Consolidated Kansas

[KsKingBee]

I have silkies, and orpingtons(who are ancient-need new blood), and peacocks.

Jill, we have a Zimmerman line Buff Orp rooster that is just now becoming mature. You can have him if you want him.

 

[chicken danz]

Also if anyone wants a stud for a female lgd, I have a great male dog. He is loving with children, has a great attitude and is a great guardian to my birdies.

He is 3/4 pyr, 1/8 Anatolian so has a cute black mask, and 1/8 maremma. He is 5 and would love to have one of his pups while he is young enough to teach him/her.

Oh and let me introduce myself, I am Jill and live in Belleville, right on junction of hiway 81 and 36.

I have silkies, and orpingtons(who are ancient-need new blood), and peacocks.

Put an add on Craigslist for your dog at stud in exchange for a pup. And be prepared to have people flag you. There are too many "do-gooders" out there who want to battle all the pet problems in the world without taking into consideration that there are working dogs out there who are very valuable. The problem with the pyrenees is that they are so territorial and they typically don't tolerate other dogs. It would be really hard to find an available mate unless you have a really secure place to keep them together for a few days. I had that problem looking for a male since I had mine neutered. I had to just get another male.

Originally Posted by KsKingBee

Willow and London. He's about 7 months and she's over a year. I think she's got a case of fleas or something; she's very itchy.

A bath will be in order as soon as it's warm enough.

Prairie Fleur she could just have skin allergies as well. I used to give Marshmallow Chlorpheniramine Maleate on a daily basis at
the suggestion of JosieChick's husband veterinarian. Before that she'd scratch herself bald. Just letting you know in case erradicating fleas doesn't do the trick.

Trying to figure out when I should purchase chicks. I've been looking through posts and it seems like 5 to 8 weeks is the general time frame for keeping them inside. So would it be practical to get them in mid Feb?
Also, it seems the hatchery minimum shipping is 15. (I am currently looking at cackle hatchery just because I'm trying to find some place close that has Black Australorp...I'm open to suggestions.) Anyway....whenever, wherever I get them.....I have a large garden style bathtub in our master bath that we don't use because we both prefer the shower. Would that be an appropriate size and place to keep 15 or so baby chicks for 5 to 8 weeks? We have grandchildren living with us and I want to be sure the chicks aren't played with.

So I guess this is three questions:
When to order?
Who to order from?
Will bathtub work for living arrangement until they are big enough to go outside?

Here's my suggestions. First don't use the bathtub. Go out and buy the biggest rubbermaid or similar plastic tub you can find. I buy a 50 gallon one myself. I use that rubbery shelf liner that looks kind of like a mesh in the bottom for footing. A tub would be too slick on the bottom as well and could cause spraddle leg. And get to work on that coop. If you had the coop done you could house the chicks in it instead of inside the house as well. People never used to raise chicks anywhere but outside. A heat lamp or a sweeter heater works well, although of course you need to be sure heat lamps are secure. I for one am trying to get the birds out of the house cause the chick dust is the worst.
Personally as soon as your ready to handle them I'd order. The sooner you get them the sooner they'll be laying. It may require more effort on your part if it's cool out but I hatch year round. I'd suggest you put an add on one of the facebook pages for poultry and let people know you are looking for austrolorps.

 

[chicken danz]

Thanks sharol, I appreciate all the info. Especially the advice on how long I do...and DO NOT... want chickens in my bathtub. LOL! I'd rather buy local but am certainly not finding anything online. Will try to wait patiently for some Consolidated Kansas chiming. Danz, will you have baby chicks? Anyone within an hour or so from Lawrence? I'm pretty sure we want buffs, australorps and maybe barred rocks.

I will have barred rocks, and buff orpingtons available. I just put a couple test eggs in for the barred rocks today. The buffs aren't really laying yet.. well not enough to set several at once. My barred and my buffs are both very nice.

 

[KsKingBee]

This worked very well for us last year.



The blue wooden brooders we got from Heather when she left us to move back east, they are really nice for hatchlings. The swimming pools we picked up at Dollar General for five bucks, cut out the bottom of one and screwed them together. I cut a piece of 2x4 wire for a cover, we used wood chips in the bottom and raised the water and feeder to keep the chips out. The parrot cages are really handy for little ones or an infirmary. This particular day was visiting day for the adults to come see the young uns.

