Consolidated Kansas

[Trish44]

Danz, wow you have a lot to deal with I'm sorry you have so much to contend with, all of that plus the arthritis & surgeries. I look at others with all of their health issues & they don't make mine look so bad.

Those of you that are incubating & hatching eggs now are brave. I don't have anywhere near warm enough set up to put little chicks in the winter, that's why I'm waiting until spring to do all of that. I can't wait to see some pics of what you all hatch out though, I love seeing little chicks, they're just so fuzzy & cute.

Well we're finally starting to dry out here today with the sun out. I had an icy patch in my driveway this morning where there was a big puddle & it froze. I watched the chickens run across it after I let them out of the run on their way to pick out the last of the cat food in the bowls. They make a mad dash every morning to see if there are any morsels left for them after the cats eat. I have to wait to let them out until the cats are done or they wouldn't get any food at all. The chickens along with the puppies just clean those bowls. We used to feed the cats in the old dog run, but then I had to use it for the chickens while we were working on the coop so the bowls all got moved up to the front porch. I have now disassembled the dog run because I hope to use it when I get my breeder coop built, at least that's my idea anyway, we'll see how everything works out.

I always have bought all of my Christmas supplies the day after Christmas when everything is marked down. I have enough bags, wrapping paper, & tissue paper to probably last me the rest of my life. I do replenish my Christmas cards though each year with a few more since I use quite a few of those. I got mine out really late this year, I'm so far behind on all of that due to my big clean out project. I've just almost got it all picked up now except for a few things. I told DH there are just 3 things I want to put back up in the attic since they didn't sell because they're too expensive to just give away. I still have things on the buy, sell, trade site & am hoping there are a few procrastinators who might still buy a few things, we'll see. If not, then I'll be giving yet a few more things away. I haven't had any problem getting people to come out & pick up free stuff. They're just local people around town. There are many who don't have much this year & are struggling.

 

[chicken danz]

Hawkeye I've had that happen before. We had a 5 hour outage last winter for repairs to some transformer.
I was using one of the styro incubators which is probably one of the worst for keeping temps and had a successful hatch regardless.
1. Do not open the incubator. If you have a digital thermometer you can check it occasionally through a window or something.
2. I put a blanket over the incubator. Leave a little air space around it if you can. Don't cover it with any thing that won't let air in. The temp only dropped to like 97 in mine and I was afraid it would harm the chicks but they hatched fine.
Any longer than that I would be afraid. If you have a room that stays warmer put the bater in there until the power comes back on. Another place I've read that is warm is on top of the refrigerator. You could move it there and cover it if you do it before it gets cool.

 

[chicken danz]

I'd like to put an add in to sell some of these Seramas if someone wanted them for Christmas but I really don't want to stay home and wait for people who may or may not show when they say they will. Normally I am here any way, but this time of year you never know.
I have some paper that is probably 30 years old. I've always bought a lot of after Christmas bargains. That old paper is a lot nicer and thicker than the newer stuff. If it hasn't discolored I like it best.
I've always been super picky about a Christmas tree. The decorations have to be all symmetrical. I like monochromatic schemes too. So I buy ornaments etc every year after Christmas to add to my collection. I like to change colors every year. It's always been a thing with me to have a beautiful tree. My kids always acted really proud of our tree to their friends. But since only one of them will be here to celebrate Christmas I keep putting off the tree thing. I am so picky it takes me 1-2 days to decorate it. And then another day to take it down and put all the stuff up. If my kids helped when they were little, I'd wait until they went to bed and then move everything so it was perfect.
I have no idea why I am that way. I guess it's one of those obsessive compulsive things.
It must go along with hoarding chickens.

 

[tntblake]

Quote:
I have noticed that the paper is getting really cheap. I need to find some thick paper but the rolls are always sealed so I can't tell how thick it is. I think I will buy some of the more expensive paper on the day after this year and see if I can get lucky.
That is so funny about you waiting for your kids to go to bed so you can fix the tree! I do that every year. It drives me batty that the kids just put ornaments on in any random spot. Our tree usually looks totally different the next morning after I change it around when they are in bed.

We just got home from picking out our newest pet! We bought a handfed baby cockatiel. He is a cinnamon split to pied. He still has about 2 weeks before he will be ready to come home but we will be going to visit him every day. I am so excited! He is just the sweetest thing! He loves to snuggle up under your chin. The kids have named him Jojo. I can't wait to have him home!

 

[Hawkeye95]

Okay, I'm so excited! I made a little outfit for a chicken for xmas! It's sort of a santa outfit. I made the typical santa hat, and then an apron to tie around the neck. So we shall see how this works! HA! I'm hoping Zorro will tolerate it, but I'll give Zelda and Yoda a shot too, if Zorro throws a fit. hehee!! I'll post pictures later. I haven't taken them yet-- going to do that after dinner and the kids are settled down.

