The Old Folks Home

[ronott1]

The really sad thing is that for the last almost 6 months I've gone out at 7:30 to take care of the chickens and close all the doors. I'm usually done by ten till 8 and enjoy a leisurely walk back to the house with some light to guide me. Inside and done before 8.

Tonight......it was DARK! Tell me isn't so guys. Surely we can't be heading into fall and then winter already. Can we?

I have a hen on 11 eggs that are due to hatch in about 10 days. Apples are still hanging on the trees ripening. I know for the members in Australia, they are counting the days till their spring begins but I tell ya, I'm not ready. Not by a long shot for winter.

How are you guys doing? You ready for cold weather or are you like me and in a panic to get summer projects finished up before cold weather sets in?

Egg production will start to go down in about 4 weeks. Yes, we are into shorter days and less day light!

 

[microchick]

Egg production will start to go down in about 4 weeks. Yes, we are into shorter days and less day light!

I think my girls are slowing down some. A couple of the roosters are starting to molt and I noticed tonight that their feathers are starting to look a little dull so the hens will probably be joining them soon.

 

[pennyJo1960]

all my 16 month old barred rock are molting but did get smart
all the pullets from this spring have started laying

 

[microchick]

That was what I was hoping for but I only got one pullet out of a spring hatch of 8. She started laying a few weeks ago. The 4 pullets I got from a summer hatch are only 12 weeks old today. Three months to go. I doubt if I'll get lucky enough for them to start to lay before spring. I had a Welly hen last October who was 5 months old. She waited till spring to start laying. Since there are 3 Welly/Buff O crosses in the summer hatch, I have my doubts if they will start laying until near spring. The other is a Orpington, Lavender/Buff cross. I'm hoping she may start laying before spring.

Tonight I saw my very laid back 7 mo old Buff O cockerel chase after a 12 week old Welsummer pullet with the intention of having his way with her. Needless to say she wasn't obliging but she looks a lot more mature than she really is. Sometimes you just never know with these girls.

 

[ronott1]

That was what I was hoping for but I only got one pullet out of a spring hatch of 8. She started laying a few weeks ago. The 4 pullets I got from a summer hatch are only 12 weeks old today. Three months to go. I doubt if I'll get lucky enough for them to start to lay before spring. I had a Welly hen last October who was 5 months old. She waited till spring to start laying. Since there are 3 Welly/Buff O crosses in the summer hatch, I have my doubts if they will start laying until near spring. The other is a Orpington, Lavender/Buff cross. I'm hoping she may start laying before spring.

Tonight I saw my very laid back 7 mo old Buff O cockerel chase after a 12 week old Welsummer pullet with the intention of having his way with her. Needless to say she wasn't obliging but she looks a lot more mature than she really is. Sometimes you just never know with these girls.

If you hatch them out in January to early march, they will usually lay eggs through the winter.

 

[Beer can]

Most of my birds hatched in May or bought in May layed all winter, IMHO and experience, if they start laying towards the winter months they just keep going. Have used supplemental light here with production reds, tons of eggs all winter. No longer use lights, figure give them a break. My giants and EEgrs laid all winter anyways. My giants if I remember right, got them in the beginning of July, started laying in the shortest of days and coldest of February and laid everyday. Maybe people in warmer areas can hatch early, I do not want to.

 

[Beer can]

Just ordered these potato onions, been wanting to try them for yrs, they grow like potatoes and are super long storage. Figure I'll give them a try, also ordered Egyptian walking onions. Both are only available in the fall.
http://www.southernexposure.com/yellow-potato-onion-20-oz-p-1472.html

 

[superchemicalgirl]

The last 2 nights it has been fall-like. Lows in the high 40's to low 50's. I love it. It is going to warm back up after tonight, though.

I am mentally ready for winter - I have absolutely had my fair share (and then some) of (hot and crispy) summer. I only worry about my well. It won't be replenished in winter so I hope fall is rainy. I'm not ready for winter physically, yet. The garden is still out of control, but is starting to slow down. I'm still making baby warted gourds, I still have one pumpkin plant growing a pumpkin and my hummingbirds are shockingly still here. I have about 3 or 4 days of significant winter prep ahead of me, but not yet.


