezers are packed!! He is not as big as the buck I shot last year, but I believe they have the same genetics.

Congratulations on the buck! My husband got a doe on the first day of hunting season and just got another tag yesterday. He plans to go out and try for another one this evening. We have A LOT of deer here. They even come up into the yard (despite our large dog, a lab, in the yard outside) and rub on our trees, eat my strawberries, etc. This is the first year that I will be responsible for cooking venison. Do you have any recipes or suggestions as to how to process the meat? I'm told that the deer out here have a pretty strong flavor, thanks to the amount of sage that they eat... The one time in the past that I've tried deer meat, I didn't like it. I was thinking of making jerky and sausage with it, but my DH really wants to keep some of the roasts and stuff. So, we're gonna stick a roast in the crock pot as soon as it is done soaking to see if I'll like the meat...

I've heard that bucks don't taste as good as does because of all of the testosterone. Have you noticed a difference? I told my DH NOT to go for a buck this year because of the rumor I heard about them not tasting as good.

I am really stiff and sore today. I went out to ride my horse yesterday - haven't come off in more than three years. I was cantering large circles and my horse stumbled. He tried to recover from the stumble but couldn't and suddenly there was a realization he was going down. I threw myself clear at the last minute so he didn't fall ON me, and because he was halfway down, I didn't have to fall that far myself. Nevertheless, the ground is HARD after all this time with no rain, so it still didn't feel exactly good. I got up and checked him all over and he seemed to be fine, so I got back on and we worked a little more, but I knew it would kick in later and sure enough, I can feel it today. Aaargghhh. I pulled shoes a couple of weeks ago and I think the ground is so hard its actually a little slick and with no shoes he just couldn't get a good purchase on the ground. Hopefully it won't happen again.

Oh no! I'm glad you're okay and that you didn't get hurt any more than just soreness! I haven't fallen off in quite some time, but I also haven't been able to ride much in the last couple of years, thanks to my horses being so far away, until just recently that is.

Every once in a while I have a duck that limps and separates herself from the flock cause she can't get around as fast as the rest. They usually pull out of it in a few days. If you can make sure she is eating and drinking normally. If she is she will probably recover.

Thank you for the input. AS far as I can tell, she is still eating normally, but ever since I brought my birds home from my friend's house after vacation, they haven't been eating all of their food. I'm not sure if that is because my friend spoiled them and they just aren't hungry or if it is the new food that I started them on not long after I brought them home (they didn't eat all of their usual food right after bringing them home either). She doesn't let the flock get very far away, and I haven't noticed her not being WITH the flock except that one time. She is still limping today, and I saw her holding the sore leg up when she wasn't walking on it (could explain why it was warmer when I picked her up yesterday to look her over).

Lizzy, I am cracking up at your silly ducks! Yep, I laugh at them regularly as well.

Lizzy, that's so cool about the quail!!!!! I thought so too. However, they're going to make pests of themselves pretty quickly. I went to put my birds back in their run yesterday evening. After I put the birds in, I realized that I had 4 quail in there as well. I had to go catch a couple of them and release them OUTSIDE the pen. The other two managed to find a way out on their own. However, I think they're eating some of the food that my birds didn't eat. I'd prefer they not do that because I don't know what these birds have been exposed to and really don't want my birds getting sick...

Lizzy, could the hurt duck possibly be the one who fell off of the ramp? I hope it gets better quickly. No. The duck that fell off the ramp was actually my one and only drake.

My comments are in-line in your quote above (see blue).