Consolidated Kansas

[Deerfield Acres]

Coffee on the porch sounds great! I've broken down and am drinking decaf coffee. It's not so bad, when you can't have the real stuff. I am loving this weather too! It's just wonderful. The bunnies are so happy to get out of their cages and kick up their heels! My pond is full, aided by well water, but the ducks are having a great time down there. They are so much fun to watch.

I have 12 chicks this morning I'll be selling. They were the first batch I put in the bator so they are mixed and probably from my Big Spotty roo that Verna has now. There could also be some lav Orp roo chicks also. I do have 2 lavender Ameraucanas and 1 black that were penned then so those are about the only ones I'm really sure of. They are so cute! I'll have a batch of chicks due to hatch every Sunday until it gets hot. Each week there will be more pure breeds.

This week I have to decide for certain how to keep the chicks separated by breed as they hatch. I am thinking I will sew up some mesh bags to put the eggs in so that the chicks hatch by breed inside the bags. Then, when I take them out to put them into the brooder I can wing band them to keep them separated. Danz, how do you keep your different breeds straight at hatch? My eggs are all marked but once they pop out of there, it's just a guessing game. Alohas can hatch looking very similar to a Wellie or a Speckled Sussex, so I need to do something before my next lockdown.

Better get to it!

 

[chicken danz]

I have two full trays of eggs ready to go in the incubators and no room to do it. I only had about 6 or 7 eggs that went to the hatcher today. That doesn't give me a lot of room. I have quite a few more coming out on the 3rd so maybe that will help. I just don't see any way I can make things work without another incubator. I think I need to order a new seal for my hatcher door. If I could find some window sealer heavy enough and substantial enough I'd just use that.
RoosterLew if that bird is a brown color as it looks like in the picture yes I would say it is a gold laced Wyandotte. It has the right markings on the head. If it is Wyandotte the comb area would be wider than other types of chicks. But after the mention of a beard that would be incorrect if it does have one.
I got the floor in my hoop coop finished and got the netting over the entire top. I am trying to decide how to fasten the very bottom of the netting as well as whether I need to put hardware cloth or something along the bottom. I made the floor out of decking boards so it is strong and heavy. I wasn't going to use anything that substantial but we had some long ones that were too twisted to use for good projects so I just cut them to size.
Then I need to get the doors made, and get the tarp on top and it will be ready to go. I sure would like to get that finished and get my orps moved in there today.
I'm very anxious to start my second one with the double coop in the middle. This one is my practice one I guess. I will know a little more of what I want and need and what is overbuilt and under built. It was a mud bath out there and will be worse today. If I like them I will order custom tarps for them next year.
Deerfield I mark eggs and sometimes put them on different shelves in the incubator to keep them separate. But of course some of the chicks jump down to the bottom so that doesn't keep them separated. I don't like putting the lid on the hatching trays cause it seems too short for them. Anyway I just look at them and say okay this is this and this is that. Normally they go in one of two of these rubbermaid bins anyway and get mixed. The Swedish Flower chicks are the confusing ones. They can look like anything. But at least they are smaller than most of the other chicks. I keep thinking I need a new system but not sure what that would be.
I haven't advertised any chicks at all. I've sold a few but that was just because I was contacted.
I had a guy contact me last evening wanting to buy my Maran breeders, my Dominique hens, and maybe several others. He is going to come tomorrow morning.....I hope. I will be cutting out a lot of my egg layers and may be short for a few weeks but this will sure help me move some birds around so I can make some more room.
I have some roos I need to get sold as well. I suppose I should put them on Craigslist and see if I get any response.
I have this one lemon cuckoo roo who was raised with my peacock in the house. He is the sweetest thing and loves to be held and he talks to me. He is beautiful but he has a wry tail now that he is getting older. It didn't show up until he started getting the higher fancy feathers. I just don't want to breed that into the babies but I don't want to get rid of him either. I've decided to sell the other rooster in there and put in one of the lighter colored younger roos I have. I just don't know what I am going to do with my sweet boy. Sure wish he had been a pullet instead. If any one has any idea let me know.
How do you capon a bird anyway?

 

[bbsnooks]

Happy Easter.. to all

Deerfield.. just stepped back in for one more cup of "leaded " as i call it. ( havent been able to make the decaf switch .. good for you)
It is so beautiful.. thanks for who ever ordered up the rain.. and sunny days ( and with out wind.. its a tri fecta !!)

accidentally knocked a gallon jug of newly activated oxine off the counter. The lid broke and Oxine went everywhere.

Sorry bout that Danz -- Very powerful . I like that oxine stuff.. I have seen a few folks ( some where.. ) were afraid to activate.. and just used the Xtals - just curious.. the numerous way's you intended to use the activated.. ??? sounds like you use alot..

