Consolidated Kansas

[HEChicken]

Ozawkie, you have some stunning birds. I love the icicles hanging off the wading pool - don't the pools crack if you let the water freeze in them?

Well, I finally got a chance to download pics from my camera so here is the finished hoop coop. The tarp on it runs the full length and is the kind with the reflective silver side. There should always be somewhere in the coop that is in shade.


And here is the gate on it:



Now I just need to plan the interior.

 

[HEChicken]

My sister lives in Haysville and she is always telling me they aren't allowed.

You got me to wondering about this and my first thought was they could both be right if one is inside and one is outside city limits. So I decided to look up the code and found that they are not specifically disallowed, although they are specifically allowed either (i.e. no mention of how many can be kept). Perhaps this is good news for your sister. I did find this paragraph which does seem to acknowledge that poultry may be kept:


Quote:

(35) feet of any residence or dwelling, other than the residence of the person keeping or

maintaining such rabbits, poultry or fowl. Dwelling shall not include any school,
hospital or similar institution.
Elsewhere in the document there are references to "swine" and "livestock" but by most definitions, poultry do not count as "livestock" - usually "livestock" is limited to cows, goats, sheep, swine, and perhaps horses. It is weird that they list swine separately even from livestock.

The entire document is here:
http://www.haysville-ks.com/images/CityCode/2013/Chapter 2 Animals and Fowl 2012DRAFT.pdf

 

[tazcat70]

Cool! Thanks!

 

[shell55]

JosieChick - I have LF Cochins, but I have been thinking that I want some bantam cochins too. I really like my cochins, they are very friendly and calm.

 

[Deerfield Acres]

I have been reading this thread for quite some time and thought I better finally introduce myself and say Hi! I live about an hour east of Wichita. We got chickens a year ago...started with 4 and now have around 35...ha...guess i'm figuring out the chicken math. I really enjoy the chickens though and love hatching chicks!! I have a 3 year old son that loves them too! I have Cochins, Barred Rocks, Gold Sex-links, Silver Laced Wyandottes and a few Silkies. I just finished helping my MIL, jeanniec, hatch some Lavender and Lemon Cuckoo Orpington eggs from Chicken Danz and had a great hatch. Now I am really wanting to hatch some chicks for myself again, just not sure what I want to hatch yet. I really enjoy following this thread and am learning so much from all of you. I look forward to continuing to learn and get new ideas from all of you!

Welcome, shell55! You have a nice variety going on! That's awesome you had a great hatch. I just started my first hatch of the season Sunday evening. That doesn't mean I don't have any chicks, it just means I will have more in 3 weeks!

Some of our ducks



More pics later

They are soooooo cute! I love your ducks!

Well we spent all day yesterday out in the freezing cold drizzle finishing chicken and goose pens but they are done enough to move everyone in! So I have a trailer and am going to load everyone up tonight and haul down in the AM. Still LOTs to do with setting up perches, nest boxes, feeders, waterers etc but will be good to have everyone in one place finally. I also have to pack up Molly and the barn cat Lily. Gonna be a full ride down.

Horses have settled in well and were all taking a nap together on the south side of the pasture this AM in the sunshine which was really cute. (All laying down)

Wish I could have taken pics this weekend, brought my camera but forgot the memory card! Geez!

You have worked so hard throughout this pregnancy -- I don't know how you do it all! Get used to forgetting things. Kids have a way of making that worse somehow. You get distracted with them and just forget everything else. My friends used to call it MBS, Mommy Brain Syndrome.

Get out of my cage!

LOL! I love this last pic -- that is so funny!

Ozawkie, you have some stunning birds. I love the icicles hanging off the wading pool - don't the pools crack if you let the water freeze in them?

Well, I finally got a chance to download pics from my camera so here is the finished hoop coop. The tarp on it runs the full length and is the kind with the reflective silver side. There should always be somewhere in the coop that is in shade.


And here is the gate on it:



Now I just need to plan the interior.

