Consolidated Kansas

[cherwill]

Cherwill, Ducks don't normally fall over unless there is some hatching problem. It is usually only a matter of drying and they are up running eating and drinking on their own. I would contact the hatchery and ask for a replacement or credit. Make sure you get him warmed up well, and that he gets some food and water. If he won't eat and drink drop some sugar water or pedialite in his beak slowly. Make sure he swallows so he doesn't drown. You might be able to pull him out of it. Ducks are much heartier than chickens and recover better. I've used a hair dryer set on low before for emergency warmings if you don't have an incubator to warm him in.

Thanks. I passed this on to my SIL and niece. I guess they had to order three ducks but only wanted two, so a friend took the third. I haven't heard any more about it; I hope it's OK.

I had guesstimated the number of sheets of OSB I would need and came up one short. You can only just see it in this pic but we got the roof peak OSB cut and installed on the north side. The south side should be easy because we noted our measurements and will be able to snap a chalk line, get it cut and installed quite quickly, I hope.


Here is a pic of the inside. The internal wall structure is up. I have the door but didn't have the hinges to install it yesterday, so that will be a project for next time too. The internal wall divides my 4x10 storage area from the 10x10 coop area. The bottom half of the wall will be 1/4" plywood, to prevent the birds kicking bedding from their side into mine. The upper half will be chicken wire. Since it is not a load bearing wall, I spaced the studs a little further apart than the 16" OC I would have done if I were sheeting it or putting up drywall. The door frame is roughly in the center.


And, when I got home I found that my broody Sultan has finally stopped being broody (she continued to act broody even though her chicks hatched two days ago). I've barely seen the chicks since they hatched since she was keeping them under her all the time (I only hoped she wasn't trying to turn them hourly). Since I know they can go 3 days without eating, I decided to give her a little more time before I intervened and I'm glad I let nature take its course. Since I've been home, she's been up and about, eating, drinking, walking around her little broody pen and the chicks are racing around discovering their new world. One looks to be a BA, the other came out of green egg and the dad is an Ameraucana, so I guess this one is too although it doesn't have cheek muffs. It is so colorful:

The coop is fantastic. If your estimate was only off by one panel, you are GOOD! And the chick is darling!

Hate to say this Danz but.....you're doing it wrong

 

[prairie]

Trish, I will be using it only inside the chicken house so I guess that we will try without wire on the floor.
I just told hubby about my idea of building a little pen while we were eating lunch yesterday and he found enough wood and we made the frame yesterday afternoon -- He is fast! Of course he has enough scrap wood around the farm to build a house I think!!

Anyway we will put the chicken wire on this morn and then I can move my little babies into it this afternoon if it warms up enough. I can't believe how much those ducks and guineas I got last weekend have grown. Of course they eat like little pigs and mess their carrier up something terrible -- gotta clean it out this morn again.

Danz, thanks for your imput but the pen will probably only be inside the chicken house but it would be nice to have one outside too for when they get a little bigger. Of course if I don't put a bottom on it then I can't move the pen outside into the run on sunny days. Decisions Decisions!

 

[Deerfield Acres]

KarenS, I'm so glad you aren't needing your incubator right now, you truly are an angel. Maybe later on when my Swedish Flowers start laying I can get you some eggs to hatch. I know that is one of the breeds I read that can be used for the Alohas. Those turned out to be some really expensive chicks! I should be getting my other really expensive eggs any day too, at least half of them anyway & then when the guy manages to get his hen to stop being broody I'll get the rest of them. What a time for the stupid hen to go broody, right in the middle of my order!

Trish44, you don't owe me anything for the use of the incubator and I really mean that. That was a no strings attached offer. You would have done it for me and I'm just glad it worked out. I will be happy to buy the Swedish Flower eggs from you, when and if you have any to spare.

 

[chicken danz]

I slept in today. It seems like I get up fairly early unless DH is home from work and then I sleep later. I woke up as early as usual but changed positions to ease up my neck and fell back asleep.
DH is supposed to go to KC today to get a new motor for the Dixon. I sure hope he doesn't want me to go. I need to stay home and get caught up. I was pretty darn worthless yesterday afternnon after my crazy morning.
I am officially dumb. I put the new pheasant chicks that hatched yesterday in with the older birds, after I finally caught the one that flew out. Both were dead this morning. I guess the bigger ones probably stomped them. They would have been ok if they had been in a larger bin but I should have known it was too close quarters. I need to fix a place out in the brooder for these older ones. I really don't like game birds in the house anyway because they smell worse than chickens.
Hechicken I noticed in your pictures you have a little lean to close to the chicken house. That could be converted to an excellent chicken pen. You would have a shaded area and you have posts to build from. You could close in one corner and easily have a coop under there without much construction. I would be all over that and seeing an opportunity to add more birds.

 

[Ivywoods]

g'mornin' folks!

Well, I DID NOT sleep in this morning. I got up earlier than usual because I slept like a log for a change, instead of awake every hour. Could it be that my pain level is finally easing to the point that I might actually be able to sleep for more than an hour at a time? I certainly hope so.

I've done a lot already. I'm just getting ready to take my DH's coturnix quail babies out of the hatcher. After I got their brooder all ready I realized I had filled their feeder with chick starter instead of gamebird starter. I'll have to change that.

