Consolidated Kansas

[HEChicken]

I'm thinking of adding a few more to the mix as well.

You are incorrigible. Beautiful pictures of your birds, and Maidenwolf, yours are lovely too - nice score!

Danz, it sounds as though you have been busy as usual. I don't have a heated building but I really do like housing everything in one coop. Over the summer and fall, I don't mind having half a dozen pens but when it gets cold and I have to worry about water freezing, I also gradually get everything moved from the small pens to the main coop, so I only have one to take care of over the winter. I still have a small group in the hoop coop and I'm going to get them moved this week.

I do need to empty the sheep's water tank, scrub it, refill and add a tank heater. I also need to build a hay wall so they have an area to get out of the wind - that is the plan for tomorrow.

 

[Trish44]

I spent my afternoon out trying to get all of my pens winterized. I made a good attempt at it but had to stop & do all the feeding so I still have one front, one back, & my rabbit hutch outside to put plastic on, then I'm done. HEChicken I can't imagine trying to cram all of my birds in one coop, that would be crowded! I have to go get some plastic panels for putting over my windows on the breeder coop too & I need two 2x4x10 ft boards for supporting that tin roof we just put up too. I only had the one 2x8x10 to support the middle, but it really needs a couple more to make it more level so the water will drain better. HEChicken, those two little BR pullets from you are the friendliest little birds. Tom walked right up to them & picked them up yesterday when we were working in their pen. They just fit right in there & acted like they have always been with those other chicks.

KsKingBee, we want to see those pics! I actually need to get some new ones of my birds too, people have asked me to see some but I've just been too busy to take any.

maidenwolf, those are some pretty birds! I just love spotted birds of any breed. That's why I think I like the Swedish Flowers & Speckled Sussex so much.

 

[OkieQueenBee]

I have been so busy since getting back from Houston. I had to harvest and bottle my Okie honey and sell it at a craft show the next weekend. Now back home and trying to get caught up on things around here. KsKingBee took good care of things while I was gone, (mostly).
Lots has been happening on here and I am too far behind. Danz those are beautiful birds, makes me want to add to our flock. Chicken math, oh chicken math. Trish would love to see pic of your birds as well. HEChicken how is your special turkey doing? Ready to post a pic of it?
Here's a few pics I took. Didn't see the turkey this afternoon dang guineas chase it off.

Zimmerman Orp Roo and pullet

3 week old BCMs and our mutts

7 week old BCMs and the Peachicks

Apple pie that was made after KsKingBee read Danz's post about the yummy smell of cooking apples.

Oh my gosh, I almost forgot. Congratulations, LizzyGSR! What a cutie pie.

 

[HEChicken]

So when is he stopping by to make ME one of those apple pies? That looks wonderful!

I guess I need to get an updated pic of my special turkey. I am still curious what will happen with her in the spring. I am now convinced it is female since it is the size of the other hens and the toms are so much larger. But - she acts different than most turkeys. She rarely hangs out with them and always goes into the coop at night to roost voluntarily where the rest of them need to be chased in. It sort of would surprise me if she ever lays an egg....

Trish, I should have shown you when you were here, what DH did with my coop. He installed another set of roosts on the opposite side of my coop so we now have the ability to roost over 100 birds. I think that, combined with the large yard and the free-range most days is what makes it possible to house so many in one coop. They are only all in it at the same time at night and then they are sleeping so somehow, it works.

 

[JosieChick]

**snip**

Poultry Processing Class and Hands-On Demo

HOW do you pluck a duck quickly?? It took us forever....Those waterers sound like an awesome idea. I am in LOVE with your brahma pullets! Gorgeous girls!!!!

