Higgins' Taj Mahal for Aix galericulata (Mandarin Ducks) ~ Mega Photos!!!

[CanuckBock]

It's wonderful you and him! Me and mine are going on a wee 14 yrs of marriage....but he's my best friend and helps my addictions too

He's from the city and I'm not (mine are ranchers, farmers, and my dad changed careers when I was a kid to become an airplane mechanic and pilot). My family has helped teach him over the years and now he can fix just about anything. He is learning all the animal stuff right along with our girls. As I teach them he learns too. My girls are in 4H now, so this past year we've really gotten some nice birds for showing. We raised a colt from birth and my husband says that is his horse. I'm glad he got to raise him from the ground up...or did the colt raise my husband?

We love our life on our piece of heaven. Looking forward to as many years together as you guys!

Sounds like you have a happy place going on too. Nice and yes, a "piece of heaven" indeed, here on Earth.

Fourteen years...ah yes, the memories...times that by two and add four more years. Mine told me we would not last even the first seven years...now I just tell him he shoulda killed me and he'd be out by now!

4-H is great...I was APA/ABA Youth Program Adviser for Canada few years back when my spouse and I started up a poultry exhibition club...we had the option of 4-H or this program and the kids voted for APA/ABA. Still the "learn by doing" aspect but totally bird related. Was a ton of fun. There is a great website of theirs and even adults can do good by some of the articles on there too.

Good on you to have your girls into showing poultry. I fear for them tho, once bit by the bird bug, you never quite lose it. I can see them housing "their" birds with you until they get homes of their own. My mother thought she was gonna get the "garden shed" of her dreams when I was getting nearer college and university age... I left her in charge of my chicken coop until I could take them back on, full time and at my own place...bwa ha ha...one bird flew the coop, not the whole flock...wah wah wah.

Wow, those trucks are gorgeous and little Makins too! Happy trails- you sound like a great- if a bit naughty (all that drag racing

) team! All the best

C

Thanks...we all love our furred and feathered kids very much, don't we!

I look forward to hearing more as you get going along. As I said, that coop is pretty awesome, so I can't wait to see what duck digs you rig out...or whatever birds you decide to tackle next...even more chooks is just plumb fun. Something about pretty facilities with pretty creatures, those animated lawn ornaments...ones that give us eggs and entertainment. What is not to like there, eh?

Doggone & Chicken UP!

Tara Lee Higgins
Higgins Rat Ranch Conservation Farm, Alberta, Canada

 

[3BirdGirlz]

Hahahaha ! Yes that's what happened! I did go to college and the birds stayed until old age took them. I got married in college and he was in the air force at the time, so we had to move. My mom didn't have the heart to give away my beloved pets, so they stayed. We moved back home after the military, bought my parents place so they could move to where they really wanted to after all us kids grew up. Now I'm addicted again and collecting what I once lost and more! Its wonderful to share with my girls. My husband loves the peafowl, so maybe he'll agree to more

 

[CanuckBock]

Heel low:

About this time of year, we begin to get warmer weather, snow begins to melt, turns to ice and mud. We are chomping at the bit to get spring and summer underway. Outdoor projects that are conducted in a more stationery area are wonderful things to distract one from wading hip deep into the mud before the breakup is completely over...dried up and decent to move about in.

For entertainment purposes (April, 08 2008), Rick made me a tree nest for my Mandarins.

I think the tree stump nest (as we refer to it) mimics a "natural" stump nest quite nicely. On the first page of my post on this thread, I have shown a natural tree stump (poplar tree) that was used by the wild population of Wood ducks living here until, well the ROOF rotted off.

Here is a closer view of the disused nest and our inspiration for the STUMP nest for our Mandarins.

Wood duck nest in poplar tree stump now abandoned.​

So here goes on how to make yer own TREE STUMP NEST...

Rick took a dead fallen White Spruce log (intended for firewood but stolen for this spring a ding dong project).

