Is it Spring yet?

I am soooo ready for Spring. We had snow flurries here today! Nothing is drying up due to all the rain and lack of sunshine. It's depressing.

Meet Bosco
Well I was trolling Craigs List like usual after midnight when the new ads show up. Saw one for a pygmy billy, price was ok, age and color perfect. Sonny called and left a message. Next day we get a call. Sonny talked to the guy a bit. Then he's like oh, didn't you buy a goat from me in Jan?  Yep, we bought Beanie's brother. He's bigger than Beanie and is more of a "guy's goat".  We think that's cause he was raised around Chris and his dad. Bosco is skittish around me, but will let Sonny pet him.

After the initial head butting they are getting along great. Now snack time and feeding is a different story. Soon as one finishes his "salad" the other is over trying to help out. Same with their grass. Of course one has tastier feed than the other.
I was watching them the other day. Bosco wanted to play. So he would butt Beanie in his behind and push him. They went all the way around the pen doing this. Beanie was not amused.
They are polar opposite personality wise. Beanie is very laid back. Bosco is a more run and jump around goat.
Eventually we will add a doe and a pair of registered ones.
Now get this. My neighbor, the animal horder, started raising goats to sell for meat. Well, shortly after I started chickens. She got chickens. This has lead to ducks, geese, guineas, Emu, a couple of horses, mini donkeys, a passel of very noisy dogs and now, yep Pygmy goats! She also has a dwarf. Is this really necessary?

New Incubator
TSC did replace the broke one, even tho I had thrown my receipt away. So I set it up on my desk with Sultan and a couple of eggs from I don't know who in the Foo Foo house. It's funny, the 3 hens who aren't Silkies in there lay their eggs on the roosts! They are like corner shelves. Well at least they are clean. Should start hatching late this weekend. Monday is day 21.
I have been having problems getting the humidity up to where I want it. So I decided to order a new thermometer/hygrometer. Decided on a digital one. Turns out my other thermo is about 10% off on the actual humidity.
After searching my favorite site next to Ebay, Amazon I found a company called IncubatorWharehouse.com. I highly recommend them! Service is really fast. My order got here before it was supposed to. They have great customer service. And they sent me a coupon for either a free egg candeler or $5 off a $25 order. And they take Pay Pal. Oh and it included the battery!
Ordering my second incubator from them this eve and going for the free candler. It got great reviews. I figured the cost of one from TSC, then having to pay taxes, gas to MD, I'm getting a way better deal doing it this way. I love online shopping!
Now I'll be able to start eggs in one and finish in the other if necessary. Have to do some major rearranging on my side of the room, but it will be worth it.

Congrats Guys!
A special Congrats to my friends Dan, Matt and Sergio on their wonderful hatch of Jungle Fowl. WTG guys! And congrats on your new Pygmy Casper. Can't wait to get over there to see him. He's so cute in the pics, all white. Casper The Friendly Goat! LOL!

Until later,
Gothy

The Hatch

Well 2 little chickies hatched a week ago, Friday and Sat. I was in the puter room when the first one made it out. It was fast. When I got up Sat morning, Sonny told me another had hatched.

Both have blue legs and feathered legs/feet, but only 4 toes. Silkies have 5. These cuties are Silkie X D'culle. So it will be interesting to see how big they get and if they get fuzzy.

1 and 2 days old.

Now a a week and a half.

Dan and Sergio came by today and took the white one home.

I also had my bator going. Well it took a crap a couple of days after these guys hatched. TSC is replacing it. Just waiting for a call saying it is in.

Still have 2 Silkies and on banty settin eggs. I gave the larger Silkie, Lauren 5 Sultan eggs. So hoping something will hatch. Originally I had given Lauren 2 eggs from the Big House. A couple of days later one was missing. So she "stole" an egg from the other girls!

New Year, New Start

Happy New Year!

The last few months have basically sucked. Lost more ducks and chickens to the evil foxes and disease. Now the foxes have disappeared and the chickens are feeling better.
Of course I am no longer free ranging the birds, at least for now. That sucks the most. I loved going outside or just looking out a window and watching them.
Replaced the ducks. Of course 2 of the 3 turned out to be drakes, so ordering more Runners in the future.

