Danz, I can see why you can't bear to sell off the games and ornamentals. Those are absolutely beautiful birds.
coleco, this is the place for all whose friends have grown tired of listening to chicken talk!
KsKingbee, my cousin keeps bees and I've often thought I would try that one day. Right now, I'm up to my eyes with chicken projects, but once I have my birds at the point I want them, I am going to give beekeeping a try. I've researched a bit from time to time and it seems doable. Just acquiring all the equipment will be the main obstacle but it's a matter of prioritizing. We had a swarm in our huge pine tree one year. I'd never seen anything like that before.
DH has decided not to purchase anymore grocery store chicken!!!! I'm so excited and thrilled, you just don't know. He doesn't want us to have to process anymore chickens so he is going to buy not only all grass raised chicken, but any meat will be raised by a farmer whose methods we know and approve of. I am so happy! It is going to save the kids and I a whole lot of work. We were willing to do it to avoid the grocery store birds but this is going to mean more swim time in the summer! My excess roos will still be processed but I won't be raising any birds specifically for meat. I never thought I would see the day. That guy is a keeper! It's been three years of doing our thing and respecting his right to disagree. It just goes to show, even when you think you know someone inside and out, they can really surprise you.
My first batch of shipped Aloha eggs was a disaster. One managed a partial zip and quit, another had help out but it was malformed and didn't make it. I sure hope my next group nets something. It went into lockdown today. I didn't candle before lockdown. I normally do but I guess I just didn't want to know for sure how slim the odds were. This box was more damaged than the other and had more breakage so I don't know if I'll get anything of the whole production. Sigh.
The garden is looking good. We are out of mulch and it's too wet to go pick up the free stuff at Rose Hill, plus, Asplundh had to pull out of our area due to... mud. I am pulling weeds like a wild woman for those areas without mulch and have the rough, cut up hands to prove it. Still, I love being outside and with the cloud cover, it's been enjoyable.
I'm thinking about moving the chickens to the back tree line for the summer. There is shade back there all day long and I think it will be cooler for them. It will also give the grass in their current location a rest. I increased the size of their yard this year with an additional 100' of electric netting and it made a huge difference. The grass around the chicken house has regrown except where it gets excessive shade.
I added a second wading pool to the yard yesterday. Danz said it may help the two duck groups to get along better, if they had separate swim facilities. I already have multiple waterers and feeders, so if they got chased from one, they could just go to the next. It worked out beautifully and the two duck worlds seem much happier with their worlds. I don't know why I didn't think of it. I plead preoccupation with getting everything ready for our family reunion. Thanks, Danz!
coleco, this is the place for all whose friends have grown tired of listening to chicken talk!
KsKingbee, my cousin keeps bees and I've often thought I would try that one day. Right now, I'm up to my eyes with chicken projects, but once I have my birds at the point I want them, I am going to give beekeeping a try. I've researched a bit from time to time and it seems doable. Just acquiring all the equipment will be the main obstacle but it's a matter of prioritizing. We had a swarm in our huge pine tree one year. I'd never seen anything like that before.
DH has decided not to purchase anymore grocery store chicken!!!! I'm so excited and thrilled, you just don't know. He doesn't want us to have to process anymore chickens so he is going to buy not only all grass raised chicken, but any meat will be raised by a farmer whose methods we know and approve of. I am so happy! It is going to save the kids and I a whole lot of work. We were willing to do it to avoid the grocery store birds but this is going to mean more swim time in the summer! My excess roos will still be processed but I won't be raising any birds specifically for meat. I never thought I would see the day. That guy is a keeper! It's been three years of doing our thing and respecting his right to disagree. It just goes to show, even when you think you know someone inside and out, they can really surprise you.
My first batch of shipped Aloha eggs was a disaster. One managed a partial zip and quit, another had help out but it was malformed and didn't make it. I sure hope my next group nets something. It went into lockdown today. I didn't candle before lockdown. I normally do but I guess I just didn't want to know for sure how slim the odds were. This box was more damaged than the other and had more breakage so I don't know if I'll get anything of the whole production. Sigh.
The garden is looking good. We are out of mulch and it's too wet to go pick up the free stuff at Rose Hill, plus, Asplundh had to pull out of our area due to... mud. I am pulling weeds like a wild woman for those areas without mulch and have the rough, cut up hands to prove it. Still, I love being outside and with the cloud cover, it's been enjoyable.
I'm thinking about moving the chickens to the back tree line for the summer. There is shade back there all day long and I think it will be cooler for them. It will also give the grass in their current location a rest. I increased the size of their yard this year with an additional 100' of electric netting and it made a huge difference. The grass around the chicken house has regrown except where it gets excessive shade.
I added a second wading pool to the yard yesterday. Danz said it may help the two duck groups to get along better, if they had separate swim facilities. I already have multiple waterers and feeders, so if they got chased from one, they could just go to the next. It worked out beautifully and the two duck worlds seem much happier with their worlds. I don't know why I didn't think of it. I plead preoccupation with getting everything ready for our family reunion. Thanks, Danz!
