Consolidated Kansas

[Dani4Hedgies]

Had a very busy day first picking up a couple beautiful Bantam old English ladies for Emo, as well as two pairs of Silkies (Squuelll) then it was onto Danz for visiting and shopping for new birds plus learning how to butcher. Was a very long day but am so proud of myself and my friend for all that we learned and got done. Danz is an incredible teacher/mentor we are so thrilled we are able to learn from her.

 

[sharol]

Had a very busy day first picking up a couple beautiful Bantam old English ladies for Emo, as well as two pairs of Silkies (Squuelll) then it was onto Danz for visiting and shopping for new birds plus learning how to butcher. Was a very long day but am so proud of myself and my friend for all that we learned and got done. Danz is an incredible teacher/mentor we are so thrilled we are able to learn from her.

She taught me to butcher a little over a year ago. If you want the instructions I typed out (and had her proof), I'll be glad to send them to you. I do it so seldom that I need reminders. I'm going to have to butcher 5 cockerels some time soon, too.

 

[HEChicken]

I'm so glad to hear of people learning this important skill. The reality is that 50% of chicks hatched will be male but only a fraction of those will ever have a job to do, so learning to butcher humanely is an important part of poultry raising. Several years ago @Trish44 and I taught a butchering class that was attended by half a dozen people and I have great memories of that. Normally I do it alone and it was fun to have company as we all stood at our respective tables working on our birds.

I had a busy day yesterday working on some projects in my barn but the good news is I think we are ready for winter. I had expected to wake this morning in a deep freeze and was surprised the thermometer says 41. I'm not complaining and would rather be ready and not need to be than the other way around.

While working I looked over and saw a hen pacing the fence inside my hedge. I walked over and though she could have been one of mine as she was a Black Sex Link and I have several, I decided she must belong on the other side of the hedge as any time I tried to herd her around and toward my coop, she found a way back to her spot at the hedge. However she wouldn't let me grab her to lift her over and after multiple attempts, I finally went and got my net. Even then she wasn't easy to catch, first hopping over the net, then, when I held it a little higher, running under it. Finally on the third try I was able to maneuver the net so she ran right into it and then dropped her over the fence. Sure enough, she ran right into the hedge like she knew where she was going. Hopefully she found her way safely back to her coop. It leaves me baffled as to how she got on my side of the fence in the first place as if she were able to fly over, it is a lot easier to take off on my side without the trees, than from that side where the hedge impedes even my fliers from taking off, yet several times I tried to scare her to take to the air to fly over, and she couldn't get more than a couple feet off the ground.

DH and I got my coop cleaned out a few days ago and it felt very good to get that done. It was overdue and I even considered leaving it over the winter to provide warmth from the deep bedding layer. But I was concerned about ammonia build up as the days get shorter and the birds spend more time in the coop so in the end I decided it is better to start with fresh bedding. It was a big job and the veggie garden now has a lot of mulch to age over the winter, but it is nice to have it smelling like fresh pine shavings again.

 

[Trish44]

@sharol that is a very pretty Mottled Orp hen. I sold my breeding group because they just didn't sell well. I hope you find a home for your rooster.

@lizzyGSR when my GPs were both younger I had a problem with them going into the main coop & eating eggs. I used a livestock panel cut down to put across my door to the run to keep them out & it's still there today. The chickens all learn to get through it, even the bigger hens & roosters. It keeps my geese from getting in there too when they're out & I'm feeding the chickens.

@HEChicken It's nice to have that all done isn't it. I have one more piece of plastic I think I want to put on the north side of a pen but other than that I'm done. I cleaned out my main coop before I left for vacation, I need to add some more shavings in there but haven't gotten it done yet. I just dread this time of year, it makes me want to go into hibernation all winter, but of course with birds & animals to care for I can't do that. I'm glad you got the hen back home, the chickens aren't as bad as guineas but still can get into some trouble at times. My friend who lives in Wichita has had a hen that escaped & now it is just running wild around the neighborhood & she can't catch her.

