Kristen’s Chickens and Farming Ventures

[Kris5902]

@Kris5902 How's your hatch coming along?

So far so good! I’m surprised but the little giant incubator is managing to hold temp and humidity quite well for being in a fairly spacious unheated outbuilding... we are now at 31 eggs and I think there’s still a few duds in there

 

[BlueBaby]

Ok a little catch up... Saturday’s Market was cancelled due to rain and the dismal turn out the previous week, so Andrew took a much needed day off and I just puttered around the trailer for the most part collecting more rainwater and fiddling with the chooks.

Sunday we separated my June/July hatch into 12 Pullets and 13 cockerels, considering I sold 4 pullets that gave me a 16/13 ratio from that hatch so I’m fairly happy about that. The Boys are scheduled to join Freezer camp on the 3rd of October. I may send in my extra 1yo Barnvelder Rooster, and Goose as well. Sunday also saw the other 3 meat ladies move into the Hospital tractor with Roostie, which is going to need some additional improvement to overwinter them if needed. The ramp is too steep at 3” rise over 1’ of door for the curvy girls, and they are hesitant to use it.

Goose is now in the dog crate in the Barn for extra care and protection, until the end of the month when we will need to decide based on her quality of life if she is to join the boys on their one way trip to the other island. Then because that just wasn’t enough action for Sunday, we headed over to Candle the eggs. I pulled 6 of mine and four of the other persons as infertile clears or early quitters with distinct “blood rings”. We left a few questionable eggs in “just in case”. Our next Candling will be on Tuesday the 24th when we put them into lockdown.

Yesterday was a busy “Town” day with Dr appointments for Andrew and shopping for some insulation supplies and groceries. @Ribh has reminded me how much I used to enjoy crochet, so I picked up some crochet cotton for doilies and plan on making coasters to sell at the Christmas market. I’m wracking my brain trying to recall the pattern that was second nature to me a decade ago... I learned from my Grandmothers oldest sister, my Great Aunt Jessie when I was about 12-13 years old. I made doilies and coasters and lacy tablecloths for the next ten or fifteen years, but stopped in my mid twenties when I moved back to the city and got a “real” job. I also picked up some embroidery floss for bracelets and am hoping those will sell if I price them low enough. It was only $6.50 for 36 skeins so I don’t need to make much back to cover the expenses. All said at $15 and change it was the second cheapest visit to the craft store of my life... the only time I spent less was when I nipped in on my coffee break once to buy a purple sharpie for work!

After morning chicken chores, today has been mostly spent gluing bubble wrap to my windows in preparation for winter. Sure I can’t see out, but it seems to be helping with the chill a bit and still lets the light in. We are down to 12 degrees Celsius inside, which isn’t too bad (unless you ask my poor cats, who would really appreciate you all calling to report me to the SPCA for cruelty, because they are freezing!) I’ve got a couple layers on the skylight. I will also be trying to add two layers of the heatshrink window film to the non opening windows this year instead of just one. And that’s basically what I’ve been up to over the weekend...

I wish that I would have learned how to crochet when I was younger. It seem's to be becoming one of those lost art's now. I do know how to do Embroidery though (and not just the cross-stitching), although I haven't done any in a while.

I started another batch of shipped egg's in my incubator yesterday. This is from a mixed flock and there were 13. I almost left that 13th egg out because it is from a bantam hen, and I really don't want it. Now watch, that one will be the one to hatch.

It stormed here last night, so we got some rain that helped to cool thing's off a bit.

 

[Ribh]

@Kris5902 : I do hope you will post some of your finished work! I have done little fancy work but am trying my hand again. I have more patience now than when I was younger.

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

The ramp is too steep at 3” rise over 1’ of door for the curvy girls, and they are hesitant to use it

Perhaps a ladder they can hop on instead? Or is that too energetic for meat birds? (I'm showing my ignorance here...)

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

After morning chicken chores, today has been mostly spent gluing bubble wrap to my windows in preparation for winter. Sure I can’t see out, but it seems to be helping with the chill a bit and still lets the light in. We are down to 12 degrees Celsius inside, which isn’t too bad (unless you ask my poor cats, who would really appreciate you all calling to report me to the SPCA for cruelty, because they are freezing!) I’ve got a couple layers on the skylight. I will also be trying to add two layers of the heatshrink window film to the non opening windows this year instead of just one. And that’s basically what I’ve been up to over the weekend...