I purchased some of what i thinks is the same thing.. labeled as MMS and have used the activated product for mostly health related things. the most surprising thing it absolutely fixed for me was a bad case of athletes foot fungus. It was really bad - had me in tears several times. I tried at least 5 over the counter products and at least that many home remedies. It had been hanging around for months .. and while camping. <I always take it for camping 4 water treatment and more> I thought I would try on the foot. <<<Duh what took so long?? >>>. and put a weak dilution in a zip baggy with the foot. Four or 5 drops in a cup of water, after 4 days of a 10 min soak the foot healed and the problem hasn't been back.. . I'm sure you know more way's to use this. or maybe could share an unexpected or favorite use..
I've heard about the water treatment.. coop cleaning and disinfecting , also.. put in humidifier cup for respiratory problems in the flock.

apologies for gross subject on such a beautiful day.. ((( A HHH )))



I looked in the middle of the day and it was up to 102.
..So many things that could go wrong .. sure hope .. it turns out for you ..

Happy Easter everyone!

 

[Chickies-duckies-etc]

Danz ~ Did you see that nice Brinsea on Topeka CL? $450. It would give you some more room.

 

[chicken danz]

I use oxine for more and more all the time. I use it for lots of my household cleaning. (Not that cleaning is high on my priority list. I put it in my mop water, clean tubs, sinks, wipe of counters with it. I used it to remove the musty smell from an old wood antique. I use it to clean the incubators, chicken houses, brooders, feeders, waterers etc. I have used it in a vaporizer for sick chicks but I was told not to activate it. I had used it activated a couple days before I learned that. I've even put some of the non-activated in some laundry. I was afraid the activated would cause bleaching. I've even put a tiny amount in chicken waterers with no ill effect.
I haven't heard of the athlete's foot use. Does it clear it or just heal the effects of it. Seems I get a little itchy in the summer when I wear sandals a lot. I always get my feet wet watering the birds and I think that is why.
I also mix it with warm water to wash my eggs for my customers who insist they be washed. It
I've been working on taxes and came to a hickup so rather than spend hours digging through papers right now I quit. I forget year to year what a pain this crap is. I still have have 15 days right? No reason to hurry.
Chickies Duckies I can't find it. Send me a link please

 

[Trish44]

RoosterLew - I don't know about anyone else, but that second pic of OB looks like she has a beard and that would scream Easter Egger. Anyone else?

In the pic it does kind of look like the chick has muffs, they don't really get beards till later. It's kind of hard to tell from the photo, you may have to wait until it's more feathered out & then post another pic of it. There are really several breeds it could be.

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!

We're getting ready to go cook a big ham, so I need to get off here, but wanted to check in. The girls are supposed to come back over this afternoon to get their Easter baskets after they get done at their other grandparent's place. My DH only got to see them briefly yesterday since he had to work, so he wanted them to come back. I hope you all have a great day with family & enjoy this beautiful weather!

 

[tweetybaby2005]

Happy Easter everyone. Just jump in to do a quick post before taking the kids to do Easter egg hunt. I have to rig up a pen quickly to put my Salmon Faverolle hens in there. They are being tortured by the roosters and are so afraid to go out of the coop. I think I can get a small 4x6 pen up quickly for them to stay in there during the day then let them go back to the coop after dark to roost.

Do you think this will work for them? I am open to suggestions. They are my favorite hens, so docile and tame.

Tish44 - if you have any extra Salmon chicks and are wanting to sell them, please let me know. DH agreed to let me get a few more Salmon (partly because DS really wants to have a few more Salmon since he lost 1 late last year).

Enjoy this nice and warm Easter Sunday.

Kuan

 

[Trish44]

Happy Easter everyone. Just jump in to do a quick post before taking the kids to do Easter egg hunt. I have to rig up a pen quickly to put my Salmon Faverolle hens in there. They are being tortured by the roosters and are so afraid to go out of the coop. I think I can get a small 4x6 pen up quickly for them to stay in there during the day then let them go back to the coop after dark to roost.

Do you think this will work for them? I am open to suggestions. They are my favorite hens, so docile and tame.

Tish44 - if you have any extra Salmon chicks and are wanting to sell them, please let me know. DH agreed to let me get a few more Salmon (partly because DS really wants to have a few more Salmon since he lost 1 late last year).

Enjoy this nice and warm Easter Sunday.

Kuan

tweetybaby2005, I will have Salmon Faverolle chicks for sale, I have someone wanting 10, so they are first on the list. I can put you on the list for some if you let me know how many you want & you will be next in line, they will be straight run.

 

[RoosterLew]

Yep she does have a lot of " fluff" on her cheeks.

 

[Trish44]

Yep she does have a lot of " fluff" on her cheeks.

If the chick has fluffy cheeks she is most likely an EE then, they have muffs & they're very apparent even when they're little chicks. You will have a blue or green egg layer then if it's a pullet.