Consolidated Kansas

[MarcAustin]

See Hawkeye !! That's no bird for my ladies. I would invariably turn something like that into an indoor only "lap-chicken" Too cute to get it's little feets muddy!!!!!!

 

[Hawkeye95]

OKay, prepare for Silkie overload!! I took pictures tonight of some of my prospects.

I love this little girl-- I think she is going to be great for show and breeding! (4.5 months old)

And then I really like this Splash cockerel (4.5 months old) But I'm not so sure about his wings. Right now, they look like they might be split... but now they are starting to look better. So I don't know what to do with him. Going to hold on to him until I decide. But he has AMAZING type so far!

Then I have 3 blue boys and they are all great. I don't know how I'm going to choose. Josie-- there might be an opportunity for you here. They all have great wings. Good type. Great combs! Here is just one of them, they all look almost exactly alike. They are 4 months old-- not filled in much at all... YET. This is the SAME blue boy. The others look pretty much like him.

And then... do you remember my twisted beak chick? When she was a few weeks old, I took this picture of her:

Well..... she now looks like THIS!

 

[Hawkeye95]

See Hawkeye !! That's no bird for my ladies. I would invariably turn something like that into an indoor only "lap-chicken" Too cute to get it's little feets muddy!!!!!!

LOL!!!! They are adorable!! They are just cuddly sweet little things!

 

[averytds]

The thing with Silkies is that they can make drastic changes. Really great starts can peter out or end up messy show-ers. Late bloomers abound here, but band checks confirm. We hold them more for longer periods than any other breed.

I may know one person with blue partridge I can check with, but I think they are showgirls. We don't do that color.

KAHD is the Kansas Animal Health Dept. Maybe since I'm not being heard, they'll be listened to. We've been to huge shows with thousands of birds without issue. Playing musical cages is just not done and shouldn't be, sick or not. You just don't do it. They're just asking for a major outbreak of something and this needs addressed. Medicating the entire barn shouldn't be necessary. I don't see the fair itself as the problem, we've been before without this craziness going on. Staff this year has really dropped the ball and I blame them entirely. And with vets on hand, why was nothing done besides pulling and putting under a heat lamp. Shouldn't they at least have done a necropsy to determine potential threat to the rest of the stock?

The Frost was "gifted" to my niece since we have no plans for her beyond eye candy. The white (rasberry blue, cough, cough) hen and all the blues belong to my middle daughter. The nice black belongs to my youngest. The white pullet across the way isn't terrible, but the others???? Especially don't know what the owner of the white boy was thinking.

Those are my DDs best blue show-ers, so we've got to get breeding again this week just in case. My DS is a little ticked about some he took, but grateful for others he decided at the last minute to keep at home. Because of their rarity, I don't want to lose the youngest's Porcelain, but she's going to pursue a different breed for next year. We had planned to go to Sedalia, but now will have to see how this all plays out while we start hatching like crazy.

State Fair has the worst website ever and their entry stuff has been messed up like that for at least 3 years that I know of. Silkies have Bearded White or Black and Non-Bearded White or Black. Your only other option is Non-Bearded AOV. There was a similar issue with DD's booted bantam. I imagine there are other crazy things like that for other breeds too. One of the judges said he thought a lot of the exhibitors were a bit off until someone explained.

 

[mommahen10]

Thanks chicken danz. About me, well, we have lots of kids and too many chickens too count. We've pretty much always had chickens just for laying eggs. We would buy some here and there or take some that someone had to give and we just love them all. We've hatched a few at times under a lightbulb for fun with excellent hatch rates. This summer we started with a lightbulb and decided instead of buying more chicks we would hatch, so I bought a little incubator instead. We have had so much fun, I love it and I can't seem to stop. So... all of our chickens are sort of mutts and that's fine with me. I can't tell who's boys and who's girls and I really do need to figure that out. I have chicks in several stages in different places and we are in the process of building another coop. We tried counting yesterday, I have 30ish hens/1 rooster from the old group, I have no idea how old they are but some of them have to be pretty old. We are only getting about 8 eggs per day. Then chicks from this summer, there were 6, then 16, then 10, then 25 and more will be hatching this week. We have 7 acres to expand on and a barn that is barely being used, I have heat lamps we purchased at a garage sale last year with extra bulbs that I'm hoping to put to good use. BTW...your silly peachick is adorable. I've never seen one before but it's just so cute! We have one chicken that I thought was just crazy because it kept getting stuck. We isolated it for a while then tried again to put it in with the others. Come to find out, the other chickens are chasing it and being mean to it. I can't figure out why. While we were in there trying to figure out better what was going on, it seems that this little chicken is just too tame. She followed us around where the others didn't, it would fly up onto us. When we walk out of the coop, it paces back and forth until the other chickens notice it again and go after it. I don't know what to think.

sunflowerparrot~ we keep chickens in our freezer for a year and even longer. If they're wrapped well they keep well. I don't look forward to having to harvest chickens but I know it's going to happen. Your little ducks are so sweet.

