# Larsen Poultry Ranch - homesteading journey



## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 11, 2019)

Hello all, I finally decided to create a journal. I currently live in Placer County, CA in a house on .31 acres with my significant other. I am an accountant and he is an electrician. Together we have 2 cats, 7 rabbits, turkeys, chickens, coturnix quail, button quail, and a dog. The cats currently live with us but the other animals have been moved to our folks' places while we work on the house to get it ready to sell. 

We want to buy a property with 10 or more acres so we have space for all the animals and hobbies we dream of having. We have been searching for a while but finally found a property that looks great, the only catch is the seller doesn't want any contingencies, so we need to sell before we can offer. If that falls through, there are a few other properties we have looked at, but this is the only one (MAJOR fixer) with all utilities and a house in our price range. 

My goal is to eventually be mostly self sufficient. I can raise and butcher poultry and rabbits, and have helped butcher a pig (BF raised them for 4H). I like to garden but previously did not have a 
dedicated space for a vegetable garden. If we get our acreage I will be planting an orchard too.


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Oct 11, 2019)

Miss @Larsen Poultry Ranch,

Glad to see you start a journal!  Now all of us can easily follow along in your adventures.

I hope you are able to sell your house easily and get the place you want.

Have you been affected by the electrical outages in CA?  I thought of you and Miss @babsbag and wondering if you two were affected?

I look forward to reading about your adventures!

Senile Texas Aggie


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 11, 2019)

Yes, we lost power between 1-4 am Wednesday, but it was restored last night about 4 hours after my BF had installed a generator. It's uncertain if they will turn the power off again. There are still areas that haven't had power since Wednesday. 

I am going to try to do some research and planning to use passive methods (and maybe off-grid methods too) to heat/cool/illuminate the new place. The current way of living seems to be totally reliant on electricity and that just seems absurd when you think about how electricity hasn't been around that long. And there are folks, like Amish or off grid, who get by without electricity at all. I think maybe we are starting to cripple ourselves by relying on the convenience of electricity.


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## Baymule (Oct 11, 2019)

You can heat a home but cooling takes a lot of energy. An attic fan pulls air from outside and is cool at night, but is still hot by day. Just get prepared to sweat-a lot. LOL I have lived without AC in old houses before. It is hot, fans just blow hot air around. 

Lehmans has lots of things that you might like.  

https://www.lehmans.com/

You can buy a refrigerator that runs on propane, I've had one. They are small, but if you need a lot of room you can get two. 

Google cordwood homes. You can build a home with thick walls, well insulated, will stay warm or cool. 

https://daycreek.com/

There are a lot of things that you can do to make your dreams come true.


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## AmberLops (Oct 11, 2019)

Yay! So glad you decided to start a journal! 
I hope you find your dream place soon. What do you plan on growing in your orchard?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 12, 2019)

AmberLops said:


> Yay! So glad you decided to start a journal!
> I hope you find your dream place soon. What do you plan on growing in your orchard?


Peaches, plums, cherries, pears, apples, avocados, figs, mangoes, as many fruits as I can grow. I have some small trees started in pots now, about 7-8 avocados, a mango, a walnut, and some figs. The mango I started last year from a seed and managed to keep alive; I will probably need a greenhouse or high tunnel to keep it warm enough through the winter. The avocados I also started from seed. Figs I took cuttings from the mature tree at my house, I think they are some variety of Kadota? They start ripening mid July and don't turn color, just stay green/barely yellow. 

I bought some coffee trees (came in a 4" pot, it's going to take a while to grow) online and they are probably going to be house plants until we get a greenhouse. I tried to germinate Camellia Sinesis (commercial tea) seeds but I don't think I did it right, or they need more time. If you like seeds, Trade Winds Fruits has a ton of different fruits to try and grow.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 12, 2019)

Baymule said:


> You can heat a home but cooling takes a lot of energy. An attic fan pulls air from outside and is cool at night, but is still hot by day. Just get prepared to sweat-a lot. LOL I have lived without AC in old houses before. It is hot, fans just blow hot air around.
> 
> Lehmans has lots of things that you might like.
> 
> ...



Thanks! I will take a look at those links.


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## Pastor Dave (Oct 12, 2019)

I would like to develop a solar generator to not have to rely on a fossil fuel generator, or maybe a small windmill. I agree with you entirely on dependence on electricity and I do not like it either.


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## AmberLops (Oct 12, 2019)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Peaches, plums, cherries, pears, apples, avocados, figs, mangoes, as many fruits as I can grow. I have some small trees started in pots now, about 7-8 avocados, a mango, a walnut, and some figs. The mango I started last year from a seed and managed to keep alive; I will probably need a greenhouse or high tunnel to keep it warm enough through the winter. The avocados I also started from seed. Figs I took cuttings from the mature tree at my house, I think they are some variety of Kadota? They start ripening mid July and don't turn color, just stay green/barely yellow.
> 
> I bought some coffee trees (came in a 4" pot, it's going to take a while to grow) online and they are probably going to be house plants until we get a greenhouse. I tried to germinate Camellia Sinesis (commercial tea) seeds but I don't think I did it right, or they need more time. If you like seeds, Trade Winds Fruits has a ton of different fruits to try and grow.


