Consolidated Kansas

[sunflowerparrot]

I opened the hen door in my grow-out coop that leads out to a little fenced area - waited about 15 minutes before the bravest of my 10 guineas came out into the yard for the first time ever.. slowly, one-by-one.. they all came out. They are very skiddish and moving slowly and deliberately and very close together... one took off about 5 minutes after coming out and went straight up into the tree overhead - talk about a racket! After about half an hour yelling at the others to come join him/her, it came back to the fenced area with the others... Jasper, my roo, is absolutely NOT HAPPY with them. He is up against the fence... feathers ruffled and nervous running back and forth. Fern could care less - she has other most important things to do today - napping.

I am not sure what is going to happen tonight - I'm hoping they go back into the coop so I can shut them up inside.

Trish - let us know how your guinea release goes!

 

[mommahen10]

Thanks for the help with the pricing. I only have 3 pullets that either are laying or will be soon. We have so many I really don't know who's laying and who's not. I keep looking for small eggs like we used to notice when we got new ones and I'm not seeing small ones yet but my pullets look so big I'm not sure they will be small. I posted a pic of my rooster a while back and asked what breed he is. Everyone who commented said austrolorp but my husband ran in to the guy who gave him to us and he said he's a jersey giant. I wouldn't know the difference, but he is huge compared to the hens and I'm beginning to think that I'm just going to have big chickens with him. We already butchered 1 rooster who was probably between 5-6 months and he was really a nice size. It still makes me sad becuase I look for him, I can tell I'm missing one rooster. Anyway, I'm thinking I'd prefer for the lady coming to take the 3-4 mo old pullets because there are so many more of those.

I find the ducks just don't lay as much as the chickens. Our ducks seemed to lay in spurts. My friend in town said hers quit laying all together a couple of weeks ago, but she just has 1 female duck. My chickens are definitely slowing down too, we were getting 10-12 per day and it's more like 8 now. I've been collecting for the incubator and it's taking me a day longer than planned. I will set all the eggs out to get to room temp tomorrow and then put them all in at once, this is a new thing for me. I had been putting them in as I get them but I learned my lesson with the last hatch.

My wintertime booder is going to get done this weekend, which we are using some big shelving and repurposing it to make a big brooder. It will house my chicks for the first 3-4 weeks I hope during theh winter. It won't be hard to complete, this shelving is permanently attached to the wall We are just going to wire in the heat lamps and add screened doors. Since it'll be my winter brooder, I will use wood shavings. My dh wanted to make the floor wire but I'm thinking leave it solid wood and use shavings so eliminate drafts from that direction. Also this weekend we will make sure all coops will have doors again. We are building another coop area so we can move one group and redo the one they're in. Not like any of them will sit empty for long anyway.

The window, we have had to drill out rivets and we just put in new rivets and it's not really hard. The tool wasn't too expensive either and comes in handy at time.

 

[chicken danz]

The reason most of us have chickens regardless of whether we have 1 or 1000 is because we enjoy them and they reward us with eggs and meat. What more can you ask for? They are so fun to watch and it makes me giggle like a school girl to see them dust bathing or fighting each other over a leaf that has fallen from the trees.
I think chickens are one of God's greatest gifts. And right along with that, most birds regardless of breed are beautiful animals. I can't imagine a world without our feathered friends.
Mike I remember you posting a couple years back that you used to have a greenhouse full of orchids. I am having trouble finding orchid pots. (The inside liner part with the air holes. I ordered some but they aren't as deep as I want. What source did you use to buy your orchid equipment?

 

[Hawkeye95]

Mine are just pets, so I really don't care one way or another if they are laying or not - especially since I can't really eat the eggs anyways.

How long have you owned these new birds? Is it just because they haven't gotten settled in? Hopefully they don't have a hidden nest somewhere.


So I did list the ducks and two roos on craigs list and got several bites. There is a lady that has a dozen chickens already and a pond that wanted a few ducks. She likes the fact that they are named and already grown, so I might have found homes for all of them already! It's sad to loose the ducks, but I've found that I love my chickens so much more since they will squat for me and let me pick them up. The ducks are just the messiest creatures in the world and have made our water bill skyrocket! I'm going to send a message to chooks and see if I can snag a few of her silkies she's getting rid of

Glad to hear you might have found them homes!! Yay!!

I think part of the birds cutting down on laying is the diminishing light besides the molting, so I'm getting ready to put my light back in the coop. I put it on a timer. I think mine are needing it bad right now, so I will get that in today. Maybe that will bump up the laying, I sure hope so, I have people wanting to buy eggs & I'm not getting enough hardly to sell.

