Consolidated Kansas

[mstng67]

Hawkeye,

Danz's directions are really good for the bridge. I had some old 12 foot 2x8's sitting around from some decking framing, so I used them for everything on the bridge. Water drains through that area of the back yard and it gets muddy frequently, so I thought the bridge would keep a little mud out of the house. I kept the bottom of the supports straight since there is enough clearance with the slope that the bridge crosses.

 

[Trish44]

Well today is going to be a crazy busy day for me. I got a call from my son last evening just as I was finishing up feeding & getting ready to go in & it's a long story, but some of you know about my granddaughter's crazy mother. More drama from her & my son is driving up from OKC to be there when the current boyfriend moves his stuff out of the house today & I'm having to go get the girls so they don't have to witness any more drama today. They have been through enough already. So because of that call my DH & I made a split second decision right after that call to make our run to Wichita instead of tonight since my son will be here, talk about a flying trip. We ran our errands & went out for our Valentine's dinner & got home just in time last night for my DH to get to bed so he could go to work this morning.

Then on top of all of that, the baby goats that my friend got have been dying & I have really been worried, so I was planning to go get a shelter to put in Sunflowerparrot's barn & bring them there yesterday, but that fell through when I had truck problems & I couldn't go get either the shelter or the babies. So my friend who has the babies is supposed to bring her truck & take me to get the shelter today & bring the babies to me. She said the remaining two did eat well during the night, so keeping my fingers crossed that they make it. She has raised a lot of bottle babies so she doesn't have a clue why these didn't make it. I just have a feeling they weren't healthy to begin with to die so quickly after she got them. It's really a shame & a big waste of money she didn't have to waste.

Well I have to get moving, I hope you all have a good day.

 

[Hawkeye95]

Ok, braved the cold north breeze out there brrr.

Here are some current photos of the barn. Seems like its a long ways from being done, but its not. They are putting up the doors to keep the weather out.
First picture is of the south side.

They didn't have enough of the insulation to finish the roof, but that area is open anyway.
This picture is of the the inside and of my "work" room.

You can see the two north windows. I will have a door, and two windows on the east, and a door going to the west.
This next shot is of the north side of the barn. I believe everything is done on this side.

This north side has 4 windows, 1 walk in door, and one "garage" door, so I can open for summer ventalation.
We did not run the skylight material all the way, as where the white stops is about where my work room starts.

This picture was taken looking west. They are getting the other garage door ready to go on, that way the back of the barn will be enclosed. Still have one garage door to go on here on the east side. The east side of my work room, and above it will be in red. My room will be insulated, my sink will be directly behind the window opening you see here on the right. I am hoping the skylight material will allow enough light thru so I dont have to run the lights, but if I do, I would not think it would be any more that what it is now.

Absolutely gorgeous, Checoukan!!! So, so, so envious!!! If we stay, we are building a barn, so I'm crossing my fingers for my DH! Can't wait to see what you do for your breeding pens! I think I'm going to jump on the hoop house band wagon and build one of those this summer, too! LOL

Hawkeye, he looks very nice and no, I don't think he'll fly over the top of that stall. My turkey can fly up and roost on my horse shelter that is 12' high at the top and the ducks can too, but the ducks can fly quite well. None of the chickens can get up that high and even if they could, they would need a running start, I think, which he can't get in the confines of the stall.

Checoukan - that is looking really great - I can see that it is not that far from finished. Once they start with the drywall in your office, it will go really fast since each sheet only takes minutes and covers a 4x8 section.

Well, Mr Meat (my DH came home and said he is not a Charlie, he is a "meat") so Mr Meat has not flown over the horse stall. I'm relieved, but then realized he can't fly AT ALL! He just runs around on the ground like a silkie! Who knew Cornish were THAT big!? Those pictures I took do not do him justice at all! You have to see him in person to appreciate how HUGE he is! He's not a big bird-- just super-duper meaty!

