Ready for Spring

Date sort Score sort
V

vtguania

Songster
6 Years
Apr 4, 2013
297
72
131
Vermont
It's been around high 40's but raining. I managed to make a cage for my rabbit buck yesterday & a better feeder for the doe today, since she was flipping the other one I made over. I went flying tonight, first time since November, and forgot how much fun it is. I'm finally current again and hope to do some more flying next week. I think I'm gonna be in a lot of trouble next week, I purchased a dozen chicks today which I should be getting next week, as the person will be shipping them on Monday. I haven't told my DW yet, I'm gonna wait till I get them to tell her. I'm hoping for a few sunny days so I can do some work on the shed I'm converting to a coop. My neighbors will be gone this weekend so I will take care of letting their chickens out in the day & locking them back up at night. It has been nice having some time off from work but unfortunately I start back up next Tuesday. I have a pig roast planned for memorial day weekend so I have to work the details out over the next couple of weeks. Should have a fairly good amount of people showing up between co-workers & friends. Also, been working on the different ideas I read here for an incubator. I plan on making it out of an old freezer I have around. So far the only things I need to buy are the water heater thermostat and a hygrometer. I have everything else I need on hand. I might also get an automatic egg turner motor, so my total cost out of pocket so far is a bit over $20. Well, I've had a long day & it's time to call it quits.
 
Yeah, it is nice to finally be out of the *winter zone*. I bought some chicks too. Been looking at seeds as well even though I have lots left over. Things are greening up,but it is very muddy out there from a few days of rain.
 
Well, got a few days of rain here as well & woke up to snow, sleet & freezing rain all day today. I haven't started any of my seeds outside yet but I managed to get some work done on preparing the coop a few days ago when it was somewhat nice weather. I worked on two plastic tote brooders today and managed to get one completely done for my reds as they are growing rapidly. Got a message that my dozen chicks will be shipped out next week so I'm excited waiting their arrival. Here's a few pics of my reds and the finished brooder. I improvised the waterer & feeder from various ideas I got on here. Thanks to the great folks @ BYC!!!




 
Thanks b. hromada, I'm hoping she doesn't throw much of a fit. I should be getting the chicks this week since the guy didn't have as good a hatch as he counted on. spotts I believe my chicks are production reds. I was hoping for RIR but this is hat they had at Tractor Supply at the time. I'm thinking about getting a few RIW a bit later on. I managed to build a cage for my doe today & also a nest box as I believe she's gonna be having bunnies towards the beginning of next month. Tried palpation a few days ago but it's been ages since I have done it so I'm not to sure. She does look it so we will see. I have more material for doing another cage but I'll probably do that in a few weeks when I get a bit more time. I have to step it up with finishing up the coop as the chicks are getting a bit crowed where I have them now. Just waiting for good weather & time neither of which seems to be happening now. It was nice having my older brother around and he helped greatly in starting out the coop.
 
We rushed Spring back in February after what the groundhog said, but that guy was wrong! So baby chicks were in the house beyond my normal 6 weeks, and we lost 2 flats of garden starts after they got root bound. Last year was a late start, this year was too early. Sometime we'll get it right! Spring is here though, finally. Seeds are coming up, tomatoes are in, birds are happy. We remodeled the compost pile and made one with 3 sides from cinder block. Harvested about 2 tons of topsoil from the old compost. Took 2 years to get that amount, but man is the color rich!

Added 3 new garden beds this year. Might get a big enough yield this year that I'll have to finally learn to can or buy a freezer. Between the added space and plant variety, and that amazing soil, should be alright if the weather cooperates.

Only added 4 new birds, hatched 6 Swedish Flower chickens, sold one pair and kept 4 pullets. Might be adding some Cream Legbars later, or no more this year. Haven't decided. Turkeys would be fun to do again, but we tore down the extra run last year when we thought we were moving. The area is now garden, worked well with the sand based run substrate tilled in with the fresh new soil from the compost.

We're finally at a point where all of our earlier work is growing into something. Watch, as soon as it's perfect, the stars will align and we'll be moving and starting from scratch again.

A co-worker asked me last week "What's different with you?"... "What do you mean?"... "You seem so happy!".... "Oh, yeah... I'm not hibernating anymore, Spring is here!"
 
Mandelyn I know hat you mean about spring being rushed. It just started feeling like it the end of last week considering it's been around the 20's in the evenings here. I still haven't started my garden but it's at the top of my to do list. Only problem is I've started at the bottom of the list. I worked on my coop some more today and made a bit of progress, Waiting on the poultry netting which I should be getting this coming week. I went chicken crazy yesterday. I was out to buy 6 Rhode Island Whites with perhaps a few being White Leghorns since the person had the chicks together. I got there & found that they also had Rhode Island Reds which ids what I originally wanted when I got my first 6 chicks. I couldn't resist so I ended up getting 6 RIR & 6 RIW/LH. The person threw in 2 extra chicks. I picked the 12 out myself. My wife has no clue I got them or that I have another 12 chicks I ordered a few weeks ago coming soon. I managed to get the coop somewhat where I can keep them safe till I can finish it out of her sight. Thinking I may save an area for a cot cause it's probably where I'll be sleeping when she finds out. My first 6 girls are looking really nice. They've grown so much in the last week.Here are a few picks of the girls & my 14 new acquisition.




 
I finally received my Orloff Wednesday. I was excited & couldn't wait to get home from work. I was supposed to go flying that night & cancelled. The person sent 14 and all but one made it fine. I've been working a bit on the coop after work and plan on adding a brooder. My red sex link are growing steadily & I have to step it up & complete one of the areas I plan on putting them. I won't have a really good time till next weekend to get a lot done, but I plan on putting in a bit of time every day after work this week. The coop is starting to look better each time & I'm excited to see how my birds grow. I've worked up a few ideas on how I want the nest boxes to be for the Layers and hopefully get them done right. I've managed to scrape up recycled material from work which has been handy in what I've completed in the coop. Got a roll of poultry netting today & realized I should have ordered two instead of one. Here's a pic of my Orloff, they are a beautiful bunch. I am gonna enjoy raising this breed.














 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom