What did you do with your flock today?

[TropicalBabies]

I had intensions of putting up the net today so they could get out of the duck house sooner than later but it is so windy I have to wait for my husband. I think my netting would tear before I got it up. And I would ask my second oldest to help me but she has a basketball game tonight and in school. They are ok though. I have put food and water for them in there and they have so much space. Rain is also coming, so I’m hoping my husband and I can get the net up before it gets here. He said that he would do it no matter if it was raining or not but I also don’t need him getting sick again.

On to the chickens, I let them out this morning and one more pullet is equating for Ying. That one is a Barred Plymouth Rock. I’m not sure if it is Salt or Pepper or if the other one is even squatting for him. Getting closer to eggs. I need to figure something out for them to use as fake eggs. I’m gonna try Easter eggs and see if that works for now.

It's probably not a bad idea for them to hang in the coop for a few days. That way they will know where home is. ♡

 

[TropicalBabies]

Yeah I just don't "know" anyone with bantams. My friend has standard size chickens and pretty sure even her young boys she's trying to rehome are bigger than Joey. I'd hate for him to get hurt...any worse.
I just felt so awful for sweet Bluey! THAT is the kind of boy a flock needs though! Gentle and sweet!
Maybe I've made Joey the way he is by luvin on him too much since he was a chick.
I didn't really do that with Bluey cuz he was more hesitant and like a girl.
I've created this monstrous Joey!

Maybe you should choose the more suited one and let the other go. You will now have more boys with your hatch and start this process all over again that or build a Batchelor coop. I don't see these 2 co-mingling. Sorry I forgot you had 2 when suggesting you ship Joey off to establishe roo camp.
When I go feed the horses this morning I will get a photo of all the boys harmoniously coexisting. It's amazing. The girls are terrorized and scarce though.
@FBMcrazy8 get a couple goats first lol. Horses need lots of time, $, and you or your kids can get seriously hurt. Has you or your dh had horses b4? How much land are you guys sitting on?

 

[TropicalBabies]

So, I didn’t get a chance to get on here much at all yesterday. We were SSOOO busy! We woke up and I honestly don’t remember how the conversation started but I know I hinted to my husband that the coop is almost done and that I wanted to find out if the lady still happened to have ducks. So my WONDERFUL husband messaged her and she DID! So we busted butt yesterday (hard to say since it’s only 12:43am ). We got the coop done! The only thing we didn’t get done was the netting on the top. But we THOUGHT that they would either be flightless (they clip their wings) or they hadn’t grown them in yet. (It was super windy or it would have been up anyway) Well when we picked up my 4 white calls…we were told that they weren’t clipped and would fly. In fact before we left one fly out of her fence that was over 7’ high. Luckily by the time we got home it was time for them to go into the duck house. So they will stay there until I get the net up tomorrow. I’m a little too nervous to clip their wings. Especially since they don’t really like being handled yet.

We did end up telling her what happened. She asked what other ones we got, and we found out why she asking, but we told her our story, and then she also told hers. In her breeding pen she has 40 breeding ducks. Well apparently she knew it wasn’t completely predator proof but hadn’t had any problems. Until a weasel got in and killed only 9 of her ducks. Some of her most expensive ones but she is happy that he didn’t get to all of them. She was asking us because we might have gotten ones that she needed to complete a pair. I felt so bad but at the same time relieved because we are both living and learning.

I did tell her that I would be back in the spring for Silvers and Snowys. She only had whites left, which I’m ok with. But she had someone flack on her to get all of the ducks. It was meant to be. She told us and her husband that she would rather they went to us than anyone else anyway. I think it has more to do with my kids, she just loves them. She shows them the horses every time we go out there and the donkeys. My second youngest got to get on one. My son (only 2) did not like the horses we seen first…still. But the horses that need special care are by the donkeys and he just feel in love with the 2 of them. Especially one that is really fighting. I can’t remember what all she has wrong but she doesn’t shed her fur right and she does have COPD. This lady breed her but sold her and got her back because the people she sold her to, one passed away and the other couldn’t take care of her anymore. But she said they didn’t do a very good job at it anyway. My husband now wants a horse. I told him that I would be ok with that but we get them from her.