DH and I surprised each other for V Day. He surprised me with flowers and I surprised him with chocoloate. It was funny because we normally ignore Valentine's Day and both of us decided not to ignore it on the same Valentine's Day. For the kids, I decorated a mason jar and filled it with candy and tall Laffy Taffy sticks that stuck out the top. Then I set the jar inside a square red baking dish and filled it with candy. I don't usually do candy so they were really surprised!

I'm not sick, as in contagious, but I have been having to take anti carsick medicine to keep my stomach under control. What a nuisance. That medicine makes me so sleepy I can hardly stand myself.

Jorgie is doing much better than I thought he would. He has severe hip dysplasia -- the bones at top of his back legs are malformed and the left side had severe arthritis in it. There was no rounded head to either bone that is supposed to fit inside the hip sockets. Both had one pointed side facing the socket bone and so naturally, it's painful for him to walk. The veterinarian removed the excess bone so that it now fits into the socket. The other side still works and never seems to bother him, but we'll not be surprised if he has to have the same surgery on the other side at some point. Then, there are his knees, also. Poor little dog. He was a rescue puppy who came from a puppy mill.

checoukan, that barn is looking very good!

So sweet about the V day you guys did for each other and what you did for the kids! What a great idea! You're so creative! I'm sorry you've been sick, no fun! I'm glad Jorgie is doing okay right now. I hope he feels much better and will continue to feel better. These shelter dogs have cost me the MOST money! I have always gotten shelter dogs-- I am against buying from pet stores (AKA--puppy mills) and the like. But it seems they have the most problems too. Anyway, my little Pomeranian came from a puppy mill that was shut down by the State and all the dogs were rescued. She had been stuck in a small kennel and forced to have puppies. So I felt great about rescuing her and knowing she'll never have puppies again. She's a smart dog, but she has stomach issues. She also has seizures! So she throws up a lot and then will have seizures now and then. Poor thing. Thank goodness for hardwood floors! LOL I will NEVER have carpet in my house again!

Rosie that is way off. 10 mg = 0.0048 teaspoon or about .023 ml. So if you had a syringe that measured tiny amounts I would try that. One drop is considered to be .05 ml. So you would need to use about 1/2 drop!!! Either that or mix up two gallons and add one drop.
Hawkeye considering the fact that he weighs a ton I doubt he can fly at all. I've never seen him do it. But of course that doesn't mean it's not possible.I think he will be perfectly happy in that area. What more could he ask for? Unless he had a half dozen girls to court.
I wish Josie would post some pictures. I hate to wait until I get down there to see her new digs.
Checoukan I am dying here. I want your darned building. I have been trying to decide what to do here. I need a garage and an addition on my house but I would love to build a poultry building too. I could afford to build the poultry building I think if I really pinches pennies but I would have to finance the house addition. Of course her I sit without a vehicle because I hate financing. I close on the refinance of my house on the 26th by the way. I really would like to be able to pay more on principal but that would mean getting a lot more birds sold around here.
I thought I sent this hours ago. I went outside and spent a few hours feeding and watering. Josie if you are looking the new goosie is not being allowed in the group. The two positive boys keep chasing him away. I had to feed him separate cause they wouldn't let him near.
I got two turkey eggs today for the first time. It's usually one. But one was broken. I forgot I stuck the other one in my pocket! Duh! How many times do I have to do that to learn I will always break an egg in there. Needless to say my coat is in the washer.
I also got my first pullet egg in the ghetto trailer. It had to be the barred rocks or the marans that hatched in the oldest group. I am thinking barred rocks cause it didn't look dark enough for a marans egg. It cheered me up though because waiting on those birds to get cranking out eggs is what is making me keep a lot more chickens than I want to right now. That means there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Karen I am glad Jorgie is doing good. How sweet you guys got each other valentines. I would definitely settle for roses or chocolates.

