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

[EverMystique1]

I am wrong on sooooo many levels. Naming your zombie? Does she travel at break neck speeds? Or perhaps a fan of The Walking Dead? Trying to mimic a bald eagle?

See. I told you. Wrong on so many levels.

It's okay. I have grounded myself. Of course, i did that by dropping a 50 lb box of automotive parts on top of my foot. But, either way, iam still grounded.

 

[NovaAman]

Funny cuz. You're not supposed to abuse your feet though. Next to your hands, they are your greatest asset. Need to be able to out run the zombie chickens. Lol Yes, naming her. Lol

 

[ozexpat]

I think I like Boudica. I have heard it pronounced Bo-a-di-cia... Wonder how it is really pronounced. Thanks Oz!

I like that name as well, if I was to name a chook.

 

[Bens-Hens]

What a weekend!

Yesterday we had our local parkrun and I set a new place PB, coming in 4th from a field of 81, I was so stoked, came home to find a couple of eggs in the nest boxes, even more stoked!

We dropped the kids off at their grandparents place and went to dinner with some other runner (aka freaks) friends for a big Italian meal.

Early this morning Alicia and I entered our first Half Marathon, 21.1 km. We did well, great weather and had no intention of setting a great time, just to complete it and enjoy the atmosphere. Came in at 2:15.18. Which is almost bang on the course average. We had some monster hills to get over but it was a great morning. Alicia is not so limber now though but she is very happy to have finished. I am proud of her.

Alicia also scored a free self inflating foot pillow.


Got home and refreshed, found three eggs, all in the nest boxes YIPPEE!


I was starving, so I cooked up some toast, 4 eggs and a tin of spaghetti. Fresh home grown goodies! Can you spot Jewel the Araucana's lol?



So refueled on fresh eggs I went down the yard with the kids and finished off the nipple drinker. I was going to paint some parts of it, but a slack attack and grey clouds made me just stick it up as bare wood.

I also didn't get any pics as my phone was on charge, but I will tomorrow to share later. It might be a bit high up, but I got a couple of them to have a drink, mostly from my finger though. Will see if I can see them peck it over the next couple of days.

Nearly time for some more of that sleep stuff!

 

[joannefiddler]

What a weekend!

Yesterday we had our local parkrun and I set a new place PB, coming in 4th from a field of 81, I was so stoked, came home to find a couple of eggs in the nest boxes, even more stoked!

We dropped the kids off at their grandparents place and went to dinner with some other runner (aka freaks) friends for a big Italian meal.

Early this morning Alicia and I entered our first Half Marathon, 21.1 km. We did well, great weather and had no intention of setting a great time, just to complete it and enjoy the atmosphere. Came in at 2:15.18. Which is almost bang on the course average. We had some monster hills to get over but it was a great morning. Alicia is not so limber now though but she is very happy to have finished. I am proud of her.

Alicia also scored a free self inflating foot pillow.


Got home and refreshed, found three eggs, all in the nest boxes YIPPEE!


I was starving, so I cooked up some toast, 4 eggs and a tin of spaghetti. Fresh home grown goodies! Can you spot Jewel the Araucana's lol?



So refueled on fresh eggs I went down the yard with the kids and finished off the nipple drinker. I was going to paint some parts of it, but a slack attack and grey clouds made me just stick it up as bare wood.

I also didn't get any pics as my phone was on charge, but I will tomorrow to share later. It might be a bit high up, but I got a couple of them to have a drink, mostly from my finger though. Will see if I can see them peck it over the next couple of days.

Nearly time for some more of that sleep stuff!

What lovely plump yolks!!! YUM

. Congrats on the run times and condolences on the blister...heal quickly Alicia!

 

[EverMystique1]

We had a bonfire last night. 10 teens stayed over. Several had a blast getting to hold our little chickies. I was talking to them while DH made fresh waffles. Stopped in mid sentence and screeched.

Had 1 hatch and 6 pips from the latest incubator batch.

 

[EverMystique1]

The second hatched as i was getting the camera ready.

 

[Bens-Hens]

We had a bonfire last night. 10 teens stayed over. Several had a blast getting to hold our little chickies. I was talking to them while DH made fresh waffles. Stopped in mid sentence and screeched.

Had 1 hatch and 6 pips from the latest incubator batch.

Perfect timing! You using a Hovabator too? That was our first incubator, I did a fan modification to ours and use it as a hatcher now.

Managed to grab a quick pic of the nipple drinker all fitted up. The ground slopes slightly so one end is higher than the other, but I may still have to lower it all. Hard to convince them to drink from it when there is water drops hanging off everything else hahahaha.




I left the second drum off, it hung out too far at the door end and was a bit of a pain in the vent to walk around, so capacity is down to about 25l (6.5gals-ish) Instructions said one nipple is suited for 10-12 birds so I fitted two. I am going to make another one with a shorter pipe for our grow out mobile coop and just a little bottle version for the brooder box.

 

[EverMystique1]

I am actually using the Little Giant styrofoam still air, and I almost never turn the eggs, if youcan believe that. I used the automatic turner for the first 2 batches and git absolutely nothing. Took the turber out, and have successfully hatched 17 before this batch in staggered hatches. This one, i had 10 eggs with an unknown hatch date (had my last red free range bird go broody on a nest of 13. I left her with 3, knowing that 13 would overwhelm her), 7 eggs due between last Tuesday and Friday (norhing from them yet; will be candling them soon for viability), and 12 more dye anywhere from Sept 6-18. Broody has hatched 2 for sure, the 3rd likely to hatch tomorrow. Of the 10 I took from her, 7 have hatched today, an 8th one has pipped. I am nearly positive they will all hatch. Before these started hatching, my bird count was up to 56. We will start culling a few in about a month or so, afterwe get more work finished ob the house. Which means I should get some sleep, so I can finish laying plaster in the kitchen in the morning. Never ending...

 

[Bens-Hens]

Success for you

Just as our chicken life was getting all peachy, another curve ball strikes (possibly) I may be jumping the gun here, but I have a suspicion that today, we had our brown eggs STOLEN!

It's only happened once, but it just seems odd. I am trying not to think into it too much, but if I suspect it happening again I will be setting up that CCTV and DVR to catch the person.

We are only about one more pullet away from having enough to start sharing them out once a week, so if it is someone jumping the fence I will be quite peeved to say the least.