From all the data we have researched on proper Mandarin nests, the diameters of the inside of the nest will need to be ten to twelve inches broad, eighteen inches deep from the nest entry/exit hole bottom to the bottom of the nest (allowing for the depth of some clean pine or fir shavings as nesting material and the hen's down feather layer she tears outta her chest for the eggs to be covered with). Overall height of the nest INSIDE including allowances for the nest hole should be around 23 to 26 inches tall.

Dimensions to assist you in choosing your log, on the top opening, rectangular wooden nestboxes for Wood Ducks and Mandies, the overall suggested width is 10 to 12 inches square (so 10/12" by 10/12") outside and 23 inches tall, top to bottom inside dimensions. So roughly the nesting cavity is like 11 inches square by 23 inches tall. Lumber size used is one by planks, so 3/4 inch thick.

Keep in mind, we are not using flat board lumber here, but a roundy round oval shaped tree log. Not going to get into a big discussion about the AREA OF A CIRCLE (though I may break down and have a slice a booberry PI with my cuppa java before this is completed!), so choose yer log with the expectations that the two rounds used for the nest have to be bigger than a foot in diameter and around 23 inches long. Bigger width because the internal dimensions are fairly decent and you want more log wood thickness (Rick decided on 2 1/4 to 1 3/4 inches) around the inside than in a flat board nest. A decent sized log if intended for firewood...at least that's my figuring! We chose Spruce but I see that flat boards are suggested to be from cedar, cypress or redwood lumber. My nests are inside the Taj, so dunna needa worry about really bad conditions that will rot the woods we choose to use in this project. The tree stump nest sits atop the river sand base we have in place for the Taj's pen floor.

The log we chose to use was four feet long with a bottom circumference of 58 inches (rough dimensions across butt is 18 by 15 inches--did not use a ROUND log) and top circumference of 49 inches. So a circumference that decreased by 9 inches over four feet. We lost an inch of height overall because the log is made into four pieces--allowing for the chainsaw cut three times. Nest ends up being 47 inches tall with an entry hole that begins at the 31 inch mark.

Assembled nest; top piece is 10 inches tall, going down-next piece is 10 1/2 inches, 12 inches, and bottom piece of completed nest is 14 1/2 inches tall. The inside dimensions of nest ended up being 22 1/2 tall and roughly 15 1/2 to 16 inches in diameter; an adequate inside cavity area for the nesty hen and future escaping brood of ducklings.


TOOLS
Tools used were chainsaw, straight chisel, mallet, dunna forget the gloves, face shield, and hearing protection (WHAT? Waz that?). Don't be wearing the sandals (not even with socks...blick!) either, this is more a work booty kinda project. Reserve the open toed foot wear for the beach, eh? Not warm enough yet anyhoo.

You will also need a jig saw with wood blade and a drill with a bit sized bigger than your jig saw blade to drill a hole so you can use the jig saw to cut yerself an oval for the nest hole. You will be cutting an entry/exit hole in the side face of one of the rounds so the Mandarin hen may enter (and leave) the nest. Entry/exit hole dimensions are three inches high and four inches wide, a rough oval shape, OY!

Blade screw driver for whatever size the screws need on the two pipe clamps. Dunna use the chisel, might need it sharp for the next project, or you might need your fingers UNcut when (not if) it slips and takes out a chunk of yah. Add bandaids and a blood transfusion to the supply listing below if you are too impatient to bring along a slot screw driver or simply tool challenged.

SUPPLIES (Surprise!)
One spruce log (4 feet) with bottom circumference of 58 inches tapering to 49 inches or there abouts...

Two pieces of hardware cloth that are 4 inches by 12 1/2 inches (one piece for inside, one piece for outside) so the hen and then the ducklings have something firm and grippy to use to get out (and for Mah to get in and out of the nest easily). Ensure you trim the sides nicely too, ragged edges have a tendency to rip its pounda flesh outta your fingers/arms over the years of emptying the soiled bedding/down from outta the nest cavity.