Josie should post pics of the posts she put up for the pens-- it is BRILLIANT!! I love the idea, and it is what I would want to do! I loved her DH-- he is so supportive of her. Okay, so I actually read this early this morning when I first got up and then panicked that I had killed my new Mr Meat, because last night I grabbed him (btw, he screamed like a girl!!) and put him up on the roost that I had built in there for Seymore. I patted myself on the back and went to bed. I read this post this morning and freaked out thinking-- OMGosh, he can't fly, so he probably broke his legs trying to jump down! I ran out there to the barn, and I peeked in and sure enough, he was laying on the ground. I freaked out and walked in slowly talking to him and he stood up and walked off with no troubles. Whew! He must have jumped down and just was sleeping in the corner, because he was fluffed out and sitting like my silkies do when they "go to bed". He's fine and walking around. But I won't be putting him on the roost again! Do cornish roost at all? I can probably move that roost down really low to the ground??
YAY on your eggs. I broke an egg in my coat pocket a couple days ago and then I did it again this morning, too. I am such an idiot! Why don't I remember I have eggs in my pockets?!

RIP Mystic, He was taken by a hawk today.

SO sorry!!! But agree-- so glad it was a rooster and not a hen! But still-- I would be angry!

Hawkeye,

Danz's directions are really good for the bridge. I had some old 12 foot 2x8's sitting around from some decking framing, so I used them for everything on the bridge. Water drains through that area of the back yard and it gets muddy frequently, so I thought the bridge would keep a little mud out of the house. I kept the bottom of the supports straight since there is enough clearance with the slope that the bridge crosses.

SO smart and so charming! I just love your board walk! I want to do that here. I told my DH about it, but the spot I want to build it-- it's where our house addition is going to go, and if all goes well, we'll be starting the end of this summer with building a new basement/house addy. So he said it was pointless. But I'll come up with another spot to use it! LOL I just love the look of it! But that spot I was talking about-- it gets soooo muddy! I walk on that same path several times a day to walk out to the chicken pens. Your backyard looks beautiful! I really want some more charm around my place. It still looks like we just planted this house here in the middle of a field. It's so boring!

Well today is going to be a crazy busy day for me. I got a call from my son last evening just as I was finishing up feeding & getting ready to go in & it's a long story, but some of you know about my granddaughter's crazy mother. More drama from her & my son is driving up from OKC to be there when the current boyfriend moves his stuff out of the house today & I'm having to go get the girls so they don't have to witness any more drama today. They have been through enough already. So because of that call my DH & I made a split second decision right after that call to make our run to Wichita instead of tonight since my son will be here, talk about a flying trip. We ran our errands & went out for our Valentine's dinner & got home just in time last night for my DH to get to bed so he could go to work this morning.

Then on top of all of that, the baby goats that my friend got have been dying & I have really been worried, so I was planning to go get a shelter to put in Sunflowerparrot's barn & bring them there yesterday, but that fell through when I had truck problems & I couldn't go get either the shelter or the babies. So my friend who has the babies is supposed to bring her truck & take me to get the shelter today & bring the babies to me. She said the remaining two did eat well during the night, so keeping my fingers crossed that they make it. She has raised a lot of bottle babies so she doesn't have a clue why these didn't make it. I just have a feeling they weren't healthy to begin with to die so quickly after she got them. It's really a shame & a big waste of money she didn't have to waste.

Well I have to get moving, I hope you all have a good day.

That will be nice to have the grand daughters and keep their mind off all the unpleasantness. So sorry about the goats.. I'm assuming your goats were okay? Do you have to bottle feed them in the middle of the night, too? If so... uuugh. I hope they grow fast! haha! What kind of shelter are you getting? Like a large dog house or something??



