Just A Day

Just a day around our little farm. So much to do this time of year and always new challenges. Batbaby the Marans cross chicken has hurt her foot somehow which led to the others picking on her. While she heals we have her separated but still within sight of the flock by day so they stay used to each other. Batbaby was previously one of our most skittish birds but now she seems to love the extra attention. 

All of a sudden the fruit trees and bushes are starting to blossom and fruit. Baby fruit is really kinda cute. Hope we get a good crop of fruit this year. 

One of the young chicks, now 2 months old. This crop of chicks is doing very well. They should be laying in the early fall. 

 Vegetable gardens are pretty close to being all planted now. 

More baby fruit...

And more gardens.

 KitKat of course is around to help. These bean teepees are far away from the chickens and ducks area, hope they don't find this garden!

 More baby chick photo opps. It's hard to get a picture of the Tolbunt Polish Frizzle bird's face, she has too much hair (feathers!)!

Little silkie getting big too, I still can't believe we ended up with two more hatchery quality little black silkies (they were supposed to be Marans) Oh Well!

And this is why I'm not going to have a bean teepee in this spot anymore!

And a couple of the ducks just chillin' on a hot afternoon.

Little Chicks Growing Up

The young chicks are now between about 5-8 weeks give or take. We had a false start about 10 days ago with transitioning them to a larger cage within the coop because the youngest silkies escaped the cage, they were just small enough to fit through the bars. They grew a lot in the week and a half and I knew we could move the gang into the larger cage without any escapees. The chicks are also ready to be off heat so the heat plate can be cleaned and put away. I know the general rule is 6 weeks old and the youngest of this batch is 5 weeks but they no longer use the heat plate choosing to snuggle or roost with the slightly older birds so it's just taking up space.

The chicks also said goodbye to their protective netting in the outside run. They kept finding ways to knock it down or get on top of it.

The chicks are getting quite adventurous. They take any chance to escape their little run within the larger adult chicken yard. They are interested in everything and raring to go. Sometimes I put them in a newly grassy area for a change but they don't have as much room there since they have to be in a cage so they won't run off or get into anything they shouldn't.

It wasn't a big job to pack up their slightly smaller cage and move in the largest cage. Although having helpers like Mo and some of the other adult birds did make it all take longer than it needed to!

Finally all chicks were settled in to slightly larger accomodation to keep them safe while getting used to the adult flock that they will soon join.

Blooming and Brooding

Spring is here, the fruit trees and plants are blooming. Lots more blooms than usual on some of the peach trees, I'm hoping for a great harvest! The apple trees and plum and pear trees are just getting going.

The strawberry plants are blooming too and blueberry plants look almost ready to bloom. Rhubarb is coming along. Fiddleheads, which are usually our first plant crop of the season, are doing well and that season is already in full swing. We've had fiddleheads with dinner a few times. Some remaining plants are too big to pick from now but more are coming along.

Fiddleheads

Strawberry plants

Rhubarb

Vegetable and flower seeds have been started and some potatoes, asparagus and leeks have been put in the ground.

As for the birds many are getting that broody feeling and want to hatch out chicks. At the moment our coop is pretty full though so I've been taking the eggs (mean mom!). We may let one do a very small hatch at some point.

Blue Belle the cochin wants babies.

Snow White the cochin wants babies.

Fuzzydot the silkie wants babies.

Usually it's just the chickens here who go broody but lately a couple of the ducks have been trying to start sneaky nests. I always find the eggs they hide outside (so far). Angel seems to have decided to try a chicken nesting box instead!

That's what all the ruckus in the coop was about.

Angel the duck wants to use the chicken's nest box. She did lay her egg there!

That's the blooming and brooding update for now and spring is well underway. Hopefully the chickens will un-brood and the trees and plants will bloom, blossom and produce great yields.