Consolidated Kansas

[Hawkeye95]

Heather--- I just called your farrier, but I got his VM. I left a message. The guy I talked to last night said he'd call me back this MORNING. Apparently, he doesn't know what the morning hours are. I have a millions things to do today and I can't be stuck here all day waiting on a call. I'm so frustrated. I'm supposed to run up to the kid's schools today. What a flippin mess my farrier has left me in. I'm so freakin' angry. Anyway-- I've called both yours and the other guy this morning-- and no one is responding. What a sh!tty day so far.

 

[Trish44]

I'm so glad you're going to go visit the GP breeder & see the dogs. I think you will be impressed with them once you see them. They are highly intelligent dogs & have great instincts. I just don't think you could go wrong getting one & they are not people aggressive dogs like other breeds. They do get big, but that's to their advantage when having to run off coyotes. They do bark at night when they need to & understand when I say when they need to is when they have a predator close by. They are not yappy dogs like some smaller dogs that just bark at shadows or to hear their voices. I know when I hear mine barking at night that they're out there doing their job & it's comforting to me to know that. Let us know how the visit goes.

Dang miss a couple of days and have pages of post to catch up on. Sorry to all who have had birds go down in this heat and to those who have lost birds to this heat. I lost one of my older hens earlier in this heat wave. So far the rest are doing okay I have one stubborn broody laying on a clutch of eggs we shall see how this works. I planted squash, pumpkins in my garden in spring i had a huge harvest then when the plants started dying in the heat I pulled up the plants, and DH tilled the garden up and I replanted a fall crop, sunflowers, carrots some herbs, pumpkins and squash, cucumbers, watermelons, and some beans to be dried to use for chili I had read in square foot gardening book this was a great way to get more out of a garden so I am trying it this year. I hope it works. I am watering every other day right now. So far all my chickens are handling the heat okay I do spray down there pen floor I am lucky since there pen is shaded almost all day. I didn't get any chicks this spring I want certain breeds and didn't look for them. My oldest dd lost her 3rd daughter and 30 weeks (stillborn) in January it just took me some time to heal and by then all the chicks were gone from the farm stores. I am still looking for certain breeds and was hoping to get some older chicks, Which are Marans (want those dark eggs), Ameracuana's and Easter eggers (I want green eggs) I just want some more color in my eggs basket. The pheasant that I rescued from cats has found new home with someone who raises pheasants and know how to take care of it. If any one knows of anyone selling culls on these birds or needs homes for any please let me know I would love to add a few new ones to my egg layers. I hope everyone stays cooler this week.

I'm sorry about losing your grandbaby, I can't imagine losing one at that stage, how devastating. I forget where you're located, but I may have an extra Ameraucana or two later on if the ones I have out in the pen all turn out to be hens instead of any roos. I have one pullet out there, but I was trying to save a roo also for my breeding program, but these black Ameraucanas are just the hardest to figure out what they are until they're older. They just aren't even like other colors of Ameraucanas I think partially because they're so black you can't see the subtle differences like you could with others.

Danz, so very sorry about the little duckies. Honest mistake, on your part. I also understand the feeling you are describing. I am having a situation myself. I nearly cried last night, I had to have my neighbor come over and help me with Cassie, my mare. I'm just sick. Hang in there, girl. I sure hope your buyer follows through and you get your guineas sold. Good luck with the sale!

Sharol, oh what a royal PITA that you have more bumblefoot. Are they limping? Or did you just see swollen feet and that was it? Just wondering what I should keep an eye out for. Let us know how it goes. I for one, am very interested in how you treat it. I hope your birds will be okay! But it does sound serious.

Schellie, sounds like a rough year for you. That is devastating to have lost a baby at 30 weeks. I'm so sorry for you and your daughter and family. I bet you can find those birds you are looking for this Fall. Those are breeds a few of us on the board raise.

