Looking ahead - What are your spring plans?

[Daphne_loves_mealworms]

So, it’s cold and undeniably winter in the northern hemisphere. I don’t know about you, but I’m looking forward to spring! I would love to know your spring plans! Are you planning to add to your flock? If you are, are you ordering online or do you prefer to purchase from the farm store or perhaps “live dangerously” and check out Craigslist ads? Are you hatching your own? Are there any new breeds you are dying to check out? Any plans to build or improve your coop?

Our main goal is to build the perfect outdoor run for safe daytime ducky adventures. We messed around with various ideas this past year, but nothing really seemed right. Once the snow melts, it’s building time!

We may add a duck or two. I’m still considering potentially adding a proven-to-be-good-natured drake as Daphne and Goon 1 are very ... well... they could use some lovin’. Goon 2 couldn’t care less about romance (or she’s just more secretive about her desires). If we do add a drake, we will add at least another female or two.

I enjoy reading hatchery catalogues, but I kind of don’t want tiny ducklings. Because I can’t accurately sex birds to save my life, I would like to know for sure what I’m getting! I know that hatcheries offer sexed ducklings, but I would prefer the “this duck is clearly a duck as she is already laying” path.

Anyways, it’s just daydreams at this point with at least 3 months to go until spring.

What are your plans?

 

[DuckyDonna]

I got an incubator for Christmas so around the first of May I plan to hatch some more eggs. I've got 6 girls so I've either got to find a boy or Runner Duck Mom, who lives close by, has offered to give me some eggs from her flock. Either way, I am very excited about the spring too!

 

[Brahmachicken240]

Its been a very mild winter here in Ireland.
I finished cleaning out my “broody shed” today. It’s a bit early but I’m just getting prepared.
Im planning on breeding my blue buff columbian, partridge and lemon Pyle brahmas.
I also let my mix breed ducks sit and hatch eggs for fun and I’m also thinking about hatching some peafowl eggs.

Here’s a few pics of some of my brahmas

 

[thumper650]

I dream of hatching an egg or two. I'd love a goose but I'm leaning towards Muscovy. First I need to get an incubator.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

I have one order already placed, shipping first week of February....I have another order that will be an "add-on" to one placed by my husbands work (local feed, lumber, hardware store).
The birds I start this year will be replacements for my flock, my daughter's flock and my sister's flock....so there will be a variety of breeds in the brooder as we each have our own picks in there. Any extras will be sold as "coop ready" pullets or given away for any oops cockerels...my 'extras' generally bring in enough that I make back the post of all the chicks bought plus a little depending on how many I end up selling off...plus I sell my retiring laying hens in the fall

 

[SniperGoose]

I plan on converting an old swingset we have on our property into a chicken swingset! Gonna remove all the swings and whatnot on them and replace them with some safely secured tree branch swings for the girls. I'll probably also tear all the chicken wire off the coop and replace it with hardware cloth instead.
And for my 2 Pekin duck boys, we plan on making them a small pond in their enclosure!

I may also get some chicks! I plan on getting around 5 pullets or so, just to replace ones I've lost. Haven't decided on a breed yet. But, you know...chicken math and all; might end up with more than just 5..

Best of luck with your spring plans!

 

[Kkrista123]

Its been a very mild winter here in Ireland.
I finished cleaning out my “broody shed” today. It’s a bit early but I’m just getting prepared.
Im planning on breeding my blue buff columbian, partridge and lemon Pyle brahmas.
I also let my mix breed ducks sit and hatch eggs for fun and I’m also thinking about hatching some peafowl eggs.

Here’s a few pics of some of my brahmas
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They're beautiful!

 

[chickens really]

Hmmm?..It changes daily actually. Either downsizing my Flock of Ducks or upsizing?
I'm still in the over thinking stage..

 

[Callender Girl]

Spring plans include run repair and run construction. I will try my best to resist the urge to add adorable, fluffy chicks to the menagerie, but I will almost certainly fail.

I have gotten most of my chickens from a local feed store that purchases from an Iowa hatchery. That way I can see the chicks, choose the ones I want and not have to order a minimum number.

My one Craigslist experience didn't go well. The three free-ranging hens who had lived together in a barn and field began attacking each other in the close quarters of quarantine. Fortunately, the previous owner took them back, and the Welsummer who took the brunt of the attacks did regain her vision.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Love those Brahmas @Brahmachicken240 they are such sweet birds I have a light Brahma who is going on 10 yrs old.

As for spring as everyone knows anything to do with our flocks is always a work in progress. I enjoy thinking about how I can make things better.