North Carolina

[HenThymes]

Good evening everyone, here is one of the things I have been busy doing today, made Dandelion Jelly.

This was my first time and it turned out pretty good. Kind of taste like a mild mix between apple and clover with a hint of honey.

It made almost 5 full jars, have enough to do one more batch tomorrow. Now if the clover would hurry up and bloom!

Got my serviceberry bushes planted today too.

Forgot to mention, it is a very pretty yellow color!

 

[suburbanchickymama]

Yum, HT! Looks good!

I've never had it before but bet it is yummy!!!

Daddys - Your coop is awesome! Your babies will love it!

Bhep, that pic of your duckies is the cutest. Is there anything cuter than ducklings???

Miss Lydia - I love the pic of your broody with her baby! Maybe one day I'll get to have a broody with babies!

I have another question for you all (shock, I know) - it really looks like I'm just going to have one sad little cochin egg left to try and hatch. What on earth do I do with one little lonely cochin if it should amazingly hatch?? Will it be ok with the others? They will be 5 days then. Would I keep him by herself with a little stuffed animal for a day or two and then add her? I know I'm putting the cart before the horse a little on this one, but I like to have a plan!! No excitement from the eggs in lockdown yet. I hope they're ok in there! I have had a tiny bit of temp and humidity fluctuations today that have made me crazy. I think I will be hatching the Ameraucanas in the incubator like a normal newbie!!!

Oh, and NH - I'll be crossing my fingers for good weather right along with you on Saturday!!!!!!!

Have a good night everyone! And thanks for any help you can offer me!!!

 

[Bird Collector]

I will chime in on the DE I use it in the run and all through their coop and nesting boxes. I also worm with wazine and then Ivermectin pour on. I do it early spring and late fall. I try and time it when no one is molting...which is hard. I get afraid it would be too much for their bodies. You do lose eggs for at least three weeks. Good for the compost tumbler though. Had a great day at work. I work with special needs kids and my birthday chicken Wilma joined me today. The kids loved her and I think she enjoyed all of them. I will post her pic in the morning. Too tired tonight. There is nothing more great then a child and an animal. They both light up.

 

[suburbanchickymama]

I HAVE A PIP!!!!!!!!! One of the little Sussex eggs has a pip!!!!!! I know you're all fast asleep like normal people, but had to share anyway!!!!!! I am so excited!!!!

 

[Chickeninthemeadow]

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Wooo! Congratulations!

 

[NewHomesteader2010]

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Such a great idea, THANK YOU!! I am such a newbie on this whole homesteading business that if it wasn't for my BYC'ers, I think I would be doing so much WRONG!! DH is bringing me a "special" notebook home (that's what he said

) just for the gardening. I was worried how I was going to remember what I planted where because I had these markers but the rain washed them all away, so you can't see what I wrote!!

Love the ideas, thank you!! I'll have to keep you posted. I don't have much hope as this is the first time the ground has been tilled and prepped for a garden in this spot, so we will see how it goes. The former owners had their garden too close to the septic leach bed for my taste!! (It was at the tip of the bed, but it was on a slope...somehow I don't know how they defied gravity on that one

). We'll see.

Did I tell you all what an amazing DH I have? He got up at 3am so he could go to work at 4 to put in the hours needed so he could get off a bit earlier tonight and start working on the roof. He was worried that if it did rain, he wouldn't be able to get anything done tomorrow.

I love that man!!
Our neighbor stopped by just to say "Hi" and commented the DH on the coop.

He wrecked my plans to free range because he said he lost all 18 of his chickens and 10 of his chicks to a pack of foxes (is it called a pack? You get the idea) and the coyote ate the foxes!! Because of this new news, we have decided to "upgrade" the run and install hardware cloth on the roof of it as well. We were originally thinking bird netting, but we were told the coons, foxes & opossums could climb up the building and tear through that it was not even there. MUST keep our babies safe!! They will be going into the coop at night all locked up tight and secure!! Glad he stopped by before we had to deal with anything like he did.

SCM - I can't wait to see

all that you hatch!! I am SUPER excited for you and had I been up, I would have done a little

dance for the pip!!

Keeping my fingers crossed that the one lonely cochin hatches. When it does, I'm coming over so I can love on it!!

Anxious to hear what everyone says to do with the loner!! When it hatches you should call it the Lone Ranger!!

Have a great morning everyone!!

Edited to say: VFem that jam/jelly (already forgot what it was...sheesh...I'm going to use my mother amnesia excuse) looks beautiful!! Great Job!!

 

[suburbanchickymama]

I am up to 4 pips!!!!!!!!!!!! 2 sussex, 1 blrw, and now 1 welsummer!!!!!!!!!!!

So fun and exciting!!!!!!! I love, love, love the chirping!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Bird Collector]

Okay

as promised here is my Birthday present Wilma. I think about 6 weeks now. I think she will be grealty bonded with me because she is too small to put with the big girls she is staying in the lvingroom in her bin. Sits on my lap watching TV or while I am on the lap top. she loves pecking the keys but this has been stopped because I am afraid she will bomb

my key board. She had a great time at work yesterday. I am off on fridays so we will be out in the yard playing after I get my coffee.

 

[greeneacre]

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Congrats on your pips. hope you have chicks soon, they are so adorable flopping around and finding their legs and climbing all over the the other eggs. I have some eggs going into lock down tomorrow, Last ones before the big Easter hatch.

Well off to the once a year horse show, I need to help my trainer finish up the clipping and bathing on my stallion and her mare.

 

[gavinandallison]

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sounds great - as a gal from West Virginia , I remember my Momma making dandelion green salad - ( along will all kinds of green pickin ) - she would wash the green part and pour hot bacon crumbles and grease over the green to wilt ... I know it sound nasty but goodness that was some good eating - along with a pot of pintos , corn bread and a big slab of onion ...