Tales from the farm

Where has the time gone?! I can not believe it has gone by so fast! I remember not too long ago just moving into this dusty, airy, rambling home that I have come to love.

Home improvement projects have taken a bit of a slow down. Mr. Awesome found a job! That job was a second shift job of picking orders. He and I felt like "Strangers in the night" due to our hours.
I would go to my gig as a Breakfast Attendant at a local hotel from 5 am to 10 am or so. We would spend a few hours together and than he would be off until the wee hours of the morning. I felt blessed to have this time, some couples don't have that luxury.

In his 3rd week there, a posting for and IT position was available, so he applied. He interviewed and did get the position. I feel there was a higher purpose involved as no one else put in an application. Seriously! He is getting his bearings and enjoying the work.

Where did that put me in flinging coffee and eggs? I was able to quit that position to take care of Mini Man and get rest for myself. My Lyme cooties is still having a party in my body. I remain optimistic that I will be healed and this means I still need to make peace with my past. A major blessing has been to reunite with my eldest Son! This has been a big prayer since I left my ex- See my story here- Hope when there was none He has grown into a handsome man. We are catching up and trying to mend what was lost. His Fiance is beautiful Woman that is strong and he needs that.

Our baby Duck has kicked the awkward teen years to the curb and is female. So, Frank is now Frankie. She is adorable but still not allowed to mingle with the other 4 Ducks. I'm hoping they will give her an in. She looks at them longingly to belong to the group.

Yes, even in the barnyard there are cliques. It can be rather alarming when you first see this in action. Feathers flying everywhere, as a Chicken or Duck literally show who's the boss. This is where "The pecking order" comes from.

How long does this last? A few weeks to months. There are times of danger that brings the flock together.

That beautiful Hawk, adorable Raccoon, majestic Fox, Coyote, Skunk, Cat or Possum can spell trouble for our flock. It doesn't take long for one of these to whittle down our group in a matter or a day or days.

This year we kicked the flock out of the hen house into the Abbey and the Bat brooder. In doing so, many of our Hens went rogue, opting instead to find a spot randomly here and there. We found a bunch in the Yucca plants by our cars! But, once we found this spot, it was as though they banded together to find another hiding spot that we have yet to find.

The Ducks will just randomly squeeze out an egg and if we don't cut the grass for awhile you may hear or feel the crush of it under foot. Of course our Dog has found a majority of these eggs, though her coat now looks marvelous, this isn't what she was supposed to do.

There seems to be a romanticized view of a farm or having animals. Though, the charm has not been lost to me.

The Hen house is dusty, smelly and buggy. I don't care how many glamorous looking pictures you see on Pinterest or other social media. I does not stay pristine. I do look on these with great "Oh's and Ah's".

They do take some work.

Which brings me to the Bees! I enjoy looking at the beehive. I open the top and stare in awe at these
busy bees. They are so fascinating to watch. To see their back legs with multi-colored pants of pollen. Blue, Purple, Orange, Yellow and Red. It is amazing to see the change in the honey through the year. From light color, scent, and taste of Clovers to a richer color this Fall and a much hardier taste.

I admit I didn't check the whole hive as much as I should have. Perhaps it was nerves. Mind you, I wanted to get over my fear of Bees by raising Bees. My two lower Super boxes remained untouched this year. YIKES! I know! Bad Beekeeper! I also had a hard time lifting them. Oh, I recently attempted to wrangle and wiggle them apart to check to make sure all was well but, I couldn't get them apart. I did manage to lift bother of them simultaneously, with dismay to the Bees. A good group of them started to attack my suit. I felt horrible and tried to sing to them. As though this would calm them down. I tried to talk gently to them that I was doing these for their own good.

Nope didn't work. I didn't want my 7 year old to laugh at me if I ran away, flailing my body every which way to get the angry bees runaway screaming hysterically. I maintained my composure, rambling to try to calm the Bees down. I managed to check what I could and closed it back up. I called a few Beekeepers in the area that came highly recommended to mentor or help me out for tips but I didn't get calls back. YouTube has become a great friend to me but it would be nicer to have a buddy in person.

