Consolidated Kansas

[Trish44]

Danz, I'm so glad your little pea is eating, that's better than mine is doing. The older ones are eating now, the level in the food jar has gone down some since yesterday & I have seen them over by the food, so they must be feeling more comfortable here. That little one just has to be taking a break some time from pacing & eating something, I just don't think it could live this long if it hadn't. It still doesn't look good though, I sure wish if would get started better. Maybe after while I'll go out & catch it & give it some vitamins.

I noticed when I went out to feed the turkeys this morning that some of them were trying out the tree branch I put in their pen as a roost. They're kind of clumsy birds, at least right now. I watched one fly down & stumble. I gave them all grapes this morning & they're so funny to watch when you put something new in for them. I had cut them in half & threw them on the ground. They all walked over & were talking about it & looking at them, then one grabbed one & ran off with another in pursuit. It's entertaining just watching the silly things they do.

My little broody hen is now off the nest on the porch. She had hatched a chick the other day & I think it broke it's leg when it fell out of the nest is what happened & I finally had to put the poor thing down, it was doing the splits & it wasn't ever going to be able to walk right. I tried to fix it, but it didn't work. Then she hatched another chick out day before yesterday & the cats were sitting right there & ate it before I could get out there. I took the remaining 3 eggs & brought them into the hatcher & two hatched out yesterday, the 3rd didn't make it. I was really surprised any hatched at all as hot as it's been out there. I was kind of concerned anyway about the spot she had chosen because it wasn't a safe place to be hatching chicks. I guess I should have taken the eggs sooner, but she was so insistent on sitting & she was a trooper even in the horrible heat. She was fiercely protective of them too.

KarenS, I hope you find your phone!

 

[Hawkeye95]

I guess I can hope that these babies are all girls but one. Fat chance! But it would be a nice starting group. I've spent so much on hatching eggs recently, even though I swore I never would again, that I feel like I must at least get something to show for it. I found a breeder of lavenders in Kansas and hope to hear back from them. Maybe they have some chicks. Of course I can't afford the prices most people demand on lavenders. The lemons are higher but if these make it I will should enough for a good start. I guess that is to be expected when you get into the fancy import blood lines.
Yeah I'm still a bit baffled by all that riding stuff. You don't ride like that normally do you? My granddaughters do and it just seems to stiff and formal to be any fun.

I think the Lemons are gorgeous!!! I wouldn't mind having those. Yeah, the more desirable the bird, or the better the breeding lines, the more expensive the eggs and chicks. But I figure it's all good, because it's a much better investment! A dozen silkie eggs go from cheap-- like $70 to $150 depending on the breeder. I'm staying in the $80-90 range because a lot of people show and exhibit and have fantastic birds and they don't charge insane prices for them. But I've been having to buy from FL and Ca. Sigh.

Oh and NO WAY do I normally ride like that! LOL That is for show and the ring ONLY. It's funny, because after we'd complete a class, we'd all come out and lay over our horses and be ready to relax. I do still find myself holding my arms with the reins like I described-- but I have to remind myself to relax and once you get good and tired on a trail ride being out all day, there is no way you're going to be riding back into camp with your back straight in that crazy posture. I'm one of the first ones to kick my feet out of the stirrups and put them over the pommel when I'm tired.

So sorry about the eggs Danz! Yeah, I'm with you - I have no interest in show-riding either. My niece is a jumper and I've been to some of her competitions and its pretty cool but I am strictly a pleasure/trail rider. I enjoy it just for the social aspect of getting out with my friends and riding for an hour or two several times a week. We chat and catch up on what has been happening in each other's lives, enjoy a few little canters and call it good. Most times I wear my jean shorts, my riding boots, a ball cap, and a t-shirt. Quite a sight to see, I'm sure, but its comfortable and the horse doesn't care

Wow, Hawkeye, that was exhausting just reading through that! I don't think I'd operate well under the pressure of having to remember all of those details all at the same time

t-shirt, jeans and ball cap work for me. Hey, my Avatar is how I normally ride.

I have got to get this ceiling done today. The stain fumes are killing me. It stinks in here. I can't imagine what the cats must think! I wish I had somewhere to move them but that isn't an option. Well, I am off to do some stuff! Everyone stay cool today!