RIP BELA
Lost my beloved Bela Eggosi in December. He was the best rooster.
He would eat feed out of your hand and be so gentle about it. A couple of years ago before we had a bad snow storm, he rounded up everyone and stood guard outside the house until I put them up. The next morning we measured snow in feet!

I did have 4 Turkens hatch this year. Sergio has one pair and I have the other 2. Koko is going to look just like Bela, but not sure yet if roo or hen.

Some New Faces and some Not So Much
After losing the Runners, The Guys got me some replacements. 1 Black - Nyght, 1 Blue- Azur and 1 Chocolate- Ghiraradelli.
Before they got here Quaker Jack was really lonely, so I got back 2 of the then ducklings I gave to The Guys. Thelma and Louise. Still have to get pics of them. T and L look like Blue Swedish. But they are RouenXPekinXPekins! They are both setting nests right now. Not sure if eggs are fertile or not. Should know around the end of the month. The run is so muddy right now it looks awful. Between rain, rain, no sunshine, rain, freezing, on and on.

House Finally Done!
Sonny finally got the one house done. Yeah! I have the Silkies, Polish, 2 Turken and some other bantams, and mutts in there. 1 house down 1 more to go.
We are also going to add a pen for the ducks.
Also going to be adding a pen along the wall that I can divide for chicks, breeding and a pair of Sultans recently purchased.

Eggs under chickens, Eggs in bators
Well I borrowed a bator from The Guys because I was supposed to be getting hatching eggs. Well, same deal as before.
So they gave me a bunch of theirs and Pheasant X's. The chicken eggs should hatch in a couple of days. Took them outta the cups today. That bator is on my desk.  Since the Pheasant eggs take longer, they are in my bator in my closet. Well, hey it works. I also added 8 eggs of my own to that one.
This is my first time using a bator. Bought thermometers that also have a humidity gauge on them.
I have one Silkie who was setting air, so I gave her an egg. And another one and Dirty Bird got sneaky on my. They are sharing a nest in the new house. Found it accidentally one morning while feeding the tribe. Not sure how long they have been setting.
Getting a new heat lamp tomorrow. Probably end up having to buy another tub also.
Will be ordering chicks most likely around March for meat birds. Not for us, but to sell. I still buy my chicken from the grocery. And will continue to do so until they can make a chicken that only has white meat. : )

Meet The Newbies
I had seen this pair of chickens on Craigs List for awhile now. Sonny decided "I needed" them.

Berkey is the rooster, top pic. And Minel is the hen. They are Sultans. Still waiting for an egg!
Until the weather breaks enough to build them a pen, they are in the living room.

CocoBean aka Beanie Baby
Here we go again with that damn Craigs List.
Sonny fell in love with The Guys pygmy goats. Well, guess what I got for Christmas? Yes, I got the Vault Collection of Humphrey Bogart movies and The Thin Man collections. Oh, and a Pygmy goat!
 Not every woman would appreciate getting livestock for Christmas, so be sure to ask first.

This is Beanie when we first got him, he's just over 2 months old now. He's a Chocolate. He's a hoot! I take him for walks, he get's his daily treats and is a great little guy. No he is not fixed or will be debudded. Currently looking for a buddy for him. Later will be looking for a doe. Thinking about breeding him next year. This year I have so much to do with the birds, I want to deal with one project at a time.




Looking towards the future
I'm on a waiting list for Serama chicks. Will be ordering ducklings unless I can find Runners locally.
Hopefully will have one house done before Summer for meat birds.
Have figured out who not to by from locally. Lost too many no so cheap birds that came from the same person this past year.
Hoping to make it to at least 1 chicken exchange this year.

Will post if anything hatches. I think this 3 day wait is going to seem as long as the 2 week wait I had before I was able to pickup Beanie!

Later,
Goth

First Fox Fatality and The Population Explosion

Fall is almost here. Yay! My favorite time of the year. August was pretty quiet. Spent a good deal of time getting ready for the school year. Got thru the earthquake and Irene with no damage.

This is Dragon Run Creek that runs on the one side of our property. It was creeping into the dog's run due to Irene. Never lost power or anything here thankfully!

