Consolidated Kansas

[chicken danz]

Danz, sorry about your TV. Your only hope is to locate one not working with a good picture tube. Most failures in today's TV's are in the other components. Most repair work is fairly expensive, but any one with a little mechanical knowledge, could trade out component boards; as they usually just unplug from the chassis. Locating one that suited yours would be a mater of luck.
As for the local rain, I don't think we got much over 6 inches, because that was all my rain gauge held. I do have a lot of mud with this rain. I think the rocks must be dissolving.

There isn't much topsoil under the grass. That is why I call it Rocky Hill Farm. Hope you have good luck with your building. If I wasn't so old I might have another one built. I had a 60 by 100 building that burned about 10 years ago, when a grass fire got away from me. I wasn't near the building, but the wind came up and my rake broke, and I lost control of the fire. No one's fault but mine.. Lost a lot of equipment but no livestock was inside.

Ralph the TV is perfect. It's the screen that got broke. I don't think there have been tube tvs for a long long time. LOL
It didn't even land hard except on my arm. Chances of finding one someone had that isn't functioning would be near impossible. This was a very special edition high end TV they only produced for a short time. Now if I could find someone interested in buying all the components that would be great. I had even thought about taking it apart and seeing what it would involve to replace the screen myself. I'd honestly rather replace it than buy another one without all the bells and whistles. But if I dismantled it and messed it up then that would negate any chance of fixing it.
I had one pullet right at point of lay dead in the mud today. I was surprised there wasn't more. So many of them are stuck standing in mud and water cause that is all there is in their pens. If it wasn't owl and hawk season I would take a chance and let them free range for a day or two. But I've just got too much money invested in them to become owl bait.

 

[Ralph Moyer]

I don't know if there is a recycling center near you, but the one in Pittsburg, KS has an electronic department that takes unwanted TV's and computers. They usually re-sell them for very little, even if they work. I picked up a couple of VCR to DVD copiers to make one good one for $5.00. I really showed my age when stated "picture tube" but when I worked on them back in the 1960's, that's what the screen was. The LCD's inventor wasn't born yet.

I only lost one mid-size Muscovy to the rain. It must have been on the bottom of a pile of others in a pen of 25. All the other Muscovy ducks free-range. I do need to find a duck buyer soon. I sure could make someone a good deal on a large purchase.

 

[sharol]

Yesterday the chickens were all out in the yard, and they set up a ruckus. I went out and a huge redtail was sitting on the top of the swingset right next to the hoop coop where the little ones go at night. Mama Graycie was screaming and her babies were mostly already inside the coop part of the run. Two of them were huddled by the back door (that was closed). No losses, but if I hadn't been home to run it off, I'm not sure what would have happened.

I really love hawks, but I wish they would hunt smaller prey out in the pasture.

 

[TaraBellaBirds]

Yesterday the chickens were all out in the yard, and they set up a ruckus. I went out and a huge redtail was sitting on the top of the swingset right next to the hoop coop where the little ones go at night. Mama Graycie was screaming and her babies were mostly already inside the coop part of the run. Two of them were huddled by the back door (that was closed). No losses, but if I hadn't been home to run it off, I'm not sure what would have happened.

I really love hawks, but I wish they would hunt smaller prey out in the pasture.

I know the feeling! I've had this happen several times this year. Thank goodness the chickens are aware that they taste good!

 

[chicken danz]

I don't know if there is a recycling center near you, but the one in Pittsburg, KS has an electronic department that takes unwanted TV's and computers. They usually re-sell them for very little, even if they work. I picked up a couple of VCR to DVD copiers to make one good one for $5.00. I really showed my age when stated "picture tube" but when I worked on them back in the 1960's, that's what the screen was. The LCD's inventor wasn't born yet.

I only lost one mid-size Muscovy to the rain. It must have been on the bottom of a pile of others in a pen of 25. All the other Muscovy ducks free-range. I do need to find a duck buyer soon. I sure could make someone a good deal on a large purchase.

LOL Ralph. I am too that is why I laughed at your reference to tubes. I wish there was something near here that I could check out. I live in the sticks though. If you happen to be going there in the near future would you mind letting me know and I'll send you the model number to see if they'd happen to have one. It'd be worth a trip down there to get it.

