Consolidated Kansas

[chicken danz]

Wher've you been, Konza? Haven't seen a post from you in a long time. Yep you can't beat the GPs. Do you still have your guineas? Did they do a good job for you this summer?

 

[Konza]

Oh, I've been lurking. I might post more now that it's wintertime. A whole lot less daytime and most of it too cold to do anything good with. Unfortunately we're down to 3 guineas. We lost one early that got stuck between a wall and stock tank and beat itself to death, and then last month a hawk or owl cured the remaining 5 of their obsession with roosting in a cedar by killing two of them.

At least now they go back into the coop at night, no questions asked. Now I don't have to fret about losing them all in an ice storm or something. The last 3 are all males, you can tell by how quiet it is now. No more females running around yelling Jeff-REY! Jeff-REY! Jeff-REY*! So I might have to come get a few more from you next spring, they've really grown on us. We have a video of the time we brought out a mirror for them to play with. It was more popular than football at the family Thanksgiving! I'd love to upload it for you but satellite internet has really tight restrictions on how much data you can upload, and I don't want to get in hot water with them AGAIN.

*DH,

 

[ChooksChick]

Quote:
Hilarious!! I thought they said "Day-VID! Day-VID!" That's my friend's hubby- she has to have them and I live vicariously, as my hubby's name is only one syllable: Rick.

So, since everyone is having issues with injury and illness, it was my turn.

Friday night I forgot to close the pop door on the Ameraucana pen, and apparently something decided to attack one of my Silkied Ams. She is just at POL, too!! She didn't tell me though, so with the lack of any display, I had no idea she had an injured leg and small wound in front of her tail.

Today she came out of the coop and sat down. Her one leg is BRIGHT GREEN. Robin's egg bright.

I took her to the vet and waited for them to tell me it was gangrenous, but it's just the way the bruise looks on a blue skinned bird. She's on baytril, metacam, and saline rinse. I hope it works out and doesn't take her from me...

For what it's worth, the insulated overalls are the finest investment a girl can make. They have them for women at TSC, and they are wonderful. If you're smaller you can even wear the kids' XL. With them, I often go without a coat- even in this weather, with just a couple of layers and my big wool sweater. I also wear fur mukluks and my feet never EVER get cold.

 

[Ivywoods]

Jeff-REY Jeff-REY
Da-VID Da-VID
Buck-WHEAT Buck-WHEAT
I always thought it sounded like Coo-CRACK Coo-CRACK

Whatever they are saying those guinea hens are NOISY! Konza I wish you could upload that video. I'll bet it would be hilarious.

I love my crazy, noisy guineas. They are such fun to watch.

Chooks, I'm going to check out those overalls at TSC next time I'm in town. It's so darn cold and WINDY I don't even like going outside. I do have warm hunting clothes, but I don't like to wear those out to the barn.

--That's me hiding from the wind and turning blue!

With my crazy hours I'm often on the computer at 3, 4 and 5:00 in the morning. The problem with that is there is usually no one else on here about that time. Gets kind of lonesome that time of the morning!

 

[Hawkeye95]

Quote:
Funny!!!! ACK--- I woke up to snow on the ground!!! I need to make these ASAP!!! I'm such a procrastinator!!

 

[Hawkeye95]

Oh this picture is so cute!!! What a great dog they have!

Quote:

 

[Hawkeye95]

OH- and the theory that a light on outside will deter predators. It's bunk. I meant to tell you last night, that the night before I had a pack of coyotes wake me bolt up right out of bed. We have a large covered patio off the back of our house and in the eaves, we have the LED rope lighting all around it. (lots of it!) It makes a nice glow that we leave on all night long, lights it up really well, and doesn't use a lot of electricity. Anyway, the coyotes came right up to the back and were howling and yipping right there in the lights. They didn't mind those lights at all and it looked to me that they were sniffing around my turkey pen under the deck. No turkey, she was put up. But that sure had me worried that they had passed the barrier of the pasture fencing and came into our back yard. And not even being quiet about it either! I thought that was a lot of nerve. I didn't even bother trying to hunt down a gun, too cold, and I just went back to bed since I knew everyone was safe.

 

[chicken danz]

Here's my popcorn tin heater. Not fancy but cost $0.

Here is my dog bowl heater and my food warmer heater. Also $0. I wasn't trying to be artistic, just getting them thrown together and waterproof.

 

[chicken danz]

Konza, I held back several grown guineas to sell next spring that will be ready to eat bugs. I sold 6 (hopefully all females) to Chooks for a friend. I think I am going to keep most of the females I have left and sell the males. With those girls I should be producing about 40 guinea chicks a week once they get started if all goes as planned. So needless to say I should have plenty.
Hawkeye, I wonder if having the light on the pens helps if it is motion activated? Don't know, like you said it could be total bunk.
I didn't need that fancy of light socket for the popcorn tin heater but that is what I had. I guess I can shut off the light if I really need to with that pull string. Can't imagine using the plug for anything though. I think it will work great for the 5 gallon heater.
With the predator population this winter I am thinking that both myself and Candace should have a good market for pups. Now that I've decided that I want to have those pups my female probably didn't stick! Would be just my luck!

 

[notiones]

It's going to be pretty cold tonight. They are forecasting a low of 10 in town, which means it may get down to 5 where I am at. Is anyone using a heat lamp tonight? I haven't used one yet, but I noticed the ladies were in no hurry to leave the coop this morning.