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!
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
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.
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.
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
