Falling Down Heights, my daily life

[Canadian Wind]

Making some tough decisions right now... Had a HUGE fight with my daughter, so am going to sell off a lot of my Muscovy and maybe some of the ducks. Or get around to culling the two extra drakes I have. I just don't like the whole processing part, mostly because I don't have a plucker. Took me over an hour the other day to skin and debone the Muscovy I'd culled.

Need to do a few rabbits too, but of course it's raining like crazy for the next few days.

These chicks are almost as messy as ducklings!!! They keep playing in their water and getting everything soaked! I raised it a bit and it seems to have done the trick.

A few of them went and got their backs burned on the brooder plate. I didn't realize it was that hot to the touch! I feel terrible about it, and have been slathering them with Polysporin. They're at least acting normal.

Next weekend (20th April) is the auction, so any chicks I haven't sold yet, plus any hens left over, will be sent there. As well as some of the Muscovy. I need to build crates...

I may have some ducklings for that sale too. The eggs I set this week won't have hatched, but there's another sale on May 5th I can bring them to.

Maybe I should rename my operation to Topsy Turvy...

 

[Canadian Wind]

Three hens gone (including my favourite, I almost cried!) and three more going today or tomorrow. Not looking forward to catching them in this rain. I just need to figure out what to do with the remaining two hens and the rooster. They are all older, over 3 years old, and while I may not consider that 'elderly' I doubt anyone would want them for anything else than the freezer. They are good birds, so I don't want that for them.

Still have 14 chicks. Looks like they'll be going to auction. I should re-list them with updated pictures, but that's so much hassle. They also need a bigger brooder, but the large cage I got for that is currently occupied by a Call with attitude. Very demanding little thing! He yells at me when his water dish gets too empty!

I need to get these Calls outside, but it's gotten cold with all this rain, plus I'm not building them a coop at the risk of getting pneumonia!

Checked the chicken eggs that went into lockdown after the power outage. I doubt they're going to hatch. Before the outage, they would have been due on Wednesday.

 

[Canadian Wind]

How fast they grow...

 

[fluffycrow]

Adorbs . Those two in the box, in the second photo are giving you the biggest side eyes ever

How fast they grow...

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[Canadian Wind]

Adorbs . Those two in the box, in the second photo are giving you the biggest side eyes ever

I was cleaning the brooder and figured I needed more recent pics. I think those two were either envious of being taken out of that small box, or terrified of being taken out of that small box. LOL

 

[Canadian Wind]

Technically, the older duck eggs that made it through the outage should be going into lockdown tomorrow. But, stupid me, I overfilled the incubators.

I'm going to see if I can get the old LG bator going just to hatch.

The refrigerated duck eggs I tossed in are developing!!! It's only day 5, but I saw veins and little masses in the middle.

Same with the chicken eggs. But those weren't refrigerated. Surprisingly, the OEGB eggs are fertile. That little Silkie roo (who is three times the size of the OEGB) really likes his girls!!!

 

[Canadian Wind]

Did a more thorough candling. 8/12 refrigerator duck eggs are good, and 9/12 silkie mix eggs good. One of the duds had the start of a blood ring. Leaving them in a few more days to make sure.

 

[Canadian Wind]

Trying to get this piece of #$%^ LG incubator to keep a proper temperature so I can use it to hath out the eggs is impossible!!! I've got the stupid thermostat set to 70F and my independent thermometer is reading over 100!!! Been tinkering with it since last night. *grumbles*

 

[Canadian Wind]

Bunch of eggs in the duck nest boxes! Hoping they start to sit soon.

All the rain we've had has turned everything to muck. The ducks (of course) don't mind, but I feel bad for the poor chickens.

Thought I could keep the chicks in the smaller crate I'd started them off in, but it was just too crowded. Was hoping not to have to use my bathtub this year (not that I have running water anyhow), but they gave me no choice. They were supposed to be gone by now! I guess people just don't like having to drive up here in the middle of nowhere.

So, they'll be sold this weekend at auction, along with (probably) some ducks and rabbits.

 

[Canadian Wind]

So much for that. The extra incubator kept setting off the power bar for some reason.

Ducks got out of their pen. I had to chase them all around the yard.