Michigan

[michickenwrangler]

Quote:
In spite of the fact that we have a pond, the frogs, toads, fish and bats keep the bugs down. They're usually not too bad here. Unfortunately, it's just married men who are offering to help with the projects, which I guess is better than no help at all, but would it be so bad if a single good-looking 35 yr old guy just happened to wander here asking for directions to the canoe livery and then decided instead of taking his kids canoeing, to redo the roof instead?

 

[CricketYang]

Today was a nice lazy day. Got a lot of the garden cultivated. My potatoes and broccoli are finally popping up! yay! All of the animals seem to be doing well over here. The younger set of ducks seem to integrating well with the older flock and the youngins love being outside in their run. Randy is getting HUGE! it makes me sad that he won't be so cute and little for too long.

I got a job! Yay! It's over in Royal Oak, about an hour away but it's a really good job, I start tomorrow. I'm nervous because I haven't worked for anyone but myself for so long, I hope I don't mess it up!! Since I'm working now I won't be able to stay home and play with the animals, sad sauce.

The freedom rangers seem to be doing well, getting big.

BTW, I was at the Soldan's in Okemos and they had BCMs, thought you may want to know Keyt.

 

[chikkaboomboom]

Well its official, I have 2 roosters in my 6 EE batch from TSC, and one is very mean already, they are 5 weeks old almost completely feathered and I've been turning them lose during the day with the big girls so far the older girls are being soso nice to them as long as they don't get to close to the older ones, the baby rooster is a viscous little guy , we've had a little talk already and he's giving ground to me. His name is Soup by the way, the other one we are calling Pie....Soup better be going thru a teenage thing .. grrr..
Got so much work done this weekend yards looking like a park instead of a swamp, got English Lavender planted today, gardens in the process of being put in, gave the hens worms that I found today in the garden, my barred rocks spit them out..lol My Delawares gobbled them down,lol. We all got a little sunburn but so far summers off to a decent start.
Everyone have a wonderful week.

 

[bt2000]

Quote:

soup and pie.. now all you need is nuggets and stew.

Try 25 Del roos @ 12 weeks.. wanna talk about a pen of hormonal attitude. Strangely there's many in there named bar-b-cue and freezer. Also one "little dude", who has a reprieve for one breeding generation, simply because he has legs that almost glow. Which is something I want put into my next generation of "builds"..lol accept he's behind #1, #2, #3 so he'll have a couple of hens most likely as big as he is at first..

edit: for fat fingers that only know typonese.

 

[hillbillycitygirl]

how old should my pullets be before I set them loose in the yard with the other hens and roosters? They were hatched round about easter time, if not a week or so earlier. Some are fully feathered....I just dont want them getting lost out there.

By the way...Keyt, LOVE the duckie pictures, post more!!!!

 

[bt2000]

Quote:
Well I don't know what other people do, but ,my 12 week old pullets were just out today for the first time with the rest of the "yard birds" supervised. I guess it depends on the personality of your birds. I've had them introduced for weeks because their runs are side by side. But I do have a couple of hens who are meaner then rattlesnakes, so I keep an eye on how they react. Only reason I keep them is because they lay extremely well and oustanding foraging instinct and spot danger much faster then the others. I have woods behind my place so you never know what comes in. Believe it or not, but these 3 hens ran off a opposum out of the front yard. I wouldn't have believed it, had I not seen it. Talk about girls giving em hell. My roo on the other hand will puff up and "bark" at things in the yard, then he'll come running up and stand beside me and not move in until I do.

 

[Chickmate]

Quote:
I let my babies (8 wks this week) out to free range for the first time two days ago. I just felt they were too small and defenseless before. Now they are not quite as afraid to stand up to some of the older chickens and are a little more than a ball of fluff if a hawk flies over. They are old enough to catch the signals from the older chickens when they need to take cover.

 

[keyt1969]

Grrrr I can't make it to Okemos anytime soon, but thanks for letting me know!

Today was awesome. We sold 3 dozen duck eggs and 4 dozen chicken eggs. All from people seeing our sign. 1 lady stopped saying she eats the duck eggs because she has a dairy allergy. Another guy stopped on his moped for 2 dozen duck eggs because he likes them better than chicken eggs. Both said they'll be back. Another guy who had been here last week for chicken eggs stopped by for more and gave us 15 really nice egg cartons

2 more ducklings are hatched and 2 are working on it. The 2nd that hatched looks like a cayuga with a little yellow on it's head and chest. The other one I believe is Pekin.

We had a HUGE storm and the power was knocked out for 6 hours, but everyone seems to be doing well. I covered up the incubators pretty good. Baby 2 and 3 are being left in the incubator til morning to hopefully encourage the others to come out. Baby 1 is thriving and really comical!

So, hillbillycitygirl, you wanted more pics...here ya go...this is baby 2 and 3. 2 totally helped 3 come out by eating away the sac and pecking at it's bill it was sooo cute!!!

I've posted all my pics on my facebook page. I also have several videos. Anyone should be able to view it here https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150256723010701&saved#!/keyt.harrington?sk=photos

Or you can just add me if you have an account lol

 

[snowflake]

Love the hatching pics, will look again when I get home from work, have to get going or I will be late. I have a Maran rooster that needs a home 6weeks old. got 4 chicks just before Mothers day 2 look like roosters, can only keep 1. have a Lakenvelder that also needs a home, can't brake him from attacking people, is getting better at not going after me,(carry him around a lot) but I don't trust him around the grand kids.

 

[mcbeers]

Got a ton done this weekend. Built and painted the frames for our chicken run. Woke up yesterday morning at 6am to hear our orphan Columbian Wyandotte thinks she is a rooster. Quite a bit of crowing yesterday morning. Not a good thing in this city environment. 2 neighbors asked us if we had a rooster. Luckily the first ones to ask were fine with what we have going, and want to let us show their daughters some time. The second person to come knocking/asking was better yet. Come to find someone a few houses down on the other side of the street has 7 chickens and has been raising chickens and rabbits for the last 10 years. Good to know we are not alone in our rebellion. Good to have someone close by for advice and support if need be also.
So little orphan Wyandotte has been found a new home with some friends of ours out in the country, where she will be able to free range once again. Hopefully she takes to their flock and doesn't run away to take a ride to the city on someone's car axle again like this time. She was crowing again this morning, so I am glad to be taking her for a car ride north tonight after work. Hope everyone has a great day, and that the rain stays away for most of you.