Consolidated Kansas

[Ivywoods]

Quote:
Yes, I sure would have spread some of this around. We are soaked. The farmers are trying to cut their corn, but harvest is at a dead standstill with this rain. They cut our corn on labor day. Hubby and I walked the field day before yesterday. What little corn they dropped is already sprouting on top of the ground!

I'm going to try to do the last of my sorting to decide which chickens I am going to keep for breeders. That is, I will once I get some sleep and then get up.

My plans for our poultry barn have changed yet again. My hubby had a good idea, I think. Both of us are getting older and can't do some of the stuff we still wish we could. Anyway, instead of the two of us building the whole thing, we are going to have someone come in and build a pole shed. It will just have the poles and roof. It will be about 28'x 46'. THEN, hubby and I will build the enclosed part of the barn under the pole shed on the cement slab from the old barn. That will be 20'x40'. That will give them some roof overhang over all the runs. Sometimes he does come up with some good ideas.

 

[Hawkeye95]

MsjFrizzle-- YAY!!!!!

So EXCITING that you got your first eggs! I bet you are over the moon to have your girls finally be "Working Girls"!! haha!

Those eggs really are large! How did you get so lucky you went straight to large eggs!? This is so fun, I'm so excited to get my own chickies here.

Well, we bought facia (sp??) for the eaves of the coop before we put the roofing on. Then it rained the whole weekend. We desperately need that rain, so I was happy we got it, yet a little annoyed it interfered with my plans. But I'd vote for that rain all over again even if it ruined our work plans. Yesterday was filled to the brim with activities- church kind of takes up the whole morning, but we did get some work on the coop towards the evening. It was gorgeous out yesterday (after the clouds cleared).

 

[Hawkeye95]

Quote:
Yes, I sure would have spread some of this around. We are soaked. The farmers are trying to cut their corn, but harvest is at a dead standstill with this rain. They cut our corn on labor day. Hubby and I walked the field day before yesterday. What little corn they dropped is already sprouting on top of the ground!

I'm going to try to do the last of my sorting to decide which chickens I am going to keep for breeders. That is, I will once I get some sleep and then get up.

My plans for our poultry barn have changed yet again. My hubby had a good idea, I think. Both of us are getting older and can't do some of the stuff we still wish we could. Anyway, instead of the two of us building the whole thing, we are going to have someone come in and build a pole shed. It will just have the poles and roof. It will be about 28'x 46'. THEN, hubby and I will build the enclosed part of the barn under the pole shed on the cement slab from the old barn. That will be 20'x40'. That will give them some roof overhang over all the runs. Sometimes he does come up with some good ideas.

Ivy, that is a REALLY good idea! The hard work of building the roof and digging all those holes- it'll be done. Brilliant! I HATE heights like that. I enjoy them when I know I'm safe- but not standing on ladders and climbing on roofs.

 

[chicken danz]

I've said at least a hundred times I should just have a big metal poultry barn built. Problem is money. I would have to quit feeding the chickens to afford it. So I just keep building more pens and makeshift buildings. It takes so long to feed and water all of them. It would help so much if I could just consolidate it all. Even if I could get my current plans done it would help a lot. But I don't have a husband that gets in a hurry to do much of anything and there's much I can't do alone.
I've done a lot of thinning but still need to do much more. I hope the weather is nice next weekend so I can take some more birds to the premier swap.
I also need to get my cockerels separated so I can get those sold. It's supposed to be warm and sunny today so I need to get busy on my Mandarin pen. I have to go to physical therapy though so that will cut into my day. Guess I should be busy instead of sitting here on this thing.

 

[tntblake]

Does anyone feed their dogs a raw diet? I am tossing around the idea but don't know anyone who feeds this way. I'm just curious what kinds of meats are best, are veggies needed, and where does a person get the meat without breaking the bank?

 

[justinwrites]

we are thinking about it if we start raising rabbits. there is plenty of offal left over from rabbits for that. I know they do need a mix of starches, veggies, and grains too.

Tons of info out there.

 

[Hawkeye95]

Quote:
Our friends feed both their large breed dogs a raw diet. I think it's insane! They have a fresh steak for them every single day! That is not including all the veggies they get. She was telling me how much they spend a month, and I about fell over. She spends more on her two dogs than I do on 3 HORSES! And horses, btw, are NOT cheap. I feed 12% sweet feed every single day- summer/winter, every day without fail. I think it's a neat concept, but our dogs have lived to 18 years of age just on a good dog food.

Also, you have to be careful not to feed scraps- anything with garlic, etc.. there is a list of things that are bad for them. I just don't feed scraps and they stay so much healthier. In fact, my little Pom was having seizures when I first got her- it was likely an imbalance of her hormones and electrolytes in the brain. She was also under fed- severely thin. The state of Kansas made a raid on a puppy mill and she came from them- so it's no wonder. Table food made her so much worse. I found out- after doing IV's and her spending a couple of days at the doggie hospital that if she isn't eating her approved dog food, she needs to be eating food with no additives- like herbs, garlic, salt, etc... Have you checked out Blue? It's supposed to be a more organic dog food. Check with your local health food store- we have a Food for Thought and Whole Foods- they carry organic dog foods. Be prepared... they are pricey! But if that's what you want to do, it is there.


ETA: oh- you said where do they buy their meat? Our friends buy theirs at the health food store. They also have no kids, live in town, they are both software engineers, and their dogs are their babies, since they could not have any. They are in their 40's, they started the diet when their first rotweiler died of a seizure. Their next rottie is pretty healthy, and they also have some kind of a great dane mix from the shelter- they are both HUGE dogs. These are very crunchy people, think hippie in a business suit.

 

[ByN8ureHomstead]

Quote:
I will never use pine or cedar shavings in my brooders again. I kept losing chicks until I switched to shredded paper.

The cedar shaving I had was a couple of years old so I thought it would be ok. With the pine I still lost way to many. I lost about 75% of my chicks with pine and cedar shaving. I only lost one with the shredded paper and that could of been because it had been in pine shavings.

What's wrong with the pine shavings? Do they eat it?

I read it can cause respiratory problems. http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/guineapigs/a/woodshavings.htm


While I used pine shaving the ones that died looked like they were having problems breathing.

When I started using shredded paper the chicks seemed happier and they stopped dying. We have a paper shredder and we always have paper. I don't want to chance it.

 

[Hawkeye95]

Quote:
What's wrong with the pine shavings? Do they eat it?

I read it can cause respiratory problems. http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/guineapigs/a/woodshavings.htm


While I used pine shaving the ones that died looked like they were having problems breathing.

When I started using shredded paper the chicks seemed happier and they stopped dying. We have a paper shredder and we always have paper. I don't want to chance it.

Thanks! I'm going to buy the pine bedding for later when they are older... BUT I'm also going to give the paper shredding a shot too! That way I'll know for sure. And I know everyone says it gets wet and yucky fast, but I have so much newspaper around here. I'm also going to buy the puppy pee pads to put in for when they first get here. I think I'll be able to see their poop better and check on them better at first. This way- I'll have tried everything and know how it all works out for me.

 

[Konza]

I guess I'm not the only one. Long time no post, but I just had to tell someone (who would care)....

First egg!!