Consolidated Kansas

[Deerfield Acres]

Hi all! Just popped in to say no more losses and DH is seriously considering a GP. Doesn't mean he'll say yes but at least he's considering it. I'm just thrilled he's thinking it over. I know now isn't the perfect time to add a dog but I really would feel so much better to have one around in general, not just for the chickens but for us too. So we'll see. I asked him if he would take one on trial like you have HEChicken, so that may help so that we can feel sure it will work out with a particular dog. I'm hoping because I'd really like for this to work.

Have a great day everyone!

 

[pikeman94]

Quote: I really only drink darker beers in the fall and winter. Summer is for Wheat beer and session Pale Ales.

If you ever want to come watch an all grain batch I would be more than happy to show you.

The Marans are Cuckoos. So, I am keeping an eye out on the barring. I have been looking an many pictures on the Interwebz for comparison purposes. Like I said, I need to get some really good pics of these critters and then share them.

One that note, when can I take the little ones outside? I have a kennel next to the main coop I can put them in.

 

[HEChicken]

Hi all! Just popped in to say no more losses and DH is seriously considering a GP. Doesn't mean he'll say yes but at least he's considering it. I'm just thrilled he's thinking it over. I know now isn't the perfect time to add a dog but I really would feel so much better to have one around in general, not just for the chickens but for us too. So we'll see. I asked him if he would take one on trial like you have HEChicken, so that may help so that we can feel sure it will work out with a particular dog. I'm hoping because I'd really like for this to work.

Have a great day everyone!

Yay

On that note....DH met Tory this weekend and he is okay with keeping her! The trial really did help a lot because knowing that we didn't have to keep her if she wasn't working out, went a long way to helping him feel more comfortable with the idea. He seems to like her and while he still isn't excited about another dependent, he did say this morning "We'd better get her on flea/tick meds". He really is a great guy and takes responsibilities seriously so although it isn't his preference to have another dog, if we are going to, he'll make sure she is well taken care of. I think it helped a lot when I told him I like having her around for the guardian aspect, regardless of the chickens. He worries about me being out here alone when he's gone and even he can see how vigilant she is about alerting to anything going on. She has been such a good girl the past two mornings since he's been back, going on a patrol around the chicken yard while he is there to watch. And while the neighbors can get in their cars and drive away without a second glance from Tory (who has apparently inventoried the allowable vehicles and knows they "belong"), when a road construction crew started driving slowly down our street this morning, she ran out barking at them. So although *I* wanted her to protect the chickens, he is happy to have her protecting me

I really only drink darker beers in the fall and winter. Summer is for Wheat beer and session Pale Ales.

If you ever want to come watch an all grain batch I would be more than happy to show you.

The Marans are Cuckoos. So, I am keeping an eye out on the barring. I have been looking an many pictures on the Interwebz for comparison purposes. Like I said, I need to get some really good pics of these critters and then share them.

One that note, when can I take the little ones outside? I have a kennel next to the main coop I can put them in.

Ooops. What I meant to say in my last post was: "I'm thinking about trying a stout next, although it might be better to save that for the winter months" and instead my fingers typed "I'm thinking about trying a stout next, although it might be better to save that for the warmer months". That makes a little bit of a difference

Thanks for the offer to watch/help? you with an all grain batch. Let me know next time you are going to start one and if I can swing it, I would enjoy that. I think it would help a great deal to see it happen versus reading about it.

 

[Trish44]