Even tho I had no plans of adding babies this late in the season. Well, ya know.

POLISH and Population Explosion Part 1
Gotta love this one. The lady I bought them from runs a poultry group I'm in, one of many. She said they were "rare, polish - pronounced as in furniture polish". They are freakin Polish as in Poland. We should know. Sonny's Grands came over on the boat from Poland! Some of you know me as Mondz, well that's short for Mondzelewski. Can't get much more Polish than that. And rare, I don't think so. Color combo's maybe.
I bought 3 of the little darlings, 1 week old, pullets.

Here at 2 1/2 weeks. Going thru that Don King phase! LOL!

The Turken is Coco. Named after my fave character on Foster's Home for Imaginary Pets, it's a cartoon. The Polish starting with the Gold Laced - Hershey, the middle one - Zasu, named after Zasu Pitts, she was an actress way back in the day. Not sure on her color yet. And the what I think is going to be Blue is Lola.
They are now in our living room.
Coco was a surprise hatch and the only one. She's about a week younger than the others.

The Polish were bought on a Friday. That following Sunday we went to visit The Guys. And I was given Perky to rehome. He's no Pepito thankfully! Whom I still have scars from by the way.

He's free ranging now. Bela still gives him a hard time, but he's slowly working his way into the tribe. Quaker Jack the drake gave him a hard time for awhile also. But now they seem to have some bromance thing going. They are spending a great deal of time just hanging in the yard.
Perky is a 6 mo old Silver Laced Wyandotte. He's getting some girls of his own in the Spring. He makes the coolest noises and still on half crows.

The next day, Monday I got an email from a young lady who had some rescue chicks that I had given up on getting. She brought them over that eve. Not sure what they are, but the consensus the larger is a Cornish cross. This chick has to weigh at least 2-3 lbs and is 7" tall head to foot already.

Ginger Snap and Checkers aka Chubbs. Coco hatched the same day these got here. They are out in the Foo Foo house now along with Sugar Pop.

The 2 Turkens went to live with my friend Sergio. Sugar Pop in front.

Ok, so in 4 days 7 chickens.

Population Explosion Part 2
Fast forward to 9/10.
Went to visit The Guys again and to pick up my gifted rooster Victor.
While getting ready I get a call from my neighbor. She's at a mutual acquaintances house. We all by chickens from him. He has a trio of Black Silkies, breeders, would I be interested. Well, what do you think? Is there a 12 step program for chicken people?

Humphrey and Lauren

Bette
And they girls were kind enough to lay a few eggs, now under a broody.

My Gift
The Guys bought me Victor. A Blue Polish Roo.

If all this wasn't enough, it is ever? We found a clutch of 14 eggs that morning! One of the Turken hens had been gone for a couple of days and I had given up on her. Second time during the Summer. We also found the first clutch and that is where the first 2 Turken chicks came from. So they are under 3 hens, plus the Silkie eggs.

The Invasion Begins
Don't know about you, but we were invaded by Stink Bugs last year. And so it has already started this year. Tony has been catching them in the house and feeding them to the chicks. Elvi get's excited every time he see's Tony now. LOL! Elvi is a roo turns out. He's a house chicken tho, so we can deal.
We've also had a Praying Mantis invasion this year. It's nothing for us to count a half dozen on the Butterfly Bushes in a day. And that's just the one's we can see from the front windows!

I knew that was a bad omen. We are also being invaded by spiders of every shape and size. Yuck! I don't mind them outside, but in the house, I don't think so. I try and live by the Wican Creed of "do ye no harm", but sometimes it's easier to play squish the bug.

