Maine

[diana507]

Got my first 2 eggs today from my 12 Isa's! They were small but perfect! I have felt like a kid on Christmas morning all day today!

 

[buckabucka]

Welcome home, LG!

Finally, for the first time, we brought a few older hens to be processed yesterday. One, however, is roaming the woods in Mercer! We have a proper cage now. DH says the majority of people are bringing meat birds, and the processors can open the cage and all the birds stay put. They were not ready for our jack-in-the-box surprise. A young man chased after her, but came back winded and empty-handed ten minutes later.

It was nice to meet MustardTiger yesterday and hand over a tiny flock of lavender Ameraucanas. With our recent down-sizing, we'll still be up by two birds this winter. Three sets of pullets need to be integrated. If I talk about hatching next spring, please stop me!

 

[mlowen]

@ LazyGardener, welcome home! I hope your trip was meaningful and fun. Your girls are growing into beautiful ladies. All three showing a little reddening of their faces, so I think eggs are coming within a month or so.




Big girls are letting the little girls sleep on the top bunk with them.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Welcome home, LG!

Finally, for the first time, we brought a few older hens to be processed yesterday. One, however, is roaming the woods in Mercer! We have a proper cage now. DH says the majority of people are bringing meat birds, and the processors can open the cage and all the birds stay put. They were not ready for our jack-in-the-box surprise. A young man chased after her, but came back winded and empty-handed ten minutes later.

It was nice to meet MustardTiger yesterday and hand over a tiny flock of lavender Ameraucanas. With our recent down-sizing, we'll still be up by two birds this winter. Three sets of pullets need to be integrated. If I talk about hatching next spring, please stop me!

Maybe it will meet up with the rooster of yesteryear

 

[country chick13]

Hello everyone! Just wondering if anyone is interested in a free 13 week cockerel...I ended up with 4 roosters, which is 1 too many. He is an Olive Egger/Partridge Cochin cross, southern Maine, pick up only. PM me if interested. Thank you!

 

[lazy gardener]

Broody ate one of her eggs today. May have been infertile. I couldn't tell from what I saw of the shell if there was a blood ring or not. One other egg yolked up. I brought it in, candled it, cleaned it and set it back out there. She ran around for a bout 1/2 hour then went back to the nest. If she is successful, I'll be pleasantly surprised. Her sister was a miserable failure.

Hubby shot our ground hog today. I had the son of one of my friends set a trap in the garden, but no luck with that. Today, Mr. Ground Hog was out running around in the burn pile. So, we waited patiently for him to make an other appearance, and he will get flung into the woods for critter bait. Hope he didn't have any friends.

Raspberries and blueberries coming on good now. Green beans producing well. Zucchini coming on. I have a good supply of canning jars, so am ready!

 

[Hiltonizer]

Fox got all 5 of my Khaki Campbells some time over night, found one with a chunk taken out of its breast and the rest are MIA. Wife was absolutely devastated. Fortunately our chicken tractors have been thus far predator proof, but the ducks are our pest control.

There's been two adults with 3-4 cubs hanging around our field, took a shot once a few weeks back and missed one of the adults.

Anyone got an infrared scope I could rent? Time for some night hunting.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Go get your trapping license.

 

[lazy gardener]

What's involved in getting a trapping license?

 

[superchemicalgirl]

It's a 10 hour class, which I found pretty fascinating, if not disgusting at times.
http://www.maine.gov/ifw/education/safety/trap.htm

I had to go the next county over to find a class (same with beekeeping).

The license allows you to "hunt" at night - if you're dispatching animals caught in your trap line. It gives additional resources to you to trap nuisance wildlife. I also spoke with a warden a year before signing up for my license about my "trapping" nuisance wildlife on my property... basically that I was in a grey area of the law since I couldn't prove what I was trapping was killing my animals. So I took the class and got my license.