Sounds like you'll have to best orchard around!! You could make and sell pretty much any kind of jam or jelly. The only thing you're missing is Guava. Nothing better than Guava jelly!
And thank you, i'll definitely check out Trade Winds Fruits...I've been looking for some 'hard to find' fruits and they might just have the ones i'm looking for 
It would amazing to grow coffee...you might have to send me a bag of fresh roasted coffee beans


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 12, 2019)

AmberLops said:


> Sounds like you'll have to best orchard around!! You could make and sell pretty much any kind of jam or jelly. The only thing you're missing is Guava. Nothing better than Guava jelly!
> And thank you, i'll definitely check out Trade Winds Fruits...I've been looking for some 'hard to find' fruits and they might just have the ones i'm looking for
> It would amazing to grow coffee...you might have to send me a bag of fresh roasted coffee beans


I would like to have a guava too, I love guava juice. I don't know how the more tropical types will do with the cold. I'm currently in zone 9, and I think the properties we are looking at are also zone 9. I will have to see how big a greenhouse my BF can build...

Tomorrow we get to drive up to Reno to pick up a new Rex buck. He won't be ready to breed until December, but he should expand my options for my Rex.


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## AmberLops (Oct 12, 2019)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> I would like to have a guava too, I love guava juice. I don't know how the more tropical types will do with the cold. I'm currently in zone 9, and I think the properties we are looking at are also zone 9. I will have to see how big a greenhouse my BF can build...
> 
> Tomorrow we get to drive up to Reno to pick up a new Rex buck. He won't be ready to breed until December, but he should expand my options for my Rex.


Wow! Congratulations on the rex!


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## Sheepshape (Oct 13, 2019)

Self sufficiency is the ideal.

We have solar panels from which we 'sell back' excess electricity to the National Grid, log burners, and oil-fired central heating (used sparingly!). We looked into a windmill, but, being in a valley there is apparently too much turbulence. Our water is from a spring and we have a back-up bore hole after the drought we had a couple of years back keeping cool is never a problem on account of cold, wet climate and very thick old house walls.

Though I grow lots of vegetables, fruit is limited to blackcurrants, raspberries, strawberries and apples (all of which freeze nicely). Too cold for any exotics, but a greenhouse allows propagation of otherwise tender stuff to grow across the summer.

Do show pics. of your new buck when he arrives.Always good to watch them grow and fill out.


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## Baymule (Oct 13, 2019)

Rex are so beautiful and their fur is so soft. Would love to see pictures of him!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 13, 2019)

Well, the trip up and back to get Expresso was uneventful except my phone refused to charge; I was worried something would happen and I would be stuck on the side of the road with 3% battery to try and call for help.

No pics because it was getting dark by the time he settled down. He is skittish but did let me pet him a little. I will take some pictures tomorrow. He is a good size but still growing. I need to find where I hid my scale and weigh all my buns. I love his face, he has a nice wide face. He did come with his pedigree going back to grandparents, but it doesn't show genotype, just lists the color, so I've been playing with it to calculate what I can. 

I know he is Aa, B_, C_, D_, E_ because he is Castor, and his dad was Black aa, so he carries a (self). His grandma on the dad's side was Opal, so it's possible he carries d (dilute). His mom was Broken Castor. I'm excited to see what colors I will get in January once he's old enough to breed.


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## AmberLops (Oct 13, 2019)

He sounds beautiful!
Now you have to post pictures


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Oct 14, 2019)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> weigh all my buns



Huh?  Is "buns" short for "bunnies"?  Otherwise, I would guess your 2 buns weigh about 2 lbs each.

Senile Texas Aggie


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 14, 2019)

Senile_Texas_Aggie said:


> Huh?  Is "buns" short for "bunnies"?  Otherwise, I would guess your 2 buns weigh about 2 lbs each.
> 
> Senile Texas Aggie


Lol, yes short for bunnies. I now have 8, and I should be keeping track of their weight.


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## AmberLops (Oct 14, 2019)

Senile_Texas_Aggie said:


> Huh?  Is "buns" short for "bunnies"?  Otherwise, I would guess your 2 buns weigh about 2 lbs each.
> 
> Senile Texas Aggie


HA HA! I can't stop laughing at that one


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## AmberLops (Oct 14, 2019)

No pictures yet? Come on!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 15, 2019)

Ok, here's some pictures of Expresso. Frost is in the background of the first one.


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## AmberLops (Oct 15, 2019)

He's handsome!


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## Baymule (Oct 16, 2019)

Wow! He is beautiful!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 19, 2019)

My house is listed!!!


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## B&B Happy goats (Oct 19, 2019)

Congratulations  on getting everything  ready to sell your home, I hope you get your asking price


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## AmberLops (Oct 19, 2019)

Congrats!!


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## Baymule (Oct 20, 2019)

I hope it sells soon and at a good price!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 22, 2019)

Had one walkthrough over the weekend but haven't received any feedback or offer. I'm hoping something will come along soon. It's a pain keeping the house in "super clean" mode. 

I've been doing more research and have decided that when we get our acreage and get set up for sheep, one of the breeds I want to try is Finnsheep, if I can find some of the spotted or colorful ones. I want a small herd of sheep, mostly for keeping the acreage mowed, but also for meat and the wool.


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## AmberLops (Oct 22, 2019)

I hope you get some offers soon 
Finnsheep are beautiful! I had a neighbor who had them and they were the sweetest sheep...much sweeter than my St. Croix ha ha!


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Oct 29, 2019)

Miss @Larsen Poultry Ranch,

Are you being impacted by the wildfires?

