Consolidated Kansas

[rvroman]

Josie,

My dogs got out last year and I made signs within hours of their great escape. Had it not been for me giving one of the printed flyers to the Toll booth guy down the road, he would not have called me 30 minutes later telling me he Just saw one of the pups. SIGNS ARE YOUR FRIEND. I thought for sure I was never going to see my dogs again.

 

[Chickies-duckies-etc]

I agree with the signs, plus letting anyone that is out moving around know. Mail carrier, farmers, etc. When my old dog got loose and went missing, the first person I called was the neighbor cattleman to see if he would ask his workers to watch. It was one of his workers that knocked on my door about noon to say he saw the dog in a field near his house, about 3 miles from me.

I hope by morning, Molly is snug in her dog house.

 

[tweetysvoice]

Thinking about you, Josie and Molly! I hope everyone is right and she just went somewhere else to sleep it off for a while and comes back in the morning!

Getting started working on the coop tomorrow. I'll post pics! We've decided to get a couple rabbit hutches and do some serious modifications to them for the chickens, and a dog house for the ducks. I'll let you know how it goes. I am going to keep the greenhouse because it'll be alright (i guess) as a greenhouse. That set-up will wait till we have the birds set up. I'm so thankful that money isn't an issue right at the moment. It hurts, but will be worth it in the end.

 

[sapphireblu76]

Oh, Josie! I hope she returns soon

I didn't get any work done on the coop today. I went with my DSis and a friend to meet a nice woman and her horses. We groomed 3 of them and fed them. I so missed being around horses, it was well worth the work lost on the coop. I have a lot to do here, but I'm volunteering in exchange for horse back riding. To me it's a win-win. I'll get it all done, just have to be more efficient in my time.

 

[Hawkeye95]

Quote:


Thanks! It does take years, but there are some things that have helped make it easier and quicker for us. If we go on Saturday, we can get compost and free wood chips from the recycle center; they just dump a scoop in the back of the pickup or trailer. We have been able to get a lot of plants from my MIL, who has been at this for much longer than I have. Whenever she needs something thinned out or divided, she lets me know. We got the concrete edging cheaper because it was done by a friend and DH helped him so he didn't have to pay his usual helper. By far the biggest jump start was the small amount of money my mom gave us out of her inheritance when my grandpa died. It was three thousand dollars and I used half to start a Roth IRA and half for landscaping, mostly the rock and gravel and some larger plants. We also never turn down freebies -- rocks, pavers, bricks, landscape timber, anything someone wants hauled away. I'd be happy to divide some plants for you, but I doubt it would be worth the gas it took to get here! The biggest thing I learned from my MIL, and it was hard for me to accept it, is that nothing has to be permanent. She's constantly moving her plants and things around. I learned not to feel like I had to find the perfect place because I can always move it if I think it will be better somewhere else.

I doubt your chickens can be too fat..? I mean, if you are just feeding them layer crumble, they are probably just getting everything they need. It sounds like the other guy has skinny chickens and they aren't getting enough. I don't have family to divide out plants, but every now and then friends will. I got a little Redbud tree last year because a friend had a whole bunch sprout up in her yard. She offered them up on Facebook and tons of people responded. I was one of the first. I got one, she had so many people want one, she counted them and let each person take one. Mine is still living! LOL I know a lot of people are bad gardeners and don't water their trees or do much for them. Mine got root stimulator a few times last summer and water every 3 days. I'll have to keep my eye open on Craigslist for pavers, etc.. I never thought about moving things! Once I plant it, I pretty much consider it a done deal. Have to revise my thinking!

Danz- Still no sign of her.

I feel like I have lost a child out in the woods. I am worried sick and wish she would come home. Is it ridiculous to put signs up tomorrow if she still hasn't showed up?

So sorry Josie!!! Put up those flyers and hopefully someone will have seen her!

Wow, There is so much stuff going on, I really hope that everyone is alright (dogs included).

I have had a CRAZY weekend leading into a CRAZY week. I am still working on getting the garden finished, it is taking a lot more time than I expected, the dogs kept digging in my beds, so we needed fencing. Add 2 toddlers into the mix and we have a TON more work than originally expected.

Here are a couple of pics of the beds so far, along with a few pics of the chicks first exploration outside! We actually almost lost 2, I didn't think they were still small enough to fit through the chain link fencing between ours and the neighbor yards. But all the babes are safe and sound back in the brooder, they did enjoy the freedom though!

Gorgeous beds you have there! I really love your fence!! That is really cute! I should really think about doing something like that! I saw some really pretty metal (looks like wrought iron) fencing at Atwoods that was a decent price. I was envisioning all kinds of places I could put it! I just don't know how much my DH is going to let me do since we might be selling this house. With him losing his job next September... it's left us kind of jumpy about doing too much. Then again... if we stay and I lose this summer's opportunity to do something fun back there... ugh.

 

[Hawkeye95]

Thinking about you, Josie and Molly! I hope everyone is right and she just went somewhere else to sleep it off for a while and comes back in the morning!

Getting started working on the coop tomorrow. I'll post pics! We've decided to get a couple rabbit hutches and do some serious modifications to them for the chickens, and a dog house for the ducks. I'll let you know how it goes. I am going to keep the greenhouse because it'll be alright (i guess) as a greenhouse. That set-up will wait till we have the birds set up. I'm so thankful that money isn't an issue right at the moment. It hurts, but will be worth it in the end.

http://www.orschelnfarmhome.com/chicken-coop-rabbit-hutch/ctl16754/cp59752/si5879535/cl1/

This is the chicken coop that Orscheln's sells. It's $199 and it's cute!