When it gets below 14C here I start the fire! No wonder your cats are disgruntled Kris

Is there an estimated completion date for the house?

 

[Ribh]

When it gets below 14C here I start the fire! No wonder your cats are disgruntled Kris

Is there an estimated completion date for the house?

We're still lighting fires. It really hasn't warmed up @ all up here.

 

[Kris5902]

Well, I gave in and started the propane heater... the fur balls are content for now. I’ll snag a picture tomorrow for you @Aussie-Chookmum of the ramp and maybe someone can advise me on making it more approachable or comfortable for them. I propped it up with a 2x4 to make it even more gentle a slope. Tonight Roostie settled down with them right beside it. He’s trying to bring them in at night... this is only day 3 of showing them into the roosting box, so maybe they are just slow learners?

As to the house completion I would love even a guess on when I can call the engineer to ok the second pour for the foundation. I’ve resigned myself to another winter in the trailer, and have a winterizing checklist to hopefully make it more comfortable for the cats and us. I would love a wood stove or fireplace at this point...

 

[rjohns39]

Good morning Kris

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

Well, I gave in and started the propane heater... the fur balls are content for now. I’ll snag a picture tomorrow for you @Aussie-Chookmum of the ramp and maybe someone can advise me on making it more approachable or comfortable for them. I propped it up with a 2x4 to make it even more gentle a slope. Tonight Roostie settled down with them right beside it. He’s trying to bring them in at night... this is only day 3 of showing them into the roosting box, so maybe they are just slow learners?

As to the house completion I would love even a guess on when I can call the engineer to ok the second pour for the foundation. I’ve resigned myself to another winter in the trailer, and have a winterizing checklist to hopefully make it more comfortable for the cats and us. I would love a wood stove or fireplace at this point...

All the sympathy Kris.

Again I am impressed with your inventiveness in insulating your trailer.

 

[Kris5902]

This morning Andrew and I got up for him to take the early ferry in with my mother to the “real” mainland... Vancouver! They are going in to pay up the storage locker and transfer it into my mothers name (just in case of the financial troubles I feel looming in the near future). He walked up to the half finished window and skylight a said “wow, it really did work!” The many joys of the dollar store. Now if only I could figure out a good solution for the condensation on the metal frames. (Open to suggestions!)

About halfway through my morning chicken chores I remembered the pics I was going to take of the intimidating hospital tractor ramp, and I went back in for my phone. Feeding and watering 8 groups of birds, Goose’s morning check, and Moving 5 of the Tractors took me about 1 1/2 hours. A good portion of that was trying to catch one escaped cockerel.

We have some delicate fall grass growing in, so I’m going back to daily moves to protect it

I finally picked up an egg collection basket at Walmart for $.98 (Happy Halloween!) while we were in town, but so far have forgotten it every time I’ve gone out to collect eggs since! @Ribh you May have started a theme here! Also, does anyone have experience with feathered feet? I’m not sure if this is normal for my Mr Marans? I think his ladies have been pecking at his foot feathers, and today one was broken and bleeding. But his outside toe looks Fat and rough even on the non broken feather foot, and no he wasn’t thrilled at the photo op!



Here’s a little Video of my plans for moving my Chickens this Fall, and yes Sammy spends maybe 1/3 of his day “entertaining” his ladies, and the other 2/3rds running back and forth between all the Tractors trying to stir up the other boys! I got two good clips of that, but am having troubles uploading because of my internet connection this morning! There’s also a short rosebush I spotted in the field that will be good for my next attempt at chickens vs. rosebush, if I can get them over it before it gets too big.

And a little bit of not so great news, one of Chickie Hawks ladies laid a lash egg, and a fairly sizable one at that. One of the main reasons I’m not fond of the Production Red Hybrids, they are just going on 2 years old now I think, and already showing terminal illnesses. It’s gross, but also kind of interesting.

Spoiler: Icky lash egg

Thanks again @rjohns39 for telling us how to do the spoiler thing, so no one else’s breakfast is spoiled!