Sunflowerparrot, I also am glad that you're doing your research before getting a GP. I know of one case right now with someone who got one & didn't research it first & now a year later are struggling about the best thing to do for the dog. It's not the dog's fault that they didn't do their homework first, but she is the one who ultimately will end up with someone else having to adjust to a new environment & new owners. I agree with checoukan, yes GPs bark, but only when they need to in order to scare off an unwanted predator. I do hear mine bark at night, but it's not constant barking like HeChicken said all night long, they bark when they need to. It comforts me to hear them also because I know they're doing their job out there when I hear that & I can sleep better knowing that. If you have only one predator attack & lose several birds like I have you would know that it's so worth any amount of barking or going through puppy stuff to keep your flock safe. It was after I lost half of my guineas & a hen that I decided enough was enough & I needed a livestock guardian dog. I ended up with two because they work better with more than one, but at any rate it was after the fact that I got them just like HeChicken. It's heartbreaking to see the carnage left behind by a predator or predators after you have put time & money into buying the birds & raising them. It's also true that there are other kinds of things you can try first other than a GP if you're not comfortable, but the donkeys are only effective against some things. I have a friend who has one & still lost birds to other predators other than coyotes. KarenS has electric fence & still had a fox attack & lost birds, so you have to think about whether the method or methods you end up with are going to keep all the predators away or just some or if you're willing to chance losing some of your flock. The predators are getting worse this year, they're hungry I think due to the drought & less food sources, so they're getting bolder. I hear almost every day on the sites I'm on on FB about someone else losing birds, some of them have been wiped totally out & had to start all over with new ones.

We had a pretty good day with my granddaughter yesterday. We ended up taking her shopping to get some school clothes to get her started out. My son had a bad month expense-wise & had told me he couldn't give her any money for school stuff, so we decided to try to help out some. She was pretty good for us & we got her quite a few things since they had quite a bit on clearance at JC Penney. It will be hot to start out, so warm weather clothes will get her going for awhile at least. We did find some cute things & she was happy with her new stuff. She even found a couple pairs of jeans, which if you knew this child you would know was a flat out miracle. She is the strangest child when it comes to pants of any kind, they have to fit her just right or she throws fits & won't wear them. She has been that way since she was a tiny little thing, it's the strangest thing I have ever seen. I made her try everything on & make sure they all fit right & she could move around the way she wanted to in them. She squatted down in one pair of jeans & said yep my butt can breathe, strange! She is the same way about underwear, we have had just horrible fits over those. It was too hot to be outside too much, but my DH took her out a couple times for brief periods. We mostly stayed in & watched a movie & TV other than the shopping. She didn't want to go home until really late, it was like 11:30 when we got her home & we were tired.

Danz, have your blue slate turkeys started gobbling yet? Now that mine started they gobble at me every time I come out the front door. This morning they were really talking wanting me to come feed them.

I have found someone to buy the last of my little Welsummer chicks that live in Arkansas City, so I guess I'm going to make a run down there to the hardware store this afternoon & meet them with the chicks. The lady is getting them for her granddaughter as her project, so I hope the child doesn't decide in a couple weeks she doesn't want to take care of them any more & dump them on grandma. That will leave me with just my own chicks to deal with. I have the little Cream Legbars still in a dog crate & the tiny little Swedish Flower Hen chicks, they're so cute. The Cream Legbars are going to have to move outside before too long because they're growing & will be too crowded. I've got to get out there this afternoon & work some more on that pen for the Ameraucanas & I think I'm going to put the Salmon Faverolles in there for now too so that I have more room in the grow-out pen for all of the smaller chicks I need to put in there. It's always a juggling act to have places to put birds in different stages. I have one egg left in the incubator that comes out this Weds. It's my last Cream Legbar egg, I sure hope it hatches.

Try to stay cool everyone & have a good day!

 

[revolutionmama]

Sorry if this has already been talked about but is there a thread for Kansas farm swaps? or poultry swaps? Thanks

 

[JosieChick]

Fun, fun. Gotta love those big white polar bears! That is what we call our girls! They think they are ferocious too! We made smores last night and Molly is obsessed with marshmallows. I have to be careful not to feed her too many but boy she can turn on the charm! Big brown eyes, raises her eyebrows and perks up her ears. I can't resist and she eats them like a bear too, they just disappear into the vortex!

Hi all! Just popped in to say no more losses and DH is seriously considering a GP. Doesn't mean he'll say yes but at least he's considering it. I'm just thrilled he's thinking it over. I know now isn't the perfect time to add a dog but I really would feel so much better to have one around in general, not just for the chickens but for us too. So we'll see. I asked him if he would take one on trial like you have HEChicken, so that may help so that we can feel sure it will work out with a particular dog. I'm hoping because I'd really like for this to work.

Have a great day everyone!

GOOD GIRL TORY!!!!! Soo glad DH likes her too!!

