# Chiques chicks - my little corner - had to pick hottest day



## chiques chicks (Oct 9, 2015)

Thought I should start a little thread about my place, hopefully post some pictures once in a while.

I'm bad about updating things, but everyone is so friendly here.


1. What state/province/country are you in and what is your climate like?

Pennsylvania, USA

2. How many people are in your family? Marital status?

Just me , male, 50- something, sperated. And my dog.

3. How would you define your farm?

Not a farm, just 5 actress nestled in farm country

4. What would you do with your spare time if you had any resources you needed?

Be self sufficient, solar/wind power, animals, more garden. And help others.

5. Have you ever built a house, barn , or other types of building? Do you want to?

Redoing current 170yo house, built multiple chicken coops, did house construction for a time. Jack of all trades, matter of none

6. Can you weld? Steel, aluminum, MiG, TiG, stick, Oxy-Acet?

Steel stick, mig, oxy, all in a pinch. Used to have a rave car, had to.

7. Who or what inspired you to be a farmer/rancher, hobby farmer?

Just happened. Grew up around farms. I do
8 Is it a hobby or an occupation?

Hobby

9. In what areas are you knowledgeable and in what areas would you like to learn more?

Always learning. Primarily poultry, although I have rabbits, getting goats. Also a lot of trees. Always adding something

10. In what types of farming will you never choose to do?

Never say never

11. Are you interested in providing more of your own food supply?

Definitely

12. Where do you end up when you sink into yourself, away from the outside world?

My happy place, outstanding in my field 

13. Can you drive a farm tractor or a semi?

I have and can in a pinch, both. Was taught semi by someone throwing me the keys and having me drive it around the billing, pull through, then back through. I worked in commercial agriculture and was given the keys to lots of stuff, so I learned.

14. Do you make crafts or useful items? Would you want to teach others how to do these?

I try.

15. Can you legally have all forms of livestock where you are at? Do you have any? What kinds?

Don't ask don't tell. Zoned agriculture

16. Can you operate a lathe? Metal, wood?

Not really

17. Do you like to garden? If so, what do you enjoy growing?

Yes, lots of basics

18. Do you fish? Bait or explosives?

Sometimes. Bait, explosives sounds like fun.

19. How much space/land do you have or rent? City farm? Country?

5 acres, country

20. Are you a Novice, Technician, degreed?

I'm a journeyman in my trade

21. What is your farm specialty? Or what one would you like to learn?

Don't know, really

22. If you could create a degree and curriculum, what would you major in and what classes would you take?

Self reliance

23. Do you do wood work? framing, finish, cabinet?

All of the above to some degree

24. Are you interested in herbal animal medicine?

A little. I try to avoid medicating

25. If you could live any place you chose, where would it be?

Where I am, with more land and less people.

26. Do you use a wood stove for heating or cooking?

Heating, partially

27. What would your ideal super hero/villain be?

Don't know

28. Are your family or friends also interested in animals?

Some are, not a lot of family or friends.

29. Do you like to cook? Are you interested in whole foods and natural foods? raw milk? farm fresh eggs?

Love coming, I can make almost anything on a grill. Year round. Even veggies.

30. What was your best animal experience? Worst?

Have to think about that

31. Do you forage or hunt for part of your food needs?

I eat my "lawn". Yes. And hunt sometimes

32. What skills do you have that help you be more a self sufficient farm?

Ability to not only think outside the box, not to notice the box

33. Do you process your own meat? Can or preserve?

Yes to all

34. Do you use alternative energy sources on your farm? Would you like to?

Working on it

35 What is on your to do list?

All 300 projects. Right now, preparing for goats and winter

36. Have you ever lived completely off what you produce? Would you like to?

No, yes

37. In what do you trust?

My gut

38. Do you make and fix things yourself to save money?

All the time. And use other people's junk

39. Has the experience with animals changed your attitude or habits?

They keep me going. A few years ago I lost almost everything and they gave me reason to continue.