ETA: edited to add that I will only be spending about $100 on my brother's coop and it's a LOT larger than this.... If you change your mind, I can run out and give you cut dimensions and exact lumber bought

 

[chicken danz]

Hawkeye, the trailer is an office trailer. Just looks like a trailer house but without all the cabinets and plumbing. It has 3 rooms and I plan to use two of those rooms for the chicken runs. No, I ran out of time and didn't get anything done with it yesterday. Today and the rest of the week is going to be super busy. I have several appointments every day to keep. I sure hope I can keep track of where and when I am supposed to be.
I caught and sold 15 guineas this morning. That wasn't much fun. The gal that came obviously didn't have clue what she was getting into. Her husband told her to come buy them. (he is working in Canada right now.) All she had to do was close the door on the kennel while I caught them but I could tell it was a bit freaky for her. I can't complain. More money into my project fund and I have one more pen empty now! Of course it rained a little so my wet dogs were leaning up against her. She definitely wasn't dressed for wrangling guineas.
Josie, please tell me your dog came home!!
RV, that looks really great. What a nice garden area. I would so love to put up a nice fence but I just can't afford to do so with the area I need to do. I measured it last week and it was 680 lineal feet, and that is just across the front of the yard and down a 180 feet on one side. I am wondering if I'll ever get my garden tilled. DH is working and he wants to get those post holes drilled first so that means the tiller is on hold.
I have someone coming for ducks here in a little bit. I've had so many calls I have no idea which ones they are wanting. I really am tired of people saying they are coming and then never showing or calling. I waited all day yesterday for a lady to call who said she was on her way. It wouldn't be that big of a deal except I need to work in time for my Mom and Dad too. Waiting for someone is keeping me from seeing them.
Then I had another person say they wanted 25 chicks on Friday and talked to them this morning and had bought 100 over the weekend.
Cherwill, a chicken won't be too far unless it is so big it's legs won't support them.
I just had a call from a guy wanting 50 guinea chicks. Wish I had some ready to hatch by now!

 

[pikeman94]

I saw this at Orschlen's as well. Too bad it isn't bigger! I am going to have to upgrade aka build a slightly bigger/better designed coop this summer. The one I have I built from free plans on the Interwebz, but the plans were from a guy in Australia. The biggest issue is that it is leaky (could have been how I did the cuts) and that it doesn't winter well. I am thinking about building the Catawba coop as it will hold up to 8 hens. That or convert the batter kids playhouse to a coop and build the kids a new playhouse. I have the cost of the Catawba coop at $120 for the lumber. That isn't too bad for an ark.

On to other topics, everyone that is sick get better! Everyone else that has a lost critter or some chaos in your life there is a light at the end of the tunnel and it isn't a train

I am crazy busy with this crazy weather! My hops have sprouted a month and a half too early. I will have to cut them back this week so they harvest at the correct time. Then on top of that the rhizome harvest was overwhelmingly better than expected! My buddies and I were able to completely populate all available plots. We have about 30 extra rhizomes that I have been busy selling. The good news is that the funds from that will go towards much needed project builds such as a fermentation cabinet and oasts for drying this Fall's harvest. Can't wait to get building!

I need to get back to the grind!

http://www.orschelnfarmhome.com/chicken-coop-rabbit-hutch/ctl16754/cp59752/si5879535/cl1/

This is the chicken coop that Orscheln's sells. It's $199 and it's cute!

ETA: edited to add that I will only be spending about $100 on my brother's coop and it's a LOT larger than this.... If you change your mind, I can run out and give you cut dimensions and exact lumber bought

 

[Trish44]

Josie, I hope Molly returns soon, I know you're worried sick. I agree the more people that know to watch out for her the better. When you get her back you should get her chipped so if she gets lost again someone can find her owner.

Danz, I can empathize with your frustration on having people say they're coming & don't show up. I'm on several swap sites on FB & people do that all the time. I don't understand why people have no regard for others & can't at least make a phone call if they're not going to make it. If I say I"m going to be somewhere I will be there & if I'm not I do let people know.

Hawkeye, no the car is a Chrysler 300 Limited, it's the same model we had before only a different color & lots more bells & whistles & brand new from the factory where the other one wasn't when we got it. There are some things to get used to, but I think once we do we will really be happy with it. Everything is computer run now, so in the middle of the dash instead of the radio there is a computer touch screen where you control about everything. We can hook it up to our smart phones by bluetooth & calls come in on that so it's handsfree. We got a couple calls from Keena on Monday when we were on our way to her house to pick up my rooster & it is really easy to answer & talk on. She said there wasn't any echo or anything & we were on speaker. We got Sirius Sat. radio free for a year too & DH really likes that.

Well it's raining here today so there won't be any work outside, blah. I have things I can do inside, but I really need to get that other rabbit hutch done before it's 90 degrees again permanently. I haven't even started getting my garden ready either, I'm way behind on that, just too much going on lately. I have to get things ready for the furniture coming in two days also. It looks like I'm going to have to move a whole bookcase of books to make room for the recliners we bought. We just have a very small room that we use for the TV room because of the way the house is built. I can't put the furniture out in the sunroom part because the sun would ruin anything you put out there. I don't like to put shades or anything over the windows because I have a lot of plants in there & it's passive solar too.

 

[Trish44]

Oh, I forgot to mention that I put 14 eggs in the hatcher today, so we'll see in a couple days how it comes out. I have a feeling most of what is going to hatch are going to be EEs & not many Ameraucanas, but we'll see. I have more eggs still in the incubator & some coming in the mail that should be here any day. That should be interesting too to see if they made it live here through the mail or if they got shaken to death.