HEChicken, we've had chickens for many years and I have no idea what bumblefoot is. Shoes for chickens? I'd like to see what that is, just curious. Are they sewn? I sew, it is hard to sew tiny things. I can't imagine paying that for a chicken shoe though. The thought of chickens wearing shoes makes me giggle.

Well, I know I can't remember everything with everyone. The recipe sharing has been fun, I needed some extra motivation. Anyone do freezer cooking? I love cooking for later so I can have days where I don't need to be in the kitchen all day long. I always cook extra to put away for other times, but I also have 9 in our house every day, homeschooling keeps the kids home too so feeding everyone is always a big part of my day. It's late, I still have eggs to turn. Night.

 

[Deerfield Acres]

I'm so far behind but catching up!

Post me a pic. Are you within an hours drive of El Dorado ?? Two of my hens are Sussex so I'm sure they'd like him!

Here are the two Speckled Sussex Roos that will be available FREE of charge mid to late October. Big Red is better overall type but less spotty, although they get more spots each time they molt. Big Spotty is larger than Big Red, has more spots and seems to be a fraction more laid back. Both are nice roos, although Big Spotty is a fraction more laid back than Red. Both these guys were born in February and have filled out more since these pics were taken approx. a month or two ago.

Big Red





Big Spotty

I actually had a wild goose chase myself earlier this spring. On my road there was one lone snowy goose sitting by a pond for months. I didn't know if it was injured or nesting or what but it was a pretty open field and I just knew the coyotes would get it. So one day I had DH stop and I climbed the gate and went in to try to wrangle the goose. Well use your imagination. The thing would sit until I would get 25 feet from it then take off and go 100 feet away. I think I spent 45 minutes running around that pond trying to catch up with that silly goose before deciding if I kept chasing it, the vultures would be having me for lunch. I kept thinking someone should have been telling me to act my age. Sadly it was there maybe 2 more months then disappeared.

You made me LOL picturing it! Oh Danz, that's so sweet too, that you tried so hard.

No, it wasn't even funny. The neat thing was that this lady had a bunch of different animals. While I was there, I got to feed a llama, pet a baby llama, and pet her goats. I also got to see a Hennie (hennie = mini horse + donkey) for the first time. I'm a horse lover, so that was really neat.

I would have enjoyed that also!

I'll let the girls know you liked their birds. Technically the only AOV is the Frost, but the computer system only offers white/black/AOV. I'm pretty ticked off at the fair right now and don't know if we'll return next year. The entire event this year has been nothing but screw-up after screw-up where the poultry is concerned. (Opens) Some of the problems have been inconvenient (splitting up classes, no cages) while some have been completely egregious (removing sick birds and putting healthy ones right into those cages). Now they're medicating the entire barn. We were informed one of our birds even died yesterday. Anyone who goes, remember to shower, change and clean shoes before visiting your flock.

My girls were at the fair today and enjoyed looking at all the chickens! It's a shame they haven't taken more care with the birds. DD said some of the birds were mislabeled also. I'm so sorry about your bird. That's just sad.

Well after being gone for two days out of town it has taken me awhile to read & catch up on all of the posts since I left. The weather up in Kansas City was just gorgeous for those two days, it was wonderful! We went yesterday to this farm that was supposed to be set up like an 1800s farm & they had chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, horses, goats, & sheep there. They had a really interesting brooder that I took a pic of, so when I get it loaded into my computer from my camera I'll share it with you all. We took our two little dogs with us & they were able to walk around the farm with us & of course my Yorkie Satin heard the chicks & wanted to be picked up so she could see them, she just loves watching little chicks. They had these huge piles of pumpkins & different kinds of squash & gourds that I took pics of too. The turkeys they had were Bourbon Red, Bronze, & Royal Palm. It was kind of a nice little diversion for awhile. We then went on to Weston, a quaint little Irish town that I really like, but sadly most of the shops were closed on Monday, so we just wandered around & then ate lunch at the Irish Pub there. My Dr. appt. wasn't until 3:00 in the afternoon, so we had plenty of time to mess around until time to go to that. We tried a different restaurant down on the Plaza in KC this time, a Brazilian steak house where they just keep bringing you different kinds of steak & meat until you're stuffed & have to be rolled out the door. We had eaten at one like that in Fort Worth, TX one time. We decided we didn't want to do that again. I told my DH that well we had tried it & we don't have to go back again. It was just too much food & for the price you just feel like you have to stuff yourself to get your money's worth. I'm pretty tired today, I never sleep as well when I'm away from home, so it will take me a day or so to get back to normal again.