 

[lizzyGSR]

@lizzyGSR when my GPs were both younger I had a problem with them going into the main coop & eating eggs. I used a livestock panel cut down to put across my door to the run to keep them out & it's still there today. The chickens all learn to get through it, even the bigger hens & roosters. It keeps my geese from getting in there too when they're out & I'm feeding the chickens.

Yep, I did the same thing, though my livestock panel has a thick square metal frame (we got this from a friend like this). It is wider than my coop door, so I had to wire it in place to keep it from tipping over. I didn't want my chicks to get out though 'cuz the dogs still think they are VERY interesting (and probably tasty) so I want them to stay in the coop/run 'till they're a little bigger (and fully feathered). I put the chicken wire across the bottom two "rows" of the panel to keep the chicks in, and the adult birds were baffled by it too. I had to put a cinder block "step" on each side of the new gate so the big birds could figure out how to get out. Now, all I have to do at night is to close the chicken wire door that is part of the chicken run - no moving the wire panel. I might leave it there permanently, even though it is a little inconvenient for me to block access to the door on the coop that's closest to the house.

My chicks are feathering out fast! IT is hard to believe how quickly they grow up! I think they are two weeks old yesterday.

 

[chicken danz]

I had a super busy day today. I finally decided to winterize the pens. I got heated water bowls set up today for all but the grow out pens for the pullets and the turkeys. I haven't decided what I want to do there yet. There are so many birds in there that they go through a huge pan of water each day and the heated bowls just won't hold enough. I guess I need to come up with another plan. Hopes were to sell all but what I needed to add to the breeder groups but I haven't had time or energy to advertise or anything.
As Dani mentioned she was here yesterday and got stocked up with some new birds. I showed her my blue mottled project and I think she was really impressed with them. She also liked the black mottled rooster I have. I am producing much better mottles now that I crossed them into my BBS pen. And the blue mottles are in my opinion really gorgeous. I need to get a picture of a couple of the young girls and post it.
Also as mentioned, Dani had her butchering lessons with her friend Heather. I asked her to take on the task of butchering "Turkey" my pet turkey who ate a diamond earring, that wasn't recovered incidentally. He hadn't shown any aggression toward anyone but men, whom I assumed he was jealous of. Typical testosterone stuff. But a while back I had had a couple children here who kept messing with him and making him mad. I asked the parents multiple times to get the children to stop grabbing the turkey and chasing him but they failed to take any action to correct their kids. Turkey finally flogged one of them. He had pecked my granddaughter on Thanksgiving on the cheek. The only thing I can figure out is that my granddaughter kind of got in his face to pet him and he reacted remembering those unruly children. Unfortunately I just decided that it was unacceptable.
It was probably one of the hardest decisions I have ever made. He was a dear sweet pet who I could still pick up and baby any time I wanted and he always made baby turkey sounds when I held him. I cried and have been crying off and on all day. It really tore my heart out.
I also have an old Tom who is probably no longer fertile, I was going to butcher but it was more than I could handle to put him down as well. I plan to move two of this years Toms in the breeder group but still have to deal with the old Tom first. I had them out free ranging today. I don't know if the old Tom was feeling lonely or what but he kept wanting to be petted and wanted to be around people. Maybe he knows my plan. I really wish he could just go be someone's pet. He served me well.
I didn't get many roosters butchered although I really appreciated the help. My stupid hand swelled up like a club last night from the activity. But it is much better today...just sore.

 

[Dani4Hedgies]