I've got a lot of projects I want to finish or start today, and it's a beautiful day so I hope I get a lot done before I wear out.

Danz-So sorry about the little pheasant chicks. What a bummer. I know how it is with crowded brooders this time of year.

HEChicken- I neglected to say great job on the coop. It makes me want to get out and start building., which reminds me, that is something DH and I need to get busy on. He wants to raise two separate groups of goats next year, which means we need to fence off some more pasture and build another loafing shed. I keep thinking we need to simplify, but we just keep adding and adding. It's like exponential chicken math because it's not just chickens... it's chickens, quail, turkeys, goats, dogs and cats.

I also need to get busy on a retaining wall on the back side of the house. We actually need 3 separate ones, but I think I can build the small one myself. I want to use stone from the foundation of our old wooden barn that is beyond repair and slowly tumbling down. I've never built a retaining wall, but I've read alot and watched them build them on the DIY channel and I'm pretty sure I can do it. I'm hoping I can get it done before I go back to work, which I hope will be soon. I can't afford to sit at home with no income forever.

Hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful weather. I know I am.

 

[chicken danz]

Ivy you have too much energy. Unlike me who has all the plans but never gets the work done! I need to step up my game. Before you know it winter will be here and I still have a million projects to complete. I love building my own things but I am at the point now it would be really nice to be able to just pay someone to get me caught up!

 

[pikeman94]

Ivy you have too much energy. Unlike me who has all the plans but never gets the work done! I need to step up my game. Before you know it winter will be here and I still have a million projects to complete. I love building my own things but I am at the point now it would be really nice to be able to just pay someone to get me caught up!

Danz- I have thought about that, but then my Scottish heritage kicks in and I "likes me gold". So, I end up building/doing.

Speaking of building/doing. I am almost done with the nesting box. I think I will get it finished this evening and installed on the coop. Also, I hope to get the roof put on as well as it is done and on the floor of the garage.

I will be heading to Wichita the 23rd/24th and I am trying to figure out a way for the kids to come see your zoo. Of course you will have to be home for said zoo visit.

KarenS- Heck, I might even be able to come visit you too since I will be in Park City.

 

[chicken danz]

Lindsey, I don't think anyone ever answered you on your turkeys. Sorry! I see no reason you would have to butcher your broad breasted birds. There are a few things you should look out for. If you see their legs breaking or bowing out then you will need to butcher them. Your birds are out eating natural greens and bugs and won't just sit and eat fat food like corn to beef them up in a hurry like they do commercially. Look for fluid build up in their bodies or tell tell signs of problems like labored breathing, moving slower or combs turning blueish. If you see no problems there is no reason they have to become dinner. I think I mentioned to raise them you have to AI them. That's easy to do though. Off spring might not be exactly like parents because they are produced by different types of birds to produce them but they'd still be good birds.

 

[chicken danz]

Pikeman that is my problem as well. And since all my gold goes to feed that makes it even harder to pay someone. I often think those that use illegal immigrant labor are quite resourceful. I don't approve, but I could use a group of them for a few days. A group of doers instead of procrastinators would helps loads!!! Remind me when the date gets closer. I am normally at home or can be if I don't have a doctor appointment or something. I would love to show your little blue eyed cherubs around. And maybe even send them home with some new chicks. Would you like me to throw some Maran eggs in the incubator? They would hatch about the same time as you would be here. I can tell if they are pure when they hatch. Or I do have a few that are well started here.
I just spent all the money I made this week on birds. Not my plan. DH asked me for cash to go get the mower motor. Sure hope he intends to repay part of that! I just spent a chunk of change on eggs to hatch. Just when I think I'm getting ahead there's always a wrench in the plans. I do need that mower though. It looks like a jungle here!

 

[JosieChick]

Danz- Thanks for the input. I don't want them to suffer so I guess we are going to let them hang out as long as they can and when the time comes we will butcher them. I posted a thread for advice because I couldn't find any and several folks said they had kept them past their butcher dates and just restricted their feed and kept them exercising and they did great. They were playing in the duck pool this morning, silly birds!! Wading around like a bunch of goobers! I have got to get those ducklings into a different brooder!! They are making a giant mess and they are in with the turkeys right now so they have to move. Nothing worse than a wet turkey. Hope your noggin is feeling better today!!

Ivy- My RP poults are doing awesome! Super gregarious little birds and happy as clams. I keep looking at your new picture and think "who is that?" Oh yeah, its Ivy!

I have been leaving both dogs out at night and Lucie started work last night!! I heard a dog barking and I thought to myself, now who on earth is that barking? So I went out and there she was by the front horse pasture carrying on about something. Molly came to check it out and barked a bit too and then they headed off together. Growing up so fast!!

Must get up and get stuff done today. DH will be up tonight and wonder what on earth I have been doing all week! Danz, I think I have the same complex. I have sooo many projects that I never know where to start and I wander around and do hardly anything in my I don't know where to start daze!! I think I need to make a to do list and set some realistic goals for each day to get stuff done. I have too many birds in pens and they are getting cranky. Darn broody hens trying to protect their chicks and getting in fights with other chickens. I have a broody hen pen on my list!

Has anyone every tried hoop houses? I think I might make a couple with cattle panels for my geese, ducks and turkeys. Seems like I can never get them to go into a regular box type coop but they will go under something with a cover so I thought that might be a good way to provide them with shelter.