Consolidated Kansas

[tazcat70]

Very nice barn Checoukan!

 

[HEChicken]

Hawkeye, he looks very nice and no, I don't think he'll fly over the top of that stall. My turkey can fly up and roost on my horse shelter that is 12' high at the top and the ducks can too, but the ducks can fly quite well. None of the chickens can get up that high and even if they could, they would need a running start, I think, which he can't get in the confines of the stall.

Checoukan - that is looking really great - I can see that it is not that far from finished. Once they start with the drywall in your office, it will go really fast since each sheet only takes minutes and covers a 4x8 section.

 

[Deerfield Acres]

DH and I surprised each other for V Day. He surprised me with flowers and I surprised him with chocoloate. It was funny because we normally ignore Valentine's Day and both of us decided not to ignore it on the same Valentine's Day. For the kids, I decorated a mason jar and filled it with candy and tall Laffy Taffy sticks that stuck out the top. Then I set the jar inside a square red baking dish and filled it with candy. I don't usually do candy so they were really surprised!

I'm not sick, as in contagious, but I have been having to take anti carsick medicine to keep my stomach under control. What a nuisance. That medicine makes me so sleepy I can hardly stand myself.

Jorgie is doing much better than I thought he would. He has severe hip dysplasia -- the bones at top of his back legs are malformed and the left side had severe arthritis in it. There was no rounded head to either bone that is supposed to fit inside the hip sockets. Both had one pointed side facing the socket bone and so naturally, it's painful for him to walk. The veterinarian removed the excess bone so that it now fits into the socket. The other side still works and never seems to bother him, but we'll not be surprised if he has to have the same surgery on the other side at some point. Then, there are his knees, also. Poor little dog. He was a rescue puppy who came from a puppy mill.

checoukan, that barn is looking very good!

 

[michelleml]

Good luck Michelle! For what its worth, I would put in as many as it will hold at this point, because if some don't develop and some develop but don't hatch, the fewer you set at the start, the higher the risk you will end up with only one chick. You may be okay this time of year and if that happens, it will be chick days and you will be able to get a lonely chick a companion that way. Is this your first time incubating?

this is our first time incubating we are just doing a trial. I've already told kids that it might not work we are just trying it out.

oops! I missed Michelle's post! I agree with HeChicken! and oh right!! Chick Days are almost upon us!! YAY!!! I'm wanting a couple more barred rocks. Machines, they are!!! There is no messing around with those ladies!

I've seen we are having chick day next weekend in my area very tempting. DH just shakes his head when i start talking chicken stuff

I got 5 OSB boards for Valentine Day I look at it as a very romantic gesture because he is supporting my lifestyle! For my birthday (next week), he is making me nest boxes We agreed all our gifts to each other would be to support the life here.

that is an awesome gift I'm sure if i would have asked for that my DH would have put me in a loony bin

Ok, braved the cold north breeze out there brrr.

Here are some current photos of the barn. Seems like its a long ways from being done, but its not. They are putting up the doors to keep the weather out.
First picture is of the south side.

They didn't have enough of the insulation to finish the roof, but that area is open anyway.
This picture is of the the inside and of my "work" room.

You can see the two north windows. I will have a door, and two windows on the east, and a door going to the west.
This next shot is of the north side of the barn. I believe everything is done on this side.

This north side has 4 windows, 1 walk in door, and one "garage" door, so I can open for summer ventilation.
We did not run the skylight material all the way, as where the white stops is about where my work room starts.

This picture was taken looking west. They are getting the other garage door ready to go on, that way the back of the barn will be enclosed. Still have one garage door to go on here on the east side. The east side of my work room, and above it will be in red. My room will be insulated, my sink will be directly behind the window opening you see here on the right. I am hoping the skylight material will allow enough light thru so I dont have to run the lights, but if I do, I would not think it would be any more that what it is now.

