Our introduction to keeping chickens, the high's, the lows and pics of our journey.

[Bens-Hens]

Thanks Irishacre, we have been hooked good and proper!

Thanks for dropping us a line, feel free to pop in anytime you like.

 

[IrishAcreFarm]

Thank you!! I started out with 8 chicks about 4 years ago, and now I have 30. Seeing your babies and incubating pics make me want to start hatching again!! Love how your whole family is involved!

 

[joannefiddler]

I do see that when your big orders come in, or lack coming in more accuratly.

I was wondering around youtube this afternoon. Found this Aussie farm's organic free range video. I have to say I like the way they are producing.

Ben that's a fantastic video. Thanks for sharing it. I couldn't quite make out wht he called the dogs...I know them as Great Pyrenees. I had one years ago when I had goats as well as chickens, and NOTHING bothered any of my animals. They are the sweetest dogs to people, but anything that has designs on any of their flock or herd will not live to tell the tale. Glad you enjoyed the One Acre Eden project. I agree with the others tho...more space is better, but we do with what we have!

 

[shelbydog]

Joanne, they are maremma sheepdogs.

 

[joannefiddler]

Joanne, they are maremma sheepdogs.

Facinating! Gave me something to read up on! The look so much like a Pyr, perhaps just a little smaller. It's such fun to see working dogs...they're better than any of our technology or fencing!

 

[NovaAman]

I was about to say that no, they aren't Pyrs. Pyrs are MUCH bigger, a white (occassionally with some black/brown/tan markings) much the size of Newfies and Burmese. BUT Shelby beat me to it. LOL. Those are great looking dogs though. Wonder how much they go for here... Hmmm... Oh wait... then I'd have to fence all my yard AGAIN.

Ok.. Monday last I set 14 eggs. 11 Marans, 1 Amber, 2 silkie. The silkie... nothing. Ray is USELESS. Looks like only 1/2 the marans are developing and the amber looks ok. It is so darn hard to tell with those dark eggs.

I am bummed about the silkie though. Absolutely NOTHING in there. Ray is so pretty. AND this is now with both silkie hens. Ekta, my serema who lives in the garage, he's not even fertilizing her either. He's not getting NOTHING done. NOTHING! I keep the roos I want for a reason. He's not living up to that reason.

I don't know if I should risk rehoming him to a 4-H kid, though he's been vaccinated now... He's a beauty, that is for sure, but he's a useless beauty. Kinda like a rose bush. (Sorry, not that keen on rose bushes, not fond of the smell) Pretty to look at.. that's about it.

Now... About the marans. It's funny that they all come from the same hen, but only half are fertile... I am not really sure of that actually, but I could only SEE if you can call it that, darker masses in 1/2 of them. I guess in two weeks we will see how many explode, and how many hatch.

 

[Bens-Hens]

Lets hope for more hatching and less exploding Nova!

Less than a week now until we set out next hatch.

I am going to do a small modification to the DIY 'bator, replacing the floor slats from their current left / right position to up / down position. It worked fine last hatch, but I think this way the eggs will roll nicer along the groove between slats, instead of rolling over the gaps.

Other than that, I am just about ready to clear a space and plug it in. Almost a week early. Soon we will be candling our own very first Maran's eggs!

 

[lindz8504]

We had a great weekend here.... I moved the chicks and mama Clarabelle into the smaller coop so I could take down the gate I was using to separate them from the others, and so the others have access to the nesting boxes, since they are nearing that age.... (I know it will probably be another month or more, but hey, we can hope! ) We also had a MAJOR milestone with Rogue, our young cockerel that is so flighty! I took some hamburger buns down yesterday, and he decided that he wanted some of what the girls were getting and came and got some out of my hand! I was amazed, because I have never been able to get within 5 feet of him! Hubby worked on his building all weekend, and I had to do some minor fixes on the little coop before I could move Clarabelle and the chicks. We plan to do some rearranging and re-do the small coop later after Hubby finishes his building! Anyway, here are some pictures from this weekend!


Rogue: Australorpe cockerel about 13 weeks old

Golden comet girls 17 weeks and Rogue

Blue Laced Red Wyandotte hens 3 years and Rogue.

Hubby and son working on building!

Chicks are 2 weeks old! buff cochin and FBC Marans.

 

[Bens-Hens]

Some great looking birds. I think I read those Comets lay pretty early, fingers crossed they get the hang of it quick!

The building looks good too, is it a shed or a house/office?

While cleaning the coop this morning, I found some strange soft shell double yolk fart eggs things under the roost. Not sure if Curly has gone hay wire again (she has been laying well lately) of if one of the 'dotte's had a confused first attempt.

See who does not lay today I guess.

 

[lindz8504]

Some great looking birds. I think I read those Comets lay pretty early, fingers crossed they get the hang of it quick!

The building looks good too, is it a shed or a house/office?

While cleaning the coop this morning, I found some strange soft shell double yolk fart eggs things under the roost. Not sure if Curly has gone hay wire again (she has been laying well lately) of if one of the 'dotte's had a confused first attempt.

See who does not lay today I guess.

Thanks! I am hoping they are pretty early layers too. building is going to be his wood working shop. He is using 98% reclaimed wood with only the rafters and about 5 studs being new. Hopefully you just have a new layer going crazy! And you said things... were there more than one?