Yesterday the chickens were all out in the yard, and they set up a ruckus. I went out and a huge redtail was sitting on the top of the swingset right next to the hoop coop where the little ones go at night. Mama Graycie was screaming and her babies were mostly already inside the coop part of the run. Two of them were huddled by the back door (that was closed). No losses, but if I hadn't been home to run it off, I'm not sure what would have happened.

I really love hawks, but I wish they would hunt smaller prey out in the pasture.

Sharol the hawks have been worse this year than I've ever seen them. We have some smaller ones migrating through here right now. I think they may be cooper hawks. They are little but don't hesitate to go for the bigger birds.
Predator level has been extra high the last couple nights too. The dogs have been working so hard. I don't know if the rain had anything to do with it or not but I don't think I've ever heard the dogs bark more or act more excited than they were last night.
I've got to get out today and clean in the brooder house and make some room for some chicks that are outgrowing their quarters in the house. I will be so glad to get my brooder room ready for the birds in the new building. It will be nice to have them in a much bigger space.

 

[dwink2]

Good morning all! I am way behind on posts but hope to be able to remedy that this weekend. They have been sending me to another office to help out this week and it really takes up all of my free time by the time that I make it home at night.

Danz your new chicken shed looks amazing. Oh, all of the possibilities that it has!!! I can't wait to see what you do with the place. I am definitely going to have to do a road trip once you get ready to show it off.

It is high time that I get rid of some of the roosters that I raised this spring/summer. Way too many male hormones in the flock for any type of peace. I haven't butchered in 21 years so need a refresher course. I have watched videos and and hoping with my husband's help that we can get it accomplished. I bought a cone after reading that so many of you prefer them. I could use any other advice that anyone has. I remember reading a few weeks ago where you were all giving advice on the whole process and I have re-read what I can find of the conversations. What I can't find is where someone suggested what temperature the water should be at to scald the chickens. If anyone has any advice or suggestions, hints, directions, I would be so grateful.

Have a great day everyone and I hope to be back and be able to take the time to reply to individual posts.

 

[chicken danz]

Good luck with your butchering. I really need to work on some drakes around here but there just never seems to be any time.

 

[Trish44]

I guess everyone was busy today, it was our shopping day today since DH had to go to Wichita anyway. He is running in the marathon in Wichita tomorrow morning & he had to go get his number & all.

 

[cherwill]

Ooops, no, I didn't know to do that. However most of the soap was poured directly over the zuke and not the plant so maybe that is the reason it was okay. The rain today should be washing off any residue now anyway. Officially this is a zucchini but it is a variety that actually seems more like a pumpkin to me. It is called a Baby Round so the zukes, instead of being dark green and long, grow round, in the shape of a pumpkin, but the skin is white and green striped. It also sets the fruit out from the plant a little, more like a pumpkin, so I was able to pour the soap over the fruit without touching much of the plant, if that makes sense. A few days ago I tried roasting one, just as I would roast a pumpkin, and it was absolutely delicious done that way. I tried it that way after noticing that the skin is tough - much more like a pumpkin than a zucchini. I normally just cut up zukes and stir fry them with other veggies with the skin on. But when I tried that with one of these, the skin was tough and not good to eat. So although the seed packet label calls them zucchinis, I have started thinking of them more as a variety of pumpkin.

Those sound interesting. My squash that was killed was a scallop squash, which tastes like a milder version of zucchini.

I wouldn't worry too much about washing the soap off, since I washed it off the next day and it never did a thing for the bugs. What was said about putting the soap on if it's too hot and sunny makes sense; otherwise, I don't think I'd worry about it.

I guess everyone was busy today, it was our shopping day today since DH had to go to Wichita anyway. He is running in the marathon in Wichita tomorrow morning & he had to go get his number & all.

I was the opposite of busy for a change; just became a slug most of the day and caught up on some TV.

 

[chicken danz]

Yep yesterday was one of those crazy busy days for me. I worked hard all day and did a lot of different things but nothing I had planned to get done. I got the brooder house cleaned out and all the chick bins in the house, and moved some birds out to grow out pens and some others out to the brooder. It sure will be nice when I can have them out in the building. I'll still have to have grow out pens but I won't have to be shuffling them from in the house to the brooder house.
I should quit hatching but I have these English that are starting to lay and the chicks are just too valuable not to hatch. So I set a tray of eggs yesterday too.
DH and I pulled the cable underground for the power to the building. It's not hooked up but we are finally making a little progress there. If we could just get the water line finished and hooked up I'd be super thrilled.