Consolidated Kansas

[HEChicken]

I'm enjoying the FF discussion. I did it for a few weeks in the fall but decided not to over the winter. I'm considering starting it back up again once the weather is warm enough I can ferment it at the coop.

Maidenwolf, is that laundry soap dry or liquid? Like Checoukan, I have an HE washer and I think I need a liquid to use. From Scratch magazine had a recipe for liquid that made a 5-gallon bucket for under $2, and it didn't look that hard so I've been considering giving it a shot.

I found out who laid the little whitish/cream egg while I was gone - my little Serama hen. So cute - when I went down to the coop a little while ago she was singing the egg song and just like the Serama rooster crow, which is such a tiny, squeaky sound, the egg song was a tiny, high-pitched squeaky sound. Very, very cute. I'm actually impressed at how big the egg is comparative to her size.

Even more exciting - a silkie is laying her first egg

She was sitting in her nest so I left her alone but do have to laugh at how fussy she was being, picking constantly at the bedding around her, rearranging it to try to get it perfectly to her liking, unlike my older LF hens who sit in the nest box with a faraway expression on their faces just waiting until its time to stand up and push.....

Mstng, you have my sympathies. Unpacking boxes has to be one of my least favorite activities. Its fine when I know exactly where stuff has to go, but those boxes always get unpacked first and then I am left with the ones I've already peered into once and set aside because I DIDN'T know where to put the stuff.

 

[maidenwolfx80]

Yes it is powder but you can always use liquid castile soap instead of fels naptha
The ff method I use is of course ACV w mother and water and feed. I add a tablespoon or so of brewers yeast for nutrion and let it soak up to a little thicker than pancake batter. I even sometimes add alittle dry feed and stir it in when I serve it so it is thick enough for them to eat it well.

 

[checoukan]

I almost forgot, I need to go get pictures of the barn!! They are finishing the tin on the east side where "MY" Room is going to be. IM READY!!!

 

[mstng67]

The soap works fine in the HE machines. I just made a new batch using Zote this time rather than the Fels. 1 tbs of the powder is all it needs for the HE machines.

The appraiser has come and gone, so now we just play the waiting game on the refinance.

 

[Hawkeye95]

Hawkeye I don't think the birds would actually grow bigger than they normally would. They would just grow faster than normal. I still think that general overall health is better which of course has something to do with the higher protein level of FF. But the other benefits like lack of chicken poop smell etc is a huge benefit. I am anxious to see if they do cut down on food consumption once it warms up and they can get out and find things to eat. I have always used more feed in the winter so I honestly can't judge how well we are doing.

Maybe I'll give FF a shot in the summer. But seriously, I'm going to have to hear everyone say that their birds are eating less and less interested in it and satisfied! ha!

I really want the sun to come out and melt this snow!!! I am ready to get moved. Something is really bugging Molly across the street, she has been carrying on for a couple days at something in the woods over there. I don't know what it is but she doesn't usually bark this much during the day. I got another couple coats of paint on the window frames last night so I am hoping one more today and they will be good. I have been saving the walls until all the trim work is done because I know the walls will go fast and be fun to do and make a big difference in here. I am so sick of painting. I can't believe how long the cabinets took to paint. I will never paint cabinets again!

I need to get out of this house today for a while. I think I will shovel a bit off the end of the driveway and see if I can make it out. I was hoping it would melt more today but it is so overcast I am not sure that is going to happen.

I would be really sick of painting too. I'm not a big fan of it if it can't be done in an afternoon! I like to knock out a room and be done in a day. It was nice to get out today and get a lot of errands done. I drove all over Wichita, though. So that part wasn't totally fun. I did treat myself to lunch at Chipotle, though! I LOVE that place!!

I'm wondering if the FF increases their appetite or something rather than cut down on it like the meat chicken people seem to say. I certainly have not seen any drop in feed use at my place.Hawkeye, my birds had already molted earlier, so I don't feel like this is really a molt, just new feathers due to the FF.

Hawkeye, let us know for sure how you like those Wellies. I need some different boots for wading around in the snow. I have rain boots from TSC & they do keep my feet dry, but even with heavy wool socks on my feet were like blocks of ice. So I had to dig out another pair of boots, but they're not very high & in some places the snow was higher than the tops of my boots. They also are almost too tight with heavy socks on, I can barely get them on & off. I hate ordering shoes too online because you just never know from one brand to the other what size you're really going to need. I would think though for boots for snow & wearing heavy socks you would want them at least a size bigger than what you normally wear. I bought a whole size bigger on the rain boots & have to pry them off with heavy socks on.

