Consolidated Kansas

[Deerfield Acres]

Well, that just stinks about the taxing situation. One more good reason to put my birds in the unfinished part of the shop since it's already there! That's a good one to remind DH of.

I've been out running around and having a great time with no pressure today. I found disposable shoe covers at Hart Pharmacy on 13th. If anyone feels uncomfortable about people tramping through your chicken yards, disposable shoe covers are the answer. They actually would be great just to protect your own shoes when you're out there. A box of 100 was around $13.00. Not bad.

I ran through TSC looking for needle syringes for NPIPing and for giving the Mareks vaccination but I couldn't remember what size to get so I'll have to read back through and find it. The smallest they had is 22 gauge. Is that small enough? Then I want everyone to know I didn't even put on my pinless peepers and I walked right past their chicks for sale. No problem!

So proud.

Trish, I'm so glad that little chick has come around, that's just super! So you have 3 of them now? I haven't heard back from Frank but will let you know as soon as I do.

checoukan, and your taxes are worth every penny to have that luxury chicken palace!

Gotta watch those chicken people for sure!

 

[chicken danz]

The county appraiser just called me back. He said anything with a roof over it would be taxed and he gave me some examples of what they valued a few of the buildings here. Most were valued by age they considered them to be. However they valued my brooder house at $600 and it only cost us $200 to build. Like I said I wish my insurance company and the tax people were together on these things. He invited me to come in and go over all they had and to make corrections where necessary. He did say something like a hoop coop with just a tarp over it would not be considered a building. So that again is something I need to reconsider. I explained to him that in order to divide chicken breeds into breeding pens I had to have lots of different facilities and if I had to pay taxes on those things that cuts into any profit I make.
Sunflower he also said that if the buildings are taxed as personal property like if they taxed you for the mobile home and the building it would cost a lot more than being taxed with the actual real estate. So you would be better off to have your coop taxed along with Stephens real estate and pay him if he saw an increase.
Either way I see it as ridiculous. You can't live in these things. You can't even store stuff in most of them.

 

[Deerfield Acres]

Chickies-Duckies-etc. I couldn't afford the quantity of pinless peepers I would need to keep my mouth in check.

No one meant anything ill and it's all good. No worries!

 

[chicken danz]

I'm sitting here getting absolutely nothing done and I need to get moving. I'm still fighting this ridiculous headache. It was so bad last night, I used my tens unit for about an hour, took pain meds and muscle relaxers and still couldn't sleep because the sounds of DHs snoring was making my head throb worse. So I went in and laid on the couch where I could support my whole upper body with pillows. It's sure not improving much.
Reminds me Maidenwolf I have gone to two pain clinics. One at St. Francis hospital in Topeka and then to their hospital for a surgical pain procedure. And one at Stormont Vail hospital. You normally have to have a doctors referral to be treated other than the office part at St. Francis. But they are excellent. I particularly like the results I get from Stormont Vail. Each clinic uses different techniques.
I could use some of them right now for sure!
Good job Karen. I always have to look myself, but not so inclined to buy any more thank goodness. I try to remember I always have more at home. My weakness is seeing some beautiful rare breed bird that costs half my monthly income and thinking I have to own one or a dozen of them. I always am tempted by the meaties but know I won't butcher them and they'll get old and fat and die before I do. I wish I could maintain control. I wouldn't have to worry about paying taxes on chicken coops then would I?

 

[michelleml]

It's lockdown for my 5 BO eggs. I so pray that we get something out of these eggs. Do the eggs move? DH and I swear we saw 2 rock a little. This is so exciting I can see the addiction people get from hatching . I've explained to the kids that not all will hatch

 

[chicken danz]

Aw yes they move. That is the chick getting into position to pip. You're about to be a chicken Mama! Congrats!
I went out to find three of my Sabastopols running loose in the yard. Dumb birds. They chewed some more holes through their fence and got out. So after I finished feeding and watering I took a load of tywraps out and tied the fence back together. I need to just buy some more fence posts and put a permanent metal fence in. They have ruined this electric netting.
The wind at least is melting more of the snow and has actually dried up some of the mud. Not all but at least a little so I could at least push the wheelbarrow part way to feed the birds.
I got the chicks moved to the brooder and they were not at all happy! I need to split the young ones I still have in here so I can make room for the ones that should hatch in the next couple of days.

I have so much to do around here. The dogs got in a bag of trash when the wind blew over the trash can so Now I have a ton of trash that needs picked up as well. I'm not feeling very well so I just said to heck with it right now. I won't get a chance to work on the hoop coop for a couple days. I really would like to get it done. l close on my house refi tomorrow so that will take some time. Plus I promised to go spend some time with my Dad.

 

[Trish44]

The tax assessor was out here last summer and I know every little coop including the two shipping crate coops, my drafting table duck house which is only 3 foot tall etc etc were added. I didn't see any substantial raise in valuation though. When they get this peafowl building added in this year that is what is going to hurt.
I can't imagine a hoop coop being taxed. That is BS. You can't store anything in it without thinking reasonably it is subject to getting wet. Trish if they don't show up I sure wouldn't mention it.
Last year I got so sick of this gal showing up and just walking on my property I was bound and determined I was going to put a privacy fence up and a gate so no one could just walk in here. But of course finances kept me from doing so. I wish my dogs intimidated them a little more. I don't like people just driving up and walking around without asking. It really ticked me off. Of course DH thought it would be too inconvenient to click a button to drive in the driveway. I'd still like to do it though. I told the gal it was a good way to get shot just walking on to someone's property. This year I have a lot more expensive birds here and I seriously will go nuts if I see a stranger out there.
Checoukan that's a lot of babies for one doe. A friend of mine had a doe who had 5 and raised them all. Those milk goats can do amazing things. I think if I were ever to get goats again, that is what I would get. I never have figured out why they always have them in cold weather.
Better get back to vacuuming.