First Fox Fatality
I took my MIL to the grocery today. Soon as I parked the van I noticed something red running across the yard. Yep, a fox. Of course this is the day I have on my regular shoes the kind that have a 1" sole and 2" heel. I chased that mf to one side of the trailer and back to the other. We don't have underpinning. Finally it ended up in the dogs run. It and the dog went at it. I yelled, they both stopped and looked at me. The fox took off under the fence. I've got the spot covered up now. I was afraid that the dog being on a chain that could lead to problems.
Went to do inventory. Lost one pullet, just starting to lay. And what really pisses me off is the gdamn fox left it! I mean total waste of a young bird. Found feathers a few feet from the house also. So I'm guessing it came thru the fence, went down by the houses. Caught Peanut Butter (she always hung out down there) and chased her into the house. Feathers everywhere and she was in there. I just pray it was fast.
Took care of her Viking style this eve so the damn thing didn't try and dig her up. With any luck it will end up like the others we can here at night. Squishy on the side of the road.
Peanut Butter was the last of the chicks I had ordered in the Spring. Breed unknown, just started laying last week.
Pricing pred lights tonight. Also looking into a high powered pellet gun. A fox tail would look really nice next to my large Grim Reaper on my bulletin board. Yes, my side of our computer room looks like Halloween on crack all year round.

Until next time, take care all!

Gothy

July Catch Up - Here a quack, there a peep

Here's to hoping the hot weather is about done! I am so ready for Fall.

Birthday Gift
While trolling Craigs List the week of my b'day, there it was, Black Indian Runners!
Showed Sonny the ad. Explained that since I made nothing on selling my other chickens, didn't have the money now. He said he would buy them for me. I usually spend my egg money on birds or profits from bird sales. Then a week of phone/email tag. Hate when people let calls go to voice mail and never call back.
Picked them up on my b'day. They are gorgeous! You have to see them in the light to appreciate all the colors they actually have. Greens, purple, blue.
Rusty took right to them. The chickens could care less.
They love the pool. Graze with the chickens. And the females are starting to eat out of my hand. The drake is still standoffish. Once picked up they calm down pretty quickly, which I love.
Meet the kids:

From the front - Quacker Jack (drake), Negaduck,Morgana
I left them in the run for the first week. They were over joyed when they got to start ranging.

The following Sat
As you know Norma Jean, the Pekin had been setting a clutch. Well 1 week to the day of getting the Runners, they hatched! 4 lil darlings. Since it was to hot according to Sonny who was sitting on the couch enjoying the A/C and playing on his laptop, it was up to me of course. Oh, yes, I had been after him for over a week to build me some sorta a pen in the house. So, drill in hand I went and disassembled the baby pen in the Foo Foo House and set it up in the other. It's already almost 100* with humidity about the same while I'm doing this. But the babies must be safe!
After locating the screws that needed to be undone, lifting the darn thing, getting it out the door was another ordeal. See I have a Silkie and a bantie X who are setting eggs right behind the door! Getting the door open more than enough to squeeze in is a job in itself. So finally got the panel out and set up with panels for the lid. A week later, Sonny finally got around to getting it screwed in for me.
Did lose one to drowning. If anyone would have told me a 1 day old duckling could get into a 9" high bucket I would have told them they were crazy. Don't know how, but one did.

They are about 3X this size now. My Pekins were the same way, grow like weeds.

Last Thursday
Go out to feed the tribe. Have Mama (Black Star) setting eggs in the aviary. To my shock and surprise, 2 little black Turkens emerge! Well, we made it about a day and a half without poultry in the bathroom. Here we go again. LOL!

How cute, huh? They both have bow ties.

Now Today
Foo Foo House again. Done in there, getting ready to go out the door. Rearrange aforementioned broodies to get out the door. Look down. Half a bantie shell, figure it got broke by the door. Nope. A bantie baby popped out from under Dirty Bird! This tiny little yellow fuzzy! Take it into the house. Try to brooder it with the Turkens. Nope. It has it's own box.
Total imprint even tho I didn't help it hatch. It wants to be in my hand all the time. House chicken for sure! It starts carrying on soon as it hears our bedroom door open and won't stop until I go in to see it.
This is the first bantam chick I've had hatch since last year. Boo finally got it right. LOL! He prefers the full size hens. And I seriously had doubts the eggs were even fertile.

Meet SugarPop! The red is from the light.

Everyone else
The 3 surviving Blue Hens and Azule the Silkie are now in the Foo Foo House. Elvi and Beavis the younger Silkie chicks are in the big cage in our living room.
Mama is now setting 6 more Turken eggs. One of the Turken girls Lillith decided to set a clutch somewhere. Sonny found it under one of the riding mowers. They should hatch around the 20th.
Another hen is broody but I'm not letting her have anymore eggs. Don't want to have to overwinter chicks this year. Did that once, and I'll tell ya what, didn't lose 1! More of a PITA since you have to check them more often, but if I had a different set up I would do it again.
The Calls are doing really well. Darkwing is getting his big boy feathers. He's changing every day.

