Thistlewick Smallholding - Chickens & Sheep (for now)

[TwoCrows]

So today is a gorgeous day, I should be outside, but we're observing No Mow May on all 10 acres of our pastures. So we're just chillin.

I have not been sleeping well. Thanks menopause.

The chicks are 5 days old today and I cannot actually believe how fast they grow.

Is it true about the eyeliner being strong on girls? I just looked through my old pics at George and Chuck -- they looked like girls, but the black eyeliner did NOT stretch up to their comb, it just went from the eye back. It seems like on girls it is a line ALL the way through the eye?

What about tail growth?

Is this all old wives' tales?

Anyway here is some pic spam:
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my heart MELTS at this little one, Ruby we call her, she came out red. We have never had a red chick (except Toffee, and she was a Starlight Green Egger) and Ruby's parents are both Easter Eggers. So... chicken genetics! SHE RUNS to my hand whenever I do anything in the brooder and wants to be held. The first chick I've ever had like this. OMG I wonder if she will stay as sweet.

Watch it's a Rupbert and not a Ruby LOL just my luck.

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^^^ This one is Chocolate's baby. Chocolate AND Chuck were both chipmunk colored - dunno how this one came out all brown. I love chicken genetics! (Name is Cocoa)

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This is Harriet's baby. I should have saved more of her eggs, I need more true blue layers - but this MIGHT be a girl, if Cream Legbar is dominant? we will see...
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Ruby from top - look at her little tail and she is only 5 days old. Gotta be a girl right?! right??
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I think Snow might end up being a Roo but oh man I'd love a Splash hen!! Crossing fingers.

What do ya'll think? Everyone but Snow and one EE has a LONG tail already. Is that really a thing?

Menopause is brutal, been there, done that.

These babies are over the top adorable!

 

[thistlewick]

Are my ladies being over mated??

He's a good rooster but if he's too horny I'll drop him in a hot minute

There are 14 hens for him. If he's over mating that many is there a problem? Is this over mating?

He's 1, just turned. Maybe he will chill? Lol

 

[thistlewick]

If anyone who sees this can tell me if my girls are being over-mated I'd love to hear your thoughts ^^^ in the post above

But, I am making another post because this morning, we went to the farm store where we sell our eggs and they didn't need any! I guess someone got there earlier to sell theirs first

Anyway so we have 5 dozen eggs.

And I did this;

Because why not? 5 Sophia eggs in there, 5 more Maran x EE olive eggers yeahhhhhh also I plucked every single one of Harriet's eggs out for more EE x CCL

Full 22 eggs this time. Did not have them cold in my wine fridge this time, so expecting less viability.

I have found 2 local small animal swaps & we have a small animal auction in town every week, I can def get rid of spare chicks and keep the ones I want.

now all I need is to make a contact for someone to cull and process my chickens and get some meat!

 

[WingItRanch]

Are my ladies being over mated??

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He's a good rooster but if he's too horny I'll drop him in a hot minute

There are 14 hens for him. If he's over mating that many is there a problem? Is this over mating?

He's 1, just turned. Maybe he will chill? Lol

Looks like he has his favorites but it doesn't look too bad. If you're worried, you can get some aprons on his favorite girls.

 

[TwoCrows]

Looks like he has his favorites but it doesn't look too bad. If you're worried, you can get some aprons on his favorite girls.

This. Sometimes roosters have their favorites and some hens are plain out good at avoiding the boys! You might get saddles for the gals that are looking rough. Over mating can be rough in the hens health and if pin feathers are coming in, it can cause pain.

 

[thistlewick]

I just moved the 11 day old chicks down to the bottom brooder -- they were wild in the uptop one - every time I opened the top they would fly all out LOL I've never had chicks grow so fast and be so adventurous.

I need a way to feed them where they don't bill out feed oh my gooddddd they waste so much food lolol

I also left the side door open, with a TINY babysize opening, we will see how that goes.

A couple of times today they jumped down and the most hilarious antics ensued. The 7 week old bunch were terrified of them and ran away. The 12 week olds were pecky/chasey and the adults were like "you small creature what are you d o i n g" and just stared.... lolol

We have so many chickens and so many more and otw.... I can always sell them all and keep the ones I want, and I might.

It's more peaceful with less that's for sure.

Oscar crowed fully for the first time this afternoon, a beautiful little crow. Was proud of him

 

[wrathsfarm]

It's more peaceful with less that's for sure.

Yeah, but where's the fun in that world.

 

[thistlewick]

Yeah, but where's the fun in that world.

I worry about their happiness, I don't want to crowd anyone. The poop is CRAZY -- but my own personal boundary for dealing with poop is LOW, so to me I'm like THIS IS ENOUGH!

There is now fly management (which I did last year too) and I'm over it.

I am just coming to the determination of:

(1) how many chickens do I actually want to sustain
(2) what breeds do I want to maintain
(3) do I want to breed?
(4) if I sell the eggs, it WILL actually cover the cost of feed and bedding
(5) I've reached out to become NPIP certified just in case I want to sell hatching eggs or breed

What breeds?

I'm kinda keen to do Olive Eggers - but that's because I want Olive Eggs...

When I look at Facebook, people LOVE Silkies and Bantams and I really don't have any interest in either one of those.

I think my adhd won't let me pick just ONE.

 

[thistlewick]

Amazing clouds this afternoon

 

[WingItRanch]

Amazing clouds this afternoon

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Beautiful!