Consolidated Kansas

[justhatchin]

HELLO!! DOES ANYONE CLOSE TO MCPHERSON HAVE A DUCK FOR SALE?

 

[OzawkieBantams]

OMG..............I picked me up a pair of Tree ducks...........$45

 

[chicken danz]

I'm not very close to McPherson but I've got a few I could let go. What are you looking for? Male, female, baby?
Darin are you talking whistling ducks? Where'd you find them? My daughter who lives in Austin had some hanging out in her trees this past summer. That was the first time I'd heard of them.

 

[shotah]

justhatchin, is that a SHOWGIRL?!? Love them! And Danz, I could help get them to Mac if you and I could meet up (provided she wants them

)

 

[Ivywoods]

I just got home from the hospital. As Checoukan said, they found NOTHING on the heart cath! He is scheduled for more tests tomorrow, so he is still in the hospital. I came home to take care of animals and will go back in the morning. He is still having symptoms, but we have no idea what is causing it. It is SO frustrating!

Mike is not one to complain or go to the Dr. unnecessarily. He has lived with pain all his life after an accident at the age of 18 when his brother wrecked the car at a high rate of speed and Mike had a crushed spine, broken sternum, kidney inury and various other injuries that have left him with chronic pain. He broke his arm 3 times and never bothered to go to the Dr. He had a LaForte fracture of his face (Midface disconnected from the rest of his skull) and never even went to the E.R! I know he is a tough, stubborn ole f*rt.

If it wasn't for the shortness of breath now, I don't think he would bother to go to the Dr at all. So he still has the pain, too. I have no doubt that something is wrong. Hopefully we will find more out tomorrow.

I didn't have any more chicks hatched when I got home, but all of the chicks were fine and the goats that are getting close to kidding are still hanging on. I will be checking on them several times tonight. I got a lot of eggs when I got home, but some of them were laid yesterday after we left, so I'm sure they got too cold to hatch.

I've got a few hens that are determined to lay their eggs in the dirt and then walk all over them. The eggs are so dirty then I don't think there is any chance of hatching them. If they would just lay in the nests I wouldn't have this problem. Anyone got any secrets for hatching dirty eggs? Is there something you can do to salvage them. I've not had very good luck trying to hatch eggs that are superpoopy or dirty.

 

[Ivywoods]

Rittert-I would NOT recommend the lakenvelders for kids starting out with poultry. They are a pretty flighty bird. Even after they get older, they settle down and are not as flighty, but they do not like to be handled at all.

I would make some other suggestions, and I will have some very nice chickens later this spring. If you want large fowl for the kids, I would suggest marans. Mine are very friendly and they are large pretty chickens that lay a very dark egg. They take handling fairly well.

If you want bantams, I know you are familiar with the Old English, but the black rosecombs are a very pretty friendly bird, too. I have some bantam black cochins that are very pretty and very docile. They have a lot of feathering on their feet, so if muddy pens are an issue it might not be a good choice.

I know there are other great breeds out there, but those are just what I have. I have quite a few ameraucanas, too, but they are not as friendly as the marans. Of those, the wheatens would probably be the friendliest.

 

[chicken danz]

Ivy I know you are ready for this to be over and settled. I know you must be exhausted mentally and physically. My prayers are with you. I hope they discover what is wrong with Mike and it is something they can fix. I think you need a Dr. House!
When I have muddy eggs like I do right now regardless of where they lay, I just set them on the counter to dry. After drying I take a soft bristled brush and brush off any loose dirt or poo that comes off. They seem to hatch as well as the other eggs. I suppose if they were laying in a mud puddle I wouldn't attempt but otherwise that is the only thing I would do different than normal. I never wash hatching eggs. I want to keep that bloom in tact regardless.

 

[chicken danz]

I just went out and tried to take pictures of the pups again. Wow! It's like chasing moving targets now. It was too dark to get good pics and my flash didn't go off so I will try again in daylight. They were all being very impatient because they wanted dinner, not pictures. They've been jumping out of the dog house then crying and jumping back in. I'm kind of ready for them to start spending time outside. They've become very talented at leaving messes inside and Marshmallow isn't cleaning it up any more. I would so just set them all outside if it wasn't cold and wet out.

 

[OzawkieBantams]

VERNA,
Yes thats what I got. Bought them from LaDonna. I got there last pair. BTW: the hen laid a egg before we got them home.

 

[Ivywoods]

Pic of DH with Runt on the left and Buddy on the right. Buddy does not really like to be in the house, so he probably went right back outside after this picture. Runt will stay in a little longer, but I think if he was in the house when Buddy sounds the alarm he would probably go right through the door, window or wall to get out to help Buddy with a predator. Runt isn't such a runt anymore! He was only about 1/3 the size of the other pups when he was born.