Minnesota!

[Minniechickmama]

chestnut trees! how cool. How many years before you get chestnuts?

I am not even sure on that. They are a hybrid developed by a research farm in Canton, MN (Badgersett). My husband has wanted to get some for a couple of years. Chestnuts won't normally grow in a climate like Minnesota, but these were started about 25-years ago, I think, to be hybridized to be hardy enough to handle it here. There are other trees I would love to have here if they would grow in our zone, but I will have to settle with what we have.

This is the second summer of chicken owning. I have a large chicken pen, 800 square feet, that previously was an overgrown no-man's-land between the yard and pasture, with pine trees/poplar/hay/raspberries/etc...the hens hang out in there a lot and usually head out to free range a couple times a day. Well, this spring has been like an archeological dig. The hens have cleared out much of the grass and the goats (who I had for a few months) took care of a lot of the brush. I am finding bits of plastic, broken glass, metal junks, deeply buried water hoses, blocks of cement, the foundation of an old building, pieces of tarp, bungees, bricks.....some of it is so deep I can only see a tip of it and would have to do some serious digging to get the rest out. There were numerous raspberry plants growing through the tarp. None of it concerns me much except the glass. I search daily for glass and since the snow melted have found a piece every week or so. I think I got it all now. I'm quite worried about the glass but the pen is so perfect otherwise- I hate to move it. The gate is left open and the hens still choose to be in the pen most of the day. Anyway, I don't remember tossing out junk (been here for 25 or so years). I blame dh or previous owner.

We have been here for 17 years and the previous owners for 54. We have found more crazy stuff around the property than I can remember. There is metal from all kinds of implements, glass, broken crock pieces (a lot of those), wire, cows' teeth. I am sure that there will be more as the frost will lift things up out of the soil. Through blood, sweat and tears my husband has done most of the clearing of brush and old trees and rotting logs from what used to be the windbreak. We have planted many more trees and shrubs to rebuild that. It is always curious to find stuff though. Even in the house, when we have the roof done, there were things IN the roof framing that someone stuck in there that belonged to the previous family, and all we could figure was that someone must have thought they would leave a time capsule or something. I have spoken with them and they don't remember who put them there. LOL The husband was born and died in this house. I know he isn't hanging around, no chains and moans coming from the attic Perhaps he is just a voyeur? I still see his wife occasionally and am in touch with the family on Facebook. We share curiosities with them when they come up.

It started with a pair of blue cochins.....

Now it's like 35 pullets, 65 chicks, a puppy, 3 barn cats, some eggplant, antique wagon wheels, and one of her children...

No brindle calf or Turkey though.

Of course, she is joking, I only have 2 cats and they are staying here. LOL!

 

[holm25]

I brought the broody and her foster out for awhile last night. I need to take the camera and get some good pics of them today.

 

[MinnesotaNice]

I brought the broody and her foster out for awhile last night. I need to take the camera and get some good pics of them today.

That is why I love Cochins! Great mothers and just beautiful birds.

I see Mr. T in the background. I hope Ralphie decides he doesn't have space for him. I could build him his own turkey bachelor coop

 

[holm25]

That is why I love Cochins! Great mothers and just beautiful birds.

I see Mr. T in the background. I hope Ralphie decides he doesn't have space for him. I could build him his own turkey bachelor coop

If I get more Cochins they will be bantams. I really like the bantams. They are big balls of fluff and great moms. That and I wont be able to fit a dozen eggs under one when they're broody! I have no self control when it comes to broodys and the amount of eggs I can give them.

But lets be honest. I am a pouptry hoarder and will have standards anyways!



Lol Ralph is waiting for me to give him a call and let him come get him. He is even setting up a quarantine pen

 

[holm25]

And good news! I believe my mom is converting to a chicken lover! I was telling her about the Buckeyes and how one cockerel is mean to the others amd she said "I think we should make them their own hutches." So I believe all the Buckeyes will be seperated soon. What do u think of that Minnie? I may pair the pullets together and the cockerels will be alone? And then around the end of June they can go in seperate cages?

 

[Minniechickmama]

And good news! I believe my mom is converting to a chicken lover! I was telling her about the Buckeyes and how one cockerel is mean to the others amd she said "I think we should make them their own hutches." So I believe all the Buckeyes will be seperated soon. What do u think of that Minnie? I may pair the pullets together and the cockerels will be alone? And then around the end of June they can go in seperate cages?

That depends on the hutch, I think. I would keep the two males together unless he is causing damage. Definitely separate the pullets from males though.

 

[cottonlouie]

The 6 week old chicks have been in the shed with a light at night for 2 weeks. They started escaping the playpen and wandering the big girl pen and the hens don't seem to care. Yesterday the chicks discovered the big girl coop and today they moved in....I'm curious to see how this evening gets situated. I won't put a light in the big girl coop, no safe way to hang it. So if the chicks don't get chased out they will have to deal with the chilly temps. I put a bunch of extra hay down on a platform that I anticipate them sleeping on if they stay.

 

[cottonlouie]

So there was a lot of confusion and the chicks split into 3 groups: shed chicks, coop chicks, and the ones who stay up late catching bugs. I haven't trained them to come to me yet, which is dumb, because I can't chase them (they don't run from me) and of course picking up one or two at a time is useless because the other 17 are moving all over the place in the meantime and no one stays put. Sigh. I say in front of the shed and talked to them and a majority came over. I shooed 4 out of the coop. I picked up 2 from the yard. And the rest decided to high tail it to the shed. Tomorrow I start training them that me saying "chick chick" means delicious treats....

 

[lalaland]

So there was a lot of confusion and the chicks split into 3 groups: shed chicks, coop chicks, and the ones who stay up late catching bugs. I haven't trained them to come to me yet, which is dumb, because I can't chase them (they don't run from me) and of course picking up one or two at a time is useless because the other 17 are moving all over the place in the meantime and no one stays put. Sigh. I say in front of the shed and talked to them and a majority came over. I shooed 4 out of the coop. I picked up 2 from the yard. And the rest decided to high tail it to the shed. Tomorrow I start training them that me saying "chick chick" means delicious treats....

I know!! I wish I had thought to start at day 1 or 2 with training them - they absolutely don't respond at all to me, and tossing a treat makes them run away. Then the mama calls them over for the treat....one of the downsides of broody raised chicks.

Today was relatively calm. Amelia, the little broody whose only hatchling died/was killed by her, is desparately broody. I have her in a wire cage trying to break her, but no change so far. IF I knew she would raise chicks, I would get her one or two, but I feel pretty uncertain about her mothering capability. I don't have time to deal with raising chicks if she were to reject them.

 

[holm25]

OK Minnesotanice there is Brindle calf pics in here! I told my mom that Bugsy had some people that wanted to take her home and she said not till this fall lol. SO if you want a good family cow this fall let us know. Lol time to start convincing your DH.