Consolidated Kansas

[chicken danz]

So HAWKEYE, did you try feeding that pigeon and giving it some water? I'd certainly rather have a few pigeons around than these awful starlings. My neighbor said he had a 20 gauge and some bird shot I could use on the starlings.I may have to take him up on it. They are making this place a poop farm, not to mention all the feed and water they go through. They even manage to make it through the 1 inch chicken wire.

 

[Ivywoods]

OH Danz! M DH says we will take them ALL! Gee... wish we could. It sure will be hard to choose. When I saw that picture I just wanted to lay down on that blanket with them and let them crawl all over me! What a bunch of cuties. I can hardly wait to see them.

Rittert- I've read several different references to dosages for large birds and bantams. I've read anywhere from .2 to .5 cc's for large birds, but only .2 to .25 cc's for bantams. Since you probably have an active infestation of mites I would go ahead and use the larger dose (.25cc's.) For routine treatments back down to the .2 cc's. I know that is enough to work for me.

Hawkeye- The way I am incubating this year when I get 12 eggs I put them in the incubator. Since I don't have turners I just turn the carton from side to side in the incubator. I write on the end of the carton when I put them in so I know when to put them in lockdown. I do that on day 19. I keep my eggs on the basement floor under the table where the incubators are. It's the coolest place in the house. I turn them when I turn my eggs in the incubator. I've always heard it is good to turn them. I don't know, maybe it doesn't help, but it can't hurt. I think it's concievable that they could start to stick before they go in the incubator, but I think it's highly ulnlikely unless the eggs are really old and starting to dessicate, in which case they wouldn't hatch, anyway. Nevertheless, I turn them before they go in the incubator and I've started turning them even more often than I used to when they are in the incubator.

As far as age, I try not to let any of them age past 2 weeks before I put them in the incubator.

 

[Trish44]

Keena,

& to the Consolidated Kansas thread, glad to have you! Feel free to jump in any time, we talk about a little of everything here. If you have any questions feel free to ask & hopefully someone will have the answer or can lead you to where to find it.

Danz, I feel for you with those starlings, I used to have to deal with them when I lived in Derby, they're a mess. I would do whatever I had to in order to get rid of them, they're probably bringing diseases to your chickens. Thank goodness I haven't had any here since I moved here. We have lots of blackbirds at times that can get kind of annoying because they're noisy & try to take over, but haven't had as many this year for some reason. I was reading on the Kansas Poultry Swap site that the sales they have in Yoder are really good. I may have to try to make it one month to that. It's a ways to drive there, but if it was productive I guess it might be worth it. I really would like to find some leghorns to add to my layer flock just for egg production. I would love to get some of those from that sale, but it's just too far to drive for only a few hens. If anyone else was going up there from down this way I would go along & share gas. I just don't have a truck that will make it very far to haul a bunch of chickens back in. Our old truck is just that OLD & we only use it to haul things around here close or get us to town if it snows a lot in the winter. We just don't drive it far any more.

Hawkeye, congrats on the eggs, that's exciting that you're going to incubate some. I'm still waiting on my Ameraucanas to start laying again. They have been pretty upset with me over being put in the dog run with Blackie & all of the other chickens are out running around. I hope they lay soon though because I've already had people asking me for chicks.

 

[chicken danz]

Ivy, like I need them, I just put in an order via email for 10 of those KSU hens. I'll have to get housing ready for them before that. I hate to drive that far for 10 birds so maybe I can figure out some trades on the way or something. It's too bad its a Tuesday. If it were a weekend I could go visit my son and daughter in law. Drat! It's really not cost effective to drive that far.
I have one couple who bought a pup last litter coming down to choose their puppy this coming weekend. I think it is a little soon because they haven't really developed personalities yet. They want one with a full mask.I have my own choice narrowed down to one of three. I still haven't told DH I'm keeping a pup! Yikes.

 

[Ivywoods]

Well, since we will be picking some up and coming back this way, maybe we could pick yours up and you could meet us in Topeka on the way back. Would something like that work for you?

Ivy, like I need them, I just put in an order via email for 10 of those KSU hens. I'll have to get housing ready for them before that. I hate to drive that far for 10 birds so maybe I can figure out some trades on the way or something. It's too bad its a Tuesday. If it were a weekend I could go visit my son and daughter in law. Drat! It's really not cost effective to drive that far.
I have one couple who bought a pup last litter coming down to choose their puppy this coming weekend. I think it is a little soon because they haven't really developed personalities yet. They want one with a full mask.I have my own choice narrowed down to one of three. I still haven't told DH I'm keeping a pup! Yikes.