So I have some fun stuff going on today. I'm going out with one of my girlfriends to the Casino to eat at their buffet and then we're going to run around doing some clothes shopping. My DH has still not gone out to see Mr Meat out in the horse barn. I tried to coax him out there yesterday, but he was content enough to see the pictures I had taken of Meat on the camera. He said he'll eventually see Mr Meat when I get him moved out to the layer's coop. I tried to talk him into my meat bird idea-- by crossing Mr Meat with my barred rocks, but he just shrugged his shoulders and said HE didn't want to slaughter birds and we don't have the freezer room. Sigh. I'm sure I can work him around to my idea. I just need more time and do some research on the grocery store chicken we are eating. Although, we are buying "organic" chicken (which is more expensive)-- so he points out, that we're already eating "good" chicken. But I figure I'll look into it to be sure. I'd love to sell him on the idea of raising our own meat. I'm not wanting to eat Mr Meat-- but create little Meaties.

Karen-- if I convince him to do meaties, I'd like to hire your kids to do all the "hard work".

That may be a while. We still don't know if we'll be here! Ack, I hate not being able to plan things further out than next month!

 

[maidenwolfx80]

I think anytime you lose one to a predator it is upsetting. You dont want any of them to go that way. The only good that comes out of it, if you will , is that it makes yourself and your flock more aware and puts you and them on guard.
I hope everyone is staying warm. I am so over the snow

 

[HEChicken]

Well today is going to be a crazy busy day for me. I got a call from my son last evening just as I was finishing up feeding & getting ready to go in & it's a long story, but some of you know about my granddaughter's crazy mother. More drama from her & my son is driving up from OKC to be there when the current boyfriend moves his stuff out of the house today & I'm having to go get the girls so they don't have to witness any more drama today. They have been through enough already. So because of that call my DH & I made a split second decision right after that call to make our run to Wichita instead of tonight since my son will be here, talk about a flying trip. We ran our errands & went out for our Valentine's dinner & got home just in time last night for my DH to get to bed so he could go to work this morning.

Then on top of all of that, the baby goats that my friend got have been dying & I have really been worried, so I was planning to go get a shelter to put in Sunflowerparrot's barn & bring them there yesterday, but that fell through when I had truck problems & I couldn't go get either the shelter or the babies. So my friend who has the babies is supposed to bring her truck & take me to get the shelter today & bring the babies to me. She said the remaining two did eat well during the night, so keeping my fingers crossed that they make it. She has raised a lot of bottle babies so she doesn't have a clue why these didn't make it. I just have a feeling they weren't healthy to begin with to die so quickly after she got them. It's really a shame & a big waste of money she didn't have to waste.

Sorry about the drama for your granddaughters and the bottle babies. I can't help wondering if they would have done better if they were left with their mother instead of being pulled and then bottle fed. I know they do that for calves all the time too but I feel really sorry for both the mamas and the babies that they have to be separated and the babies raised a less natural way, just so the cows can be milked to give the milk to people. It never made sense to me, since they have to take the milk from the cow and then feed it to the babies in the bottles anyway - why not let them just have it directly from the source?

Josie should post pics of the posts she put up for the pens-- it is BRILLIANT!! I love the idea, and it is what I would want to do! I loved her DH-- he is so supportive of her. Okay, so I actually read this early this morning when I first got up and then panicked that I had killed my new Mr Meat, because last night I grabbed him (btw, he screamed like a girl!!) and put him up on the roost that I had built in there for Seymore. I patted myself on the back and went to bed. I read this post this morning and freaked out thinking-- OMGosh, he can't fly, so he probably broke his legs trying to jump down! I ran out there to the barn, and I peeked in and sure enough, he was laying on the ground. I freaked out and walked in slowly talking to him and he stood up and walked off with no troubles. Whew! He must have jumped down and just was sleeping in the corner, because he was fluffed out and sitting like my silkies do when they "go to bed". He's fine and walking around. But I won't be putting him on the roost again! Do cornish roost at all? I can probably move that roost down really low to the ground??

YAY on your eggs. I broke an egg in my coat pocket a couple days ago and then I did it again this morning, too. I am such an idiot! Why don't I remember I have eggs in my pockets?!