 I had a super busy day today. I finally decided to winterize the pens. I got heated water bowls set up today for all but the grow out pens for the pullets and the turkeys. I haven't decided what I want to do there yet. There are so many birds in there that they go through a huge pan of water each day and the heated bowls just won't hold enough. I guess I need to come up with another plan. Hopes were to sell all but what I needed to add to the breeder groups but I haven't had time or energy to advertise or anything.
As Dani mentioned she was here yesterday and got stocked up with some new birds. I showed her my blue mottled project and I think she was really impressed with them. She also liked the black mottled rooster I have. I am producing much better mottles now that I crossed them into my BBS pen. And the blue mottles are in my opinion really gorgeous. I need to get a picture of a couple of the young girls and post it.
Also as mentioned, Dani had her butchering lessons with her friend Heather. I asked her to take on the task of butchering "Turkey" my pet turkey who ate a diamond earring, that wasn't recovered incidentally.  He hadn't shown any aggression toward anyone but men, whom I assumed he was jealous of. Typical testosterone stuff. But a while back I had had a couple children here who kept messing with him and making him mad. I asked the parents multiple times to get the children to stop grabbing the turkey and chasing him but they failed to take any action to correct their kids. Turkey finally flogged one of them. He had pecked my granddaughter on Thanksgiving on the cheek. The only thing I can figure out is that my granddaughter kind of got in his face to pet him and he reacted remembering those unruly children.  Unfortunately I just decided that it was unacceptable.
It was probably one of the hardest decisions I have ever made. He was a dear sweet pet who I could still pick up and baby any time I wanted and he always made baby turkey sounds when I held him. I cried and have been crying off and on all day. It really tore my heart out.
I also have an old Tom who is probably no longer fertile, I was going to butcher but it was more than I could handle to put him down as well. I plan to move two of this years Toms in the breeder group but still have to deal with the old Tom first. I had them out free ranging today. I don't know if the old Tom was feeling lonely or what but he kept wanting to be petted and wanted to be around people. Maybe he knows my plan. I really wish he could just go be someone's pet. He served me well.
I didn't get many roosters butchered although I really appreciated the help. My stupid hand swelled up like a club last night from the activity. But it is much better today...just sore.

Danz,
You gotta be kiddie me and Heather more then likes your mottles blues we are praying that you will want to adopt some out soon so we can snatch some up course then we will fight over them just like last night lol, sure glad you sent me home with two of those blondes as Heather took one home with her. Speaking of Heather she would be happy to take your other old turkey to be a pet she really loves them as well as if that dog you were mentioning still needs a home she would love to take him as well. Omg you had so many beautiful pullets and laying hens I was cursing the fact that I was getting another large chicken holder Fri night and really needed it Fri afternoon so we could have cleaned you out of pullets yep we are greeding we admit it.

 

[chicken danz]

@Dani4Hedgies , please tell Heather to come get the Tom soon. I I haven't heard the outcome on the dog yet. But I'll let her know. It may be awhile on the dog. I don't know how fast this will happen. They don't live here but no further from her than I am.

 

[lizzyGSR]

@lizzyGSR let us all know how you like that instant pot. I saw them on Black Friday but I already have a slow cooker & really don't have room for more small appliances in the kitchen. I do use my slow cooker lots in the winter.

I have really been enjoying my InstantPot! On the menu for today is Chicken Pot Pie Stew in the Instant Pot! I made mashed potatoes in it on Saturday for a potluck on Sunday and have found a new favorite way to make mashed potatoes! The potatoes steamed in the instant pot came out soft, evenly done, and WAY easier to mash by hand than ones boiled on the stove top. Plus, I didn't have to worry about them boiling over, burning to the bottom, etc. I like it so much I ordered a second Instant Pot (one for main dish, one for side dish OR for doing multiple freezer meals simultaneously).

On the chicken front... My mama hen decided it was time for her chicks to start free ranging, and she showed them how to get out of the chicken coop/run. My "chick barrier" didn't stop them, it only slowed them down, so I went ahead and took it down. Hopefully, the dogs don't mess with the chicks. I'm more worried about the pup than anything else, but she leaves the adult birds alone, so i can only hope she'll do the same with the chicks. Both dogs have shown more interest than normal in the chickens since I let the mama hen and her chicks out of their half of the chicken coop. I'll just have to keep a close eye on them today to see what the dogs do. This nervous chicken mama wasn't ready for the chicks to free range quite yet.

 

[Cathy FW]

I'm new to BYC and new to chickens. I'm so excited and trying to learn all I can.

Welcome Wellsville, I'm near Baldwin. Guess that makes use neighbors!