Consolidated Kansas

[Hawkeye95]

Josie, thanks, I got the chick moved out to the brooder this morning. He spent the night in the incubator since he was still too wobbly to go out. He's NOW (edited because I said 'not') eating and drinking and trying to keep up, but he's really clumsy.

Trish, glad your reunion went well and you had a good time. I've not gone to any of mine, it's not a big priority. I can't see myself ever going, actually. How are your turkeys doing now? I hope they are running around like they should be. Hope you had fun with your grand daugther yesterday.

Roman, those pictures are ADORABLE!! Sooo cute, I love the curls your little ones have! What about 7 Dust on your plants? It's supposed to be safe. Anyway, that is what I use.

WichitaKidd, uh oh! Sorry about your rooster! That is a real bummer. I'm so glad Wichita even allows chickens, but it is a bummer that roosters are not allowed. It really shouldn't be that big of a deal. I LOVE hearing my roos. How is your nest box holding up? We got a pretty decent rain last night.

Medawinks-- love, love Polish! I don't know what the first pic you posted was, but i recognized the white crested black polish in the second. I have several of them, they really band together and don't do much at ALL with the bigger birds. In fact, the bigger birds really pick on my polish terribly. Do keep an eye on them. I'm glad they have numbers on their side so that the bigger girls don't always pick on the same exact one over and over. They had all of their tails plucked out and their crests are always a target. I solved my mean-girl problem by buying Pinless Peepers for my meanies (barred rocks and wyandottes). They look like blinders (or sunglasses) and now my Polish have their tails and crests coming back in again. Do you have a picture of your chicken garden? It sounds really cute.

Danz, you're going to make yourself sick if you don't get some sleep and take it easy for a day. You are such a hard worker. I'm glad all of your eggs were eaten! I would not have wanted to bring all of that back home, either! LOL You made up a ton! But deviled eggs are like candy, I think-- people just can't stop eating them! I put sweet pickle relish and Dill in mine along with the usual mustard and mayo.

Karen-- what did you get done??? So curious now!!

Yesterday for us was crazy! We had 2 birthday parties (one was a last minute throw together at my MIL's house). My oldest son got to spend some fun time with his friends at a birthday party yesterday. They walked to the park (gosh, living in town does have it's benefits!) and then came back for presents and cake. After that, we left and went straight over to my MIL's. It worked out fine. I'm glad she was willing to work around our schedule. I guess in the end, she had no choice since my BIL really wanted my DH (his brother) to be there. I got almost all the lawn mowed yesterday. I'm glad because it rained pretty darned good last night here. I'm glad though, everything needed watering!

 

[Hawkeye95]

Hello!

I don't post on here much--more of a lurker--but I'm from Lawrence and I have a small backyard flock. Along with a few friends, I'm trying to drum up some support to get the Lawrence chicken ordinance amended in response to the city shutting down chick sales at Orsch this year. While the city may be correct about the "black letter law" of the ordinance, enforcing it against feed stores is ridiculous. Further, as a chicken enthusiast (wow, I sound like a nerd now, yes?), it's a hassle to have to drive to another town to get chicks.

As I said, just trying to drum up support for an amendment (and perhaps, if needed, warm bodies to attend a city council meeting). If you are in the area and you're interested in helping, would you email me please? My email address is blackbird13(at)gmail(dot)com.

Thanks!

--Meryl

We have several people in this thread that live in Lawrence. Hopefully you can rally some support. Welcome to the thread and feel free to jump in on the conversations!

I envy all you folks getting your gardens planted. I love to garden, but with all my projects and work I know I don't have time to keep a garden up. I did get my wagon wheel planter planted with flowers again, and it looks good. I'll have to get pictures again once the flowers get good and established in there. Some of you may remember it is made from the old steel wheels and axle that were under what is now my layer hen coop. It had originally been a horsedrawn blacksmith wagon. I have a lot of flowers blooming right now.... lots of peonies, iris, roses, climatis and a few others. I did get a "little" weeding done today!