Trish and HeChicken, Since this is so soon I don't think I can swing a trip down there. However if you do decide to try a spring class I can demonstrate the fast way to pluck a duck and maybe also demonstrate plucking chickens. Might as well give some options on dressing birds. Besides it would be an excuse to come see you guys.
I spent my afternoon putting in a water system in my peafowl pen. I still have to brace the pieces on the ends and cut a small hole in the outside wall for the pipe to sit. I also want to install one more faucet on the outside of the pen to fill the geese's water with. Hopefully this will save me a lot of pulling the hose from place to place in the cold weather. Since I have outlets in each run I can plug in my heated water bowls and fill them all at the same time. I have a pipe angled so it will drain and all I have to do is hook up the hose to the pipe to have individual faucets for each pen. If it works as planned it will be awesome. DH said he would rig up some short hoses for each faucet. It won't be perfect for sure but it's the next best thing to having regular running water out there. Maybe some day I can get some underground plumbing in for that.
Of course like everything else it took me a lot longer than I intended. I had to figure out how to hang and support the pipe. I just need a couple more plumbing parts and it will be done.


Next one of my BBS English orp pullets and one of my blue/gold partridge brahma pullets.


Next another one of my blue/gold partridge brahmas and my black English Orpington cockerel behind her.

We had massive issues with Lucie as a pup. The biggest problem is that I bought a pup that was 3/4 pyr and 1/4 rough collie. Can you see where the issue might be in that mix? Sigh. She very much had a the "stalk" look down as a puppy and she was great with bigger animals, like goose sized and up but the chickens, especially my bantams, were another story. She also learned that when I was around she should ignore the birds but as soon as I was out of sight she would start stalking them again. We also had major issues with her and birds that flew over the fence and got left out at night by accident. Our pens at the old house were terribly insecure.

But, it is important to remember that a Great Pyr is not fully mature until at least a year and half to two years of age. And puppies are bound to get in trouble, especially if they are high energy and have a lot of drive. We picked the most forward pup out of the litter and she would have probably been better suited to a group of goats on a lot of acreage. But alas she is stuck with us and our chickens and it took months of hiding with a remote collar and zapping her to teach her that the birds were not for chasing, chewing on, carrying around etc! Now she just steals and occasional egg, which I can live with!

Josie, sorry to hear that Lucie was having some "chase" issue. I must not have been on the board when you were having issues with her as a pup. I was just talking to a neighbor a mile north of us today. They got 2 GP pups lately and 1 of them killed half their flock while the other is just sweet as can be. They are both littermates. She was wondering if the trouble pup needs to be rehomed. So when you brought up that as a pup, Lucie had some issues, it just reminded me of the brief conversation I had with neighbor.

Oh good heavens. I don't even know where to begin! Have you posted pics on the mille thread too? How old are the two in the second picture? The problem I have had is that they change so much over time but that little frizzle pullet looks like she is going to be more of a calico if I had to guess. The problem I have had with the birds that are split to mottled is that they are now molting in whiter and whiter. So my pullets who had great pattern in year one are now getting really, really white. I have a harder time telling on the frizzled if the color pattern is correct too, I think I get distracted by all those crazy feathers and think "cute!" and forget to look at the rest of the bird!

I am a bit disappointed with my current gang out there other than the one hen that I have that is buff columbian based and she doesn't have a lot of pattern but her type is pretty nice. This is probably little help to you but it is 10 and the baby was up a bunch last night!

Sorry all but need to get cochin genetic advice from Josie (or anyone else that is better on the genetics thing than i am--although at this point being better than me would not be a difficult task) on this project


I am getting better on the "round"


but still am working on colors (if you look closely on the little girl i have white feather , black chevron and gold tip

)--way too much columbian coming thru but to make this even more exasperating these are actually mille/mottled splits(should have had gold hackles and mottled body) that were solid yellow wheaten based chick down


but pulled in some new blood from up north to see if it can help my pattern in the spring

Lucky duck! Wish I could get rid of roos!

Danz- that blue gold partridge brahma girl is really nice, they're all beautiful .
Hechicken - I'd love to come to the processing class, but I've got so much going on between now and Thanksgiving I wouldn't be able to spare the time. Plus I just got rid of the three roos that would have been
Freezer camp attendees . ( woo hoo!) I do need to take that step tho.