My DH just briefly looked at that other window we got last night & we're wondering how we're going to use the parts because they're put in with rivets. We can drill them out, but then have to put them back in the other window, what a pain. I just haven't figured out any other way as of yet that is to open & close these windows without the mechanism. Hawkeye, I need your engineering mind to look at them & tell me how to fix them!

I got my shock collar & we got it set up, so when my DH gets back from running we're supposed to go out & let the oldest guineas out & see how Jasmine reacts to the collar. It may take more than the lowest setting for her since she has so much hair & she's kind of stubborn. These GPs do seem to be kind of hard-headed, I guess it's bred into them since they started out on remote mountain tops basically on their own watching over the sheep.

Trish, I'm thinking it might sound easier to put the glass in the window that has the working windows in it but missing the glass. Is there anyway to pop the glass out of the other one and put it in the new one you got? I wouldn't want to drill out rivets-- that can be really tricky!

 

[chicken danz]

I agree with Hawkeye. I guess if it is a different size that could be a problem. I have lots of windowsin my chicken trailer and no cranks. And then half of them won't work anymore. I am undecided about whether to replace them with something else or whether to spend the time and money to fix them. I would love to find some old windows for parts. They made that mechanism for the windows out of cheap pot metal most of the time so if a window was used very much it would fall apart. I would really like to keep the crank outs because they are awesome for letting in air and not the weather.
Trish, you still wanting me to bring you guineas? Just confirming.

 

[Trish44]

We got the window fixed, yay! We were able to take the frame apart & take the glass out then put it in the working window. Sunflowerparrot gave me two cranks so I just need screws for them now. I'm hoping he can fix the framing tomorrow.

We also let the biggest guineas out today & put the shock collar on Jasmine. We first had it on 1 & she went right after the guineas. My DH had the transmitter. & he turned it up to 5 & she jumped & stopped dead in her tracks. Then she went away from the guineas & laid down in the front yard the whole time they were out. She totally ignored them, so I would say that was a sucess for the first trial. We put the guineas back in for today & will repeat tomorrow.

 

[sunflowerparrot]

We got the window fixed, yay! We were able to take the frame apart & take the glass out then put it in the working window. Sunflowerparrot gave me two cranks so I just need screws for them now. I'm hoping he can fix the framing tomorrow.
We also let the biggest guineas out today & put the shock collar on Jasmine. We first had it on 1 & she went right after the guineas. My DH had the transmitter. & he turned it up to 5 & she jumped & stopped dead in her tracks. Then she went away from the guineas & laid down in the front yard the whole time they were out. She totally ignored them, so I would say that was a sucess for the first trial. We put the guineas back in for today & will repeat tomorrow.

Love that shock collar Fern is very responsive to hers

So - my guineas have been out since about 11am this morning. They are still in the penned area and haven't shown any interest in leaving the pen or going back into the coop.. I will need to find a treat for them later to see if I can coax them into the coop for the night. I also think I can herd them in if I'm careful and don't move too quickly. They are in the pen with the ducks - nobody seems to mind the other... that is a relief!

Somebody stole all my energy today... all I've done is cut up hedge apples and thrown under my house steps... let the guineas out, library trip, grocery shopping, feeding of everyone, and then reading. I am reading a story I just cannot put down - it has to be one of the best stories I've read in a very long time and I am a huge reader! (The Knitting Circle, by Ann Hood) I also picked up the book for next month's book club at the library (Big Stone Gap, by Andriana Trigiani). Seem I needed a relaxing day for ME today

 

[mommahen10]

Glad you got your window fixed Trish!

I just made my first sale, and I know I totally got taken and I won't even say how much because someone would surely shoot me. She took 6, she took one of my older hens which I don't even know how old she is. I felt totally uncomfortable because my husband is her boss and I kept looking to him to communicate with her and he does all of our stuff when it comes to selling anything. He kept saying I'm the chicken lady and it's my deal and I just said I don't care and whatever is fine. She did sell us 3 pigs really cheap a long time ago so maybe it's fair that way but my heart was racing because I'm sure I have more than that in them just in feed. *sigh* So I talked to him after, I've never been good at that stuff and I we defined our rolls, I'm not a sales person, not even a little, I just freeze up. I'm not good with asking people for money and I always feel like I'm burdening them and as much as I want to make money I want to give them a good deal.