Edited for spelling. No internet and my phone likes to change words


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## chiques chicks (Oct 9, 2015)

Working on an area for a couple goats I have coming. They will only be 9-10 weeks old and are ND wethers. Hopefully next spring they will help with my overgrowth!

Some of the posts set. Fence building, a new lesson.


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## chiques chicks (Oct 16, 2015)

Slow going. Work takes up so much time!

About a month until the goats come and so much to do!  Got a few more posts in, but I still need about a dozen. And fencing, and got wire. And convert the shed. Glad I have a few days off the end of the month.

Turkey are growing well. Should have seven ready for thanksgiving. Keeping five for breeding for next year.

Rosters from this years hatch are ready for processing, just need time! A friend has a plucker of we can ever coordinate times. Of course then comes canning. At least while they cook I'll have an excuse to work on the enclosure.

Someone is coming on Halloween to pick up some hens from this springs hatch. They want three. I need to convince them they need ten. Maybe if I discount them? I almost give them away as it is.

Got one post in today, started to dog for the second one and realized there is a buried electric wire there. One more thing to work around. 

Its always something.

Until I get back again, I hope everyone has a productive week!


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## frustratedearthmother (Oct 16, 2015)

You're making progress!

What kind of goats are you going to get?


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## chiques chicks (Oct 16, 2015)

I'm getting two ND wethers. The will be 9-10 weeks when I get them. I need to upload their pics 

I want to see if goats are a good fit in my lifestyle, and at the very least they can help with brush cutting. I have a couple acres of underbrush and two of my neighbors have access as well. Next spring will be time to figure out a movable enclosure that will work in woody areas.


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## OneFineAcre (Oct 16, 2015)

Didn't you say in another post you were in Lancaster County, or do I have you mixed up with someone else?


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## chiques chicks (Oct 16, 2015)

OneFineAcre said:


> Didn't you say in another post you were in Lancaster County, or do I have you mixed up with someone else?



Yes I am.


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## OneFineAcre (Oct 16, 2015)

I went to Lititz 3 times this summer on business
Flew into the Lamcaster County airport
Very nice area


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## chiques chicks (Oct 16, 2015)

Let's see, about 20 minutes from me. Depends which roads I use and time of day.

Lititz, hmmmm, rock?


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## OneFineAcre (Oct 16, 2015)

chiques chicks said:


> Let's see, about 20 minutes from me. Depends which roads I use and time of day.
> 
> Lititz, hmmmm, rock?


Bank


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## chiques chicks (Oct 16, 2015)

I love this area, of course growing up around here, that's expected.

I used to vacation in NC, White Lake in the eat, Asheville in the west, and have a brother in Statesville in the middle. NC would probably be my second choice.

I may complain about winter cold and summer heat, but love the seasons.


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## Ferguson K (Oct 17, 2015)

You're lucky you have seasons. We have tolerably cold and burn your house down hot here. Very few days of the year are actually fall or spring weather.

Looks like you've got a great start!


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## chiques chicks (Oct 19, 2015)

First frost. It was just at freezing as I headed home from work last night, not sure what the low was. Chicken bowls had a layer of ice, outside hoses worked, but a little slow. Really feels like fall is here.

It's neat watching the three week old chicks outside with their momma. It's interesting when we incubate and raise them we worry so much about temperature when they are young, yet when raised outside, they do so well in temperature extremes. Experience has taught me not to stress too much when raising chicks, they are so much more adaptable them many believe. True of most animals, I think.

"Warmer" week ahead.


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## chiques chicks (Oct 19, 2015)

@OneFineAcre 

You're goats are really nice. I may have to pick your brain when I get mine. I'll stress over them just like I did when I got poultry until I figure out what they really need, not just what the book writers say.


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## OneFineAcre (Oct 19, 2015)

chiques chicks said:


> @OneFineAcre
> 
> You're goats are really nice. I may have to pick your brain when I get mine. I'll stress over them just like I did when I got poultry until I figure out what they really need, not just what the book writers say.