Drywall screws with washers that fit neatly over the head and make the screws wider for better holding capacity of the hardware cloth. Total of eight; I'd say bring a dozen but don't be losing drywall screws and washers IN Mandy pens...I think they call the consumption of metal by animals/birds, HARDWARE DISEASE, so keep track of your stuff. Leave only the nest behind...

What I consider to be TWO very long stainless steel screw clamps that are 55 1/2 inches long. These are what I refer to as "pipe clamps" but then, I'm a girl thinking pink and it may not be what boys thinking blue call them...so here's a picture to clarify the pink visions since the ones used on the project are not really very visible (sorta how we wanted it, more OH natural). I have taken a photo today that shows them but just to make sure we are on the same page...

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Rick bucked the four foot log into four pieces. The thickest part, the bottom is 10 inches high, the second is 14 1/2 inches, the third is 12 inches long and the last piece, the top of the log is 10.5 inches. The 48 inch log becomes 47 inches from the three cuts with the chainsaw; 10 + 14.5 + 12 + 10.5.


Now as the tree grows, we are going to take the bottom and widest part of the log and use that for the nest top (yes, bare with me here), the next largest part of the log would be the bottom of the nest (yeh...2nd from bottom is bottom) and then the 3rd from the bottom and the 4th (the TOP) would then be the middle of the Mandarin nest. Got that...we are leaving the bottom for the top AND the next from the bottom as the bottom. So leave those two BOTTOM grown rounds alone! Can you HEAR me...leave the bottom and second from the bottom alone! No touchy, no cutty...LEAVE 'EM!

Rick then takes the top and 3rd from the bottom (or second from the top, whichever way you wanna look at it, same round) and will split both the rounds in half.

HY YAH!!! Round split neatly in half...​

OK, in the real world, Rick is my hero but no Ninja...so he uses one of the chainsaws to cut them in half. Never EVER use the chainsaw over the head...

Gentlemen and Ladies (yes, all those rotary type cutty machine operating/inclined females of which I am not ONE!)...one of the more common Emergency Room excuses or tales often begins with the simple statement..."I was holding the chainsaw OVER my head when....."


Here Rick is cutting the top of the log in half. Note it is at waist level (not wasted abuse to yer back bending over trying to do a job that can be WAY more comfy) and this top (and smallest round) is sitting atop the next biggest round (3rd round from the bottom) on a quickly fabricated few chunks of waste wood. No sense dulling the chain on the saw or risking it BOUNCING up and greeting yer face. Do this safe peoples...we want you in one piece AND all the equipment in decent order after play time here. Hee hee....

Next after top round is split neatly in half WITH chainsaw....Rick makes several strategic cuts into the halved round so that he can remove the unwanted inside section out. He leaves about 1 3/4 to 2 inch thickness.

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Now I don't particularly LIKE this manoeuvre too much because I see it as dangerous...the half is round!

Will it rock? Will it roll? Will it flip and cause all sorts of mayhem? I jest dunno...

Well I trust Rick to know what he is doing and capable of, so I bite my lip, take clicks, applaud when required, "go fer" as needed, and watch the magic. IF this is dangerous then please do it carefully or if you are not capable of doing it safely, maybe just chisel the pieces out instead of using the chainsaw to trim it out quicker. Slower is better especially if you have all your digits left in place AFTER the fact.
So what I don't know, usually lets me sleep better at night...so onwards we go on the project.

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So now Rick begins to chisel out the inside of the round...straight grained and dry, the pieces come out nicely AND make great kindling...waste not, want not! He left the rounds with a thickness of 1 3/4 to 2 inches on the edges or rim.


Next, he does the same process to the other round (second round from the top of the original log).




In this pic you can see the finished top round and Rick working on the second from the top round.

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Next, Rick removes the bark off the upper round. Dry wood and it was slippy, so we just removed it. Sure it could be left on if it was attached nicely, do whatever you like and what flows with the process.