 

[Hawkeye95]

Quote:
I have noticed that the paper is getting really cheap. I need to find some thick paper but the rolls are always sealed so I can't tell how thick it is. I think I will buy some of the more expensive paper on the day after this year and see if I can get lucky.
That is so funny about you waiting for your kids to go to bed so you can fix the tree! I do that every year. It drives me batty that the kids just put ornaments on in any random spot. Our tree usually looks totally different the next morning after I change it around when they are in bed.

We just got home from picking out our newest pet! We bought a handfed baby cockatiel. He is a cinnamon split to pied. He still has about 2 weeks before he will be ready to come home but we will be going to visit him every day. I am so excited! He is just the sweetest thing! He loves to snuggle up under your chin. The kids have named him Jojo. I can't wait to have him home!

Awww, sweet!!! I always wanted an indoor bird. The closest I got was a couple of parakeets. You'll have to post a picture when you get him home! Jojo is a great name, I love it! They learn to talk, don't they?? What kind of a cage do you have to get? Something pretty darned big, right? I sometimes see big bird cages on CraigsList a lot. But they usually want a lot of money, which makes me think the new ones must be really pricey.

 

[tntblake]

Quote:
I have noticed that the paper is getting really cheap. I need to find some thick paper but the rolls are always sealed so I can't tell how thick it is. I think I will buy some of the more expensive paper on the day after this year and see if I can get lucky.
That is so funny about you waiting for your kids to go to bed so you can fix the tree! I do that every year. It drives me batty that the kids just put ornaments on in any random spot. Our tree usually looks totally different the next morning after I change it around when they are in bed.

We just got home from picking out our newest pet! We bought a handfed baby cockatiel. He is a cinnamon split to pied. He still has about 2 weeks before he will be ready to come home but we will be going to visit him every day. I am so excited! He is just the sweetest thing! He loves to snuggle up under your chin. The kids have named him Jojo. I can't wait to have him home!

Awww, sweet!!! I always wanted an indoor bird. The closest I got was a couple of parakeets. You'll have to post a picture when you get him home! Jojo is a great name, I love it! They learn to talk, don't they?? What kind of a cage do you have to get? Something pretty darned big, right? I sometimes see big bird cages on CraigsList a lot. But they usually want a lot of money, which makes me think the new ones must be really pricey.

I will post a pic when he comes home. We went to Birds of Paradise on Woodlawn and Mt. Vernon. They are very reasonable with their prices. From what I have read 'tiels can be taught numerous tricks and have about a 25 word/sound vocab. Surprisingly, the cage isn't too terribly big. It's probably 18x18x24 tall. I got a stand to put it on too. It looks like a parakeet cage but a little bigger. The store owner said you don't want to have too big of a cage because then they won't want to come out of it. I think the big cages on Craigslist are for the larger parrots. Jojo will only be about 12-13 inches from head to tail.

 

[Hawkeye95]

Well, I had a scare last night. It turned out to be nothing, though. I was asleep in bed and realized I had forgotten to close the pop door on the coop. I shot right out of bed, threw on some clothes and ran out there. I shut it and was about to go back in, and then thought--- I wonder if I should count them? So I looked in the window and everyone was there except for my other little white silkie. I figured, maybe she's next to the door and I can't see her. I opened the door and NO silkie!!! Which BTW-- they are still NOT going outside!! Except for this one silkies-- she goes outside. ANyway, I had to run back inside, grab a flashlight and then crawl under the coop to once again rescue my sleeping silkie who was upset at the interruption. But she wasn't safe, because there is no top or apron on that dog kennel! I only buried an apron around the coop itself, since the dog kennel panels are temporary. I figured anything could climb in there and get her. So, guess what-- there is like an inch of water in the run and even under the coop, it was squishy. Not fun to get all wet and muddy when you were fast asleep. Sigh.

I hope these darned birds learn to LEAVE the coop--- and then learn to RETURN at night. I must have the dumbest birds.

 

[chicken danz]

I am not very good about posting pictures. So this morning I thought I should. Yesterday I loaded maybe near 30 eggs into the hatcher. This is what I woke up to this morning. There are some that are hiding right by the front lip of the tray that you can't see and a few that jumped ship and are in the bottom of the incubator that you can't see. Looks like it is going to be a good hatch. Mostly Seramas but there are a few larger bird eggs in there that won't be at 21 days until tomorrow.

 

[ByN8ureHomstead]

Quote:
To cute. You know by posting photos like this you are going to be an enabler of the chick math.