Batch #2 of our incubated chicks has been terribly unlucky. We started with thirteen, and to our surprise, only three turned out to be roosters (it’s usually a 50/50 split). All seemed to be going well, but then seven (including six hens) died two weeks ago. After surviving that, the remaining six should be charmed…but that doesn’t seem to be the case.
Yesterday, we had high winds here, which happen from time to time. What we didn’t expect was for the winds to be so strong, they would actually lift the chicken tractor and blow it down the hill. With six 7 week old chicks in it.
The tractor is built from PVC pipe, wood, and hardware cloth, with a tarp over the top to provide shade and rain protection. It’s heavy enough that it requires two reasonably strong adults to move it. Continue reading “Unlucky 13?”
Most of us have probably heard of Kombucha Tea, made from fermented sweet tea. We make and drink it regularly (and it makes awesome cocktails). We also make milk and water kefir, two other probiotic and delicious beverages. After allowing it to languish in a cupboard for a year (really!), we pulled the Jun scoby out and re-started it.
One of the Muscovy ducks has been behaving a bit strangely. We saw her circling the duck coop the other day, as if she were looking for a way in (we have to keep the door shut after they come out in the morning or the chickens scratch the straw out). We opened the door and she rushed in, so we assumed that she needed to lay an egg.