Consolidated Kansas

[Hawkeye95]

Karen, thank you for showing us the method on how to sprout the seeds! I swear I'm going to get organized enough some day soon to DO that! Where did you get your recipe for the daydream body soap?? Where do you buy your supplies? A friend of mine makes soap, but she made these wood boxes and then puts parchment paper (i think?) inside to line them and then pours the soap in and then bakes it. Is that similar to what you do?

I slept like crud last night. All the worries/stress is keeping me up. UGH. It's a preschool day for me, so I need to get around and get on with it. I need to run to Atwoods to get some more feed today. I hate the cold. I don't want to do anything. Bleah.

 

[HEChicken]

Sorry you didn't sleep Hawkeye - I know that feeling so well, of lying awake worrying about things.

I sprouted for the birds a couple of years ago, using the jar/cheesecloth method. All the sprouts got eaten, but I didn't get the sense they were going ape over them - it was more like pick through and eventually eat them all. My mum used to always sprout for us when we were kids and a little pile of sprouts would constitute a "vegetable" on our dinner plates. But when I suggested to DH that we could eat the sprouts I made for the girls, he tried some on his salad and his response was "so-so". So with the cool reception they got, I didn't continue doing them. Karen - are your birds eating them with gusto? I tried 6-8 different types of seed/grain to sprout - wheat, beans, lentils etc, but I couldn't tell if one got a better reception than another.

This morning we were sitting and drinking our coffee when I saw an animal in the pasture. I keep a pair of binoculars on the window sill just for this purpose, so I grabbed them and looked. Yup, my first coyote sighting since we've been out here. I watched as he ran AWAY from my chicken coop and finally disappeared through the north end of the pasture. So glad he didn't seem to be a problem.....this time.

 

[Trish44]

Sorry you didn't sleep Hawkeye - I know that feeling so well, of lying awake worrying about things.

I sprouted for the birds a couple of years ago, using the jar/cheesecloth method. All the sprouts got eaten, but I didn't get the sense they were going ape over them - it was more like pick through and eventually eat them all. My mum used to always sprout for us when we were kids and a little pile of sprouts would constitute a "vegetable" on our dinner plates. But when I suggested to DH that we could eat the sprouts I made for the girls, he tried some on his salad and his response was "so-so". So with the cool reception they got, I didn't continue doing them. Karen - are your birds eating them with gusto? I tried 6-8 different types of seed/grain to sprout - wheat, beans, lentils etc, but I couldn't tell if one got a better reception than another.

This morning we were sitting and drinking our coffee when I saw an animal in the pasture. I keep a pair of binoculars on the window sill just for this purpose, so I grabbed them and looked. Yup, my first coyote sighting since we've been out here. I watched as he ran AWAY from my chicken coop and finally disappeared through the north end of the pasture. So glad he didn't seem to be a problem.....this time.

He was just scoping you out, probably smelled your chickens, he'll be back. My GPs have been really busy at night lately, so much so that in the morning when I got out they're passed out in the yard sleeping.

Hawkeye, I hope your hubby can find a job locally & you won't have to have sleepless nights too much longer, that's miserable.

Karen, The sprouting looks interesting. I used to have a sprout jar, but who knows what happened to it. What seeds do your chickens like the best?

I got a text last night from a friend of mine who said her egg lady got a divorce & the hubby got the chickens, so I guess she'll be buying eggs from me now. Yay, another egg customer!

 

[maidenwolfx80]

Wow I have been busy watching babies hatch and this thread took off on me lol I have 7 so far and 5 pips. They are taking their time
I like the sprouts I have been wanting to do this.
Gonna snap pics once they are all out and dry. I had to lower the temp a tad because they were panting. I hope this doesnt mess things up too much

 

[Chickies-duckies-etc]

Trish44 ~ Another option for building your pens that I don't think anyone has mentioned yet, is using the metal posts. They are easy to drive into the ground with a post driver and can be wiggled out (or use a car jack and chain) if you want to move them. You can fasten the wire to them or make the panels like someone suggested and fasten those to the posts for upright support. I only use the metal here and they work well.(except to hang a heavy gate from) They can even be used for the poles in a small shed.

 

[Trish44]

Trish44 ~ Another option for building your pens that I don't think anyone has mentioned yet, is using the metal posts. They are easy to drive into the ground with a post driver and can be wiggled out (or use a car jack and chain) if you want to move them. You can fasten the wire to them or make the panels like someone suggested and fasten those to the posts for upright support. I only use the metal here and they work well.(except to hang a heavy gate from) They can even be used for the poles in a small shed.