Senile Texas Aggie


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 29, 2019)

Senile_Texas_Aggie said:


> Miss @Larsen Poultry Ranch,
> 
> Are you being impacted by the wildfires?
> 
> Senile Texas Aggie


No fires near me, but PGE shut off the power Saturday to yesterday evening due to high winds. They might shut it off again anytime starting today through Thursday. Thankfully we have a generator but it's not big enough to run the whole house, just most things. So no laundry if there's no power. But we do have water and hot water even without power since the hot water heater is gas and the water source is the pressurized ditch water. Almost all my neighbors are on wells, so they lose water unless they have a generator to keep their pumps working.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 29, 2019)

I bred my rabbits Oct 4-6, so getting close to kindling time, I'm going to put the nest boxes in soon. It will be second litters for Paprika and Cinnamon, and third litter for Pepper. Pepper has had 7 kits each time before, Cinnamon had 6, and Paprika had 5. I'm hoping they have decent numbers this time, but mostly just hoping they are actually pregnant and keep all the babies alive.


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## AmberLops (Oct 29, 2019)

Hoping for the best for you does/kits! 
First litters are almost always awful...2nd litters are so much better.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 30, 2019)

AmberLops said:


> Hoping for the best for you does/kits!
> First litters are almost always awful...2nd litters are so much better.


Yeah, the first litters were bad. Pepper's first was 7 kits, but she had them all over the cage and box, three didn't make it right away. One was cold but I held it until it warmed up, the other three were in the nestbox under fur; she raised those remaining 4 just fine. Her second litter was all in the box and all 7 lived. Cinnamon's first litter was 6, end result was 3 that made it. Paprika's first litter was 5, none made it. It was the heat though, that caused the losses to Cinnamon's and Paprika's litters, I made a thread about it. They both were good moms, just stupid human bred them at the wrong time. 

I'm hoping paprika's kits turn out the same as last time, they were chunky little things. I'd like to try and keep a doe from this litter to breed with my new castor Rex buck, then half the kits should have Rex fur too. They would be meat litters though.


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## Baymule (Nov 1, 2019)

For cold, on the wire, babies, just stick them in your bra. Warm up one side, then turn the little ice cubes over. They warm right up and your hands are still free to do your chores.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 1, 2019)

Baymule said:


> For cold, on the wire, babies, just stick them in your bra. Warm up one side, then turn the little ice cubes over. They warm right up and your hands are still free to do your chores.


Yeah, I tried to save the ones from that first litter, but they were already gone.  I've got a little more experience now, but it all depends on how long they were on the wire.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 15, 2019)

So, I think Frost was shooting blanks, due dates came and went, and no baby bunnies. I'm going to try again on the 16th. I think I'm going to pair Paprika and Cinnamon with Frost, and see if Pepper will be nice to Expresso. I don't even know if he's ready but there's only one way to find out. She's chinchilla colored, and may have double chinchilla gene. I know he has full color C gene, but not what he's carrying, except I don't think it's chinchilla. So that pairing might help figure out some genetics, possibly on both sides.


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## Baymule (Nov 15, 2019)

Bummer-no babies.


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## AmberLops (Nov 15, 2019)

Fingers crossed for babies next month


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 19, 2019)

I put Frost and Paprika together on the 16th and she was a good girl and lifted right away. Two success fall offs!  Expresso's cage is right there and he was super interested in the action. I was hoping he'd learn what to do by watching Frost.

I then put Pepper in with Expresso and he was really trying. She wasn't having anything to do with him though and refused to lift, which she's done the last few times I tried to breed her. He was sniffing her all over and even licked her ears a few times. I gave it about 15 minutes and although he was, um, active, he wasn't in the right zone most of the time even if she had lifted for him. I even tried holding her up a little but he was just confused as to why I was in the cage.

Yesterday 11/17 in the morning I put Cinnamon in with Frost and she kept herself tucked in the corner and refused to cooperate. I even tried taking her for a ride around the block in the car, took over 6 minutes but still no dice. I ran out of time to try Pepper and Expresso again.

Tonight 11/18 I put Cinnamon in with Frost and she lifted right away! Frost was super happy and was doing his little foot stomping afterwards. They had three fall offs! Then I put Pepper in with Expresso and she was actually receptive but he still was having trouble figuring it out. I think part of the problem is that he is a little bigger than she is, so he's not, ahem, lining things up correctly. I need to weigh him but I think Expresso is probably bigger than Frost. I think Pepper was getting frustrated at Expresso's lack of success and she started chasing him around the cage. I will try them again tomorrow morning if I can get going early before work.


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## Baymule (Nov 19, 2019)

Rabbit Romance.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 19, 2019)

Baymule said:


> Rabbit Romance.


If it was successful this time, I should have baby bunnies the week before Christmas


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## AmberLops (Nov 19, 2019)

Yay! Congratulations!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 26, 2019)

Tree chicken


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## Baymule (Nov 26, 2019)

That is a great picture! It's too late for 2020, but you ought to enter that in the BYC calendar contest for 2021.


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## AmberLops (Nov 28, 2019)

Adorable!!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 18, 2019)

Paprika had babies!! I saw two when I peeked in the nest, will get a count after a few days. I'm hoping Cinnamon will have hers tomorrow. Pepper may or may not be pregnant, time will tell.


