Consolidated Kansas

[cubbysan]

To prevent mice from getting in your house or to make them leave your house try this: take cotton balls and dip them in peppermint esscentual oil, then put them in the places where you find them. I place them in my closets, behind my couch, in some of my cabinets. The smell will be strong, but I tried this last winter, and all signs of them disappeared. It might be too strong to place near the chickens though, but it doesn't seem to affect my housepets.

I went and bought the oil at a health food store, and funny thing, the store itself smelled like peppermint - they were using it to keep the mice away too.

 

[cubbysan]

I am wondering if pepperment extract might work too ???

 

[lizzyGSR]

Speaking of electrical hazards....on Tuesday I went out my backdoor and was walking to the coop when I saw a plume of thick black smoke. I would have figured it was someone burning off except right then I heard sirens. It looked REALLY close, so I got in my car and drove toward it and one of my neighbor's houses was completely engulfed in flames. I don't know what started the fire but it certainly is my worst nightmare.

In the 4 years my husband and I have been married, we've lived in 4 different houses. The two we lived in prior to the current one were both in town. At both of those places, we had a neighbor whose house burned to the ground. Both times, it was the neighbor 2 doors down. The first one was when we lived in Cheyenne, WY. You could see the smoke almost anywhere in town, even though town was huge (I grew up in the middle of nowhere, so it doesn't take much for me to think a town is huge. At the time, I believe Cheyenne's official population was ~50,000). My husband called me before I left work to let me know about it so I wouldn't think it was OUR house that was on fire when I turned the corner towards the house and saw the smoke/flames and fire trucks. This fire was started by a squirrel who built a nest in the exhaust for the furnace (or was it the dryer??? I don't remember for sure).

The 2nd time, was about a year ago. We were home when the neighbor's house caught fire. We were cooking supper, and apparently so was the neighbor. The wife was at work, and the husband was cooking supper for the two kids. He had something on the stove and stepped out the door to apparently call the kids in for supper. When he came back in, the kitchen was engulfed in flames. After the family got outside, the husband called his wife at work to let her know what was happening... I saw her arrive at the scene. The obvious shock/grief/raw emotion she showed when she arrived at the scene is a sight I won't quickly forget.

Both houses were trailer-type houses and became engulfed in flames incredibly quickly and burned VERY hot. Both houses had a detached garage that suffered superficial damage from the heat. To my knowledge, neither house was rebuilt.

The good news: We live in the country now, and we've only got one neighbor within a mile and only two neighbors (total) within 2 miles. I have no idea where "two doors down" would be here.

I didn't sleep well for a week or more after each incident. I felt horrible for both families and kept wondering "what if it were me?" It's scary enough to hear about such things from other people or on the news. It's a completely different story seeing the reaction of your neighbors as they watch their house and all their belongings burn. The comforting thing to me now, is that my house is a stucco house with several of the inside walls being concrete as well(from where the original outside walls were prior to some additions). I don't think the house would burn well or quickly, thanks to what it is made of. However, it is an old house (originally built in 1910 and added onto multiple times since) so I worry about the quality of the electrical wires in the house. In addition, we've currently got an extension cord running our big freezer since we were having problems with the underground wire that was powering the shed we keep the freezer in. With it being so dry this year, I am definitely concerned about the what-ifs. We've got quite a few cedar trees around the house, so if something caught fire, everything would likely go up before we could do anything about it.

 

[maidenwolfx80]

I try my hardest to check and recheck electrical stuff because of the fear of losing what little I do have. My pets and kids are most important and I cant imagine............... That is why I worry so much. So Chicken danz I may be pm-ing youthiswinter and next spring whenit is time to build my bigger coop,,, gotta love chicken math,,,, I need an electrician lol

 

[maidenwolfx80]

ooo I almost forgot I have this idea to put in the bottom of the pool brooder.. I have roofing shingles and I am going to cut to fit them on the slippery bottom and cover this with pine shavings. Do you all think this will be too rough on their little feet or will it be ok? I know I need a slip resistant bottom so this was a thought. Plus of course paper towels or burlap on top for a few days.

 

[mommahen10]

I just raked old shingles out of our pig pen, I was afraid they would eat them and that they would have chemicals that could hurt them. They were old shingles though, maybe the new ones aren't so hazardous.

 

[JosieChick]

Josie, that is a great idea about letting Lucie be a therapy dog. So will she become and indoor dog for you so you don't have to worry about her around the chickens?