Anyway I’m super happy to have my ducks!!! I just can’t stop checking on them. The last time I was sleeping this bad over something breathing was after my son was born because he was a month early.

Look at all you guys have accomplished in such a short time ♡♡♡ amazing!

 

[TropicalBabies]

Today was very low key…I survived all my coaching without incident and we won volleyball and tied at soccer…so it was worth powering through to make sure the kids got to play! Soccer was tough though—was over 45 mins away, I was coaching alone (other coach on a vacation), played a team who’s coach was telling them to elbow and push, the other team had a ringer who used the F word and pushed and stepped on feet and such, and the ref was old and old school and let a LOT of it go as “soccer is a physical sport” So one of my parents came over to yell at the ref about his unfair calls and all the while I’m thinking…how far away is the bathroom Had girls crying over goals and mean words and unfair calls, one of my girls flopped in true soccer style so ref would see the girl pushing her…it was super. Volunteer for the kids! They say…it’s worth it and fun!! They say…

I noticed on my chicken cam, the little splash Cochin baby Ariana Sushi huddled in a corner and brought her in. Her poops looked a bit bloody so I started treating her for coccidiosis and later in the day she had a poop with worms in it, so I also started her with dewormer. I hope she makes it through the night, I’m so scarred after having Axel die after deworming I am not surprised she is sick though—she’s one of the weird animals that will happily eat her own poop droppings Quickest way to get sick with worms and parasites and I’m hoping she grows out of this habit if she makes itShe’s always been small and behind the others, but manages to do all the chicken things anyway so fingers crossed.

Also my white d’Anver eggs are already on Day 10. I got 19 eggs and after candling tonight, I have 3 I feel really good about and one that’s iffy. The iffy one seems a bit overly saddled and veining is weaker, so my guess is it will make it to lockdown and then be DIS. Two have really strong vessels and movement, so hoping for at least two to hatch

Looking forward to a cool temps week and some time in the AM with my babies. I’ve missed them!

K. Seriously sounds awesome. I'm so glad you did not get stuck in the bathroom and miss any of it.

what's your hatch date?

Why have we not seen any of @Gammas Bearded Babies chicks? Hatched right? IDK, sometimes I get a little turned around on this thread lol.

I think I will call the gal later today. I feel empowered by you ladies words. I am grateful and thank you all very much for having my back on that. I was feeling pretty schmuckey about the whole thing. Don't like people who are not good to their word.
Don't want to do another hatch... will be hard pressed and I am sure she will be over me at this point and I am going to be ok with that. My flock is hopping and I have to make some cuts. I have @ least 2 cockerels and more juggling. Oh! Speaking of which, I had better get out there. Extra chores today buy I am kicking some butt.

 

[FBMcrazy8]

Maybe you should choose the more suited one and let the other go. You will now have more boys with your hatch and start this process all over again that or build a Batchelor coop. I don't see these 2 co-mingling. Sorry I forgot you had 2 when suggesting you ship Joey off to establishe roo camp.
When I go feed the horses this morning I will get a photo of all the boys harmoniously coexisting. It's amazing. The girls are terrorized and scarce though.
@FBMcrazy8 get a couple goats first lol. Horses need lots of time, $, and you or your kids can get seriously hurt. Has you or your dh had horses b4? How much land are you guys sitting on?