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## Baymule (Dec 18, 2019)

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! WHOOP!!!!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 19, 2019)

Nothing from Cinnamon yet, I need to recheck the calendar to see if my count was off. Nothing from Pepper either. 

I peeked again at Paprika's babies and I think there's 6, one dark and the rest white or pale reddish. I hope the dark one is a black doe, would be a keeper, and would mean that both Frost and Paprika carry the self gene.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 21, 2019)

Cinnamon has babies!! I'm not entirely sure she didn't have them on Wednesday night and I missed them, but I'm going to roll with their birthdate officially being Thursday night. The nest box she is using this time is huge compared to the box from last time, and she really has them tucked down in the end. I counted at least 4 babies, didn't pay attention to color. 

Paprika's babies seem to be doing well, they were lively. It's confirmed she carries REW gene, as several of the babies are white. The dark kit looked castor when I grabbed it, so I'm a little bummed it's not black, but I need to wait until they actually have fur to start counting the colors.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 23, 2019)

Paprika's babies look like 4 REW, a castor, and a red/orange. They were all quite lively and jumpy when I checked on them tonight. 

Cinnamon's babies were harder to see, but I think there's more than 4. The one I got a good look at looks like it might be the same color as Toffee from the first litter. 

Boyfriend and I saw the new star wars movie this morning. Ending did not go the way I would have wanted, but it was still good. There's nothing extra in the credits or after


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## Baymule (Dec 23, 2019)

You are doing great with the new babies! Where are the pictures?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 23, 2019)

Baymule said:


> You are doing great with the new babies! Where are the pictures?


No pictures yet because it's been in the 40s and raining, I don't want the babies to get chilled while I'm trying to take pictures. I will get some in a few days. They are also super jumpy at this age since they are blind and I think deaf, they feel movement in the nest and jump to feel mom to latch onto a nipple. It is hard to take a non blurry picture. They should start opening their eyes around day 10.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 24, 2019)

Ok, picture of Paprika's babies, will have to wait a while longer for pictures of Cinnamon's litter.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 24, 2019)

Aand one of the babies was out of the box when I did a final check. Popped it back inside, hopefully they stay put. Rabbits won't move their kits like a cat would, so if one gets separated it usually doesn't end well.


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## Bruce (Dec 24, 2019)

Glad you found it!


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## Duckfarmerpa1 (Dec 24, 2019)

Good looker!


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## Duckfarmerpa1 (Dec 24, 2019)

Quick question about your breeding/nesting box/#lives/#dead/etc chart...do you have one first?  If not, I d recommend going on utube..the homesteadingtraditions people...they have a whole...episode list all about meat rabbits...that’s not what mine turned out to be for..but her charting is great.  If you scroll through the episodes it will show you which one is about how to make the chart and keep track of everything..trust me..once you get on a roll..and giving dewormEr, etc..it’s gets confusing!!  So, charts are wonderful!  You seem younger than me..so you probably have it under control with PowerPoint or some fancy tool! . Good job!!when it’s rainy, we put up extra-temporary plywood (because it’s ugly ) but, to block the rain from getting in the nest box.  Last spring, we think we lost two due to wet fur.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 24, 2019)

Duckfarmerpa1 said:


> Quick question about your breeding/nesting box/#lives/#dead/etc chart...do you have one first?  If not, I d recommend going on utube..the homesteadingtraditions people...they have a whole...episode list all about meat rabbits...that’s not what mine turned out to be for..but her charting is great.  If you scroll through the episodes it will show you which one is about how to make the chart and keep track of everything..trust me..once you get on a roll..and giving dewormEr, etc..it’s gets confusing!!  So, charts are wonderful!  You seem younger than me..so you probably have it under control with PowerPoint or some fancy tool! . Good job!!when it’s rainy, we put up extra-temporary plywood (because it’s ugly ) but, to block the rain from getting in the nest box.  Last spring, we think we lost two due to wet fur.


I don't have a chart, I've been using a spiral notebook and my posts on here and byc. I plan to upgrade to charts and a binder to store it all in, but don't have a working printer currently.

I have been watching the YouTube videos from homesteading traditions and slightly rednecked, they have been very helpful with my rabbit adventures so far. 

My rabbits are in wire cages off the ground, so haven't had a need for dewormer so far. The cages are covered with tarps currently, under a harbor freight carport. We were supposed to add tarps to the carport to make the whole thing enclosed but that hasn't happened yet mostly due to the weather. Once we get a day without rain and wind we can finish the upgrade and anchor it to make sure the whole thing doesn't blow away. 

I'm hoping I don't lose kits this time, the last litters I had right when the heat wave started and I didn't know to shelve the kits and they got too warm. Lost one and a half litters. I'm worried that Paprika's kits are too jumpy and will get out of the nest box and get chilled. They are starting to get their fur now, so just need to last another week or so and they should be safe.

Once we move I'm going to upgrade all the cages and make sure the breeders have twice the floor space they have now. I can use the current cages for separating grow outs. Dunno if I should do the drop down nest boxes or just regular ones.


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## Duckfarmerpa1 (Dec 26, 2019)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> I don't have a chart, I've been using a spiral notebook and my posts on here and byc. I plan to upgrade to charts and a binder to store it all in, but don't have a working printer currently.
> 
> I have been watching the YouTube videos from homesteading traditions and slightly rednecked, they have been very helpful with my rabbit adventures so far.
> 
> ...