Our view from the top has improved! The barn that was next door was burnt down. It was sad and a big relief. Many of our troubles from varmints came from them shacking up there. We can see a lot further down the road.

The Butterflies were beautiful! I don't recall so many last year. Monarchs, Swallow tails and more, danced and fluttered all around us. It was so beautiful! I can not wait until next year.

We do have to hit the Thistles and Prickly lettuce around the house. The farmer that plants in the fields around us mentioned this is not good. He offered to give us something to help. I'm not sure abut that. I want to be as organic or natural as possible. Of course, after you get "bit" by one of these spiny green plants, your mind does have second thoughts.

There is so much more I need to catch up on but it is almost time for church. Later, Peanut and I will be heading to volunteer at a local farm for harvesting wild flower seeds. She has to volunteer for so many hours but I really am loving this so though she may decline on attending, I may continue to.

I have decided to take a break from my small business. I don't know exactly what direction to go. I posted on my page on FB Legacy Antiques & Estate Sales that I was unsure. I have so many ideas! My main thought is that I do need to just rest. Let my body heal and pray for wisdom. Now, if I wasn't so impatient this would be fine.

I hope your day and upcoming week are wonderful! Don't forget to check out our YouTube channel. I do need to throw on some newer videos. And learn how to edit them. Someday...


BIG HUGS!
Mel

Garden progress, sad farm fail, big dreams and Youtube upolads!

I can not believe it's the middle of April! Where is the time going?!

The Cherry blooms and Lilacs are blooming. The smells are light and beautiful.

First the sad farm fail. Well, it's not really a fail just one of those things. My incubator died! I had placed Duck eggs inside in hopes of wee babies. It was up to temperature but in the morning it dropped like a lead stone.

The Amazing Jen has an incubator and I hope to pester her for a favor of Duck babies. We never had the chance to make it up to the local animal auction, though this upcoming Sunday will be the Flea Market and Animal Swap! I'll be setting up my wares this year depending on both how I feel and most importantly the weather.

My mulch pile is slowly dwindling which means I have been frantically calling and trying to figure out how to find more- FREE MUCLH!

Most local tree services here seem to charge and the group I had gotten it from last Fall has dropped off the face of the earth.  

Our Asparagus is tasting wonderful! I plan to plant much more. I admit to be eating them as fast as I pick them. YUM!

A Rabbit has attacked my cool weather crop- Lettuce, Collards and Mustard Greens. We are seeking suggestions for deterring the offender before he eats more!

Mr. Awesome asked the local food bank we frequent if they could use eggs and they are happy to. I'm pretty excited as we want to give back to the community that is helping us.

He is also busy working on a variety of projects to continue to maintain, update and streamline our homestead. I wish I had an ounce of the ideas he has. He formulates ideas in his head, marches out for tools and viola! It's done!

Me? I more or less fumble and hope for the best.

The kids have came by with the baby recently. Short Stack is getting so big! China Doll surprised me with a beautiful painting she made. She is a talented Artist, now I'm not just saying that I'm serious. I'll have to share some of her stuff that was more along the lines of spooky.

We found Jas. Townsend and Son on YouTube which has given us the encouragement to look into Living History. We are both anxious to try tips and techniques we have found. Maybe someday we will dive into re-enacting! I think I may need to grow my hair out though.

The Amazing Jen invited a dear Friend- JV and kids, along for a visit earlier this week and we all had a good time so good JV and her Hubs stopped by yesterday to meet Mr. Awesome. I felt terrible I didn't think to offer them any grub. We hope to visit with them and Amazing Jen with her Hubs. (Both of these couples have a Sustainable living mindset)

Besides my awesome Sisters, I don't really hang with anyone. I was invited to another Jen's home a few weeks back for a Ladies night and we played cards- Skip-bo. I don't think I ever played that one before but had fun! I considered starting a Scared Sister kind of group. I haven't made it to Drum Circle since last year and miss that but what about creating my own? Not too many in my area that I have found that are into smudging, crystal, or earthy Momma's/Gal's. I may not be looking in the right spot!

