Consolidated Kansas

[rittert3]

IIIII'MMMM BAAACK!!! BTW Looks wonderful hawkeye!!!

I'll be back to catch up later.

 

[Hawkeye95]

Thanks Trish and Danz-- I sure wish I had arrived at this point a couple of months ago when it was still warm. Sigh. That ladder was so hard to build! I had to use my feet and knees and really do acrobats in there to screw in one side and then do the other. Not easy without a helping hand. I made the 2 inch side of the board flat-- more roomy to roost on for them. I hope they like that ladder, I plan on it being sort of over-flow or a nice get away for those that don't make it to alpha. Plus, I think the silkies can roost on that low of a ladder. The main roost is no higher than about 3ft or so. We'll see how it works out. I can always change it in the Spring when it warms up and I see how they like to use things in there. I'm sitting here with my little electric desk heater blowing on me to warm me back up. Brrr.. I hate dark dreary days like this.

Danz, I sure hope you don't have any losses. Too bad I'm not closer, I'd sure be happy to help you out. You'll have to write out specific food and water directions for each pen and how they need to be closed up at night. Good luck with your surgery tomorrow, I've already prayed for you, but I will do so again in the morning! Pray that you do well and that your surgeon is on his game and does a fantastic job!

I have two hawks flying low and roosting in a tree nearby right now. They have circled and dived into the lawn, but come up empty handed. Not sure what they are going for. Seymore is hunkering down and being really quiet. But I think she's pretty safe under the deck. For ONCE she hasn't escaped her pen to roam around today. What about the chicks in the horse stall?? Do you think those hawks would come in the barn and get them? I have only one side fully enclosed with wire and the other side is only half way-- I never got around to finishing the top in wire. I'm going to bring them in early since it seems like everyone is on the hunt today. Sure will be glad when they are in the coop. Maybe tomorrow?!?!

Sure was hoping/thinking it might be today! I need to go get more shavings anyway, so I think I'll pick all of that up tomorrow morning (after Preschool drop off) and just get 'er done!

 

[Hawkeye95]

Quote:
Nice to see you back! I sure hope your move went smoothly and you all are settled in again.

Oh, and thanks!!!

 

[chicken danz]

Rittert, How did the move go? Are you liking your new place.
It's predator season. All of them are stocking up on food. It isn't a good sign. I would think they sense some nasty weather. There is just nothing out there to eat. My chickens and ducks have been way out in the field and in the pasture today. Regardless of how much food I give them they think they have to hunt down their food. I sure hope my dogs are keeping an eye on things. Most of the chickens have moved in and gone to their coops or pens already. I think it is dark enough they believe its about bedtime.

 

[Ivywoods]

Hawkeye-The coop is looking awesome! I hope you are able to get everyone moved in tomorrow!

Danz- Best wishes for your surgery tomorrow. I will be thinking of you and saying some prayers for you.

Rittert-How are things going? Do you have a place for some chickens yet? I never thought I would say this, but I have one chicken in the house right now. She is in a cage, and you know, it's not as bad as I thought it would be. Maybe you could make room for some "house chickens." This one happens to be a silver duckwing old english that I'm keeping an eye on, but there are a lot of little bantams, including the seramas that would make good house chickens.

Hello to everyone else and all you lurkers.

I'm getting ready to make some modifications to some of my pens for the winter. I bought some low watt light bulbs and a thermocube and I'm going to put a little extra heat in all of my cages in the barn. I had plans of getting it done this afternoon, but I've been really under the weather today, so I will get going on it tomorrow. It gets so stinking cold here in the winter I'm really kind of concerned about some of my smallest bantams being warm enough. I think the seramas and OE's will really appreciate the extra heat.

I lost a beautiful little silver duckwing old english the other day. I had bought a trio in Sedalia when I was there. Of course the first thing I thought about was something that would sweep through my entire barn, even though this trio was isolated. She had nothing in her croup, so I was not sure why she hadn't eaten. She was almost dead when I found her, but in spite of my efforts she died shortly after that. The next day I went out and found the other hen looking not-so-good. I brought her in, treated her with antibiotics and made sure she took a drink. She looked better shortly, but this morning she didn't looks very good. I gave her some more water and put some VetRx on her, and she looks pretty good now. She took off and started drinking like she hadn't drank for days and is scratching aorund and eating like normal. I was sick when I lost the other little hen, and I would have been really sick if I had lost this one, too. I think it has just been too drastic of a change in the weather for them. These guys came out of a line of birds from down south, and I just think they needed more time to acclimate. I guess we will see how they do.

 

[checoukan]

Hi everyone!

Not much going on here in SEK. Dreary, chilly, and damp. I hope the weather man is wrong and we don't get all the rain they are calling for. 5 to 7 inches is just to much!

danz, may you have a speedy recovery, and back on your feet in no time at all.

hawkeye, wonderful job. Your babies and going to be so spoiled!!

ivy, I went into the vet's office and bought you 7and 1/2 cc's of baytril. I will get it to you.

ritter, glad you are back on line.