This morning I got up at 0420, went outside and did my farm chores, then came back in. I don't have to be up until 0500, and I was still pretty tired so I laid back down in bed. Well, couldn't sleep. But instead of getting up, I decided to read the news on my phone. I'm trying to be somewhat quiet and not too bright since BF is sleeping.

Turn the phone on, settle into an article, and all of a sudden the light from the phone illuminates a giant spider walking next to my left eye on the pillow. I tell myself to be calm, BF is still sleeping and it probably isn't a spider. Mildly panicked, I identify long thin legs and IT IS MOVING. Not waking BF up is now not an option because this calls for full freak out mode. I fly up out of bed while simultaneously attacking my pillow with my hand. I feel the hard shell of the spider in my hand. I might have screamed. I turn the bedside light on. BF is now wide awake, asks me if it is a spider and when I confirm asks me whether I'd like the Glock, too.

He didn't make me breakfast this morning.

 

[bruceha2000]

Just ordered these potato onions, been wanting to try them for yrs, they grow like potatoes and are super long storage. Figure I'll give them a try, also ordered Egyptian walking onions. Both are only available in the fall.
http://www.southernexposure.com/yellow-potato-onion-20-oz-p-1472.html

Onions that are planted in the fall? And they don't die over the winter with 3'-4' of frozen ground then rot when it thaws??

Most of my birds hatched in May or bought in May layed all winter, IMHO and experience, if they start laying towards the winter months they just keep going. Have used supplemental light here with production reds, tons of eggs all winter. No longer use lights, figure give them a break. My giants and EEgrs laid all winter anyways. My giants if I remember right, got them in the beginning of July, started laying in the shortest of days and coldest of February and laid everyday. Maybe people in warmer areas can hatch early, I do not want to.

Where did you get your EEs? No winter laying from my Ideal EEs, have to wait and see about those I got from Meyer June last year. They have yet to have their first adult moult though I have noticed a distinctly lower number of eggs from my flock in the last couple of weeks. Only my WRs and nonstandard BAs are still pretty much producing as they have all year. The Ancona and one Faverolles are coming out of their moult, the other Fav is going in. The Favs are occasionally laying, haven't seen anything from the Ancona since mid July. In the past she has started up again 6-7 weeks after starting her moult so maybe she will be back online soon though based on history not for much more than a few weeks. And being over 4 years old now, I expect she'll not improve on her that

 

[Wisher1000]

The last 2 nights it has been fall-like. Lows in the high 40's to low 50's. I love it. It is going to warm back up after tonight, though.

I am mentally ready for winter - I have absolutely had my fair share (and then some) of (hot and crispy) summer. I only worry about my well. It won't be replenished in winter so I hope fall is rainy. I'm not ready for winter physically, yet. The garden is still out of control, but is starting to slow down. I'm still making baby warted gourds, I still have one pumpkin plant growing a pumpkin and my hummingbirds are shockingly still here. I have about 3 or 4 days of significant winter prep ahead of me, but not yet.


This morning I got up at 0420, went outside and did my farm chores, then came back in. I don't have to be up until 0500, and I was still pretty tired so I laid back down in bed. Well, couldn't sleep. But instead of getting up, I decided to read the news on my phone. I'm trying to be somewhat quiet and not too bright since BF is sleeping.

Turn the phone on, settle into an article, and all of a sudden the light from the phone illuminates a giant spider walking next to my left eye on the pillow. I tell myself to be calm, BF is still sleeping and it probably isn't a spider. Mildly panicked, I identify long thin legs and IT IS MOVING. Not waking BF up is now not an option because this calls for full freak out mode. I fly up out of bed while simultaneously attacking my pillow with my hand. I feel the hard shell of the spider in my hand. I might have screamed. I turn the bedside light on. BF is now wide awake, asks me if it is a spider and when I confirm asks me whether I'd like the Glock, too.

He didn't make me breakfast this morning.

Did you take him up on the Glock?

One of the things I had planned for on the Alabama trip was a range day. I had DH ready an assortment of our personal guns to lay out and shoot. It just didn't work into our schedule.... too bad, we have some fun pistols (.22 long, .357 mag revolver, a black powder one, and of course, .40 and .45 semi autos) and an assortment of long guns for hunting (too numerous to list but rifles, shotguns, and the occasional assault rifle.....)

...... and I WOULD make you breakfast! How about some fluffy light pancakes? I happen to have some real maple syrup.