Consolidated Kansas

[Ivywoods]

This is a TRUE story.

My DH was working in the pet's department last night. There was a lady walking around, looking kind of lost.

DH, "May I help you?"

Lady shopper, "Do you have hampster balls?"

DH, "I BEG your PARDON?"

Lady burst into laughter and laughed until she had tears in her eyes. Finally she was able to say, "I mean the little exercise balls you can put your hampster in."

DH (with an ornery grin), "Nope. We don't have any of those."

The heat must be getting to all of us!

 

[sharol]

That reminds me of something that happened a few years ago at my school. The tech person who supervised the writing lab needed some of those little rubber balls that used to come in the mice. The kids had been stealing them, and we needed more.

She called central supply and asked for "mouse balls" without thinking about it. I heard the laugh from the other end clear across the room.

This is a TRUE story.

My DH was working in the pet's department last night. There was a lady walking around, looking kind of lost.

DH, "May I help you?"

Lady shopper, "Do you have hampster balls?"

DH, "I BEG your PARDON?"

Lady burst into laughter and laughed until she had tears in her eyes. Finally she was able to say, "I mean the little exercise balls you can put your hampster in."

DH (with an ornery grin), "Nope. We don't have any of those."

The heat must be getting to all of us!

 

[lizzyGSR]

75 degrees and rain,

75 degrees and rain,

75 degrees and rain...PLEEEEEEEASE! It's rained near us twice and both times it stopped about a mile before it got to our house

I hear you there! We were in a Tornado Warning the other day and STILL didn't get a drop of rain. Meanwhile, it was POURING just a mile or two from us.

 

[HEChicken]

This is a TRUE story.

My DH was working in the pet's department last night. There was a lady walking around, looking kind of lost.

DH, "May I help you?"

Lady shopper, "Do you have hampster balls?"

DH, "I BEG your PARDON?"

Lady burst into laughter and laughed until she had tears in her eyes. Finally she was able to say, "I mean the little exercise balls you can put your hampster in."

DH (with an ornery grin), "Nope. We don't have any of those."

The heat must be getting to all of us!

That reminds me of something that happened a few years ago at my school. The tech person who supervised the writing lab needed some of those little rubber balls that used to come in the mice. The kids had been stealing them, and we needed more.

She called central supply and asked for "mouse balls" without thinking about it. I heard the laugh from the other end clear across the room.

 

[HEChicken]

I feel very boring lately (although sometimes boring is a good thing). We just keep plugging away here continuing to unpack and organize. The animals are all behaving themselves and aside from a few visitors, it has been a very quiet week.

This morning DH said first thing that Tory barked a LOT last night. I never even heard her but I had a dream that a fox the size of a horse trotted over the field towards our house and was in the chicken yard before I knew it (in my dream the detail as to whether it climbed like a fox or jumped like a horse was omitted) and I had to use a 9mm to shoot it. Anyway, when DH made his comment about Tory barking, my response was "Yeah, but she didn't stop the horse-sized fox getting at my chickens".

Hopefully in real life, she would.

This spring DD picked a little game hen out of the bantam bin and this is seriously the tiniest chicken I've ever seen. A 6-week-old chick is bigger than she is. After I brought Cyrus (EE rooster) home from Karen's house, the game hen started following him around adoringly, and always wants to sit next to him on the roost. It really is very sweet. Until yesterday he hadn't paid a lot of attention to her but I guess she must be getting close to laying age because last night he mated her. I was terrified she would get hurt (I had hoped he would never try it with her) but he must have been very gentle because she got up afterwards and did the little shake like any other hen, and went off in search of food, as though it was no big deal. I also caught her checking out the nest boxes and even sitting in one for a little while, so it will be interesting to see her eggs when she starts. I can't imagine they'd be much bigger than a robin's egg. I had originally agreed to her when DD chose her since game hens have a reputation for being good broodies and mothers but the other day DD looked at her and said "But Mum, she won't be able to sit on more than one egg at a time". Good point.

I'll try to get a picture of her and Cyrus together today and post it. She can walk between his legs without touching his belly - it is amazing there can be that big a difference in size and still be the same species (I guess its a little like looking at a chihuahua and a GP together).

 

[chicken danz]

I just don't know about my rooster. I gave him pedialite last night with a dropper until he choked on it. I stopped because I didn't want to stress him further. He still isn't eating or drinking and either lays down or stands up and just stares. I have him in a box he could step out of and he is just standing there.
I have company coming today and have two large birds in the house. A couple giant boxes new bar stools came in that I don't have put together, etc etc. I have no where to put any of this stuff.(The other bird has a brain injury and isn't recovering well so the other chickens were picking on him. He really should be culled but I just can't do it.)
We got sprinkles very early this morning. I guess I should do the chicken danz a lot longer if I'm going to get results!

