Consolidated Kansas

[Prairie Fleur]

Wow! Sorry about the Winter Weather conditions, Danz and thndrdancr!!! We had 45' and sunny here today. It sleeted some last night and yesterday but was pretty nice out today. My chooks lay when it's sunny and go off when it's cloudy so I'm very thankful for any sunny days we have! I'm hoping Hosanna will hold off kidding until it warms up again so I don't have to worry about the kids getting hypothermic.
I've been keeping my new angora in the house because he was inside befor we got him. DH and I were both afraid he'd get sick from the shock of our outdoor temps. One good thing is that it's certainly helped him relax and get used to us. The bad thing is, it's not easy keeping things clean with a rabbit cage in the house. I put him out for a couple hours since it wasn't too cold today so that helped some. He's only 10 weeks old and a real sweetie.
KKB what color of pea is the one in your avatar? It's gorgeous!!!

 

[KsKingBee]

That is a India Blue Silver Pied with a little Spaulding. Yes she is beautiful! She is going to be paired with a IBPied White Eye split Cameo cock. Should make for some beautiful offspring.

 

[chicken danz]

Well today is supposed to be miserable. The snow cover is adding to it as well. Chill index isn't supposed to get much above zero all day. I've already got a bad attitude before my first cup of coffee. This last cold front has made me ache worse than most of them do for some reason. I know I have to get out today and load everyone up on feed and haul a couple more bags of chick starter back from the sea van.
I had ordered some glove liners which came in the mail yesterday. I had worn them for years cause they really add an extra layer of warmth. I had just gotten down to one single glove liner. At least I know I can double up and keep my hands warmer today.

 

[Trish44]

We had an oddball snow thunderstorm yesterday afternoon. My DH texted me & said if I needed to go out I had better go because it looked like rain heading here. I went right out but as soon as I got out there & started trying to get the ducks & geese in it started thundering & raining snow balls, yes they were snow not ice. It was the strangest sight & it was coming down hard. The ground was white by the time it stopped but at the temperature it was it didn't last long & was gone. The chickens that were still out saw that coming down & ran like crazy to the coop so they were all in but the silly ducks didn't want to go in & I had to herd them around twice to get them to the pen. The geese just honked at me the whole way to the pen. I guess they wanted to stay out in it. I got soaking wet because I tried to get my hat on with my coat & the wind was blowing so hard it just blew it back off. I just gave up & finished getting everyone in.

 

[Deerfield Acres]

Wow, Trish44, how weird is that? DH texted me yesterday and said a squall line was about to come through with 50+ mph winds. The kids dashed outside and put the birds in just in time. It blew like crazy but no precip, so we were lucky.

Danz, hope you enjoyed the glove liners today! I had to run a million errands. Took DD to Dr. to chat about removing her tonsils at age 17. Looks like they have to go, just as I suspected. Poor kid, that is absolutely no fun.

There was a recall on the Trail Blazer so while it was in the shop they gave us a Camaro. I took it to run errands and had a great time with it. Sadly, I twisted my left knee getting out of the thing -- it's a little lower to the ground than my car. Worth it anyway, it was fun to drive. I did all my chicken errands in it. LOL! Filled it up with feed, grit, PDZ, etc. Too funny.

When I got home the Buff Sussex were all out in the yard like it's a summer day. They are big, round birds so I guess it's no big deal to them.

 

[Ralph Moyer]

Trish, I was doing evening chores when it hit here. The snowballs that fell here, were about the size of golf balls, and splattered when they hit. The sky to the west was very dark, then a strong wind started blowing.. It didn't last long, but it felt like a blizzard.

 

[chicken danz]

Deerfield I remember how you drive. I don't think you and a sporty car would be a safe combination. Speed + Speed + sport= ???????

Made me laugh anyway.
We have snow forecast here for today again. I really wish it wouldn't happen. Saturday there is a major winter storm coming in and they are predicting 3-6 inches of the white stuff. I envy htose of you that are south cause it sounds like it won't go down that direction. Why the heck are we getting all this stuff now?? I need spring.

I have two big sales that are supposed to happen Sunday. I will be so upset if the weather prevents those. I need that money and the space.

 

[Trish44]

Ralph it sounds like you got much bigger stuff than we did, but it sure was strange stuff. Yeah Danz I think they're predicting rain here this weekend.

 

[thndrdancr]

Wow, those snowballs sound interesting!

I popped my head out the kitchen door night before last after a nap to make sure everyone was inside for the night and what do I see? All my idiot baby peas roosting on the deck rail. I bundled up and went out, well the pen door had blown shut in that same freak wind so they couldn't get in. Grrr
I hadn't propped it with anything since there was no wind earlier! Well after lugging 5 chickens, 6 Juvie peas and 3 yearling peas, I was FroZE! Dadblastit!

Sure made me glad I don't have pen after pen like many of you, I don't envy you at all!!! I have one big shed where everyone resides and its 20 feet or less from the house and I still have to beat myself to go out there in winter. In summer...nothing I enjoy more. I am just not built for the cold.

Well last night was better, I just had to herd the resistant ones in, but it meant going back out 6 times! The holdout was my white peacock, he HATESbeing contained but apparently he is not a total idiot. My sister was watching me oh so slowly herd him in, she asked me when I came in "could he possibly have gone any slower?". I said if we lived in Antarctic he probably would have just to see me suffer! He is the one that keeps stopping to eyeball you, you know to make sure you aren't trapping him.

 

[Trish44]

Wow, those snowballs sound interesting!

I popped my head out the kitchen door night before last after a nap to make sure everyone was inside for the night and what do I see? All my idiot baby peas roosting on the deck rail. I bundled up and went out, well the pen door had blown shut in that same freak wind so they couldn't get in. Grrr
I hadn't propped it with anything since there was no wind earlier! Well after lugging 5 chickens, 6 Juvie peas and 3 yearling peas, I was FroZE! Dadblastit!

Sure made me glad I don't have pen after pen like many of you, I don't envy you at all!!! I have one big shed where everyone resides and its 20 feet or less from the house and I still have to beat myself to go out there in winter. In summer...nothing I enjoy more. I am just not built for the cold.

Well last night was better, I just had to herd the resistant ones in, but it meant going back out 6 times! The holdout was my white peacock, he HATESbeing contained but apparently he is not a total idiot. My sister was watching me oh so slowly herd him in, she asked me when I came in "could he possibly have gone any slower?". I said if we lived in Antarctic he probably would have just to see me suffer! He is the one that keeps stopping to eyeball you, you know to make sure you aren't trapping him.

I picked a good time to be injured for me anyway, but not so much for my DH, he hates it. It takes quite some time to do chores here, I have a lot of pens & two coops to take care of for the birds & then the sheep & goats as well. I know all about the cold weather rodeo though, getting birds into coops & pens in the cold isn't fun, especially when they don't have the sense to go in. I'm very lucky that my chickens all go in on their own eventually at night but the geese are another story. The ducks usually will go in on their own but not always.

Well I did not get good news today at the Dr. about my knee. He said it was in really, really bad shape & I'm looking at a total knee soon. I'm going back in 6 weeks & have the rooster comb injections in my knees again to try to hold off the surgery hopefully at least till next year some time. I'm so done with being in pain, injuries, & surgeries right now. I just can't take one more thing for awhile, I need a break. The Dr. said he was surprised I had made it this long with this knee, he said I must have a really high pain tolerance. I guess I'm just used to pain from the arthritis on a regular basis. Anyway, my bone is eroding & without the injections it will be bone on bone because I have virtually no cushion left in there.