I also managed to do a little more work on my cages. I got my silver duckwing old english that I am growing out moved into their new digs, and several of the large fowl I am growing out (ameraucanas, marans and some others). I still have some work to do on the cages, but I think they are working out great.

MY FIRST TWO ROYAL PALM TURKEYS HATCHED TODAY!!!

They hatched early and were still in the turning trays. They are so sweet. I noticed this evening when I put them in the brooder they felt SO SOFT and downy feeling.

Heavier than chicks of course, but softer feeling. Fortunately, no "flip over" problems so far.

So far, my garden has been pretty easy to maintain. I think it's helped that I have a raised bed. It's harder for weeds to get into it. BUt they still do, of course, just not as bad. I used the rail road ties for mine. I remember your flower bed set up with the wagon wheels. So cute! CONGRATS on your RP poults!!!! So exciting!!! Post a pic!!!!

I spent some quality time with the chicks out in the pen today. They were so excited to see me, they came out of the pen as soon as I opened the door. I didn't have to worry, though, they were right on my heels, following the bucket back in, lol!

On the down side, I think Sarge ate all my eggs today. I will know for sure tomorrow. Any idea how to break him of this? I have upped his food, he's well-fed, so I don't know what the deal is. The only idea I have is to put the shock collar on him and bait him with eggs. Then, hide and not say a word and just shock him when he goes for them. Hopefully, I can get this darn coop finished soon, then it won't be a problem, because he won't be able to get in. But for now, if he is eating them, he's costing me money and food that needs to go on the table (I only have 5 hens that lay 4-5 eggs/day right now).

So funny-- my birds do that every day! I open the door and they rush right out into the yard, but then I walk in with the feed and they all come screeching back in to be the first one to get the treats! Oh no about your dog eating eggs!! Wow... where have we heard this before? hehe!! Maybe Trish can give you some advice, but I think it finally boiled down to the fact that her dogs grew too large to fit thru the cattle panels she put up to stop them.. ??? I guess get to moving on that coop!! Sounds like that might really be your ONLY solution.

 

[chicken danz]

Well it stormed like crazy last night all night. I haven't been out to check the babies in the brooder or the baby ducks. I'm almost afraid to. I had left the windows open on the brooder for air flow. I sure hope the two heat lamps I left running are keeping it warm enough in there.
I hatched out my first three pheasants yesterday. Two lady Amhurst and a Red golden. Unfortunately they hatched in the incubator and the turner had smashed the red golden chick. None of the other eggs in that group were fertile. The Red Goldens are just yearlings so I've gotten very few eggs from them yet. The males don't even have their adult colors yet. I also had some more guineas hatch in the incubator. I am getting terrible about keeping up with dates these days. One of them jumped to the bottom of the bator and has splayed leg. I tried to fix it so I guess we'll see if it works. I haven't had much luck with that yet.
I hatched several chicks as well from my barnyard piles.
Sapphire, eating eggs is one thing GPs are really good at. I don't even worry about it much with my dogs because it just makes their coats shiny. They eventually get tired of them and quit. My pup is better at grabbing them and then she just lays them down after while rather than eating them. The big dogs don't bother them any more for the most part. You might try the shock collar but I'd only use it if he is getting eggs and not if he is just getting in the pen. You wouldn't want to discourage him from being with the chickens. After all he needs to feel free to go in and rip a coon or possum to shreds if they get that far.
I think I finally did it last night. I was literally very sick last evening. I wasn't sure what was wrong because I felt sick all over. I was kind of afraid I was having a heart attack or a stroke or something because I had never felt quite that before. I think it was a culmination of exhaustion and all my joints, back, and neck throbbing in pain. I didn't feel like eating but finally ate something about 9:30 and actually got to feeling somewhat better. I am sore and hurting this morning but otherwise feeling ok. I slept good for the first time in a week even with the storms going on all night.
DH got all the metal on the new building yesterday except the apron on the front, The end panels on each side of the roof and the wrap around pieces that going around the front corners. With all the rain last night I don't see my stupid post holes being drilled for a few days. D--- it! Those poor peacocks are never going to get out of that stupid horse trailer. I imagine the owner is probably wanting it back too.

