TULSA area Cluckers

[jens-hens]

When we were at the Coweta auction there was a seller there by the name of Scott Wilson and he had all his cages marked and had his phone number on them so I called him and that's where we got the girls from. He's out around Sapulpa. They are all 6 months or older, I don't get young ones anymore due to not wanting a roo, except our baby Frizzle which was an impulse buy and not a smart one.

Rinda, that's so unfortunate about your dog. I have no clue what I'd do if my dogs got my chickens. We've had them since they were puppies. I'd be steaming mad that's for sure! I forgot to close one of the doors on our coop the other day (full size door) and the dogs were out but nothing happened (fortunately). Maybe you could put the dog on craigslist? If she went to a home without chickens maybe that'd work? I'm assuming she's good with kids since you have small children. It definitely sounds like keeping her is out of the question. Poor little chickies! I'd probably be a raving lunatic

So sorry!

 

[jens-hens]

We've had 2.5 inches of rain the last 24 hours, and it rained here a lot Friday night as well. My pool is completely full! My silkies look funny because they weren't smart enough to get out of the rain last night and are pretty wet. I'm not looking forward to cleaning up the muddy coop. I've yet to find a good way to get all the poop out of the coop. I usually just hose everything down and I'm sure there's a better solution. Does anyone use anything other than hay? I don't mean in the coop itself, but I guess in the pen area? Inside the coop is nice and dry and they rarely go up in there. I have shavings in there and that works well but I don't really think anything works well in the outside area.

 

[lonnyandrinda]

Thanks I am really sad about it, I will try to rehome her on Craigslist but she is older (9 years old). We've had her since she was 11 weeks old. Makes it harder. Plus she is VERY protective which most people read as "VERY aggressive." She really is sweet and good with kids, not super friendly though takes a while to warm up to a new person. All of that makes her harder to find a home for.

At first honestly her instinct was just to grab them because they were little moving things, but now she has developed a TASTE for them and I don't have hours and hours to train the instinct out of her. I have been fretting about it all day... I hope I can find her a home and don't have to put her down, she is in good health and has good years in her yet.

She literally RIPPED through the chicken wire and dragged them out/killed them in the grow-out coop. She ripped and pulled with teeth and claws until she could fit INTO the coop with her shoulders. I don't know what posesses her every time we have a thunderstorm. If it were possible I could just plan on chaining her every time we have storms coming, but what if I was gone for the day and one blew over? Or if an unexpected storm came up in the middle of the night? We are almost ready to put the cream legbars out in the grow out pen and can't really risk loosing them all like that! GRRRR!

Just glad I was the one who checked on everybody this morning- usually I send my 6 year old out to do it...

 

[lonnyandrinda]

We've had 2.5 inches of rain the last 24 hours, and it rained here a lot Friday night as well. My pool is completely full! My silkies look funny because they weren't smart enough to get out of the rain last night and are pretty wet. I'm not looking forward to cleaning up the muddy coop. I've yet to find a good way to get all the poop out of the coop. I usually just hose everything down and I'm sure there's a better solution. Does anyone use anything other than hay? I don't mean in the coop itself, but I guess in the pen area? Inside the coop is nice and dry and they rarely go up in there. I have shavings in there and that works well but I don't really think anything works well in the outside area.

I know lots of people use wood chips, like the free stuff you can get at the greenwaste sites here in Tulsa. We are almost at the point of needing to do that, too. Luckily we mostly free range but the ground is getting a little bare after almost 3 months especially with no rain to help the grass recover. I've also heard a lot of people LOVE using sand in their runs. That has cost though unless you have a source for it.

 

[Reagor]

Anyone know the chances of the burn ban being lifted? I have a ton of yard waste that I need to burn.

 

[jens-hens]

I didn't know you could get free wood chips here, that'd be nice for the flower beds. I've been thinking sand sounds like a nice option, seems like you could just scoop the coop like a giant litter box. I don't think the chickens like that I hose it down and get everything wet all the time. My silkies have a nesting box outside the coop (like a covered fenced in porch area) and one of the chickens sleeps on top of it and poops all over it and it drives me crazy. I have been debating locking them up inside the coop but the silkies don't go up and down the ramp and one of the chickens I got in Coweta is still getting pecked on some, doesn't seem right to lock them up yet. It will be a while before the chickens I got in Sapulpa are mixed into the group. Once everyone is acclimated maybe I'll lock them upstairs.

Rinda, it does sound to me like teaching your dog may be a loss cause. You are right, chaining her up when there is weather is too chancy, you never know when a storm will pop up and keeping her on a chain all the time....well, that's not much of a life.

 

[lonnyandrinda]

My thoughts exactly. Best case scenario is to find her a good home, someone who wants a calmer older dog who still loves a good romp outside. Besides, she has already killed one even chained up, if we can't rehome her unfortunately I'm afraid putting her down is on the table.

Have you ever visited the greenwaste site? You show your ID to prove you live in Tulsa area and can dump all your leaf bags, branches, etc there for free. There are two of them, one is near Riverside and 71st I think and the other is on 56th St North by 169. They use wood chippers and chip everything into a big pile and will scoop it into your truck/trailer, all for free. We use several loads every spring to put a nice thick layer in the garden, cuts down on weeds and watering (we run water lines under the mulch). It's a mixed bag what you'll get, often there is a good amount of pecan chips/nuts which is great for the garden. And as it decomposes it addes to the soil. Works well for us.

 

[cathiesue]

Hey Rinda, do you use a styrofoam incubator? I think i saw them when i was over. DO those coils in the lid get hot? lukeworm. warm? I've got a borrowed incubator and it's been on for 2 days. temp is staying at 73 to 74. Is the unit heating? or is it broken. aarrgghhh. i feel just like charlie brown.

 

[lonnyandrinda]

Hey Rinda, do you use a styrofoam incubator? I think i saw them when i was over. DO those coils in the lid get hot? lukeworm. warm? I've got a borrowed incubator and it's been on for 2 days. temp is staying at 73 to 74. Is the unit heating? or is it broken. aarrgghhh. i feel just like charlie brown.

Yes I have a cheapie little styrofoam LG still air. Once I got the temperature setting right it only takes 2 or 3 hours to get up to temp, I keep mine about 100-101 (I don't have a very good thermometer). What is your house temp set at? If it is set at 73-74 I would say your incubator must be broken. If your house is cooler than that I would guess it is still working just not right. Do you have the knob turn all the way up to highest setting? I have never repaired an incubator but have heard something about a thermostat wafer that frequently goes out and is very easy to replace? Might do a google or BYC search.

 

[cathiesue]

Yes I have a cheapie little styrofoam LG still air. Once I got the temperature setting right it only takes 2 or 3 hours to get up to temp, I keep mine about 100-101 (I don't have a very good thermometer). What is your house temp set at? If it is set at 73-74 I would say your incubator must be broken. If your house is cooler than that I would guess it is still working just not right. Do you have the knob turn all the way up to highest setting? I have never repaired an incubator but have heard something about a thermostat wafer that frequently goes out and is very easy to replace? Might do a google or BYC search.

house is always 76 to 78. Its in a spare room no drafts. I've turned it all the way down to where the red light comes on and then up a bit. It might be heating up. Does your instructions say anything about the red light. Mine is borrowed and i didn't get any instructions.