Rick cuts the oval entry/exit hole in the center of the face of the top section of the nest. The hole (4 inches wide by 3 1/2 inches high) is in the ten and a half inch tall piece. Hole top is 2 inches from the top, (3 1/2 inch tall hole) and 5 inches from the bottom of the round.

Bottom of the hole ends up being 31 1/2 inches from the ground. Again our dimensions were 4 inches wide and 3 1/2 inches high. Bottom of the hole ends up being 31 1/2 inches from the ground and top of hole is twelve inches from the very top of the nest or 35 inches from the ground.

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Assemble both halves in the non-holed round and place pipe clamp around (roughly in the middle of bottom one) and tighten.

Place the round with entry/exit hole like in the photo above. Fastened just under the nest hole (and helping to hold the two halves--bottom and top, together) the one piece of the hardware cloth on the INSIDE of the nesting cavity. Located the strip of hardware cloth just under the hole. Use four drywall screws with washers to fasten cloth in each corner to the wood face.

Now you can put the other side of the round together with the half that has the entry/exit hole. Use the pipe clamp to hold it all together. Clamp goes on the bottom 1/3 of the round, allowing for the hole not to be obstructed by the band of metal.

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Now fasten the other piece of hardware cloth on the outside of the nest, just under the entry/exit hole See how the cloth lays OVER the band of clamp metal? Again use four drywall screws with washers, one in each corner of the hardware cloth as shown in the above photo.


There we be...Inspector dog girl Fixins...aka Vanna White...waggy tailed in approval.

"Yup, this will surely do for my duck a lucks. Nice job...is it lunch time or at least SECOND breakfast time?"​

So after lunch, brunch, 2nd B, or whatever it was we stopped to do...

Put the top on the nest and took a click of it. Think Fixins ate too much, she is still laying down on the job thar..."GET UP...do your job dog...oh well."

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So into the Taj Mahal goes the stump nest. There is a box nest already in there, but having two choices is always good for the ducks. Waterfowl hens are SUPER picky about their nests...real risks involved in nesting sites. You can almost lay a full clutch and WHAM...a predator pops by and cleans out your eggs or worst than even that... the HEN is on the nest and eggs & Mom get predated...not good.

So for whatever reasons, the hen chooses what she feels is THE nest of all nests to build a clutch and incubate her brood in.

For Woody or Mandy "natural tree nests," this has been discovered about the most successful nesting choice places:

- Close to fresh water is GREAT but never more than a mile from water.

- Bottom of nest is from 3 to 4 feet up to 15 to 20 feet high. Balancing act as low situated nests can be easier to predate, but the higher nests being safer but harder for us humans to install, inspect, and remove soiled nesting materials after the hatch from.

- Location of nesting hole should be visible from the nearest water, obstructions like branches and such should not obscure entry and exit of the nesting hole, AND morning sunlight (morning is when the duck hen will most likely be laying her eggs) should not shine where it lights up the interior of the nest cavity. The darker inside the nest, the better the hen feels about being safe and more positive that her nest is well hidden. Nests with holes that sunlight can shine in will also make a hen feel less favourable towards using. DARK interior is a SAFE nest!

The location we chose to put the stump nest was chosen because we already had a box nest in the pen. That nest's hole faces North.

See the Mommy Mandarin in the opposite pen coming out after depositing an egg in her chosen nest.

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New Stump Nest located in pen.




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With the stump nest in the pen...now the only thing to ponder...

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Will them widdle girly Mandarin duckies LIKE the new nest...well will they?

I'd say YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!​

Stump nest is met with full duck hen approval.

Doggone & Chicken UP!

Tara Lee Higgins
Higgins Rat Ranch Conservation Farm, Alberta, Canada

 

[CanuckBock]

Heel low:

Thought I would add a bit of information as to how we feed our Mandarins.