Danz, I'm with you, it's driving me absolutely nuts that I can't get out & work. I've got to get these last things done on my pens so I can move the rest of the birds & then get busy building my goat pen. I don't have a lot of materials for the pen, I'm going to have to piece together something for now until I can enlarge it later, but the two little goats shouldn't need a huge pen for awhile & then I can enlarge it. I know my friend is getting tired of taking care of my little Penny, but it's just really bad timing on her part to get them when she did since I can't get out to get anything done. I'm hoping it's going to get warm enough this weekend to get out there & get some serious work done.


I put my two bigger chicks out in the coop last night at roost time, they were getting so big & trying to fly out the top all the time of the brooder. I needed that brooder to move the little chicks into, so I figured it was time they went out. I hope they will be OK out there with the big chickens, they will have to learn their place. They sure did get big too on the FF.

From what everyone is saying, it sure sounds like they love the FF, but that they just want more and more! I will let you know how I like the Wellies once they get here! They have not come yet!?!? It said "out for delivery" this morning by UPS and they are not here. I know they typically do us at the end of their day, but UPS usually gets here around 3-5pm. Wondering where they are! I was holding off on chores tonight so I could try them out and I was getting sick of super freezing cold and WET cowboy boots with Walmart sacks to keep my feet dry. For your goats... could you do something really temporary and fast-- like 4 T posts and woven wire to make a small pen? Good luck! I sure hope it is nice this weekend.

It's been almost a week since I've been able to log on. The appraiser is coming today for refinancing our house, and it seems to look in worse shape than when we set the appointment. Oh well. We have just stuffed stuff in boxes for so long that we need a major purge. We ran out of room to put the boxes that "we'd sort out later." So we started sorting them out, but it takes a lot longer than I would like. I can say we have a clean master bedroom closet. So hopefully that will count for something on the appraisal.

Good luck with the appraisal! I think we are nearly done with most of our purging, but it is NOT fun to sort through it. And there is always more when you think you're done. It's not unusual for us to bag up like 8 bags of stuff to take to Goodwill when we're done! Kids clothing seems to get out of hand. I know that I need to purge a bunch of my clothing still.

Josie, I haven't put eyes on any of these tormentors, save one, and he was just a regular coyote with a limp. But the hybrid thing would make sense of what happens around here on a regular basis. They come right up to the kids playset, don't seem shy of the house at all. It's crazy and I think Hawkeye's right, I need to stop going out there alone. I need to just break down and get a skinny friend to make those trips out the back door with me! Sounds like I'll have to be a sharp shooter to make any impression on them. Sheesh!

Wow, glad to be back in the house. Just finished testing all the birds for my NPIP!! WOOHOO, done for anouther year.

Cody and Brenda are so nice! Brenda said I have to come back next year to see the finished barn. They both thought the barn was wonderful. Im glad. We went in back and they both could not believe how light is was in the back part where the birds are going to be. Even as overcast as we are today, I would not have to turn on any lights for the birds like I do now.

YAY on being NPIP again this year!!! Glad you guys had a good time and got it all done. Sounds like the barn is nearly done! Exciting!!

I've been busy trying to car shop again and I am hours behind. Oh geez! I need to get to town but at the same time I need to get some stuff done here. I've had some calls about pups today so maybe I will sell a couple this weekend with luck.

I had to candle some eggs going into the hatcher so while I was at it I candled the first 5 goose eggs I put in the incubator. They've been there maybe 5 or 6 days. Three of the five were fertile!!! I was so excited. But as I was putting them back in one fell off and broke. And of course it was beautifully developing!! I felt like crying. At least I know the boys are getting the job done out there!
I also candled the few turkey eggs I have and most seem to be developing.
I had 18 BBS English Orpington eggs due to come out the 5th. Not a single one developed at all. The seller had wrapped them completely in bubble wrap not leaving an open end. I strongly suspect that is what killed them. This is a very well known breeder and these were expensive eggs. She says her hens are shut down again due to colder weather. Drat!!!
Gotta get busy. This car shopping is taking too much time.

Awww, I'm sorry one of the eggs dropped. That is a real bummer. I've done it. NOT fun.

I found out who laid the little whitish/cream egg while I was gone - my little Serama hen. So cute - when I went down to the coop a little while ago she was singing the egg song and just like the Serama rooster crow, which is such a tiny, squeaky sound, the egg song was a tiny, high-pitched squeaky sound. Very, very cute. I'm actually impressed at how big the egg is comparative to her size.

