***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[shelbydog]

As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
`'Tis some visitor,' I muttered, `tapping at my chamber door -

 

[artsyrobin]

The guinea I got from Betsy still doesn't flock with my other guineas, it stays more with the chickens, lol

i would think she doesn't know she's a guinea, in time she'll figure it out

Betsy- those eggs you gave me are developing! All the silkies are settling in, that SG roo is quite a protector, he is very aware of everything and giving his warnings-

 

[mjgigax]

Hi All. Hope everyone is faring well in this heat wave we're finally having. Birds are all well here and being their funny selves. Hoshi, our little silkie girl, is still as amusing as ever and eating all the tomatoes she can get to. Our turkeys girls are all starting to lay right on schedule. Good thing I like turkey eggs omelets. We have 8 girls with the crew that hatched back in February. I guess I should offer eggs for sale this year since we'll have enough to sell.

How's everyones gardens doing? We've had a pretty successful year so far and tons of green tomatoes still on the vines. Our melons bit the bullet and so did our winter squash thanks to the squash bug brigade but we're still getting okra, eggplant, tomatoes, cucumbers, and lots of herbs.

We picked over a 100 lbs of apples last week so we started processing this week. We did 1/4 of them and got a gallon plus of apple cider, 7 pints of applesauce and 6 pints of cinnamon applesauce plus 4 pounds of cut-offs for the birds. The apple cider is earmarked for making some hard cider, as a new project. It's kind of funny because we rarely drink alcohol of any kind but we make wine every year and now we're trying cider and mead. Lol. Of course it's hard to beat some good elder berry wine in rabbit stew. mmmmm

Have a great weekend everyone!

My red currant tomatoes that I got from you are producing crazy amounts of fruit. - averaging 3 quarts of tiny toms every 3 or 4 days. I can't eat them all so the chickens are getting spoiled on them. I finally am getting cucumbers, mostly Armenian lemon cukes. They dont taste like lemons but are shaped like them and are yellow. My birds are crazy for cukes too.

 

[OKchkman]

it depends normally they would be fine but dose the shop spray for bug if they do the crickets could be poisoned.

No, but it is a metal fabrication shop. A lot of metal dust. I don't want to take a chance with offering crickets that have been roaming around in fine metal particles.

 

[cathiesue]

Well, I think the Great Fly Infestation of 2013 has finally abated around here. Anyone else notice a lessening of the pests? I used at least half a dozen of these rescue fly trap bags. Never really seem to put a dent in the population. Love waking up to cooler temps. Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Had a good time visiting with folks over Labor Day in Talequah!

 

[BetsyOK]

Kevin, having grown up with silkies, she doesn't really know she's a guinea. However, she did exchange calls with the guineas at the Labor Day Event, and I suspect she'll eventually join yours. They may exclude her some at least at first, because she's such a different color. They definitely notice that.

 

[BetsyOK]

Robin, glad to know those eggs are developing. As I told you, that trio isn't as young as most of mine. They've only hatched two babes this season, but something was eating their other eggs. Good to know for sure you should get babes! The moms have been laying and brooding all along. And, as I also had told you, Dad is protective, but I like the males to protect their girls, as long as they aren't really mean, which I didn't find him to be. He's been a good Dad and has produced lots of beautiful young.

 

[mjgigax]

My Guinea has grown a lot. Can anyone tell if it is male or female yet?
It has only been with Chickens since it was 3 weeks ond. It does make Guinea calls sometimes.
I hope it is a girl. I am getting really attatched. I can see just how really beautiful they are, even their unique heads.
I don't know how this color came from a bunch of pearls, one lavender and a pied pearl. Jack has only even hatched pearls and lavenders from his but for the last two years another neighbor's flock with pearls and the pied one have joined Jack's roaming flock. A couple of the pearls have a kind of different sheen to the feathers around their neck. maybe they are not exactly pearls.

Yes, Cathisue, the fly infestation has gotten Much better ! I had six of those terribly stinky hanging jars around my pens. - truely a bad smell. Not sure they were worth it. They did catch lots of flies but .....yuck. I can handle a lot of bad smells but this was over the top.

 

[BetsyOK]

Does it make the two-syllable call, or only the one. Only the hens can make the "puh-trak" (many call it "buck wheat") sound. this one is a little young to be sure, but I think it is a male. Not so much because of the cupped wattles, though. Males are the ones that usually have that shape, but I have several females who do as well. I'm looking at the "cere", which is the band of red flesh the nostrils are in. It looks pretty pronounced to me, which usually indicates males. however, that look may change as it matures.

 

[spunkychickenmomma]

As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
`'Tis some visitor,' I muttered, `tapping at my chamber door -