***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[NanaKat]

Gorgeous day outside...taking a water break and will go back out to plant squash.

Caught a baby cottontail before I ran over it with the string weed wacker....fully furred and about 5 inches long. set it in a grassy patch in the shade. Weeding one of the raised beds, found the burrow already vacated. She was a sneakly little mom...the dogs never checked that bed even though they were obviously checking things out in the garden over the past sever weeks.

 

[NanaKat]

The eggs are coming!

BBB said the eggs might be ready for shipping on Monday!

I'll have 1/2 dozen of 6 different varieties of Belgian d'Anvers eggs coming from Georgia.
I ordered BB Red, Buff Columbian, Ginger, Mille Fleur, Porcelain, and of course
Black...so LilGuy would have some company.

 

[Oakieridge]

We had a great hatch this week at Carl's, 29 little fuzzy butts hatched out. We also moved our 3 1/2 week old chicks out to the wire floor cage in the feed house. I feel bad moving them out there, lol. Do you think they will need a heat lamp tonight? It is so warm out there now and they seem happy without one. Here are the little sweethearts that hatched this week. There are blue splash marans, cuckoo marans, golden salmon marans, and some black sexlinks.

 

[Ksane]

Nana, how exciting! You've waited sooo long for them!

Mitzi, yes, the new bator- i think i should have taken them out last nite, the ones that were dry- learning curve- have had 6 hatch- one i am waiting on since i don't know how far along it was, it was from a broody that quit- so actually thats pretty good i think.. considering 7 were shipped and of those, 5 hatched, not to mention those of Joes that coral is hatching for me...

That's a wonderful hatch rate for shipped eggs! Even with Carl's huge incubators I only got a 50% hatch rate with all 3 batches of shipped eggs, same as when I tried them in my Little Giant. You're making me feel a lot more confidant about this new little Brinsea I got. The other day I set 4 LF Faverolles eggs & 6 Modern Bantams. It would be nice to have the auto turner, I got the 10-egg manual. But I figure it was worth saving the $50. I hope I get a hatch as good as yours.
What hatched? I was anxious to hear what Joe sent you.

Edit: Cathie, what are you going to DO with all those batches of new chicks?? I'd be too overwhelmed with that many at the same time.

 

[jcatblum]

We had a great hatch this week at Carl's, 29 little fuzzy butts hatched out. We also moved our 3 1/2 week old chicks out to the wire floor cage in the feed house. I feel bad moving them out there, lol. Do you think they will need a heat lamp tonight? It is so warm out there now and they seem happy without one. Here are the little sweethearts that hatched this week. There are blue splash marans, cuckoo marans, golden salmon marans, and some black sexlinks.

I say yes to the heat lamp.Earlier this wk I took the heat lamp off some of my 7 wk olds that are feathered very well. The next morning they were all huddled up saying bad things about me. DD immediately gave them the lamp back. Imagine it will be a few more wks before they get no lamp at all, we have a few days showing 40's in the forecast.

 

[Oakieridge]

: Cathie, what are you going to DO with all those batches of new chicks?? I'd be too overwhelmed with that many at the same time.

We have sold a select few, but I will raise them for a few months until I figure who I want to keep for breeding and then sell the rest. Most of the hens will go in my laying pen, I only have 8 hens laying for our household eating. With 4 growing boys we go through that plus every day! LOL. I will be selling the sexlink chicks pretty soon.

 

[Poco Pollo]

I'm missing my guineas. I got bit by my first tick of the season. Ick! I sprayed the little blood sucker with REPEL and he did the electro-shock dance and then fell off. I'm glad his little biting head came with the rest of him. I hate ticks!

When I went out to refill the duck pool, I walked past several groups of chickens dust bathing or sun bathing. What a nice day to be a chicken.

 

[jcatblum]

Love the girls being home from school today. We planted in the garden, then went for icecream & did our regular chores. I once again had a horrible experience with our zero turn! The blades stopped & won't engage! The belt isn't broken thinking I completely killed the pto. Either that or the safety feature under the seat may have broke. Every time I touch that thing something appears to go wrong with it! I an certain I am operating it correctly, just seems to save the mishaps for me.

My grasshoppers are back in full swing. Hundreds of them were going everywhere when I mowed. Oldest DD put some semi spore out & hopefully it will help soon.
My sisters kids will be here later. Going to offer them 5c for every grasshopper they catch, going to stick them in the freezer for bird treats. May have to go get a roll of nickels, since my nephew that is in kindergarten will want to see 5c for each grasshopper. He will think he earned more than his sister that way too!

 

[jcatblum]

I'm missing my guineas. I got bit by my first tick of the season. Ick! I sprayed the little blood sucker with REPEL and he did the electro-shock dance and then fell off. I'm glad his little biting head came with the rest of him. I hate ticks!

When I went out to refill the duck pool, I walked past several groups of chickens dust bathing or sun bathing. What a nice day to be a chicken.

When you are ready for more guineas we will be happy to send some your way.

 

[BetsyOK]

Tell Dakota we're hoping he'll heal quickly. He's a good kid. Actually, I'd want him to heal quickly even if he weren't a good kid!