Consolidated Kansas

[Trish44]

KSKingBee I hope you find your dogs or they come back.

I went & got 3 of the heated bowls this afternoon before the sale was over. You watch & they'll put them on their Black Friday sale for less, that would be my luck. Their ad doesn't come out in the email till tomorrow.

 

[sharol]

KSKingBee I hope you find your dogs or they come back.

I went & got 3 of the heated bowls this afternoon before the sale was over. You watch & they'll put them on their Black Friday sale for less, that would be my luck. Their ad doesn't come out in the email till tomorrow.

I hate it when that happens. If you keep the receipt and leave them in the packages, they might take them as a return, or honor the lower price (if there is one)

 

[OkieQueenBee]

Well, the dogs have been found. They had roamed at least 8 miles away. This morning a neighbor, 1 1/2 miles away called and said they were on their porch. I was in the middle of feeding the birds (all of them) as KsKingBee is down with a bad back, so we didn't leave right away. By the time we got there they were gone again, but the neighbor lady thought they were heading toward home. Drove the long way home and ran into the neighbors trying to move some cattle, so stopped to help. That turned into an all afternoon rodeo. The dogs still hadn't made it to the house so KsKingBee took off on another drive around. I was not helpful in helping the neighbors get their two crazy cows corralled but KsKingBee did bring back the dogs. They slept all afternoon and are now patrolling the area for the skunk that they chased across the yard.

 

[Trish44]

Well, the dogs have been found. They had roamed at least 8 miles away. This morning a neighbor, 1 1/2 miles away called and said they were on their porch. I was in the middle of feeding the birds (all of them) as KsKingBee is down with a bad back, so we didn't leave right away. By the time we got there they were gone again, but the neighbor lady thought they were heading toward home. Drove the long way home and ran into the neighbors trying to move some cattle, so stopped to help. That turned into an all afternoon rodeo. The dogs still hadn't made it to the house so KsKingBee took off on another drive around. I was not helpful in helping the neighbors get their two crazy cows corralled but KsKingBee did bring back the dogs. They slept all afternoon and are now patrolling the area for the skunk that they chased across the yard.

That's great news that they're back home! I noticed KSKingBee was asking about getting other animals to give them more to do. I do think that is a factor in the roaming if they're bored. I know my two were much happier when I got the sheep & goats. It is what they were bred for, to watch over the animals. They do watch over everything, but I know my birds bore mine to death too.

 

[chicken danz]

Well, the dogs have been found. They had roamed at least 8 miles away. This morning a neighbor, 1 1/2 miles away called and said they were on their porch. I was in the middle of feeding the birds (all of them) as KsKingBee is down with a bad back, so we didn't leave right away. By the time we got there they were gone again, but the neighbor lady thought they were heading toward home. Drove the long way home and ran into the neighbors trying to move some cattle, so stopped to help. That turned into an all afternoon rodeo. The dogs still hadn't made it to the house so KsKingBee took off on another drive around. I was not helpful in helping the neighbors get their two crazy cows corralled but KsKingBee did bring back the dogs. They slept all afternoon and are now patrolling the area for the skunk that they chased across the yard.

So glad to see you post. I miss you!!! Sorry Mr. Bee is down in the back. Oh how well I know that feeling. I bought a Bee necklace a couple weeks ago and it reminded me so much of you I was really dying to see you. D even asked if I bought it for you. If you didn't already have one that was super high end, I probably would have.
I don't know if it would help or not. But when my dogs roam I tend to pen the one that I feel is the leader at the time. Usually this coincides with heat cycles but not always. Males seem to get distracted a lot easier than females. I have one penned right now and the other two are staying home. This time of year makes me so nervous because of the hunting. Hunters get the wildlife on the run and the dogs respond to that. But hunters will also shoot a dog for no reason if they think they are scaring off their prey.
I think I have decided to just fence my entire property with a couple rows of electric fence. It's going to be expensive but I am so done worrying about the dogs. I never had this problem with the older dogs but these young ones just aren't settled down enough yet.
Other animals may help keep the dogs at home, but I honestly believe it is the amount of predator activity that keeps them happy. Their joy is warning off predators. That is what they live for. And with birds I think you will have more natural predators than larger livestock. With pyrs I honestly think it is also a matter of maturity. They are just much more content to stay home when they reach adult hood. It's those first couple years you want to wring their necks.
Speaking of Pyrs we are down to the final 10 days before we have pups. I'm really looking forward to it. I have to finish cleaning out the puppy house today. I tried washing it down yesterday but the water wouldn't drain. I guess I'll have to shop vac it out.
My broodies started hatching chicks yesterday. At the end of the day they only had 3 chicks so far. I wish they'd get done so I could get the nest box moved this weekend.