Now, for my chicken camp. All birds are doing just fine. Hens are slowing down on laying. Miss the eggs, and so do my customers. Plan on buying some more hens if I can find them.

My duck that was attacked by a hawk, finely came off the pond.

She was bleeding really bad down her leg, but I really did not know how long the hawk had a hold of her. Anyway, she got away from the hawk when we drove in, so I put her on the pond dam she swam out and has stayed on water until this evening. I figured the cold water would stop the bleeding anyway. She stayed out on the pond for at least 5 days without coming in, I knew a hawk would not attach her on the water. She came in with the rest of the ducks and ate tonight. So I think she will survive.

All this talk about incubators, really is getting my itch to start hatching, but my show birds are not laying yet, course, I have not had the lights on them either. Won't do that until after the first of the year.

 

[Trish44]

Danz, I will be keeping you in my thoughts & prayers in the next days. I hope things go well & you're back on your feet in no time.

Hawkeye, you will have to celebrate when you move your chickies into their new coop! I would keep them in if you don't have a secure place until they can go in the coop. There are just too many hungry things out & about. Even when I thought mine were safe in a chain link pen, they weren't & they were mostly grown chickens then. Good luck with building your run, you'll have to show us pics along the way.

IVY, I hope your little hen gets better soon, I'm glad you found her in time.

Today has just been crazy for me, I've been running all day long. Finally I get to sit down for a little bit & take a breather. I had to run to Ark City today & get feed & pine shavings so I could fill the feeders since I used it all yesterday. I've also been trying to get everything ready for my two new pups coming Saturday. We got straw yesterday & I got the dog run & dog house all nice & cozy for them & then today I got another tarp put on the north side to block the wind. The dog run sits about 18 inches from the chicken run, so that helps block a lot of the wind. I had gotten a heated dog water bowl already, so I'll put that in there & today I got a rubber food bowl for them that I don't think they can chew up. I can't wait to go get them. This is going to be the busiest, craziest week, but I get to see my son who lives in Oklahoma City & my granddaughter, so it will be good even if it all is going to be very tiring.

IVY, none of the hens I got from you are laying yet, hopefully some of them will start soon. I have seen one of the little Lakenvelders practicing sitting in the next box, so maybe it won't be too long. So far only my two Barred Rocks & 2 Red Stars are laying, but it's been pretty consistent. My chickens pretty much are all ready to go in & roost by about 4:30 in the afternoon now. I give them their treat, usually BOSS, sometimes oatmeal & yogurt, they expect it from me before they go to bed every night. That's kind of how I have gotten them all to go in & now whenever I come out the front door they all come running to see what I have for them. I have a bunch of cats outside for mousers too & they try to get in on the treats too if I have given the chickens something they like. Sometimes the cats & chickens are eating together, it's pretty funny to see.

 

[Hawkeye95]

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Oh Ivy, I sure hope your little OE is going to pull thru. I'm glad to hear she is looking and acting better. Poor little girl. I hope you are right and it's just the acclimation she is having a hard time with. I'm with you-- I could totally have a house bird! This new little cockerel has me by the heart! He is so sweet. He's in an extra large dog kennel in the garage to quarantine him, but he looks fine to me. I keep bringing him in the house and sitting down with him, he just loves to snuggle and talk to us. He promptly closes his eyes when you pet him and relaxes. I'm tempted to get a chicken diaper for him!! LOL So sweet of your sister to get you the Baytril! That is the stuff that saved my turkey this summer when she had heat stroke and then nearly died and then was on the edge for days afterwards.

 

[Hawkeye95]

Quote:
I don't think we're getting that much rain- it seems like you all out there in SEK always get more rain than we do! So sorry about your duck, but it does sound like she'll be okay now! That is amazing that they can recover like that! OKay... I have to say it!! (sorry) She's one Lucky Duck! heheheheee! I'm glad all of you are incubating pros- when I get started I'm sure I'm going to be a crazy woman with worry again! LOL!

 

[Ivywoods]

Thanks, Rosie. When I called here, they acted like they shouldn't give any out. Said they didn't know if they had any or not. I was talking to one of the young girls that works at the desk, so who knows how much she really knows. The vet was out on a large animal call or something.

Anyway, my SDOE is looking and acting much better. I checked on the little roo again and he seems to be doing fine. No problems there. It sure had me worried for a while, and I am still a little worried, but I think they are going to be okay. It will be good to have the baytril here just in case.

When I went out to the barn I saw that my little seramas were not gathered around the cookie tin heater like usual. The two I have separated always huddle up in the back of their pen, but when I checked the bigger pen I discovered the light bulb in the cookie tin had burned out. Gotta get a new one. At least it is not as cold out there as it had been and there is hardly any breeze so I think the barn will be warm enough for them tonight.