My chickens were really glad to see me this morning & just exploded out the run door when I opened it, I don't let them free-range when I'm gone. Even with the dogs here I just don't want to chance what could happen to them. I checked on my little sick chickies in the rabbit cage & the one little roo looks some improved today, but the Cream Legbar pullet still looks bad. It's taking forever to get them well. I got the Sulmet in the mail while I was gone, so I started that today, hopefully that will help kick this stuff. This is the 3rd antibiotic I've tried on them. The ones out in the grow-out pen are mostly well, just a few that look to have a little touch still, so I gave them some of the Sulmet today too. The dogs & cats were really glad to see us too last night.

Glad you had such a nice trip -- sounds like fun! I sure hope your sick birds come around this week. It's a lot of work and worry continuously nursing chicks that just won't perk up. Hope all your hard work pays off!

I just went out and found one of my buff laced brahma pullets dead in the coop.

I am so sad, she was so young and beautiful, how could this even happen to such a young bird. She looked fine last night while I was out doing chores.....

Oh my. That's the pits. So sorry JosieChick.

OH no! So sorry you don't get to go to the fair. Ah well, I'm sure you'll enjoy your day! I did go to the fair again today! Since it was free, and all. I think that beefy noodle soup that Medawinks was talking about is going to be on our list of things to make very soon! VERY soon! I also love pork and your dinner idea sounds pretty darned good, too! BTW, next year, I'll line you up for some silkie pullets when I do my culls again. I think I have most of my culls spoken for now. Except for the young cockerels. I have a couple to get rid of.

Lizzy-- how did I forget to reply to you? Anyway, after reading your horrible story of spending 2 hours trying to run down geese, I was just thinking how crazy it was that she let them all out before you even got there. I mean, surely, she could have at least left them in so you could see them. Wow. I hope you find another goose.

I spent the day at the fair again, today. My boys were back to school so it was my youngest and my mom. More Pronto Pups!! I can never get enough of those! Then came home and got the boys off the bus and have been cleaning house. That's about it!

OMGosh! Thank you for thinking of me for next year's culls! That would be just great! We would love them to pieces.

 

[cherwill]

I'm sorry for the loss of the birds for all that had losses recently. I know how heartbreaking that is when you try so hard to take good care of your birds.

x2. I thought we might be past that now that temperatures have "cooled" off. I did have two chickens die the first year we had chickens, within a few weeks of each other. We decided it was genetic and not contagious because no other birds had problems and these were 2 of 3 we had gotten from a friend.

Newest additions!

Cute!

Duck people, I have another question for you. My niece has two males she got this spring. Her mother says they can't add ducks because she was told by the lady at Tractor Supply that you can't add ducks to an already existing flock (is flock the right word?) and you can't mix flocks. Sounds odd to me, but what do I know about ducks?

http://www.vet.k-state.edu/depts/dmp/service/pathology/necropsy.htm tells about their process, and https://www.vet.k-state.edu/depts/dmp/service/diagfeeschedule/DiagFeeSchedule.aspx?Category=Necropsy gives you the details for the costs. Generally if you write out lots of details on the form (click on the necropsy name on the left in the price list for the form) they will be able to do the determining for you of what is necessary, and they will call you to let you choose whether they should progress or not. You MUST tell them to call you and put your number in the comments. I've found them to be immensely helpful and able to make the most with the least fees. I've fortunately never had a contagion be my issue, but things like internal fracture (from a fall) or yolk peritonitis, etc.

Thanks for posting this.

OKay, prepare for Silkie overload!! I took pictures tonight of some of my prospects.

I love this little girl-- I think she is going to be great for show and breeding! (4.5 months old)

And then I really like this Splash cockerel (4.5 months old) But I'm not so sure about his wings. Right now, they look like they might be split... but now they are starting to look better. So I don't know what to do with him. Going to hold on to him until I decide. But he has AMAZING type so far!

Then I have 3 blue boys and they are all great. I don't know how I'm going to choose. Josie-- there might be an opportunity for you here. They all have great wings. Good type. Great combs! Here is just one of them, they all look almost exactly alike. They are 4 months old-- not filled in much at all... YET. This is the SAME blue boy. The others look pretty much like him.