AHHHHHH!!!! WHERE DID YOU GET THOSE!!!!

The over mottled and the white in the first pic are a little bunny tailed but adorable!!! Can you get pics of the roo? You really need a nice typey roo and preferably in black or blue and you could breed for black, blue, mottled in those colors. A white roo I believe is just going to get you more white. What do you have for roos in the younger group? I really like the blue mottled hen, she looks really nice from what I can see.

Some extraordinary bantam cochins have fallen into my lap. I want to keep some and breed. These 2 girls and the white hen who's butt you can see lol, she kept running out of the shot, along with a white roo are the breeding group. If I were to keep these 4 and breed them, what are my color possibilities? More blue mottled, maybe black mottled too? I also have a few younger ones and there is a nice black mottled pullet in that group, should I keep her and a blue mottled to breed with the white roo? I don't know much about genetics and knew I could get straight answers from this group, opinions?

100 birds!!!! Yikes!

Trish, I should have shown you when you were here, what DH did with my coop. He installed another set of roosts on the opposite side of my coop so we now have the ability to roost over 100 birds. I think that, combined with the large yard and the free-range most days is what makes it possible to house so many in one coop. They are only all in it at the same time at night and then they are sleeping so somehow, it works.

Well we got a lot done this weekend. Set up heated water bowls and extension cords, set up the horses insulated tank box, built and painted a "fence" or ARFE as DH wants to call it "Amelia Resistant Fireplace Enclosure." Phew, I am wiped. Poor Lucie has been staying in the lagoon at night so she isn't barking at our annoying neighbors. We are going to run an invisible fence line a little bit further back on the property so she can't get right up to the road but will still have plenty of room to run.

 

[Trish44]

I have been so busy since getting back from Houston. I had to harvest and bottle my Okie honey and sell it at a craft show the next weekend. Now back home and trying to get caught up on things around here. KsKingBee took good care of things while I was gone, (mostly).

Lots has been happening on here and I am too far behind. Danz those are beautiful birds, makes me want to add to our flock. Chicken math, oh chicken math. Trish would love to see pic of your birds as well. HEChicken how is your special turkey doing? Ready to post a pic of it?
Here's a few pics I took. Didn't see the turkey this afternoon dang guineas chase it off.

Zimmerman Orp Roo and pullet

3 week old BCMs and our mutts

7 week old BCMs and the Peachicks

Apple pie that was made after KsKingBee read Danz's post about the yummy smell of cooking apples.

Oh my gosh, I almost forgot. Congratulations, LizzyGSR! What a cutie pie.

Those Orps are really pretty, I'm really liking the ones I have & decided I want some more Buffs in the spring for my laying flock. I'm planning to get Partridge Orpington chicks in the spring. They're quite pricey so I hope they make it, but boy are they gorgeous. I wish I could have some of all of the colors they have come up with in those, but I don't have enough room for all of those birds. I really don't need any more at all, but Danz it's your fault, that's my story & I'm sticking to it! I keep seeing all of these beautiful fluffy Orps of all colors of the rainbow & I want more. I already have the lavender & the lemon cuckoo. Wow that pie looks so yummy it's making my mouth water! Yes I do need to get out there & take pics, maybe after I get all the pens winterized & this cold front moves on I will have time to do it. Wow, that's a bunch of chicks too!

So when is he stopping by to make ME one of those apple pies? That looks wonderful!

I guess I need to get an updated pic of my special turkey. I am still curious what will happen with her in the spring. I am now convinced it is female since it is the size of the other hens and the toms are so much larger. But - she acts different than most turkeys. She rarely hangs out with them and always goes into the coop at night to roost voluntarily where the rest of them need to be chased in. It sort of would surprise me if she ever lays an egg....

