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

[vehve]

Quote: So about a Christmas dinner every day then?

When is the competition you're training for? You'll need to keep a cool down season at some point.

 

[Bens-Hens]

I forgot to congratulate you on your new layer too! 36g is a nice size to get things going.

I have 3 more long races to finish off the year.

Our 'City to Surf' Marathon (bitumen) 42.2k or 26.1miles
The big one is the end of September just over 50 miles or 85k or quite hilly cross country trails,
then Dec 21 is a littel 46km trail race which quite a few mates are entering 'for fun'......and we still do a 5k parkrun each Saturday morning which I incorporate into my training. For example this morning I was up at 4am, on the road by 4:20am, ran a half marathong (13.1m or 21.1k) to meet two other crazy dudes, ran another 14k to the start of a 5k run hahahaha, then by the end of that (which was a pretty cruisy family run today) I was only 2.2k or 1/2 mile from a marathon for the morning, so why not finish it off. Tomorrow is a far more reasonable 8am start time and I just love getting onto the tracks.

I normally have a taper period where weekly training lightens off a bit before a race but this is more first Ultra season, so I won't be taking much time off until the New Year.

In chicken news, upon wobbly legs cleaned out the brooder box today, fresh bedding for everyone and a good scrub out of feeders and drinkers. Due to very wet weather all day, the chicks didn't get outside.

 

[vehve]

Ben, are you familiar with overtraining? Remember to keep a couple of lighter days in a row every once in a while.

First egg from Virpi yesterday was a nice surprise, and today Veera surprised me with what seems like a double yolker, weighed 47 grams! Many firsts. All the firsts always happen when Karin is away, so I'm hoping for a chocolate and a olive egg this weekend still.

 

[Fancychooklady]

He's obviously over exerting himself when he starts calling it a marathong.
Ben I would have to agree with you on the wylkie having some coro blood. Not sure how that come about , not the deed itself , but how the egg ended up in your lot. So that would mean that KG is dad and mum is a wylkie. Mmm , 'wynation' ?

 

[vehve]

Here are some visual aids regarding the deed.







I camped out in the yard with my Canon, hoping to get a few shots for the calendar competition. Don't think it was *that* kind of calendar they had in mind though...

 

[Bens-Hens]

Ben, are you familiar with overtraining? Remember to keep a couple of lighter days in a row every once in a while.

First egg from Virpi yesterday was a nice surprise, and today Veera surprised me with what seems like a double yolker, weighed 47 grams! Many firsts. All the firsts always happen when Karin is away, so I'm hoping for a chocolate and a olive egg this weekend still.

Yes well and truely aware of over training. I have 1-2 rest days a week, and every third training week is a reset week where training volume is dropped down. So my last few weeks totals look something like 80 km, 80 km 100 km, down to 70km, 95 km, 123 km, and this week will be up to 125 ish, then next week it drops back down to 85 km.

I am currently on a 16 Week program, it's all laid out so I just have to follow the bouncing ball as far as training sessions. I entered into a comp that takes in runners from around the world, about 41,000 entrants now and I am currently ranked 166th. Comp ends in 4 days so I am keen to see where I fit in comparison to other runners from around the world and Australia (currently ranked 29th here but the rankings change each day)

If I nail the 50 miler, I qualify for next years 100 mile race, then things get hard lol

WOn't be long and you will be swimming in eggs mate. We had a quiet day today with only 4/14 but we have hit 7 a couple times this week.

He's obviously over exerting himself when he starts calling it a marathong.

Ben I would have to agree with you on the wylkie having some coro blood. Not sure how that come about , not the deed itself , but how the egg ended up in your lot. So that would mean that KG is dad and mum is a wylkie. Mmm , 'wynation' ?

I saw the red line and meant to go back and fix it.....not exactly firing on all cylinders tonight hahaha. The egg has a 'S' on it, not sure if that is a different code to normal or it was mistitled, either way we are happy with it. Just hope it's a girl. Do you have much success telling gender early with that cross?

Here are some visual aids regarding the deed.







I camped out in the yard with my Canon, hoping to get a few shots for the calendar competition. Don't think it was *that* kind of calendar they had in mind though...

Lol, pretty brutal to watch. My dad came to visit one day, and he saw SMudge climb aboard one of the pullets in front of my kids. Dad got all funny "um...so, how do you go about explaining that to the kids?" and our 7 year old explains in detail the process, why it happens and that "thats how you get fertile eggs to hatch chicks from" The look on my fathers face was priceless as he flawlessly explained the process.

 

[vehve]

Quote: Just looking out for your health

The girls are getting more and more willing, although Töyhtis ("Tufty"), pictured here, is still a bit hesitant, as is Wilma. Topi seems to be quite a gentle lover, he does grab hold of the neck feathers, but I haven't seen him ripping out any, and he seems to rotate his harem pretty well, so nothing to worry about yet at least.

It was funny when the neighbor saw it for the first time and asked "What on earth is he doing?" (she's even a midwife, so she should be familiar with the process). My reply: "Erhm... well... they're enjoying a bit of quality time, you know... being romantic." She now refers to him as "The little Rapist".

 

[Fancychooklady]

My silkies are in a lock up pen and the coro hens are also in a pen of their own, king George is the ' wild card ' he jumps the fence and comes to visit the wylkies in the garden. The wylkie eggs are similar in size and colour to a silkie so it must have been my mistake. I will be interested to see what you end up with because I don't have any of that cross. Are you seeing a star or walnut comb yet ? From your pics , apart from the extra toe it looks coro. If it is a hen you will have your live incubator .

 

[cwrite]

Ben, I think it's great that you get up so early to run & then have normal week-end time with your family.

I was drooling over Araucana chicks that are available NOW, not far from me & trying to work out how I have a couple. My daughter says to me - we will just have to put a chicken on kebabs so we have space for one more.

Yeah, I don't think she's disconnected from food sources.
Congrats on getting bigger eggs Vehve. Not too much longer & you'll be inundated with bum nuts.

 

[Bens-Hens]

Just looking out for your health

She now refers to him as "The little Rapist".

Thanks, always good for a second pair of eyes.

Yeah, it's a bit that way, they get startled into squatting and before you know it the piggy back ride is over.

My silkies are in a lock up pen and the coro hens are also in a pen of their own, king George is the ' wild card ' he jumps the fence and comes to visit the wylkies in the garden. The wylkie eggs are similar in size and colour to a silkie so it must have been my mistake. I will be interested to see what you end up with because I don't have any of that cross. Are you seeing a star or walnut comb yet ? From your pics , apart from the extra toe it looks coro. If it is a hen you will have your live incubator .

I will have to get a pic later of it's comb. I can see the shape, but there is no colour in it yet. Could be a Walnut. Looks very Coro related, silver collar and all white, yellow skin but about the same size and the splash silkie we have.

Ben, I think it's great that you get up so early to run & then have normal week-end time with your family.

I was drooling over Araucana chicks that are available NOW, not far from me & trying to work out how I have a couple. My daughter says to me - we will just have to put a chicken on kebabs so we have space for one more.

Yeah, I don't think she's disconnected from food sources.
Congrats on getting bigger eggs Vehve. Not too much longer & you'll be inundated with bum nuts.

It's not always easy, but when you have crazy goals you sometimes need to take crazy measures.

I just has some fresh fied bum nuts for a snack, with bacon and cheese toasted in a wrap.....oh it so hit the spot!