Consolidated Kansas

[ChickieWickies]

Well, our ladies are LOVING the cooler weather! We had two first-time layers this morning plus another with a soft shell. I'm guessing our Langshan we almost lost. Her last egg a week ago was a large soft shell. Our EE gave my son a light green/blue egg (he loves knowing which egg is from HIS birds) and we got a brown egg.

On a side note, my 15 year old pointed out that Grandma (my mother-in-law) has the weirdest chicken genetics going on. She regularly hatches out blue (not too light or too dark--always the same shade of blue) cochins and she has several barred large cochins (we've been told most barred are bantams). She just gave another blue pullet to our daughter--she's really getting into blue cochin genetics. This pullet is the sweetest thing. We got her out of the large, free-range pullet pen (50x50), and she just sat on my lap for almost an hour. She's a little scared of the others in her new coop; but if you go to the door and talk to her, she'll come over to you. Our son likes that he can walk up to her and pet her while she's free ranging in the yard. Not bad since she just moved in on Sunday night.

And ladies, BOTH babies are adorable and look quite content!!!

Those cochin/polish mixes look like they have quite the personalities!

 

[checoukan]

Well, I am back. I have been so busy with the farm, and fair, that it has almost been impossible to get on. Not a whole lot going on right now, we have been receiving some rain the last few days, so we are starting to green up. sold my wheaten Americana's but I still have my blacks, silver hens, and lavender cock birds. I sold lots of chicks that I hatched to have some to sell. Maybe selling some of my rose comb chicks too, but I need to let them grow some more. I have started a ameraucana breeding project with my lavender cock and silver hens, and wow, they are beautiful chicks and young birds!! Can't wait to see what the F2 generations look like. That is going to be awhile cause none of the pullets have started to lay yet. I will take some pictures. I am hoping that this turns out to be an auto sexing color. Well, guess I better go. Ya all take care and enjoy the next few days!

 

[Trish44]

Well, I am back. I have been so busy with the farm, and fair, that it has almost been impossible to get on. Not a whole lot going on right now, we have been receiving some rain the last few days, so we are starting to green up. sold my wheaten Americana's but I still have my blacks, silver hens, and lavender cock birds. I sold lots of chicks that I hatched to have some to sell. Maybe selling some of my rose comb chicks too, but I need to let them grow some more. I have started a ameraucana breeding project with my lavender cock and silver hens, and wow, they are beautiful chicks and young birds!! Can't wait to see what the F2 generations look like. That is going to be awhile cause none of the pullets have started to lay yet. I will take some pictures. I am hoping that this turns out to be an auto sexing color. Well, guess I better go. Ya all take care and enjoy the next few days

checoukan, that sounds interesting with the lavender & silver Ameraucanas, definitely post some pics on here so we can see them later on. If you haven't read for awhile I lost all my young lavender Ameraucana chicks I was growing out for breeders next year to a flash flood, so I'm back to square one with that. I'll be starting over again with more chicks, it's depressing.

We had more rain again last night, I wish it would just spread out a little instead of us getting it all at once. I went out after the rain stopped & I had wet chicks in the pen, but the seemed OK. I haven't been out to check on them this morning. I did put another pallet in the hoop coop for something else for them to get up on because they were crowded around & on top of the feeder & the corner braces. At least they're learning to get up on something. The rock wall did help some, but we're going to have to beef it up some in places.

 

[ashncarson]

I am glad that you guys missed the HAIL last night! It was HUGE here in Hutchinson! The husband of one of my friends had to run out into the hail to one of their chicken from certain death! The photo is so cute! Here is it! There are others on that link that shows how big the hail was!
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...612857.1073741845.343875272856&type=3&theater

 

[chicken danz]

Well, I am back. I have been so busy with the farm, and fair, that it has almost been impossible to get on. Not a whole lot going on right now, we have been receiving some rain the last few days, so we are starting to green up. sold my wheaten Americana's but I still have my blacks, silver hens, and lavender cock birds. I sold lots of chicks that I hatched to have some to sell. Maybe selling some of my rose comb chicks too, but I need to let them grow some more. I have started a ameraucana breeding project with my lavender cock and silver hens, and wow, they are beautiful chicks and young birds!! Can't wait to see what the F2 generations look like. That is going to be awhile cause none of the pullets have started to lay yet. I will take some pictures. I am hoping that this turns out to be an auto sexing color. Well, guess I better go. Ya all take care and enjoy the next few days!

