Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[itsren]

lol It's very interesting to me to hear about how others feel about the holidays. I once had a co-worker tell me that she celebrated the holidays because they were so much fun. But then she spent the next few weeks in tears because of all the pressure she was feeling about the holidays. I just didn't get it. If your crying all the time, then it can't be that much fun as far as I can see.

I do understand how the kids can still enjoy it. I also understand that there is something special about seeing a wrapped gift. There is a wonderful sense of anticipation that is wrapped up in the package. I have found that I enjoy looking at a wrapped gift even when the gift is for someone else, and I know whats in the box. lol It must have something to do with the waiting to open up a surprise.

All this holiday talk reminds me of a scrapbook page I did way back when...



I grew up in a home where "if" we had a tree, it was not decorated much. Our only tree decorations where donated to us from our church - they were plastic apples. Our tree usually arrived on Christmas Eve when the tree lots were clearing them out. I remember years where the Boy Scouts delivered the only presents we had. When we'd ask why Santa brought other kids presents, but we didn't get any, my mom would tell us that Santa knew other children needed things more than we did.

My husband grew up in a family where holidays are a big deal and he cherishes the holidays, along with the rest of his family. We've adopted his family's lifestyle toward holidays and I do enjoy it, but the work of it does come down on me. That part gets frustrating. I do all the decorations and usually hang the outside lights, too. There's a lot that goes into it. But, I do it for my kids in hopes that they will grow up and cherish the holidays the way their daddy, aunt and uncles do.

To make the holidays easier, I've learned how to plan ahead. I've had all my kid's Christmas shopping completed for a month now. In November I'll begin to work on Christmas cards. Decorating for Christmas has always been the stickler since my eldest's birthday is in the beginning of December and we don't decorate until his birthday is over. That's what puts me under pressure. By the time I'm done with his birthday party, I'm usually wiped out and have absolutely no desire to decorate for a while.

 

[itsren]

I have a girl chipper too, but I need to get the blade sharpened on it before it would be up to chipping much. I have found that I don't need heavier equipment most of the time. So the semi whimpy equipment seems to handle most of the jobs that come up on a city lot. If I was living out on a couple more acres I would definitely need to have real yard equipment. I normally hate to work with bad equipment. I have found that I can always rent Uf Da equipment if I can't manage with what I own.

I messed up big time the day I asked my husband if I could have a small chipper for my birthday. I accidentally cut my hand with the pruning saw that very day - then he said absolutely no way would he trust me with a chipper.

 

[itsren]

Here's Latte at 2 weeks. She's 1/2 SF and 1/2 not-a-clue. She hatched out of a cream egg. Any new thoughts on pullet vs. roo?







I'm pretty much assuming Cocoa and Roca are roos.

Blackie's an EE, and will take longer to figure out. If Latte is possibly a pullet, I'd love to know, so I can plan to add at least one to my little flock.

 

[SadieSue]

BBS is three different colors. You have to choose, blue, black or splash. Lol!

What I was trying to say is that I realize I'm not limited to just a black roo for my black girl, but maybe could consider either a blue, black, or splash boy for her.

If you have a black pullet, and get a black boy for her, you will have all black chicks.
If you get a splash boy for her, you will get all blue chicks.
If you get a blue boy for her, you will get 50% black chicks and 50% blue chicks, no splash.

For those wanting to understand the BBS thing better, think of a blue bird as having one diluter gene to black and one black gene. So if bred with a black bird, two things can happen, as each bird throws out one gene. Black only has black, so will throw out a black gene. Blue can throw black also (result is black chick), or it can throw the diluter gene, which dilutes the other birds black gene, and results in a blue chick.

Splash birds have two copies of the diluter gene. So if you breed two splashes together, they both throw a diluter gene and you have only splash chicks.

Now if you breed two blue birds, lots of things can happen. Each bird can throw black, which results in black chicks 25% of the time. Or one can throw the blue diluter gene, and one can throw black, which results in blue chicks 50% of the time, or , they both can throw a diluter gene, which results in splash 25% of the time.


Remember the chart:

Black x black = 100% black
Black x blue = 50% black and 50% blue
Blue x blue = 25% splash, 50% blue, 25% black
Blue x Splash = 50% blue and 50% splash
Splash x Splash = 100% splash

Good explanation, thank you. Genetics is a mysterious business to those of us who haven't studied it!

 

[TerrorBird]

Here's Latte at 2 weeks. She's 1/2 SF and 1/2 not-a-clue. She hatched out of a cream egg. Any new thoughts on pullet vs. roo?







I'm pretty much assuming Cocoa and Roca are roos.

Blackie's an EE, and will take longer to figure out. If Latte is possibly a pullet, I'd love to know, so I can plan to add at least one to my little flock.

WHAT A SWEETHEART! I'm by no means an expert, but I'm guessing that it's a pullet.

 

[Chicken Rustler]

Quote:
BUT

 

[SadieSue]

*can't figure how to edit on the iPad. I'm actually considering a BBS boy to go with my black pullet in the spring. Not just a black roo...

BBS is three different colors. You have to choose, blue, black or splash. Lol!

What I was trying to say is that I realize I'm not limited to just a black roo for my black girl, but maybe could consider either a blue, black, or splash boy for her.


I was just being lazy and trying to use as few words as possible to explain.


Isn't that true though? IF I were to use a black hen for breeding, depending on the ratio of BBS babies I'd want, I could choose one of the 3 color varieties for the baby daddy?


There. Now I've used a lot more words to clarify. That was a lot more work...

I know. I was just giving you a hard time. I didn't mean for you to write a book. I was hoping you were going to give a hint of what you would prefer. Lol! Sorry!

Pshaw KMH, no worries, no apologies needed! It opened the door for some good edumacation and I can always use more of that!

 

[JennS]

Here are a few more pics of my little flock. When I sat down to gather mealworms for the chicks tonight, someone wanted first crack! Tikka thought she was a pigeon:



My SF pullet is getting in lots of salmon feathers. She's starting to look like a feathered box, she's so broad:



Here is the SF cockerel. I hope he turns out pretty. Any way to tell at this age?



I finally made it outside to plant my garlic. I got a little carried away and filled the whole bed.

And then filled half of a 4X4 bed as well. Now I just need to figure out where to put my leeks. They were supposed to go in the 4X8 bed with the garlic! After I took the pic, I carefully moved all the rows a little ways over and added another row. I planted 8 varieties of garlic (7 hardneck and 1 artichoke) plus a row of elephant garlic.


I've got a ton of garlic left from this year's harvest. I wish I had more room to plant more!

Jennifer

 

[Greg Richardson]

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[Gigirg]

Hi, new here and would like some information on where you all get your chicks from. Local or mail order? I would prefer local, but I am looking for silkie bantams and have not seen many of those.

Thanks and I am enjoying reading all of the posts!

Gigi