The forecast last night showed temps over 100 every day for the next 8 days. That certainly isn't encouraging. I offered to sell some near point of lay pullets for $2 each to a friend yesterday just so I had fewer birds to keep cool. That is a measure of desperation for sure. I just figure I can't make any money if they die from the heat.
I got very few eggs yesterday as well. The least I have gotten to date. I guess my customers are just going to have to do without a week.

 

[Hawkeye95]

Thank you for posting the electrolyte solution!! I had resorted to pedialyte today when my youngest Silkie wouldnt get off the ground and one if the EE seemed really off balance. I dont know how my BCM can stand it! They have lots of shade and have learned how to use what cooling help we have, but it isnt enough...
I am sure hoping a Chicken Danz brings rain!!! I am from the desert in NM..... It is much more comfortable there!!! At least it cools off at night!!!! :-(. This 90 degrees stuff at 9pm is insane....
Take care!!

The thing is-- when it's days on end with this heat, it just starts to really get to them. No recovery time. It's not good for anyone. That's not good when the desert is starting to look better than here on the plains! Sheesh!

I went out this evening & moved all the rest of my chicks to the shadier pen, that was quite a chore. I had to catch a few at a time in the net & usually while I was trying to catch some one or two would escape out the pen door through the crack then I would have to catch those. This was after I had hauled two loads of dirt up & shoveled it around the new pen to make sure there weren't gaps underneath for the smaller chicks to get out. I sure hope none figure out anyway to get out of there. They were all kind of freaked out being completely outside because they have been in that pen in the run & it's been kind of confined & covered. The Cream Legbars just had moved outside last night, so they really were kind of like where did you take us when I moved them to the new pen. They will all have so much more room there & it has much more shade there. I still didn't get the tarp over it, but I don't think we're in danger of any rain tonight. I will probably go out in the morning & put the tarp on. I just found out my DH is going into work early tomorrow, so that will give me more time to get some things done & I need to make a feed run too. Anyway, they should all be better off out there in the shade than where they were panting their heads off, I already lost one chick & I hope I don't lose any more. My Ameraucana roo was honking today when I went out to spray everybody down, so I sprayed him with the hose. They don't like it at all & run into their house, but I know it makes them feel better for awhile anyway. It's the same with the rabbits, they run all over the place trying to get away from the water, but at least they're not so hot for awhile. I go out every day & put a blanket over part of the peacock pen & wet it down, it gives them some shade & cools things down some for a few hours. Oh I hope we don't have another whole month of this, it's going to get really old.

ugh, I can't hardly stand any more of this heat! We are all miserable! Glad you got your birds moved.

Woke up to thunder this morning. No measurable rain (less than a tenth), but at least there was water on the patio on grass. It is still 75 degrees at 6:30, though.

Good luck to everyone on the heat and cooling their animals.

sharol

wow, I haven't even seen a rain cloud.

This is a TRUE story.

My DH was working in the pet's department last night. There was a lady walking around, looking kind of lost.

DH, "May I help you?"

Lady shopper, "Do you have hampster balls?"

DH, "I BEG your PARDON?"

Lady burst into laughter and laughed until she had tears in her eyes. Finally she was able to say, "I mean the little exercise balls you can put your hampster in."

DH (with an ornery grin), "Nope. We don't have any of those."

The heat must be getting to all of us!

Ivy, that is hilarious!!!!

That reminds me of something that happened a few years ago at my school. The tech person who supervised the writing lab needed some of those little rubber balls that used to come in the mice. The kids had been stealing them, and we needed more.

She called central supply and asked for "mouse balls" without thinking about it. I heard the laugh from the other end clear across the room.

Also very funny!! I laughed over both of these stories!

I hear you there! We were in a Tornado Warning the other day and STILL didn't get a drop of rain. Meanwhile, it was POURING just a mile or two from us.

That is just plain mean to be so close and yet not get anything.

I feel very boring lately (although sometimes boring is a good thing).

