Consolidated Kansas

[venymae]

Any of you guys near Manhattan?

 

[tatinatimom]

So 16 out of the 20 in my test batch hatched.
Somehow I still ended up with 20 newbies.

I don't know how that happened.

Must be that whole chicken math thing I keep hearing about.
Maybe I should get vaccinated. Word is its HIGHLY contagious!!


This one below, #16, seems to have a defective leg. When it walks he picks it up like it has drying cement on it but it's pretty active and vocal.

 

[chicken danz]

Any of you guys near Manhattan?

I'm an nearly a couple hours from there. I lived in Council Grove for many years. I still have family there. My son just left Manhattan this winter. I love Manhappiness. It's a great town.
Tatinatimom, that was a good hatch plus the mysterious ones that appeared. I don't suppose you've been to Orshlens or TSC recently?

I planted some radishes and lettuce while ago. The chickens came to visit so I don't know if it will stay in the ground or not. I was out there pulling weeds along the edges and they decided to come "till' for me again.
The wind is blowing like crazy. I guess that will bring in the storms tonight.

 

[tatinatimom]

I'm an nearly a couple hours from there. I lived in Council Grove for many years. I still have family there. My son just left Manhattan this winter.  I love Manhappiness. It's a great  town.
Tatinatimom, that was a good hatch plus the mysterious ones that appeared. I don't suppose you've been to Orshlens or TSC recently?
I planted some radishes and lettuce while ago. The chickens came to visit so I don't know if it will stay in the ground or not. I was out there pulling weeds along the edges and they decided to come "till' for me again.
The wind is blowing like crazy.  I guess that will bring in the storms tonight.

I plead the 5th.....
I really need to get my butt planting too. My DH has been gone to Turkey for work so I blame him for not being here to help finish with the prep so I can start planting.

 

[chicken danz]

I plead the 5th.....
I really need to get my butt planting too. My DH has been gone to Turkey for work so I blame him for not being here to help finish with the prep so I can start planting.

I never have help with planting and prep work. My DH could care less about a garden. His idea of food is a burger and fries from Sonic. City boy.

 

[Deerfield Acres]

Trish44, the sad truth is I candled on day 10 and couldn't tell.

I realized what had happened when the first batch did not hatch and that was only days away from the second batch going into lockdown. I thought maybe my temp had been low or something.

My shells were so thick I couldn't see much of anything. What I did see was apparently the yolk and it's not like I haven't done this before. Heavy sigh. I'm going to have to use 3 or 4 lights to see through those thick shells. Evidently my girls have been hitting the oyster shell hot and heavy.

Danz, you're right it may have been the cold temps also. Anywho, we've been putting in raised beds and for once DH got interested in "helping us" because we were going to use those bricks that have been sitting around forever and when he saw all the work we'd done, he declared he was planning to use the bricks for his walkway to the shop. Whereupon I thought to myself "What year?" So we had to take all of those bricks and put them back, wait on him to build the beds out of all the boards he has lying about. I am not allowed to use the saw myself because "he would never forgive himself if I got hurt". Okay, but I'm not planning to manicure my nails with it, I just want to cut some boards!

Anyway, then we had to change the size of the beds because they were now going to be 4' wide instead of 5' wide which meant lots of manual digging because you know how long those beds are. Okay, enough grousing. The upside is that he is really into helping now and is plotting out the watering system, so all the schlepping of bricks turned out to be worth the effort because he is putting together a drip irrigation system for us so we don't have to attempt to keep up with the hoses!

That's pretty much why I haven't attended to my email, so tired and sore and occupied with a houseful of teens and a couple tweens still mad at their sister, then new chicks came, etc., etc. Sorry, girl!

Tatinatimom, that's how chicken math works around here too!

I had 51 chicks in my bators, one hatched, so I bought 56!

 

[Trish44]

Trish44, the sad truth is I candled on day 10 and couldn't tell.

I realized what had happened when the first batch did not hatch and that was only days away from the second batch going into lockdown. I thought maybe my temp had been low or something.

