Falling Down Heights, my daily life

[Canadian Wind]

Chickens have to wait. I really messed up my lower back. Can barely bend over which made doing chores a chore.

Did move the three Leon Yellow OEGB into their own cage. I have two more cockerels in a large rabbit cage outside. I need to make a decision as to which one of the three I'm keeping.

 

[TwoCrows]

I think everyone except Jacin has lost the thread...

Sorry I disappeared Wind, its been a crazy week and yes I lost the thread!

Please keep it going, we love hearing about your flock and adventures.

 

[Canadian Wind]

*sigh*

So I built a small pen for the scovie ducklings. My error was using netting instead of hardware cloth (due to price). I figured if they were in their coop at night they would be fine. The area I put them in is under some spruce and cedar trees, right next to the road but well hidden and sheltered. I figured that nothing goes in there anyhow except small birds and chipmunks.

Yesterday, middle of the day, I went outside for something and when returning to the trailer I heard peeping. DUCKLING peeping. From UNDER the trailer. I (still suffering from a bad back and neck) managed to get down to look. Sure enough, there was one of the muscovy babies. She hesitantly came to me and I was able to pick her up, and proceeded to bring her back to her pen. I thought she somehow managed to get out.

Well, the pen was in shambles! The netting ripped in several places! And no ducklings!!! Needless to say, my heart skipped several beats and dropped into my stomach.

Then I noticed some movement in the coop. Sadly, only eight babies were inside (out of 17). I gathered them up and put them in the (now very overcrowded) adult pen. Then began the search for more ducklings.

Sadly, only the one that was under the trailer has been found. I lost eight ducklings, and of course this included the ones I was planning on keeping...

 

[Canadian Wind]

On a happier note, I have eight newborn bunnies. Momma gave birth to ten but two were dead. She's being an amazing mother, and this is her first litter.

I 'rescued' them from the smaller cage they were in, as I for some reason thought it was my other doe that I'd bred. I'm loosing my mind! Honestly, I'm a bit worried about my memory.

So I moved them and Momma into the larger cage and took out the doe that I *thought* was the expecting one.

Here's the thing though... Thinking I had bred the other doe, I placed the pregnant one in with the buck and they mated. This was two weeks later. I know rabbits have really weird reproduction and I'm worried she might have a second litter in a couple of weeks...

 

[Canadian Wind]

Oh, and had an argument with someone online about the ducks I have for sale. They said there's no way to sex a duck that was hatched in April or May; I told them they are quacking quite loudly and that I've got several years' experience. They still claimed they might be drakes so I wished them good luck.

 

[TwoCrows]

*sigh*

So I built a small pen for the scovie ducklings. My error was using netting instead of hardware cloth (due to price). I figured if they were in their coop at night they would be fine. The area I put them in is under some spruce and cedar trees, right next to the road but well hidden and sheltered. I figured that nothing goes in there anyhow except small birds and chipmunks.

Yesterday, middle of the day, I went outside for something and when returning to the trailer I heard peeping. DUCKLING peeping. From UNDER the trailer. I (still suffering from a bad back and neck) managed to get down to look. Sure enough, there was one of the muscovy babies. She hesitantly came to me and I was able to pick her up, and proceeded to bring her back to her pen. I thought she somehow managed to get out.

Well, the pen was in shambles! The netting ripped in several places! And no ducklings!!! Needless to say, my heart skipped several beats and dropped into my stomach.

Then I noticed some movement in the coop. Sadly, only eight babies were inside (out of 17). I gathered them up and put them in the (now very overcrowded) adult pen. Then began the search for more ducklings.

Sadly, only the one that was under the trailer has been found. I lost eight ducklings, and of course this included the ones I was planning on keeping...

So sorry Wind, how awful!

 

[Canadian Wind]

My Red Pyle OEGB cockerel is a d*ck. Oh, he's docile enough with me, doesn't try to attack me, but his hormones seem to have kicked in and he's pestering the poor little hens to the point of them screaming. He's the only cockerel in the bunch, so I don't have much choice about keeping him.

And on the other hand, I had to separate the three Lemon Blue boys, two are together and seem to be getting along and one is with the two females. That one is actually colouring up nicely and has a good temperament and so far his configuration is promising. The tiny super dark cockerel is turning into an aggressive bugger so although I like his looks I don't want that bred into my flock. It's a shame, he's so tiny. Probably a 'micro' OEGB. Hmmm, I wonder if those are worth more...

 

[JacinLarkwell]

My Red Pyle OEGB cockerel is a d*ck. Oh, he's docile enough with me, doesn't try to attack me, but his hormones seem to have kicked in and he's pestering the poor little hens to the point of them screaming. He's the only cockerel in the bunch, so I don't have much choice about keeping him.

And on the other hand, I had to separate the three Lemon Blue boys, two are together and seem to be getting along and one is with the two females. That one is actually colouring up nicely and has a good temperament and so far his configuration is promising. The tiny super dark cockerel is turning into an aggressive bugger so although I like his looks I don't want that bred into my flock. It's a shame, he's so tiny. Probably a 'micro' OEGB. Hmmm, I wonder if those are worth more...

You could certainly see if you can get more for him. Worse case scenario, you don't get any bites

 

[Canadian Wind]

You could certainly see if you can get more for him. Worse case scenario, you don't get any bites

Except the ones from *him*! LOL

 

[Canadian Wind]

Oh, and I kinda did it again...

Last week, I took two eggs from three broody chickens (yes, three sitting on two eggs). One of the four hens is an egg eater and has been helping herself to the eggs, so I decided to put a stop to that. Of course, I candled the eggs. So they are now in the incubator.

Did the same with a duck. Only two eggs left in the nest, she refused to leave it and I was getting worried. One was rotten, the other looked fertile. BUT, she'd been sitting for weeks, so I have no idea where this egg came from since it only looked about a week into incubation. It is also in the incubator.