I uploaded a few YouTube's so if you haven't visited our page please do soon. Find us as blessmeplease09 and have you found me on Instagram yet or FB Legacy Antiques & Estate Sales.

I hope your week is as wonderful as you are!

So you want to raise chickens?

Many of the farm stores are flooded with super cute balls of fluff! You can find various breeds of Chickens, Ducks, Guinea Fowl, rare breeds and more.

Where do you start?

First and most importantly; 
if you live in the suburbs or city can you keep chickens? Consider talking with your city before you bring the fuzz balls home. There is nothing sadder then having to find new homes for these wee ones. You may have to consider a small breed such as Bantam Hens/Chicks. 

There are grassroots movements that help those that want to keep a small flock. This website had some great suggestions and tips for dealing with this situation: Legalize City Chicks

If you get the green light from the city remember to check with your neighbors. You maybe able to coax them by the lure of fresh eggs or great manure for those that love to garden. A Roosters crow can be annoying to some folks.

Your neighborhood or neighbors may not appreciate your coop if it's not kept clean it also may have to be very cute or attractive. 

How many chickens do you want or can you have?

This maybe a City ordinance or zoning subject so please check all the legal issues first! You also may need a permit. These are very important issues that should be dealt with off the bat. 

So now you have done most of your homework what next?

Supplies needed-

Brooder- You can get this beauty Brinsea Ecoglow Brooder. Of course there are some really creative ways to do this! From Aquariums, insulated ice chests, repurposed dressers, metal troughs, card board boxes and more. Pinterest has great ideas! Make sure the chicks can't escape from the top of your brooder. Place hardware cloth over if need be at least by week 2. Make sure your brooder has enough space that they do not start bullying each other or worse!

We have used a Rabbit cage, Puppy cage, Dog crate and Aquarium (cleaned very well) for our chicks. 

Chick sized water dish- Make sure you use one that is small or place marbles in it so the chicks can still drink but not drown. You may have to show your chicks how to drink if they are just hatched or day old. There are nipple feeders too. You may have to teach your chicks how to drink. You do this by dipping their beaks in gently until you notice them drink. You may have to do this a few times and hold their heads gently. They aren't usually very happy with this until they realize they are thristy.

Red bulb heat lamp or 100 watt bulb is needed- We have used the 100 watt bulb. 90 to 95 degrees is great for the first week. I have raised the lamp higher until I needed to change to a lower wattage bulb as they grow weekly a 5 degree change in temperature is good. Also, if you are using a heat lamp please make sure you are not using a flammable brooder, eg; Plastic tub, Styrofoam, or Cardboard box. 
*MAKE SURE THERE IS NOTHING NEAR LAMP TO START A FIRE!!!*

Thermometer- To check temp in your brooder so they are not too hot or too cool. We have one of these. A simple Thermometer

Chick food- There are medicated or non-medicated. We have always used non-medicated. I have also grabbed a clump of dirt and grass for the chicks to play with. A random worm or bug can make it interesting for chicks. Warning it can be messy but hilarious to watch. After birth they can survive without food for at least 3 days. 

Rubber lined shelf liner- I found newspaper can be slippery if it gets wet. Paper towels also work well but chicks can slip and slide if it's too slick. Puppy pads or Chux pads can be used as well. 

Pine shavings- Cedar is toxic. Some advise sand, but I have found several chicken experts that state this could lead to chicks eating the sand and ending up with impacted crops. Also, sand can contain various disease, as an example; e coli.


Pedialyte, Sav-a-Chick or Manna Pro- I used these with our last batch of store bought chicks and found it helped some of the runts quite a bit to perk up.  

Free of drafts- not a supply just a word to the wise. 