Hope you get your ceiling done!! Good luck!

I noticed when I went out to feed the turkeys this morning that some of them were trying out the tree branch I put in their pen as a roost. They're kind of clumsy birds, at least right now. I watched one fly down & stumble. I gave them all grapes this morning & they're so funny to watch when you put something new in for them. I had cut them in half & threw them on the ground. They all walked over & were talking about it & looking at them, then one grabbed one & ran off with another in pursuit. It's entertaining just watching the silly things they do.

My little broody hen is now off the nest on the porch. She had hatched a chick the other day & I think it broke it's leg when it fell out of the nest is what happened & I finally had to put the poor thing down, it was doing the splits & it wasn't ever going to be able to walk right. I tried to fix it, but it didn't work. Then she hatched another chick out day before yesterday & the cats were sitting right there & ate it before I could get out there. I took the remaining 3 eggs & brought them into the hatcher & two hatched out yesterday, the 3rd didn't make it. I was really surprised any hatched at all as hot as it's been out there. I was kind of concerned anyway about the spot she had chosen because it wasn't a safe place to be hatching chicks. I guess I should have taken the eggs sooner, but she was so insistent on sitting & she was a trooper even in the horrible heat. She was fiercely protective of them too.

KarenS, I hope you find your phone!

I LOVE turkey. They will get more agile when they get older and you'll be surprised what they can fly onto! So sorry about the chick your cats ate. Glad you got the others put in the incubator.

 

[chicken danz]

I went out to feed and water. Still have to feed but it feels like the worst day yet out there. It's miserable.
Remember a few days ago I said I had seen my lavender X white guineas hen I thought had disappeared. Well she was out at the pens today with 10 little lavender chicks. I ran to get Dennis and show him and by the time we got back out there the chickens has grabbed one of them and the pheasants had grabbed another which only left 8 survivors. I decided to catch her and the chicks to protect them She was so hot and weak that she couldn't stand up. Like I said I had only seen her that one times in weeks. I got the chicks gathered and put in a cage then got her in. None of them are eating and drinking yet but hopefully when the excitement dies down they will. I hate to pen them but that was their only chance at survival. If they live a couple weeks I'll let her back out with them. They should have a better chance of making it then. I feel so sorry for the hen. She has herself worn down to near death hatching those chicks. Heaven only knows how many she lost getting them back to the pen. I never did find where she was nesting.
I've got to get back out and finish feeding but it is so miserable out there.

 

[Trish44]

It is a miserable day out there, I agree, I went out this morning & came back in with sweat pouring off me. I'm going to have to go back out this afternoon after lunch & do some cooling off measures for the birds. It looks like after Saturday we may get a break for a few days from the 100 degree weather, gosh couldn't we all use that & the poor animals & birds as well. I have just let a lot of things go outside for not wanting to be out there to mess with it & using too much water. I hate it that I have to do that, but I know my DH isn't going to be happy when the water bill comes this month anyway. We really can't put in a well here where we are because I think they would have to go down too far & break through rock, it would be expensive. To get past the rock ridge you would have to go too far away from the house & that wouldn't help us out any. Wow, I don't like winter, but this & last summer have just been the pits with the heat & drought.

I have someone coming tomorrow who wants to take a little rooster off my hands that I don't need, I'm giving it away just to find a place for it to go. Someone on the poultry swap is needing a rooster & didn't care what breed, so I told them I have one, just come & get it.

Danz, I'm glad you found your guinea & the babies!

 

[tweetysvoice]

Not sure I really want to drag bugs in the house but I guess it's a place to start. I am sure I could get him a Walk. You all know what a walk is don't you??hat's a fly, you pull it's wings off and it becomes a walk.

OMG, that cracked me up. I literally LOL'd here in the ER and everyone looked at me! LOVE it!

I know my DH isn't going to be happy when the water bill comes this month anyway. We really can't put in a well here where we are because I think they would have to go down too far & break through rock, it would be expensive.

I'm super scared to see what our water bill is going to be. We not only are misting the birds all day, but filling the kiddie pool every other day AND watering both the front and back lawn for 1/2 an hour at night.

