Consolidated Kansas

[cherwill]

Too cute!

The old timers often did things a little differently than we do today. They weren't necessarily wrong, but there is just so much more we know about their nutritional needs today. Plus, today's birds have been bred for different purposes than in old times.

Yep, it was an old timer who convinced my neighbor's sister, who convinced my husband, that dog food was the way to go. I still haven't heard of anyone else ever doing this. I think the dog food is higher in protein than chicken crumbles, so I only let DH use it in small amounts as a treat.

Needless to say, she has been fired.

That made me laugh!

My dad used to say that the lottery was a tax on the math impaired.

I like that! He's wise. I've never really enjoyed gambling. My dad loves it, but I just see it as throwing away money I could use for something else I'd enjoy much more, like books or plants.

I'm very mad something last night dug a hole under my coop and killed 4 of my birds X( 2 Easter eggers (I wasn't fond of them much) 1 cross breed (she was ok) and my very favorite blue polish hen. I suspect a coon or possum because it only ate the heads and left the bodys. The nice farmer dawn the rode gave my family a trap to catch whatever killed them. He did that last year because something ate all but 1 of my chickens and in 4 days its the anniversary of there death. So I'm preety mad X(
I'm sorry about your chickens. Hopefully you'll catch the predator quickly and not lose any more.

Free ranging chickens CAN do a lot of damage. Mine are going to be shut up more because they are digging out too many plants and creating holes that are dangerous to this old woman to have to deal with. I cut the grass and weeds and take it to them.

Yes they can. Mine aren't free range any more, not since I got the greens and annuals planted. DH does throw them chickweed from the alley every morning, and they get food scraps. He'll also bag a load of grass now and then and throw it in the pen. I like to give them BOSS, but whenever we have it, some critter or other ends up getting in it. I think it's always been mice in the past, but it might be a rat this time. It's leaving some big ole tooth marks on the plastic bucket. It snapped the trap and dragged the sticky trap across the floor, but got away. I reminded DH of what he had to do last year to get the mouse -- set up four sticky traps all together and bait it with food!

 

[tweetybaby2005]

I love that!!!

X2. I still remember a story my grandma told me how a neighbor sold his daughter because he lost a lot of money due to gambling. Don't know if it was a true story or not but it stuck in my head until today. My DH always said I'm all talk and no action when it comes to buying lottery ticket. It's true, I'm just too cheap to pay $2 for a ticket and never believe I've much luck winning anything.

 

[chicken danz]

I don't buy lottery tickets ever. I'm not lucky and the odds are so rediculous I feel there would never be a chance on earth. I sent my son when he got of age to go buy four lottery tickets. He came back with a slip of paper. I decided that there were times in my life when $4 meant my children starving or eating. I've never been tempted after that.
Trish I have a load of Frank's birds hatched. I need to empty the incubator. I also had several of my own hatch. Some more turkey, many chicken chicks, some ducks, and my first pheasant of the season.
I haven't had time to even get on here and read. I hate rushing around. I have so much going on and am expecting company any minute. No time to clean for them either. I hate it when my life spins so out of control.
I have a DIL mad at me because I haven't set a date for them to come visit. I have DH's work schedule to work around as well as all that goes on here. She doesn't understand cause all she does is sit on her butt at home. I keep telling her she needs to get a job and quit complaining about being broke and lonely. Of course she is a master at making up excuses. So I guess she'll have to stay mad.
This weekend I have an added duty of going to town each day and checking on my Dad cause my sisters are unavailable.

 

[Polishpal]

Whatever got my chickens last night came back because it tried to rip open the bag I had the dead birds in. Hopefully we catch it tonight because last night we did not set our trap out

 

[sharol]

Sounds like you should use the dead birds to bait the trap. I know that sounds insensitive. Not sure I could do it.

Whatever got my chickens last night came back because it tried to rip open the bag I had the dead birds in. Hopefully we catch it tonight because last night we did not set our trap out

 

[Polishpal]

Sharol we are I'm using the 2 I didn't like but I'm sorry they reek

 

[bbsnooks]

Hello every one .. I'v been away from computer.. w/ chicks and garden.. ect..
its.. nice.. to see what you're all up to.. found funny money.. guard kittens.. missing kittens. stolen flocks. _ jail birds
cute chicks.. and turkens.. ( sorry.. i just cant like the looks of them yet.. look rather vulture'ish.. but i'm sure their mother likes them.. its going to have to grow on me.. my neighbor boy got one this spring.. so.. maybe by fall?? i'll like them.)