I don’t want to sound like a jerk..but we thought the same thing about the dewormer..and lost rabbits..kits and all.  It doesn’t matter where they live, it’s just a fact of life with these animals.  If you do some research..you’ll see what I’m talking about.  The dewormEr is called Albon.  The small bottle..about 5oz is like $20...it’ll last for just a few rabbits...not practical.  The big bottle was hard for my hubby to swallow and we lost more rabbits...i was furious!!  It was $89 from the vet.  But. We’ve used it many times on many rabbits and still have a ton.  Please rethink this.  

We have a ton of the regular nest boxes...but this last time...my doe gave birth, sort of unexpectedly...she only had a bunny box.  We give them all boxes to sleep in to be cozy and jump on.  They are basic squares.  She had her kits in there just the same.

When the babies are extra jumpy, sometimes my hubby drills an extra pice of temporary plywood to the front part of the nest box..to make it just a bit higher...it seems to have helped.  Just make sure you check on them often enough just in case.  But I understand...I lost one last week..it’s so hard.


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## B&B Happy goats (Dec 26, 2019)

We are located in Florida and I have never had to de worm any of our rabbits....I butcher them, we eat them , all are healthy. Perhaps location does play a role in a animals health


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 30, 2019)

Ok, so Paprika's babies have been visible in the nestbox for most of the past week, and are active little chunkers all about the same size. Cinnamon's babies have been hidden this whole time, so I decided to take the nestbox out and count them since I didn't know how many were actually in there. There's 6, two big ones and 4 small ones. I would say they are runts except there's 4 of them. I don't think they are getting enough milk. The big ones are still smaller than Paprika's kits, which makes sense because they are only a few days behind.

Should I move one or two of the big ones over to Paprika? Or change out Cinnamon's nestbox so it's smaller? I know kits don't take well to bottle feeding. Should I try holding the small kits under Paprika to see if she'll let them drink? I can't handle Cinnamon, she's always been a hands off rabbit but Paprika enjoys being petted and doesn't freak out when I handle her babies. 

Cinnamon's last litter was in a different nest box and ended up only 3 kits by the end of the first week. Not sure why the current babies are not being fed, she had plenty of milk last time for the 3 babies, they were very chunky.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 30, 2019)

Looked at a few of Cinnamon's babies this morning and the first three I grabbed seemed fed. Last one seemed thin, belly didn't look full. I brought it over to Paprika and she sniffed it and actually cleaned it off a bit (it peed on me as I was carrying it). The kit tried to suckle but I couldn't tell if it was actually getting much milk. The belly did look bigger but not super full, but I was running out of time so had to put everyone away. I'm hoping it was enough to help and that Cinnamon won't freak out that Paprika touched the kit.

Paprika is such a great mom and great personality, I really hope I can get a good doe out of her that's just like her.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 30, 2019)

Paprika's babies, there's 4 of the white ones.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 30, 2019)

Some of Cinnamon's babies







These two pictures are same bunny, one of the tiny ones


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## Baymule (Dec 31, 2019)

They are so cute.


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## Bruce (Dec 31, 2019)

SUPER cute!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 14, 2020)

So, with the three colors of kits Paprika had, I know that Paprika now carries REW, so her genotype I believe is A_, B_, Cc, D_, ee. And Frost I think would be __, __, cc, __, Ee. I know he's cc because he's REW. One kit is chestnut, which requires E, and Paprika only has ee, so it had to come from Frost. Similarly, in order to get a red kit like Paprika, Frost has to have e, because both parents have to contribute that to get red. 

Is my logic correct?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 14, 2020)

Grumpy baby bunnies


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 14, 2020)

Cinnamon's babies are doing better, but there's only 5. I can't for the life of me figure out what happened to the 6th one. They are all much bigger now. I still can't figure out their colors easily, except I'm pretty sure there's a chestnut/castor and a light one just like Sugar from the last litter. I think all the kits are agouti, none of them look self or tan to me.


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## Bruce (Jan 14, 2020)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Is my logic correct?


I have no idea, all looks very confusing to me!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 22, 2020)

Pictures from last night. Such grumpy bunnies!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 22, 2020)

Action shot


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## Bruce (Jan 22, 2020)

How can you tell they are grumpy?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 23, 2020)

Bruce said:


> How can you tell they are grumpy?


They look like they are squinting and angry, lol. They look like that when they first start opening their eyes and I guess also when you take pictures with flash. 

They are actually pretty curious and skittish. I'm trying to socialize them a bit, but they don't like being picked up much. I'm going to have to decide keepers soon and separate them it from the mommas once they are 6 weeks + old.


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## Baymule (Jan 23, 2020)

What pretty bunnies!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 11, 2020)

Update from Saturday: all bunnies have been weaned and no issues so far. The bunnies are skittish, but Paprika's kits are also curious, so I'm hoping they will be friendly. If the brown one is a doe, I plan to keep her; my friend has dibs on the red/orange if it's also a doe. I've been trying to figure out what colors Cinnamon's litter turned out to be, but it's hard to recognize the colors on the Rex coat. I know two look like the same color as Sugar, and two are lighter gray. I think the last one looks like a chestnut/castor, but it also seems lighter in color than I remember Coffee being. If I have time tomorrow before work I will get some pictures.