This spring DD picked a little game hen out of the bantam bin and this is seriously the tiniest chicken I've ever seen. A 6-week-old chick is bigger than she is. After I brought Cyrus (EE rooster) home from Karen's house, the game hen started following him around adoringly, and always wants to sit next to him on the roost. It really is very sweet. Until yesterday he hadn't paid a lot of attention to her but I guess she must be getting close to laying age because last night he mated her. I was terrified she would get hurt (I had hoped he would never try it with her) but he must have been very gentle because she got up afterwards and did the little shake like any other hen, and went off in search of food, as though it was no big deal. I also caught her checking out the nest boxes and even sitting in one for a little while, so it will be interesting to see her eggs when she starts. I can't imagine they'd be much bigger than a robin's egg. I had originally agreed to her when DD chose her since game hens have a reputation for being good broodies and mothers but the other day DD looked at her and said "But Mum, she won't be able to sit on more than one egg at a time". Good point.

I'll try to get a picture of her and Cyrus together today and post it. She can walk between his legs without touching his belly - it is amazing there can be that big a difference in size and still be the same species (I guess its a little like looking at a chihuahua and a GP together).

Boring is good! I would hope Tory could stop a horse sized fox! LOL Crazy dreams! Your little bantam sounds adorable!!! Any idea what kind it is?? I can't wait to see this picture!!

I just don't know about my rooster. I gave him pedialite last night with a dropper until he choked on it. I stopped because I didn't want to stress him further. He still isn't eating or drinking and either lays down or stands up and just stares. I have him in a box he could step out of and he is just standing there.
I have company coming today and have two large birds in the house. A couple giant boxes new bar stools came in that I don't have put together, etc etc. I have no where to put any of this stuff.(The other bird has a brain injury and isn't recovering well so the other chickens were picking on him. He really should be culled but I just can't do it.)
We got sprinkles very early this morning. I guess I should do the chicken danz a lot longer if I'm going to get results!

The forecast last night showed temps over 100 every day for the next 8 days. That certainly isn't encouraging. I offered to sell some near point of lay pullets for $2 each to a friend yesterday just so I had fewer birds to keep cool. That is a measure of desperation for sure. I just figure I can't make any money if they die from the heat.
I got very few eggs yesterday as well. The least I have gotten to date. I guess my customers are just going to have to do without a week.

Poor rooster! I sure hope he makes it! You need to keep dancing, I think this whole state could use a good rain. I'm still getting eggs like usual, but a couple of days ago, I only got 2. You'd think they'd wait for a day like yesterday with the heat being insane to go on strike. It is miserable out there!!

 

[Deerfield Acres]

This is a TRUE story.

My DH was working in the pet's department last night. There was a lady walking around, looking kind of lost.

DH, "May I help you?"

Lady shopper, "Do you have hampster balls?"

DH, "I BEG your PARDON?"

Lady burst into laughter and laughed until she had tears in her eyes. Finally she was able to say, "I mean the little exercise balls you can put your hampster in."

DH (with an ornery grin), "Nope. We don't have any of those."

The heat must be getting to all of us!

That reminds me of something that happened a few years ago at my school. The tech person who supervised the writing lab needed some of those little rubber balls that used to come in the mice. The kids had been stealing them, and we needed more.

She called central supply and asked for "mouse balls" without thinking about it. I heard the laugh from the other end clear across the room.

That reminds me of when I was taking a class to prepare for the real estate exam, ages ago. The instructor asked for the legal term for someone who died without a will. The answer was intestate. One of the quietest young ladies in the class hesitantly raised her hand. When called on she answered "In testes"? The instructor very matter of factly responded "intestate", she instantly realized her mistake and turned bright red. Mind you this is a class of 20 to 40 year olds. Someone on one side of the room began to shake with the giggles, fighting a losing battle, and before you knew it we were all doing that goofy giggle that you try to stop but can't. It swept from one side of the room to the other and as one area would get control the next area would lose it. The instructor scolded us with "Shall we move on"? and it only started another wave of the giggles. Finally, he said "Take a 10 minute break and when you return, I expect all of you to act like adults". We did. He also held us over for 10 minutes.

 

[schellie69]

we can see some storm clouds but not sure if will get any of it. The wind has picked up in the last five minutes we've been signing a rain song so maybe will get some

Danz have you tried this i just used plan salt
Heat stress and dehydration deplete the body of electrolytes required for a chicken's normal body functioning, therefore replenishing them is a priority when chickens suffer from heat stress and/or dehydration. The following instructions for making a homemade electrolyte solution can be found in The Chicken Encyclopedia, a book I highly recommend every chicken-keeper include in their library.

HOMEMADE ELECTROLYTE SOLUTION

1/2 teaspoon salt substitute
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon table salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 gallon water

*Note: Salt substitute is readily available in most grocery stores in the spice aisle near the salt, but if you do not have it, don't worry.​

​

I use something similar to this to make homemade Gatorade
1/2 cup sugar
1 packet kool ade (un sugar)
1/2 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon salt substitute

mix and serve cold this makes 1/2 a gallon DH loves this and the rest who don't like Gatorade will drink this one.