So good to see you back. I have mentioned you several times in hopes you were reading. Any news on Ivy and a job? She did tell me that Britt had puppies.
I am hoping to work on a lavender cuckoo Orpington project soon. I have some young barred Orpingtons but I want to breed the pure lavenders to a white with barring genes. It will be experimental for the first batch. Then if I get what I want the F2 generation should be great. I am also wanting to produce a Crele orpington which is the newest hottest color. I still need to find a partridge to do the mix. Hard to come by without feathered feet...even Greenfire is still getting feathered feet.
Quote:

I am glad that you guys missed the HAIL last night! It was HUGE here in Hutchinson! The husband of one of my friends had to run out into the hail to one of their chicken from certain death! The photo is so cute! Here is it! There are others on that link that shows how big the hail was!
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...612857.1073741845.343875272856&type=3&theater

I'm jealous of those getting rain. It clouded up and we could see lightening last night but got nothing. Boo Hoo!
I am kind of unhappy today. I was supposed to have a guy show up at 8:30 this morning to pick up some birds he was going to just display at the fair. To give 4-Hers and idea of what else there is out there. So I got up and disturbed my morning routine and had birds penned that I couldn't let out. I had no food or water in one pen cause they were just sleeping there, not eating there. I haven't heard a word from him. If he thinks he is going to get them tomorrow at that time he is out of luck because I have other things going on then. I am honestly just sick of people who don't show up and inconvenience me and my schedules.
I also thought we were going to Topeka this evening but found out DH had to work at the last minute. Oh well. Best laid plans. It was nice and cool this morning but it is getting pretty miserable out there now. Not a cloud in the sky.

 

[JosieChick]

You are welcome to visit anytime!!! Sorry to hear about your gander, we have a young gander that has bumble foot right now. I am keeping him in a crate which is NOT fun!!! Wet disgusting mess they make. I have been wrapping it in vet wrap and changing often because the dumbo keeps standing in his water bowl. I am debating on DNA sexing a few of my youngsters and selling the rest. I don't need that many geese over the winter.

Aw that made me tear up with an overload of happy!!! I love that adorable little girl. She is so stinking cute!!! I want to hold her again.
As soon as I can get back on my feet financially I am making a trip to visit...uninvited ....but I have to see that pumpkin again.
Josie my gander was doing really well but his foot is swollen again. I am putting him back in a kennel today and treating him again. I wondered about wrapping his foot in something to keep the dirt off. Is there anything you might suggest that would let it drain but keep dirt out? Even in the kennel we had to do some major housekeeping to keep it clean for him. I really thought he was well and doing good.

I am thinking of having my goslings DNA sexed soon. I have tried several times and they just suck everything back in so you can't get them sexed well. It is easy when they are young. I need to move some more boys out of here for sure. I think it would be worth the cost not to have to feed them all all winter.
Trish I should get my bucket lids today. I am so ready to switch to those plastic home made waterers. I just hate seeing rust in the water from the galvanized ones. I think the feeder would work too. That is the biggest problem with fermented feed though. Even though you can put it in plastic you can't keep it stirred. It just about has to be fed fresh every day. It would be so nice to be able to leave feed and water for a few days.

Awww, Marlena looks like such a happy mama!

Marlena's new little family. One more hatched, but died soon after. We are guessing it wasn't right in some way. The third one is apparently shy and hides behind mama. I still have 3 in the bator that look viable but they are at least a day behind the broody eggs.

Love Ebony's crest! She has layers!

He looks just like my girl Ebony! They would go perfect together.

She is a silkie cochin cross.

Thank you! Funny about the turkey!

Oops! I replied to the wrong post ..JosieChick I meant to say that about your baby, not the turkey!

Wow, barred LF cochins! Bet they are gorgeous.

Well, our ladies are LOVING the cooler weather! We had two first-time layers this morning plus another with a soft shell. I'm guessing our Langshan we almost lost. Her last egg a week ago was a large soft shell. Our EE gave my son a light green/blue egg (he loves knowing which egg is from HIS birds) and we got a brown egg.

On a side note, my 15 year old pointed out that Grandma (my mother-in-law) has the weirdest chicken genetics going on. She regularly hatches out blue (not too light or too dark--always the same shade of blue) cochins and she has several barred large cochins (we've been told most barred are bantams). She just gave another blue pullet to our daughter--she's really getting into blue cochin genetics. This pullet is the sweetest thing. We got her out of the large, free-range pullet pen (50x50), and she just sat on my lap for almost an hour. She's a little scared of the others in her new coop; but if you go to the door and talk to her, she'll come over to you. Our son likes that he can walk up to her and pet her while she's free ranging in the yard. Not bad since she just moved in on Sunday night.

And ladies, BOTH babies are adorable and look quite content!!!

Those cochin/polish mixes look like they have quite the personalities!

Welcome back! I was wondering how you were doing. While I think of it, can you remind me of the name of the show book for poultry shows in Kansas? Someone else on here was asking and I need to get one too! Am project sounds like fun!

