Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[raimnel]

rain is the WORST part of having cornish X. I am drenched. well that will learn me. deal with them between rain showers. last night I was sooooo dumb founded that that 6 1/2 week old was some how out of her pen and with the big chickens, that I forgot to cover up the cornish X and take their feed. so guess who was outside this a.m. covering them up @ 5am.... not my husband!

Then I came in and couldn't get back to sleep so I sat at the computer and designed that t-shirt with the hen that says "Got eggs?" it looks good. I was designing one for my cousin whos bday is Fri. I gotta run to appleton today for some things for makeing the shirt.... mainly the shirt

ok enough rambling. now I got a Q..... do you guys let ur chickens (say 11 weeks and older) out to play in the rain? I tried to sneak in the coop but was mauld when I opened the door and some got out, so I just let them all go out?!

IDK if that was ok but they wanted out BAD! My DH is working on plans for a chicken door in the people door. we have a chicken door but it goes into the run and is for the babies. this one has to be special, cause the rain comes from that direction. aarrggg!

any ways, I'm out of coffee now time to get things done. Hope u all have a good day!!

 

[Sweetfolly]

Quote:
I know this wasn't directed at me - but that's from the first Harry Potter book. It always makes me smile when I read it.

Yes, and you have to say it in a slightly snobby British tone too

You know, I just realized that when I read it, in my head, I really am reading it with a British accent!

More Runner ducklings hatching today! Just a very small batch, 5 eggs, and it looks like 3 or 4 of those are going to hatch. Two more weeks and the incubators can be shut off, cleaned up, and put away until next spring!

 

[babylady4]

THEY'RE HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But first pics of the older three.....

The one in the middle is the one I hatched out, the other 2 are the ones I bought from AlpineRanch....

And here are the babies!!!!!

The Postmaster called me at 7AM to let me know these had arrived. Very nice guy, he had to wittness the box contents to see if everyone was still kicking (and they are). He then asked me if I was going to feed them to a snake (smart alec...). When I got them home they were leaping out of the box! My bigger ducks were scared of them, all huddled in the corner of their 'kennel'.

Gave the babies water right away and they all ran over and did their thing like pros. Then I gave them their food. A little apprehension at first but after a bit the figured out what it was. One of the mallard looking ones managed to eat a piece of dry food that must have been a bit too big for the little buggar. He was doing a lot of head shaking and gagging until I got some water down his throat.... stinker. All are doing well and taking a nap under the heat lamp.

Now, off to grout all that tile (and yes I know I should have done it already but I have been working....)

 

[Dr HaHa]

Busted out laughing annarie and amyable about the accent I do the same thing with all the various lines from things. Glad I'm not alone in my weirdness. Huh keedokes? Look I came here for an arguement! raimnel the mention of rain on a CX brought back the smell. Powerful stuff that memory. Think that as long as your birds are feathered out they would be fine in the rain as long as it's not cold and have access to shelter. Still would like to know who first said madder than a wet hen. Unless it's pouring the girls are out in it. And have seen them find haven in the woods if it is. The not so lil ones made it through the night unscathed but there was a rukus while I was hooking up the trailer. Went and looked Lefty was throwing a fit 3 of the slw's were in a nonused nest box [probably hiding] and it was just WRONG! Went to the BFF's and put the topper back on the truck and loaded up the wood he cut and hauled out for me. Have to go out and unload it but waiting for the bread to rise. Lookin good! Found out that the burner on the stove heats to 80* at it' slowest setting, seems to be working. 2 loaves coming up.

Supposed to rain this weekend need to get some more flour and make some rolls and buns and want to make a couple of loaves of simnomin bread. Oldest DD called it that when she was little. TO not much for skeeters here yet and know I'll pay for typing that but have my own personal squadron of dragon flies man their good! Which reminds me I cut out 2 bat houses and only put up one to see it would work. Hope all the pieces are still there for the second one. That's on the last unsifted through and organized garage wall.