Last evening, DH and I were outside, working, when we heard Tory barking from some distance. I went to investigate and found her trying to run off a strange dog. Some neighbors told me about this dog that they've seen a few times but they don't know where it came from. They said it has a collar but they can't get close because it runs off. They're not sure if its a stray dog that was dumped here, or does have a home and is wandering a long way. Anyway, it had come to visit my neighbors last night, and Tory was there, not allowing it access to our property. This dog is enormous - seeing him standing close to Tory, they were the same size and Tory is a big dog. So it wasn't that willing to be run off by her but she didn't give up. She made it slowly retreat, and then the neighbors horses cantered up to see what was going on and it took off. Tory seemed very satisfied with a job well done and trotted over to me, glancing over her shoulder from time to time to make sure it was staying away.

So sorry to everyone else who has suffered losses! SO sad to lose birds. We were just talking last night about how glad we are the dogs are here because the coyotes were hunting right across the street. Yikes!

Well got a ton done this weekend and now off to give some mutt cochin chicks to a lady. They hatched under a sneaky broody and I don't need a bunch of cochin/silkie mixes running around, I already have several!

 

[Trish44]

revolutionmama, the KS Poultry Swap & KS Farm Animal Swaps are on FaceBook. Here are the links to them, you will have to ask to join & one of us will approve you. https://www.facebook.com/groups/275183675880038/ & https://www.facebook.com/groups/312601348787264/

 

[Hawkeye95]

Last evening, DH and I were outside, working, when we heard Tory barking from some distance. .....This dog is enormous - seeing him standing close to Tory, they were the same size and Tory is a big dog. So it wasn't that willing to be run off by her but she didn't give up. She made it slowly retreat, and then the neighbors horses cantered up to see what was going on and it took off. Tory seemed very satisfied with a job well done and trotted over to me, glancing over her shoulder from time to time to make sure it was staying away.

WOW!! Go Tory!! Glad your Dh is coming around!

Hi all! Just popped in to say no more losses and DH is seriously considering a GP.

Have a great day everyone!

Hey Karen, glad you've had no more attacks. I think trying one out would be great instead of just jumping in.

We had a pretty good day with my granddaughter yesterday. We ended up taking her shopping to get some school clothes to get her started out.

Sorry if this has already been talked about but is there a thread for Kansas farm swaps? or poultry swaps? Thanks

Looks like the link was posted below. Glad to see you here! I follow your FB page! Love your new goat!! So cute!!

Well got a ton done this weekend and now off to give some mutt cochin chicks to a lady. They hatched under a sneaky broody and I don't need a bunch of cochin/silkie mixes running around, I already have several!

Hysterical!! A "sneaky" broody, hu? hehehe! Glad you have someone to off load them onto... or I mean "adopt" them to.

SO my chicks are sick!!! WTH?!? I don't know if they got sick on their own or from my adults that I brought back from the fair. The adults are fine, and they have been in another cage... but they are still within eye ball distance. So it's entirely possible. I don't know if I want to dive right into Baytril or not-- more shots... so many birds!! ACK!! So I went online and nearly had a heart attack at the price, but i bought some Denagard. But I have been reading about it everywhere lately and it sounds like it's just as good as Baytril and even one of the breeders I know uses it and recommened it. Sooooo.... does anyone else use this stuff?? Like it?? I bought it, so I don't have much choice now.
http://www.qcsupply.com/denagard-liquid-concentrate-novartis.html I have them on Duramycin, but since it binds to calcium and isn't as potent, I don't know how well it's going to work in the interim. I guess if no one has used it, I'll be the guinea pig and let you know how it works.

Been a heck of a day already. Not in the best of ways, but not too terrible either.

 

[HEChicken]

So sorry to hear about your sick chicks Hawkeye. I don't have any experience with the Denegard but do let us know how it works out for you.

Oh Josie, I meant to say, I wish we were closer - I would have loved to buy those silkie/cochins from you. That sounds like a broody combo for sure and since my flock seems mostly reluctant to brood, I wouldn't mind adding some that were certain to brood for me.

 

[sunflowerparrot]

Thanks Sharol My co-worker told me to call her son - that he'll sell me some guinees (spelling?) - said they'll at least make a ruckus to inform me something is going on outside.. I'm going to do that And just let the dog thing go. I really do not believe I am a dog person because of my fears.