Yes, my husband has had horses in the past and one of my uncles did that I helped with. I know they are very expensive just like cows. I think my husband might have been living in the moment because the boy he wanted was just so sweet and loving. But she already had him sold. We have 3.5 acres. The people that lived here before us had horses and originally there was a LARGE barn here that had cows and horses in it. I think even pigs. The tall grass you see in some of the pictures of the chicken coop is all ours. It goes out a ways. Space isn’t really a concern, we would only have one or two horses IF we got them. And it would be a while before we got them. We talked to her about the property space and she gave us some ideas, which I’m hoping to just use for goats first. I want to start off with small animals before going big. And her horses aren’t going anywhere. She has Arabians and pony’s. She has been doing an Arabian and pony mix, which is what this boy is. This is really just a dream thing right now. But I did want to know if goats and horses could do ok together, preferably miniature goats, so if in the future we become more serious about horses I have the answer.

 

[FBMcrazy8]

It's probably not a bad idea for them to hang in the coop for a few days. That way they will know where home is. ♡

Right. I just hate it..feel bad for them. But at least they are safe and have food and water and have plenty of space. I think they are going to give me a hard time going in at night. Maybe this set though I will find a treat they will love. The last set they could care less about anything I tried to give them.

 

[FBMcrazy8]

Look at all you guys have accomplished in such a short time ♡♡♡ amazing!

Thank you! I’m so happy with it!

 

[FBMcrazy8]

K. Seriously sounds awesome. I'm so glad you did not get stuck in the bathroom and miss any of it.

what's your hatch date?

Why have we not seen any of @Gammas Bearded Babies chicks? Hatched right? IDK, sometimes I get a little turned around on this thread lol.

I think I will call the gal later today. I feel empowered by you ladies words. I am grateful and thank you all very much for having my back on that. I was feeling pretty schmuckey about the whole thing. Don't like people who are not good to their word.
Don't want to do another hatch... will be hard pressed and I am sure she will be over me at this point and I am going to be ok with that. My flock is hopping and I have to make some cuts. I have @ least 2 cockerels and more juggling. Oh! Speaking of which, I had better get out there. Extra chores today buy I am kicking some butt.

I don’t blame you for not wanting to do another hatch! You have been hatching a whole lot of cuties! She can wait until you want to start up again or find someone else. You have to do what is best for you and your flock!

I think I have seen a picture of one of her hatch’s…but I could be wrong too. I’m always looking at little cute chick pics that I can’t keep it very straight! I feel horrible

 

[TropicalBabies]

I don’t blame you for not wanting to do another hatch! You have been hatching a whole lot of cuties! She can wait until you want to start up again or find someone else. You have to do what is best for you and your flock!

I think I have seen a picture of one of her hatch’s…but I could be wrong too. I’m always looking at little cute chick pics that I can’t keep it very straight! I feel horrible

Well... you have been kind of busy lol. Your excuse is totally legit. Think mine is age and a little manly chaos. Terrific husband but man, so much energy needs to be directed that way it is exhausting. Everything is so calm now and I personally have accomplished so much in less than 24. Welp. I'm gunna enjoy the next six and see how much I can scratch off my list.

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

Oh between grandsons, DH just coming back from outta town, critter after critter, etc...and n don't forget bout the "boys" I hadn't had time to get pics of em!
The one color wise that I need is thus far easily identified by a dark beak! Otherwise they look very similar at the point...a few subtle differences here and there but all look mottled though weren't labeled that.
I was makin bread this morning and three of em were standing at the side of the brooder watching me as if I was makin them a treat...they see me comin and come running up to the sides!
I luv to see a moma hen raising the babies...but I sure do luv getting to be the moma hen lolol!
Oh....and the pecking order is definitely getting a shuffle here and there...my sweet Lizzie just had a Kung fu panda on lil Coco...so lots going on here in the coop!
And DH surprised me and put together their new nesting boxes...nothing as nice as if I had found an old vintage one but I'm not gonna complain! I do wonder if I should do some fabric streamers along the front to give em some privacy and make it a bit dark...then a panel across the backside to block out sun and wind....thoughts?

Gotta run errands then hopefully I can get pics tonight.

Hatch⁶2022 Cochins.mp4

• Gammas Bearded Babies
• Oct 21, 2022