HEChicken, color me green! That's awesome. DH almost talked me out of building one of these but I just can't quite give in. He assures me he will build all the pens I need but I do not want him building anymore pens. I want to do it myself so he can do something he wants to do for a change. That pen is just the thing when I move my brooder babies outside. I could go in and visit with them. I actually think I need two of these because then I can separate the teen cockerels from the hens and there will be a lot less nonsense!

I love the little Silkie checking out the new diggs! That is so cute.

 

[Deerfield Acres]

Okay guys, I talked with Chicken Danz this evening and she'll be back on as soon as she gets a new sim card for here internet connection. You all know she's been having a hard time with it, well it finally just gave up. So she should be back in a couple days or so.

sapphireblu, that's a lot of birds, yet, perfectly understandable.

I had about 170 birds last year, culled down to the ones I needed for my program, hatched from those and culled again, keeping only a few birds. Right now I am at an all time low with only between 30 - 35 birds. I have some in the brooder and more being hatched at HEChickens, more on the way this March and April from Idaho, Colorado and Arizona. I'm upping my game with standard bred poultry this year and hoping to continue to build size and type with my Alohas in the meantime.

I'm waiting to receive my copy of the APA, Standard of Perfection so I can learn how to define the type of bird I'm breeding toward in my head. I love spring and I love having chicks and am really happy with the Swedish Flowers, German New Hamps and Black Ameraucanas I currently have. The Swedish and Ameraucanas have started laying regularly -- I'm so thrilled. Most of their eggs are already good sized eggs and not what I expected for pullets. I have a few of the Swedish and Ameraucanas in the batch of eggs I put in the incubator Sunday, so we'll see how their fertility is in a few days. I'm going to have quite a bit more to put in the bator next week with they way they are laying now. It'll be nice to have something to sell to help offset expenses.

 

[Trish44]

Hawkeye,

I feel so badly for you that your silkie is doing so poorly. Put the Vet Rx in her eyes also, It will flush out the foam and also help drain it. I had a bird with a puffy eye and the Vet Rx was really helpful. I believe JosieChick was the one to recommend it to help clear the eye. It seemed very soothing for the bird. Mine seemingly had a blocked tear duct. I'm praying for your bird to get well. That's just sad.

checoukan, where did you get the agrimyicin? Just like to know, in case I ever need it. The kids are getting into 4H and you never know. I like the idea of the transparencies on the top and sides of the kennel. That should help.

I know there is Veterycin made for using in the eyes too, they have both kinds at Atwoods I think.

Ok I have a question!

I am getting my chickens this week

eek!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
However I'm wondering if the guy is giving them to me for a reasonable price. Just thought I'd ask since I've never raised chickens before. He wants $15 per Barnevelder 7-8 month old and $10 per White Rock 6 month old.

Any other tips on buying hens from people would be appreciated!

Those certainly seem like reasonable prices for chickens at point of lay, especially the Barnvelders because they are in the rare category. I ordered some chicks from a breeder for about $9 a chick & they will be newly hatched when I get them next month.

I have been reading this thread for quite some time and thought I better finally introduce myself and say Hi! I live about an hour east of Wichita. We got chickens a year ago...started with 4 and now have around 35...ha...guess i'm figuring out the chicken math. I really enjoy the chickens though and love hatching chicks!! I have a 3 year old son that loves them too! I have Cochins, Barred Rocks, Gold Sex-links, Silver Laced Wyandottes and a few Silkies. I just finished helping my MIL, jeanniec, hatch some Lavender and Lemon Cuckoo Orpington eggs from Chicken Danz and had a great hatch. Now I am really wanting to hatch some chicks for myself again, just not sure what I want to hatch yet. I really enjoy following this thread and am learning so much from all of you. I look forward to continuing to learn and get new ideas from all of you!

Welcome shell55! It sounds like you have a good variety of chickens. I hatch quite a few different breeds myself.

Ozawkie, you have some stunning birds. I love the icicles hanging off the wading pool - don't the pools crack if you let the water freeze in them?

Well, I finally got a chance to download pics from my camera so here is the finished hoop coop. The tarp on it runs the full length and is the kind with the reflective silver side. There should always be somewhere in the coop that is in shade.


And here is the gate on it:



Now I just need to plan the interior.

