Consolidated Kansas

[JosieChick]

Take her for a car ride! Preferably a dirt road one but any will usually do. I take my hens for rides when nothing else works. It doesn't last forever but it usually upsets their routine enough that they don't want to set.

So I've got an Ancona duck that wants to go broody. I have been taking any real eggs out of the nest, but suppose I should take the two wood eggs out also. Any other hints to break the broodiness?

Bummer about the grain mill. I am sure that was a small disaster. I hate it when you are trying to do something and it malfunctions and makes things even worse. I don't know if the peas are boys or girls yet. They say with cameo it can be up to a year before they are sexable. I agree that selling them dirt cheap is not my main goal. I do think that someone who isn't willing to pay a reasonable price probably won't care for them very well. They have been very low maintenance so far but I just want to get down to a reasonable number of mouths to feed and birds to care for. I don't want to have so many birds that I can't treat them all for mites in the same evening. I also need to be reasonable about the number of pens that we build because it is going to cost some $$$ to do and I want to focus on the birds I really love. I adore my bantam cochins and geese. If I could have nothing else that is what I would keep. We wouldn't have any eggs to eat but oh well!

I am toying with the idea of selling the seramas. I would probably wait until spring so I can ship because I spent a lot of money on these birds and they are too nice to be sold for nothing. I want them to go somewhere that they will be a valuable part of someones breeding program. I have one older frizzle hen that I will keep and will probably keep a pet quality girl that is older to keep her company just as pets until they pass away.

Thank you to you and Trish for your input. Sometimes I am not the best business woman so it is nice to have a sounding wall to see if I am being unreasonable. If they do sell I want them to go somewhere that can care for them properly and will enjoy them. I guess I will look at my plans to build pens again and see what I can do.

I couldn't find my tins or my light fixture to make my cookie tin so I ended dismantling a light fixture I decided not to use and used one of the sockets from it. I had one more tin that was taller that the ones I can't find and I really didn't want to use it for this project, but I did. Of course it took me a couple hours of wasted time to get that far and dig through stuff to find what I wanted.
Then I put my new grain mill on my mixer cause I am out of chick starter. I was going to make some of my own. I started grinding and the thing fell off. Come to find out they had machined the divet that holds it in place in the wrong place. This grain mill costs like $160 and it has a no hassle guarantee. Well the hassle is that it is Sunday and they don't take calls on Sunday. Also since I bought it and just opened it today I don't have the warranty card sent in. I wonder what kind of hassle that will cause. I also had purchased a good grinder and hooked it up to make sure I was doing everything right. It fit perfectly with the same type attachment. This really makes me angry. I don't have time for inconvenience, not do I have time to clean up the huge mess it made when it fell and spilt grain all over the kitchen. Argh!
Oh Trish I am so sorry about you peahen. I would certainly keep treating the others just to make sure. Do you think it was the one who was sneezing?
Josie don't sell your peas for that little. Have you ever figured out what sex they are yet? I really don't have room for any more. But if you want and could let me use that cage you bought, I could care for them for you until you get a place made to keep them. We can work out things later. My only stipulation would be that if something happened to them like if they got sick and I couldn't cure them that I wouldn't be responsible. I would just buy them from you but I really think you do want them and like I said I am just out of room.

 

[maidenwolfx80]

mikeksfarmer-- I did post the duck recipe. It was a few pages back if you cant find it pm me and I can send it to you.

Trish- I am sorry about your peahen

I hope the others get better.

I have no water heating system and need advice, I know about the cookie tin heaters but only have electricity via an extension cord from the house and no cookie tins. I like the idea of the cookie tin because the heat stays off the bedding.

I need to start my search for 2 turkey hens, it will take awhile to find them that is why I need to start now. If anyone has any or tips of who to ask please let me know. I am going to post on the facebook swap.

I have a hen that had an area on her head torn open. I dont know which one did it but I do know that once one roo starts to mate 3 of them will rush over and kick him off and I am thinking it may have happened then. I have been treating but need to find a bigger solution to this issue.