I bred Frost with Pepper, only 2 fall offs but she wasn't cooperating. I then bred Expresso with Coffee; they had 4 fall offs! They were both willing and this will be the first litter for both of them. Due date is March 11 if I counted right.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 11, 2020)

Cinnamon's kits. Five total, two darker gray, two lighter gray, and one brownish.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 13, 2020)

Current guesses on the Rex colors are an opal, two sable agoutis, and possibly two dilute sable agoutis.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 28, 2020)

Well, I was able to sell three REW does from Paprika's litter last Sunday. Couple of people said they were interested in the buck and then flaked. No interest in the Rex kits. Guess we are going to be butchering Sunday. I am keeping the Opal Rex, I think it's a doe. Also keeping the chestnut and red Paprika kits, both does. The red will be named Cayenne and will go to my friend within a month or so. I'm thinking I might name the chestnut Sage. Haven't thought of a name for the opal yet. 

I did learn how to tattoo bunny ears, but definitely think I need a bunny bag or box, it's really hard to hold them still even after using numbing spray on their ear. I don't think practicing on a banana peel was enough practice before doing it for real. The first and fourth tattoos were aweful. The middle two looked great. I still need to tattoo the three I'm keeping and my older rabbits.

Coffee has been haystashing and remaking her nestbox. She and Pepper should be due around the 10th of March. I'm thinking I will breed Paprika and Cinnamon this weekend, that would put them exactly 3 weeks after the first set. Toffee and Sugar still haven't been bred at all. I'm hoping to use my friend's buck this coming month on Toffee, and I haven't decided whether Sugar should be matched with that same buck or with Expresso. I think that will depend on what we end up with in Coffee's litter.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 28, 2020)

I am thinking I will try to show some rabbits this year, but a bit concerned on how to quarantine after the show. I found out there's a show mid March less than an hour from me, but that weekend we have to attend a wedding.  At least I know it'll be there next year too, so I can plan for that.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 1, 2020)

I hope everyone had a good Leap Day! I spent the morning with family and then worked around the house. We are still trying to get the house ready to go back on the market, hopefully soon. 

I bred Paprika and Expresso, they had 4 fall offs. I think he's getting the hang of it and I can't wait to see what the kits will look like. I bred Cinnamon and Frost, they had 3 fall offs. Cinnamon was not happy and Frost spent a lot of time stomping. I think this will be the last time I pair them up, I'm not happy with the litters so far - only one showable color in each litter. I'm not sure if it's just the combo of these two or if I should replace one or both. At least I know that only Sugar has the shaded gene of the Rex kits I've kept, so I haven't bred unshowable genes completely into my rabbitry yet.


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## Duckfarmerpa1 (Mar 1, 2020)

Sorry to hear about the poor luck with the breeding colors.  We just breed for fun...not show, but I do notice that color sells!  So I get excited when they are splashy colors or have lots of spots, depending on who I’ve paired.  My last litter of all spotted kits, sold so fast my head spun!  So I definitely paired up those two again!!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 1, 2020)

Duckfarmerpa1 said:


> Sorry to hear about the poor luck with the breeding colors.  We just breed for fun...not show, but I do notice that color sells!  So I get excited when they are splashy colors or have lots of spots, depending on who I’ve paired.  My last litter of all spotted kits, sold so fast my head spun!  So I definitely paired up those two again!!


So far I haven't shown at all, but I really want to this year. I joined the National Rex Rabbit Club and have been studying the guide book they sent me. I'm starting to understand the colors and how you can breed to get them, but still trying to learn how to identify good/bad conformation. 

I started raising rabbits because they are fairly easy keepers and very tasty. I have only sold 3 rabbits so far, all the others I've bred have been eaten or I've kept. I think there are too many rabbits out there in the world to just breed to sell as pets, and prefer to eat most of the ones I'm not going to keep. I'm just paranoid that if they go out as pets they won't have a good life and I'd hate to have caused that situation. I'm glad you have been able to find good homes for your bunnies. 

Are both parents you are breeding together spotted?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 9, 2020)

This weekend I hatched out 10 coturnix quail chicks. It was a test batch to determine fertility from the three quail pens. Jumbo pen 0/6 fertile. Silver boy pen 11/13 fertile, 8/11 hatched. Red pen 6/11 fertile, 2/6 hatched. The last 4 Red eggs are still in the incubator but I'm not expecting them to hatch; the incubator will be turned off this evening. The two Red chicks look like they are traditional pharoah coloring. The Silver boy chicks are a mix of traditional pharoah coloring and silver coloring, plus one that looks like it will turn out red.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 9, 2020)

Still waiting for baby bunnies to appear, due date is Tuesday. Pepper and Coffee both have nice nests prepared. Coffee looks huge and a bit uncomfortable, she wanted head rubs this morning and she's usually not super affectionate. Pepper always looks fluffy, so not sure she's pregnant but I'm hoping. She actually let me pet her this morning and she usually avoids all contact. It might also be that I've been bribing them with fresh greens more often than the other rabbits..


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 11, 2020)

Pepper had babies overnight!! I felt at least 3 but didn't pull them out to get a full count. The ones I saw look chinchilla, so I think this confirms that Pepper has two chinchilla genes.