Make sure other animals/pets are away from these wee ones. Some critters love to make meals out of these babies!

Some fun things can be a mirror- Please be sure to fasten down so it does not fall on chicks!

Perch- Can be screwed into place if using a Brooder that is stable. Otherwise if you are handy you can create your own. We started using one when the chicks were about a week old. There are some folks that introduce a perch sooner. Chicks have great eye sight and a perch can add a bit of entertainment for them as well as you!
As you can tell from the above picture despite the perch Mr. Awesome made, to the right, this little one decided to go on top of the waterer worked better. 

Other questions:

When they are bigger will you free range or keep them in a run? 

This takes some thought. If you free range chickens will go everywhere! Beautifully landscaped or gardened areas may suddenly be picked clean of flowers, bushes may become nesting spots and dusty bathing may happen in places you don't want them too. 

There are also predators you need to be on the look out for when they are out. We have lost chicks and older birds both free ranging and in a run. 

Chicken wire is not good for a secure run. Many predators can reach through the wire and grab your chicks or chickens! 

Even bunny wire maybe too large depending on the size. Mr. Awesome found a good size that works for the Abbey and he will use for the chicksaw when he gets that built. 

The chicks will eventually get bigger and will need a coop. What kind of coop will you need? There are rules of thumb to use when figuring out how much space in the coop, perch and run. 

Check here Natural chicken keeping


What kind of coop do you need? 

Pinterest is just teeming with ideas for this! 

You would be surprised at how little space you can actually keep chickens in! Remember the less room they have the more issues your chickens can have such as feather picking, cannibalism or the Rooster may over breed with just one or a few hens.

What to look for in chicks-

Whether you are buying from the local farm store or big box breeder make sure you check out your chicks as soon as you can. 

Chicks should be full of energy and curious! Lethargic chicks is not a good sign.

Eyes should be bright and clear with no discharge.

Legs and feet should be even and bright colored not faded and smooth.

Vent is the rear end and should be clean. Chicks can have "pasty butt" if they are too crowded from shipping or even when you have them in the brooder. Make sure you have room! Other ways for this to happen is brooder too hot, improper diet or poor health.

I do butt checks often just in case. Gloves, warm water and some baby soap help. They won't be happy but this helps. You can use running water just make sure temp is not too hot or cold. Work quickly so chick doesn't get a chill. Clean patiently, not too rough, gently ensure not to pull skin off. 

I have used petroleum jelly, antibiotic ointment and my own homemade salve after cleaning. Check frequently. Pasty butt can make your chick ill and can be fatal.

As a side note, I ran out of non-latex gloves and had very little antibiotic cream when I had to do this at some point. So I ran to the store after my girls got home from school. I also needed Rum, yes there was a time when I would enjoy Morgan and 7. I don't drink that often or a lot. I can handle a few drinks but even with that I am dancing on the table and laughing hysterically. My Sister get a kick out of how poorly I handle liquor. 

So, I get up to the register and remembered Mr. Awesome was going to do a Go bag and a condom was needed. The cashier took a look at my purchases and gave me a smile and wink. I didn't even think about what I had! 

UGH! I turned a few shades of red and let her know that it was going to be an exciting night! I thought about telling her the truth about cleaning up chicks and why I needed the other things but I didn't think it would sound real.  

Now do you want Straight run or Pullets?

I will be honest with you. I had NO idea what that meant when we first ordered our first flock. 

Straight run birds are unsexed chickens. Pullet are hens that are less then 1 year old. 

Made sense after I read it. I originally ordered from a gal from church. A group of us went in to save on shipping. I felt foolish asking what those terms meant. I can be such a dork sometimes...

Do you need a Rooster to get eggs?

You don't need a Rooster for Hens to lay eggs. You need a Rooster if you wish to have fertilized eggs. 

When will my Hens start laying? 

Breeds vary but can start as early as 18 weeks and some can start later. There are factors that may affect laying such as; weather, stress and change in surroundings.