 

[prairie]

Thanks Danz but yes I had read that somewhere. I have those old antique galvanized metal waters that you use a pint or quart jar on but then I bought a couple of bigger ones that are plastic. My outdoor pans of water I put large stones in.

The keets are growing so fast!! Mama has taken them out free ranging and on quite some excursions!!
p.s. Those ducks that I got from you at the swap meet the end of May are looking nearly full grown now!!
Will sure be glad when the weather gets cooler!

karen

Prairie, I'm sure you know but be sure to put some water down for the babies that they can drink in and won't drown in. I have plastic waterers and low bowls every where for the chicks the broodies hatch. I just fill them when I'm watering the rest of the group.

 

[chicken danz]

Well I have a broken heart. I went back out to feed after cooling down and found one of my beautiful buff orpingtons I got from Karens dead. This ^(&*^(*& heat! She was a beautiful and lovely hen. Just makes me sick. I lost a couple more young birds in the brooder so I moved all of the polish out to the bantam polish pen. They will either survive or get picked on but at least they can stay cooler. Then I moved everything else in there that had most of their feathers out to the garage with the over flow chicks. Those birds are so used to having new comers they don't even notice. I found another new chick with it's beak picked off. Why on earth do those birds do that.
the ones hatched out in the barn do so much better than the ones hatched in the old garage.
And here it is after 3:00 PM and I haven't gotten any work done in my basement yet. This heat is zapping my last bit of energy.

 

[ChooksChick]

Hi everyone!!

The well is dry. At least I have running water at home, which is more than I can say for some of the folks around here...

I lost a Lemon Cuckoo hen this week, and 2 Blue Silkied Ameraucanas. It's brutally hot out there and tomorrow is supposed to be worse before we catch a break.

In good news, I have Chocolate Cochins, Marans and Ameraucana chicks, and I'm working on my Bielfelders still, so I should have an autosexing breed soon. I haven't even begun to catch up, and think I'm sooooo far behind I never will. I've been ill, my sister got married (thank God that's over!) and a thousand other things hijacked me....but I'm hopefully able to stay in touch again now.

I've been thinning my lines, and now I only have a few project breeds, plus my heritage breeds. I've still got my peas, too.

Hope everyone is well- it was nice to meet you the other day, Karen. Heather, I'm sorry I'll miss you on the 14th- I was hoping we could hang out!

Danz, I'm sorry about your losses- this is some brutal crud we're dealing with. I've lost both my giant English Orp roos in this, and I'm none too pleased about it. Very rough.

Stay cool, everyone!

 

[chicken danz]

Great to have you back on here Chooks! I've really missed your input. Renee, what are you going to water the birds with if the well is dry? I have two wells here but no way to pump from them if there is even water in there.
I've been planning a down size and to concentrate on certain breeds but with the heat every one is afraid to buy birds. But then I've gotten more into the game and exotic birds now too.
Ivy is gone too cause she is getting ready for a move so we rarely hear from her.
It seems like I complain all the time any more. This darned heat and absolutely no rain is a killer. I had to bring another big cochin rooster in while ago and soak him in a sink full of cool water. I let him stand in my kitchen until he started crowing. I figured he was doing ok then so I took him back out. That is the second cochin rooster that got so hot he was falling down. But it's the ones that go in the house to stay out of the sun that the heat ultimately kills. I am running a mister this afternoon on a couple of pens. I also clamped up a couple old king sized bedspreads over a pen to give them more shade.
It seems like the heat is 10 times more brutal today than it has been. I'm not sure why. I'm just praying for those cooler temps and rain they are predicting. I'm so afraid they'll put a ban on water usage and then I won't have any way to keep my birds cool.

 

[sharol]

Danz, I agree. It just seems hotter somehow. I'm showing 103 here near Emporia. I had a noon meeting in town today, so the Butch and the girls had to stay in their run. I put a cobra mister, one of those skinny hose misters with 5 outlets that is hooked to the shadecloth, and a small water sprinkler running on very low when I left. My water bill is running in a race with my electric bill this month I fear, but I don't want to lose my garden to drought or my chickens to heat.

Sunday is supposed to be a little better.

Sharol