Consolidated Kansas

[cherwill]

Well I really feel for you gals. I'm so lucky my GF considers them OUR birds. We meet at the farm when I get off work. She is always there waiting on me, birds fed and grazing. It is awesome having someone share your hobby. I help her with her interests as well, flowers and gardening , I even learned to enjoy ummm, what's that hobby you go looking at old crap?

I'm lucky, too. DH loves having chickens as much as I do. We both love the gardening and outdoor projects we do. He hates cooking, so I cook. He cooks when I'm too sick to do it, and I try to get better as fast as possible.

We often do the dishes together. I do the laundry because I like it done MY way. He does floors because it's hard on my back to do them. He fills my car up with gas because he knows how much I appreciate it. I come up with projects and visualize the final product; he makes them happen and tells me what I need to do to help. We have separate hobbies, too, but try to have some interest in each other's separate interests, if that makes sense.

 

[JosieChick]

Antiquing?

Well I really feel for you gals. I'm so lucky my GF considers them OUR birds. We meet at the farm when I get off work. She is always there waiting on me, birds fed and grazing. It is awesome having someone share your hobby. I help her with her interests as well, flowers and gardening , I even learned to enjoy ummm, what's that hobby you go looking at old crap?

Your DH is a saint! I remember him nursing your bird for you, that was the sweetest thing.

My DH is a saint. He doesn't help with the chickens when I'm home, but when I want to go see my grandchildren in Reno, he is right there taking care of them. He has medicated them while I was gone and looked after ailing chickens. His good care of my little Campine a year ago was integral in her recovery. I thought he didn't ever listen to my chatter about chickens, but he remembered that they need company even when kept separate and made sure that she was in a place that the others could visit and he took treats to the area next to her coop so that the others would stay close. I truly believe she would have died if she hadn't had the interaction with the others during recovery.

He gripes about the poop on the patio, but I've noticed that he gets a real kick out of sharing eggs with some of his work associates. He grumbled about Butch crowing in the middle of the night, but yesterday he said he really misses the rooster sounds and that he hopes we get a rooster out of this test hatch. (so far 2 pips, both on the wrong ends of the eggs.)

I sure can't complain.

I have heard that hanging bags with water in them where the sun hits them so they reflect helps too but have never tried it. We used fly predators last year at our old property and I wish we could afford them this year. We are about 2 miles from a feed lot and the flys are horrific. I hate flys. There is a new product out that I believe is made by bayer and you spray it on vertical surfaces and the flys land on it (there is an attractant) and are poisoned so it is supposed to be safer because pets/kids/birds can't come in contact with it. If I find the name I will get it to you.

HEchicken did a neat thing with a fox carcass in a bucket for maggots. I think it helps if the birds get the flys in the larval stage before they become nasty buzzing black beasts.

Thanks for the tip SHAROL, I'll have to give it a try.
I'm pretty lucky with my DH , while he isn't very interested he is supportive and he did help me out when the rooster failed rehab and had to go to freezer camp. (Not something I could do) I have to confess tho.. he hasn't seen all the receipts. (Shh...)

Isn't that funny? My DH LOVES to cook and I don't mind but he is better at it than I am so I am glad he does the meal planning and cooking. I do most of the not fun housework like vacuuming and laundry because I am particular about how it gets done and it is better for both of us if I do those things versus nag at his lack luster job! It does take some effort to remember to take part in your partners hobbies, even if they don't really interest you.

I'm lucky, too. DH loves having chickens as much as I do. We both love the gardening and outdoor projects we do. He hates cooking, so I cook. He cooks when I'm too sick to do it, and I try to get better as fast as possible.

We often do the dishes together. I do the laundry because I like it done MY way. He does floors because it's hard on my back to do them. He fills my car up with gas because he knows how much I appreciate it. I come up with projects and visualize the final product; he makes them happen and tells me what I need to do to help. We have separate hobbies, too, but try to have some interest in each other's separate interests, if that makes sense.

Phew, it is toasty out! I woke up at 6 to feed the little peanut and looked out the window and saw a chicken wander by! I had forgotten to close their gate last night! Yikes. Tried to get them back in but they were all over the yard and having a field day hunting bugs and everyone was accounted for so I left them out. I was so flustered last night because we had a sebbie gander down. He just collapsed so we treated him like he was in shock with fluids, electrolytes and sucrose and he bounced back pretty fast. It was scary though. He couldn't even walk and I was freaking out. My geese are my babies. My only theory is that he got his bill hung up while free ranging and struggled to get out because he had a few scratches on his bill but those were the only injuries. Poor fella, he looks great this morning though.

Cute goose moment this morning. One of the papa ganders (I let the goslings go back to the gaggle since they can't squeeze under the fence anymore) was pulling really tall weeds over so the babies could eat them. The bottoms of the weeds are kind of burnt up but the tops are still green so he would pull from the top and bend it over and the babies would come woo wooing in delight and eat the tops off. It was adorable. Geese are such amazing parents.

Everyone stay cool!!

 

[Ralph Moyer]

I'm lucky, too. DH loves having chickens as much as I do. We both love the gardening and outdoor projects we do. He hates cooking, so I cook. He cooks when I'm too sick to do it, and I try to get better as fast as possible.

We often do the dishes together. I do the laundry because I like it done MY way. He does floors because it's hard on my back to do them. He fills my car up with gas because he knows how much I appreciate it. I come up with projects and visualize the final product; he makes them happen and tells me what I need to do to help. We have separate hobbies, too, but try to have some interest in each other's separate interests, if that makes sense.

