Consolidated Kansas

[Hawkeye95]

Okay how do you spell DUMB! I was just putting eggs in the incubator and noticed that this is NOT memorial day. I have no idea what I was thinking!!! I am relieved actually.
I figured out what the problem was with the ducks I've been getting that were nasty. They have some kind of in egg infection. It came from the eggs I gathered that got all muddy after the last major period of rain. I never wash eggs but apparently they must of contracted some bacteria from all the mud. I just threw out a ton of eggs that had fully developed ducklings in them that died in the shell the last few days. I am going to fumigate my hatcher and start all over. I don't' know why I didn't think of that. I was blaming it on the incubator but I think it was the dirty eggs that did it.
I've decided to go ahead and let my Anconas out. I won't get as many eggs but at least they can get out and keep cleaner. I have the Cayugas in the PVC pen and it gets moved every few days so they are fine. I am sure they won't mind being out to eat grass and stuff again.
My buyer called and isn't coming until tomorrow. So that gives me a little more time to get everything don today.
I have joined the ranks of the totally insane. I have turkeys coming this week. And I just ordered 25 crested chicks from Ideal. They are Polish, Sultans, Houdans, Crevecors etc. I may regret this. They had extras so they were really cheap. I figured I could add to my polish population and change some blood here and there. I can always sell any I don't want to keep. That's my rationalism. I had gotten gold laced and silver laced polish from them a couple years ago and most were fairly nice. I really didn't need them for sure. Maybe I'll just forget to mention it to DH. He has no idea what I have and don't have these days.
The dogs or whatever dug up some more of my onions so I guess we need to get the fence completed today. The chickens have
been digging every thing out of my flower pots so I don't even know why I try! I could scream!

OH, how funny you thought it was Memorial Day!! I was thinking.. is it Presidents Day or something??? LOL That is sad about your duck eggs, but I sure hope that the dirty eggs were the problem, that would sure be an easy fix! I love Polish, I think I could easily get rid of my big girls and just have a Polish pen for my layers instead of BR's and Wyandottes. But everyone is getting along fine now that the big girls have Pinless Peepers on. Makes my life easier! So funny that you ordered Sultans and Houdans, too!

 

[Trish44]

Hawkeye, I had a little chick the other day hatch & it was flipping over on it's back just like the turkeys I had do that. I gave it one dose of vitamin E & after that it seemed to be fine. Usually I have to give more doses that that, but this one seemed to either resolve on it's own or one dose was all it needed I don't know. Good luck with sticky & stuck, but I'll bet if you give them a little time they'll be OK. Sometimes chicks just need a little more time to get started & a little more care than others. I had a couple with mild spraddle leg the other day & I put them on paper towels & by the end of the day they were already better, they just needed a little more time in the hatcher & some traction.

I now have 12 Ameraucana chicks in my brooder, I counted them yesterday, 6 of which are sold already. I'm taking them on Friday when we go to see my DH's family & meeting this gal from Pittsburg in Baxter Springs so she can pick them up. My DH doesn't know yet that we're taking chicks with us in the car again, oh well, he should be used to it by now. I was going to ask her if she would pick up my rabbit for me since she is going to the place where he is to pick up a horse, but then that would mean I would have to take the rabbit with me on my trip & my DH's brother & sister-in-law are not animal lovers. I don't know where I would be able to keep it down there, so I'll have to figure something else out I guess. Anyway, I have about 4 more eggs in my hatcher that are supposed to hatch before I leave & then I won't have any due until after I"m back. I hope the incubators behave themselves for the weekend. I'm going to tell my DH that we need to come back earlier on Sunday than we usually do so I can check on all of my critters & he's not going to be happy about that, but I have told him before I don't like to leave them for that long, he just doesn't seem to get it.

We got the foundation just laid out for my breeder coop yesterday & had enough cinder blocks for it, I figured we were going to come up short, but I had a few left, which I'm sure I will use for something, they seem to be handy things to have around. I use them for putting under waterers, legs for my brooders, steps to get up in tall cages, just whatever. I was totally surprised that my DH didn't even argue with me about where I wanted to put the coop, I figured he would have some reason he thought it should go somewhere else, but he actually saw the wisdom of my choice. It's in a clearing with a bunch of trees around it so it will have lots of shade there & the water hydrant is fairly close by, so I won't have to drag hoses all over tarnation. I also wanted it fairly close to the other coop & rabbit hutches & all so the dogs could watch it all fairly easily. We're going to have to take down some low hanging tree branches & get them out of the way, but for the most part, it's pretty clear there & fairly level, which is unusual for much of anywhere here since our house is built into a hill & everything goes downhill from there. He made a comment about how big it was going to be but I reminded him that it will have 4 sections in it that will have 3 chickens each. I know he still even after the pictures I drew doesn't understand what I'm talking about. It's really hard to get through to him what something is going to look like, he just doesn't have the ability to picture in his mind like I do. I can get a vision of how things will look when it's done, but I think I have a big imagination & that plays into it I'm sure.