Josie!!!! Love the idea of Lucie being a therapy dog!!!!! I had a standard white poodle in my classroom with me for 8 years. He is still my heart dog! He passed about 5 years ago and I still look for him.... He was amazing with my students! The fact that he was light colored really eased fears for folks who were afraid of big dogs. I have a papipoo who is certified through Love on a leash. He is an amazing little dog which also has its perks with kids.... But I really do miss my old Jeeves . Therapy dogs really do make a difference for so many people! Yes, things really do work out the way they should if we are patient

Thanks everyone for their support of Lucie! I am pretty excited. She will be moving indoors to work on all the things she may encounter in therapy situations and to ensure house training is good. I have a wonderful black heeler mix but people are very intimidated by him so I think Lucie is going to be easier on the eyes. Plus she just is such a goof about kids, she kind of squishes down so they can pet her easier. I think it will be a great fit for her.

I used an extension cord to run a fan this summer. I am very paranoid of having it plugged in and on the ground in rain and snow. I dont know if I have nothing to worry about or not but this bothers me. I worry about fire. I have seen the solar doors they look super nice especially for those mornings that you want to sleep in an extra hour and your morning coffee doesnt even get you going

I do not plan on using heat in my coop at all so wont need electric there and my brooder is inside, I really want to make a water heater for the waterer this year so I dont have to carry buckets of warm water to the coop. Although it saves money and is how gpa and gma did it I have health probs at a young age and carrying those buckets did me in...

But I will do it this year again if that id what needs to be done. I dont know if my old orange extension cord is outdoor rated maybe I will buy one that it and seehow I can get it off the ground.,.....

I have run extension cords on the ground outside during the winter. I just make sure to wrap the juncture of what ever I am plugging in and the extension cord with electrical tape so water or moisture can't get in there. I haven't had any problems yet with them but I desperately wish I had electric out to my coops!

Hey everyone! I owe each and every one of you an apology. I've been a bit of an emotional mess lately. So much has happened recently to upset me, and it has severely injured my ability to think clearly. I love each and every one of you and I know I have come off sounding like an ultra be-atch lately. I do hope you can all forgive me and just tell me to shut my big mouth when I write something that sounds irritable or bold or uncouth. Or send me a PM and tell me off!!
It seems I've reacted so strongly to so many things lately. That just isn't my normal nature. I am highly emotional but I tend to keep things inside and hide my feelings. Instead I have been saying and writing things that either sound wrong or should not be said in the first place. Even when I wasn't thinking that way.
I don't know what I would do without all of you. You are my support system. Most of you have become really close wonderful friends and I treasure that more than anything.
Please forgive me!
I really do look forward to reading what each and everyone of you has to say. Sometimes I come off sounding like a know it all or kind of bossy and I don't mean to. I learn every day .... but at the same time am anxious to help anyone I can.
I promise I will try to do better.

Danz, we all love you and understand you have had a really tough time the last week.

Well I have been cleaning house today because it is raining out! I can't believe all this rain, it is wild. The geese are happy as clams out there today!

My wonderful DH is doing me the worlds hugest favor right now. Two years ago we used to foster for the Kansas Humane Society and we had a color point cat named Elvira who was easily one of the coolest cats I had ever met. I just fell in love with her. So much so that I told my mom about her who had been searching for the perfect cat for months. We ended up adopting and flying Elvira to Maine with us at Christmas for my mom 2 years ago. The worst part was that we gave her anti anxiety meds but we had a five hour delay in Chicago due to snow and didn't even know if we would get out. Well we were one of the last flights out that evening and that poor cat was just out of her mind being cooped up in that carrier under the seat and so drugged out it was just a disaster when we ever got there and unloaded her. She was just hopping on meds for like 12 hours and my mom thought she was insane! Fortunately she came off her drug high and my mom has been madly in love ever since. '
My mom and her other half went on several trips this summer and felt so bad that Elvira was all alone that she really wanted to get another cat. So she has been searching but has had little luck. She really wanted another color point and they are not very common in Maine. I found one at a shelter but it had already been adopted by the time she called. So I randomly looked at the Kansas Humane Society's website and there she was. Her name is Iris and she is six months old. So DH went to meet her and is bringing her home and I guess she will fly to Maine with us for Christmas!! He is the best!

 

[HEChicken]

The mice do eat the bait after they are trapped.

When life gives you lemons.....

Thank you on the traps!!! I'm excited to get them set. I know I have mice in the coop but we also have them in the feedroom at our barn so I plan to use one there. A couple of weeks ago, one of the ladies at the barn pulled everything out and cleaned the room thoroughly before putting it all back. When I was there earlier this week, I could see the edges of the room already refilling with mouse poop. Aaarghh. This will take care of them though!