 

[Ivywoods]

Mornin' folks!

Danz-glad you got a good nights sleep. It sounds like some good progress is being made on your building. I hope that continues. It is supposed to be pretty nice this week so I hope to get a lot done outside.

My two royal palm turkey poults are doing great. No flip over. They are SO CUTE.... and then they grow up and get these long ugly necks and end up on the dinner table in November! I swear. I'm starting to look like them. I'm getting turkey neck. I cleaned out the hatcher a bit today. Gee whiz! I can't believe the amount of dust that accumulates in the hatching process. My DH moves his coturnix quail eggs to the hatcher today. I hope he gets a good hatch.

Josie-was that you that asked about the coyote pelt? It isn't any good. We have a lot of turkey vultures around here, if you get the gruesome picture.

It's going to be pretty nice this week, so I hope to get a lot done out in the barn and in my flower beds. My DH came up with an idea for my last set of big cages I bought, so hopefully I will get it moved into the barn today. I didn't really want it to set out in the rain last night, but didn't manage to get it in the barn yet.

Oh, crap! I better get! Time for physical therapy. hi ho, hi ho! To the hospital I go!

 

[chicken danz]

I just ran out to check on everyone. Looks like no casualties from the storm last night. The brooder was pretty chilly but otherr than being huddled together no one seemed worse for the wear. I plugged in another heat lamp and closed the windows. The baby ducks were fine, but of course are yelling for breakfast. I had to come back in though. I was cold and that wind is blowing crazy.
A big limb fell on my car but the luggage rack caught it so there wasn't any damage that I can see. It's still only 63 degrees here. Feels like winter after those hot days.

 

[tweetysvoice]

Crazy weekend for me! I had my grandaughter from 8am till 11:30pm on Saturday. I forgot how much energy is required to care for a 2 month old! LOL. I don't think she slept more than 1/2 an hour at a time. We had a great time though. Sunday was filled with baby showers and grocery shopping. Where did the weekend go??

Question about baby silkies - Mine are now 3 weeks old and I swear that they are not much bigger than when I got them. They seem healthy and happy.. Are they just really slow at growing?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...s-and-discussing-our-birds/15800#post_8923881

I don't know it the link will work, but if you scroll down there is a video of a black ameraucana crowing.

This is absolutely amazing. I really really hope that none of mine ever do that or I'll be out a layer!

I just learned my oldest son who is graduating Saturday from KSU was awarded the Outstanding Senior Award for the Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering Dept. and will graduate

SUMMA CUM LAUDE!

I have happy tears!

CONGRATS!!!!!!! You must be so very very proud!!!

I hate coyotes. Savage .223 with an accutrigger=sweet revenge.

Awesome that you got it!!

I have enjoyed reading about the new chicks, crowing hens, new puppies and reading that I am definitely not alone in pushing myself to exhaustion

Welcome and glad to have you join our crazy crew!

OKay-- so I have NEWS!!! That crazy chick that was a day too early hatched a bit ago. It's another Splash I think! Sheesh!! I mean, I love splash,but wow! It also have a vaulted head, but not a very big one like the others. It's still wet and screeching in there, so I haven't looked it over to see what kind of quality it might be. THIS IS SO MUCH FUN!!! Totally addicting!!!! I can't wait to see what these little fluffies end up looking like! This one is LOUD!!! It's screeching/peeping non stop in the incubator. Usually that incubator is so tight, I can't hear a thing in there.

Awwww!!! Congrats!!!