This afternoon my goal is to get started on building my chicks a pen for in the run, they're just way too crowded in that brooder now. Those little things sure do grow fast! I kept one little Ameraucana chick so far for my breeding program & she has grown like a weed. I have seen no signs as of yet that it's a rooster, so I think it's a hen, which is a good thing because I haven't figured out yet where I'm going to put another rooster. I just committed to buying some more Royal Palm turkey poults too from someone on BYC since I didn't have much luck hatching them, so now I'm going to have to figure out something for them to stay in too. The other two seem to be doing fine now & actually are starting to get some bulk to them. They run from me when I try to catch them, but when I pick them up & hold them they settle down. I think since they have been with the chicks in the brooder they think they're chicks. That little Black Spanish was a mistake, but it does have a cute little face, at least for now until it gets it's turkey head. I have no idea of sex on either of them as of yet.

IVY, that's kind of worrying about your DH having chest pain, I agree with Hawkeye that he shouldn't be having that. What does his Dr. say about it? I hope your foot pain goes away, that nerve pain can be bad. I'm glad you did so well otherwise after your surgery. That gives me some hope that when I get to that point & have to have a new knee that maybe I will do OK too. Arthritis runs in our family & my niece, my brother's oldest daughter who is about 5 or 6 years younger than me already has had both knees done because she had it so bad. She is a Respiratory Therapist & is on her feet all the time at work. She has done wonderfully with her new knees.

I know we have rattle snakes here in the Flint Hills, but fortunately I have not encountered one. They are a different variety than the prairie ones, but still just as venomous. I just hate snakes myself, just not one of my favorite things. I have had big black rat snakes hanging in bushes before & draped up over my planter when I had one hanging on the front of the house. That is enough to give me heart failure in itself. Those things get really big & long & since they're black you don't always see them right at first until you're right on them.

My pups were putting up a racket last night. My DH said the coyotes were close by again when he went out to take the trash out & the pups were barking them out of here. They were going on for quite awhile while we were still up. They're doing really well I think chasing things off now, I'm really proud of them for not having any older dog here to teach them, it's just instinct with them. We sure don't have any deer that wander through any more like we did before the pups came, they don't dare come here now, I guess they by pass around us. That's OK, I really didn't like them damaging my trees anyway & at times they came right up by the house.

Well I hope everyone has a great day, don't work too hard!

 

[Hawkeye95]

Hawkeye- SO glad your little sticky chick is feeling better! I have done a lot of Clinton Anderson work with my horses so we will probably start playing his "games" today. It is gonna be a long road with this pony but I think I can get him straightened out. I wish I could find a clinic near me that needed a demo horse because he would put on an awesome show for an audience.

I don't know that he will ever be able to run with the herd because of his previous experience. The people I got him from hadn't down anything with him and they had for 12 years so he is trying to figure out where on earth he has landed!!

Danz- You are crazy!! Turkeys and crested chicks?!?! Lady, I don't know how you do it, I can barely handle my gang most days.

I put the goslings out in their pen today and they found a way into the big goose pen while I was out there. I was so scared the gander would go after them but he and the goose were so excited!! It was like a family reunion with everyone honking and sticking their necks out. They are all grazing together now, how sweet is that! I just love these geese.

Now who's crazy, girl??

Well, I'm sure you can do it, but it's going to be a long road to get him to behaving. But you never know! Sometimes the crazy ones end up straightening out faster than you think. I want to continue to hear about this, so be sure to give updates! Too bad you aren't near Wichita, we have clinics around here all the time. I'd love to see a prodigy get ahold of your boy and teach him some manners. Does he load pretty well? Just wondering how easy it would be to take him places. Cute that your goslings and gander were okay with each other. I'm sure that did worry you! I introuduced my silkie roo to a 5 week old chick and I was worried too, but he acted like a mama-- clucking it and having it come over and showing it the food, water and whatever else he wants to show it. He is now frazzled trying to keep up with his girls and mama the new baby. What a great daddy! LOL Maybe your gander is part silkie??

Well, this isn't chicken related, but I'm a happy camper right now. I just got home from physical therapy. I have been working HARD at rehabing my knee. One of my goals was to be able to flex my knee 130 degrees. I never made it until today!

I made it to 130 by myself, and 133 with a little help from the therapist. My Doctor appt is Wednesday, I know he threw that 130 degree thing out to me as bait, but I took the bait, hook line and sinker, and I made it! My therapist said almost no one makes it that far. I passed all my strength and balance tests with flying colors. So now if I can just get this foot thing figured out I'll be good to go.

YAY Ivy!!!! That is wonderful news!! You go girl!! You'll be back to yourself in no time.