It's coming along beautiful very jealous

 

[chicken danz]

Rosie that is way off. 10 mg = 0.0048 teaspoon or about .023 ml. So if you had a syringe that measured tiny amounts I would try that. One drop is considered to be .05 ml. So you would need to use about 1/2 drop!!! Either that or mix up two gallons and add one drop.
Hawkeye considering the fact that he weighs a ton I doubt he can fly at all. I've never seen him do it. But of course that doesn't mean it's not possible.I think he will be perfectly happy in that area. What more could he ask for? Unless he had a half dozen girls to court.
I wish Josie would post some pictures. I hate to wait until I get down there to see her new digs.
Checoukan I am dying here. I want your darned building. I have been trying to decide what to do here. I need a garage and an addition on my house but I would love to build a poultry building too. I could afford to build the poultry building I think if I really pinches pennies but I would have to finance the house addition. Of course her I sit without a vehicle because I hate financing. I close on the refinance of my house on the 26th by the way. I really would like to be able to pay more on principal but that would mean getting a lot more birds sold around here.
I thought I sent this hours ago. I went outside and spent a few hours feeding and watering. Josie if you are looking the new goosie is not being allowed in the group. The two positive boys keep chasing him away. I had to feed him separate cause they wouldn't let him near.
I got two turkey eggs today for the first time. It's usually one. But one was broken. I forgot I stuck the other one in my pocket! Duh! How many times do I have to do that to learn I will always break an egg in there. Needless to say my coat is in the washer.
I also got my first pullet egg in the ghetto trailer. It had to be the barred rocks or the marans that hatched in the oldest group. I am thinking barred rocks cause it didn't look dark enough for a marans egg. It cheered me up though because waiting on those birds to get cranking out eggs is what is making me keep a lot more chickens than I want to right now. That means there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Karen I am glad Jorgie is doing good. How sweet you guys got each other valentines. I would definitely settle for roses or chocolates.

 

[maidenwolfx80]

RIP Mystic, He was taken by a hawk today.

 

[HEChicken]

Deerfield, I'm so glad Jorgie is doing so well. I have some experience with hip dysplasia as our first rescue dog had what the vet pronounced "the worse case he'd ever seen". We considered surgical options but unfortunately our dog wasn't a good candidate. Our research told us that dogs under 50lb do the best. Our dog was 46-48 BUT that was with his hip muscles almost completely atrophied because of the dysplasia. The other thing our research told us is that well muscled dogs do the best. So we were in a quandary. We were offered an option of laser treatments to build up the muscles but that was going to be 6 months and a ton of money, and then we would end up with a dog who weighed MORE than 50lb. In the end we decided not to do it, but instead did steroids and heavy duty pain meds to try to buy him some extra time. For awhile there he was really happy again but when his pain returned even on that regimen, we had to say goodbye to him. I still miss him everyday - he was a special dog. Anyway, since your dogs are small breeds, I'm not surprised that he is doing well and I hope he continues to improve as he heals.

Danz, Sutherlands has all of their building kits on a 25% off sale for President's Day weekend - that would make a barn kit much more affordable than usual if you have one within driving distance.

 

[chicken danz]

Aw that's sad. I'm so sorry. At least it was a boy and not a hen. I'm sure that doesn't help. I've been chasing a hawk around here for over a week. He flies when he sees me. One of these days!!!!! )&^^*^*% Hawks anyway!
I didn't get any work done on my hoop coop today at all. Just sat here too long and it was too cold to think about working outside any longer than I had to.
Hechicken what are the sale dates? I might seriously consider that!!! Don't know when I'd get it built. I wish I could find a builder who would do it and not charge me a fortune. Even if they just put up the building I could build the other parts myself and hire a concrete worker to do the concrete work. I have the family and friends thing as well so I could use the credit from that to buy more of the stuff to go inside.
Thanks!!! I would probably have to pay for delivery since we live a ways out and DH is working long hours. But still that would be awesome.
Speaking of DH I'd better go get some shoes on. We are going to town to deliver eggs and have some chinese food.

 

[maidenwolfx80]

Yes Danz, being a cockerel is alittle easier,, but he was so sweet.. Yes *&^%&^$& Hawks anyway!!! I am on guard now.....

 

[HEChicken]

Awww Maidenwolf, so sorry you lost a bird. Those darn hawks.

Danz, I didn't want to give you bad info so I went to their website and the sale goes from the 15-18th, so I guess that only leaves Sat/Sun/Mon. It is for 25% off "All Sutherlands Building Packages, wood decks, backyard storage sheds, garages, barns and houses". Oh - I just read the fine print and realized they have one item for sale each of the four days of the sale and this sale is only on Sunday.