 

[JosieChick]

Ivy- Your DH is a riot!!!! Never a dull moment with you two I bet!

Thanks, this guy wasn't too old, spoke spanish and had two younger girls with him. But it could be the same family anyway. Sure sounds familiar! So cute that your polish know each other-- like breeds tend to do that, and I have no idea how they know. Crazy broody!! She obviously doesn't know what the heck she is doing if she ran off without her babies. I got those two white roosters from Ideal hatchery. I bought my layer flock from Murrary, I think. I ended up with exactly what I asked for.

Speaking of the heat killing everything-- AGAIN today my horses were down. Usually it's just my oldest mare that gets ill in the heat. But today I had both of my mares down. My poor gelding didn't know what to do! He kept nose nudging his mama. I got them up (took me a while, though with lots of cursing and clapping on their rears) and then got them tied up to the front of the barn and hosed them down for a good 30 mins and rubbed them down. I ended up having to hose down my oldest again only an hour and half later. Sigh. I'm afraid I'm going to come home to dead horses if I don't stick around here for the hottest part of the day, poor things.

Hawkeye- Maybe this guy is neighbors with the guy I sold my silkies to! I was so mad when they were on craigslist and he was re selling them for more than he bought them from me for! And they had a pot of water and a black kennel but there were three in there! The broody was one of my hatchery marans and I was surprised she even sat. The other problem is that I moved several of my layers to a new pen and I moved her too but all her girlfriends where carrying on because they were somewhere new so I think she was too upset to care anymore about the chicks. Although, in the afternoon she went back in and sat on an egg in the nest box so maybe she just doesn't understand where babies come from!!!

Poor ponies!! That is awful, it must be terribly hot there, my horses have been hanging on here just fine. They hang out in their run in all day when it gets really toasty and graze at night on what little is left out there. I laugh at them because we spent a fortune building a run in for them and it had to meet all my specs. Wanted wood, not metal, slanted roof in the front, shingled roof so it wasn't loud when it rained (mustang won't go under anything that makes noise in the rain) and they didn't use the darn thing all winter!! I was like, yup, spent a fortune on a run in for the horses and they don't even go in it. They used it as a windbreak standing on the outside a few times. Well the heat hit and they are in the thing constantly!!!! Cracks me up. You can lead a horse to water but...

Thank you for posting the electrolyte solution!! I had resorted to pedialyte today when my youngest Silkie wouldnt get off the ground and one if the EE seemed really off balance. I dont know how my BCM can stand it! They have lots of shade and have learned how to use what cooling help we have, but it isnt enough....We have had ice in the wading pool, a mister, an oscillating fan, ice bags and bottles of ice in shady corners and still these poor birds are HOT.... :-( I sprayed all the birds down and turned the fan on them and it perked them up enough to eat frozen yogurt and applesauce.... Spoiled little things.... My dogs had ice in their wading pool too. They loved it! They are all a misty muddy mess,but so far... OK tonight.
I can't imagine having a brooder in the house and worrying about younger chicks in this heat. I can see why folks stop hatching before the heat sets in. Do some start up again in the fall?
Hawkeye, I know your horses love you! It is even hard for humans trying to cope with this weather when we can come inside in the air conditioning.
Josie, that is too sweet about your polish chicks. I have one polish and one Favarolle and they stick together like glue and were in the brooder together. We originally had 2 but my sons died for no known reason, except that possibly the Favarolle squashed it sleeping? Sorry your broody flew the coop do to speak... More little ones to look after for you. I am not sure I will ever get brave enough to have a hen set on eggs.... But maybe. Maybe she got too hot with them close to her? I know my kids hugging and cuddling on me right now is a mixed bag! I love their cuddles, but it is too hot to cuddle!

Medawinks- Aren't you a good chicken momma! They sound like they are living it up in this heat. I feel so badly for animals that don't have someone to care for them like that. Our neighbor down the street has a herd of cattle that are so thin and their pasture is just bare. They have some hay out but I wonder if the animals have worms and that is why they don't gain weight.

I feel very boring lately (although sometimes boring is a good thing). We just keep plugging away here continuing to unpack and organize. The animals are all behaving themselves and aside from a few visitors, it has been a very quiet week.

This morning DH said first thing that Tory barked a LOT last night. I never even heard her but I had a dream that a fox the size of a horse trotted over the field towards our house and was in the chicken yard before I knew it (in my dream the detail as to whether it climbed like a fox or jumped like a horse was omitted) and I had to use a 9mm to shoot it. Anyway, when DH made his comment about Tory barking, my response was "Yeah, but she didn't stop the horse-sized fox getting at my chickens".

