Consolidated Kansas

[Trish44]

Plinky let us know how the flower pot works. I have made suet cakes before but never a flock block.

Not much new to report here, I'm just going to enjoy the weather the next couple of days before the next storm comes.

 

[rlh1]

For some reason the animals on my property think its spring! I have one silkie, Bloom, who's clutch of 4 should hatch tonight or tomorrow. One of my marans, Opal, decided to go broody three days ago so she's sitting on 13 eggs and today another one of my silkies, she's not named yet, decided to go broody and she's sitting on two eggs. At this point my entire coop is going to be a nursery
Not to mention the barn cat that will be delivering a litter soon. I was literally dialing K-State to see when they could come get her to spay her when I realized she was pregnant again. SO, when she weans this litter she will be fixed. We just inherited her and her last litter about 8 wks ago. Everyone is getting fixed!!!! Except my chickens!! I LIKE chicken math!

 

[Trish44]

For some reason the animals on my property think its spring! I have one silkie, Bloom, who's clutch of 4 should hatch tonight or tomorrow. One of my marans, Opal, decided to go broody three days ago so she's sitting on 13 eggs and today another one of my silkies, she's not named yet, decided to go broody and she's sitting on two eggs. At this point my entire coop is going to be a nursery
Not to mention the barn cat that will be delivering a litter soon. I was literally dialing K-State to see when they could come get her to spay her when I realized she was pregnant again. SO, when she weans this litter she will be fixed. We just inherited her and her last litter about 8 wks ago. Everyone is getting fixed!!!! Except my chickens!! I LIKE chicken math!

That's crazy rlh1, now we're getting a cold snap again. It's not a great time of year to have little chicks outside. I'm trying to figure out when the last group of Isbars can go outside. I was toying with the idea of putting them out yesterday but decided against it. They're not under heat now but I think I'll wait till it warms up again after this cold snap. The other 4 outside seem to be doing fine out there.

 

[rlh1]

Well, we have two eggs that have pipped, I can hear them peeping... mom was outside getting a snack. I had a thought last night, what would a cross between a silkie and a maran be? Would that be a frizzle? I have some olive eggers coming out of this hatch and the next. I have the worst head cold and sore throat, can you tell? I'm jumping from one thought to the next, lol. I'm going to go take a nap.

 

[Trish44]

Well, we have two eggs that have pipped, I can hear them peeping... mom was outside getting a snack. I had a thought last night, what would a cross between a silkie and a maran be? Would that be a frizzle? I have some olive eggers coming out of this hatch and the next. I have the worst head cold and sore throat, can you tell? I'm jumping from one thought to the next, lol. I'm going to go take a nap.

Congrats on the eggs pipping, I imagine by now you have chicks. I'm sorry you're sick, there is a lot of stuff going around, hope you feel better soon.

I have put up my ads on the FB swaps for hatching chicks in the spring. I take orders & am starting to get interest in chicks coming in. I won't start hatching probably till March though, depending on the weather & how the hens do with laying. Right now hardly any of my breeding stock is laying with the exception of new layers who have just started, the Rhodebars & the Lavender Ameraucanas.

 

[rlh1]

Yep, We now have four new babies. She has been a great mommy so far. She had two olive eggers and two Marans. I would love to get some crested cream legbars, English lavender Orpingtons and BLRW from you. Either hatching eggs or chicks What are you charging? I had 3 BLRW last spring, they were all boys LOL. On top of this crappy sore throat and head cold I woke up with a migraine. gotta love it. Are you all ready for this ice storm we are supposed to get? I moved my broody hen, Opal, to a box in the corner of the coop because she was up in the nest box that is not very well insulated. I was worried about her getting too cold up there. She is not happy! She is insisting on being up in that nest box, so I attached a piece of hardware cloth over the hole I cut out of the front of the box so she cant get out. I open it when I'm out there and after she gets something to eat and drink and stretch her legs, she goes right back to that nest box. So I pick her up and stick her back on her nest. I'm hoping after a few more days of being in this box will change her mind. Good luck this weekend. It probably won't be as bad as everyone thinks.

 

[Trish44]

Yep, We now have four new babies. She has been a great mommy so far. She had two olive eggers and two Marans. I would love to get some crested cream legbars, English lavender Orpingtons and BLRW from you. Either hatching eggs or chicks What are you charging? I had 3 BLRW last spring, they were all boys LOL. On top of this crappy sore throat and head cold I woke up with a migraine. gotta love it. Are you all ready for this ice storm we are supposed to get? I moved my broody hen, Opal, to a box in the corner of the coop because she was up in the nest box that is not very well insulated. I was worried about her getting too cold up there. She is not happy! She is insisting on being up in that nest box, so I attached a piece of hardware cloth over the hole I cut out of the front of the box so she cant get out. I open it when I'm out there and after she gets something to eat and drink and stretch her legs, she goes right back to that nest box. So I pick her up and stick her back on her nest. I'm hoping after a few more days of being in this box will change her mind. Good luck this weekend. It probably won't be as bad as everyone thinks.

I'll send you a PM about the chicks.

Congrats on the chicks that hatched! I contemplated producing some olive eggers at one time, but I already have so much I changed my mind. I will have some darker green eggs from the Isbars eventually.

So far we only got a light coating of ice & that's a good thing. I don't know what today will bring but we did somewhat prepare. We have a woodstove we use anyway to supplement heat when it's really cold so at least we have that. I'm hoping it doesn't get as bad as they say it was supposed to, fingers crossed. Living on this big hill & ridge like we do is really hazardous when it's slick.

 

[chicken danz]

It's pretty slick here today. We got the ice early in the evening, then a little more during the night. I'm hoping we don't get a whole lot more.
I spent a lot of time working outside yesterday to make sure the birds had all they need in case I couldn't get out today. I am so ready for some time to just relax for a while.

 

[Trish44]

danz I think you need some relax time. I got everything done I could yesterday too so if it got horrible & I couldn't get out there hopefully everyone would be OK. They wouldn't be happy probably but they would be OK. Hopefully it won't get as bad as they said.

 

[HEChicken]

We only got a very light layer as well. They are still saying the worst is yet to come and we could get ½" overnight - ugh. I hope they are wrong. There is only so much prepping I can do. And if we lose power that means we also lose our unfrozen water so I would have to haul water from the house every few hours. Really hoping that doesn't happen. The worst part about a lot of ice for us is the gate latches get frozen shut which makes it hard to get to the animals.

The birds have picked up laying since the shortest day of the year. I don't put lights on them so for the past few years I have gotten no eggs for all of December and January, even though I hatch new pullets every year. But this year the pullets did start laying and haven't quit. In addition, some of my older layers have continued to lay, even though they normally take the winter off. It has been really nice to be able to continue to supply my customers with eggs at a time of year I normally am feeding them for nothing.