Consolidated Kansas

[sharol]

My roosters got here & they were doing great, just thirsty & hungry. I got them set up in my temporary pen for quarantine. They have some growing to do yet but they look really good.

I've just been working like crazy trying to get things ready for winter. I have been repairing the frame on my main run where some of the boards have rotted. I got the main one done at the very corner where the door is but today I was trying to fix the other one that is broken & it just turned into a mess. I'm going to have to jerry-rig it & I ran out of daylight so I'll finish it tomorrow. I want to get that done so I can put the other big tarp on there for winter.

I'm integrating 3 young birds into my main laying flock, 2 pullets & a rooster & they have done pretty well so far, I hope that continues. They were down hanging around the pen they had been in today but they came back up to the coop to roost so I was proud of them. The rooster is not breeding age yet so he has not been challenged by the lead rooster as of yet. He may end up being bigger than that rooster so we'll see what happens. He's half Orpington & half Black Copper Marans, an interesting mix because he & the pullet like that look kind of like a Crele if you know what those look like. The other pullet is an Ameraucana & she is blue. I just don't happen to have blues in my pen so I decided to put her in the laying flock.

Glad your roosters arrived in good condition. How old are they (sorry, I forgot, I think you said earlier)? Pictures would be good ;-).

I have a hen that is an Orp/Marans cross. Her front half is BCM gray and her back half is BO buff. She is one of my perpetual broodies (twice a year since she was a year old). She is a fabulous mother. She is also a sweet, easy going hen,

Isn't that how fence mending goes? You get one problem solved and 2 more show up. I was just evaluating my fall prep, and it is looking pretty good. But I just have 30 or so chickens, so the work is miniscule compared to that of those of you with multiple pens

 

[chicken danz]

Yesterday was a busy day here. My sister decided to come over to clean out my pens in the building. It was a noble idea however I don't think she had a clue to the degree of work it would be. I worked with her as much as I could but she did all the heavy stuff. I am sure I still overdid it. Many hours out there and we only got 7 of 14 pens done. I don't know if she comes back to finish today if I am going to be any help. I can tell it was a bit much. The idea was to have it all cleaned up for cold weather.
The vacuum quit that I was using to clean up the bits under the fences and in corners. Sure hope it just overheated and will start back up. It wasn't very old and it was pricey shop vac. DH will be ticked if I ruined it.
I've still got so much that needs to be done for winter around here I didn't get completed. I have to do some more work on a water line for the peacock pens. The outside birds need heated water bowls set up and cords run to power them. That alone is a lot of work. DH was going to try to install the heater in the building this week but he is moving dog houses around and what I believed would be an hour or two job is taking him all week. We work in such different ways.
I still have birds to move and sort too but some of them are waiting on him to get more pop doors installed in the building. He just doesn't rush with any job.
I guess it is what it is. I was really wanting more projects done for winter but they will have to wait.

 

[Trish44]

Glad your roosters arrived in good condition. How old are they (sorry, I forgot, I think you said earlier)? Pictures would be good ;-).

I have a hen that is an Orp/Marans cross. Her front half is BCM gray and her back half is BO buff. She is one of my perpetual broodies (twice a year since she was a year old). She is a fabulous mother. She is also a sweet, easy going hen,

Isn't that how fence mending goes? You get one problem solved and 2 more show up. I was just evaluating my fall prep, and it is looking pretty good. But I just have 30 or so chickens, so the work is miniscule compared to that of those of you with multiple pens

The roosters are 4-5 months old, still young & one is bigger than the other one. The smaller one is the feisty one, I sure hope he settles down. I put them in the pen & then went to feed them later & he kept jumping through the opening when I put my hand in there. I finally got food in the trough & he quit coming out.

My Orp/Marans crosses are just the exact opposite of yours, isn't that funny. The buff is at the front & the back half is the darker crele coloring. It's like half the bird is one breed & the other half is the other sort of. Mine have feathered feed, do yours? I thought that was the most interesting because the feathering is two colors as well. That's why I decided to keep them & put them in the laying flock.

Yeah the best laid of plans as we all know is how it usually goes. This situation is just kind of difficult because I didn't know how much was rotted & that has been a mess to deal with.

danz you need to be careful doing all of that with just having the major surgery you had. You sure don't want to mess anything up or have a big setback.

 

[chicken danz]

Well I worked all day today and boy am I tired. I got the birds fed, then moved my partridge brahmas to the building. They are too crowded but I spent a few more hours installing the pop door for their pen. All I have left to do is cut the metal on the outside. The next one I do will go faster cause I know how to do it now. My sister came over and continued cleaning out pens for me and then I helped with the last two. It's so nice to have clean pens but I need about 8 more bales of shavings to really give them the bedding they need.
I go back to see the surgeon on Wednesday so maybe I can pick some more up then.
DH got the dog house moved finally so tomorrow I need to clean it out and get it ready for puppies.

 

[sharol]

Well I worked all day today and boy am I tired. I got the birds fed, then moved my partridge brahmas to the building. They are too crowded but I spent a few more hours installing the pop door for their pen. All I have left to do is cut the metal on the outside. The next one I do will go faster cause I know how to do it now. My sister came over and continued cleaning out pens for me and then I helped with the last two. It's so nice to have clean pens but I need about 8 more bales of shavings to really give them the bedding they need.
I go back to see the surgeon on Wednesday so maybe I can pick some more up then.
DH got the dog house moved finally so tomorrow I need to clean it out and get it ready for puppies.

Puppies -- for sure? I missed your post if you said you had confirmed it. Good luck with the babies. I know with big dogs it can be a challenge.

 

[chicken danz]

Quote:
Well I'm not trying to get my hopes up too high but if this is a false pregnancy it's a very convincing one. I don't think she'll have many cause she isn't all the big. Which makes me think the AI is what worked. At any rate I'm getting prepared. I've got about two weeks before I know for sure. I could take her for x-rays but I'll just wait. The worst that can happen is a huge disappointment on my part.

 

[sharol]

Well I'm not trying to get my hopes up too high but if this is a false pregnancy it's a very convincing one. I don't think she'll have many cause she isn't all the big. Which makes me think the AI is what worked. At any rate I'm getting prepared. I've got about two weeks before I know for sure. I could take her for x-rays but I'll just wait. The worst that can happen is a huge disappointment on my part.

Better to be ready, though. Good luck, I know you really want puppies from her.

 

[chicken danz]

I think I miscounted weeks. I am doubting myself. She may not be due until December 3rd. Not sure how I did that.

 

[Dani4Hedgies]

I think I miscounted weeks. I am doubting myself. She may not be due until December 3rd. Not sure how I did that.

Danz,
I hope your right and you soon have puppies

 

[chicken danz]

Quote: Me too. It's been too long. Puppies are a lot of work and expense but these dogs are awesome.
I gave in and set a dozen eggs in the incubator yesterday. It had been sitting empty for a few days.
I just moved in slow motion yesterday. I think I did too much the day before and my body was letting me know.
I did cut off a water line and install another spigot yesterday in the peafowl pens. Now I can water the geese with a hose attached to that when their pen is put in. Heaven knows when that will be though. I got the screws out of a nest box so it can be moved out. I need DH to remove the other one. It's hanging on a wall...not sitting on the floor like this one was. Then I should be able to move my layers to the hen houses finally. Just one more effort to get things easier to care for in winter.
It looks really windy out there this morning. It may be a crummy day to get things done.