HEChicken that looks really good, it's very similar to mine. I wish I could just have all hoop coops now that I have one, they're so much better than the other pens I have. I've got one more to build soon for the broiler chicks coming. We're going to have to get on that really soon.

We just got back from KC tonight about 9:00. I had to go up for my Dr. appt up there for my arthritis Dr. I had some x-rays done of my hands & found out my middle finger & ring finger on my right hand have bone spurs that are fusing my joints in those fingers. I had been wondering why those two fingers were getting so bad, they're swollen all the time & I can't grip with them well any more due to them not bending well. He told me that I eventually wouldn't be able to bend them at all. He's sending me to a hand surgeon to see what he could do to help me, so we'll see how that goes. I'm not looking forward to another surgery of any kind, I have had quite a few over the years for various things, but I guess if it will help the function in my hand I use all the time it would be worth it. They have been hurting quite a bit too. We stopped on the way back & picked up a pair of Cream Legbars from Eileen & two of her blue barred rocks that I think anyway are pullets, I hope they are. It should be interesting to see what color eggs they lay since they are project birds. It was so darned muddy there when we were getting the birds that I slid in the mud & almost fell. I sure did get my shoes & jeans all muddy. I'm pretty tired from not sleeping well last night, so I think I'll turn in early tonight.

 

[mrsdanamiller]

Prices seem a little high, but reasonable based on what I've seen online. For comparison, if you were buying day old hatchery chicks the Barnvelders would run about $9 & the White Rocks less than $3 at straight run pricing. Based on the age of these birds he's making a little on you, but not much. If you feel comfortable with the guy who's selling them you should be fine. If not, I would probably consider passing. There are lots of folks on this forum who sell birds & I'm sure you could find what you're looking for.
Good Luck!

I don't know him, but I will meet him on Friday. My husband will help me have a backbone and tell him "no thanks" if anything seems off kilter.

Those prices sound pretty reasonable to me. Barnevelders do tend to be a lot higher than other breeds - I don't know the reason for that. I am interested in getting one or two myself and did notice when looking at hatcheries that they run around $9 for a day old chick versus only $2-3 for most other breeds. So to get them raised to 7-8 months old and only pay $6 more than you could from a hatchery - and no shipping charges either - I would jump on that. As for the Rock, they are far more common but I would say for a point of lay pullet, that is a decent price.

Yeah!!!!! Those sound like very fair prices for pullets at point of lay. It cost a lot of money to feed and raise a pullet to laying age so I would expect to pay at least $15 for a hatchery production type of laying bird. I have paid $25-30 (or more!!) for some of the rarer breeds of heritage pullets.

Those certainly seem like reasonable prices for chickens at point of lay, especially the Barnvelders because they are in the rare category. I ordered some chicks from a breeder for about $9 a chick & they will be newly hatched when I get them next month.

Great to hear! Thanks y'all!

Oh my, where to start! Welcome to the new comers!

Hawkeye, glad your girl is doing better. We've had a few that came down with similar symptoms this winter. That VetRX is great stuff!

I counted my birds today... I have way more than I thought I did!

100 on the nose. Plus I have a trio of Chocolate Orpingtons coming Tuesday or Wednesday; I'm so excited! I will be warming up the incubator tonight, too. I have 3 dozen eggs ready to set and will probably have another half dozen to add tomorrow. I'm setting mostly Easter Eggers, but there will be some Marans and Barred Rocks, too.

I thought ahead this year and bought 4 tons of layer and a ton of chick starter. I have never spent so much money at once on animals, lol. But I got a great deal on it all and had exactly just enough space to store it all. Unfortunately, the poor delivery guys got their truck stuck in my driveway! I think after all their hard work and inconvenience, I will go buy a McDonald's gift card for them and give it to them tomorrow when they come get the truck. I figure it can't hurt to make a good relationship with the Co-op guys.


One good thing did come from this, though. Hubby finally agreed (after 2 years) that it is time to re-gravel the driveway.

Oh my gosh that is a big stuck truck! (That sentence reminds me of a Dr. Seuss book...) Yay for new gravel and lots of chickens!!

