New Kansas Chickenmama Here

[sturdyprairiegal]

Hello, everyone.
I've been reading and researching at this forum for quite some time and finding it incredibly helpful. Thought I'd finally make it "official."

I moved from the city to 25 acres of woods in NE Kansas (Jefferson County, near Lawrence and Topeka) last December. Started in with chicks in late spring, lost quite a few to a rampaging-chicken-slaughtering-dog which forced me to get rid of the dog. Then lost both my Chinese geese to a fox which forced me to get more serious about nighttime anti-predator security... So it's been a bit of a long year, but here we are. Five remaining chickens (2 white bantam roosters, 1 buff orpington hen, 1 red sex-link hen, 1 leghorn hen), 7 guineas, 7 call ducks.

Oh, and three kids still at home... two dogs, two cats, and milk goats on the horizon...

Anyone else in Kansas (or surrounds), please let me know. I'm having a heckuva time

with the snow/ice/wind the last few weeks, with the coop getting too humid and now dealing with some frostbite, so I'd love to link up with other poultry folks in the Midwest.

Best wishes to all of you for a healthy, productive 2009,
Janice

 

[B. Saffles Farms]

Im not from the midwest, just wanted to welcome you to the site.

 

[ibpboo]

What a wonderful move that was. Sorry about your losses.
This most definitely is a fun, friendly and helpful site!!

 

[cherndon712]

Made the right move joining! This group is very helpful with anything that comes your way!
I'm not in KS, but I'm in WY. We've had an unusually cold winter here too! It's been consistently below zero for a few weeks now. The wind is killer. We never have humidity issues, and frostbite is usually fixed (here) by some vaseline on combs and stuff. After the fact, I've always used neosporin. Hope that helps a little!

 

[sturdyprairiegal]

Thanks, everyone. Yes, vaseline and neosporin are being used here... just trying to figure out how to minimize the humidity in the coop, while keeping it above freezing in there. I'll learn. Amazing thing is, the girls are still laying eggs right on schedule. Yesterday I got some vitamin/mineral supplements to add to their water, which they seem to really like. I guess that and a little antibiotic creme is what was needed. My rooster is usually a little aggressive, but now he just looks at me, like "Can't you fix my comb?" Poor little guy! Anyway, thanks to everyone for the welcome!

 

[Katy]

We've got a Kansas thread on here somewhere.

 

[redoak]

Hope you have a great 2009

 

[chickenlady74]

chickenlady here from central ks
20 miles se of Salina outside a little town called Gypsum,
lost 6 hens to the unbareable cold last week ,my hens were in molting and some dummy at the agricultural dept(in salina) told me to stop feeding my chickens for 2 weeks and dummy me did that in the middle of the cold , they didn't make it & I wised up they are getting food.
Nice to share my troubles with other ks people having troubles,help any way I can.

 

[PrisonARNP]

Quote:
I am just down the road from you in leavenworth. I lived in Jefferson County at Lake Ridge CC in the 90's. Give a shout if there is anything I can do. I have Cuckoo Marans with fertile eggs if you have a bator and want to try and hatch some. give me a pm and I will save you some. dc

 

[Brown Egg Project]

I'm sorry for your losses. I live in Central Kentucky and predators are a constant battle. This is a great site for all your poultry needs. Happy New Year!