Consolidated Kansas

[jennyjane73]

Sorry for the same pic posted more than once. I'm still figuring this all out.

 

[sunflowerparrot]

I've noticed a few posting about allergies. I suffer from allergies as well. A few years ago I started using natural honey from someone local to me. A couple of teaspoons a day really helps!

We are planning on putting a few colonized bee hives out at our place in the next few months! I have a friend in Wichita who has about 8 hives and he is moving and wanting to sell his colonized hives - I couldn't pass up the great deal he offered We had discussed this awhile ago and I bought my BF the suit and a book for Christmas. Can't wait to harvest the delicious honey! There are also a few farmer friends who are interested in renting some of the hives - they pay for themselves in no time.

 

[deb516]

Welcome jennyjane, in what direction from hays, i am roughly 30 miles south of hays.

 

[michelleml]

Stay warm and dry my friends

 

[Hawkeye95]

I am trying to raise chickens for the first time in Wichita, Kansas. I have six, five week old bantams from TSC that are straight run. So far, I think I may have two roosters. Not completely sure as I am a total newbie. So, is there anybody close by that would want bantam roosters if my suspicions are confirmed? I feel like I need a connection to the "chicken underground".

Bantams are really hard to determine gender early on. But you might be right. As everyone else mentioned, if you are going to sell or give away your roosters, just don't ask what the people are going to do with them. There is just no need for a lot of roosters-- heck I have about 5 extra right now! People eat them. I would eat mine, but most of them are silkies, and I can't bear to eat the black meat. One of the reasons I've decided to raise barred rocks now! Now I can eat the extra roosters without feeling too guilty about it and seeing black meat. Definitely check out the swap link that was given to you-- maybe you'll find someone crazy enough that actually wants roosters just to have roosters! LOL Cute pictures of them!!

Ok. I need some help here. Apparently the wind must be blowing the wrong direction today because DH decided to buy a pair of peacocks. He saw an ad on craigslist and he is going to meet the seller half way between here and Sylvia KS. I know nothing about peafowls. Can someone point me to the right direction to gain some knowledge quickly? I need to emphasize QUICKLY! I know we've to quarantine them but for how long? What do they eat? I really need to know how to care for them. Sigh... Other than asking for help here, I really don't know what to do. I'm still trying to digest this news.

TIA.

Kuan

Congrats on the peas!!! I have zero experience with them-- but like Trish said, they need BIG pens. And Danz has several too... I think there's someone else here that has them...

Not to mention, honey is yummy!!

Don't know why, but that struck me as awfully funny! And then envisioned you as Pooh Bear!

..........On a more serious note, I'm glad it's working for you!



YIKES-- it is COLD and rainy and WINDY!!!! ARGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!! I HATE winter-ish weather!!! I just want to drop kick Winter for showing up again!

 

[HEChicken]

Hey Rooster - if its working for you, don't change a thing! I swear that riding my horse has medical benefits enough that I should be able to claim him as a tax deduction. I used to be at the chiropractor a couple of times a month before I got him, but in the last 3 years, I've only been once or twice.

JennyJane, with those feathered legs, I'm guessing Cochin on some or all of them. Curly Sue is frizzled, probably a frizzled cochin. JosieChick on here could tell you a lot more about the frizzled gene than I can - they are awfully cute. Be aware that Cochins are a very broody breed so after they've laid a dozen or two eggs they will probably go broody and want to hatch out some chicks for you. When the time comes, let us know and we can probably fix you up with some fertile eggs. I currently have two broody Cochins...

Oh my, what a return to winter. I spent yesterday afternoon preparing for the storm and that is the only way I was able to go back to sleep last night when I woke up and heard the rain battering against the windows. I moved my brooder chicks back to the brooder, which left my new pen from Deerfield able to accommodate my Aloha hen with her chicks and poults. She wasn't happy with me for catching them all to move them - she actually attacked me when I grabbed one of her chicks, I guess thinking I meant to do it harm. She was mollified when I put them all in the new pen though, and when I checked this morning, she was sitting on them keeping them warm. I'm so glad she knows they'll need more of that today than they have the past few days.

I am feeling lousy. DD shared her cold with me, so I am tucked in feeling as lousy as the outdoor weather. I can't rest up all day though, as I have turkey eggs that need to be prepared for hatch, and that means setting up my home-built as a hatcher today to put them in it. They are due to hatch on Cinco de Mayo.

 

[jennyjane73]

deb516, I am east of Hays in Wichita.

 

[trudigale]

...

Ok. I need some help here. Apparently the wind must be blowing the wrong direction today because DH decided to buy a pair of peacocks. He saw an ad on craigslist and he is going to meet the seller half way between here and Sylvia KS. I know nothing about peafowls. Can someone point me to the right direction to gain some knowledge quickly? I need to emphasize QUICKLY! I know we've to quarantine them but for how long? What do they eat? I really need to know how to care for them. Sigh... Other than asking for help here, I really don't know what to do. I'm still trying to digest this news.