Trish, I should have shown you when you were here, what DH did with my coop. He installed another set of roosts on the opposite side of my coop so we now have the ability to roost over 100 birds. I think that, combined with the large yard and the free-range most days is what makes it possible to house so many in one coop. They are only all in it at the same time at night and then they are sleeping so somehow, it works.

Oh yeah you should have shown me your new roosts. You must have a lot more roosts in there than I have, I don't think I could hold 100 birds in my main coop unless I put in roosts above the ones I have, which I could do. I have about 30 some in there now & I know not all the roost space is taken yet. I can probably add a few more yet & get away with it. Since my turkeys have their own coop I don't have to worry about them needing room in my chicken coop. My laying flock is out all day too, so the only time they're in there is when they lay or at night to sleep. You really do have the perfect setup at your place though for your birds with the fence you have. Mine are just out in the yard & all over the place. They don't usually go past the hill, at least I have not seen them go over it. They will go up on the hill, but I think they always stay on the house side of it. It's funny in the summer you can see grasshoppers just over on the other side of the hill because the chickens don't go there, but you don't see them on this side because they keep them cleaned out.

 

[Kimberlydm]

I have been editing pictures and have missed out on this Olathe conversation. I didn't think anything of the "older" part of Olathe either. I live in the 62 area so I don't know what part that is. Being born and raised in WV, Olathe is very different. It has it's pros and cons, but over all besides a few things I enjoy living here. As for government cheese my grandmother use to get that and everyone would fight over it, LOL. We didn't understand why we didn't get any {she was a widow) she would divide it among her grandchildren. It makes me laugh thinking about it now. It doesn't matter how much money you have, money can't buy things that really matter in life. It's nice to have plenty, but you all know what I mean...

 

[OkieQueenBee]

Need some help identifying what is wrong with this 7 week old cockerel. Went out to the brooder last night to find it laying on its feet with its neck outstretched. Picked it up and it was totally limp. It was the only one out of 19 chicks and the 3 peachicks to look like this. I do give them FF and about every 3rd time I fill the waterer I put vitamins in it. What to do? But more importantly what causes this?

I would like to come to the processing class but that is KKB's birthday and not what he would enjoy to do on his day. Besides he tells me he knows how to do that already. I can do everything but clean out the innards. Never have seen how it is done. So the class is an excellent idea.

The apple pie was delish, need to get him to cut up some more apples so I can practice making another one.

 

[maidenwolfx80]

HOW do you pluck a duck quickly?? It took us forever....Those waterers sound like an awesome idea. I am in LOVE with your brahma pullets! Gorgeous girls!!!!

We had massive issues with Lucie as a pup. The biggest problem is that I bought a pup that was 3/4 pyr and 1/4 rough collie. Can you see where the issue might be in that mix? Sigh. She very much had a the "stalk" look down as a puppy and she was great with bigger animals, like goose sized and up but the chickens, especially my bantams, were another story. She also learned that when I was around she should ignore the birds but as soon as I was out of sight she would start stalking them again. We also had major issues with her and birds that flew over the fence and got left out at night by accident. Our pens at the old house were terribly insecure.

But, it is important to remember that a Great Pyr is not fully mature until at least a year and half to two years of age. And puppies are bound to get in trouble, especially if they are high energy and have a lot of drive. We picked the most forward pup out of the litter and she would have probably been better suited to a group of goats on a lot of acreage. But alas she is stuck with us and our chickens and it took months of hiding with a remote collar and zapping her to teach her that the birds were not for chasing, chewing on, carrying around etc! Now she just steals and occasional egg, which I can live with!

Oh good heavens. I don't even know where to begin! Have you posted pics on the mille thread too? How old are the two in the second picture? The problem I have had is that they change so much over time but that little frizzle pullet looks like she is going to be more of a calico if I had to guess. The problem I have had with the birds that are split to mottled is that they are now molting in whiter and whiter. So my pullets who had great pattern in year one are now getting really, really white. I have a harder time telling on the frizzled if the color pattern is correct too, I think I get distracted by all those crazy feathers and think "cute!" and forget to look at the rest of the bird!