What are combs and wattles?

Chickens do not sweat so Combs and Wattles help regulate temperature in Chickens. There are capillaries that run through them. So there can be a chance of frostbite if you live in cold region. Some folks swear by putting something on them to prevent this. We never used anything to test it out. I did notice tips on one Rooster were darker in color after a cold snap when we first started raising them. I never noticed anything other then that. 

Combs remind me of puberty on a chicken. Different breeds may have them appear sooner then others. There are others that swear this is a good way to sex your birds as well. I am not sure about that one. 

How can I sex my straight run birds?

Well, I'm not the best at it. If you read this previous blog post you may not want to take my advice. Guess whose not a Hen? 

With a trained eye there are ways to look at the bottom of a chick and tell. We haven't tried that yet. Though noticing if they have hackle feathers when they start coming in or spurs later on is a good sign you have a Rooster! 

There are some great YouTube videos on sexing chicks by checking their wings when feathers start coming. 

So how much do chicks cost?

The cost can be as little as $2.00 to $5.00 per chick. It depends on breed and where you get them. You may have to purchase 25 or more chicks to make an order. The neato thing is most mail order houses have other types of birds such as; Ducks, Guinea Fowl, Quail and more exotic or endangered breeds. 

We are lucky and do have a farm animal auction and soon the local animal swap/flea market will be open soon. Here you can find not only birds but Horses, Sheep, Goats and more! (Jasper County Fairgrounds in Rensselaer, IN. )

I think I covered the basics and maybe a bit more. I hope this helps in decision making. 


If you have a tip or suggestion perhaps I didn't cover please leave a comment. I'd love to hear from you!

Guess whose not Hen!? Help us name our Rooster!

I'm big enough to admit that there was a mistake thinking Henny Penny was a Hen. We never noticed her laying, but this isn't unheard of. Our feathered flock is well-known for laying eggs in some random spot they take a hankering for or just popping them out in the middle of the yard only to be stepped on, found until they are very ripe or eaten by our dogs. 

We have been handling our feathered flocks for about 6 years or so give or take. We thought we nailed down noticing whose a Rooster or a Hen. 

OOPPSS! It's not the first time we had sexing go wrong. When we first had Rabbits a friend of ours, that had rabbits before advised after looking over the ball of fuzz that we had 2 Girls. Well 1 of those "Girls" had a litter of adorable bunnies! 

So getting the right sex of an animal, unless it is darned noticeable as in a bigger animal can go wrong. 

We didn't notice the Sickle feathers around his neck, see spurs

since he is a fancy Banty he has feathers around his feet or did we ever really hear him crow! 

He is about  year old. I purchase him and the ducks right before we moved. I swear if I was the only 1 that heard him the family may not have believed me; luckily everyone heard the crow. I have to admit I was hoping it wasn't a zombie Rooster back from the grave. Our other Banty Roo passed away a month or so ago. Kind of freaked me out to hear the crow. I peeked around the corner of the coop half expecting to see something creepy or gross and I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw it was Henny Penny. 

Of course we were all standing around with our mouths open in disbelief. Then everything clicked into place and made sense why we found no eggs, why some of the other hens kept hanging out with him and the big one was answered! Why we never saw our other Roo have relations. DUH!

I admit I felt really dumb. But it's a wee mistake. These things happen on a homestead. 

 This sparked an idea! I'll be shooting a few vlogs about Chickens/Ducks soon. With many farm stores offering chicks now it seems like a great time to vlog about subjects such as:

* Definitions of some of the terms used in raising your flock before you buy them you may need to know

* How to get started raising your flock

* Difference between Chicken and Duck eggs


This and more! 

Well, I hope this made you giggle! I am still shaking my head. Oh! We need a name for our Rooster! Can you help us pick one out?

If yours is chosen you will get bragging rights and a honorable mention on my social media, vlog and blog! I'll also send you a surprise via snail mail for you! 

I hope your day is wonderful!