Congratulations on the retirement! SO exciting! I cannot wait for the day hubby gets to retire....
I can’t believe how big your birds are! And so pretty
I can’t believe how big your birds are! And so pretty
Our Mixed Flock Journey!
- Thread starter drstratton
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #802
Thank you! We went out to eat at a restaurant to celebrate...they are finally starting to open for indoor service! This is actually his second retirement...the first was only for a month and then he started a new job at the same location...this time it's for keeps, barring anything unforeseen happening!Congratulations on the retirement! SO exciting! I cannot wait for the day hubby gets to retire....
I can’t believe how big your birds are! And so pretty
They are really growing...hopefully they will be laying in the next month or two! They are pretty, I hope the egg basket I get is just as pretty!
- Thread starter
- #803
We took a little trip to celebrate our retirement, so I've been offline and will be slowly trying to catch up with everyone's threads... We went to Mt Rainier and the weather was absolutely perfect...it was so beautiful and relaxing...except for one small detail! My husband mentions to me that Daphne our NZ doe was acting strange just before we left...digging in her enclosed pen area and carrying hay in her mouth and placing it in that area and pulling fur...I just looked at him and asked why he didn't tell me that before we left! I told him she must be pregnant...it's our fault...we took to long to get the other hutch ready for the buck and other doe! I called my son and asked him to please place a box into her cage...that was on Tuesday...still no baby bunnies today...I'm hoping that she is having a false pregnancy...but I will give her a few more days! We built an actual nesting box when we got home from our trip yesterday and I moved all of the nesting material into it. I placed my hand on her stomach, but didn't feel anything different...but I am very inexperienced at this...anyway, I'm hoping she's not pregnant yet...she's still so young, I was planning on waiting until she was about 5 months before breeding her to give her more time to grow...we read that it can affect her growth if she has kits to early. Some people say to breed at 4 months and others say to wait until 6 months...I decided to split the difference and chose 5 months. I'm a little excited to have baby bunnies, but for her sake...I hope it's a false pregnancy.
The new nesting box...the fur and hay is still pretty much how I placed it, hopefully we will know for sure in a few more days!
She decided to jump in and check it out while I was watching her!
A beautiful view of Mt Rainier...the weather was perfect! We hiked several trails and my body is still sore...I really need to get out more...lol!
We went to Mt Rainier and the weather was absolutely perfect...it was so beautiful and relaxing...except for one small detail! My husband mentions to me that Daphne our NZ doe was acting strange just before we left...digging in her enclosed pen area and carrying hay in her mouth and placing it in that area and pulling fur...I just looked at him and asked why he didn't tell me that before we left! I told him she must be pregnant...it's our fault...we took to long to get the other hutch ready for the buck and other doe! I called my son and asked him to please place a box into her cage...that was on Tuesday...still no baby bunnies today...I'm hoping that she is having a false pregnancy...but I will give her a few more days! We built an actual nesting box when we got home from our trip yesterday and I moved all of the nesting material into it. I placed my hand on her stomach, but didn't feel anything different...but I am very inexperienced at this...anyway, I'm hoping she's not pregnant yet...she's still so young, I was planning on waiting until she was about 5 months before breeding her to give her more time to grow...we read that it can affect her growth if she has kits to early. Some people say to breed at 4 months and others say to wait until 6 months...I decided to split the difference and chose 5 months. I'm a little excited to have baby bunnies, but for her sake...I hope it's a false pregnancy.The new nesting box...the fur and hay is still pretty much how I placed it, hopefully we will know for sure in a few more days!
She decided to jump in and check it out while I was watching her!
A beautiful view of Mt Rainier...the weather was perfect! We hiked several trails and my body is still sore...I really need to get out more...lol!
- Thread starter
- #804
A chicken update! Dale made a new feeder for our chickens...I think they like it, we will be making at least 3 more...they will waste way less feed using these!
Silkie Rooster using the new feeder...you can also see the aftermath of bowls from their morning breakfast mash and the Zucchini rounds Dale fed them last night!
The grass is growing really well now...I'm anxious to let the chickens use it, but it's not ready yet!!!