Bread is lookin good think I have it figured out now. Bigz tell Suzie thanks for the whisk idea it works great! Would have thought that I would have figured that out a long time ago but then there's a long list of that.

 

[Dr HaHa]

BL4 those are just way too cute! Excellent pics! Proud mama.

 

[babylady4]

Thanks! I forgot to add my oldest DD took those so she gets all the credit! Thanks B!

 

[Sweetfolly]

Quote:
Awesome!

Wow - the one you hatched is a black bibbed/magpie - never would have expected that! And the new babies - I see three "Gray" (Mallard-Colored), a White, a solid Black one, and one that's going to look just like the one you hatched out!

Hey, are either of yours from AlpineRanch quacking yet? They're getting to that age, and I'm impatiently waiting to know if mine are boys or girls. I think I have two girls and a boy from her though - two are definately louder with "grainier" peeps, and the other is quieter. I'm really excited - I think my little "Sprinkles" is a girl - she has the shortest, proper Call duck bill out of the bunch, I'd love to breed her to my lonely White drake!

But, if I don't have any girls, AlpineRanch's Calls have another nest going now...she was going to e-mail me if any different colors hatched out....

 

[babylady4]

Annarie, I have no quackers yet that I am aware of. The oldest one has a very raspy peep going on, and the kids swear they have heard a quack or two out of it but I have no idea. I am still placing my bets that the black-faced one is a male by how he holds his tail; it is always very erect.

I LOVE the little black one! It has a bibbed pattern on it right now, I am hoping it will become all black when it is older! The one that look like a white has a very faint grey pattern on her; I was thinking it might be a buff or a pastel since the markings ar so light. If it is a white duck, would it not be all yellow without any markings at all?

The speckeled one is close to how the one I hatched is marked, but mine was much lighter with the markings; not so black.....

I can't wait to see how they mature and what they all turn out to be! Three males and 6 females would be the best!!!

 

[Sweetfolly]

Quote:
Ohhh, I can't see any pattern on the yellow one in the pictures, but you're right - if you can see faint eye-stripes she's definately Pastel (Buff is dusky-based, so there wouldn't be eye-stripes, and Snowy looks like a dirty, smudged yellow). This website has TONS of pictures of Pastel Call ducklings: http://cursedprincess.net/The-Farm.php

That's actually interesting - Pastel is the same base color as the ducklings we got from AlpineRanch, with one extra Blue dilution gene that makes the Pastel lighter. In fact, if you or I were to breed two of the ducklings we got from AlpineRanch together, we'd theoretically get Blue Fawn Pied, Gray Pied, and Pastel Pied ducklings, because some of the ducklings would get two doses of the Blue gene (Pastel), some would get one dose (Blue Fawn), and some wouldn't get any (Wild-type Gray). Sorry for prattling on, the genetics fascinate me.

Pretty much every Black and Chocolate duckling looks like it has a faint yellow bib when it hatches, but it usually doesn't translate into the adult feathers. All of my Dark Campbells have soft yellow bibs at first, but they're solid dark when they mature. A solid black Call duck is something of a rarity though - I have a feeling efowl is selling Black East Indies as "Black Call Ducks" - which doesn't matter, they're the same size, the same temperament - you can see lots of pictures of BEI ducklings and adults here, they have a slight yellow bib as ducklings too: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=55911

 

[Terri O]

Wow Annarie...you must love DUCKS!!! You answered my ? about the black and white in BL$'s pic. A magpie huh? I think I will go out and take some pics and you can try to identify mine...I have no idea what they are...

Just on for a second here to tell you all that I have ordered the parts for my pressure canner EARLY! I will have them by next Monday so I will be all set (theoretically) to start my canning up! I got a really old pressure canner with a gauge (because I constantly fight with the weighted on that I have) for $4 at st vinnie's but I had to order a new gasket and stuff. Not a bad deal at all it was only $9 and $6 shipping (can you say ripoff?) so now I am ready to go...guess I better get out now and get that garden weeded or I will have to take in other people's veggies for canning!

Terri O