Poultry is my retirement hobby. My wife has Lupus and rheumatic arthritis and can not be outside in the heat . I no longer farm or raise cattle but do have a small herd of Nubian goats yet. When asked why I raise poultry my response is that I raise them for my health. With the high cost of feed, I can't afford beer and cigarettes

 

[chicken danz]

Anybody know how to tell a male guinea from a female?

You can only tell when they are old enough to start their call. Girls make a two syllable call and boys only have a single syllable call.
Josie, so good to see you had a moment to post. I miss hearing from you.
My 13 "baby" goslings are now full grown (in size anyway). My one goose is still sitting on her two month old eggs!!! I wish my older ones were as easy to handle as these guys are. We have been letting them free range and at night I fill their water and food and walk them into my green house. I took a section of fiberglass off where there is hardware cloth inside so it would stay cooler. The older geese think they rule everything and won't let the chickens or dogs or ducks near anything they consider their area. The young ones just run with the other birds. But they do tend to push the ducklings out of the water sleds.
I so wish I could build a pond for them to spend time on. I would have to give up my best crop area for a pond I could watch from the house but I think it would be worth it.
I certainly can't do it this year though. I have an unexpected interruption in my income and I am worrying about just making a house payment and buying feed.
The bag of water doesn't work in my experience. I have tried the bag by itself as a bag with two pennies in it and it doesn't help. I used to use golden malran to kill and attract flies but it has gotten expensive and I so worry about the birds and dogs getting it it. I bought some stuff from Bayer that was similar and it just didn't work at all.
I think I'll try the vanilla air fresheners. I like vanilla anyway. Every time it rains the flies go nuts. However we haven't gotten any the last few days when other people have so I can't blame the rain on the flies.
I've been out trying to figure out where and how to construct a new temporary pen and shelter. I have got to get some birds out of that brooder.

 

[ChickieWickies]

OK, this is gross but I need to ask,.Is there any thing I can or should be doing to help control the flies? It's worse now with chickens than it was before with just dogs, cats and horses.I know they are probably controlling allot of other bugs ,but around the coop they are just thick !

I followed a few people's advise on BYC and made my own fly traps out of 2 liter pop bottles. Just cut the top off at the top of the label, fill, and replace the top (throw out the lid) upside down into the bottle. I've experimented with various "fillings" : #1. 1 cup water, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/3 cup vinegar or #2. 1 cup water, chicken poop, and apple skins the ladies didn't eat or #3. 1 cup water, 1 cup root beer. All have caught TONS of flies. They fly in and can't fly back out the little hole. They drown in the water. Once the bottle fills up to the upside down pour hole, throw the whole thing out (or dump and use again). A friend of mine saw mine and went home to start making her own. They REALLY work and are CHEAP!!!

 

[maidenwolfx80]

I love my guineas - mine are very tame and come home every night to coop with the chickens. They can be loud at times, but I personally love their noise.. I've gotten to where I can even pick up my guineas and they don't freak out at all.. I think raising them with the chickens has helped to tame them... you'll love them! I have a bunch of their eggs in my incubator due early July.

HHMM Are you going to sell any of these?

Poultry is my retirement hobby. My wife has Lupus and rheumatic arthritis and can not be outside in the heat . I no longer farm or raise cattle but do have a small herd of Nubian goats yet. When asked why I raise poultry my response is that I raise them for my health. With the high cost of feed, I can't afford beer and cigarettes

I too have lupus and know how hard it is. My kids help me so much but over all I just have to get out there and do it anyway. I was raised this way and am stubborn and were I should be slowing down I just cant. I know there will be a day were I physically can not do it and until then I keep going. The heat hurts and the sun hurts,, I feel her pain. That is why I do not tend to my flowers as much anymore.

 

[cherwill]

Poultry is my retirement hobby. My wife has Lupus and rheumatic arthritis and can not be outside in the heat . I no longer farm or raise cattle but do have a small herd of Nubian goats yet. When asked why I raise poultry my response is that I raise them for my health. With the high cost of feed, I can't afford beer and cigarettes

LOL! DH read that beer has all the required elements for a workout recovery drink, so that is his rationale! We'd love to be able to have goats. DH had goats when he was a kid and he thinks they're lots of fun.

I have RA, too, and it's miserable, especially with the humidity. I hope your wife isn't suffering too horribly right now.

I followed a few people's advise on BYC and made my own fly traps out of 2 liter pop bottles. Just cut the top off at the top of the label, fill, and replace the top (throw out the lid) upside down into the bottle. I've experimented with various "fillings" : #1. 1 cup water, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/3 cup vinegar or #2. 1 cup water, chicken poop, and apple skins the ladies didn't eat or #3. 1 cup water, 1 cup root beer. All have caught TONS of flies. They fly in and can't fly back out the little hole. They drown in the water. Once the bottle fills up to the upside down pour hole, throw the whole thing out (or dump and use again). A friend of mine saw mine and went home to start making her own. They REALLY work and are CHEAP!!!

I'll have to try these, if I can get someone to save pop bottles for me. We don't have many flies in the coop, but outside was a real problem last year. Between the dogs' land mines in the yard and the food scraps in the chicken yard, the flies were horrible.

 

[chicken danz]

So here is the most obvious question. Do the traps draw in more flies or do they simply catch the ones that are there already? I wish the plastic bag idea worked because that is a deterrent. It seems like almost all other methods are attractants. If they would stay outside it would be bad but somehow they always know when I a m going to open the door!!!

 

[RoosterLew]

"So here is the most obvious question. Do the traps draw in more flies or do they simply catch the ones that are there already? "

Eggggzactly!

The world needs more toads....lol

 

[sunflowerparrot]

HHMM Are you going to sell any of these?

maidenwolf, I'm going to keep them to add to my current flock