Consolidated Kansas

[Trish44]

tweety, I hope you recover quick so you can enjoy the spring when it finally gets here. I'm sure looking forward to it. Being cooped up in the house due to my broken leg has been the pits, but at least the weather was bad. I can't wait to get back out & be able to check on all of my birds & animals myself. I have an appt. the 28th to see the Ortho Dr. to have an x-ray of my leg to make sure it healed properly. I'm hoping to be able to get out there next week & start doing my chores again if the weather will cooperate & not ice or snow any more. I just don't want to take any chances now. I did wear the yaktrax out in the mud today & they even help with that, I'm glad because after the snow all melts it will be muddy out there on that hill. I have to go down that to get to any of my pens other than the main coop & one pen beside it, all the rest are down the hill under the trees.

I have been getting duck eggs lately & we're just going to use these for baking because it's too cold yet to hatch ducklings. I want it to be warm when I hatch them so I don't have to worry about them so much. These will be my first ducks to hatch.

I've been working on some doors for my one big brooder today to make it easier to get in there & catch chicks or clean it out. I meant to get that done when I built these, but needed them right away & it never got done. I've been making do with makeshift things & it's getting old so I'm finally getting it done. I got one door done & hinges on earlier & now need to cut the wood for the other one & put the hardware cloth on. I just came up for a break for a bit.

 

[lizzyGSR]

Lizzy... 63F? That sounds wonderful. I hear ya on the birds flocking out with their wings stretched. Sounded like they enjoyed the day! Mine have always ran out of the coop like they haven't seen daylight for months... silly birds...

It was absolutely gorgeous yesterday. I got a new-to-us jogging stroller the day before yesterday because we needed something that would handle the gravel/rock roads and that we could possibly take off-roading in the pasture. We took a walk to the mailbox yesterday and had Ethan try out his new stroller. My DH was having a little too much fun with this stroller.... holding the break and causing the front tire to drag... chasing the dog..... tipping it backwards (carefully) to say 'hi' to Ethan...

 

[OkieQueenBee]

Danz, sorry about your rooster, I can understand your tears and frustration. I hope you can find a replacement for him. We lost the turkey this morning, it's like she just gave up. So now we have 1 blind pullet, 1 pullet with a messed up leg and the pullet with the prolapse in the infirmary. And I don't know what to do with any of them.
The egg production has picked up in the main coop. Today we got 13 eggs from the hens, 1 turkey egg and 1 egg out of the tweener pen. We found 3 duck eggs in the creek, no good of course, but at least we know they are laying now. Still no eggs in the pea pen, I think we have 2 or 3 that should lay this year.
We have 14 eggs in the bator that should hatch tomorrow. I heard on of them peeping.

I shall leave you all to ponder this:
This is a quote from someone in response to a question being ask about her hen laying soft shelled eggs and how to fix the problem.
"Maybe could be the bird feels unloved. All creatures respond to positive intention and appreciation." .

 

[cherwill]

Well unfortunately my rooster didn't make it. I went out to check on him one more time before dark. The girls had gone to the coop but he was laying outside in the mud. I rushed him in, gave him another shot, set up a cage with a heat pad under it but he died a few moments later. I had to cry. Not because he was a special pet particularly but because I spent nearly a year getting him to size and getting him started breeding. My tears were for myself I guess. He was the most gorgeous speckled sussex I had ever seen. And you just can't seem to find anything but hatchery type speckled sussex any more. I've checked every where, with every member of the American sussex society and no one has any. I guess I can hope I can find one at Gardner although I don't think I've ever seen any show quality speckles there. The people I got eggs from for him sold their sussex so there's no chance of getting more.
If I have any eggs hatch I can't be sure they are his offspring cause they girls weren't with him that long. But I'll just keep all those chicks and monitor how they grow up. I have a waiting list for sussex but I guess they can wait a while longer.
I was going to go get feed today but the mill at the co-op is down for maintenance today. That means I am going to have to scrounge for feed today. I have some ordered for the early tomorrow.
I need to get in gear. I've got to get those eggs ready to set then get out and care for the birdies.

Dang it. I'm sorry, Danz. My speckled sussex hen is the sweetest of my flock, and your roo sounded like a really good one.

It was absolutely gorgeous yesterday. I got a new-to-us jogging stroller the day before yesterday because we needed something that would handle the gravel/rock roads and that we could possibly take off-roading in the pasture. We took a walk to the mailbox yesterday and had Ethan try out his new stroller. My DH was having a little too much fun with this stroller.... holding the break and causing the front tire to drag... chasing the dog..... tipping it backwards (carefully) to say 'hi' to Ethan...

That is a great picture! It really shows his personality, and what a happy baby he is.

I shall leave you all to ponder this:
This is a quote from someone in response to a question being ask about her hen laying soft shelled eggs and how to fix the problem.
"Maybe could be the bird feels unloved. All creatures respond to positive intention and appreciation."

.