Thanks
We work really hard to take good care of them
I'll help all I can


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## chiques chicks (Nov 3, 2015)

A somewhat productive weekend has passed. I managed to get all the posts in for the goat pen. Being in my mid 50's and using a one man auger, it was challenging setting 8 6 inch posts alone. Plus a lot of cross pieces
Burned up a cheap chainsaw and bought a better one,  cut up about a cord of wood, still didn't split it, but got the splitter running. I silted myself by not getting wood prepared this year, so I guesss I'll be buying more fuel oil and save what I have for the worst weeks.

Sold 8 chickens, including a rooster, and a pair of turkeys who got spared their coming fate by people who needed them for breeding. A very nice lady on BYC who travels across the state every few months provides transportation for some of us moving which makes it great since our state is an 8 hour drive end to end. Some people are just amazing! Of course I give her huge discounts for all she does for everyone (like a free turkey and free Swedish flower hen).

Have a great week everyone!


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## chiques chicks (Nov 3, 2015)

The people at tractor supply just stared at me when I threw 12 6 inch wood posts on the roof rack on my jeep and secured them with two straps and said " they'll ride ".  They did.

They all know me there. It's also only 3 miles away.


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## chiques chicks (Nov 23, 2015)

It's obvious fall has set in. I lost five birds to predation the other week. Probably hawks, as they just disappeared, all young or weak. Life with large open runs. Fortunately none were primary breeding stock.

Spent the weekend processing five turkey for various people for thanksgiving. Down to my winter flock of four for breeding next year. Realty impressed with the size in this years bourbon red. Live weights in the mid twenties on rooms @ 6 months.

Goat shed is mostly  done, they should be coming this week, but I still have fencing to complete. My neighbor works a mile or two from where I'm getting the goats, so they offered to pick them up after work. I have them two turkeys for thanksgiving. They picked up straw for me on their last trip to a friends farm. I gave them chicken eggs for their friends who won't eat duck eggs. They bring me homebrew ( they make some excellent beer). They borrow my tools as needed.Country life of helping each other, not keeping track of imposed value. And people wonder why I like it here.


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## Hens and Roos (Nov 23, 2015)

looks like your progress is going good!

Winter started here by us this weekend- ended up with 4.1" of snow.....sure makes everything interesting!


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## chiques chicks (Nov 24, 2015)

The goats are here! The goats are here!

Put them in their new home and they went straight to the hay.

Skittish, as expected, but seem content to eat their hay for now.

I finished about half of their yard this afternoon, have to run to tsc later to get the rest of the supplies to finish the remainder tomorrow so I can let them outside. Previous owner was feeding hay and sweet feed, not sure I if I will supplement with much feed, as they are wethers. They are right around 9 weeks old,

Sheldon and Leonard. Now to decide which is which!


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## chiques chicks (Nov 24, 2015)

I apologize for the pictures posting multiple times. Working from my phone and still getting used to this.


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## Hens and Roos (Nov 24, 2015)

Congrats on your new additions!  They are cuties!


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## chiques chicks (Nov 30, 2015)

The kids have settled in quite nicely! They were skittish for a day or two, but now they are constant underfoot whenever I'm in their enclosure.

The person I got them from was feeding grass hay and sweet feed. I am supplying them with unlimited grass hay and only giving them perhaps a quarter to a half cup of sweet feed toward the end of the day. Plus leaves and whatever other vegetation I may throw in. Am I feeding enough? They seem to always be chewing, so I'm guessing when they get noisy when they see me is just cries for more attention. Friendly little guys. Poop is normal, color is good. They also have free choice mineral and baking soda, and of course fresh water.


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## Latestarter (Nov 30, 2015)

Sounds like you're off to a great start! Glad they have adjusted so quickly and have made you the herd leader  I think most will tell you to eliminate the grains as it can cause urinary problems with boys and they really don't need it (unless giving it for some specific reason like boosting growth...).