I am a bit disappointed with my current gang out there other than the one hen that I have that is buff columbian based and she doesn't have a lot of pattern but her type is pretty nice. This is probably little help to you but it is 10 and the baby was up a bunch last night!

Lucky duck! Wish I could get rid of roos!

AHHHHHH!!!! WHERE DID YOU GET THOSE!!!!

The over mottled and the white in the first pic are a little bunny tailed but adorable!!! Can you get pics of the roo? You really need a nice typey roo and preferably in black or blue and you could breed for black, blue, mottled in those colors. A white roo I believe is just going to get you more white. What do you have for roos in the younger group? I really like the blue mottled hen, she looks really nice from what I can see.

So the round tail is not desirable? I can snap some more pics and post. The darker mottled hen wouldn't cooperate that day but she has a nice tail not rounded. So I could keep a blue mottled or black mottled and get blue, black or splash from the blue hens?

 

[chicken danz]

You are incorrigible. Beautiful pictures of your birds, and Maidenwolf, yours are lovely too - nice score!

Danz, it sounds as though you have been busy as usual. I don't have a heated building but I really do like housing everything in one coop. Over the summer and fall, I don't mind having half a dozen pens but when it gets cold and I have to worry about water freezing, I also gradually get everything moved from the small pens to the main coop, so I only have one to take care of over the winter. I still have a small group in the hoop coop and I'm going to get them moved this week.

I do need to empty the sheep's water tank, scrub it, refill and add a tank heater. I also need to build a hay wall so they have an area to get out of the wind - that is the plan for tomorrow.

I just think it would be awesome to walk to one building out of the wind and have the heat come on any time it reached 32 degrees just to keep it above freezing. The convenience would be for me...not the birds. I wouldn't have to have heated water bowls or worry about freezing fermented feed. The birds could still go out to runs and I could use my auto watering system. I would have to have a monster coop to house every thing together. Not to mention the peafowl, pheasants, geese, ducks etc wouldn't probably mesh well with all the chickens.
I can't escape having lots of pens because of the diversity of the birds but it sure would be nice to at least have all the chickens in one building.
Quote:

I have been so busy since getting back from Houston. I had to harvest and bottle my Okie honey and sell it at a craft show the next weekend. Now back home and trying to get caught up on things around here. KsKingBee took good care of things while I was gone, (mostly).

Lots has been happening on here and I am too far behind. Danz those are beautiful birds, makes me want to add to our flock. Chicken math, oh chicken math. Trish would love to see pic of your birds as well. HEChicken how is your special turkey doing? Ready to post a pic of it?
Here's a few pics I took. Didn't see the turkey this afternoon dang guineas chase it off.

Zimmerman Orp Roo and pullet
I almost wish you had some different lines so we could exchange birds and get more lineage. I have some other orps from Iowa but I like the Zimmerman's better. The Iowa orps are taller but the Zimmerman have more of the fluffy broad English look. I've been crossing them to come up with better type but the ones I've kept for myself are still young.


7 week old BCMs and the Peachicks
I'm glad your peachicks are doing okay. I don't know if you read that Tweety lost both of hers this week. They are all from the same group. I fear she got some respiratory thing they weren't resistant to and the chickens were. I did post that I found some round worms in some chicks the adults hatched and are raising, and recommended you guys worm your peachicks. I wormed all of my birds but just because that is the first time I had ever found worms in any bird.

Apple pie that was made after KsKingBee read Danz's post about the yummy smell of cooking apples.
That pie looks delicious and I don't even like apple pie.
Oh my gosh, I almost forgot. Congratulations, LizzyGSR! What a cutie pie.

