Consolidated Kansas

[chicken danz]

@HEChicken have you checked for aphids on your tomato plants? That is what usually gets mine early. Mine are still doing really well although they did get ripped and thrown around in the storm. My cucumbers are about done. They never did well this year. My tower I built and the netting kept the squash bugs off but maybe it also kept some beneficial insects off as well. I don't think they had enough sun. Next year I think I'll plant them in the fruit garden where they've always done really well. My peppers are just starting to bloom well. Very very slow since they've been in since early spring. I really think I need a little more sun for a garden but I really don't have another place where I have access to water. I need to change some things here so I can plant more of some things and less of other.
I'm sitting here trying to find energy to get busy. I worked way too hard yesterday and today I feel too exhausted to do anything.

 

[lizzyGSR]

Today has most definitely NOT been my day! One thing after another has gone wrong! ugh!

I attempted to worm my birds and discovered AFTER I had put the wormer in their water that I had misunderstood what Danz had said and had given them the wrong stuff. It was 2 or 3 hours AFTER i gave it to them that I realized my mistake. I took it away from them as soon as I realized what I'd done wrong and called the vet to find out what I should do. He said there was nothing I could do but watch and see. So, I went ahead and let the birds out (no reason to keep them locked up if I can't worm them). My one and only rooster (the sussex - the one that was a gift from Danz) immediately ran halfway across the yard JUST to attack my toddler who was totally unsuspecting and was NOT doing anything to provoke an attack. I turned into mama bear and ran across the yard and gave the rooster a swift kick. He got one more chance after that and swifly lost his chance when he went and attacked my toddler AGAIN without being provoked.

Because I had erroneously given the birds the wrong wormer meds this morning, we didn't want to immediately butcher the rooster because we didn't want to risk the meat not being safe after the possible exposure to this med. So, we are keeping him locked up for a week as a precaution before we butcher him. Ugh! What a day! Now, I am rooster-less and am really sad because this bird was a gift - the only bird of the 3 I was given to make it this far.

I talked to Danz on the phone about this situation, and she thought he turned mean because he had been the bottom roo on the totem pole until I butchered the other roosters earlier this week. He probably viewed my toddler as a threat and went on the defensive. Either way a mean roo is a roo that's going to freezer camp.

I had wanted a rooster as a flock protector and so I could possibly let my hens raise some chicks in the spring... The question now is... Do I look for another rooster or just be content with all hens? The rooster is the only one of my birds that's got good bloodlines. All my other chickens are hatchery stock.

 

[lizzyGSR]

Oh, I forgot to mention... I also discovered golf balls all over the yard. Apparently, my DH's puppy has decided that eggs are good for eating, and she apparently hasn't discovered the difference between the eggs and the golf balls I put in the nest to show the birds where to lay... A friend suggestion hot sauce on the golf balls, so I'm looking forward to seeing if that breaks her bad habit... Wish me luck!

 

[sharol]

Today has most definitely NOT been my day! One thing after another has gone wrong! ugh!

I attempted to worm my birds and discovered AFTER I had put the wormer in their water that I had misunderstood what Danz had said and had given them the wrong stuff. It was 2 or 3 hours AFTER i gave it to them that I realized my mistake. I took it away from them as soon as I realized what I'd done wrong and called the vet to find out what I should do. He said there was nothing I could do but watch and see. So, I went ahead and let the birds out (no reason to keep them locked up if I can't worm them). My one and only rooster (the sussex - the one that was a gift from Danz) immediately ran halfway across the yard JUST to attack my toddler who was totally unsuspecting and was NOT doing anything to provoke an attack. I turned into mama bear and ran across the yard and gave the rooster a swift kick. He got one more chance after that and swifly lost his chance when he went and attacked my toddler AGAIN without being provoked.

Because I had erroneously given the birds the wrong wormer meds this morning, we didn't want to immediately butcher the rooster because we didn't want to risk the meat not being safe after the possible exposure to this med. So, we are keeping him locked up for a week as a precaution before we butcher him. Ugh! What a day! Now, I am rooster-less and am really sad because this bird was a gift - the only bird of the 3 I was given to make it this far.

I talked to Danz on the phone about this situation, and she thought he turned mean because he had been the bottom roo on the totem pole until I butchered the other roosters earlier this week. He probably viewed my toddler as a threat and went on the defensive. Either way a mean roo is a roo that's going to freezer camp.

I had wanted a rooster as a flock protector and so I could possibly let my hens raise some chicks in the spring... The question now is... Do I look for another rooster or just be content with all hens? The rooster is the only one of my birds that's got good bloodlines. All my other chickens are hatchery stock.

Lizzy, I have a couple of beautiful adolescent English Orpington cockerels -- One is a gorgeous mottle. They are very nice tempered, and if you would like one of them, I would love to GIVE him to you. I butchered some of the cockerels today, but these guys are a little young to butcher -- probably another month at least. The older ones weren't mean, I was just out of room. I also have a black EE cockerel (Breda x EE hen) that is also a nice boy (I think -- EEs are hard to sex when they are young, but he has a triple comb).

Let me know if you want me to save one for you. I would love to not have to butcher such nice birds.

 

[Trish44]

lizzy I wish I were closer, I have a bunch of extra roosters here that I could give you as well.