Chickies, Duckies, etc can't post for some reason and she asked me to include this link to an ebay auction.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130771548717
I have seen these and would love to have some. But then what bird would I not want to own?

Now those are really cool looking but did you see the current price? They are at $102.50, reserve not met and that is for only 3 eggs AND they are the vulturine crossed with a regular pearl guinea. No way am I paying that kind of money for 3 mixed breed hatching eggs!

To prevent mice from getting in your house or to make them leave your house try this: take cotton balls and dip them in peppermint esscentual oil, then put them in the places where you find them. I place them in my closets, behind my couch, in some of my cabinets. The smell will be strong, but I tried this last winter, and all signs of them disappeared. It might be too strong to place near the chickens though, but it doesn't seem to affect my housepets.

I went and bought the oil at a health food store, and funny thing, the store itself smelled like peppermint - they were using it to keep the mice away too.

Thanks for the tip. It seems like I've heard that one before but repetition never hurts since I never can remember these tips when I need them. Since I restarted with chickens a few years ago, I haven't had mice in the house - I guess the easy feed at the coop beats trying to eke out a living in the house.

On a similar vein, cinnamon works great to eliminate ants. Find their trail and figure out where their entry point to the house is, sprinkle a little cinnamon there, and by next day they will be gone, never to return. I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't try it and it worked!

ooo I almost forgot I have this idea to put in the bottom of the pool brooder.. I have roofing shingles and I am going to cut to fit them on the slippery bottom and cover this with pine shavings. Do you all think this will be too rough on their little feet or will it be ok? I know I need a slip resistant bottom so this was a thought. Plus of course paper towels or burlap on top for a few days.

I would think they would work great.

My wonderful DH is doing me the worlds hugest favor right now. Two years ago we used to foster for the Kansas Humane Society and we had a color point cat named Elvira who was easily one of the coolest cats I had ever met. I just fell in love with her. So much so that I told my mom about her who had been searching for the perfect cat for months. We ended up adopting and flying Elvira to Maine with us at Christmas for my mom 2 years ago. The worst part was that we gave her anti anxiety meds but we had a five hour delay in Chicago due to snow and didn't even know if we would get out. Well we were one of the last flights out that evening and that poor cat was just out of her mind being cooped up in that carrier under the seat and so drugged out it was just a disaster when we ever got there and unloaded her. She was just hopping on meds for like 12 hours and my mom thought she was insane! Fortunately she came off her drug high and my mom has been madly in love ever since. '
My mom and her other half went on several trips this summer and felt so bad that Elvira was all alone that she really wanted to get another cat. So she has been searching but has had little luck. She really wanted another color point and they are not very common in Maine. I found one at a shelter but it had already been adopted by the time she called. So I randomly looked at the Kansas Humane Society's website and there she was. Her name is Iris and she is six months old. So DH went to meet her and is bringing her home and I guess she will fly to Maine with us for Christmas!! He is the best!

That is a great story about the cats! I was a foster at KHS during the same time frame. I think I signed up about 4 years ago and fostered both dogs and kittens up through last year. You know what they call it when you adopt a pet you fostered, right? A Foster Failure!!!

 

[JosieChick]

That is a great story about the cats! I was a foster at KHS during the same time frame. I think I signed up about 4 years ago and fostered both dogs and kittens up through last year. You know what they call it when you adopt a pet you fostered, right? A Foster Failure!!!

I have had several "foster failures"!!! Gizmo, our one eyed shih tzu mix bit me while I was shaving him down and I fostered him for rabies observation (because I was vaccinated) and he failed his safer test so we took him home! I also have Annie, a kitten that I took that was 3 weeks old and lying on her side dying in a cage. They told me they were going to euthanize her but I wanted to take her and she was one tough cookie! That was back in the old place with the nasty cat room and water standing on the floors! I miss fostering kitties sooo much. I have probably fostered at least a couple hundred cats. If you ever pop back by the veterinary clinic you should pop up front to me Scottie. He was a foster failure too and lives at the vet clinic as a clinic cat!

 

[checoukan]

For some reason everytime I get on BYC and come to our kansas thread, my computor freezes up!!

It is not doing ANYWHERE ELSE!!!! It makes me wonder what in the world is going on. Everything locks up, if I wait, up in the tool bar, I can refresh, but maybe it will go, or just turns around and works. Cotton Picker anyway!!