 

[chicken danz]

About the only solution to too many roosters is to get rid of the rest of them or keep them separate from the hens. I would always take the most gentle of roos myself. If they don't dance for the girls they aren't gentle enough for me.
I spent the afternoon out working trying to get the water heaters set up and stuff. I really thought I was more prepared but it took a lot more work than I anticipated. I really really need to go to Ottawa and get some more heated dog bowls.
Speaking of that Josie, I think with your advice I solved my goose problem. I have a big heated bucket I use for the dogs water. It has the wire covering all the way down the cord and it is pretty weighty too. I think I can hook the bale to the fence and plug it in and at least they will have drinking water......at least until one of them decided to take a bath in it. I had to laugh at one of the girls late this afternoon. She obviously didn't want to get in the water so she was standing outside their big bin they bathe in and was catching water in her beak and throwing it on her chest. I guess she thought the water would be warmer that way! silly goose. While I was out freezing my tooty off I kept thinking if I had the chicken trailer done I wouldn't have to be setting up any heated water bowls for whomever was in there. I really really need to concentrate on that and quit putting it on a back burner.
I am cold and tired. That was so much work. I moved the chicken tractor and put plastic on one side of it to block the wind. Then I put the new cookie tin heater I made in there. It must have worked okay. The birds were all in the house part but after I set that up that way they all came out. I do like the cookie tin heaters just because they put heat out other than what keeps the water from freezing. I have no heat in the hen house but I have a cookie tin heater in there with no water on it yet. It keeps the building a little warmer. I almost hate to put the water inside cause the chickens always manage to spill some.

 

[HEChicken]

I went out & found one of my peahens dead in the pen today, I'm really upset. I had noticed one of them sneezing yesterday & started some Tylan in there. I don't know if it was just too late or she had something else wrong with her. I haven't gotten her out of there yet because she's all the way to the back of the hoop coop. So that just leaves me a pair now, I sure hope the others don't get sick.

Aww...I'm so sorry - I know how important the peafowl are to you. I really hope the others don't succumb to the same thing.

I couldn't find my tins or my light fixture to make my cookie tin so I ended dismantling a light fixture I decided not to use and used one of the sockets from it. I had one more tin that was taller that the ones I can't find and I really didn't want to use it for this project, but I did. Of course it took me a couple hours of wasted time to get that far and dig through stuff to find what I wanted.
Then I put my new grain mill on my mixer cause I am out of chick starter. I was going to make some of my own. I started grinding and the thing fell off. Come to find out they had machined the divet that holds it in place in the wrong place. This grain mill costs like $160 and it has a no hassle guarantee. Well the hassle is that it is Sunday and they don't take calls on Sunday. Also since I bought it and just opened it today I don't have the warranty card sent in. I wonder what kind of hassle that will cause. I also had purchased a good grinder and hooked it up to make sure I was doing everything right. It fit perfectly with the same type attachment. This really makes me angry. I don't have time for inconvenience, not do I have time to clean up the huge mess it made when it fell and spilt grain all over the kitchen. Argh!

Sounds like you had a frustrating day. I know that feeling all too well of knowing you have something but you can't put your hands on it, especially since we moved. It can turn a simple project into hours of time wasted. Sorry about the grain mill also. How long have you had it - is there a chance they will still honor the warranty?

I listed some birds for sale this weekend on craigslist and got a really low ball offer on the pea chicks. I can't decide what to do. I am trying to thin numbers but I also want to make sure they go somewhere they will be cared for and not just let loose to roam and be eaten by things. I wish they would have emailed me some info about themselves with their offer instead of just a really low offer and nothing else. Like, we have a really nice flight pen built and feed our birds this feed etc. That is what I would do if I was going to offer someone almost half what they were asking for their birds. What do you guys think?

I'd be really dubious about the care they will get if they make a lowball offer before even coming to see them. Sounds like someone who wants something for nothing and the less value they place on them at purchase, the less they will value them after purchase. If I were you, I would hold off and hope for interest from someone else - that's if you have the flexibility to wait before selling.

I have a hen that had an area on her head torn open. I dont know which one did it but I do know that once one roo starts to mate 3 of them will rush over and kick him off and I am thinking it may have happened then. I have been treating but need to find a bigger solution to this issue.

I agree with Danz that it sounds like you have too many roosters. Personally I would eat a few of them if it were me.

That north wind is really howling tonight - what a change from the balmy weather we've been experiencing up until now. Brrrr. I brought all of the water bowls into the house for the night so in the morning I can take them out and they will have water in them, not ice. I guess in the morning I will have to plug in the heated water bowl. I've been putting off doing it because I know the ducks will just splash all the water out of them in no time. All the birds went into the coop tonight, including two ducks who haven't slept in it in weeks. Usually they fly down to the pond for the night but I guess with the colder weather they decided the coop was a better place to spend the night tonight after all.