They are very camera shy. Should start laying this Fall.

We did get to the Fair in Harrington this year. Same deal as every year, just seemed like they had less this year.
They did lose I think it was something like 16 poultry and rabbits this year due to the heat. They are supposed to make changes before next year. They should have changed the set up a long time ago in my opinion.

Well that's a wrap for now.

Dawn aka Gothy

New Direction

Hi all and early Happy 4th!

Downsizing
Well I'm down to 9 laying hens, 1 rooster, the bantams, the foo foo's, 3 pullets, chicks and 5 ducks.
Can't make crap off of selling eggs this year. My neighbor sells them for a dollar cheaper. Oh, and get this. She buys! them from someone else and then resells them to where it's pure profit! They aren't even free range!

"Sold" the Andalusians and 4 pullets to a guy for less than the cost of a bag of feed and 3 Black Silkie chicks. Well yes, it has cut my food cost almost in half. But of course one of the chicks went spraddle leg on me and the other 2 have some icky poos. Then the jerk has the gall to email me to complain he's not getting many eggs! Well, gee, have ya ever heard that chickens get stressed too and will take some time getting used to new surroundings? This after 3 days of I'll be here . . .
I didn't realize until he got here that I had dealt with him before. Last year he showed up after dark looking to buy the Bantams. Well they were too big! He was looking for some sorta breed that does not exist! He's on my block list, done with that shit.

Pepito
Pepito had to be re homed and is doing great. He started attacking me every time I tried to go into the chicken house. Just doing his job, but doing it wayyy to well.

Rusty and Norma Jean
NJ has made a nest! As of this AM 14 eggs. Still waiting to see if she's going to set them. She does sleep on them at night. This is going to be interesting since I've never dealt with this before.


The Calls
The ducklings are now in their new home. My rabbit hutch. I bought a mixing pan from Lowes and Sonny put it in so they have a "pond". Still not sure if one is a male or not, but keeping finger's crossed. They have been officially named: Houdini, Syren, and Dark Wing (show of hands of those who know where the last name came from).
They aren't as spooky as they were inside. And will now actually swim while filling their pool. Watch out, tho, they do throw the water!

A New Direction
I've decided to go into to the chicken breeding business. We had already planned on getting an incubator next year anyway. Silkies, Polish, Turkens, and Blue Hens.
I'm tired of dealing with hatcheries and there are people who don't want to order a min of 25, or pay out the ass to get an order of 3.
Our long term goal is to move down state and get some acres. We will inherit my MIL's property and that will pay for it. I'm more used to "small town" life and don't really care for where we are now.

Blue Hens
Well I got extremely lucky and was able to buy 5 chicks. From my reading, they are very hard to find outside of the state. I bought 2 white, 1 blue, 1 splash, and one black. I'm pretty sure one of the white is going to be a roo. And I also bought a blue Silkie. So tired of only finding Splash.

They are living in a cage in the living room right now. Almost a month old now.

This is Azul, the blue Silkie who will most likely be a house chicken.

Black Silkies
I'm guessing these kids are around a week or less when I got them Soooo cute! Except for the aforementioned poo and leg problems they seem to be doing o k. They are in the bathroom brooder. I've been adding B complex vitamin to their water. Really hoping the one is going to make it.

Gimpy is in a box of it's own. The other 2 were always running it over. It can get around by using it's wings. Say a prayer for it.

The Guineas
They will be going to the Guineas Guys. Nothing has hatched this year and they are beating up the chickens. That will be the last of them for now. Maybe in the future. Right now I'm happy to be dealing with a smaller tribe.

Hatches or lack there of
The bought eggs did nothing. I'm wondering after talking to someone if they didn't get X-rayed. The box didn't have anything on it saying not to. And the person I got them from is dealing with health issues right now, so I don't see them getting replaced.
2 of my Silkie hens are broody now. Getting them to set on the eggs is another story. So not expecting anything there either.

Until next time, take care.

