The Front Porch Swing

[LeslieDJoyce]

Good job

Leghorns are loud but egg machines. I was think about the Excaliber Leghorns. So pretty and the disposition is more docile and quieter.

Ha! My Brown Leghorns are super loud! I just thought it was me.

 

[Triple Willow]

Thanks! Wait, they are loud? These girls seem very calm and not at all flighty like I have heard and I figured since they were in a new area they would be at their worst.  Maybe they are being on their best behavior right now so I won't get rid of them, then when they settle in...... They were also raised by kids so maybe that has something to do with it.

Excaliber Leghorns are VERY pretty!!!  Never in a million years would I think I would have Leghorns, but then again never thought I would fall in love with Cubalaya's either....Chickens!!!

I've got a couple of White Leghorn hens and they are not flighty or loud either. I also have an Ancona hen, she's not loud or flighty. You would never know she is around at all. Now the Delawares ...ahhh shut to the up paleeze!!

Oh, and beautiful birds. I would mind having a few of those.

 

[Beekissed]

Got a good feeling about this broody of mine as a foster mama if I want to give her these ducklings to raise when she hatches her clutch and even later when I give her the chicks I am hatching. She has been letting the 2 mo. RIR chicks and that huge duckling of the same age sleep with her as she broods her eggs on these cold nights. They are all snuggled up to her on all sides! I never would have dreamed she would let them do that because she is a pretty nasty, bossy hen towards little ones when she's out and about. Those broody hormones sure do soften a gal up!

So glad to have those meaties gone!!! They were sleeping in my nest boxes and pooping them all up, getting picked on by all the adult birds and they were underfoot everywhere I went...moochy and sweet little birds but still a grand big nuisance.

What a wonderfully beautiful day it's been! Right at sundown the sky got all pinky peachy and it rained while the sun was still shining and the clouds were magnificent to see just towering and in shades of purple and mauve. I am loving this cool weather like an all you can eat hot wing special!

Thought I worked my butt off today but when I walked past the mirror it was still there....dang it.

 

[Triple Willow]

Today was gorgeous once again....cool, sunny with clouds, absolutely dreamy!  Worked on one project for most of the day that didn't turn out well and was the most frustrating project I'd ever done...and it's still not done.  And it was supposed to be about an hour's worth of work, tops.  Grrrr!  But, I was outside, breathing the fresh air and getting dirty all over again, so I'm not complaining much...life is good and God is great! 

Gave the ducklings some worms today and they finally caught on...good nutrition and good for them to practice their foraging skills.  They are loving their little brooder, the heated swimming pool and all the other "warm" things.  I'm praying they fare well from here on out because I really love the looks of them and the older KC I have is a dynamo forager and wild as a snake. 

Around here it's best if the livestock isn't too friendly...they tend to hang out by the back steps and mooch, or get in your way with every chore and mooch, or hang around and mooch when you are trying to relax....a little  moochy is good but when you can't walk through the yard or sit down without being covered over, it gets a little much.   Mom likes it if they stay "up there" in the upper half of the yard and leave their little packages where we don't walk.  Dream on. 

Sure is very quiet around here today without the meaties...I hadn't realized just how much noise a few meaties can make but I'm sure glad to be done with it.  I may get a few in August to raise for fall processing..that's when the forage is most high here and they can finish out when it's cool so the heat won't affect them so very much.  Or I may just get the cheap meat roosters that are advertised free around here and get my meat for free. 

I know what you mean about moochy birds. These CX about drove me nuts until I figured out how to get them out of the way so I could walk - a piece of blue tarp waved in front of you will shew them right away.Thank God! I was so afraid I was going to step on one or they were going to make me fall.

Speaking of snakes... my hens got their first little snake the other day. The race was on! lol They wouldn't even let me see what kind it was.

A face only a mother could love.

 

[RachaelS]

Okay ended up doing a well balanced meal, all the major food groups, potato's, chicken, cream cheese, bread crumbs....It is actually hash brown potatoes, mixed with shredded chicken, cream of chicken soup, onions, white Cheddar cheese and some fresh peas from the garden. Topped with bread crumbs mixed with butter. Sounds healthy right????

But I am down it very little and making do with what is in there, o'h and the back of the hash brown bag gave me the idea, just changed it a little.

 

[Beekissed]

Yes! The snakes are really active this year, aren't they? They came out much earlier than usual and this is the first time we've seen a black snake out in the open here for some years now. I was searching through the outbuilding and saw a snake skin...we usually see a few in the building each year, of these little brown snakes. This is the same building I am brooding my little ducklings adjacent to. I placed moth balls all around their brooder but not where they could reach them. Hoping that keeps the black snake off them until I can hand them off to a good mama hen.

I could watch these ducklings all day long...they are much more entertaining than chicks because they are just goofballs. It's like watching a comedy show. Add a nice little bowl of water and the entertainment factor goes much higher. Is there anything cuter than the way they poop? Back up and squirt! Even though they are stoopid and fragile, I still think they are just the berries!

 

[Triple Willow]

@Bee... How much would you guess your CX averaged? I dnt believe mine are near ready. Fixing to up their feed.

 

[Beekissed]

Okay ended up doing a well balanced meal, all the major food groups, potato's, chicken, cream cheese, bread crumbs....It is actually hash brown potatoes, mixed with shredded chicken, cream of chicken soup, onions, white Cheddar cheese and some fresh peas from the garden. Topped with bread crumbs mixed with butter. Sounds healthy right????

But I am down it very little and making do with what is in there, o'h and the back of the hash brown bag gave me the idea, just changed it a little.

It sounds wonderful!!!

Now must go raid the fridge or cupboard for something on which to gnaw.....

 

[lazy gardener]

Rachael: Sounds yummy, but, is it really a balanced meal if there's no chocolate??? Bee, what a sweet broody. Your ducks sound so sweet. I'd love to have some for the summer... but not so sure about the winter!

Rainy all day here today. coming down in buckets. Wanted to get some perches up in the chick tractor, but between the rain, and having an extra grand child for the last 4 days, and my 7 y.o. being sick, I never got around to it. They did get 1/2 of a pallet to perch on. tomorrow may be better, but supposed to be rainy most of the week. Even when it's raining, I'd rather be out slopping around in it than stuck inside the house.

 

[Triple Willow]

   Yes!  The snakes are really active this year, aren't they?  They came out much earlier than usual and this is the first time we've seen a black snake out in the open here for some years now.   I was searching through the outbuilding and saw a snake skin...we usually see a few in the building each year, of these little brown snakes.  This is the same building I am brooding my little ducklings adjacent to.  I placed moth balls all around their brooder but not where they could reach them.  Hoping that keeps the black snake off them until I can hand them off to a good mama hen. 

I could watch these ducklings all day long...they are much more entertaining than chicks because they are just goofballs.  It's like watching a comedy show.  Add a nice little bowl of water and the entertainment factor goes much higher.  Is there anything cuter than the way they poop?  Back up and squirt! Even though they are stoopid and fragile, I still think they are just the berries!   

Oh I agree on the ducks. I hope it works out to where I can get some this year.

I've seen four snakes around the house and one skin so far. But three of the snakes were tiny. I haven't seen any of our BIG snakes yet. I'd like to see what my hens would do with a big snake. These ol' girls are pretty dang vicious. I have a feeling they would try to kill it and maybe even try to eat it. We have several rabbits around here. The other day I was sitting watching the birds free range and a rabbit ran by and around the corner. Then in a few seconds the rabbit came running back and one of my White Leghorn hens came flying through the air around the corner feet first after the rabbit. I guess she was trying to Hong Kong Phooey him. LOL