Even more exciting - a silkie is laying her first egg

She was sitting in her nest so I left her alone but do have to laugh at how fussy she was being, picking constantly at the bedding around her, rearranging it to try to get it perfectly to her liking, unlike my older LF hens who sit in the nest box with a faraway expression on their faces just waiting until its time to stand up and push.....

Ahhh, the serama!! Oh, I bet that is a cute egg! So exciting that your silkies are starting to lay!! YAY!! First timers! Mine are like that-- VERY fussy about the nest. My layers are like you just described-- in and out and no fuss. Those silkies can put up a fit getting the right hole dug and the right spot picked out. I have a nest box for them, but so far, they all refuse to use it and dig down a hole in the shavings and then go round and round like a dog until it seems just right.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Today I went to the Art Museum with my youngest's Preschool class. That was pretty fun this morning. But then I dropped her off at my MIL's and while I enjoy being over there, she kept me longer than I planned and I didn't get home until much later than I thought and I didn't have much time to clean house. I need to finish laundry and get this place picked up. I have a party tomorrow for my oldest. I'm going to grill BBQ chicken outside for the dinner. I have garlic bread and baked beans I'm making too. Sigh, still lots to do tomorrow and I need to do last minute cleaning.

 

[Trish44]

Hawkeye, I was supposed to get a package today too & didn't get it, I wonder what the deal is with that? Mine also said out for delivery too.

I got nothing done today at all. I'm going to try to go out tomorrow & see if I can get any work done out there if it's not too awful.

 

[Deerfield Acres]

Wow, glad to be back in the house. Just finished testing all the birds for my NPIP!! WOOHOO,

maidenwolf~~ congrats on the all the babies, I have some blue marans about a week out. I don't think that soap would work for me, as I have an "He" washer, I don't know how I would put the soap powder in the washer.

Trish~~ I like to strain my FF, that way I don't use so much of the Mother Vinegar.

deerfield acres~~ you are going to have to shoot those coyotes! We are getting ready to eliminate a bunch around here.

Congrats on being NPIP'd for another year!

I use the same ingredients that maidenwolf uses only I make the liquid version. I have an He washer and it is really made for that use. I love my liquid version and especially like the Fels Naptha. I used some of my own Castille soap in place of the Fels and wasn't as happy with it.

So now on the gun thing. I have neighbors, well not right next door and I'm afraid I might shoot into their property? How worried should I be about stray shot? How far does it travel? I want rid of those horrid things. Enough is enough.

I've been busy trying to car shop again and I am hours behind. Oh geez! I need to get to town but at the same time I need to get some stuff done here. I've had some calls about pups today so maybe I will sell a couple this weekend with luck.

I had to candle some eggs going into the hatcher so while I was at it I candled the first 5 goose eggs I put in the incubator. They've been there maybe 5 or 6 days. Three of the five were fertile!!! I was so excited. But as I was putting them back in one fell off and broke. And of course it was beautifully developing!! I felt like crying. At least I know the boys are getting the job done out there!
I also candled the few turkey eggs I have and most seem to be developing.
I had 18 BBS English Orpington eggs due to come out the 5th. Not a single one developed at all. The seller had wrapped them completely in bubble wrap not leaving an open end. I strongly suspect that is what killed them. This is a very well known breeder and these were expensive eggs. She says her hens are shut down again due to colder weather. Drat!!!
Gotta get busy. This car shopping is taking too much time.

Ah, I'm so sorry about your broken egg and your BBS English Orpington eggs not developing. That is the pits and I'm sorry you haven't got the car thing worked out yet.

I'm enjoying the FF discussion. I did it for a few weeks in the fall but decided not to over the winter. I'm considering starting it back up again once the weather is warm enough I can ferment it at the coop.

Maidenwolf, is that laundry soap dry or liquid? Like Checoukan, I have an HE washer and I think I need a liquid to use. From Scratch magazine had a recipe for liquid that made a 5-gallon bucket for under $2, and it didn't look that hard so I've been considering giving it a shot.

I found out who laid the little whitish/cream egg while I was gone - my little Serama hen. So cute - when I went down to the coop a little while ago she was singing the egg song and just like the Serama rooster crow, which is such a tiny, squeaky sound, the egg song was a tiny, high-pitched squeaky sound. Very, very cute. I'm actually impressed at how big the egg is comparative to her size.