Wood ducks are native to our area (Western Canada). On June 23rd, 2008, I drove up on a mother Woodie and her brood of ducklings making the dangerous trek from their nest to water. Quite an experience to witness such a secretive undertaking. Where we live may be Wood Duck habitat, but the ducks that come here in the summer (35C/95F), all migrate out of here in the winter (-45C/-49F with the lowest temperature we have experienced at -53C/-63F). Done flown the coop for milder climates!

In this area, we farm crops of barley, oats, canola, corn and grow vegetable gardens that produce lettuce, spinach, peas, beans, carrots, onions, potatoes and grow tomatoes, cucumbers, and other cold sensitive vegetables in greenhouses. Native plants such as Saskatoons, Raspberries, Wild Roses, & Strawberries provide wild fruit in forests of Poplar, Spruce and Pine. I do not keep Wood Ducks but they use to live on our property until we cleared out all the underbrush (fire hazard). In the above posts numbered 1 & 13 of mine, you may see a photographs of the abandoned Wood Duck nesting tree.

I have tried my best to research what Mandarins are suppose to be eating in the wild and replicate this in captivity - base ration, three types of grains and then additives...all with the freshest of water changed daily for drinking and swimming.

Rubber tub nestled inside a vehicle tire = perfect for ducks here in our cold climate.​

BASE RATION
I have a waterfowl grower pellet made up fresh in one ton lots (2,200 pounds). My preference is to have this ration as a base for our waterfowl here (ducks, geese, Ruddy Shels, & swans), I add three grains to the mix and then special additives for the Mandarins.


Waterfowl Grower Pellet - information off the label.

This feed contains added selenium at 0.3 mg/kg

GUARANTEED ANALYSIS:
Crude Protein – Min. 16.0%
Crude Fat – Min. 2.0%
Crude Fibre – Max. 6.0 %
Calcium – Act. 0.85 %
Phosphorus – Act. 0.60 %
Sodium – Act. 0.16 %
Vitamin A – Min. 8,000 IU/kg
Vitamin D3 – Min. 2,500 IU/kg
Vitamin E – Min. 25 IU/kg


INGREDIENTS: Manufactured using cereal grains, vegetable proteins and vegetable oils.

FEEDING DIRECTIONS:
1. This feed is designed for feeding ducks and geese from four weeks of age until market.
2. If geese have access to good quality pasture, this feed may limited to 1 kg per goose per week until geese are 12 weeks of age. After 12 weeks, this feed should be available free choice.
3. Provide insoluble grit, grower size, by sprinkling on the feed once a week at 1 kg per 100 birds.



GRAINS
The three main grains we use for Mandarin ducks are:

OATS
Excellent grain for poultry though some say they have issues with getting their birds to eat it. We feed whole oats and mix it in with the wheat and corn (in winter). All our poultry eats it but we start them on it as soon as we begin mixing grains into their starter rations, so they are use to it. We also have oat straw for bedding and find that some of the heads are left on. The birds love digging around hunting for the oats and it keeps them amused, especially in winter when it can be a bit boring for them. Oats has four times the fiber than wheat or corn and waterfowl especially tend to grow slower on oats (therefore are less fat) but have less physical problems (live longer, less leg or wing problems, produce more young, and have beautiful feathers). You may use oats to balance a gamebird ration if that is all you have access to; 1 part oats to 4 parts gamebird flight conditioner.


WHEAT
We use hard red whole wheat.


CORN
We use to use steam rolled corn but had issues with it not being put up properly and it would mould. So we switched to cracked yellow corn that is not too dusty. I feed this ONLY in winter to the Mandarins to help keep them birds generating adequate body heat. Corn has more energy, but less protein than wheat.


I mix one part of whole wheat with one part whole oats, so a 50/50 mix. I then take 1 part of these mixed grains and hand mix it at a rate of about 1 part mixed grains to 2 to 3 parts base ration pellets— depending on the season. Corn is added to the grain mix during winter at a rate of 1 part to 4 parts mixed rations. I will add more oats when the birds are moulting. I watch what is left in the feeders to tell me what they are not eating and make adjustments accordingly.