So I have some fun stuff going on today. I'm going out with one of my girlfriends to the Casino to eat at their buffet and then we're going to run around doing some clothes shopping. My DH has still not gone out to see Mr Meat out in the horse barn. I tried to coax him out there yesterday, but he was content enough to see the pictures I had taken of Meat on the camera. He said he'll eventually see Mr Meat when I get him moved out to the layer's coop. I tried to talk him into my meat bird idea-- by crossing Mr Meat with my barred rocks, but he just shrugged his shoulders and said HE didn't want to slaughter birds and we don't have the freezer room. Sigh. I'm sure I can work him around to my idea. I just need more time and do some research on the grocery store chicken we are eating. Although, we are buying "organic" chicken (which is more expensive)-- so he points out, that we're already eating "good" chicken. But I figure I'll look into it to be sure. I'd love to sell him on the idea of raising our own meat. I'm not wanting to eat Mr Meat-- but create little Meaties.

Karen-- if I convince him to do meaties, I'd like to hire your kids to do all the "hard work".

That may be a while. We still don't know if we'll be here! Ack, I hate not being able to plan things further out than next month!

Oh my, is hiring Karen's kids an option? I am sorely tempted by that, since I hate processing so much.

That's so funny about Mr. Meat. I like Charlie better but I guess with a Cornish its hard not to smack your lips when you look at them, right?

Oh wow, Danz, I can't believe both of those turkey eggs got broken. That does lead me to ask everyone - how do you handle egg collection? My MIL gave me an egg basket (shaped like a chicken - so cute) a couple of years ago so when I remember to take it with me to the coop, it is great for collecting eggs. The problem is, more often than not I forget to carry it down there with me, so then I get there and rather than walk back up to get it, I start gathering eggs, putting them in pockets and filling my hands with them so its hard to open the gate to get back out. When I was only getting a handful of eggs this winter, it wasn't that big a deal but now that production has increased, I can't carry them all any more. I haven't broken an egg in my pocket yet but I'm sure its just a matter of time. I wish I could get in a better system for taking the egg basket with me so I always have a safe way to carry them back.

So DH and I ate our first two duck eggs this morning - over easy on toast. Scrumptious. I've never had duck eggs before so was very eager to try them out. The shell was much tougher to crack and the white WAY thicker than a chicken egg. Oh, and the yolk was just huge too. Now I just need a turkey egg to compare.....[hint, hint, Madge].

 

[Deerfield Acres]

Oh my stars! Hawkeye, you made me laugh out loud and then the kids wanted to know what I was laughing about so I shared your Mr. Meat story with them. Then, the broken eggs! Oh my. I sure hope you and your DH have some answers soon. It's no fun having the uncertainty hanging over your head. Have a great time with "the girls" today!

HEChicken, Yes, my kids would like to make a little spending money helping others process their birds. They can easily do 10 birds on a Saturday.

maidenwolf, I hear you on the hawk attacks. It sure makes for a more aware flock. I'm sorry you lost a bird -- that's so sad. I used to enjoy seeing hawks but that was before I had chickens.

trish, so sad to hear about the goats. Good luck today, getting everything resolved. That's very kind of sunflower, to help you with the goats. Your granddaughters are so fortunate to have you.

Jorgie is doing very well today -- such a relief. He's already using that leg more than before the surgery so I'm happy for him. I agree, Hawkeye, our dogs were all rescue dogs and they sure have their issues. One of the Maltese, Timmy, was raised for 19 months in a wire kennel and he's never overcome his issues so we just work around them. He has a very touchy tummy.

I am also doing very well today. I feel great today! My touchy tummy has settled down nicely. I guess I can't even get by with spicey salsa anymore. What a bummer -- I love hot stuff.

 

[Trish44]

Oh my stars! Hawkeye, you made me laugh out loud and then the kids wanted to know what I was laughing about so I shared your Mr. Meat story with them. Then, the broken eggs! Oh my. I sure hope you and your DH have some answers soon. It's no fun having the uncertainty hanging over your head. Have a great time with "the girls" today!