Still nothing for Coffee, but she looks big and it's her first litter, so I bet she will have them today or tonight. I'm hoping she has at least 6. The most her mom had in a litter was 6, so I'm hoping Coffee does the same or better. She did have 4 fall offs with Expresso, and more fall offs is supposed to help increase litter size. I'm glad Pepper had her babies first, since I can probably foster kits to Pepper if needed.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 12, 2020)

Coffee had her babies!! I felt at least 4 in the nest, and she had them all in the nest too! I think the one I looked at was a castor. I am going to wait until Sunday to pull them out and look.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 19, 2020)

Pepper babies! Looks like double chinchilla gene has been confirmed, all 5 kits are chinchilla like mom, third litter that way with same buck (REW). One kit has Vienna marking on it's nose.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 19, 2020)

Coffee babies! One week old. Looks like there's 3 castor and 4 opal.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 23, 2020)

Sunday update: I cleaned cages today, and everyone received apple tree sticks to chew on. Some even had leaves attached. I've been trying not to mess with them too much, but I was able to peek in both nests today and see the baby bunnies. They still don't have their eyes open yet.

I practiced bunny subtraction today as well, and culled the REW buckling and the 4 sable agoutis (dilute and non-dilute). Live weights were 5lbs 2oz for the REW and 4 lbs 7-8oz for the others. Pelts were saved to be tanned later.

I think I slightly messed up my timing, I was supposed to breed Toffee and Sugar with Expresso on Saturday, but got caught up in other projects. I bred Sugar with Expresso tonight (Sunday) and since my work is closed due to the statewide stay at home order, I will breed Toffee tomorrow morning. Sugar was very cooperative and lifted, they had 4 fall offs. Hopefully we get a good litter.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 23, 2020)

I bred Toffee and Expresso this morning, they had four fall offs. More baby bunnies to come


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 23, 2020)

So I went back through my notes and I should have two litters due next Tuesday and two litters due in a month.


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## SA Farm (Mar 24, 2020)

Ah, Rex, such beautiful soft bunnies. I raised mini Rex for a while and even had some babies from my stock do well in shows, but I’ve forgotten a lot of the colours and details now. Good for you for learning the genotypes and doing test breeding to figure it all out! I’m very much enjoying your journal


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Apr 19, 2020)

Ok, I've been posting in the rabbit thread I created and didn't realize my last post here was way back in March. Oops! 

Pepper's kits (5 chinchilla) are in process of weaning; Coffee's kits (3 opal, 2 castor) will start weaning tomorrow. Cinnamon had 7 kits, 2 (sable agouti and dilute sable agouti) are now fostered to Paprika; the other kits look like an opal, two castors (but one looks quite orangy?), a fawn, and something similar to an opal but without the lighter highlights-it's a dark kit. Paprika had 6 kits (all castor) but lost 4 the first day. Sugar and Toffee are due this next week on 22/23.

I am working on cleaning and organizing the quail container (shipping container with stacking quail cages). I have three breeding groups and a batch of 5-6 week olds that just laid their first egg today. I started an incubation of turkey eggs and coturnix eggs (will utilize second incubator for hatching). I'm going to see if I can incubate turkey, chicken, coturnix, and button quail to all hatch on the same day.

I listed my house for sale again on Thursday. We've done a lot to the house since we listed last year, I'm hoping we can find a buyer this time. The quarantine crud and constantly changing rules are making the real estate process difficult. The house looks spotless but it's getting annoying keeping it that way and it hasn't even been a full week yet.


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## Bruce (Apr 19, 2020)

Yeah keeping a place "walkthrough ready" is a pain. Since I don't recall, is it the house you are living in now and if so where would you be moving?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Apr 19, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Yeah keeping a place "walkthrough ready" is a pain. Since I don't recall, is it the house you are living in now and if so where would you be moving?


Yeah, we are living here now. We are looking for a property with acreage. We'd like to get the house sold and then put in an offer so we aren't stuck waiting for a buyer. We might have to rent or move in with parents if there's a gap. It's a bit uncertain right now.


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## Bruce (Apr 19, 2020)

Definity hard to do the domino thing, especially when what you are looking for isn't a "cookie cutter" house in a neighborhood of which many properties are available most of the time. I wish you the best of luck!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Apr 23, 2020)

Sugar had her babies overnight!! She had pulled a small amount of fur when I checked around 9 last night, and there was a good mound this morning so I felt inside and there were warm squeaky babies! I moved some of the fur and pulled them out to take a quick count: she had 7 for her first litter! All look dark, I can't tell what color they will turn out to be, they could be castor or something I haven't had yet. I'm excited to learn more about the genetics but thinking about it, it points to strong possibility that Expresso does not carry REW 'c' gene, as there should have been white babies if that were the case. Toffee's litter should confirm.

Toffee is up next and then no others are pregnant. I'm still trying to decide if there's enough time for one more litter before it gets too hot but I may have waited too long. Coffee and Pepper would be the only ones who could be bred right now anyway, unless Sage has made weight and is 8+ pounds.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Apr 24, 2020)

Toffee had babies when I checked on them for the evening feed/water. There were two kits dead on the wire and lots of fur pulled. I couldn't tell if she was finished with kindling or if she got interrupted. I'm hoping she had the first two outside the box and the rest inside. I think I saw the fur pile in the nestbox moving, so there's hope. I didn't want to check because Toffee was acting aggressive and has bitten before. I will see if I can sneak the nestbox out tomorrow to check. Both dead kits were dark, not sure if black or castor or something else.

All the other rabbits seemed ok, and the fur pile in Sugar's nestbox was definitely moving.