 

[chicken danz]

Danz, sorry about your rooster, I can understand your tears and frustration. I hope you can find a replacement for him. We lost the turkey this morning, it's like she just gave up. So now we have 1 blind pullet, 1 pullet with a messed up leg and the pullet with the prolapse in the infirmary. And I don't know what to do with any of them.
The egg production has picked up in the main coop. Today we got 13 eggs from the hens, 1 turkey egg and 1 egg out of the tweener pen. We found 3 duck eggs in the creek, no good of course, but at least we know they are laying now. Still no eggs in the pea pen, I think we have 2 or 3 that should lay this year.
We have 14 eggs in the bator that should hatch tomorrow. I heard on of them peeping.

I have a blind turkey... I don't know if you knew that. But she does great as long as she is kept in the same pen. She lives with my coronation sussex. She responds to my voice and listens to the chickens to get around. She does quite well. I am sure a blind pullet would do as well as long as she has familiar surroundings. This turkey is nearly 3 years old and a real sweetheart. I am so sorry about your turkey. The darned things are so vulnerable to disease. You kept her hanging on a long time. You know the problem with many of these diseases and or parasites is that they leave lesions or damage behind after the disease is cured. Sometimes the damage is so great by the time you treat them that they are just really over vulnerable. I don't suppose you did a necropsy to see if you could find something further did you?
I shall leave you all to ponder this:
This is a quote from someone in response to a question being ask about her hen laying soft shelled eggs and how to fix the problem.
"Maybe could be the bird feels unloved. All creatures respond to positive intention and appreciation."

.

Danz, I'm so sorry about all the fowl (foul?) problems lately. It always seems like bad things come in groups, so maybe they are done!!

Those little marans pullets that came from your eggs are a trip. Last night I took out a plate of treats for them about dark (they had already gone into the coop and I was running late. I was standing in the middle of the coop and Lacey (the one with the laced feathers) flew over onto my arm and started helping herself to the food. She has been standoffish (broody raised), so I was really surprised. Those four pullets (the two pure Marans and the two crosses) have been laying 3 eggs a day minimum since they started laying. The four of them are accounting for more than half of the egg production from my 12 layers. Very impressive.

Sharol that's great. On the flip side OQB and KKB got three of the birds that were supposed to be parents of those eggs you got. And they have been huge disappointments. One never laid. I suspect that the gal that bought them from me used my name and sold them some others. It's hard to protect your reputation when things like that occur. She's bought birds from me numerous times. I think in the future I'll make sure all I sell her have permanent numbered bands on them. That way I can protect my reputation.
I found another goose egg later that was laying in a puddle of water. Not sure how long it had been there but I put it in the incubator just the same. I also got my first Red Bourbon turkey egg yesterday. Woot!
Looks like we have snow forecast again on Friday. Ugh! But next week sounds wonderful. I might actually get some eggs that aren't ruined.
We did get some snow last evening but it just kind of swirled around. Not enough to make a huge difference. It's a real muddy mess out there now and there is still ice on the ground from the last storm in the shaded areas.
I should have more chicks hatch today. I've managed to loose track of one of my brooder bins. How did I do that? They are huge. I told DH I needed a new brooder building double the size of the one I have now so I have room for the birds I am hatching. Talk about getting a look! I think that meant it isn't going to happen for sure! I ordered a bunch of dental bands to use to identify chicks. I had a package of them but somehow lost them and can't find them anywhere. I am sure I "put them away" some place.

 

[sharol]

. I am sure I "put them away" some place.

That is the kiss of death around here. All I have to do is THINK, "I'm going to put it right here so I'll be able to find it later," and it disappears forever.

Copper (one of the crosses) has been in a nest box since yesterday. She is either thinking about going broody or sick. I think I prefer broody. She has been a really reliable layer, too. Dang.

 

[Trish44]

Danz, sorry about your rooster, I hope you find a replacement, I just wish you didn't live so far, I say that all the time. We could do a lot more swapping birds if we didn't live so far apart.

If anybody is interested in a nice Speckled Sussex cockerel I have several I need to re-home if you're close enough to come get one. I hatched these from eggs I got from a breeder & one is spoken for & I may keep one but that leaves 4 more left.

I got my doors both made & on the one brooder yesterday, then got it all cleaned out. That makes a huge difference in how easy it is to access it now to clean it out or catch chicks. I plan to do the same thing on the other one in here, but it probably will be next week before I have time to work on them again. I also would like to paint them both to make them look a little better, but I don't want to do that till I can open up the windows & air the place out.

lizzy I tried to post from my phone, but I saw that it didn't go through last night, your little guy is such a cutie & he always looks so happy.

I heard from my future DIL that my little grandson had thrush & was sick for 4 days, he's doing better now. She sent me a couple of pics of him too, I told her to send me lots of pics since I can't see him that often.

 

[chicken danz]

Back from getting a load of feed. Any volunteers to shovel it off for me? I didn't think so.
I've got to do more bird moving and counting today. Looks like I'll have all my excess cockerels sold soon other than the brahma boys I won't let go for meat prices and a few other nicer birds.
It'll be great to have things a little more manageable. It may take a few days to get them out of here though. I guess I'd better get busy working on pens and such again. It's a little nicer out today.

 

[KsKingBee]

I'll trade you. I will shovel off your load if you necropsy our turkey....

 

[chicken danz]

Too late! I would have done it in a heart beat. I just got done shoveling. Just came in to rest a minute before I get back out to work. I dont; have a problem doing necropsies at all...unless I am super attached to the bird.