Yeah, I think I'm going to go with HEChicken's idea for the conduit panels with chicken wire for the 3 inside panels & then fasten them to the metal t-posts. My problem now is I need creative minds to help me figure out how to do the gates so they will be able to open & shut for me to be able to get in & out of the pens. I have to make 4 gates & somehow use the t-posts with them. Does anybody have any brilliant ideas? I seem to be out of them.

 

[Chickies-duckies-etc]

Yeah, I think I'm going to go with HEChicken's idea for the conduit panels with chicken wire for the 3 inside panels & then fasten them to the metal t-posts. My problem now is I need creative minds to help me figure out how to do the gates so they will be able to open & shut for me to be able to get in & out of the pens. I have to make 4 gates & somehow use the t-posts with them. Does anybody have any brilliant ideas? I seem to be out of them.

If you use the lighter weight materials, either the conduit or lighter lumber, for the gates, I "think" the t-posts should hold the weight. The gate I am having a problem with is a big, heavy metal gate that is not even fastened on right. It needs to be replaced with something lighter. You could always add an angled support for the post also.

 

[sunflowerparrot]

I went ahead and ordered two of the small EcoGlows from Amazon yesterday. After finding out what the shipping price was from Brinsea, I realized that even with their coupons, it was cheaper to get it from Amazon with free shipping. Crazy, huh? They are temporarily out of stock but I don't need them until the end of March so as long as they are in by then, I'm happy. I did look on eBay, since Sunflowerparrot said she got hers there, but the only one on eBay now is higher priced than both Brinsea and Amazon so for now I'll stick with my back-order. I was originally going to get one big one, but in the end decided two might work better. For a large batch of chicks I can plug both in side-by-side, but for small batches, I only need to run one. And, with two I can have two brooders going at the same time too, so in the end two small ones seemed the more flexible option.

I hope you get it soon - they told me it could take a very short, very long, or never come.. they said they have no control over their requests. I finally decided to go ahead and buy on ebay after waiting 3 weeks to hear something from amazon... I needed one and couldn't wait. (plus, I got free shipping)

 

[sunflowerparrot]

Finally got our lil seperation coop done we made the runs out of PVC really light and easy to move and cheap
The whole thing was about 200.00 in material but a lot of labor thank gosh my Dad and Sister like to help.
We are pretty proud of the lil red barn.

That is a great idea for the broiler tractor I am going to put together in April.. would be easy to move by hand and not worry about having to use the 4-wheeler... I would have to have some weight on it though so it wouldn't tip over in the wind. (I'm in a completely open field with no wind break)

 

[JosieChick]

Must have been a night for not sleeping, I did the same thing just worried about different things I am sure!

I slept like crud last night. All the worries/stress is keeping me up. UGH. It's a preschool day for me, so I need to get around and get on with it. I need to run to Atwoods to get some more feed today. I hate the cold. I don't want to do anything. Bleah.

I wonder if my birds would like sprouts. We have a chicken bucket in the kitchen that I throw just about everything into to take out to the birds and when I brought it out for them the other day there were a couple stale chocolate chip cookies and that is what they fought over! Junk food junkies.

Watch for that coyote. Those day time loners are the ones that will cause you the biggest problems. And he will be back looking for an easy meal.

Sorry you didn't sleep Hawkeye - I know that feeling so well, of lying awake worrying about things.

I sprouted for the birds a couple of years ago, using the jar/cheesecloth method. All the sprouts got eaten, but I didn't get the sense they were going ape over them - it was more like pick through and eventually eat them all. My mum used to always sprout for us when we were kids and a little pile of sprouts would constitute a "vegetable" on our dinner plates. But when I suggested to DH that we could eat the sprouts I made for the girls, he tried some on his salad and his response was "so-so". So with the cool reception they got, I didn't continue doing them. Karen - are your birds eating them with gusto? I tried 6-8 different types of seed/grain to sprout - wheat, beans, lentils etc, but I couldn't tell if one got a better reception than another.

This morning we were sitting and drinking our coffee when I saw an animal in the pasture. I keep a pair of binoculars on the window sill just for this purpose, so I grabbed them and looked. Yup, my first coyote sighting since we've been out here. I watched as he ran AWAY from my chicken coop and finally disappeared through the north end of the pasture. So glad he didn't seem to be a problem.....this time.

Yeah, I think I'm going to go with HEChicken's idea for the conduit panels with chicken wire for the 3 inside panels & then fasten them to the metal t-posts. My problem now is I need creative minds to help me figure out how to do the gates so they will be able to open & shut for me to be able to get in & out of the pens. I have to make 4 gates & somehow use the t-posts with them. Does anybody have any brilliant ideas? I seem to be out of them.

Wondering where Danz is last night and today.....

It is cold out! I need to get a move on today and get the house cleaned. I really need to start painting something, anything really would be good. Everyone stay warm!