Colorado

[samsr]

I put the last chicken eggs on lockdown thursday. I now have two lottle ones and 5 more pipped at the moment. It looks like it is time to move these three week olds out and move the new ones into the brooder. Now to figure out where to put the older ones. Maybe in the greenhouse in a make shift brooder. We will keep most of the older ones. The ones hatching now are up for grabs. I should start to see geese hatch sometime in the next week or so. This is going to be a long staggard hatch for the next three weeks. My toulouse goose is now sitting on eggs also. Going on 4 days and counting. She is on 8 or nine. I think. Should be over run with geese soon.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Ok so Home Depot is right across the street from my feed store. I should know better than going to either this time of year alone.
I planted the iris earlier today and truly I only went to get feed......
Now I have to plant about 30 plants around the coop and run.

They had the veggies and herbs on sale for 2 dollars each so of course I had to get some bee balm and some mint and some tomatoes and then I saw the pansies on clearance just cause they came off bloom so in the cart they went.
THEN I went inside the greenhouse area.

Luckily they are not yet fully stocked. I managed to escape with only one bleeding heart for the corner of the coop and a six pack of ground cover. We will see if the bleeding heart does better than the one I tried to grow a few years back. I think I had it in the wrong place.

OH the joys of spring........and dirt under the fingernails as well as sore knees and back.

Now to figure out how to keep the chickens from destroying it all............

samsr,

Congrats on the little ones and on the goose setting. Mine made a fine mother.

 

[alebuela]

@21hens-incharge Hi Babs! I had bleeding hearts in my back yard in partial sun, but even that was too hot and dry for them. Now the new ones are in complete shade, where the soil retains moisture better, and there are baby hearts forming!

I went to Home Depot earlier - all veggie, herb, and flower seeds were BOGO free, so I went a little crazy. 4 packs of cilantro seeds because my chooks adore cilantro. As for the other things, when you figure out how to keep your darlings from destroying your garden, I'd sure like to know how to do it.

 

[alebuela]

@ashdoes - so sorry about your little one's accident. It's just freaky. I hope your broodies will give you at least one cochin from the hatch. A question: What are vulture hocks?

@uzisuzuki - I love that stink eye baby! And I really enjoy your running commentaries about all your chicken goings on.

 

[lisan1984]

I live in Utah and wanted to know if anyone wanted to do a swap of chick's? I have a flock of seramas and wanted to to get some other bantams or other cool breeds i hatch every week Pm me if it's something you would be interested

 

[21hens-incharge]

@21hens-incharge Hi Babs! I had bleeding hearts in my back yard in partial sun, but even that was too hot and dry for them. Now the new ones are in complete shade, where the soil retains moisture better, and there are baby hearts forming!

I went to Home Depot earlier - all veggie, herb, and flower seeds were BOGO free, so I went a little crazy. 4 packs of cilantro seeds because my chooks adore cilantro. As for the other things, when you figure out how to keep your darlings from destroying your garden, I'd sure like to know how to do it.

It is so easy to get a ton of seeds only to discover you have not enough room to plant them all. I think I ended up with about 20 packets of seed this time. I am thinking of making raised boxes about 18 inches x 24 inches and just 6 inches high to put behind the coop so I can drape the soaker hose above them for the lettuce and other leafy things.
This time with the bleeding heart plant I put it just to the east of the coop at the north corner. It should have almost constant shade either from the tree or the coop so I am hopeful. It is also in a good place for me to easily give it a drink every day if needed. Last time I think they were in to much sun with crappy soil. I also put one of the barrel planters to the south east of the plant for some wind protection.

I do not think there is a single way to keep the girls from having their way with my gardens. They even found a way into the strawberry bed that is covered with basically a hoop coop and bird netting.

Vulture hocks are stiff feathers on the legs that point down and back. These are a couple links about them. The second one has good pictures.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_poultry_feathers
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/106976/vulture-hocks

I started looking up information on them when I heard that Brahma may have them.

 

[COChix]

Well @COChix
, you don't really NEED to candle... I mean, you could just wait it out and see what happens... They either hatch , or they don't . Just think of the anticipation that method would evoke! The thrill and excitement of NOT KNOWING until the very end! Like a good mystery book/movie Candling would be like reading the last chapter when you've only just started reading the book... what fun is there in already knowing the ending before hand? Hehehe...  

By the way, how's the recovery coming along? Are you allowed/able to do more now? Feeling any better?

There is no way I could not candle, I have to see how the chicks are doing and if they are even developing. I am attempting to follow the dry hatching method. I start the bator off without any added moisture, then at candling times you make adjustments based on the air sac size. If I need I will be putting damp sponge pieces to add moisture to the bator. I read a few different blogs about this method and it seemed to make a lot of sense. I have read numerous accounts of people who drown the chicks with too much moisture. It is all going to be a surprise to see what we hatch, given our mixed flock. On my recovery, thanks for asking, I am going back to doc tomorrow and hope to be off my restrictions. No pulling, pushing, lifting more than 2lbs, since Feb! My arm is still sore and sensitive, so it does limit me and what I can do. I don't think the surgeon knows that chickens weigh more than 2lbs actually he said on paper your restrictions are 2lbs but we know people cheat so realistically it is about 5 pounds. Whatever it is, I am over it!

 

[Latestarter]

Glad to hear your recovery is coming along well. Sorry you're still sore & sensitive... I guess that goes with the territory though. In the end it will hopefully all be worth it! Good luck at the doc's tomorrow! I was just teasing/joking about the candling... I hope the new method works out well for you.

 

[21hens-incharge]

WOW what a wonderful weekend this has been. The weather has been so good. I got a lot done with the landscaping in the back yard. Most years I start at the front yard and work my way to the back. This year I want the back to start out nice so I got the trimming done on the shrubs, weeded the strawberry bed, weeded behind the chicken coop and run, cut back the blackberries, ivies and zebra grass, turned the dirt in the run by shovel for the ladies to play in and loaded the truck with the last of the debris from the coop building.
HMMM with it all typed out it sure does not look like so much but WOW what a difference it has made already.

I got all the plants I bought at Home Depot planted except the tomatoes. I think I will keep them in the workshop until after the storm in the forecast.

I hope everyone has had a good weekend.

Babs

 

[suncatcher]

Quote: Yep, LF cochins are eating machines!

There is always next month swap.

I am just so beat after moving the 600 pound machines all day that I don't think I can get the brooder into the truck let alone chase chicks. Some days I just do not like my job at all. This was one of those days.

I may find the strength to plant some iris by the coop tomorrow. I can at least sit on me arse to do that lol.

Yikes! 600 lbs!!!

Well something must be wrong with my incubator, as we are on day two and no baby chicks yet. Guess I have to cook them a bit longer

. So far things are being held steady by the bator no issues there. I now have to make a candler to use for candling 42 eggs, wow what did I sign up? I didn't think about having to candle ALL 42. Oh well, should be a fun exerience.

lol!

Quote: Ditto on the seeds with no where to plant them!!!