Consolidated Kansas

[HEChicken]

HEchicken, the NH pullet you gave me is a beautiful girl, her name is Honey...she is a noisy one! I can tell her "voice" from all the others even if I can't see her~

I love the NH's - they truly are beautiful. My first year back to this after a number of years without chickens, I got some chicks in August that were about a month old and got my first egg on Christmas Day! Happy Christmas!!!

Thank you for the good review! I was able to talk my husband into trying the 2-disk free trail! Movies are on there way already should be here today! They are quick!

Yay! I hope you enjoy your movies!

 

[HEChicken]

Well, it is shaping up to be a nicer day today than they predicted. When I got up it was 24 while they had forecast an overnight low of 16, and at 10am it was already 26. With the sun out, I'm hoping it will get above the freezing point after all….

 

[Trish44]

Well, it is shaping up to be a nicer day today than they predicted. When I got up it was 24 while they had forecast an overnight low of 16, and at 10am it was already 26. With the sun out, I'm hoping it will get above the freezing point after all….

I had thought it was supposed to only be a high of 29 today because that's what the forecast had said, but it's now 33, yay. I'm glad to see the sun out again too. It sure makes the cold more bearable when at least the sun is out.

 

[cherwill]

Nice is a relative term, isn't it?!

 

[HEChicken]

Nice is a relative term, isn't it?!

LOL - true that! Trish, half your luck getting 33. Its only 30 here now. But, I just did a run through to check on water and with the sun out, there was no ice in waterers, even though its below freezing still - yay!

 

[Trish44]

I had a thin layer of ice on the waterers earlier, it was thin enough I could break it with my stick I carry around for that purpose, however they had frozen over by the time I went out to feed this evening. I wish it would just stay above freezing enough for awhile so I wouldn't have to carry buckets of water around. I had to go get feed this afternoon because I knew I had only one more day's worth in my containers. It takes more feed to feed the dry than it does the FF. The birds aren't liking the dry as well either, the laying flock is eating it but the rest are just picking at it. I still have frozen FF in some of the troughs I haven't been able to get out yet. Maybe if it gets warmer for a few days it will thaw out enough they can eat it. It shouldn't have gone bad since it's been frozen solid.

I won some eggs on eBay just a big ago, I decided I wanted some Heritage Rhode Island Reds for laying so I bid & won the eggs. Now I'll have more chicks to brood in the house in a few weeks, yes I'm crazy, chicken crazy. I will need some more layers in the spring because some of mine are getting older & probably won't be laying much longer. If I hatch too many & end up with more than I want I can always sell them & if there are roosters they will be going to freezer camp later on. I just hope I get some nice pullets to hatch. I still want some Black Copper Marans in the spring, some New Hamp pullets, & some Buff Orpingtons for my laying flock as well. I have enough white egg layers now, I need some nice brown & dark brown egg layers. I'm really liking the Orpingtons so I can't wait to get some more Buffs, I only have one right now.

I have made the decision to sell my Salmon Faverolle breeding stock in the spring, so I thought I would offer them here first. I have 4 hens & two roosters in that pen. The two oldest hens produced a lot of really nice chicks this spring. They're just really calm & friendly birds & I like them a lot, I just need the pen for another breed I'm getting in the spring. Send me a PM if you might be interested in them. The two roosters are big nice looking guys.

 

[chicken danz]

Nice is a relative term, isn't it?!

You are so right. Yeah who'd have thought 26 degrees was nice!!!

I didn't see what the temp was all day. It felt pretty darned cold to me. I was gone most of the day, delivering some turkeys and picking up some gifts in Topeka I had shipped to the stores. Made me sad to see the turkeys go. I know they are going to be butchered tomorrow.
I have had enough of people and feel almost sick to my stomach. I just don't handle people and crowds well. I heard lots of coughing and stuff while I was out and It makes me a nervous wreck. I sure don't want anyone to spread their darned illness my direction.
I'm glad tomorrow I can just stay home and be a crazy chicken lady. I still have several gifts to buy but I couldnt' handle any more people today.
Trish you are getting really good at danzsizing. Keep it up and you'll catch up with me. My next batch of eggs is due to hatch the 14th and then the following one on Christmas day.
HeChicken the Roku came today but I haven't opened the box yet. Too many other things going on!

 

[Trish44]

Yeah Danz, I know, but at least I'm going to get rid of one breed in the spring so I can get another one. These eggs will become layers too, not breeders.

 

[HEChicken]

Trish, I'm really excited for you getting the heritage RIR's. I hope the eggs make it here okay and don't get frozen along the way. I'd love to come and see some of them when they are grown as I've never seen a heritage RIR - all I've ever seen are the hatchery RIR (aka Production Reds).

My incubator is running at the moment too. My silkie went broody and I put half a dozen Aloha eggs under her in the 3-season room but every time I went out there it looked like she had got up to turn them and then didn't do a good job of tucking them back under herself, so a couple were hanging out. So I took all but one away from her and put them in the incubator, thinking when they hatch I can put the chicks back under her. Well, I candled them the other day and none are developing. Its very disappointing. So I put another couple of eggs in the incubator two days ago just so something will hatch for her to raise. I'm not that excited about hatching mutts but was out of options. The original Aloha eggs would have been due on Christmas but with the change of plans, it looks like we will have New Years chicks instead.

I am so excited to get some stuff done outside today. They have raised the forecast for today to 47 - yay!!!

 

[chicken danz]

Trish it would be a shame to use true heritage RIR for egg layers. They are huge gorgeous birds that bring a great price.I think I had an owl attack last night. I got home after dark and while I was unloading stuff from the truck I heard a rooster going nuts. I took the flashlight out and found that the gate to the pen this group goes into had apparently blown shut so they couldn't get in there for the night. I am missing a particular brahma rooster who was supposed to be part of my future breeding program. I found all the birds but him. Just makes me really sad. The birds were on the one of the duck houses and the ducks had scattered to a corner outside. There is no netting on that pen so they are the only one that isn't air safe. Normally the ducks could run in their little low houses and have a fairly safe place to go. I doubt the owl could get in the doors unless it walked in rather than trying to fly. It just shows it's never good to be gone.
I woke up at 4:00 am and couldn't get back to sleep. So I read a magazine and finally crashed again on the couch. Then of course I got up late. I feel like my whole day is off now!!
I can't wait for it to warm up. It's only supposed to get to 40 here but I'll take it for sure. We are still at only 25.