Even more exciting - a silkie is laying her first egg

She was sitting in her nest so I left her alone but do have to laugh at how fussy she was being, picking constantly at the bedding around her, rearranging it to try to get it perfectly to her liking, unlike my older LF hens who sit in the nest box with a faraway expression on their faces just waiting until its time to stand up and push.....

Eeeks!! Yay a silkie egg!! Your little Seramas sound so cute. I can't wait to get my little Seramas in their own pen. They are so adorable and I just have to have some of little Lucy's chicks. That is the sweetest little bird. Bertram was crowing today and it just cracks me up. When I come into the shed and talk to them, he chimes right in. I spent quite a bit of time out there today and decided to clean things up a bit. They've been in so much they are sure messing things up much faster. They're all set tonight with fresh bedding, clean nest boxes. They're making their happy sounds.

Yes it is powder but you can always use liquid castile soap instead of fels naptha
The ff method I use is of course ACV w mother and water and feed. I add a tablespoon or so of brewers yeast for nutrion and let it soak up to a little thicker than pancake batter. I even sometimes add alittle dry feed and stir it in when I serve it so it is thick enough for them to eat it well.

I should probably add the dry feed to mine so they don't have a repeat of this morning. Once I drained it off, they were much happier.
Good idea. Where do you buy your Brewer's Yeast?

The soap works fine in the HE machines. I just made a new batch using Zote this time rather than the Fels. 1 tbs of the powder is all it needs for the HE machines.

The appraiser has come and gone, so now we just play the waiting game on the refinance.

Oh sigh of relief here for you. It's a great feeling once the appraiser is gone!

Hawkeye, I was supposed to get a package today too & didn't get it, I wonder what the deal is with that? Mine also said out for delivery too.

I got nothing done today at all. I'm going to try to go out tomorrow & see if I can get any work done out there if it's not too awful.

Hope you can make progress out there tomorrow! I pulled on my LL Beans, which by the way are a dusty blue suede that have never let me down. I can wear them without looking like I'm in rain boots but those babies keep my feet warm and dry. I've had them a couple years and love those things. Anyway, pulled those on and went to work outside. It wasn't bad at all but you sure couldn't have gotten any building done with all that crusty snow hanging around.

 

[Hawkeye95]

Hawkeye, I was supposed to get a package today too & didn't get it, I wonder what the deal is with that? Mine also said out for delivery too.

I got nothing done today at all. I'm going to try to go out tomorrow & see if I can get any work done out there if it's not too awful.

My Wellies JUST got here! UPS at 8pm? Wow! Anyway, tried them on and walked around in them and they fit perfectly!!! I'm sooooo relieved and excited! Very happy I don't have to return for another size. I was nearly prepared that would happen. Whew!! Okay, now I can buy boot liners for them. But they do have a flannel lining in them, but not a "cushy" lining, which I was already aware of. People said that for dead of winter, to get the liners. But I suppose if you just wear heavy socks, they would be equally just as fine. They are the perfect height. I almost got the taller ones, but opted for the mid-rise. These hit about mid-shin, so that's about what a typical cowboy boot does. So far, so good! I'll let you know how they perform outside tomorrow!

 

[sunflowerparrot]

That is good to know-- that they seem bigger. I wonder if this would be perfect for meaties that you'd be butchering. I wouldn't want my silkies growing too large-- I would be in big trouble with keeping them in the correct size! They can't be over a certain weight! ha!

I'm hoping I don't have to feed the broilers too much! They eat a LOT - I am going to put them in a large chicken tractor this year and move it in a new spot every day - I have so much field space that I'm thinking they'll have plenty of free ranging food! I still have green stuff up under my brown weeds - the chickens go out every day (I let them out about 7:30am and they all go back to the coop about 5pm) Last year, the broilers had a fixed pen area and they ate that ground up pretty quickly - the tractor should be great! We have a lot of siding left over from putting up a building a few years ago and will make the tractor frame out of that so it can be easily moved every morning.

 

[sunflowerparrot]

Now that Walmart is carrying the vinegar with the mother in it I don't worry so much about it. I just hate having to strain the stuff so much, it's just too time consuming when I have to make 3 trips for all the pens I have anyway, especially in cold weather. I have had to keep my FF in the entry in the house, it's the only place I have to keep it so it won't freeze right now. I think the birds like it better not so runny too & since I feed them in troughs made of guttering & they don't have the ends on them as of yet I don't want it running out the ends.

I need to make a trough.. we have plenty of PVC pipe left over and it wouldn't be too difficult to cut out a trough. I'd like to figure out a way to keep the cats out of the food!