Dawn aka Gothy

Busy, busy, busy

I know I told someone I was going to do this last week, but well as we know life happens.

So here we go.

Hatching Eggs
Well they finally arrived. I thought they were going to the P.O. but they came here instead. They were delivered on a Friday. The dumb ass who delivered them left them outside! Didn't bother to put them on the porch or take them to MIL's store. Then it rained that night. So should know end of this week if that was worth it or not. I'm supposed to get some replacements if they don't hatch.

This Black Dahlia aka Miss D working hard on keeping those eggs warm and toasty. She's a bantam Ameraucana. I also put a couple of my Silkie eggs under too.

Moving on out
The chicks got moved out of our bathroom and into the Silkie house. The kid fell through but I did sell some to a nice lady from MD. Then they got moved from the aviary to the larger pen.
Guess what's in my bathroom now? Tee Hee Hee

Gray Call Ducklings
If you guessed ducklings you are right. : )
I bought myself a trio for Mother's Day. They are local. The guy decided to do a project with his kids.  His next hatch is going to be Calls and Mandarins. Ducks can be as addictive as chickens. The lil one's will be moving out this weekend to the rabbit hutch which became vacated yesterday.
I think the 2 larger one's are females and the smallest and youngest is a male. Finger's crossed anyway.
The biggest Houdini is very good at jumping out of the brooder, just not back in yet. Waiting to know sex of the other 2 before naming.

The smallest is in front.

The Newbies

Pepito
Pepito was having problems with his Dad's turkeys and needed a new home. So, now I have 2 new adopted son's. For now he's in the aviary waiting impatiently for his tail feathers to grow back. He has the chicks and the other girl's to keep him company.
He let's the girls know where the food is, even though they can't get to his. But hey, he's making the effort anyway.

Rusty and Norma Jean
I really hadn't planned on have more full sized ducks, but it happened. The Guinea Guy's who brought me Pepito, needed a new home for Rusty. So of course Rusty needed a friend. Enter Norma Jean. Got her from my neighbor in trade for the rabbits. She's a Pekin.
They seem to really have hit it off. She's still shy about the yard since she's not used to free ranging, but he seemed to be showing her around earlier this eve. Now getting them back in the house at night if a lot of fun.
Oh, and yes Guy's, the guineas gave her the same warm reception. I think it's cause of the clutch they are being more protective. They were hissing at the ducks last night. Yes, guineas do hiss.

Pepito. He's a RIR x Ameraucana.  Will keep you updated on his tail.

Norm Jean and Rusty. Rusty is a Rouen x Pekin. Will be interesting to see if they can produce a straight looking Pekin.

More loss
This month I lost Barnabus - Silkie roo, Nevermore - Ameraucana x Black Star who hatched here, Gracie my remaining Cochin. Went thru the yearly bought of "chicken colds" and that took them.
And as of a bit ago, 3 of my Turken chicks. They had a freak accident and the last one went a bit ago.
Sergio please take good care of Morticia!

The Silkie Juvies
They have moved to the living room. Got their first feather trim the other day, need to do again. I trim around the eyes. Soon as Pepito is ready for general population, they will be moving out. I'm afraid of the roos trying to fight thru the wire. They have been named. Raygun, Fluffer Nutter, and Omelet.

More hatchings
Next month should have keets. Joon is on the clutch by the garage in some tall weeds. That is going to be fun trying to catch keets. 27 eggs.
One of my hens, a Cornish x Buckeye, Sundance, has decided to lay a clutch somewhere on the end of the trailer also in tall weeds. Haven't been able to find the nest as of yet.
I think I have more hatch dates on my calendar than anything else right now. LOL!

Say Hello to my little friend
We ran across this guy the other night. Tony said he saw a turtle, so I'm thinking 3-4" one's like we find now and then. Nope. This guy is almost a foot long and a snapper! He was actually following Sundance this morning. Sonny was going to try and pick him up with a shovel and take him back to the crick. Didn't work. So it's still lurking out there somewhere.

Well time to go out and see if I can look like an idiot again this eve putting up the ducks.
Will let ya'll know if the bought eggs hatch. Please send positive vibes they will.
Until later, take care.

Gothy