GRIT & OYSTER SHELL
We always have insoluble grit (granite or marble aggregate) and soluble oyster shell (source of calcium) kept dry and available in each pen. Some people say having oyster shell available year round leads to internal organ failure but we rarely have any deaths in our flock past old age.



ADDITIVES
Here is what I "add" to my duck & goose grower pellet, cracked yellow corn (winter), whole hard red wheat, whole heavy oats, along with free choice grit and oyster shell for our adult Mandies.

- GREENS I feel that the more undomesticated/wilder the poultry species, the more important it is to ensure they receive fresh greens each and every day. Gamebirds, Mandarin or Wood Ducks, all the Swans kept in captivity, etc.; these birds would find greens naturally if not under our care and containment. Even with domestic geese, we provide “happiness” factors like celery, cauliflower, minced carrots; any of these items provide “crunchy” treats to satisfy some waterfowl’s basic natural instinctual needs. One has to figure they would be out and about, pond or lake side, rooting for tidbits of plant material. We feed our Black Australian Swans sliced spinach or romaine lettuce leaves if we have run out of spinach that day!

- CAT KIBBLE/FISH FOOD FLOATING PELLETS In the past, I use to add a high quality hard cat kibble to replicate proteins (like bugs, aquatic life and other creepy crawlies) found naturally in a duck’s environment. Others may suggest what insects they include in their feed rations but that is not my forte though I hear mealworms are great starter foods for hatchlings. I have now switched over to using floating fish food pellets instead of cat kibbles (worried about additives in cat foods the ducks don't require). About eight floating fish food pellets per two pairs. I toss these in the water daily when I change it.

- BLUEBERRIES These assist the Mandarins to express the vivid pigments in their feathers.

- MELONS Seems our bevy likes Watermelon the best, then Cantelope and lastly Honeydew.

- RICE Several types of raw rice, from Batsami to wild rice, brown and white, all human food grade quality. Mandarins forage in places like Japan, so rice patties would provide an excellent source of grains for them.

- NUTS Fresh chopped raw almonds. Mandarins would also accept acorns and beech nuts. I have also contemplated using chopped chestnuts. I expect raw nuts are preferred over roasted and would not even dream of feeding them “salted” peanuts…doubt that is good for man or beast!

- SUNFLOWER Black oilseed sunflower seeds may also be fed to dark coloured birds to assist with black pigments.



Getting your poultry rations right for each species is reflected by how your poultry performs for you. If they live long, happy, productive lives and replicate strong generations of ducklings that are able to do the same in kind, then you are doing something quite right. Pretty inside and out!

The thing about feathers is that something as simple as running them out of water may show up as a check in growth or colour pattern of the feathers.

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If your birds are outfitted in glorious coats of gleaming, nearest perfect plumage, all the hard work, time, effort, and resources you have extended will tell on you…good or bad!

Doggone & Chicken UP!

Tara Lee Higgins
Higgins Rat Ranch Conservation Farm, Alberta, Canada

 

[CanuckBock]

Heel low:

Always count on the seasons to change...

Here is the Taj in "winter mode."

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All covered up and tucked in...

On June 1st, time for SUMMER mode!

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Open and ready for nice weather...


Summer time in Alberta is CONSTRUCTION season!

The finishing touch to the Taj Mahal is to do a gravel perimeter around the building. Options were to look at masonary blocks or use landscape ties (already have a supply here now) and top with 3/4 inch minus gravel and then on that for purely decorative looks...either larger washed coloured rock or crushed limerock. Since we already have a nice pile of limerock here AND our pathways and some of the building perimeters and fronts are limerock, decided after much thought and contemplation to keep with the pretty dovey grey limerock.


So since it is Monsoon June, decided when it was dismal, overcast and even raining...great time to utilize the coolness to do some WOmanual labour and start putting in the 3/4 minus gravel around the perimeter.

