Consolidated Kansas

[Grain Gypsy]

we have 2 hens that are supposed to be silkie d'uccle crosses. They have extra toes, and the white one has blue ear lobes. They both have dark skin...They both roost on the roost at night and will fight to get a spot!

What a sweety pie @ashncarson ! Love that it looks pretty much like a Mille Fleur d'Uccle, but white!!

 

[ashncarson]

What a sweety pie @ashncarson ! Love that it looks pretty much like a Mille Fleur d'Uccle, but white!!

There is a cute picture of her on my facebook I took today that shows off her blue ears! she is a pretty girl, just needs a bath now. this was a older picture of her!

 

[Grain Gypsy]

One of our birds bit the dust (or, in this case, pine shavings) late this afternoon or this evening. I went out around 9:15 p.m. to lock down the coop. I shut the pop door then, when I opened the people door to go inside and put the stragglers up on the roost, I immediately noticed one of our 2-month-old Barred Plymouth Rock hens laid over dead. Not thinking, I began to walk down into the coop, but then I realized there may be a wild predator still in there, so I backed up, went out, and called in backup. My backup for the evening was my 14-year-old, 12-year-old (wielding a flowerbed edger), and my 10-year-old. My 8 year old decided she didn't want to see a dead chicken. I don't blame her. I carefully walked down into the coop first and made sure there was no wild predator. When all was clear, my 12-year-old came down in with me to do a more thorough double-check.

Nothing. There seems to be no external reason our sweet hen literally fell over dead. I brought her in and checked her out. She has no signs of any physical issues or stress. She also showed no signs of being ill before she died. This creeps me out a bit a lot, because one of the signs a chicken has bird flu is a chicken suddenly falling down dead. [Gulp] I refuse to do an at-home necropsy on the hen. I never liked dissecting in biology lab, and I can't bring myself to open up one of my sweet hens. I don't know if I should just chalk it up to a freak deal, or report it and seek to have a necropsy done. I was especially disheartened, as I have to say that Barred Plymouth Rocks are quickly becoming quite possibly my favorite chicken breed because of their curious and loving disposition.

@LavrisChica , you should try Mexican Hat flower perennials for your native plantings if you haven't already incorporated some. I don't currently have any, but growing up in Ulysses (which is arid and hot in the summers), my mother always had these. She always dismisses them as just a hearty filler that isn't too special to her, but I LOVE them. I just think you can't go wrong with something that is native and produces a plethora of pretty buds like the Mexican Hat.

@chicken danz and @coleco , I love my flowering perennials so much, that I'm not sure I would be able to choose chickens over my flowers if I had to. And that's big. My favorite perennial is the coneflower. I seek out and try new varieties every year. I lean toward perennials that are somewhat native (because I hate babying fickle plants), but have prolific blooms.

@Deerfield Acres , congrats on more swimming time! Kudos to you, as well, for keep on keeping on with the processing chickens to give your husband the time to come around and work it out in his own time.

The Little Arkansas River that runs through our backyard is RAGING. We are not in a USGS flood zone because of the diversion ditches that Valley Center and Wichita have provided to relieve the swollen rivers of some of their water to prevent flooding. Just north of us, though, in the little town Sedgwick, the River is above flood stage and is making a mess. I am thankful we have the extra help of the diversion ditches, but I'm not gonna lie when I say that I wonder how much more water we can handle before even the diversion ditches are unable to handle the water. My kids know to stay completely away from the river when it's up like this, despite the fact that they are avid swimmers. Our dog about got swept away when she decided it would be a good idea to take her customary afternoon dip in the river yesterday. Dixie is 13 years old. We think she can still see and hear fine, but after she jumped into the swirling river yesterday, I now question that. My kids said watching her try to swim to the edge to get out was like watching that guy on the commercial swim in one of those infinity pools.

 

[Grain Gypsy]

oh, @LavrisChica here is a picture of Mexican Hats.

 

[ashncarson]

oh, @LavrisChica here is a picture of Mexican Hats.

oh I want some of those! beautiful!