TIA.


Peafowl: You will want to quarantine them for a couple of weeks. What do you plan to do with them after you quarantine them? Free range or keeping them in a pen? If you pen them you truly do need to have a pen large enough for the male to comfortably display. He will mate the girl while displaying so height is important as well as width. Peafowl like to roost high. If they free range they will roost in trees. We free range our birds - we do feed once a day and our peas come in to eat with the other birds. Protein is important if you don't free range. Many people will feed their peas cat food or dog food to ensure protein. We did feed cat food while our babies were penned, but once they were introduced to free ranging we stopped the cat food. (I didn't want my chickens to eat it).

I am not an expert, but am happy to help if I can. Good luck with them! We love our Peas!
TrudiGale

 

[chicken danz]

Ok. I need some help here. Apparently the wind must be blowing the wrong direction today because DH decided to buy a pair of peacocks. He saw an ad on craigslist and he is going to meet the seller half way between here and Sylvia KS. I know nothing about peafowls. Can someone point me to the right direction to gain some knowledge quickly? I need to emphasize QUICKLY! I know we've to quarantine them but for how long? What do they eat? I really need to know how to care for them. Sigh... Other than asking for help here, I really don't know what to do. I'm still trying to digest this news.

TIA.

Kuan

I have 13 peafowl right now. I just sold a pair of yearlings to Trudi, and months ago I bought a peacock from her. Peafowl need a pen at least 6 foot tall by preferably 8 foot wide. You could get by with 6 foot wide if the birds aren't over 3-4 years old. If you just have males I would recommend keeping them penned together for at least a month. Always feed them in the same place and they will learn to come to that place to eat. If you want to free range them be sure that you have your cars and trucks somewhere they won't roost above. They like to roost high...in trees, on barn rafters or on vehicles sitting in the shade.
I feed mine fermented feed because it is high in protein over normal feed. The guy who owned my first two peas gave them dog food but I found they didn't eat it very well when they had other feed to eat. I think cat food would be more appealing. You can also feed a game bird feed because it is higher in protein. They do like eating eggs as well, but use your own judgement about that. It could promote some bad behavior.
Avoid putting them in a pen with chicken wire or it will break off their tail feathers. I have two beautiful peacocks right now that look ragged because their pens have chicken wire lining them. I had used them for pheasants. Regular 2 X4 welded wire is excellent for peafowl.
They are truely miraculous and beautiful. I keep mine penned and they do great. You need about 200 square feet for them.
If they have some shade they will do better. I kept big pans of water for mine last summer to cool their feet in. Lots of people run fans during super hot weather as well. It all depends on your situation.
Males will yell during mating season. Some people hate it. I find it entertaining. But I don't have close neighbors either. They will also yell if there is a predator around.
Posted by RoosterLew

Sorry for the same pic posted more than once. I'm still figuring this all out.

I think you have mostly cochins there from what I can tell. Cochins are hard to sex young. Look to see how tall and lanky they are becoming comparatively. Also look at the hackle and saddle feathers. Look for points on the ends or rounded ends. Rounded ends will be female. Males will have more pointed feathers. I saw what I would probably guess a couple boys in your pictures but I couldn't be sure without looking at them up close and personal.
I got up early this morning because my fencing guy was going to be here about 7:30 to collect the rest of his money. He hasn't shown. I am assuming due to the weather.
I am really sick. I have a terrible sinus infection and am running a fever. I just want to go back to bed.
My DH gave me some medicine for night time congestion last night but I still had to prop the pillows up in order to breath.
We have lots of wind and rain but no snow yet. I sure hope it doesn't snow. They were predicting we'd get over 2 inches of the white stuff. I've already been out once this morning cause the ducks found the open driveway! I've got to get that gate purchased and put in place.

 

[HEChicken]

Danz, I'm sorry you are sick too - isn't it the pits?

Tweety, regarding peacocks, I have very little experience but can share what I do have. I keep my horse at a barn a few miles from my house and visit several times a week. About two years ago, an India Blue Peacock showed up out of nowhere and decided to call our barn home. We have in no way attempted to pen or domesticate him, so he free-ranges around the property which is several hundred acres. He really keeps the bugs down. We named him Percival, or Percy for short, and have all become very fond of him. We keep meaning to get him a peahen for company, especially at this time of year when he is calling constantly for a mate. In the meantime, he displays his beautiful tail for us. We estimate him to be 5-6 years old. He loves to dance for us and his favorite horses, who have become used to him after initially being afraid of him. He can fly well, and sleeps on a fairly high branch of a tree.

We do supplement feed for him, buying gamebird feed and mixing a little dry cat food in. We leave it out in a rubber pan and he comes right into our barn to eat it.

We have tons of coyotes out there and have lost several of our barn cats to the coyotes but so far Percy has remained safe - it probably helps that he can fly up into the tree if he sees any danger coming.