HEChicken, Yes, my kids would like to make a little spending money helping others process their birds. They can easily do 10 birds on a Saturday.

maidenwolf, I hear you on the hawk attacks. It sure makes for a more aware flock. I'm sorry you lost a bird -- that's so sad. I used to enjoy seeing hawks but that was before I had chickens.

trish, so sad to hear about the goats. Good luck today, getting everything resolved. That's very kind of sunflower, to help you with the goats. Your granddaughters are so fortunate to have you.

Jorgie is doing very well today -- such a relief. He's already using that leg more than before the surgery so I'm happy for him. I agree, Hawkeye, our dogs were all rescue dogs and they sure have their issues. One of the Maltese, Timmy, was raised for 19 months in a wire kennel and he's never overcome his issues so we just work around them. He has a very touchy tummy.

I am also doing very well today. I feel great today! My touchy tummy has settled down nicely. I guess I can't even get by with spicey salsa anymore. What a bummer -- I love hot stuff.

Well things haven't exactly panned out so far the way they were supposed to, nothing new on that score. I'm waiting right now on the gal to bring my goat babies & pick me up to go get things for them set up. I'm tired already & it's not even noon.

 

[chicken danz]

My internet has been down all morning and totally not working. It came up just long enough to read the posts. I am really sick of this mess. I have tried everything. I found a couple pictures of one the board bridges I had made. Yes I built this myself. The other one is much larger and spans a lot greater distance across a larger pond. I really didn't want to look through the huge box of photos to find the picture and scan it off, so these will have to do. This is two ponds I built in my front yard with a stream that ran between them. The bridge of course is over the stream. The tower at the far end supported a 4' around waterwheel I made. I had it down because this picture was taken very early spring and the water wheel would freeze in the winter. If I could get the stupid internet up long enough I will add the pictures. I'm certainly not happy with our service right now. Well the stupid pictures won't load so I guess I'll try later. Sorry.
Mr. Meat is appropriate, Hawkeye. I think if your DH would pick him up he would have a whole new respect for that bird over seeing pictures. Maybe you should just carry him up to him and have him hold him a second. Raising your own birds is nothing like just buying organic meat. They are still rushed to size instead of letting them grow at a natural pace. You have much better flavor if you just feed and grow them naturally.
I think Medawinks will be down sometime today. Since I can't get a connection 99% of the time I haven't checked back in with her. Little Sera had her surgery in Chicago and they just got home a couple days ago. Sera really wants to see the puppies. I think I have another guy coming this afternoon to get one. I hate not being able to communicate. It would be nice to have internet access on my phone today but I sure don't have any intent on paying those ridiculous fees for that.
We got some snow last night but just a brushing. The Topeka news was saying up to 2 inches or so further north of here.
Hechicken I checked and that add is only good at 4 of the Sutherland's. I normally go to Emporia. The closest would be N.Topeka and it is still an hour and a half away. I may just call the Emporia store and see if they are going to have a special sale soon. Sunday is the only day for the building discount. And Ivy is supposed to come by tomorrow afternoon to bring my new Sabastopols. I still have to figure out where on earth I am going to put those two extra boys for a few weeks.
Okay so I wasted the entire morning since about 6:30 trying to get the internet up. I had to end up calling them and reprogramming the whole thing!! Grrrr! So it's 1:15 and I haven't been outside yet.

 

[chicken danz]

Well my day is not going well. It is so cold out there. I did sell one pup. But then the lady I was holding particular pup for backed down on me at the last minute. That crap makes me angry. That is a total of about 5 people now that have done that. I guess I need to put an add up elsewhere.
I was so cold that I had to come back inside. My poor birds are going to starve I guess.

 

[trudigale]

Hi Danz,
It has been a while since I have been on Backyardchicken! Sorry about your pups .......... I SO wish I could get one - but the two I have are PERFECT! I know you will find good homes for them!
Tomorrow is suppose to be 60 ........ A perfect day to be outside! but then it looks like it will get chilly again this girl is ready for Spring.
Sometimes there are just days it would almost be better to stay in bed with the cover pulled up! Hope your evening gets better and your tomorrow is great!