Consolidated Kansas

[ashncarson]

I have had one hen in our new broody "breaker" today was the 4th day. its a wire rabbit cage onto of milk crates. last night I moved the crates to allow more air in. i just let her out to see what happens, today she has not been "sitting" down but standing, so we will see what happens!

At petco they have little bowls that clip onto the side of a wire door kennel...thats what I use!

Well good news, I let her out and she is done! She is up on the roost tonight!



Here is what I used, but last night I turned the crates so the bottom of the cage rests on the open part of the crates, more airflow. She was in there for 4 days, with food and water.

 

[zigzag45]

Nice @ashncarson - My kennel is plastic and has a plastic floor in it. I guess I have to make a small 2x2 board frame and put hardware cloth over it. Another project for the ever so short evenings...

 

[Grain Gypsy]

RANDOM THOUGHTS FROM THE CHICKEN ROOKIE:

I haven't figured out all of the abbreviations for chicken names and shortened names and nicknames for bird behavior, housing, and ailments. Every time I see PBR (which I ASSUME means Plymouth Barred Rock??) I read it as Professional Bull Riders (I am considering naming our little Bantam Brahma Bodacious--I'm a fan) or Pabst Blue Ribbon beer. I dislike beer

but I was a sorority girl, so being the sober one at frat parties (most of the time) gave me the time and clarity to observe and think about the preferred brands of beer for college students.

My 2-week-old and 5-week-old chicks are doing well together. You know that saying, "The grass is always greener on the other side?" Well, the chicks must have thought, "The water and food and sleeping arrangements must be better on the other side of the brooder." As soon as we removed the wire-mesh barrier that they could see each other through for 2 weeks, the big chicks went and promptly drank up all the water and ate up all the food and on the side of the brooder the little chicks had been living in and then took over the EcoGlow, roosting on top of it as if to say, "WE are the kings of the world." The little chicks scampered over to the bigger chick side and did the same with the food and water, then perched on the roost. They must have finally figured out that the water and food are the same on both sides of the brooder, because now the little chicks are back under the EcoGlow (after 3 days) and the big chicks have gone back to drinking out of their own waterers (which are appropriate for their height) and are leaving the lower waterers to the little chicks.

My husband (who usually turns into a pumpkin at 9:00 p.m., but who has a very generous and helpful soul) got home just after midnight from helping his best friend finish the brooder in his first-ever chicken coop. They get their new chicks on Thursday, and hubby was helping allay some of their fears, answer some questions, and (of course) help put the finishing touches on the coop/brooder. I am thankful I have a husband with a spirit of helping others! His willingness to help has encouraged the "helpful bone" in my body and has made me a better person because of it.

On that note, I need to head to bed. I can see the end of this home school year. If we push through, we'll be completely done by Friday! YES!

 

[chicken danz]

Grain Gypsy you should be a writer. You certainly have the talent.
Many of us would love to have a husband like yours or even one who liked helping with our projects. I am an island most of the time.
Oh Joy! We have rain predicted again later today and then through the weekend. Will it ever stop?

 

[Trish44]

I agree Danz, I sure am not ready for another 5 days of rain again. We just got the last stuff dried up so it wasn't so gooey & messy out there. I guess we're just going to have all of the rain at once & then it will probably be dry the rest of the summer. It still stinks though from the old hay breaking down & manure mixed in the goat & sheep pens, ugh. When that is wet it just smells worse than ever. DH & I went out yesterday & cleared trees & brush out to run my fence I'm wanting to put up so the sheep can graze in an area that borders where they're at now. I plan to keep my ram in there when I'm not wanting him to breed the ewes. We have to take down the old barbed wire fence & run field fence along the two borders where that was & had to clear it first. That is always quite a job here because we have so many trees down in that area. There are just new little trees coming up all over the place out there.

Grain Gypsy that was nice of your husband to help like that. I'm in the same boat here most of the time as Danz, I usually have to do things by myself here.