Hopefully in real life, she would.

This spring DD picked a little game hen out of the bantam bin and this is seriously the tiniest chicken I've ever seen. A 6-week-old chick is bigger than she is. After I brought Cyrus (EE rooster) home from Karen's house, the game hen started following him around adoringly, and always wants to sit next to him on the roost. It really is very sweet. Until yesterday he hadn't paid a lot of attention to her but I guess she must be getting close to laying age because last night he mated her. I was terrified she would get hurt (I had hoped he would never try it with her) but he must have been very gentle because she got up afterwards and did the little shake like any other hen, and went off in search of food, as though it was no big deal. I also caught her checking out the nest boxes and even sitting in one for a little while, so it will be interesting to see her eggs when she starts. I can't imagine they'd be much bigger than a robin's egg. I had originally agreed to her when DD chose her since game hens have a reputation for being good broodies and mothers but the other day DD looked at her and said "But Mum, she won't be able to sit on more than one egg at a time". Good point.

I'll try to get a picture of her and Cyrus together today and post it. She can walk between his legs without touching his belly - it is amazing there can be that big a difference in size and still be the same species (I guess its a little like looking at a chihuahua and a GP together).

Hahahaha!! Yup you are so boring with your mismatched roo and pullet and horse sized fox!! Geez, I hope we don't have those around here! I have some serama chicks that are growing out and they are like peanuts when they hatch, they are still tiny. I hate it when my tiny serama roo gets loose and tries to pick a fight with a roo ten times his size!!

I just don't know about my rooster. I gave him pedialite last night with a dropper until he choked on it. I stopped because I didn't want to stress him further. He still isn't eating or drinking and either lays down or stands up and just stares. I have him in a box he could step out of and he is just standing there.
I have company coming today and have two large birds in the house. A couple giant boxes new bar stools came in that I don't have put together, etc etc. I have no where to put any of this stuff.(The other bird has a brain injury and isn't recovering well so the other chickens were picking on him. He really should be culled but I just can't do it.)
We got sprinkles very early this morning. I guess I should do the chicken danz a lot longer if I'm going to get results!

Danz- Sorry about your roo. That is a bummer. It sounds like he has some permanent neurological damage. Dogs that get left in hot cars and have damage to their brain due to heat stroke will stare off into space like that. It is really sad. Poor buddy.

You know, I think its hotter down at your place than it is up here. After I left your place I thought gosh its terribly hot for almost 5PM and in the shade and last night here it was hot but not hot like it was at your place. Are you guys in a valley? I wouldn't think driving 30 minutes south would make that big a difference but it was toasty at your place!


Well keep dancing girls cause you did something right! It poured early this morning and we needed it badly. We need more but I will take it. It sure isn't 75 degrees but at least it rained!

So I found this crazy aviary cage on craigslist and I have to go measure the trailer to see if it would fit because it would be perfect to grow out my pea chicks in. I hope it works out! I have to start cleaning the house and finish my yard work. My mom and her s.o. are coming to visit from Maine and I don't want her to think I am a complete slob! Somedays it sure looks like it though.....

SO last night I had a close call. One of the new brahma chicks got out of the kennel that I am using as a brooder and I had left the garage door open so they could get some fresh air. I was looking for the puppy to put her invisible fence collar back on and I heard a loud distress peeping coming from the garage so I went in to investigate and when I walked by the back window Lucie was walking around with the CHICK IN HER MOUTH!!!! Ahhh!! SO I ran out into the fenced backyard and yelled Lucie, NO! And she dropped the chick on the ground. I thought for sure it would be dead or have a broken leg or something and I would have to cull it and I ran up and it was fine. Just slobbery! So I shooed her out of the backyard and washed the chick off in the house and blow dried it off and it is fine this morning! The weird part is that when I spotted the puppy and before she knew I was there she was walking around with the most distressed look on her face, like a mother with an inconsolable child. It was like she was trying to put it somewhere where it would stop screaming? I thought that when she got ahold of a chicken she was playing with it but it was like she was trying to find a place to put it, like it didn't belong loose in the garage screaming and she was trying to fix it?? So weird and it is just a little 3-4 day old baby and completely unscathed? She could have just swallowed it whole....I need to order a remote collar so we can work on not using our mouth to remedy problems with the chickens but I was really surprised at her behavior, it was not at all what I would have expected from a dog that had a chicken in its mouth.