Idaho?

[idahobird]

well unfortunately I don't know what color of eggs they lay since the buggers still haven't laid one yet But that is good to know

 

[pawtraitart]

Winter Prep...It's on!!

Well....it's almost time to start thinning out the free ranging birds. I penned the largest cockerals and the turkey toms to finish them up for freezer camp. Then it's on to the ducks. I changed the diet of my breeders to get them ready for cold weather and to encourage them to get done with molting! I still have two broody hens who just aren't giving up. I'll probably have to move them to a holding pen to get them to snap out of it. They aren't putting on their winter weight by sitting on a nest all day! Silly girls. There is one more breeder pen to finish up and I have to bring my quail pens back inside and then I'll have all my breeders where they are supposed to be for next year's season. I'm probably wintering over more birds than I should this year, but I have fallen in love with them! Specifically, I have way too many bantam cochins. I can't help it, though. Those feather foots are just too cute.

Add onto the list the winter horse corrals that need to be prepped, babies registered, and two mares seen off to their new owners next month. I haven't gotten as much riding/training done this year as I wanted which means I'm going to have to buck up and ride in the cold this winter. I'm going to be mad at myself if I wimp out! I'm not a fan of cold. Anybody want to come ride?

The sheep have one more section to graze and then they will be in their winter pens. I'll be putting a heavy layer of straw in their barn as there is a good chance we'll have early lambs. Our weeder goat still has plenty to work on along the fence line so he will be out until the snow flies.

On my husbands to-do list is to finish wiring my main coop so I don't have to run extension cords! *please please please*

So, who else has a winter prep list?

 

[lilwhispers]

Michelle did you get your plucker built or will you need someone to process let me know. I need to get mine built as well but I have a line on two I can borrow from time to time.

 

[La Casa de Pollo]

Oh my goodness you have soooo much to do. I have a list, but it pales in comparison to yours We are just finishing some gates on our big run, so there is more access, planting trees around the West side so the girls will have more shade next year. Planting some bushes along some other places to give them a better windbreak..wiring the little coop, for heat. I need to give the big coop the big scrub down before fall sets in as well.

And of course the garden and flower bed work, lots to do there, our backyard is 3/4 acre with a zillion flowerbeds and plants that need to be mulched and we need to stake the ganglier trees and bushes before winter, the snow knocks them over. And we need to paint our playhouse soon it still has no paint....I guess when you list it out, you can see how it adds up!

I am on the same page as you with winter, I despise the cold. I tend to hole up in the house and not want to leave until Spring, gain weight, watch too much tv, and make way way too many christmas goodies!

I LOVE horses if I am over there ever I would love to ride with you! I really really miss having horses!

 

[pawtraitart]

We're just going to skin this year unless hubby gets the plucker done. It's going to be late in the season before we are done processing because a lot of the boys are fairly young. So, the plan is to do a smallish group at a time. I have a new meat grinder so I'm going to turn quite a bit into ground meat, especially the older turkeys.

Gah!!! I didn't even want to think about the garden work so it didn't get put on my list. I have plenty of that and other misc. things to do as well. Today I'm putting up some temporary fencing so that my sheep can get to a section of weeds that I don't feel like pulling.

I did get a semi-ride in this morning....sort of. One of our mares needs some extra calories so I fetched her from the dwindling pasture and rode her bareback with the halter back to the corrals for an extra meal. Most of the riding I've been doing recently has been on the shorter horses, but Lacey is tall. It was weird for a moment until I got my wits about me. LOL Anyway, all are welcome to come ride or just play with the horses. We have plenty to share.

Oh, and I have a new project. I'm sprouting green fodder for my birds so they don't miss out on their greens. So far so good. They love it.

 

[micheletom76]

Howdy neighbor, I'm in Ammon.

 

[thebirdguy]

Howdy neighbor, I'm in Ammon.

Welcome to BYC!! Ammonites rock!!!

 

[pawtraitart]

Welcome!

 

[Daloorashens]

Howdy neighbor, I'm in Ammon.

Welcome!!! I'm in Ammon, too=)

Michelle, I'm with Lisa, I thought my list was long until I read yours=) I wish I had a place to put horses, it sure did make me miss mine when I saw yours!!
Sheesh!! Your bantams are soo pretty, I have to admit I've been trying to figure out where I could put a small bantam cochin pen so I could take that extra little roo of yours to put with my pullets....

the biggest project is finishing the expansion at my mom's place so that most everybody can go over there, I'll keep my kiddos favorite girls at our house

I have to finish cleaning out the flower beds, get the garden put to bed, we painted the coop in the places it needed over Labor Day, so that's done, but still trying to figure out how to cover a portion of the run so the girls can get out everyonce in a while on nice days.

Then when it really cools off we need to can all the tomatoes in the freezer into spagetti sauce, salsa and v-8 juice. And over the winter I have a MAJOR deep cleaning of the house to do... Most winters I deep clean the house, but last winter I had a little baby, and the winter before I was prego and I am a wimpy pregnant person, so not much got done, so now the house is literally a disaster area.. I'm actually excited to start tackling it and getting it done...

AND, I can start making bread again once it cools off, I'm excited to try bread making for the chickens!

Oh, and Lisa, say HI to everyone on the UT thread, I have been swamped lately and am WAY behind on posts, again...brother...

 

[pawtraitart]

If you want that little roo come get him! He's way too pretty to go to freezer camp. I really have no need for him, though.

Oh yes, the LIST. It seems like as soon as I check something off as done.....then five more things are added to it. LOL