Michigan

[swampducks]

I moved my golden buffs and blue andalusians out to them hutch coop today, it's the intermediary spot before the lucky winners get to move on to the real coop. The losers head to freezer camp unless they find other homes.




These guys will be 7 weeks old next Monday. The BA's sure are skittish. The bigger GB's are kind of laid back. All the GB roos will definitely be going to freezer camp, no point in breeding something that won't breed true. Haven't figured out who to keep with the BA's yet, I suppose I am supposed to keep the blue ones for breeding? The splash and black aren't the ones you breed for more? May have to keep the black one simply because she looks like a hen. First time with these guys. Appreciate any advice.

Nice to get them outside. Gives me time to clean the brooder before the new arrivals in 10 days. Those will be my original order, these guys were a whim back during that heat wave in March. I'm going to have way too many chickens, and this isn't counting the 21 guinea keets in the garage! Plus there's the 9 muscovy ducklings and I just found a new nest of eggs. Momma's getting busy.

 

[NovaAman]

I got my first pullets egg today. Its a little tan one with teensy whit spots, like it was stipled.. Wonder now who laid it.

Lady came for duck eggs today. Said she had seen the ad, and when I told her that I'd only have eggs till Saturday, as they are going to a new home she was totally bummed cuz she is allergic to chicken eggs and only has drakes at the moment. Sheesh, now that I am rehoming, some one is finally willing to buy the eggs. Go figure! She said if she had seen my ad getting them a new home... I told her I never put them on CL, only here on this thread. Irony for ya.

I think one of the little pekins is a boy. He's bigger than the other, and has these weird feathers growing out the side of it head, but the other one doesn't... Lol. I am not sure if I want to keep them and have them for diner, or keep and breed if they are for sure a boy and girl... I am not sure... I'd have them in with the big girls, but they are so freaked out by them... Haha.

well, going to go half thaw some peas... Carl thinks I am nuts for spoiling my birds with peas and worms. Haha. If he only knew that I also buy corn on the cob and sunflower, pumpkin, safflower seeds...hehe. Did I mention how spoiled my little chuckles are? Besides... One of them deserves a party for becoming a hen!

 

[NovaAman]

Lovely dogs.... Pretty chicks too!


also, my SLW and GLW always hung together. Veena(SLW) was always with Mr. Fluffers (faverolle), Vanna, Vonna (GLW) and Fiametta(faverolle). The four babies I got, they are always together, and they are silver's and golds... When I had Miss Legs(leghorn), she was always with the others. Also Aster, Skeeter, and Skatter, black bantams and EE also... They all stuck together. So in my experience, and it is not great, it depends on if they were brood mates together, of separate flocks merged. My chuckles do not hang with the older flock at all, but stick together, or split into various groups... But none have really been by breed segregation...

 

[SillyChicken]

I lost all my quotes yesterday, which is probably okay by now I suppose since some of them were from 4 days ago now, teehee. I give up on that.. so I am going to try to play the memory game and lose. Thanks for the compliments on the arbor!

RIRJen - The coop looks great!

Farmerboy - Congrats on all the babies! The little emus look so funny and neat. Something about their body shape cracks me up, but their patterns are really cool.

Silly - You know to get the super crazy strength vinegar from the plant store, right?

Theron - Grats on finishing high school, I was so happy to be out of there.

HH - My baby insists your granddoggy is a kitty. XP

Raz - Haha. Very funny. -.-

Taprock - You gave me an idea about my little "timid" chicken. A couple nights ago, she didn't find her way into the coop and wasn't there when I went to shut them up. I've never had a chicken do that before. So I searched all over the place for her and eventually found her behind the barn under some wood. The next night, she was in the coop, but under the roost, so I put her up with the others. There have been a handful of other nights that I have put her up on the roost. Earlier this week, I saw her walk into a tree.

The gap in size between her and her sister widens every day, she is small, and after I read about yours, I tried with the feed, picking it up, dropping it, offering it to her, etc. Nothing. Set her right in front of the feeder with no other chickens around, shook it, and she dove it like crazy. I left her eating, did some work around the house, checked on her after about 20 minutes. Still eating. Checked on her again 30 minutes after that, still eating!! I don't know if she took a break, but holy crow. I am going to be watching her to see if she really can't see. I had been thinking she was just a little bit short of a full deck...

3urbanchics! Love the pic of the chick on the cat. and...

gladahmae! It would probably be "better" to get at least two of each kind, but I have gotten mixed breeds both times and had no issues at all. I have heard that they prefer the company of chickens that look like themselves, but in my mixed flock I haven't actually witnessed that preference. They do split off into pairs at times and have their best buddies, but it does not appear to have anything to do with what they look like, or even what size they are.

Mom - Sorry about the lizard...

Your husband deserves to be surprised by the chicks if he doesn't notice an incubator in the middle of the dining table.