 

[Trish44]

Welcome thundrdncr! That's a beautiful dog! I actually have a black & white Great Pyrenees as well as an all white one, they're sisters. If you go back in the history of the French Pyrenees you will find a lot of the black & white & grays. When they came to the US & people started showing them they tried to breed out all but the white for showing but there are still a lot of dogs around that have the colors & the masks.

Well I finally have my MRI scheduled for this coming Thurs. morning. I had hoped they would get me in sooner, but that's the way it goes. I hope to have some answers then the first of the following week.

 

[MsDebD]

I will have barred rocks, and buff orpingtons available. I just put a couple test eggs in for the barred rocks today. The buffs aren't really laying yet.. well not enough to set several at once. My barred and my buffs are both very nice.

Thanks danz! PM'd you. Would still also like some Australorps. I've met one and she was beautiful. My DH was quite taken with the pics and description. Since we're looking at only starting with about a dozen total I can't purchase a couple of breeds locally then order the other, so I'd really like to hear from someone who has them close to Lawrence.

 

[Trish44]

Trying to figure out when I should purchase chicks. I've been looking through posts and it seems like 5 to 8 weeks is the general time frame for keeping them inside. So would it be practical to get them in mid Feb?
Also, it seems the hatchery minimum shipping is 15. (I am currently looking at cackle hatchery just because I'm trying to find some place close that has Black Australorp...I'm open to suggestions.) Anyway....whenever, wherever I get them.....I have a large garden style bathtub in our master bath that we don't use because we both prefer the shower. Would that be an appropriate size and place to keep 15 or so baby chicks for 5 to 8 weeks? We have grandchildren living with us and I want to be sure the chicks aren't played with.

So I guess this is three questions:
When to order?
Who to order from?
Will bathtub work for living arrangement until they are big enough to go outside?

I missed your post back there till now. What sharol said is true, if you can find one of us closer that has what you're looking for or will work for you would be much less stress on the chicks than being shipped & you wouldn't have to buy 15. If you wait a bit longer you wouldn't have to keep the chicks inside for so long & would have a better choice. Not too many breeders are hatching at the moment. I can't remember where you're located, both Danz & I have lots of birds to choose from. Brooders are very easy to construct as KsKingBee was showing you. It depends a lot on how many chicks you plan to get at once. You will need heat for awhile till they get some feathers. Danz is more in the northeast part of the state & I'm in south central not too far from the OK border. If you would like a list of what breeds I have send me a PM. I guess you were posting the same time as I was. I don't know of anyone up that way that has Australorps off the top of my head.

 

[Prairie Fleur]

This worked very well for us last year. The blue wooden brooders we got from Heather when she left us to move back east, they are really nice for hatchlings. The swimming pools we picked up at Dollar General for five bucks, cut out the bottom of one and screwed them together. I cut a piece of 2x4 wire for a cover, we used wood chips in the bottom and raised the water and feeder to keep the chips out. The parrot cages are really handy for little ones or an infirmary. This particular day was visiting day for the adults to come see the young uns.

I love the swimming pool idea!!!! I think that might be just the ticket for my chicks this spring! BTW here's a couple pics of the eggs I'm just starting to get from one of the BCM Pullets I got from you last year. Ive gotten an egg 2 days in a row now! WOOHOO!!

 

[KsKingBee]

I love the swimming pool idea!!!! I think that might be just the ticket for my chicks this spring!

BTW here's a couple pics of the eggs I'm just starting to get from one of the BCM Pullets I got from you last year. Ive gotten an egg 2 days in a row now! WOOHOO!!

We are a bit surprised that you are only getting eggs just now. Maybe the cold of winter held them back.

Yesterday we started the process of selecting our best BCMs and placing them in isolation in preparation for breeding season. We should have BCM chicks by mid-March.

 

[Prairie Fleur]

We are a bit surprised that you are only getting eggs just now.  Maybe the cold of winter held them back.    Yesterday we started the process of selecting our best BCMs and placing them in isolation in preparation for breeding season.  We should have BCM chicks by mid-March.

I don't know. I got some BLRWs before I got the BCMs and they aren't laying yet either. Well, I think I got one egg for one of them the other day. Unfortunately it was outside, froze and cracked so I gave it to London. I'm hoping warmer weather and more sunlight will get them going. Seems like I've been waiting quite a while.