 

[Trish44]

I agree with danz that it is maturity for part of the issue on roaming with the GPs but also they have to feel like they're needed & be kept busy. We have a high enough predator load here that my two are kept fairly busy at night. They do tend to like watching over the animals more though.

I'm waiting on my other doe goat to have her baby/babies, she should be having them any day now. She has really slowed down & is laying around more. It would be nice if she would get it over with before this cold hits. These are my first & probably last baby goats, I really didn't intend to raise goats, but we had kind of decided at one point we would like to try goat meat. It depends on what this one has, I won't butcher females but if the other doe has a male he will go.

We should be getting our first lamb meat some time this week or next. I'm excited to have some fresh meat again.

 

[chicken danz]

Trish, You'll have to let us know how the mutton is? I've eaten very little of it but liked what I did eat. It was sliced like a roast so I have no idea how the different cuts would be.
I am going to have another busy day today. I have to get a turkey and maybe something else done to take for TG dinner tomorrow. I wasn't planning to do anything but my siblings and I decided to try to get together. I just wasn't up to hosting a holiday meal yet so we are all going to my oldest sister's house. I have one of my spring turkeys brining. He is just about 10.5 pounds so he's not going to be a big bird. None of my family has eaten a home grown turkey before so I hope they are impressed. There will be another store bough turkey and some ham there so it's not like we won't have plenty of selection. I'm so used to preparing a whole spread for holiday dinners so it seems like I am taking the easy way out.
I start PT here later this morning. I really would much rather just stay home. I have never had much in the way of results from physical therapy. I guess if I try it and it doesn't help much I can always quit going later.

 

[Trish44]

I've had lamb lots of times before eating out & I like it. We just had some for lunch today in fact. Mutton is from an animal older than a year & lamb is less than a year. The one we took for processing was 9 months old. He probably could have gone a bit sooner but we couldn't take him till we got back from vacation.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! It's just going to be DH & I today, a quiet day.

 

[chicken danz]

I've had lamb lots of times before eating out & I like it. We just had some for lunch today in fact. Mutton is from an animal older than a year & lamb is less than a year. The one we took for processing was 9 months old. He probably could have gone a bit sooner but we couldn't take him till we got back from vacation.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! It's just going to be DH & I today, a quiet day.

I didn't realize there was a difference in names. I wouldn't think you'd really want to butcher one that got much older since I would think they'd get tougher.
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you. I hope you have a wonderful day. I'm up cooking...turkey had to get in the oven. And I want to get the animals fed early. It's supposed to rain a ton today and we seem to be in the area that will be hit really hard according to the forecasts. The freezing however is supposed to stay West of us until evening. The wind is sure kicking up though. I guess we will for sure see if the heated water bowls work this weekend.

 

[sharol]

Happy Thanksgiving (or as Henry Standing Bear in the Longmire book series would say, happy Thankstaking.)

I'm putting out the heated waterers in the coops. I bought a new one, and if it works out, I'll post a review here. I like plastic so that I can use ACV in the water, and the only one available before is a nightmare to set up. The new one is MUCH BETTER if it works like it is supposed to. http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B015IYDANQ?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00 is the link to the new one. It isn't cheap, but if it works, i'll stay dry when I'm changing it out.

We are going to a community dinner in Reading today (first time for that) since all the kids are elsewhere. Used to do a big dinner for both sides of the family, but those days are over. I'll shake off the depression and get to work.