Teeville - Glad you found the nest in time! Hope all goes well with the hatch.

Bianca - I feel like you probably already said this, but I can't remember, so... what did you use for the sliding pop door tracks? I mean, the piece of wood that the door slides in, is that one or two pieces? I hope that makes sense, because I am not sure how to ask what I am asking, lol? I would like to put the storm covers on a drop down sliding track.

Okay that is all I have got, I know there were a bunch I didn't get to, but I can't remember what they were anymore and I doubt anyone wants me to type that much more anyway.

If I forgot an actual question actually addressed to me, you may have to ask again....

I did not... thank you. Do you know what it's called?

 

[Juise]

Are you implying that you do not believe it is labeled as "Super Crazy Strength Vinegar"?

I'm not sure it's really called anything different, but it has a higher acetic acid percentage, (normal kitchen vinegar is about 5%,) which is what kills the weeds. It should be labeled for weed control. It only works well on young plants, so spray them when they are little, and shoot for the leaves. It doesn't harm the roots, which is why it will only work on young plants. It will burn the foliage of established plants as well, but if they have a strong root structure they will bounce back up.

 

[Mom 2em All]

Maybe I like this bitty chicken who likes special attention! She's keeping me company while I do all my office work today.

AWWWWW.....

And that's my concern. The lab is old, and has never shown much interest in birds (or even ducks!) and is very biddable, so I'm not too worried about him. Our husky, on the other hand, may be a bit of a challenge. He's got a really gentle mouth with people, and hasn't chased birds or squirrels much, but I anticipate doing a LOT of clicker training with the 'leave it' command starting in a few more days once the chicks are more settled. (And I'm going to make him pull me on my bike for a few miles to wear him out before we even do THAT!)
I have read that getting them from the same source is best, unfortunately, these came from Cackle, and I can't buy another 15 or 25 to meet the shipping minimum. Someone local to me is selling off their excess chicks they got from Townline, which I would *think* would be safer than getting them from some person on their personal farm (which is also an option if I wanted some EEs). Regarding the GLW/SLW......are they actually different BREEDS or just different color variations (suchs a yellow lab, chocolate lab, black lab) of the same breed. I don't have room for 4-6 more chicks.......only for 2. I guess I'm just thinking that it would be "acceptable" to add 2 of a closely related variety, but know that it would be "best/optimal" to add them in lager increments of each. Yes? No?

Dont stress!!!! I have a mishmash of chicken breeds- I have always had a mish mash of chicken breeds. Everyone gets along fine, and hangs out together. I reckon they all speak the same language (correction...my d'uccles sound like newborn puppies or kittens crying for milk)..no problems. Get what you want- they will get along.

Mom - Sorry about the lizard...

Your husband deserves to be surprised by the chicks if he doesn't notice an incubator in the middle of the dining table.

Did you notice....

Raz named his little duck, "Juise"..???

As far as hubby deserving...I got the rest of the porcelain duccle eggs today- will have them slipped into the incubator before he notices.

and no more lizards here..that was WAAYYYYYYYYYYYYY tooo gross.

I got ladybugs delivered today, as well. My rose-of-sharon bush and my honeysuckles were/are covered in aphids..So, I pulled out the big guns and ordered ladybugs..really cool picture if I can figure out how to post it here.

 

[BackyardFarmMom]

I usually throw coffee grounds in to my compost... Is it alright for the chickens to be pecking around in coffee?
I already have a BF with a caffine high, not sure that I am going to need chickens with one too

I had a pb&j today but I only have grape jelly...

... So I cut up a huge strawberry! It was the best! Not sure I will ever like jelly again!

I asked my son a question today and he responded "I don't have a question for you." Meaning: I don't have an answer for you... STINKER

 

[NovaAman]

Mom... I was tempted to try those ladybugs this year for pest control... but I figure that my chickens may find them to much to resist.


I went shopping for pinwheels. Gonna pull my hair out. Didn't find any.

I did however find one 4-pack of sweet peas. Yes. One. There is a place in Zeeland near Washington and Franklin that may have more. Its the only thing that I am not wanting to restart. Beans start so easy and fast, even the old ones. Carrots, have no choice, but I don't feel like redo-ing the peas.

I am so glad there is wind today. Otherwise it'd be near to unbearable.

Kids are wanting to jump in the pool... guess I will go and watch them.

 

[NovaAman]

its 89 degrees here....

 

[NovaAman]

Somebody shoot me.... I am so mad at my kid I could spit nails.

The little know it all butt head just laid against the side of the pool and dumped all the water out. It takes 2 days to fill the dang thing. Takes longer for it to warm up even with the hot water tank, and he emptied it! I hadn't turned on the filter yet because it wasn't all the way full, and because it was dirty from him and his bro getting in and out, he emptied it! I want to scream to the top of my lungs like an effen 2 yr old spoiled brat who can't have the cookie!