I guess I need to get an updated pic of my special turkey. I am still curious what will happen with her in the spring. I am now convinced it is female since it is the size of the other hens and the toms are so much larger. But - she acts different than most turkeys. She rarely hangs out with them and always goes into the coop at night to roost voluntarily where the rest of them need to be chased in. It sort of would surprise me if she ever lays an egg....

I so want one of those babies if she does lay this spring. The sex cross thing is a possibility but the crest means a split skull most likely. If she does lay she probably will pass that on to some of her offspring.

HOW do you pluck a duck quickly?? It took us forever....Those waterers sound like an awesome idea. I am in LOVE with your brahma pullets! Gorgeous girls!!!!
You dry pluck the feathers only, not the down. Then dip the duck in parafin covered hot water, then in cold water, then peal off the wax. It works beautifully. IMO it's every bit as fast as a chicken if not faster. Just more feathers afterward.

Those Orps are really pretty, I'm really liking the ones I have & decided I want some more Buffs in the spring for my laying flock. I'm planning to get Partridge Orpington chicks in the spring. They're quite pricey so I hope they make it, but boy are they gorgeous. I wish I could have some of all of the colors they have come up with in those, but I don't have enough room for all of those birds. I really don't need any more at all, but Danz it's your fault, that's my story & I'm sticking to it! I keep seeing all of these beautiful fluffy Orps of all colors of the rainbow & I want more. I already have the lavender & the lemon cuckoo. Wow that pie looks so yummy it's making my mouth water! Yes I do need to get out there & take pics, maybe after I get all the pens winterized & this cold front moves on I will have time to do it. Wow, that's a bunch of chicks too!
Ah Ha! Another victim of Danzsizing!!!

I have been editing pictures and have missed out on this Olathe conversation. I didn't think anything of the "older" part of Olathe either. I live in the 62 area so I don't know what part that is. Being born and raised in WV, Olathe is very different. It has it's pros and cons, but over all besides a few things I enjoy living here. As for government cheese my grandmother use to get that and everyone would fight over it, LOL. We didn't understand why we didn't get any {she was a widow) she would divide it among her grandchildren. It makes me laugh thinking about it now. It doesn't matter how much money you have, money can't buy things that really matter in life. It's nice to have plenty, but you all know what I mean...

I have no idea what the 62 area is. I'm sure not very well versed on Olathe. I go up there to see my son and family. There is a few sections where there are older homes and then there are several areas with newer developments, then I see up more to the north west of Olathe there are the super rich developments. I like Olathe because even though it is in the metro area it still has a little small town feel to it.
OkieQueenBee looks like that bird might have broken it's neck. All of my quotes didn't show up.
Maidenwolf I think those are awesome looking birds. Josie and maybe Frizzled can help direct you to show quality traits but I think they are awesome to look at.
By the way speaking of Buff orpingtons. I have a very nice young buff roo who is getting big really fast. The problem is the very back of his comb is flopping a little bit. He isn't going to be SQ because of that. I have plenty of breeders and don't need to keep another male anyway. I don't want to eat him because he is too nice for that...just not what I am wanting to use. Anyone wanting a roo for their flock or to add size to hatchery quality hens, he would be awesome. Send me a pm if you are interested.
OkieQueenBee, my latest line of orpingtons are from Don Chandler, the president of the United Orpington Club. They are just babies but I have high hopes for them. They should be even nicer than any of these others. I don't have many of them but hopefully will have enough to inject some awesome traits into my birds.
I still have to get some more heated bowls and extension cords out. I so hate winter. Sounds like the weather is going down hill as the day progresses. I have now seen forecasts for the low to be down as far as on Tuesday morning. Holy crap!!! I am so not ready. I have to get some of this north wind blocked. I wish I had this pen full of duck boys either sold or butchered. I am still having trouble with owls taking ducks. Everything else has a covered pen at night. I wish the dogs would lay where the ducks do now. By the time they make it around the house the owl has already nabbed one. They are so sneaky. It's also dark back there so I can't see when an owl is around.