It only cost me.......

[clergylady]

Lol if you could only see the mixture we have here. 2 Olive eggers, 2 Australorp/bantum , 1 Australorp, 1 Araucana, 1 Cochin/Ameraucana bantam rooster, 2 Japanese Bantam, 3 Ameraucana, 2 Rhode Island Red, 3 Polish bantums, 1 Silkie and a new rooster that is young and developing some beautiful colors....I'm told he is a silvertail....long long tailed show bird. 19 total now.

Some are too young to be laying, 2 are just refeathering from molting, a couple are older gals but we're getting 3-4 eggs a day right now. The ducks are giving us 2 eggs most days also. The ducks, chickens, and rabbits are giving me lots of joy. How can anyone put a price on that?

 

[Michael OShay]

That's quite a mix of chickens you have and your right, how can anyone put a price on that. The Australorp is my favorite breed as they are very hardy, calm and gentle, and excellent layers of large, brown eggs. May God bless your flock.

 

[TwoCrows]

Welcome to BYC!

Always nice to re purpose used materials. Great on the planet and the wallet. And the birds don't care either!

Enjoy all your adventures and building projects and welcome to our flock!

 

[clergylady]

Thanks Two Crows.
There is nothing to compare to the peace of high mountain desert country. Juniper elevation "forest" and dozens of beautiful wild flowers when there is enough rain to get them going. I live on a hillside and can look over 100 miles to the north into the Sangre de Christo's across the northern part of the Estancia Valley. A Million Dollar kind of view for a lot less $.

 

[clergylady]

I'm within days of hatching a few chicks and about 1 1/2 weeks for a few ducks to hatch. Candling shows development so we're excited. My younger son has 60 eggs starting to hatch today. He called as excited as any new dad. This is his first batch in a home made incubator made from an old freezer, screens and a light bulb. Mine is an old styrofoam ice chest with a piece of wire mesh and a light bulb set up. Today he plans to convert an old -non working- steam table from a restaurant into an safe new home for the hatchlings. He'll put wire over the open top where the pans would have set and a light bulb in the sneeze guard topper. It sets in a screen room so it's safe from predators.

Recycling runs deep in this family.

My new guys will end up in an old small animal / pet cage with deep plastic sides and a nice coated wire cage over it. It's pretty warm so they need shade in the day and perhaps a small light for a while. They will stay in my workshop for the first 3 weeks or so.

Today I'm putting in a small free form shaped pond ( $20 Craigslist last night) where I plan to grow watercress in the back yard. I plan to add fish and use the water from the pond on my garden and in the planned greenhouse. I'd like to get a few young catfish or talapia. Both do well in ponds and leave wonderfully enriched water for gardening. On my budget I may end up with guppies and goldfish. LOL

Life is a daily adventure.