My shells were so thick I couldn't see much of anything. What I did see was apparently the yolk and it's not like I haven't done this before. Heavy sigh. I'm going to have to use 3 or 4 lights to see through those thick shells. Evidently my girls have been hitting the oyster shell hot and heavy.

Danz, you're right it may have been the cold temps also. Anywho, we've been putting in raised beds and for once DH got interested in "helping us" because we were going to use those bricks that have been sitting around forever and when he saw all the work we'd done, he declared he was planning to use the bricks for his walkway to the shop. Whereupon I thought to myself "What year?" So we had to take all of those bricks and put them back, wait on him to build the beds out of all the boards he has lying about. I am not allowed to use the saw myself because "he would never forgive himself if I got hurt". Okay, but I'm not planning to manicure my nails with it, I just want to cut some boards!

Anyway, then we had to change the size of the beds because they were now going to be 4' wide instead of 5' wide which meant lots of manual digging because you know how long those beds are. Okay, enough grousing. The upside is that he is really into helping now and is plotting out the watering system, so all the schlepping of bricks turned out to be worth the effort because he is putting together a drip irrigation system for us so we don't have to attempt to keep up with the hoses!

That's pretty much why I haven't attended to my email, so tired and sore and occupied with a houseful of teens and a couple tweens still mad at their sister, then new chicks came, etc., etc. Sorry, girl!

Tatinatimom, that's how chicken math works around here too!

I had 51 chicks in my bators, one hatched, so I bought 56!

I admit there are some colored shells that are a bit harder to see through. I bought a commercial type of candler so it works pretty well for even those. I just figured that if I was going to have the other equipment I might as well have a decent candler too.

Boy I can relate on the waiting for help issue, I get so tired of having to wait on that. I just had my DH get me power tools on his tool card at work. He never uses all of his tool money anyway so I figured I might as well use some of it. He bought a set of battery operated tools by Dewalt that has an angle grinder, which I really, really needed, a drill, a screwdriver, a reciprocating saw, & a circular saw that all use the same batteries. I love them so far. I have used the angle grinder & there was a little learning curve with that & the last two days have used the recip saw. It sure beats dragging around extension cords & I can take these tools anywhere, wonderful! Deerfield, just tell your DH you need some hand power tools you can use. Then you can cut your own wood & everyone is happy. That's good though he finally got on board & is helping. My DH could care less about a garden, that was always my job.

I haven't hatched any chicks yet, but there is a hatch due on the 6th & then every few days after that. I still am waiting on a few breeds to get with it. Come on girls, lay! I talk to them & give them pep talks every day but so far they haven't listened.

 

[Deerfield Acres]

Come on girls, lay! I talk to them & give them pep talks every day but so far they haven't listened.

So there you go! You talk to your hens and I talk to unfertilized yolks -- at least you're talking to living creatures! LOL! Hope they get busy laying and soon!

That's a great idea of having your own battery powered tools. That would be awesome. My birthday is coming up...

Okay, so guys I forgot to mention I finally found an Organic, non GMO feed for my chicks!!!!! I'm so excited I'm just dumb with joy. It's NOT cheap, but these chicks are eventually going into my children's tummies and I'm thrilled to pieces to find it. It's Dumor brand at TSC and cost like 24.99 for 50 lbs. I am going to break down and ferment it so the birds can get the most nutrition out of it since it's so expensive. Setting up the fermentation mess today!

 

[rlh1]

Is anyone in the Topeka area, or around, hatching salmon faverolle's?
Thank You
Ricki

 

[thndrdancr]

I haven't caught up with posts yet but wouldn't you know it, I have been wanting silver pied peahens. Seems they are hard to find! Anyhow cl guy has some yearling hens for $75 and will meet in Overland Park this weekend!

I think I am gonna cry! I just got here, I know I know, stupid to be crying on vacation but why couldn't he have sold those birds earlier or later? No one sells just HENS!