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## chiques chicks (Nov 30, 2015)

Latestarter said:


> Sounds like you're off to a great start! Glad they have adjusted so quickly and have made you the herd leader  I think most will tell you to eliminate the grains as it can cause urinary problems with boys and they really don't need it (unless giving it for some specific reason like boosting growth...).



Not having ever had goats, that was my understanding as well. Since they are young and it was what they are accustomed to, I was continuing, although I only give them one yogurt cup ( my measure) between the two of them, peer day. Although they have sperate feeders, they insist on trying to both eat from the same one, silly boys.

Thank you for affirming my thoughts.

I haven't found much of anything they don't like.


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## BlessedWithGoats (Nov 30, 2015)

Congrats on your new goats!! Have you decided which one is Leonard and which is Sheldon?


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## OneFineAcre (Nov 30, 2015)

Sheldon and Leonard, like the Big Bang Theory?


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## chiques chicks (Dec 1, 2015)

Leonard is the white with black, Sheldon is the fawn, I guess that's what you call that color.

And yes, from Big Bang! I figure if I ever decide to get more, it's easy to continue the names.


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## OneFineAcre (Dec 1, 2015)

They look great.


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## frustratedearthmother (Dec 1, 2015)

Cutie patooties!


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## chiques chicks (Jan 11, 2016)

Why does it seem there is never enough time and energy.

Had to actually but firewood. Just didn't get time to cut and split enough with the fence building this fall. Oh well, 

Goats are doing well, growing, always wanting attention, begging for their daily carrot, lol they are neat animals, I can understand the addiction.

Five turkey decided my place is a nice place to live. Three wild type and two royal palms. Asked around, no one knows where they came from. I using they got called in by my four. 

Breaking up ice in water bowls, hauling water from the house since I had to drain my outside system, guess we all experience that to some extent.

I might get internet service! The road I live on wasn't serviced, but they put a line on a couple months ago. Hopefully I'll get hooked up tomorrow and be able to upload pictures and browse more! My phone speed is so slow here, I'm on the edge of service for about the towers so it's sketchy most of the time. Real internet! Haven't had that in 5 years since I moved here!

I might be a phoro bombing soon!


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## chiques chicks (Jan 13, 2016)

Had the first light snow last night. Just enough to make the roads slick at midnight
finally got real internet out here, and i promised some pictures...

The neighbors daughter loves to come see the goats

 
The royal palms(?) that showed up and decided to stay
 
just a beautiful foggy sunset


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## HoneyDreameMomma (Jan 13, 2016)

Cool - free turkeys!  I'm guessing since no one is claiming them you're going to try taking them on?  Kind of funny the royal palms hooked up with the wild turkeys.  You might tame the wild ones a bit if the palms teach them to come for food.  We haven't had turkeys here yet - but I've heard domesticated turkeys can be very social and often like being with their people. Lol - although it might just be that they like their people because they know they bring food.   You'll have to let us know how things go.

Btw, those Nigie wethers are cuties!


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## chiques chicks (Jan 13, 2016)

the Royals and the wilds showed up together. I have four Bourbon Red in an enclosed run, so they probably came to visit.  They have been hanging around for over a month, of course I put out feed and water for them.

The only place around I've seen turkey were a farm camp up the road.  I called them and they said they had been hanging out around there for the last year or so, but they weren't "theirs".  between the chickens, rabbits, goats, and dog, what's a few more mouths to feed.  I would love to get a wild turkey population in the area, but really don't want the breeds mixing in the wild.  they aren't tame as in being handled, but allow me within 5 feet, so I can't call them "wild", but rather "wild type".

I only have around 5 acres, but am trying to grow the wild diversity in the area. it's a balancing act between domestic animal safety and wildlife.  My property is bordered by an agriculture preserved farm on two sides, a creek/floodplain on one, a no-chemical farmette on one, and a road.  Part of my property is floodplain as well, so I sort of plant that as a riparian buffer intermixed with vine crops I don't mind losing, pumpkins and such. there is a nice mix of woods, farmland and stream banks here, so diversity is decent.