I am praying, praying for my mare. She is in so much pain right now, she is not wanting to eat. I hope today is a better day for her. My farrier cancelled and I *hope* I have another one on the way today. If not, I have another one I can call. Unfortunately mine has cancelled on me twice-- so she's missed two appts. The first time, I could let it slide, she wasn't that long in the foot. But she grows really fast. She lamed up a few days ago and I've been counting down the days till yesterday. It's not like a kid, where you can just take them to the Dr. Vets don't really do feet. Or at least, I wouldn't want any vet touching her feet. They could do something really stupid. Farriers are really the best bet. Anyway, when he cancelled last night, I about lost it. I had everyone in the barn ready to go, I had been soaking her feet and she was tied up to do so. So now I have another day of soaking her feet and waiting on another farrier. Mine has been sick, and he said last night he thought he had kidney stones and was on his way to the ER. Sheesh. I have all the luck. Usually he's pretty reliable. Sigh.

Hawkeye, I hope you get someone to come today to take care of your old mare, that's terrible she has to suffer because nobody wants to answer their phones. It seems like there was a farrier ad on the farm swap, but I can't remember where he was located now without looking.

It was already scorching hot out there when I went out this morning to do chores, I came in soaking wet, ugh. Those panels are really going to be a help especially on the Ameraucana pen I can tell already. It was like 20 degrees cooler in there with them on the gate & that is wonderful! Those poor birds have been suffering in this heat & all I could do for them was keep spraying them down. I just hadn't been able to figure out what to put on there to shade them & still be able to open & close the gate. I think the ones on the peacock pen will help a lot too rather than having to have a thick blanket on there that didn't let any air in.

I told my DH today before he left for the gym that I'm thinking of postponing my Dr. appt. in KC until in the fall some time & he took it better than I thought he would. He did mumble about it being over my chickens, but I also told him it's too hot for the dogs, we take them with us & too hot to enjoy the trip to do anything. He did agree on those counts. So I will call them after their lunch time & see when I can get another appt. later when it's much cooler. We like to go down on the Plaza when we go & there is no way I could even enjoy that right now at all. I would just be tempted to jump into a fountain & sit there. I didn't mention the trip to Missouri yet, that's going to be the real problem that he is going to get angry about the most.

 

[Hawkeye95]

Okay, I called probably like 6 farriers! LOL I finally got one to answer his phone AND agree to come out. But not until tomorrow. So today I'll soak her feet again and then start over in the morning soaking her feet until he gets here tomorrow. My mom ran to the vet and got me more Bute. I had completely run out. So I'm feeling a bit more calm. I was feeling totally out of control of her health and that puts me in a VERY bad spot mentally. I have to admit, I go a little nuts when I feel I can't care for them. But now I feel like I can calm down and start thinking of all the other things that need to get done. I guess I can leave the house now and get up to the school and the store, etc... Whew!!!

Trish, so glad those panels are working out. Sounds like a smart idea, to me. Having the sun beat down on you with no way to get out of it is just hard on them. Hope your birds will be feeling the relief today! Glad the reschedule went over well. Maybe it will be cooler by the time you have to go to Missouri. Never know, maybe we will have a cooling week that day.

 

[tweetysvoice]

Who posted the note about the year old untrained GP for $100 bucks? My friend who is still looking for a good GP for her farm was wanting contact information. Send me a message if you can. Thanks! Note: She'd prefer an already trained adult, so if anyone does know of any still, please let me know as well. She is continuing to try to get ahold of that one that was listed in Hutch, but they never return phone calls. *shrugs*

Thanks all - I'll catch up on posts after work.

 

[JosieChick]

Oh Danz!- What a bummer! I am so sorry that they are gone. Its ok, I wasn't really needing any more ducks but I wanted to make sure your granddaughters ducklings were going to have a home so she wouldn't worry about them. How tragic.

 

[Trish44]

Does anybody need any guineas? There is a brand new post on the KS Farm Animal Swap on FB for Royal Purple baby guineas for $3.50 each. You don't see that color that much, usually you see pearls, lavenders, or whites.

We had the air conditioner guys here today just to make sure everything was kosher, maintenance. We don't want anything to go wrong in this kind of weather. I can't imagine trying to live without air conditioning in this kind of summer or any summer for that matter any more. When it gets to 90 degrees or before I'm done with sweating it out & it's time to turn on the air.