 

[chicken danz]

Hechicken I just bought that grain mill. I just got it in the mail day before yesterday. I hadn't even opened the box until today. I sure hope they send me a new one and pay for return postage. It's very heavy so postage would eat me up. Why me?? I ordered it from Target but of course I have to go through Kitchenaid to get it replaced.
I'm racking my brain, Josie to try to figure out where I could keep those peachicks. I think you know I would take good care of them.
I have 4 little olandsk chicks hatched and one more that has pipped. It is awfully far behind the others so I hope it does hatch. I had 7 eggs that showed development and three of them were questionable when I candled them so I am thrilled there are 5 viable chicks if this one makes it. I worry so much when one takes longer. I like them popping like popcorn then I know they are all healthy.
If I have no losses I will be happy with this little group assuming these chicks are at least 50/50 boys and girls. They could be all girls for that matter since I have two roosters. That wouldn't disappoint me at all.
I still need to go shut up the coops. I got inside and forgot about them.

 

[PrairieChickens]

Winter kinda snuck up and bit us in the toosh, didn't it?

 

[chicken danz]

I think it bit a huge hunk out of our toosh! It was 15 when I got up with the wind blowing like crazy.Even the ducks were huddled up together.

 

[Deerfield Acres]

Hi guys! Thank you so much for all the well wishes! It seemed to take forever but I finally had my first normal day a couple days ago and I just hit the ground running. It feels so good to feel normal again. I haven't caught up with everyone on here yet, but will soon. The kids and I managed to "spring clean" the house and get the birds ready for the cold weather just in time, and in one day. We worked like a bunch of dervishes! I've also managed to get my Christmas shopping almost completely done. I'm going to try my hand at making my own laundry detergent today and hand soap this week. I've always wanted to make my own soap and just never got around to it.

DH is working lots of hours since they cut his group in half at Beech. He's sure had his hands full with me being ill on top of that. Gotta love a guy who just steps up and doesn't make you feel any worse than you already do about not being able to keep up with your part of the deal. Oddly enough, the kids are really glad when I'm back on top of things because Dad is far less strict than I am and they don't enjoy the chaos for very long. It's lovely to be back on the job and everyone's so appreciative!

I have one son home with the flu, but we caught it quickly with some Tamiflu and he's improving rapidly. Good thing cause he has a concert tomorrow evening -- hope he makes it!

Hope everyone is doing well and almost ready for the holidays!

 

[lizzyGSR]

I'm not sure what I'm going to do about my silly geese. I am afraid they wouldn't leave a heater in their water. They normally throw everything in their water but they also chew on everything. If I leave the hose out there they will chew on it. I'm afraid if I put a heater out there they'll chew on the cord.
Josie what do you do for the goosies?

I have a couple of those 1 1/2 gallon heater water bowls from Orschelns. My silly birds (ducks and geese) try to bathe in them, but they usually leave enough for drinking as well. I have 2 bowls for 9 ducks and 3 geese, and that seems to hold them over for the day. I empty and re-fill them morning and night.

Speaking of that Josie, I think with your advice I solved my goose problem. I have a big heated bucket I use for the dogs water. It has the wire covering all the way down the cord and it is pretty weighty too. I think I can hook the bale to the fence and plug it in and at least they will have drinking water......at least until one of them decided to take a bath in it. I had to laugh at one of the girls late this afternoon. She obviously didn't want to get in the water so she was standing outside their big bin they bathe in and was catching water in her beak and throwing it on her chest. I guess she thought the water would be warmer that way! silly goose. While I was out freezing my tooty off I kept thinking if I had the chicken trailer done I wouldn't have to be setting up any heated water bowls for whomever was in there. I really really need to concentrate on that and quit putting it on a back burner.

I just went out to do my chores. The NWS website says it is 13*F in town with a windchill of -3*F. We are in a big hole here, so it is usually colder here. After I gave my birds more water, all of them were trying to bathe in it. Silly birds don't act like they even notice how frigid it is outside.


Also, as you may have heard, I got 2 more geese late last week. When I did the chores this morning, I found my first egg from them. It was frozen, so I wonder if it was from yesterday morning and my DH didn't notice it when he took care of the birds yesterday... Either way, it has been well below freezing all day yesterday, last night, and this morning so it probably didn't take long for it to freeze. Do you think the egg is still good to use in cooking/baking? As you can see, the egg is huge! That is MY hand pictured...

 

[chicken danz]

So good to see you back! I can't believe your energy. I need someone to Christmas shop for me. I still haven't left that house. What I do have done has been on line. I found out last night my DH took the week off. We have been days without a washer cause he has been working on his trucks. So maybe we'll get the new one installed this week. I haven't even opened the box yet.
I just helped the last little Oladnsk out of the shell. He seems to be fine but wasn't making any progress getting out. I just tossed the last two eggs. Neither of them were alive. The babies don't seem real interested in eating or drinking. I may have to move them into a smaller bin to get them started. Silly birds. I've never had chicks that didn't act like they were starving.