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## Latestarter (Jan 13, 2016)

Glad you have a better source of internet than your phone. I'm thinking you'll enjoy it much better now. Nice pics, thanks


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## chiques chicks (Mar 2, 2016)

Well, winter was kind of rough. That big storm that hit the east coast was nasty. I had bought snowshoes on a whim a couple years ago. Certainly made getting to the coops and pens easier.

A week of very cold temperatures followed, I hate cold wet hands. I have nerve and vessel damage in one hand from an industrial accident and a few fingers freeze easily. Looks like most of the horrible is behind us.

Lost a few chickens, not surprising, although there appears to be little frostbite damage on my flock.

The real bad. A few weeks ago, one of my two young goats died. He seemed fine in the evening, next morning he was dead. His partner was upset and not looking "right", so I brought him in the house so he'd be near someone.
   After a few days he was back to himself so I put him back out. He seems to be doing fine.

Of course I can't have a single goat! Only option was a friend. Or two.  This past weekend I found someone who had two mini Nubians they needed to rehome at a decent price, so I got them Sunday.
   They are so much bigger than my young Nigerian, so there were a few days of pushing and shoving. They were in new surroundings and shy to me, but after just a few days seem to be adjusting.. Not great friend with the youngster, but he is holding his own. He has placed to get away and take a break when needed.
   New ones are both about a year old does. I have a feeling this fall goat math may join chicken math as one of my classes!

Put some eggs in the incubator as an experiment on our Hatching protocol. If any hatch, they are a first test run on my albino project as well.

Now mud season starts. Such a high water table here and surface springs all over the property. It's like walking in a swamp.


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## Latestarter (Mar 2, 2016)

Sorry for your losses. That east coast storm did a lot of damage to a lot of folks. Sorry for your losses. I am however glad to hear about finding those 2 mini Nubians. That was a stroke of luck! I don't remember if your goat(s) were wethered or not... Hope the herd stabilizes quickly for you.  You know, it's been said that without pictures, it never happened... Would love to see your new goats  Please and thanks


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## chiques chicks (Mar 3, 2016)

The two new additions. Harley, the one with more white, and Carla the primarily brown. They still are getting accustomed to their new place, but have learned I bring good things. Carla lives to have her head rubbed, Harley likes treats. My little Leonard just loves attention and treats.

Carla seems to have much better features for the breed, 

Leonard is a wether, so no problems with unintended matings. I'll probably see how things go this summer and perhaps look to breed in the fall. I'm considering a pygmy or ND buck when the time comes because I'd like to work toward slightly smaller animals. I had no intention of getting Nubians, even minis, but they were there.

Plans change.


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## Latestarter (Mar 3, 2016)

Very nice. Thanks for sharing!


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## chiques chicks (Mar 11, 2016)

The new goats are adjusting. Definitely becoming friendlier.

Just completed a hatch with my project chickens. I have what appears to be an albino gene floating around. It appears I got two, maybe three albinos out of 6 that hatched. They were intentionally incubated with little care or control, just to see what they would handle. I out 6 live out of 11 locked down. 

Here is a white, red eyed, pink legged Orpington chick. Believed to be albino.


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## Latestarter (Mar 11, 2016)

Wow, will be interesting to see what they develop into.


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## chiques chicks (Mar 11, 2016)

I currently have the adults from last year, the rooster in my avatar, hatched by someone else from my eggs and given back because he is mean, and two hens that I hatched.

The other person also has Jen from last year.

I had about 5 hatch under broodies that didn't make it last year as well. Last fall I set up a breeding pen for this project, the three albinos I own plus for hens that *may* carry the gene.


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## chiques chicks (Jun 1, 2016)

Winter turned into spring feeling like summer!

Too much too fast to keep up! Gardens, lawn, field, trees, arghhhhh!