I have another hatch of chicks coming up Friday. I'm not setting as many as I had been, I'm trying to get all of my orders filled & then I may take a break from it, we'll see.

 

[chicken danz]

I agree Danz, I sure am not ready for another 5 days of rain again. We just got the last stuff dried up so it wasn't so gooey & messy out there. I guess we're just going to have all of the rain at once & then it will probably be dry the rest of the summer. It still stinks though from the old hay breaking down & manure mixed in the goat & sheep pens, ugh. When that is wet it just smells worse than ever. DH & I went out yesterday & cleared trees & brush out to run my fence I'm wanting to put up so the sheep can graze in an area that borders where they're at now. I plan to keep my ram in there when I'm not wanting him to breed the ewes. We have to take down the old barbed wire fence & run field fence along the two borders where that was & had to clear it first. That is always quite a job here because we have so many trees down in that area. There are just new little trees coming up all over the place out there.
We still have mud holes here but at least I could walk without wearing boots finally. It's really gloomy out there today so I am sure the rain is imminent. I don't envy you taking down that barbed wire. There was lots of old falling down fences here when I bought this place. We had to tear all of it out. That old barbed wire can be vicious to work with. I need to build all kinds of new fence and fix a lot of old ones. It would sure help if I had a different drive for the farm equipment to use.
Grain Gypsy that was nice of your husband to help like that. I'm in the same boat here most of the time as Danz, I usually have to do things by myself here.

I have another hatch of chicks coming up Friday. I'm not setting as many as I had been, I'm trying to get all of my orders filled & then I may take a break from it, we'll see.

I do too. Actually some tomorrow. Not a huge amount but enough. I still have some stragglers from yesterdays hatch.

 

[Prairie Fleur]

Today has not been a good day. It started out fine with meeting @TaraBellaBirds and her adorable son and swapping chicks. We went out to see the goats and I noticed that Salt was looking miserable and acting funny. After we chatted a while and Tara left I went out to bottle feed Honey. I noticed that Salt didn't even get up when I got there and after I was done feeding Honey I got worried. I gave Salt some Manuka honey with oregano oil in it and then when he hardly responded I rushed him inside. Once inside I tried dosing him and decided to take him to the vet. I wrapped him in a towel and flew for the vet. He died before I got there. I'm devastated. I had an autopsy done and he had pneumonia. I'm really worried about my others now and I'll be treating the whole bunch of them.
Then my SIL text saying that my nephew's dog had been hit on th road and my nephew was distraught. I called him and we comforted each other. Poor boy, he loved that beagle. it's been a day for bad news and it's raining and cold again...
I did have a chick hatch today and I put it under my BCM broody and gave her some food and water. He took him and they seem to be doing ok.

 

[TaraBellaBirds]

Oh no. I noticed that one of the bucklings wasn't coming out with the others. is that the one? Andyn told his brother all about the goats and won't stop talking about the rabbits. The chicks are settling in well.

Sorry to hear about your nepehw's dog, that is a rough life event. Losing your animals is always hard. It was os good to finally meet you after months are PM messages LOL. Sorry your day progressed to such a note.

 

[Prairie Fleur]

Oh no.  I noticed that one of the bucklings wasn't coming out with the others.  is that the one?  Andyn told his brother all about the goats and won't stop talking about the rabbits.  The chicks are settling in well.

Sorry to hear about your nepehw's dog, that is a rough life event.   Losing your animals is always hard.  It was os good to finally meet you after months are PM messages LOL.  Sorry your day progressed to such a note.

Ya that was him.
It was lovely to meet you finally!! that was the good part of my day! Glad the chicks are settling in well!! Mine from you are cruising around the brooder so I think they'll be fine!

 

[TaraBellaBirds]

Good, maybe you'll get all pullets to counteract all of those bucklings you have! I think you will like the little EE tag-along. My EE's are great layers and have such curious smart personalities. The LavsAms will be gorgeous amidst all of those Sussex's.