Tag: Chickens

September Chicks Update

~ Carrie

sept-2016_chicks_updateAs usual, time is flying by. The 16 chicks hatched in early September are now 10 weeks old, and they look (and sound) less like chicks than small adults. Here’s an update on them:

  • American Bresse – 3 cockerels and 4 pullets. Large and meaty compared to the other chicks of the same age. Curious and calm. All white feathering with legs turning slate blue.
  • French Black Copper Marans – 3 cockerels and 2 pullets. Medium-sized, pullets are notably smaller than the cockerels. Flighty, difficult to catch. Feathered feet.
  • Barnyard Mix – 3 cockerels and 1 pullet: one AustralorpX, one NH RedX, and one Gold Laced WyandotteX; pullet appears to be NH RedX. Mixes are easy to handle and intrepid.

Continue reading “September Chicks Update” →

Serendipity And New Ducks

~ Carrie

new_pekin-runner_ducksWhile we are enamored of our Muscovies, we love duck eggs and the girls, being seasonal layers, have stopped laying entirely. We’d been researching duck laying breeds and had narrowed the possible choices down to Indian Runner, Khaki Campbell, or Welsh Harlequin…but the front-runner was the Runner, with its upright posture and penchant (surprise, surprise!) for running upright. What’s cuter than that?

A couple of days ago, we just happened upon an opportunity to take home 9 adorable Pekin/Indian Runner ducklings…and their parents! The September chicks were ready to move to an outdoor run, so we moved them out of the tractor to a larger run near the adult chicken coop. The duck family was then installed in the tractor, along with a small coop we’ve used previously for broody ducks and their ducklings. Continue reading “Serendipity And New Ducks” →

Shorts Weather Is Over – Fall Is In The Air

~ Carrie

fall_2016Just when we were starting to think that this would really be a never-ending summer, the chill in the air has brought summer to a close.  The leaves are falling are here. When a strong breeze blows, it looks like it’s raining leaves. Fall is definitely in the air.

It seems a bit surreal to think that just a few days ago, it was warm enough to comfortably dress in shorts and t-shirts, even in the morning, to do chores (mind you, it’s shorts, tees, and rubber boots – no sandals or flip flops for farm chores!). With the still-warm weather, the biting bugs lingered, unfortunately, and grabbed a few last meals. Continue reading “Shorts Weather Is Over – Fall Is In The Air” →

The Year’s Last Duck Integration

~ Carrie

last_duck_integration_2016We’ve had many integrations this year: several groups of chicks as well as ducklings. Integration isn’t easy – the older animals aren’t nice to the younger ones (think freshman and seniors), and it’s new and stressful for the young ones. Eventually, though, it has to happen. The last group of ducklings has finally been integrated into the main group – hooray!

Phoebe’s 7 ducklings are the last to join the main group. They, like Coraline’s broody-raised ducklings, are more skittish than our incubated ducklings, but seemed to have a very easy assimilation into the group when we let them mingle during the day. They were quick to join in at feeding time and seemed to be subject to less “hazing” (feather grabbing by older ducks and drakes) than other juveniles we’ve integrated.  Continue reading “The Year’s Last Duck Integration” →

I Spy…Something Praying?

~ Carrie

praying_mantisWe’ve seen a couple of Praying Mantises out here: one was bright green and on the outbuilding; the other was bright green and on a bin at the recycling center. Both were amazing.

Last night, as usual, we went to do the ducks’ and chickens’ evening feeding, pulling the cart with the food buckets loaded on it. When we reached the fence, we noticed something hanging on it. It was the color of the browning leaves that have begun to fall from the trees. A closer look revealed a well-camouflaged praying mantis. This one was brownish gray and larger than the bright green one we saw nearly two years ago.

Praying mantises are enthusiastic eaters of many garden pests. We’re glad to see one, and hope it will eat the bugs that have been eating our sunflowers. We eschew chemical pesticides, and the pastures and overall ecosystem are the better for it. The “good” bugs should eat the “bad”, and birds (including our poultry and waterfowl) will eat the bugs. Fostering this cycle is an important part of being a responsible steward of the land; in this paradigm, the “good” bugs are valued workers. And they are really cool looking!

Chicks’ Day Out

~ Carrie

Chicks and ChickensOur mixed group of 16 chicks went outside for the first time and enjoyed themselves immensely. The adult chickens and ducks were very curious about the scurrying fluffballs, and came closer to get a better look.

Outside, the chicks were contained in a folding wire exercise pen that had been carefully modified with an additional layer of plastic netting from the ground to about two feet up. We learned from a previous outing that small animals, like baby rabbits, will run right through the gaps in the wire. Yikes! In that case, the rabbits were recaptured without incident, but we really wanted to avoid that kind of excitement again. We also clipped shade cloth on top to ensure the chicks could always get out of the direct sun. Secure (for day use) and comfortable. Continue reading “Chicks’ Day Out” →