 

[ashncarson]

One of our birds bit the dust (or, in this case, pine shavings) late this afternoon or this evening. I went out around 9:15 p.m. to lock down the coop. I shut the pop door then, when I opened the people door to go inside and put the stragglers up on the roost, I immediately noticed one of our 2-month-old Barred Plymouth Rock hens laid over dead. Not thinking, I began to walk down into the coop, but then I realized there may be a wild predator still in there, so I backed up, went out, and called in backup. My backup for the evening was my 14-year-old, 12-year-old (wielding a flowerbed edger), and my 10-year-old. My 8 year old decided she didn't want to see a dead chicken. I don't blame her. I carefully walked down into the coop first and made sure there was no wild predator. When all was clear, my 12-year-old came down in with me to do a more thorough double-check.

Nothing. There seems to be no external reason our sweet hen literally fell over dead. I brought her in and checked her out. She has no signs of any physical issues or stress. She also showed no signs of being ill before she died. This creeps me out a bit a lot, because one of the signs a chicken has bird flu is a chicken suddenly falling down dead. [Gulp] I refuse to do an at-home necropsy on the hen. I never liked dissecting in biology lab, and I can't bring myself to open up one of my sweet hens. I don't know if I should just chalk it up to a freak deal, or report it and seek to have a necropsy done. I was especially disheartened, as I have to say that Barred Plymouth Rocks are quickly becoming quite possibly my favorite chicken breed because of their curious and loving disposition.

So sorry to hear that you lost a chicken. We had that happen twice last year, with 2 chickens we had gotten together. I just went ahead and buried mine, not sure what had caused it. I know others would do more like the necropsy. Mine never showed any signs of anything either.

 

[coleco]

I also have an affinity to barred birds, i have some barred cochin bantams and this year some standard barred pullets. So sorry to hear you lost 1.

 

[chicken danz]

Danz, haha i know the greenhouse feeling. My coop is my greenhouse, omg the weeds... I got a pic for you of my usually low weed garden.

Oh trust me your garden looks great. I'm serious the weeds and grasses in mine are now 3 foot tall. Making a run to town to get the roundup just hasn't been in my schedule. I have been way too busy.

Danz, I can see why you can't bear to sell off the games and ornamentals. Those are absolutely beautiful birds.
Thank you. I appreciate them for their beauty. I do wish they were a little more prolific though. A couple months a year to lay eggs sure doesn't pay for their keep.
coleco, this is the place for all whose friends have grown tired of listening to chicken talk!
So agreed!!!
My first batch of shipped Aloha eggs was a disaster. One managed a partial zip and quit, another had help out but it was malformed and didn't make it. I sure hope my next group nets something. It went into lockdown today. I didn't candle before lockdown. I normally do but I guess I just didn't want to know for sure how slim the odds were. This box was more damaged than the other and had more breakage so I don't know if I'll get anything of the whole production. Sigh.
So sorry about the eggs. I quit shipping in eggs quite a while back. I decided I was better off to pay for and have the chicks shipped cause at least you end up with something, even though it costs a fortune.

@ashncarson

Ohhhh, it IS soooo EXCITING for me! lol I can hardly contain myself with the vision I have in my mind's eye!!

I have to smile reading this. I have had plans so many times that never came to fruition. I always seem to put the horse before the cart. I.e. ordering plants or bulbs before I have the garden bed ready. I used to run a landscape design business and had a wonderful yard full of flower beds. But that was with no chickens, no dogs etc etc. And I was younger and healthier. I can only dig out old pictures now to show how things used to be.
Quote:

Hello all,been reading the past posts in here and have a question. I have 3, 9 week old silkies. I have a neighbor who has Polish chickens that are 3 weeks old was looking to take two of hers,is this not a good idea with everything that's going on?

As long as your neighbors chickens are healthy I think I would do so.

