Monday, June 27, 2011

A great article on broody hens

http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Broody-Hens-1.html

Trying to figure out how to get these broodies to actually hatch out some chicks!  :-)

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Update: heat, weeds, broodies, a deck and goats!


Peas
I haven't updated in a while, sorry about that.  We have had such a strange spring, very cool temps and lots of rain to suddenly very hot temps and dryness.  The garden is doing okay for the lateness at which we planted it, we've harvested a cucumber, a couple handfuls of peas, and are about ready to get some lettuce this next week.  There is still a lot to grow, beans and squashes are doing well.  I planted tomato seeds straight into the garden, and they are slowly but surely coming up.  I've never done that before but by the time I got around to it, it seemed the best option.  I will likely buy a few larger plants to supplement until they get large enough.
Domestic blackberries
The chickens ate all our strawberries this year, I need to get netting over and around that!  The blackberries and raspberries are doing very well and should be ready for harvest in a couple weeks.

Apples

The fruit trees in the orchard seem pretty happy - one apple tree had 5 apples on it (then 1 dropped off), still great for it's first year here.  The other apple tree didn't even flower, but one peach tree did.  The fig plants are doing surprisingly well, I thought I had lost one over the winter but it has surprised me.  The deer have been nibbling a bit on them, but not too bad so far.


Broody girls
"Easter-egger" chicks
We picked up 7 more hens - black austrolorps.  Two of them are very broody and I'm pretty sure that they are going to hatch out some chicks for us in the next few weeks.  The "easter-egger" chicks are doing well and have moved out to the chicken house, though still in their own shelter for their protection.  I need pretty soon to start culling out the hens that aren't laying and the extra roosters.  If I'm feeding them, they need to feed me in one way or the other.  :-)  I've been able to sell several dozen eggs a week successfully which has been nice.

Collected eggs
We sold all of our baby bunnies for the asking price, which was wonderful.  They all found great pet homes and I am happy about that.  I am planning to put my white buck up for sale too and just use the dwarf buck for breeding next year.

Deck in progress
Our deck is finally moving along again!  It now has the base finished and there are 10 boards laying across the top and we can fit 2 chairs out on it.  This makes me very happy!!!  I don't know when the rest of the floor will get down and who knows when it will have rails and steps but I'm excited for what is done so far.  :-)

Daisy saying hello.

Our goats have been doing pretty well.  I need to get out for hoof trimming and am considering summer shaves too, we'll see.  I've never done that before but it may help their comfort through the summer.  Everyone is a joy and lots of fun.  Our new buckling should be coming home the end of July.

New kitty Cassie has settled in quite happily.  She is mostly in the house still but has gone outside a couple of times and enjoyed that.
Samson smiling

Samson and Molly are doing great.  Samson lives with the 2 wethers and he loves his goats.  I look forward to him being old enough to be with all the girls too next spring.  We'll see how he does at kidding. We love them both!

I think that's about it, thought I should update for now while I had a few moments.