You got me to wondering about this and my first thought was they could both be right if one is inside and one is outside city limits. So I decided to look up the code and found that they are not specifically disallowed, although they are specifically allowed either (i.e. no mention of how many can be kept). Perhaps this is good news for your sister. I did find this paragraph which does seem to acknowledge that poultry may be kept:


Elsewhere in the document there are references to "swine" and "livestock" but by most definitions, poultry do not count as "livestock" - usually "livestock" is limited to cows, goats, sheep, swine, and perhaps horses. It is weird that they list swine separately even from livestock.

The entire document is here:
http://www.haysville-ks.com/images/CityCode/2013/Chapter 2 Animals and Fowl 2012DRAFT.pdf

My sister lives in Haysville and she is always telling me they aren't allowed.

Actually, HEChicken, chickens are mentioned in the code, under "domestic fowl". In the definitions portion of the document they are grouped with some other types of birds. But, you are right, the code online does say they are allowed, but does not give a limit. That caused me to call the city office and inquire. The lady looked at the ordinances while on the phone with me and couldn't figure it out, so she told me she'd ask and call me back. She called me the next day and said she found out there's not a limit and that you are fine to raise as many chickens as you'd like as long as the ordinances about cleanliness of housing and distance from neighboring properties are observed.

 

[checoukan]

Ok, just talked to the people at K-State. There will not be a pullet sale this spring. They are renovating buildings, and well just could not have birds in the mix of all those going's on. BUT, they are planning on a fall sale!! As soon as they get the eggs in, then a person can call in and reserve the number you want. I did not ask what these pullets are going to cost. I assume, that they will have the white leghorn type, and the red color, type also. As soon as I here the eggs are in, I will post again so you can and reserve the numbers you want.

 

[JosieChick]

Oh my goodness! Now if that isn't a duck stink eye I don't know what is!!! Too cute.

Get out of my cage!

Congrats on the load of feed, sorry about the stuck truck!

I counted my birds today... I have way more than I thought I did!

100 on the nose. Plus I have a trio of Chocolate Orpingtons coming Tuesday or Wednesday; I'm so excited! I will be warming up the incubator tonight, too. I have 3 dozen eggs ready to set and will probably have another half dozen to add tomorrow. I'm setting mostly Easter Eggers, but there will be some Marans and Barred Rocks, too.

I thought ahead this year and bought 4 tons of layer and a ton of chick starter. I have never spent so much money at once on animals, lol. But I got a great deal on it all and had exactly just enough space to store it all. Unfortunately, the poor delivery guys got their truck stuck in my driveway! I think after all their hard work and inconvenience, I will go buy a McDonald's gift card for them and give it to them tomorrow when they come get the truck. I figure it can't hurt to make a good relationship with the Co-op guys.


One good thing did come from this, though. Hubby finally agreed (after 2 years) that it is time to re-gravel the driveway.

That is an awesome hoop! I love how in every pic there is a chicken just meandering by!

Ozawkie, you have some stunning birds. I love the icicles hanging off the wading pool - don't the pools crack if you let the water freeze in them?

Well, I finally got a chance to download pics from my camera so here is the finished hoop coop. The tarp on it runs the full length and is the kind with the reflective silver side. There should always be somewhere in the coop that is in shade.


And here is the gate on it:



Now I just need to plan the interior.

Oh, you definitely need some bantam cochins. They are the best! I love my to pieces, sweetest little birds.

JosieChick - I have LF Cochins, but I have been thinking that I want some bantam cochins too. I really like my cochins, they are very friendly and calm.

I think we all kind of neglected the second half of your question about what to look for! I would look for bright, shiny plumage, no bald spots or chunks of missing feathers, clean faces, no eye or nasal discharge, no sneezing, bright eyes, alert, active birds, and nobody standing funny or hunkered/fluffed up looking like they aren't feeling well. Best of luck!

I don't know him, but I will meet him on Friday. My husband will help me have a backbone and tell him "no thanks" if anything seems off kilter.

Ok, I need to finish my breakfast and get out the door. Still need to load Molly and the cat up and pack up their stuff but the birds are almost all loaded apart from the geese. Now that was a tiring endeavor last night! Thank heavens they were all asleep!