One of our birds bit the dust (or, in this case, pine shavings) late this afternoon or this evening. I went out around 9:15 p.m. to lock down the coop. I shut the pop door then, when I opened the people door to go inside and put the stragglers up on the roost, I immediately noticed one of our 2-month-old Barred Plymouth Rock hens laid over dead. Not thinking, I began to walk down into the coop, but then I realized there may be a wild predator still in there, so I backed up, went out, and called in backup. My backup for the evening was my 14-year-old, 12-year-old (wielding a flowerbed edger), and my 10-year-old. My 8 year old decided she didn't want to see a dead chicken. I don't blame her. I carefully walked down into the coop first and made sure there was no wild predator. When all was clear, my 12-year-old came down in with me to do a more thorough double-check.

Nothing. There seems to be no external reason our sweet hen literally fell over dead. I brought her in and checked her out. She has no signs of any physical issues or stress. She also showed no signs of being ill before she died. This creeps me out a bit a lot, because one of the signs a chicken has bird flu is a chicken suddenly falling down dead. [Gulp] I refuse to do an at-home necropsy on the hen. I never liked dissecting in biology lab, and I can't bring myself to open up one of my sweet hens. I don't know if I should just chalk it up to a freak deal, or report it and seek to have a necropsy done. I was especially disheartened, as I have to say that Barred Plymouth Rocks are quickly becoming quite possibly my favorite chicken breed because of their curious and loving disposition.
I would say it's probably a freak deal. If she was sick others would be sick as well. The cases of no signs at all of AI are usually because they die so quickly. Others would be showing cold like symptoms or something. That just happens with chickens from time to time. Rarely a day goes by I don't loose a bird of somekind. Usually chicks but sometimes an older bird. If I do a necropsy I always find a reason. In chicks or younger birds it's either failure to thrive or mold or something. Of course you have to remember I have several hundred birds here as well. Just watch all your other birds for any signs of weakness.
One thing I might mention right now is the humidity and higher heat is very hard on birds. I keep fans going in my coops in summer for that reason and open as much ventilation as I can. Heat is much harder on chickens than cold. I fix water baths for the birds to stand in when it's hot outside as well.

I also have an affinity to barred birds, i have some barred cochin bantams and this year some standard barred pullets. So sorry to hear you lost 1.

Coleco, You should come get one of my heritage barred rock cockerels. Not criticizing your birds at all, but you could really make that barring exceptional. I'd give you a cockerel, cause I have a few extras I won't be able to sell soon. Not big enough to eat or breed yet. I'm sure I have some young chicks as well I could sell really cheap if you want to add some.
I spent my whole day moving chicks out and cleaning and disinfecting the brooder area of the building.
It wasn't completely dry so I left the chicks in an outside pen with a sweeter heater for the night. I hope they did okay. They are pretty crowded. I still need to find some grassy area I can move pens and houses for all these chickens in the grow out pens. We just keep getting more rain and it is a muddy mess and it smells so bad around here. Normally I don't think the chickens stink. I think it is more standing water and mud that is going bad with feed etc mixed in that is making it so awful. Yesterday I noticed that there are more mosquitoes, flies, and gnats than I have ever seen in my entire life out there. So why are my guineas flying out and going across the road to the field over there? Dumb birds!!!
I wish they were all old enough to just stay outside. I have some more in the house that need to go out and I just don't have room. I rarely have to advertise birds but it's time to do so. Maybe if it quits raining next week I can do some butchering as well. Not my favorite thing to do for sure. I had to take my butcher table to a friends house to be used for a wedding this weekend. (Of course I cleaned it up first!

 

[LavrisChica]

@Trish44 I so agree with the raining a day here and there, but the constant moisture has made mudpits any wallering hog would appreciate and certainly has provided the skeeters multiple choice of wading pools for their swimming and breeding pleasure (grabbed the last supply Atwoods had of the DUNKS - expensive! but oh so worth it). I can almost picture each one in their speedos and polka-dot bikinis, bloody mary's in their hands, having a grand ol' time. SMH.

@coleco Welcome!

@chicken danz do you have any issues with your game birds having aggressive streaks?? And Landscape designer, eh?

May have to pick your brain on a few things then...like which method to use to rid of all the grass/weeds so I can have a clean slate???

