Consolidated Kansas

[mommahen10]

Thanks chicken danz. I think we have been close to you when we go to Emporia. I think it's about 1 1/2 hours. We are south of you. I would love to have some help if you ever get this direction.

 

[Deerfield Acres]

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.

I like big families!

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.

Mine were hatchery birds from Mt. Healthy but I chose the 2 best roos from approx 25 cockerels. The ones I kept are quite large and decent type but not SQ. I've never had any trouble from either of my roos, but one of my more timid daughters has. She handled it and he stopped and hasn't messed with her for awhile now. She just stared and walked him down. She didn't have to use a stick or anything, otherwise he wouldn't still be around. I don't let my smallest daughter visit the chickens without me there, just as a precaution. She's almost 8 but very small for her age.

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!

From watching the two, I would say Big Red would make the best protector. He's never been aggressive with me at all but I wanted you to be aware he has tried intimidating a child. He's a great roo with the girls and always has been. He watches the sky diligently, dances for the girls, brings them real treats (the other one fakes treats) and has protected them over and over from many cockerels as they came on the scene without injuring any of them. I like them both, but Big Red is my favorite. I will definitely let you know when I'm ready to part with him. Probably mid October. I'll give you a shout. Your welcome.

Our rooster crowed for the first time today. My 3 years was so excited to hear him.

Isn't that just the cutest thing when they start crowing? Pretty comical, too!

Hmmm looks like I am about 100 pages behind! Oh, well, just have to start all over again.

Great to have you back. Don't worry about starting over, just jump in! What's going on in your neck of the woods?

checoukan, glad to see you back. I think there is someone interested in your OE you have listed on the KS Poultry Swap.

Well I'll be off to go get my little peacock in a couple of hours, I can't wait to see him! That will take up my afternoon driving there & then back, so when I get back from there I will have to get him settled in & do all of my chores so it will probably be dark before I'm done with all of that.

My DH & I managed to get the two GP pups stitches out awhile ago, so we don't have to load them into the car again, so that was a relief. They were healed pretty well except one spot Jasmine has that is still a little raw, so I sprayed some antiseptic on it. He did some kind of strange suturing, so it took me awhile to get all of it out, but we managed. They were really pretty good about it, I was surprised Jasmine laid so still, she just doesn't like being messed with usually. Lily you can do about whatever you want to her & she doesn't mind, but Jasmine is a different story.

Yay! Happy new peachick to you!

 

[Hawkeye95]

Hmmm looks like I am about 100 pages behind! Oh, well, just have to start all over again.

hey-- SO GOOD to see you!! I love hearing what you have going on down there! Did any of your county's birds come down to the State Fair? That would be a long haul. Just curious! We had some buff orpingtons that are insanely BIG down at the fair this year! They are the size of a medium dog!

checoukan, glad to see you back. I think there is someone interested in your OE you have listed on the KS Poultry Swap.

Well I'll be off to go get my little peacock in a couple of hours, I can't wait to see him! That will take up my afternoon driving there & then back, so when I get back from there I will have to get him settled in & do all of my chores so it will probably be dark before I'm done with all of that.

My DH & I managed to get the two GP pups stitches out awhile ago, so we don't have to load them into the car again, so that was a relief. They were healed pretty well except one spot Jasmine has that is still a little raw, so I sprayed some antiseptic on it. He did some kind of strange suturing, so it took me awhile to get all of it out, but we managed. They were really pretty good about it, I was surprised Jasmine laid so still, she just doesn't like being messed with usually. Lily you can do about whatever you want to her & she doesn't mind, but Jasmine is a different story.

Good luck with the pea! Glad to hear you got the stitches out!

I like big families!

Mine were hatchery birds from Mt. Healthy but I chose the 2 best roos from approx 25 cockerels. The ones I kept are quite large and decent type but not SQ. I've never had any trouble from either of my roos, but one of my more timid daughters has. She handled it and he stopped and hasn't messed with her for awhile now. She just stared and walked him down. She didn't have to use a stick or anything, otherwise he wouldn't still be around. I don't let my smallest daughter visit the chickens without me there, just as a precaution. She's almost 8 but very small for her age.

I'm glad silkies are small! I can keep them even if they end up being stinkers! But so far, mine have all been pretty good. But I have a couple of teenagers that are giving me a hard time. They are trying to crow and just hit their hormones in the last few days and two of them bit me! Not hard... but they were sure trying to show off. My older rooster puts them in their place quickly. I need a bachelor pen for them. That way they can learn to be nice and have no one to get all crazy about.

 

[Hawkeye95]

Okay, I'm being silly today and figured it would be fun to wear a fun chicken t-shirt when I show my Silkies! Remember the pictures I took last night of my boy and the girl I love? I threw them over into my graphic program, drew over the top of them--- and viola!!! A silkie graphic! I did hunt for silkie graphics online for the shirt-- but no one had them. Just plain chickens. So I had no choice, but at least this way, these are actually MY chickens on the design!

Here are a couple of ideas: (I'm probably going to continue to tweak them) But hey, if you have any ideas, let me know. I'd love to come up with a really fun shirt to wear!

 

[cherwill]

Okay, I'm being silly today and figured it would be fun to wear a fun chicken t-shirt when I show my Silkies! Remember the pictures I took last night of my boy and the girl I love? I threw them over into my graphic program, drew over the top of them--- and viola!!! A silkie graphic! I did hunt for silkie graphics online for the shirt-- but no one had them. Just plain chickens. So I had no choice, but at least this way, these are actually MY chickens on the design!

Here are a couple of ideas: (I'm probably going to continue to tweak them) But hey, if you have any ideas, let me know. I'd love to come up with a really fun shirt to wear!

I like the way the silkies are standing in the second one, but I think I like the idea of no border better than the border, or maybe just a thinner border. Both are fantastic, though. What a fun idea.

 

[sharol]

I like the way the silkies are standing in the second one, but I think I like the idea of no border better than the border, or maybe just a thinner border. Both are fantastic, though. What a fun idea.

x2 just what I was thinking. Great idea.

 

[Hawkeye95]

I like the way the silkies are standing in the second one, but I think I like the idea of no border better than the border, or maybe just a thinner border. Both are fantastic, though. What a fun idea.

x2 just what I was thinking. Great idea.

I think I agree with you both. The "grass" in the oval sort of looks sharp and just isn't going with the whole chicken/silkie thing. I think I will just stick with them turned toward each other and no outline. Thank you! ...Unless... I put a bit heart around them? LOL nah, probably would look silly and over done.

 

[Hawkeye95]

okay--

 

[sunflowerparrot]

Oh I forgot, Sunflower. Ducks like bugs better than greens. I would opt for geese as well for weed eating. Just be aware that lagoon water may not be totally healthy for them. If I were going to do that I would be sure to provide fresh water for drinking and supplemental food. Maybe a goat would be a better choice but they too would need supplemental food and water.

Yeah - I have 2 small pools.. one for Fern (and pup to join as soon as Candace knows if there are new pups!) and one for the lagoon animals I don't think I want goats. I've debated a lot about this and have decided I don't want to deal with anything other than fowl. At one time, I was going to do rabbits (for food), but decided against that too. I think birds/fowl are my passion. I have parrots in my house (one is a mouthy little brat!) and love birds - and sunflowers (hence my name)

 

[sunflowerparrot]

Sunflower those are cure ducklings what kind are they? I want some ducks but i think will wait till next year and things settle down around here

I'm guessing, thanks to Candace for providing pictures and links, that they're Cayugas.. which is neat if they are because I lived out in the Finger Lakes of NY for many many years.. my kids were born/raised out there too. Cayugas look to become beautiful adults!