Rick brings me oh, about four tractor buckets of gravel


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I remove the ornaments around the building and begin the distribution of the gravel.


Always one to be helpful...old dog Fixins makes sure to place herself where she will get the most noticed...


Where is Fixins? Like in the middle of the route used to move the gravel.

Move it Sweetness...move it or get dumped on...

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There, beginnings of the gravel on the go.


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Next day, place out some of the landscape ties.

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No ties to bind one...​

Then lotsa landscape ties...

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After placing an estimated location of where the ties will go...time to add more gravel...back side...​

And at this point in time...got a cart load of limerock..

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And placed a load to see how it looks...

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Looks tres good!

Next in the process is to place the landscape ties, spike them, then drill and put rebar in to secure the landscape ties in their final places. Yee haw...

I'll edit this post to add that...when we get round to it.

Gonna be a sweet and sour thing...to see the Taj complete. Projects are fun and when they are done...good but always enjoy the fun working at it.

Doggone & Chicken UP!

Tara Lee Higgins
Higgins Rat Ranch Conservation Farm, Alberta, Canada

 

[CanuckBock]

Heel low:

Ah the lil' dears are moulting...and it's summerish time too.

Pair of Mandy drake sails​

Putting on the new plume for looking smart and dashing during the warmth of the season.

Wild pattern female Mandarin adult from our hatch a few years back​

As with warmth and summer time, melons are numerous in the stores and some of us can even grow them fer our bevies and flocks!

White female Mandarin having a GO at some watermelon​

Don't ferget to feed them Mandies a few rinds (we leave a generous amount on the rind, knowing full well they love making the rinds into pelts!). Lovely way to rehydrate the ducker ducks and give them those extra special pigments to grow back in new gorgeous feathers!

Doggone & Chicken UP!

Tara Lee Higgins
Higgins Rat Ranch Conservation Farm, Alberta, Canada

 

[CanuckBock]

Heel low:

Yeh, so close to done like dinner can taste it...

Sunday morn, Rick cut, fit, drilled, rebarred and spiked the perimeter in landscape ties...

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Check level and she's perfect...no doubts he's a crafty fella!

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This past week, even with the stunned & stoopid heat wave, my job was to bring loads of river sand (level over tree roots and then add grass clippings to make beau grassy covering)!

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Haul up loads of gravel fill and then just finished limestock 3/4 minus crush yesterday evening.

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Yee Haw...close...ever so close to being completed...

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Expect to see some settlement in the gravel and limerock...put a hose to one side of the limerock spread---fun to see the grey tinge come out.

Now to do loads of gravel to feather out the taper on the access to the perimeter...yeh, beauty!

Doggone & Chicken UP!

Tara Lee Higgins
Higgins Rat Ranch Conservation Farm, Alberta, Canada

 

[CanuckBock]

Heel low:

Well I suppose I should post the final pics of the perimeter on the Taj Mahal since I finished her up...it is after all fall now! Next shots could be snow covered.

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Perimeter completed and then decorated...

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Completed this round abouts end of July...never really stopped so laughing that I had better stop now and post.

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I also widened the tree ring around the Dolgo...

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So voila...done up deal.

Doggone & Chicken UP!

Tara Lee Higgins
Higgins Rat Ranch Conservation Farm, Alberta, Canada

 

[Buck Oakes]

Your place is so beautiful and i love your mandies XD

 

[CanuckBock]

Your place is so beautiful and i love your mandies XD

Thank you for your kind words!

Hard deciding which duck is nicer; the Mandarins or the Wood Ducks...both are very gorgeous but as you can see by what we chose...the Mandies are slightly prettier than the Woodies!

We do not require permits either to have the Mandarins since they are not native to Canada. We did have wild Wood Ducks nesting on the property before we began clearing out the underbrush and making the place more people walking with dogs friendly (no sticks in the eye, eh!).

Glad to have amused you...you may check out my Pear-A-Dice thread too as that one is far more active than this one!

Tara