@Deerfield Acres I was just discussing with Kenny (hubby), that I can barely bring myself to purchase and eat grocery store chicken after watching a few documentaries on their "living" standards (if one can call it that) and cruel treatment - no sunshine or fresh air?? broken legs, raw underbellies, deformed breasts??? (I actually had a lump in my throat and some anguish leaked down my cheeks).

My eldest son, Isaac, works for Cal Maine Foods in Chase, Ks. It was a last resort J.O.B. for him, and the stories he tells just turn my stomach and flare my ire. Not to mention that since taking the position, he's been non-stop ill - numerous trips to the hospital. Its just NOT right. He hates it there and cannot wait for a position elsewhere nearby to open up.

Also, the two pool theory for the ducks? Excellent! I have two as well, and truly am considering a third. Only down side to the pools: drowning chickens. SIGH. I've lost four to drowning, and almost a fifth if I had not been outside to watch her get pushed in and run to her rescue! Two of my drakes are just plain ol' bullies: Ivan the Terrible and Speck. Both will run clear across property from one pool to the other just to push unsuspecting and vulnerable chickens into the pool!!! And they were not alone! I HAD a Thai Game Roo, Waylon, who would do the very same thing! Waylon lost his life to our 22 after he almost killed three of the other Roos, left them bloody and for dead. Speck, I have since sent to time-out, which helped lower the stress in the flock considerably, as he was also ruthless mating with anything that clucked or quacked - and I'm not even sure those that meowed were safe from violation either!! Now Ivan spends most his time near the time-out pen. Occasionally I still see him running top speed across the yard, yet usually ends up distracted by the other drake, Pongo, before he gets to his original destination. Unfortunately, Pongo has now become an up-coming bully as well. What to do, what to do!

@ashncarson ohhhh your silkie/D'Uccle!! Too stinkin' CUTE!!! And...Craigslist Free!!! I comb those posts daily, well, actually, almost hourly. I am currently "grounded" from CL Free until a few of my projects see completion LMBO! It amazes Kenny that people actually want what he considers trash. I see TREASURES!!! he he he Right now I'm having the DT's from the CL Free. shrug. Anyhow, lots and lots of great stuff available for projects for the chicken garden and coop, etc. That's where I find broken cement pieces!

(I'm also completely remodeling our home, and 85% of my materials come from there as well).

@Grain Gypsy Mexican Hats? Never seen them before, but coneflowers DID make it into the list for great summer color fillers and reading up on them, they seem the perfect addition! Thanks for mentioning them! So sorry to read about your baby girl. I gulped, too, when I read that. I would be a bit scared myself. Thank goodness Dixie was ok!!! I'm glad we don't live too close to any of the rivers or drainage ditches, otherwise, my shepherds would always be in them. smh.

BTW, any of y'all have experience with teaching your doggies to leave the chickens/ducks alone? My two GS do decent IF I am outside WITH them and am able to clear my throat loudly when they look a bit too mischievous around them, but I certainly would not trust them with the birds alone!!! No siree! and this is a problem! Any suggestions? They also are bound and determined to have feline for dinner as well. In fact, one is missing, and last I saw her, the GS's had her penned under the house, they went in after her. They came out - she never did - that I could see. UGH!

 

[ashncarson]

@ashncarson ohhhh your silkie/D'Uccle!! Too stinkin' CUTE!!! And...Craigslist Free!!! I comb those posts daily, well, actually, almost hourly. I am currently "grounded" from CL Free until a few of my projects see completion LMBO! It amazes Kenny that people actually want what he considers trash. I see TREASURES!!! he he he Right now I'm having the DT's from the CL Free. shrug. Anyhow, lots and lots of great stuff available for projects for the chicken garden and coop, etc. That's where I find broken cement pieces!

(I'm also completely remodeling our home, and 85% of my materials come from there as well).

Thanks LarvisChica, we have 2 of them, one white the other is black!

I will go check out CL, my husband is the exact same way. we live in the city and the others on either side could care less about their yards, one is a scrapper and the others lets the weeds grow up (the city has threaten to sue them for it) and I hate how it looks. I want to use free newer pallets to make a privacy type fence but he has no way!