Falling Down Heights, my daily life

[Canadian Wind]

What usually takes about 30-45 minutes took me 2 1/2+ hours today! Had to shovel out all the pens and lay straw down for their tender feet.

Chickens appreciated it. Ducks started flapping their wings and made the straw fly all over the place!!!

Down to six developing OEGB eggs; found a quitter yesterday.

 

[Canadian Wind]

Another quitter. Five eggs left. 5 1/2 days to hatch (if counting 19 days for tiny eggs).

Supplemented the heating inside with the toaster oven. It was actually nice and cozy this morning, compared to the frigid temps outside.

Need to finish cleaning out the cage for the new Bun, whom I've already named Foxy. Pried it out of the snow and ice yesterday and brought it inside the house to thaw.

Today will be another indoors day due to the cold.

 

[Canadian Wind]

Tired of being cooped up, lol! Went and shovelled the whole driveway:

Expecting another 15 cm by tomorrow, so wanted to get ahead of it.

The scary thing is, I actually enjoyed it...

 

[TwoCrows]

Tired of being cooped up, lol! Went and shovelled the whole driveway:

View attachment 4002490

Expecting another 15 cm by tomorrow, so wanted to get ahead of it.

The scary thing is, I actually enjoyed it...

Nice! Don't slip out there Wind!

 

[Canadian Wind]

Nice! Don't slip out there Wind!

No guarantee!

 

[Canadian Wind]

Experiment time!!!

Okay, I should have thought about this earlier (eggs are on day 15 of 19) but I gave one of the indoor banti Cochin some eggs (instead of removing her eggs every day) and fresh straw to see if she'll go broody. Worse comes to worse she doesn't and I raise the chicks myself.

The eggs have been moved around a bit, but she was picking through straw and looked like she was trying to make a nest. She's also making little clucking noises (adorable!) so maybe?

 

[Canadian Wind]

Bleh, stupid weather. Yesterday was above freezing for the majority of the day, which made the 15 cm of additional snowfall that much heavier to shovel. But it HAD to be shovelled because temps dipped to about -8 c overnight and everything froze.

So I am extra sore today.

Plus, it's going to snow again later today and overnight and the temps are going to roller-coaster back up above freezing and turn to ice rain in the process.

Mother Nature needs a good dose of estrogen to fight off menopause!!!

In other news, still haven't gotten the new bunny as the seller hasn't had a chance yet to drive here. That's okay though, I'm not breeding right now and he's not old enough to breed.

The experiment with the Cochin isn't working. Eggs are being ignored. And the ones in the incubator are now in lockdown.

 

[Canadian Wind]

Breaking this up into two parts, although there isn't that much more to say.

Been seriously debating selling off the Brahma and OEGB... My feed costs are astronomical. But, they may pay for themselves come Spring... Still debating this.

I'd like to concentrate more on the rabbits although not necessarily for meat but for the fun of genetics. I want to develop an extra-large Rex rabbit that is dual purpose (meat and fur). The Standard Rex buck I have right now is not very big and there aren't many breeders in the area. AND I am fascinated by the colour genetics of rabbits! I don't care about breeds and standards so much as pretty colours and fur.

 

[Canadian Wind]

Bunnies bunnies bunnies! I have bunnies on the brain!

 

[Canadian Wind]

Absolutely wretched day today! Well, okay, it could be worse but yesterday was above freezing so everything turned to mush. Overnight the temps dropped (and will keep dropping throughout the day, with high bitter winds) so the slush turned to ice.

Amazed I didn't fall! *knock on wood*

Spread out some fresh wood shavings in the pens so they don't freeze their toes off.