 

[Hawkeye95]

I'm now up to 4 eggs! My little splash was sitting and sitting this morning and making those constant clucking noises that gives me a heads up. She's been really nesting. She has a nice place in there all kicked up and takes her wings and drags all the chips around her. It's cute! She doesn't seem too thrilled about me taking her eggs. Anyway, that means both of my girls layed today! YAY!! I put them outside under the deck in the pen Seymore used to have yesterday. They love it and they were in the sun most of the day yesterday. I think that helped them both lay this today-- since they've only been laying every other day or every 3 days. I've gotten eggs every day for the last 3 days. I'll be excited to see if my splash passes on the red leakage. I sure hope not! My cockerel has no leakage... so maybe that will help?!?? The silkie thread said it was possible the babies would be fine, but not likely. Her babies will probably have the red showing through... but never know 'till you try! They also said that it could be fine in either sex-- so I could have perfect girls or boys-- but not both. I find this whole thing so FUN!!

Okay--- so once I put them in the incubator, they go in with the little end DOWN and the big end up, right??

Danz, thanks for the tips-- I'll be sure not to go past 10 days on my collection. Worst case, I can add in more and they'll just be a day late.. or just starting eating eggs again! What kind of bands do you use on your guineas? Metal or plastic? I assume you have to crimp them on, and then write them down in a log book to keep track of who they are (male/female, age...). I'll need to start this too. I haven't fed the pigeon yet-- I think he's eating out of Seymore's feed fount near my rose bushes. I have her water and feeder there to protect her from the wind. The little tiny birds have also found it too. Frustrating! They eat all the feed before Seymore can get to it. I don't mind feeding the pigeon though-- I feel terrible for it. I kind of think that the bird that died on me was it's partner. Other wise... why would it be here hanging out here for the last several days?

Trish, I hope your Ameracaunas start to lay soon. Then we can see how much we like our Brinsea's. I'm guess I just plug it in and it should be ready to go? I probably should plug it in today or tomorrow and let it run and see what temp it gets up to.

Ivy-- wow, I didn't realize these eggs can be stored for so long! Two weeks, hu? I'm going to try to get at least 10 or 12 before I put them in. If I mess it up, I'll hope to get at least two so they wont be alone. The basement probably is the best place to put them. I might move mine down there if I start to worry about them getting too warm.

 

[cherwill]

Justhatchin', thanks for posting the pictures! I'm so glad he's working out for you. We'll certainly let you know if we want some chicks; we were thinking maybe this year, but probably next year. That way our flock isn't all the same age.

Danz, those puppies just keep getting cuter!

Welcome to all the new people. I lurked around for probably a year before doing much, but this is a very friendly board and I learn a lot from it.

 

[Ivywoods]

NOTICE NOTICE!
The date on the KSU website was an error! The pickup date is April 21 which is a Saturday.
Danz-I'm glad you said something about it being on a Tuesday. I had read somewhere else that the open house was the 21st, which is my son's birthday. The pullet sale page however DID say the 17th. I called them just now to clarify and I was told it definitely IS the 21st along with the open house. They said they will try to get their webpage corrected right away.

The offer is still open to pick some up for you if you want to meet me in Topeka on the way back.

 

[bnica1958]

Hawkeye.
Yes just and the eggs small end down.We save our eggs no more than 10 days, it seems after that hatch rates go down.And DO NOT BE DISAPOINTED at your hatch rate this time of year because the birds are not as fertile as in the spring.Just natures way I guess.We have had our bater running ever since Feburary of last year, not been shut down yet.Only got 1 running over winter though because it is so addicting.Have fun with it good or bad it is a great experience. Excuse my typing this is why I never post much.

 

[chicken danz]

Ivy my email got returned undeliverable. I cut and copied the address they have on the site. So then I called them and got a recording so I'm waiting for a return call. Once it get around to deciding on something I want it done! Yeah I could meet you but I wouldn't want to inconvenience you. Did you order yours yet. I decided I need some dedicated layers to replace some of the ones I hope to have separated for breeding.
Hawkeye I would plug in your incubator and monitor it for at least 24 hours to watch to make sure the temperature stays level. Initially you will probably get some temperature swings as it regulates itself.
As far as bands go I have several sizes of metal bands that are numbered. You can keep records with the numbers for testing, age, or whatever. I ban a lot of stuff with different colored little bity tie wraps. I just slip them on and cut off the excess. In this case I was banding females so could tell them from the boys. The metal bands I bought from Cutler's supply and they don't require a tool to fasten them. They are just metal without color though. I would much rather have colored bands. For NPIP testing you should have a record of each number and when it was tested.
My stupid white Serama rooster keeps escaping every time I open the cage door. He has 5 hens to service and he just wants out of there. Maybe he is gay! I just slapped together a little nest box hoping that the girls will adjust and use it.
I have been watching my diamond doves sit on eggs. Now all the sudden today they vacated the nest. I am thinking maybe the eggs weren't fertile since these are their first and they decided it was time to get off of them. What a disappointment! There were 4 eggs in there.