 

[JosieChick]

Hawkeye- I know I am crazy!!! He actually loads pretty well in my tiny, comical one horse trailer. I think someone messed with him at some point in time but it has been a while!!! When I got my mustang gelding he was as wild as a march hare and he had been cut when he was three and had been running with a band of broodmares on forty acres so he thought he was a STUD MUFFIN!!

Ivy- YEAH!!! That is awesome, you are always up to a challenge aren't you? How are your new babies doing? Settling in ok?

Trish- Aren't the dogs amazing? I am always impressed with them. I went out this morning and Lucie who is just turning four months old was laying under the tree with all the free ranging roosters wandering around her, she is such a good girl.

Here is a funny story about the roos. I have a friend down in Mulvane area that is going to come help me butcher all the boys this summer so I have a handful of her roos growing out too and then we split them out when we process them. Makes it go a lot quicker and slightly more tolerable experience! Anyway, she had them penned up a few weeks ago so she could drop them off with DH to bring up to me and her granddaughter who is just a little peanut, maybe 4?, asked where the roosters were going. SO she told her they were going to boys camp up in Kansas City and her granddaughter exclaimed "Boys Camp!!!!, Grandma, they are going to have SOOOO MUCH FUN at Boys Camp!!" Those lucky chickens!!!! Meanwhile behind her the 7 year old brother was making a silent slicing motion across his neck!!! I think Grandma could barely contain herself!!

 

[Deerfield Acres]

I just got out of the incubator

and I'm happy to report I've stopped flipping and actually got some rest. DS did a great job with his homeschool work today without Mom overseeing every move. Proud of that guy! I'm feeling a bit better so I have hope I'll be able to muddle through this evening without being too terribly incompetent.

I enjoyed reading up on everyone and, of course, ya'll have made me smile!

 

[prairie]

I just called them to make sure the Swap was on for this Saturday and it is -- starts at 7am until about noon. I usually get there about 9 but am shooting for 8 am this time. Here is the website for Premier Farm and Home and it has a map of where they are located.

Congrats on your rehab --- I have a really bad knee but don't want to have surgery so try to be careful. It is sure giving me fits in the garden though!

 

[prairie]

Ivy, sure praying for the heart problems to be gone for your hubby!

 

[prairie]

http://www.haycow.com/
Premier Farm and Home

ok! so I can never remember to put the link in an email either!

 

[chicken danz]

The premier swap is at Premier Farm and home Supply. On south 75 going out of Topeka near Forbes AFB and the race tracks you need to turn on University Blvd and go West. You go maybe the equivelent of a couple of city blocks from 75 Hwy. I normally like to get there by 7:30 if I'm selling. The biggest crowds are before 10:00 am and it kind of dies down slowly after that. You pay this guy like $5 if you are selling. He is an older man that walks around. If any of you know Karl Savage he can tell you who it is. It cost nothing to look or buy. Just the $5 to sell.
It depends on what sells here this week but I may be bringing some of my own chicks up to sell to make some more room since I am getting these others.
Hawkeye I don't know if I'll get all those breeds or not. It is just whatever they have left that they didn't otherwise sell. I could end up with all males. That would be awful. But I decided what the heck. It is a good week to get chicks because so many people will be gone this following weekend and don't want to deal with them.
I just got 2 pens in my brooder cleaned out and disinfected. After tomorrow when I empty out a couple more I'll do some more of it. That is such nasty work.
I've been waiting to get the midget white turkeys since last fall so I am ecstatic. It just happened this chick offer was this week as well.
Karen glad you are feeling a tiny bit better.
Ivy, sometimes it takes months or years if ever for nerve damage to heal. Don't rush things. Since you were still dealing with swelling I can't see the doc letting you go back to work just yet.
Gotta get busy.

 

[Trish44]

KarenS, I'm glad you're starting to feel somewhat better, let's hope you're on the mend. I never did answer your question about the incubator humidity. Your incubator holds a much lower humidity level than mine. Remember I had mentioned that mine was a little high even with all of the vents open? With yours I'm having to close vents to keep it high enough, strange.

I'm trying to get some energy to go out & work on that pen, I'm just kind of tired out today after moving cinder blocks yesterday. I guess we're going to make a run to Wichita again in the morning to get some things that we forgot to get Sat. My DH wants to get some of those little levels at Lowe's to hang on a plumb line I guess is what he's talking about so we can level the foundation for my breeder coop. I doubt since we're going there tomorrow that we'll get much done this week on it, but he will have Monday off for the holiday, so maybe we can work on it again then. We haven't figured out a materials list yet, so that will have to come next week some time probably too, slow going around here as usual. He always has to make his running priority & then anything else after that, it's aggravating to me when I want to get something done around here. Of course it's not that important to him, so it's not HIS priority. If I could build the darned thing by myself I would do it, but seeing as how I can't I have to wait on him to help. I sure wish I was as talented as you Hawkeye with building.