Our latest two were their request, since I had sworn that no matter what the feed store had in there, I was JUST getting chicken feed..... Nope, my 7 yr old read Polish PULLETS and screamed for the whole store to hear ,," Mom, these will be girls! We HAVE to have bed heads!!"...... Oh well... we now have 2 bedheads who are absolutely adorable!!

Hope you are feeling better!

Way cute! Love the bed head comment! I was victim to chicken math not too long ago and have three silkies, because.. well.. because they are just too cute to NOT have them. Yours are adorable!

Hello!

I don't post on here much--more of a lurker--but I'm from Lawrence and I have a small backyard flock. Along with a few friends, I'm trying to drum up some support to get the Lawrence chicken ordinance amended in response to the city shutting down chick sales at Orsch this year. While the city may be correct about the "black letter law" of the ordinance, enforcing it against feed stores is ridiculous. Further, as a chicken enthusiast (wow, I sound like a nerd now, yes?), it's a hassle to have to drive to another town to get chicks.

As I said, just trying to drum up support for an amendment (and perhaps, if needed, warm bodies to attend a city council meeting). If you are in the area and you're interested in helping, would you email me please? My email address is blackbird13(at)gmail(dot)com.

Thanks!

--Meryl

Meryl, I will be emailing you shortly!!

 

[kublackbird]

Good news! Looks like enough angry emails and the like were sent that this is going to "fix itself": http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2012/may/07/town-talk-national-food-magazine-highlights-wheatf/

 

[averytds]

Don't know where to find things on BYC anymore, but search for member KramerFarms??? for Yates Center info. They used to offer onsite bird testing for a fee and it would make sense for them to continue to do so.


I've had hens crow before and exhibit other roo behaviors when left without a roo. Always older top of pecking order hens. They've always stopped once a roo was back in charge of their flock. I've even seen a hen who would jump on the backs of, pull on head feathers and appear to do the deed. None of these cases were young, mis-identified roos. Multiple year old, top hen type situations where they were used to being under a roos care and then for say 6 months or so were left without roos. Once under a roos care again, the behaviors have stopped completely.




It's truly a shame on the Lawrence thing, but not really a surprise. Making some kind of business exemption won't "fix" things either. An age exemption along with a show/swap/sale/transport/temp exemption would be better, but when you have those who know nothing being advised by others who know nothing, antis and dabblers.....

It's a disaster waiting to happen.

I'm for allowing roos and against. I'm glad for greater poultry acceptance, but concerned about the bad small flock owners will bring along with the good. I think generally speaking, most city codes have all that's needed to handle "chicken problems" without the need of any separate ordinances.

 

[Hawkeye95]

Good news! Looks like enough angry emails and the like were sent that this is going to "fix itself": http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2012/may/07/town-talk-national-food-magazine-highlights-wheatf/

That's awesome! I was reading thru a bit of your blog and discovered you are an attorney! You might know my brother, he was a public defender for several years, too! He now works in a firm, but he has many great stories from those days! (he lives in Lawrence) I LOVE your chicken coop and back yard! OMGosh, it is like a garden oasis back there! Simply fantastic!! I would love to look out my back windows and see something like that in my yard.

I haven't caught up with everyone else yet-- but I need to run an errand.

 

[lizzyGSR]

Happy Monday, all!

My DH and I spent all day on Saturday working on getting the front and doors on the duck house. We finally got everything together and got ready to put the hinges on, only to realize that we'd underestimated the total weight of the doors and bought hinges that were too small to support the weight. So, DH is gonna stop at the hardware store while he's in town today to pick up some larger hinges. Then, all we'll need to do is cut, frame, and hang the windows and line the inside of the windows with hardware cloth and the duck house will be done! Once it's complete, I can move the stall mat into the duck house, and put some straw on top. Then, my ducks will officially be OUTDOOR ducks! I'm so excited! Hopefully, DH and I will be able to get the doors hung and the front painted this evening. It's raining now, so we had to cover the front of the duck house with a tarp to keep the OSB dry. Hope it works - OSB does bad stuff when it gets wet.