Well, I am back. I have been so busy with the farm, and fair, that it has almost been impossible to get on. Not a whole lot going on right now, we have been receiving some rain the last few days, so we are starting to green up. sold my wheaten Americana's but I still have my blacks, silver hens, and lavender cock birds. I sold lots of chicks that I hatched to have some to sell. Maybe selling some of my rose comb chicks too, but I need to let them grow some more. I have started a ameraucana breeding project with my lavender cock and silver hens, and wow, they are beautiful chicks and young birds!! Can't wait to see what the F2 generations look like. That is going to be awhile cause none of the pullets have started to lay yet. I will take some pictures. I am hoping that this turns out to be an auto sexing color. Well, guess I better go. Ya all take care and enjoy the next few days!

I am trying to get the house cleaned up before my mom and sister get here this weekend but it isn't going well. I feel like laundry keeps piling up and I started organizing and unpacking boxes in the kitchen yesterday and now it is just a hot mess. Ugh. Wish I had some baby entertainment for a bit so I could work on stuff without getting called away. I am very unproductive with the little one in my charge. I really want the house unpacked and fairly safe before she starts to crawl because that is going to be exciting!

 

[Trish44]

Josie, I forgot to say your little one is just adorable! Yes, you will want to be ready for the crawling because standing & getting into everything follows after that.

I just went out & hefted around some really heavy rocks & now my back is yelling at me. I was reinforcing my rock wall some more. I found one breach in it where water had come through last night & I think I got that fixed. At least it will slow it down if nothing else. I did lose one more Frank's BR chick last night, I hope I have some left by the time I get this water problem solved. I'm keeping my lavender Orp chicks & peachicks in the brooder in the house till this all gets taken care of. They need to get some size on them anyway before I put them out there.

I'm hoping to get the wood in the next few days for my third hoop coop. I need to get pens ready for these lemon cuckoo Orps that are growing fast & for the lavender Orps too. I'm planning to use half of the coop for the lemons & the other half for the lavenders. They should still have a plenty big pen. I'm just loving these Lemon Cuckoos, especially the barring on the roosters. Danz, I'll bet those Creles are just gorgeous, I've seen pics of them online. I can't quite picture the lavender barred, but I'm sure they would be pretty too.

 

[chicken danz]

Josie it's cheaper than I thought. I ordered the kits today. I hope to have it done within a week. And it only takes like two days for the results. I can't afford it but I can't afford to not do it. Feeding geese all winter isn't really very cost effective. This way I can make decent judgements about what to keep. I love them all but I can't afford to have a yard full of them. I have a few peachicks I might do as well. But not right now.
Darn I wish I was close. I would love to entertain the peanut. I can't imagine ever being organized though. Does that happen?
My kids still created their own danger even after child proofing everything. With safety latches on the cabinets, everything breakable out of reach, outlets filled with those plastic plug things etc etc., I found Cody could crawl up the handles on the kitchen cabinets and stand on the counter top.
Then the next thing; The kids got some toys as gifts I didn't feel were safe because they were breakable hard plastic. I put them on the top shelf in a built in bookcase to keep them away from them. Dear Cody climbed up on a rocking chair arm to get them and when it rocked he fell and broke his little nose. (The babysitter that was watching them quit after that!!!)
Anyway the Gander with the bad foot kept doing the same thing. Standing in his water bowl! I didn't get him moved again yesterday as planned. I got busy spraying roundup instead. Need to do that today. Goosies are a lot like little kids!!!
22Qzoo. I had several LF barred cochins. They actually came about by crossing a black cochin with a white cochin. I am assuming that the white held the barring gene. I sold all of the cochins except one the white one and my gold laced.I have a few white babies I hope to get raised without too much of an incident.

 

[cubbysan]

For those of you that have turkeys, there has been a recall on some turkey feed:


Western Milling LLC Voluntarily Recalls Universal Turkey and Kruse G.B. Turkey Grower Feeds Because of Possible Health Risk to Animals


http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ArchiveRecalls/2010/ucm230670.htm

 

[sharol]

So. Last night it's about 9 p.m., it was lightning and thundering (as it turned out, we got no rain), and my DH says to me, "You know, I hate to rain on your parade, but you have the hoop in a FEMA zone A flood zone." (joke -- he is a surveyor and sometimes marks flood zones for people). That part of the yard routinely gets a couple of inches of water when we have heavy rain, and it will stand there until it drains on down toward the pasture. Dang. And me with babies on the floor of a coop with only a slightly raised floor.

This morning I overcame my fear of the table saw and made a platform that raises the part of the floor where she is keeping them about 3" (2x4 on its side supporting plywood). It will effectively get everyone up out of any water that gets in the coop if we get a heavy rain. It isn't a permanent fix for our water issues (we are working on that), but it will keep everyone dry for a while.

I gave Marlena some chopped hardboiled egg this morning, and it was really cute the way she would drop bits of it to the chicks and encourage them to come over the the plate (new scary plate) and eat. Chicken TV at its best. I'm going to go out and sit in the run with Marlena and her 3 chicks for a little while in hopes that they will get used to me and not freak out completely every time I come around.