Consolidated Kansas

[Hawkeye95]

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OH! that reminds me! I FINISHED the roof!! I did the ridge cap and everything all by myself! It looks great! I looked at the way my own roof was done and just made it look like that.

Now I'm going to work on the roof on the nest box tonight! It's starting to pull together. I'll feel MUCH better once I get started on the siding. My shoulders are goign to ache I'm sure because I had to do some fancy foot work to keep all the stuff laying down while I nailed it in the wind. The wind was wild today! Geez. But I was so worried about the rain, I jsut wanted to be sure it got done. And I think I did a nice job, too.

Sad about your duck. Poor thing! Maybe you could find her a home in town, or a 4-H'r might want her? I would have a hard time deciding too.

Maybe try craigslist? Say she would make an excellent backyard bird for someone who had a fish pond?

 

[rittert3]

Danz, I would see about letting that duck go as a pet. Maybe free to good home or something. As for you brahmas and cochins, talk to don. I know he keeps both breeds from time to time, but I can't gaurantee he has either right now. If you ever have something to get rid of, he is very good at finding people who want it. He had a bunch of blue LF cochin last fall but I havn't been over in a long time and he trades alot. He always has cochin and old english banties of 10 differnt colors.

 

[Ivywoods]

Hi Everyone!

Well, I didn't get my doors painted.

I didn't get them finished, either.

But I DID get a lot done on them. You know how it goes. Sometimes you run into little roadblocks and sometimes you run out of material. Today was a little of both.

I feel so embarrassed, too. I looked at some clamps that I had that I bought at an auction a while back. I didn't think they would work for the corners. I looked at them again today. They worked PERFECTLY, in fact, that was exactly what they were for! Silly me.

Anyway, DH helped me with the corners and we got all 8 door frames built. Once again I almost freaked out because I thought I had cut the horizontal pieces too short. Turns out I had the first one clamped wrong, and they were all just right.

After we got the frames built we went out to dinner. (Hey, we didn't get the Gator ride in, but I'll take an evening out to eat anytime!) After that I came home and started putting the wire on the front of the doors. I got it on all of them except ONE because I ran out of wire. grrrr... I guess I will have to buy some after all.

Then I went to put the little trim boards on the front to cover the raw edges of th wire screen. I didn't have enough, so I ended up cutting (ripping) some more with the table saw. That took a while. I got the trim on most of the doors, but I should be able to finish that up in the morning. I'm so happy to be on the homestretch on this project. I guess I will go to town and get the wire mesh that I need. I can always use the rest of it on another project. Oh, yes. That's what I need....another project!

 

[rittert3]

Of corse Ivy life isn't worth living without another project,

lol
Did I ever mention I use to live up in that neck of the woods, Morrel for 6 months and Sabetha for 4 years, I like that area.

 

[Ivywoods]

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No, I don't think so. We manage to get to Morrel every once in a while to an auction or something, and I go to Sabetha to buy my chicken's feed at Hartter's.

I'm originally from the Salina area. It's a lot different up here. All the farmers raise around us is corn and soybeans. Back home almost everything is in wheat. Up here it seems MUCH colder in the winter, and much more humid in the summer. The spring and fall is absolutely beautiful, though.

 

[Hawkeye95]

Ivy, that's GREAT that you got so much work done on your doors!! That is really exciting! I'd rather run out of wire than wood if I were building. I think your cages look amazing! Can't wait to see how they look with the doors on them.

I'm already storing your project in the back of my head for future reference! LOL

I got so much done on my coop yesterday. DH helped me put up trim and I'm ready to roof the nest box- I put on the flashing last night. It got too dark or I would have started on the shingles. So far, it's looking like a beautiful day!

 

[Hawkeye95]

Tell me if this is a big deal-- or what to do about it. I noticed a couple of my chicks have a "click" sometimes when they breathe. If I put them right up to my ear, they have a bit of a 'click' but it's not all the time. Just off and on, but if I wait while I'm holding them, I can hear it. Is this a baby chick thing, or are they getting sick??? If so, I already have the "Sav A Chick" in their water. Do I need to add an antibiotic? I bought some a while ago, I think it's Duramycin.. but I'd have to double check what it is exactly.

 

[ChooksChick]

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The click sometimes happens if they get a little water down the wrong way, and generally they get over it without any intervention. I wouldn't put any antibiotic into their care at all unless you have confirmation of a bacterial infection, and I don't think that's the case with them at all, unless there's something else going on.

Keep handling them though- the fact that you are familiar enough with them to notice that gives you a huge benefit in catching anything wrong early, and it is also the best way to get the nicest lap-chickens! With our very first batch, we held them constantly in front of the dogs to acclimate the dogs to the idea of them being OUR chickens and part of the 'pack.' The constant handling is something those birds (the ones who remain after all this time) still crave. When I go out into the backyard the originals come up to us and pull on our clothes until they get a spot on a lap, and they'll pick on each other if the lap is all occupied.

I think, for the first time ever, I may be down to just the birds I want this winter. I may not have any extraneous birds at all! It's a little weird feeling.

Enjoy your weekend, everyone. I'm going to paint more coops and work on my passive solar water heaters.

 

[sharol]

Yeah, I was a worrier too, with my first group last year. I was lots more relaxed with this year's group.

I do put ACV in their water (still unless it is really hot out - it gets stinky then). I use about a capful with each little waterer and a capful per gallon in the bigger one. They seem to like the taste, and I've had good luck with it.

Sharol

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[chicken danz]

You are all accomplishing so much. Makes me feel like a failure. When DH gets his lazy butt up we have to go out and figure out how to catch the ducks we need to sell. I think we decided it was cruel to send the blind duck off to be butchered. Once we get the excess drakes out of here we are going to let her out to run with the others again. The worst that can happen is she can get confused and get killed. It's only a couple of $$ I would get for her as a meat bird. At least she will be happy here while she survives. If anyone has just a couple of female ducks she would do fine with them. She follows by sound. I'd be willing to give her to someone who could provide her a safe home.
Hopefully as it cools down they'll start going back to stay in their pen at night. Right now they sleep under the yard light and eat bugs all night. I may have to install a light on their pen.
Rittert, I never got Don called like I planned. As it is I'm not going to Yates Center today. I have to get these other birds sold. That is a first priority. I may try calling him later today and seeing if he wants to stop by on his way home. I may run up tomorrow for the cage birds auction. Not sure.