North Carolina

[paintedChix]

The fever part of the cold/flu are gone. Now have the sinus part. Didn't do much the past two weeks other than feeding.

Spent most of the day outside yesterday with ponies, but let the 12 brahma X girls out to free range for the 1st time yesterday. Getting them back into their hoop coop was interesting - had several that insisted on coming back out and a couple that refused to go in... until it got dark and the rest started roosting inside. Finally got them all herded back in and accounted for. They did seem to be happy campers, though.

Got the gate installed in the shed/chicken area - so moved the two pony mares who've lost too much weight to the back and they are going to 3X a day feeding. They are loving the grass! Turned their noses up at their hay, but the paddock is small and won't be long before they eat their hay as well.

Now have all the supplies on hand - have to finish my chicken bucket waterers and feeders. Have enough to make 4 each ... Hmm now have to get a hole saw according to hubby, says what we've got won't work.

 

[willzpapa]

I finally got my calves for this year!  Yay!  Four handsome boys.  I'm so pleased!

The warm weather seems to have allowed time for my POL pullets to almost all start up laying.  Even ones I wasn't expecting to start until spring seem to have started.  Since most of my adults have slacked off with molt, I'm pleased to have the increase.

I'll be rearranging chickens again this weekend.  It seems I keep having to reorganize things.  The Buff Orpington girls are currently without a rooster, so they are going to go live with the Dark Cornish.  I'll raise out some of those crosses and see how they do for meat birds while I'm raising up new cockerels.  I'll move the Legbars from Grow-out into the BO pen.  And the surplus Dark Cornish cockerels will go to grow-out to await their trip to freezer camp.  I still have some quail that haven't made it to freezer camp yet, and either need to sell or eat the pheasants, too.  As I reduce winter work on the chickens, I'm adding to it with the calves!  So much fun!

Hope everyone is enjoying the weather while it lasts!

A friend of mine just dropped off two amazing little.dwarf goats seems his wife bought them for their girls.but they got no place for them she figured they could just cage them in a dog crate go figure we will keep them for the children they have visiting privileges lol

 

[Hollowoakfarm]

Hubby got back from his trip to Okinawa yesterday. He was quite pleased with the new calves. We also discussed some serious downsizing of the poultry in favor of increasing other livestock. I'll turn one chicken house and associated pastures over to two pigs next spring. I'll also have to make a choice by seasons end between the Legbars and the Ameraucanas. One blue egg layer will remain. One must go. This is going to be one of the hardest choices ever!

What I'll likely do is sell off the Production Blacks in the spring. Then stop and reassess. I'll be keeping the 16 x 20 building for year-round chickens. It's divided into two 10 x 16 sides. One side will have Welsummers and the other the chosen blue egg layer. Additionally, both sides will get general layers, and purebreds of the opposite breed. That way I can keep my EEs and OEs going well, too. And only one year-round chicken house. I'll still use the Juvenile Detention Center for babies, but the back chicken house that is 8 x 20 can be used for Grow-out in summer and calf starting in fall. And the other 8 x 20 building that is split can be for pigs. I think. At least for one season. Might work better giving them the run-in on the front pasture, but we'll see. Or just let them pasture with the calves. Again, we'll see.

So many things to change and work out. At least we are getting a couple batches of quail in the freezer today, so two more cages will be empty. I think Hubby wants to keep the pheasants, as they are so beautiful, but I don't know. Maybe. Caged birds in the winter.....

But, cutting back to around 100-150 chickens will be nice. (No, I'm not going to count them.) And calves are always fun. And the pigs will be a new adventure.

Life stays interesting.

 

[speeps76]

Fellow NC residents, if you know of anyone who would like a big, handsome Buff Orpington roo, please let me know. He was a hatchery oops and is a wonderful protector and care-taker for the hens. He's always been perfectly nice around me, but has gone after my husband, my son, and the chicken sitter. I'd hate to put him in a pot since he is so good with the girls, but it may come to that unless someone who doesn't mind a feisty roo wants him.

Thanks!

 

[willzpapa]

Where in NC are you ???

 

[speeps76]

Davie County. I know it's kind of silly (and probably fruitless) to look for a nice home for an ornery roo. If we find one, great, but if he's just going to be butchered, we'll keep him. If someone's going to eat him, it may as well be us!

 

[Katieboosmama]

Aww, I'm in Advance, but we don't have room for a Roo yet. much less an ornery one Sorry

 

[speeps76]

That's ok, I understand. Not many people actually would want a feisty roo! If I hadn't seen how he acts with other people, I would've thought he was the nicest roo ever! I can pick him up and carry him around. I'm kind of fond of him. It'd be easier if he was a bad roo.

 

[Katieboosmama]

That's ok, I understand. Not many people actually would want a feisty roo! If I hadn't seen how he acts with other people, I would've thought he was the nicest roo ever! I can pick him up and carry him around. I'm kind of fond of him. It'd be easier if he was a bad roo.

I know, If we had acres to free range, and I didn't have a little one I would take him. Good luck! found this on FB, maybe they could take him. https://www.facebook.com/PiedmontFarmAnimalRefuge/

 

[speeps76]

Thank you! I checked out the site - looks like it would be heaven for a rooster. I'm not sure they'd appreciate that we're meat eaters, though!

I keep going back and forth with this silly roo. Some people think you can train them, others say its hopeless and not to ever let your kids near them. My son is 7, so I'm not as worried as I'd be if he were a toddler. Right now, he only goes in with the roo if I'm in there to manage any craziness. DH thinks it's actually a good thing to teach our son to handle an ornery roo. He's only a bird, after all. My son says he likes Peep, but he also says he would rather eat him than keep him. LOL

If we do end up keeping him and not eating him, I'll have to come up with a way for them to be fed, watered, and eggs collected from the outside since we occasionally do have to go out of town. When I think of what we would have to go through to keep him, I wonder what in the world I'm thinking. There are plenty of docile roos out there that could use a home… sigh...