Office Work.......

[NellaBean]

Just realized I didn't post cute chick and broody pix here.

Aren't they cuuuuuuute? That is a first time broody....one of my own hatches from March. Dad was RIR, Mom was Barred Cochin. Only girl of the hatch (had 3 brothers who were sold young). Started laying and went broody within a few weeks. Did a GREAT JOB. She is also the hen I put a staggered batch of eggs under and as the chicks hatched, 1 per day, I would take the chick out and pass it off to my bantam cochin broody. GREAT young broody. Very protective and also quite large, so can cover lots of eggs/chicks. I had her on about 15-16 eggs at one point when I had added the staggered eggs to her original batch of 10. She ended up with 10 eggs from this hatch date and hatched all 10.

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Nella!!!!!!!!!! Hi Babe. Aren't you ticked off that we can't go to lunch with Dacs and Michelle and her new beau? I am. And to think I'm alone here in a cold house after eating three-day old spaghetti. Let's have a pity party and invite Lori, our guest of honor. Orchy can drive by and flash us with her new hairdo. Okay, my day feels better already.

 

[NellaBean]

Quote:
that is correct. I have an actual bruise on my hand from her. Have actual WOUNDS from her biological mother, aka my barred cochin broody. She made me BLEED when I checked her eggs the other day. I didn't need that skin on my hand after all.....

 

[Southernbelle]

Lori, OH Nationals looked like fun! Did you resist buying the white D'Uccles? That was a gorgeous rooster, even though I'm not a huge fan of white birds, (unless they're Silkies.

) I love the pictures of you and the girls. You look like you were having a great time.

I freak out about chicken illnesses, too. My first flock got MG and I culled them all. Now I just hatch to expand my flock, even though some diseases get passed through the egg, it's a very small percentage, so I take the risk. I never buy started birds anymore, too risky. If any of my chickens come down with anything weird, I cull. I do treat mites, though. I didn't know getting mites was considered a weakness. I thought it was my ancient, falling-down barn made entirely of old wood that made it hard to completely eradicate mites from all the cracks and crevices. I think I qualify to join the paranoia club.

The vast majority of my flock are mutt chickens, but I like hatch chicks, especially with broodies. And who can resist a few litters of adorable Holland Lops bunnies? So I go to our local swaps every few months to sell chicks, started birds and baby bunnies. I usually make enough to offset some of my feed costs. Although this year I used the proceeds from my downsizing to invest in the automatic watering systems.

 

[Orchid]

Nella, is that nest in a salt block holder? Too funny!

What a lovely assortment of colors you have there.

I still don't have any lunch. I am hoping DH will bring me something, but not holding my breath. I hate leaving my office; once I get here, I pretty much grow roots for the day. Must go grocery shopping so I can bring lunch tomorrow....wait...maybe I have a lean cuisine in the freezer...

 

[Southernbelle]

Quote:
that is correct. I have an actual bruise on my hand from her. Have actual WOUNDS from her biological mother, aka my barred cochin broody. She made me BLEED when I checked her eggs the other day. I didn't need that skin on my hand after all.....

She looks violent. I was afraid of my Welsummer broody - it was her first time and she made such horrific sounds when I got anywhere close to her that I decided to just let her be! I never saw her off the nest, never got to candle her eggs, wasn't even sure how many she had. She ended up hatching 13 of 14 and did a great job. I let her keep 5 pullets from her hatch and sold the rest last month.

 

[Southernbelle]

I had a sandwich for lunch. I'd skipped breakfast and was so hungry. I met DH at a little sandwich shop by his work and got a toasted ham and turkey melt. I usually only eat half because it's an 8" sub, but I actually ate the whole thing.

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Quote:
Good nutrition for you and little Norbert.

 

[wegotchickens]

Quote:
I don't know that having mites is really a weakness, but the silkie breeder thought so. But only if they targeted one bird over the rest of the flock. So I'd say in your case, you're okay.

No, I didn't resist the white d'Uccles. They are in quarantine. I wasn't supposed to bring anything home, and doing well at resistance, until I saw that white pair. DH said my eyes glazed over and he knew we were going home with birds

 

[Southernbelle]

Belle's freak-out of the day: Christmas Cards

Every year I stress myself out making 60+ creative handmade cards and write up a non-annoying newsletter for everyone I know. I've been so focused on everything I had to do before my due date that working on this years Christmas cards never occured to me. Saturday morning I realized I'd completely forgotten, so I've spent the last few days coming up with something uncomplicated and churning out cards assembly-line fashion. I'm about 2/3 of the way done.