On the Salmon Favorelles.. when can you tell the rooster chicks.. by feathering??
are they the lighter .. or darker color... chicks. ( I'm wondering.. as i ordered 4 girls.. 2 roo's. but.. not sure.. what's what.. )
mine are 6 wk old now. but the 4 have darker and more feathers.. hummm..

I was adopted as a toddler... the other day, by a weird series of events,53 years later,
I now spend my mornings having coffee and chatting with my birthmother on facebook - what a difference one single day can make in a person's life..

very nice.... ..
my mother remarried when i was young.. and in my 40's I found i had a sister.. in KC.. I think i know what you mean..
it's way fun.. congrat's.. and what a coincidence.. or ...?? is it.. that you both like chickens.. ; ) humm humm!

oop. I found the official cheat sheet. or fact sheet for the hoop coop..
with photo's and links.. http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/ASC/ASC189/ASC189.pdf
has every thing there.. but the pad lock. required to keep the jail birds.. out.. of the roost.
sorry for that person.. do they post here?? at consolidated kansas. truly sorry for the loss.. and insult.

have a great weekend..

 

[HEChicken]

Well, so much for the violent storms. I woke twice to hear long peals of thunder but other than that, all we got is a little rain. I'm so relieved - I was afraid hail was going to ruin my second lot of seedlings that are doing so well. I spent about an hour last night storm-proofing - oh well - better to be safe than sorry.

I picked up all the lumber I need last night to build my second hoop coop so I plan to work on that this week. I still need to finish fencing in the vegie garden too - there's always something to do.

I've hatched a ton in the past few days but I think my hatch is largely over. The muscovies were a little disappointing. I started with an incubator full but removed quite a few over the course of the 5 weeks, that either didn't start, or had clearly quit. Went into hatch with about 15 eggs but got only 4 ducklings. I have left the rest of them in there for another day but don't expect any more activity since there aren't even any pips at the moment. Its a good thing I have 3 more ducks each sitting on a pile of eggs - hopefully they'll have better luck.

 

[TheDownyChick]

This weather has wreaked havoc on the temp and humidity in my LG incy. I hope I have a good hatch. Lockdown starts tomorrow. They got to 103 one day last week while I was at work, but i dont know for how long. I will be heartbroken if they all died.

 

[chicken danz]

bbsnooks the salmon boys develop dark feathers. You can sex them at about a week or so because they boys usually have a dark feather at the base of the wing. The boys and girls grow into entirely different coloration.
We got some rain last night as well. I was kind of hoping it would wait until this evening. I hate it to rain and ruin feed I've put out. If I know it will rain I try to put what I can under protection. I prefer to feed outdoors but rain just ruins it. Even though my birds eat FF they don't like it when it gets wetter.
I worked on my hoop coop some more yesterday. I am dealing with a case of dumb I guess. I am having the worst problem just progressing. I started working on the inner walls some. I need to get the wood cut for them to proceed. This is the part I need my DH to help. I can't lift the OSB by myself. Once I get it marked and on the saw horses to cut it will be fine.
I have to run to town to check on my Dad again. But otherwise I think my day will be free to work unless the storms move in.
I need to clean out a couple coops so I can move birds here and there.
I probably hatched in excess of 75 babies yesterday of several types. Got my first pheasants of the year and now I have to figure out where on earth I am going to brood those. They start flying in less than a week so they present unique problems.
I have more ducks hatching I need to get moved this morning as well, then another batch that needs to go to the hatcher.
I hatched 23 out of 24 Reese mixed eggs. It will be interesting to see what I get. Looks like several barred rock crosses, a few Hamp crosses and maybe some Jersey Giants. I might even get lucky and have a few purebreds in there. I am just going to assume they are all mixed and grow them as eaters and layers unless I see them develop otherwise. I only had 5 fertile pure barred rock eggs and they all hatched. Looks like 2 boys and 3 girls so far.
I sold all of my D'uccles yesterday and I had a lot more than I thought. I also sold 16 orpington babies as well.
I lost one of my exhibition orps yesterday who was apparently egg bound. Ouch! those birds were so expensive.