On the hoop coop they said any structure you could stand up in & could store something potentially like a tractor, it would be taxed. I would like to see them prove I could get a tractor in any of the doors on these pens, because they're small. They're going to be hearing from me if they try to tax all of my dog runs just because they have tarps over them. I'm going to wait & see if they come here too before I build the goat shelter because they said even that if it was very big could get taxed. They're really reaching this year, they have never done this kind of thing here before. They taxed us on the garage & I don't think they even taxed our shed when I used it for that before we converted it to a coop, it was in bad shape. I'm not even going to say anything to my DH about this until we see what they do here. He'll just get all upset & worried when we don't know what they will do. I hope I'm here when they come though, I don't want them treking through my property without me here. I agree with you checoukan, I don't like strangers just showing up at my place unannounced.

Well, that just stinks about the taxing situation. One more good reason to put my birds in the unfinished part of the shop since it's already there! That's a good one to remind DH of.

I've been out running around and having a great time with no pressure today. I found disposable shoe covers at Hart Pharmacy on 13th. If anyone feels uncomfortable about people tramping through your chicken yards, disposable shoe covers are the answer. They actually would be great just to protect your own shoes when you're out there. A box of 100 was around $13.00. Not bad.

I ran through TSC looking for needle syringes for NPIPing and for giving the Mareks vaccination but I couldn't remember what size to get so I'll have to read back through and find it. The smallest they had is 22 gauge. Is that small enough? Then I want everyone to know I didn't even put on my pinless peepers and I walked right past their chicks for sale. No problem!

So proud.

Trish, I'm so glad that little chick has come around, that's just super! So you have 3 of them now? I haven't heard back from Frank but will let you know as soon as I do.

checoukan, and your taxes are worth every penny to have that luxury chicken palace!

Gotta watch those chicken people for sure!

Yes, I have 3 Wheaten Ameraucana chicks now. I just put the two new ones in the brooder in the sun room with the others. Gosh they grow so fast that the new ones look like midgets compared to those others! I'm proud of you for not bringing home chicks! I haven't gone anywhere they have them yet. I know I will be drawn there, but I don't need to be getting any either. I already have chicks coming in April.

I went out this afternoon after my DH went to work & moved a couple posts I wasn't happy with on the goat pen then added 4 more that I found just to tighten it up. I don't think you can have too many posts when you're dealing with goats. Now I'm pooped out, pounding in t posts is hard work! I have a nice hay & grain feeder combo that was out in the barn for years & was never used, I plan to put it to use now for the goats. I put some staggered tree stumps in there for them to play on. I made sure they're in the middle so they can't use them for steps to get out of the pen. I also put their shelter in the middle too for the same reason. I have to go out tomorrow, it's supposed to be warmer then & put the chicken wire over the livestock panels since my friend says the babies can get through the squares right now on the panels. She put up 700 feet of chicken wire all around her fence to keep her dogs in. Can you believe she put up that much chicken wire? Wow, I can't even imagine doing that & by herself too. Danz, this is the lady that has both Paisley & Fern, the GPs. They're doing just wonderful at her place. Even Paisley the house dog has become an LGD & is doing well with her goats. She & Fern work together at night now. I am so thrilled things have worked out for them & for her.

Oh, I got my first Cream Legbar egg today, I'm so thrilled! Now the rest of the hens need to get with it. None of the Swedish Flower Hens are laying. The black & white one had started awhile back, but since moving she has not laid again. The Salmon Faverolle hens stopped laying after being moved too & so did the Speckled Sussex, so I hope they all get used to their new home & get with it soon. You would think they would be so glad to be in that nice coop instead of outside, but they're still not sure about the pop door. The roosters all seemed to figure it out really fast, but the hens are slower to take to it. I did have a little trouble getting the SFH roosters into the coop tonight so I could shut their door. I kind of had to push them into the door & shut it fast. They'll all get it soon I hope.

 

[mrsdanamiller]

First may I say this is the busiest thread EVER!! Everyday I get an update and it's like...117 new posts and I'm like.....eh, guess I won't read them lol.

Second, I have a question! We are almost done getting the coop/run/backyard ready for our chickens!!! Yay! BUT one concern: a previous owner of our property left trash everywhere in our yard. It's all gone now except pieces of plastic here and there, the occasional nail, water balloon remnant, tiny broken pieces of plastic, pieces of polyester fuzz, landscape fabric, etc. Just little pieces under grass and hidden under dirt or twigs. How meticulous do I need to be in picking these bits up? They are all over the yard, and if you dig a couple inches down, you find more scattered about. I am afraid they will clog their throat or something with some of it or not be able to pass it and die. Let me know please what you think...I am willing to nit pick the whole yard if I have to...

 

[sunflowerparrot]

TAX ISSUE - I finally called Topeka and talked with them. Each COUNTY has their own regulations and guidelines. For my county, Cowley, any structure that has a value of $750 is considered taxable and you pay personal property - moveable or not, roof or not, etc.

I was highly encouraged by Topeka to send a letter to the Cowley County appraiser's office, which I did, breaking down the cost to build the coop from USED materials I purchased from craigslist and other used forums. After my breakdown, I stated it cost me approximately $600 to build my coop and the value of my coop, since materials are used - is below the $750 taxable allowance and requested an exemption. I was also told by Topeka that the county DOES have every leg to stand on if they want to tax the coop.

The coop is MY personal property - I would not put that on Stephen.

 

[michelleml]

I woke up this morning and 4 out 5 eggs have started pipping. So exciting