And then... do you remember my twisted beak chick? When she was a few weeks old, I took this picture of her:

Well..... she now looks like THIS!

That is a lot of fluffball cuteness right there!

 

[Trish44]

mommahen10, I'm sorry I forgot to welcome you to the Kansas thread. We always like to have new folks join us here, feel free to jump in any time. It sounds like you have a busy household there.

I went to visit Sunflowerparrot's & see her new little chicks & duckies this evening, those ducks are so adorable! It makes me want some so bad, but I don't need any more new projects this year. I think I will wait till next year & get some Muscovies after hearing everyone talk about them. I know where I can get all I want really close by in about every color, so I'll leave that for a next spring project. I don't want to get any more new birds before I go on vacation for me to worry about while I'm gone. Boy that Fern really does get around well with that big splint on her leg, it sure doesn't slow her down too much.

I'm going up to meet the lady in Newton tomorrow to get my little male peachick, I can't wait to see him in person & get him home to meet my peahens. They're exactly the same age, so I think it will work out well. I never have heard from the other one with the yearling, so I have given up on her catching him & at this point I really don't care since I found this one at a better age. Maybe next year I will just order some opal peachicks in the spring when the peafowl farms start hatching again. I wouldn't mind having a trio of opal black shoulder, I think they're really pretty. Danz, the lady I'm getting this little cock from has a white peachick too, she was quick to tell me in her email since it was in the pics with the others that NO I couldn't have the white one. She has purples I think & blue besides the little white one. She said she hatched them from eggs she got from someone in Greensburg. I don't know what they will be like when they get out to free-range, but I can walk into their pen now & they come fairly close to see what I have brought in for them. I think even the females are pretty, mine are getting a lot of green on their necks now & I love their little feathers on their heads. I can't believe yours sits on your lap like that!

KarenS, those Speckled Sussex roos you have were those hatchery birds? I have a Speckled Sussex roo & he is starting to get a little more ornery than I would like. He has flogged me twice now in the last week or so, I have wounds on my left leg from him. If I wasn't planning to shut him in a pen when the breeder coop is done I would get rid of him because I can't trust him any more to be out in the general flock, he attacks me from behind. He never got like this until I got rid of Big Red & now he is taking his place with the nonsense. What is it with these roosters anyway? I heard you have all the Ameraucanas from my chicks, have you been able to tell yet if any are roosters? I still have two that I can't tell sexes on. I'm needing a rooster for next year's breeding program to replace the one I have been using so I can get more lavenders. I know I have one black hen so far, but the other two just aren't old enough to tell what they are. I think the blacks are just the hardest to tell sex on than any other color.

 

[MarcAustin]

I'm so far behind but catching up!



Here are the two Speckled Sussex Roos that will be available FREE of charge mid to late October. Big Red is better overall type but less spotty, although they get more spots each time they molt. Big Spotty is larger than Big Red, has more spots and seems to be a fraction more laid back. Both are nice roos, although Big Spotty is a fraction more laid back than Red. Both these guys were born in February and have filled out more since these pics were taken approx. a month or two ago.

Big Red

Okay - I'll definitely take one. Whichever one you think will make a better flock protector. Let me know when you're ready to part with him. THANK YOU!

 

[sunflowerparrot]

I went to visit Sunflowerparrot's & see her new little chicks & duckies this evening, those ducks are so adorable! It makes me want some so bad, but I don't need any more new projects this year. I think I will wait till next year & get some Muscovies after hearing everyone talk about them. I know where I can get all I want really close by in about every color, so I'll leave that for a next spring project. I don't want to get any more new birds before I go on vacation for me to worry about while I'm gone. Boy that Fern really does get around well with that big splint on her leg, it sure doesn't slow her down too much.

I need to learn about ducks.. I read that you can't mix breeds - anyone know if that is true or not? I have a large lagoon and would like to keep about 6-10 ducks in there to keep down weeds and eat some bugs.

I'm starting to wonder what I'm going to do with these 3 little ducks with the evening temperatures getting on the chilly side. I've not purchased a heat lamp yet and not really crazy on the idea of having such a fire hazard running all night while I'm sleeping. I think I may just put them in my bathtub and use the spare one I have for a few weeks...

Fern goes to the vet one week from today to be checked (she'll be sedated and probably spend the night...) I'm hoping the leg has healed and the splint will be ready to come off. Tomorrow morning is her last antibiotic and pain pill. Yay for progress!