Silkie Rooster using the new feeder...you can also see the aftermath of bowls from their morning breakfast mash and the Zucchini rounds Dale fed them last night!
The grass is growing really well now...I'm anxious to let the chickens use it, but it's not ready yet!!!
Welcome back Rene, your trip sounds wonderful (gorgeous picture of Mr. Rainier)!
It sure sounds like Daphne is pregnant. I know our first expectant rabbit surprised us too. I think we got her box ready about 4 hours before she dropped her litter. (Ah, the fun of being newbies
).
It sure sounds like Daphne is pregnant. I know our first expectant rabbit surprised us too. I think we got her box ready about 4 hours before she dropped her litter. (Ah, the fun of being newbies
).- Thread starter
- #806
Hi Debby...thank you!Welcome back Rene, your trip sounds wonderful (gorgeous picture of Mr. Rainier)!
It sure sounds like Daphne is pregnant. I know our first expectant rabbit surprised us too. I think we got her box ready about 4 hours before she dropped her litter. (Ah, the fun of being newbies
Yeah, we knew that we needed to get them moved to separate hutches, but it just didn't happen quick enough!
It's been 5 days since she started building her nest, so we will see! 4 hours, that was a close call! Hi Debby...thank you!
Yeah, we knew that we needed to get them moved to separate hutches, but it just didn't happen quick enough!
Our first rabbits were given to us by a friend that raised them. He didn't realize he had given us a pregnant one until we told him about our surprise litter. Oops!
- Thread starter
- #808
Oh my goodness, oops is right!Our first rabbits were given to us by a friend that raised them. He didn't realize he had given us a pregnant one until we told him about our surprise litter. Oops!
I at least had the foreknowledge that the does could get pregnant if we didn't move them soon!- Thread starter
- #809
We finally put in the Auto Watering system. Our friend that gave the Silkies to us, gave me a water barrel. He used it for his chickens, but the nipples he put in leaked, so he just quit using it. Anyway it's what we are using for our system. It will supply water to the chickens and rabbits both, I'm so excited to have fresh water for all of them, chicken waterers are nasty...lol. Dale is going to tie it into the water lines for the treeline, so that when it's running it will top off the barrel. We didn't get that part done yet as we had a huge rainstorm come through. We were completely soaked, by the time we got from the animal pens to the house! Here are some pictures!
Platform!
Platform in place! We screwed it to the chicken pen then added the support posts!
As I shared above the barrel had water nipples in it, so we used two of the holes - One for the Rabbits and one for the chickens. That left two holes that needed to be plugged. Our son 3D printed the plugs for us! He's pretty talented!
First plug in! We also need to buy a shut off valve for the rabbits water line, nothing was open today!
Plumbing finished except for the shutoff valve to the rabbits water nipples! The small tubing runs to the rabbit hutches and we used an old washing machine hose to connect to the chickens water bar! The second 3D plug top twisted off, so my son made a stronger one to replace it. We will put it in when it quits raining! The valve on the bottom left is for completely draining the barrel if needed!
Water Bar in Place! Now, I just have to make sure that they figure out how to use it!
Platform!
Platform in place! We screwed it to the chicken pen then added the support posts!
As I shared above the barrel had water nipples in it, so we used two of the holes - One for the Rabbits and one for the chickens. That left two holes that needed to be plugged. Our son 3D printed the plugs for us! He's pretty talented!
First plug in! We also need to buy a shut off valve for the rabbits water line, nothing was open today!
Plumbing finished except for the shutoff valve to the rabbits water nipples! The small tubing runs to the rabbit hutches and we used an old washing machine hose to connect to the chickens water bar! The second 3D plug top twisted off, so my son made a stronger one to replace it. We will put it in when it quits raining!
The valve on the bottom left is for completely draining the barrel if needed!Water Bar in Place! Now, I just have to make sure that they figure out how to use it!
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- Thread starter
- #810
A cute Chick pic!
Mara saying hello!
I love the color in her feathers...the picture does not do justice to her color!
Mara saying hello!
I love the color in her feathers...the picture does not do justice to her color!
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