Got most of the garden planted, really heavy on the squash patch this year. I like them, goats and chickens all eat them, essay to grow.

Electric meeting came today so hopefully can get the goats out to browse. Just need to clear a path for the net. Hope they train to it easily! 

For now I've been running the mower through the field and collecting clippings for them. Good mix of grasses with some clover and it's for to five feet tall, so makes great food. It's a little hard on my riding mower, but my tractor died the other year, so it's my only way. Maybe I can rig some sort of tow behind brush cutter foot my lawn tractor, lol.


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## chiques chicks (Jun 29, 2016)

Finally got to put up a little electric netting I've had for a few weeks.

My rolls are 164', but i just put up a small section outside their area.  I had to add midway posts a lot of places to keep it from sagging on the ground. once I got it up and tested, I opened the gate. The goats wandered out and just hung around the outside of their fence for a bit nibbling on weeds.

I stayed with them to monitor them, I wanted to see if they began to train to it. My older two had been trained to electric by their previous owner and seemed to remember.  Finally my little wether who had never seen it before bumped against it. I'm sorry, but it was  hilarious! I think he hit it again an hour later, since I saw him sprint into his safe home corral.

They'll learn.  Once I'm comfortable the respect it, I'll be putting up more so they can get to the overgrown wooded area on my hill. I've got 4 rolls of this stuff!


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## chiques chicks (Jun 30, 2016)

It didn't take long for them to understand the power of the fence. This morning when I left them out in the little grazing area, they respected it, so...

I hopped on the mower and cleared some paths to erect more netting.  I put up about 450' around some mixed trees/ weeds/vines/brambles.

I left them out and they started to check it out and eat, then went back to relax. Now I can learn how quickly they can clear an area.

I got my fence from Kencove. It is 4' 14 strand. I did clip the lowest wire, since 3" tend to ground easily. I also added a bunch of intermediate posts to help with sagging. Checked the voltage at the end of the run and still getting 6-7000 volts,  I have it hooked to a Paramak Magnum 12 sp I got for free, just needed a dollar panel and battery.

So far, so good. I just check them frequently.


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## chiques chicks (Jul 2, 2016)

They enjoy their new browse, now to get them to explore!

First couple days the stupid goats went to the closest browse, just some weeds. Finally today I went out with them and led them around the entire fence line. They followed me like ducklings. When we got to the good stuff, blackberry, poison ivy, Virginia creeper they stopped and started eating. I eventually started to leave and they followed me back to the pen!

They aren't starving, I have them one flake off hay between the of them the days ago and over half of it remains. Maybe I'm just not seeing them explore, although I've been around all week.

Silly goats!

A few pictures, everyone likes pictures!


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## chiques chicks (Jul 6, 2016)

It's been about a week with netting up. The net I got is orange, so very visible.

Two nights ago we got hard rain. One spot i had the net stretched tight, a post pulled out and fell, grounding the system. By chance, I had also forgotten to close the gate their pen .

Yesterday morning I went out to say hi and walk the fence line. I came upon the downed section, and there were the goats, happily browsing in the enclosed area. They didn't even try to cross the net.

I actually only ever saw one get zapped, twice, while the others were nearby, but it must have been enough tell them " avoid".

The power of psychological training.


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## chiques chicks (Aug 1, 2016)

Moved the net yesterday to some new browse.


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## chiques chicks (Aug 13, 2016)

I had to pick the hottest day to move the browse area. 4-160' nets, heat index at 105° .
They had taken their last area from this
 
To this
 
In three weeks. I give them about 1000sq.ft. for three goats.
So it needed done.

Halfway through, a thunderstorm came through, but I just kept working. At least it cooled me down-slightly.

It was interesting watching the rain roll across the valley as it approached, raining on the road but not yet on me. Yet. And in a rare occurrence, I haven't found any ticks on me!

The goats, of course, are enjoying their fresh browse.

I unfortunately must go to my real job for a shift this evening. The goats can eat and relax. And I wonder why no one I work with understand me.


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