 

[mikeksfarmer]

The reason most of us have chickens regardless of whether we have 1 or 1000 is because we enjoy them and they reward us with eggs and meat. What more can you ask for? They are so fun to watch and it makes me giggle like a school girl to see them dust bathing or fighting each other over a leaf that has fallen from the trees.
I think chickens are one of God's greatest gifts. And right along with that, most birds regardless of breed are beautiful animals. I can't imagine a world without our feathered friends.
Mike I remember you posting a couple years back that you used to have a greenhouse full of orchids. I am having trouble finding orchid pots. (The inside liner part with the air holes. I ordered some but they aren't as deep as I want. What source did you use to buy your orchid equipment?


C-Danz sorry about my sloppy pasteing here. I have dial up, old computer and most of the posts are covered up in part by the adds. In the past I purchased orchid supplies from on line through the American Orchid society or AOS. Its a Mag and I am sure they have a web site. I got their monthly mag. I have drilled clay/ ceramic pots and used a hot iron/screw driver to melt holes in plastic pots. Any one with an orchid should consider that they need several basic needs which mostly fall under neglect. "Perfect" drainage (never let them stand in water). Two "Temperature Change" every day of at least 20 degrees."Temp drop off" let them hang outside where temps get to about 55 degrees at least 5 nights. Dont water them at night! I recomend any window sill grower should hang their orchids out under a good tree for the summer and in a place where you can water it with the hose should it not rain at least once a week. Roots respond to the watering paterin. Meaning if you water in such a way that the whole pot is soaked then the roots will take advantage of that. If you hit them with a sprinkle and wet the surface the roots will stay at the surface. If the potting medium is too wet the roots will not venture into it. (perfect drainage) I am happy to help anyone with advise in growing these plants. Love them!

 

[chicken danz]

Glad you got your window fixed Trish!

I just made my first sale, and I know I totally got taken and I won't even say how much because someone would surely shoot me. She took 6, she took one of my older hens which I don't even know how old she is. I felt totally uncomfortable because my husband is her boss and I kept looking to him to communicate with her and he does all of our stuff when it comes to selling anything. He kept saying I'm the chicken lady and it's my deal and I just said I don't care and whatever is fine. She did sell us 3 pigs really cheap a long time ago so maybe it's fair that way but my heart was racing because I'm sure I have more than that in them just in feed. *sigh* So I talked to him after, I've never been good at that stuff and I we defined our rolls, I'm not a sales person, not even a little, I just freeze up. I'm not good with asking people for money and I always feel like I'm burdening them and as much as I want to make money I want to give them a good deal.

You sound very much like me. My DH gets disgusted with me because I sell too cheap. That is why I have decided to get some more expensive birds for hatching birds. I will still have my cheaper layers. You never break even on selling of birds at the going price in a small community. But if people are happy they will always recommend you to someone else and you don't have to sell so low to complete strangers.

C-Danz sorry about my sloppy pasteing here. I have dial up, old computer and most of the posts are covered up in part by the adds. In the past I purchased orchid supplies from on line through the American Orchid society or AOS. Its a Mag and I am sure they have a web site. I got their monthly mag. I have drilled clay/ ceramic pots and used a hot iron/screw driver to melt holes in plastic pots. Any one with an orchid should consider that they need several basic needs which mostly fall under neglect. "Perfect" drainage (never let them stand in water). Two "Temperature Change" every day of at least 20 degrees."Temp drop off" let them hang outside where temps get to about 55 degrees at least 5 nights. Dont water them at night! I recomend any window sill grower should hang their orchids out under a good tree for the summer and in a place where you can water it with the hose should it not rain at least once a week. Roots respond to the watering paterin. Meaning if you water in such a way that the whole pot is soaked then the roots will take advantage of that. If you hit them with a sprinkle and wet the surface the roots will stay at the surface. If the potting medium is too wet the roots will not venture into it. (perfect drainage) I am happy to help anyone with advise in growing these plants. Love them!

Thanks for the info. I have several Phalaenopsis orchids that I've had for around 3 years. They all just keep blooming so I must be doing some thing right. Most are ready for a larger pot and their air roots are going out and down around the pots, so I have been repotting them one by one. There is nothing lovelier than orchids. Had I known how easy they were to care for I would have had them years before.


Very busy day here for me today. Mouse report of the day. I only caught 42 of them last night. Tonight I baited them with oatmeal and peanut butter mixed together about like cookie dough.

I worked in my sea van all afternoon getting it cleaned out and organized so I would have room for my feed. My back is killing me now. I can barely move my right leg.