We're getting thunder north of us, but I'll bet we don't get a drop of rain from it. I looked at the radar & there are tiny little rain storms all over the place, but they always seem to just go one direction or the other around us. I'm beginning to think we have some kind of sign here that says dead zone, no rain allowed. The chickens have no problem finding places to take dirt baths, about anywhere in the yard now will do, but the driveway is really good for it.Oh & sunflowerparrot, those panels really are working great for the Ameraucana pen, they have been out walking around the pen this afternoon instead of scrunched up by the dog house, that was a great idea! I think I"m going to use that last panel I had left to put on the side of the peacock pen to stop the afternoon sun from shining in the side. The others on top are working good, but I think I need that last one to make it even better. I'll do that later on when I go out to feed & water everyone this evening.

 

[schellie69]

Thank you everyone for the nice words the wound is still there but healing just waiting for DD to get pregnant again.
I am hearing thunder so we got a little rain so I am hoping that it helps bring the temps down. hope others get rain also.

 

[chicken danz]

Schellie my sentiments as well. So sorry for your loss.Was that to be your first grand child?
I can see some lightening in the distance but no rain here. It sure looks more promising than it has though.
My guineas guy showed up and bought all the guineas I had but what I held back for a buyer next week. He also gave me a decent price for one of my little MiIle Fleur d'uccle roosters I hatched a few months back. I had three roosters and no hens so I hope I can at least keep one rooster going until I have some female chicks hatch this fall. got enough money to buy feed for one week nay way.
I have to go back out closer to dark and nab three roosters to take to town tomorrow. My chinese buyer wanted three more. I need to catch some of the wilder ones if I can figure out where they roost at night. He is also going to buy one of my pekin ducks and let me know how good it was.
I am going to sell 10 younger pullets next week for a prayer along with some guineas I kept for the same guy. He's a friend so he's getting a bargain price. I have about 100 young birds I need to catch and sell somewhere then I'd be pretty happy.
I had a hen come out with 3 new babies just yesterday and I know of a couple more that are sitting. I really want them to stop for a while!!! Chickendanz is all danced out!

 

[sunflowerparrot]

So - I have decided I am going to get a GP - but I want a purebreed and not mixed with any of the other breeds (seems the other breeds have more aggression than I'm wanting in a dog). Does anyone know anyone in KS that has GP puppies? I'm more than happy to travel.. Thanks.

 

[HEChicken]

Schellie, so sorry about your grandbaby.

Danz, congrats on selling the keets and rooster.

Sunflower, before I got my LGD, I had never heard of the Akbash breed but from what I've heard they are less aggressive than Great Pyrenees so if you see one mixed with that breed, don't hesitate to investigate. Mine is GP/Akbash and VERY laid back and non-aggressive. I'm not even seeing any food aggression or anything with her, like some others describe with their full GP's. A bonus is the Akbash is short-haired and my dog got the Akbash hair coat so doesn't get matted at all.

This morning while we drank our coffee on the front porch, our three dogs were playing with a rope toy. If only I'd had my camcorder I could have sent the video to the manufacturer for use in advertizing because they were using it just exactly as they would want. The toy has 3 knots and each dog had hold one knot so it was a 3-way tug of war. Occasionally one would gain the advantage, grab the toy and gallop off with the others in hot pursuit trying to grab a knot on the run - we had so much fun watching them.

Hawkeye, please let us know how Cassie is doing this evening. I'm so disappointed that my farrier didn't call you back. I will be seeing him next week when he does our horses and the only excuse I will accept is that he was out of town in a remote area without cell reception. He has always been so responsive when I've had to call him that I really expected he would call you right back.

Every evening after the sun goes mostly down, I take my Kindle out to my chicken yard and sit there in my lawn chair reading while the birds mill around and, as it grows darker, make their way to the coop. The muscovies, who are not terribly friendly and don't let me get close enough to touch them, reach out in their own quiet way. I've noticed that wherever I put my chair, they waddle over to within about 3' of it and then sit down in a group, keeping me company until time to go to bed. The guineas come and go and the chickens wander around, some jumping up onto my lap, others just talking to me. Tonight I looked up to see a sight that made me wish I had my camera with me. Scramble, my oldest hen, is a Buff Orpington and was named by my kids when she was a chick. A duck was grooming her beak and neck area and she was standing completely motionless, allowing it. A guinea stopped by to see what they were doing and noticed an area the duck had missed, so reached out and started grooming as well. It was so neat to see these three species - a chicken, a duck and a guinea, united by the common goal of grooming/being groomed.