I sold my Split to Mottled pullets yesterday, 5 of them, yay 5 less to feed! I also sold my extra ewe sheep I had for sale for quite awhile. We're out of grass out in the fields so I've been having to let them & the goats out in the yard lately. I have to make it another month before we really start just feeding hay. Now that I got rid of two ewes then as soon as the 4 wethers grow out some more we will take them for processing & I'll be down to just two ewes & a ram. My ram hasn't been feeling well the last few days. I gave him wormer so I hope it works & makes him feel better. Other than that I just don't know what to do for him. I would hate to lose him at this point because I need him to breed my remaining adult ewe for spring lambs. I have one more group of birds to sell yet & I may have those sold as well if the guy sends me a deposit like he said he would. Then I have to figure out what to do with the extra roosters I have.

 

[lizzyGSR]

Lizzy, I have a couple of beautiful adolescent English Orpington cockerels -- One is a gorgeous mottle. They are very nice tempered, and if you would like one of them, I would love to GIVE him to you. I butchered some of the cockerels today, but these guys are a little young to butcher -- probably another month at least. The older ones weren't mean, I was just out of room. I also have a black EE cockerel (Breda x EE hen) that is also a nice boy (I think -- EEs are hard to sex when they are young, but he has a triple comb).

Let me know if you want me to save one for you. I would love to not have to butcher such nice birds.

I appreciate the offer, but I think distance would be a problem. I think you're about 6 hours from me. I'm in Northwest Kansas - so far West I'm in a different time zone than the rest of the state.

 

[HEChicken]

@HEChicken have you checked for aphids on your tomato plants? That is what usually gets mine early.

Now that you mention it, I haven't seen a single aphid this year. I do normally see some, so welcome ladybugs, since they will eat the aphids. But this year my neighbor and I both noticed a real explosion in the population of lady bugs and consequently I haven't seen a single aphid. This spring the lady bugs were out there in amazing numbers. Normally I think of pests as being in huge numbers while the predator bugs are fewer. But this year the ladybugs were in the quantities of the pests - you couldn't take a step without hitting several. I have no idea what they were all finding to eat but I still welcomed them as I figure if they ran out of aphids, I'd sure there are other pests they'd be happy to eat as well.

I really think it is blight on the tomatoes. I am using a livestock panel as a trellis and that worked REALLY well last year as the tomatoes were able to climb the trellis and it made them stay neat and contained and at the same time, they were easy to pick. They were climbing it really well this year too, but then suddenly started to look sick and died. However I've noticed that anywhere a branch did flop over on the ground and I didn't get it picked up - those branches still look healthy and are producing. It is only where they have contact with the trellis that they've died. So I'm thinking I have some kind of blight on the panel itself that is getting them. After this season I will take that panel down and replace it with another and also put it in a different garden row and hopefully that will solve the problem for next year.

Lizzy, sorry about your cockerel. I don't know if there are any other members of this group that are closer to you - hopefully you'll find a good rooster on a Facebook group or Craigslist.

 

[chicken danz]

What a busy weekend. I feel I need a rest. But the fencer is back again this morning and as soon as the grass gets dry enough I need to mow the fence line some more. I killed the mower 1/4 mile out yesterday and had to haul it back with the bobcat. I still have to get it up on ramps and see what I can fix. Then after the mowing is done I need to get back to running the chain saw and get the rest of the brush cut. I really need to spray all around the fence line while I'm at it but that is one more thing to work into my schedule.
That's interesting @HEChicken . We haven't had as many lady bugs this year and the aphids are super thick, They luckily are hanging on some of the weeds rather than in the garden. Almost made me cautious about taking down the weeds.
That is also one reason why I won't grow all heritage tomatoes. Some of the hybrids are resistant to blights and diseases and it sure makes a difference in how they do.
I figure hybridizing a plant just makes it produce better and function in more places. There is nothing to stop someone from growing organic if they are using a hybrid plant. Or in the case of chickens, producing healthy eggs if you have a new color. It's when there is chemical engineering that I have a problem with it.
Back to fencing!!!

 

[HEChicken]

That's interesting @HEChicken . We haven't had as many lady bugs this year

LOL - that's because they're all at my place. Come get some!!!

That bites about the mower. We're having a similar issue with ours in that it has a puncture in one tire. At first it was a slow leak so every few weeks I had to inflate the tire in order to use it. But the hole must have enlarged and a few days ago it started to go down so fast that I have to re-inflate it every time I use it. Due to the rotational grazing, right now that is a daily thing as even when I'm not mowing, I use the mower to haul water out to the rotational paddock. So every day I first have to start up the air compressor, pump up the tire and only then can I haul water

Then, because I know the leak is fast, I worry that it will go down while I'm out there so I hustle out, drop off the water and hustle back before the tire goes down. I need DH's help to get it jacked up so I can fix it. But I told him this isn't the first time we've had problems with this tire and we've repaired it so many times, maybe this time we should just replace it. Of course locating and buying replacement tires takes time as well. So for now I'm just dealing with it on a daily basis which is a royal pain!

 

[Trish44]

@HEChicken have you tried that goo stuff you put in tires to stop leaks? It's called Slime & you can get it at WalMart or probably hardware stores as well. We have so many hedge trees here that our lawnmower tires look like a sieve. We use that stuff in the tires & it really helps. Unless the hole is big & then you would have to plug it first. It sure has saved us numerous times. Of course there comes a point some time when you have to give up & get a new tire.

We got to spend the day with our granddaughter yesterday & she is turning into quite a young lady. She will be 12 in November & it hit me yesterday while we were out shopping for clothes with her that she is really growing up. We had a really nice day with her & we all enjoyed it. We know that soon she will not want to spend a day with her grandparents so we have to take them when we can get them.