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## Bruce (Apr 24, 2020)




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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Apr 24, 2020)

Well, the fur pile in Toffee's nestbox revealed 2 kits, also both dark. So I don't know if she had more than 4. It's possible she had more and was in process of cleanup when I found the dead kits. Now I don't know if I should move some of Sugar's kits over, or just leave her with two. Unless I tattoo them, I won't be able to tell them apart. Darn first time mom luck.


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## B&B Happy goats (Apr 24, 2020)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Well, the fur pile in Toffee's nestbox revealed 2 kits, also both dark. So I don't know if she had more than 4. It's possible she had more and was in process of cleanup when I found the dead kits. Now I don't know if I should move some of Sugar's kits over, or just leave her with two. Unless I tattoo them, I won't be able to tell them apart. Darn first time mom luck.


She should do fine with the two kits, but if you needed to move then you can use a permanent  marker and put a dot in the kits ears for ID....I have used the marker and you do have to redo in a few days on a rabbits ear  ....congratulations  on your  two healthy kits .....pictures ?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Apr 24, 2020)

B&B Happy goats said:


> She should do fine with the two kits, but if you needed to move then you can use a permanent  marker and put a dot in the kits ears for ID....I have used the marker and you do have to redo in a few days on a rabbits ear  ....congratulations  on your  two healthy kits .....pictures ?


I didn't take pictures because I was worried I'd freak Toffee out if I had them out for too long. I think she would be ok with two, it just her sister had 7, and I was thinking the litters would grow more evenly if they were rearranged between the moms. 

I need to look at Expresso's pedigree again, but I'm thinking he's probably Aa, B-, CC, Dd, EE. I think he's sired 4 litters so far, and produced chestnuts/castors and opals (dilute castor), plus these dark kits. They could be chestnut/castor, but they need more fur before I can tell.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Apr 25, 2020)

Checked both nests around lunchtime and Toffee still has two and Sugar still has her 7. I pulled the 7 out because I wanted to count them so I took a quick picture. Looks like two are dilute, so it looks like Sugar carries a dilute gene. Still can't tell if they are agouti or self, Expresso's dad was black so he carries self. Sugar has grandparents with self so it's conceivable she carries it. Need more fur to determine.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Apr 27, 2020)

We received an offer on my house and accepted it! If all goes as planned, escrow should close within 30 days. Starting to panic slightly as we don't know where we are going to live yet. We could move back in with either set of parents, but we have the cats to consider. Fiance's dad is highly allergic so it would make living there difficult. We might be able to find a fifth wheel or motorhome to live in, which we could then use if we are able to get the 20 acre parcel we've been eyeing. We will have to get pre-approved again, we got pre-approved in October when we put the house on the market last year.


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## Bruce (Apr 27, 2020)

The trailer sounds like a plan if you will be able to find a place this summer. You could even live in it on acreage putting in electric, water and septic first then house building. Of course it might get a bit cold in your area in the winter, something to consider if the house isn't built by then.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Apr 27, 2020)

Bruce said:


> The trailer sounds like a plan if you will be able to find a place this summer. You could even live in it on acreage putting in electric, water and septic first then house building. Of course it might get a bit cold in your area in the winter, something to consider if the house isn't built by then.


The parcel we have been eyeing has all utilities and a mobile home from 1973. Banks won't loan for a mobile home that age, but we might be able to get a loan through a modular home company and have the mobile home hauled off and modular installed. I'm hopeful it will work out.

The parcel is mostly flat and has a seasonal pond, plus some areas that flood in the wet season. We don't get that cold in winter, at least not enough for snow. Summer can be hot though, into the low 100s at the worst. There would be plenty of room for outbuildings, rotational pastures and the huge shop fiance wants. It's going to cost a bit though to cross fence everything and put in irrigation systems.


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## Bruce (Apr 27, 2020)

Sounds very promising! Will the bank loan money for the land exclusive of the mobile home?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Apr 27, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Sounds very promising! Will the bank loan money for the land exclusive of the mobile home?


I'm not sure. That would be a good question for the lender. I know as long as the mobile home is there, they really don't want to lend on it. I have research to do this week.


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Apr 28, 2020)

Miss @Larsen Poultry Ranch,

Congratulations on selling your house!  I hope you can find what you are looking for and can get everything in order before you have to move.  I'm sure a smart young lady like yourself can figure it out. 

Senile Texas Aggie


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Apr 29, 2020)

I took some pics but my phone is not cooperating. Toffee's 2 kits look like little roly poly castors. Sugar's 7 kits look like castors and opals. Will need another week to see if we get an odd dark one like Cinnamon's kit.

All bunnies are doing ok. It's definitely heading towards summer, it was hot during the day this week.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 6, 2020)

All the kits from the first two rabbit litters have been weaned. They will be 8 weeks old this week so they are ready for new homes. 5 are reserved already, I just need to list the others and hopefully they will go quickly. I need their cages so I can start weaning the next two litters. I have more cages but I don't want to set them up if possible. I've been trying to pet and handle the bunnies daily so they could possibly be sold as pets, that earns more money than selling them for meat or eating them myself. 

Incubation of the coturnix eggs is going well, 22 eggs went into lockdown and there were 15 chicks out this morning. I thought I screwed up the humidity but I guess I didn't. Trying something new and leaving the chicks in for most of a day, I'm hoping that the last eggs will hatch before I get home. Usually I open the incubator and pull chicks out every couple of hours. I tried a drier incubation this time and had lower humidity at the beginning, increased to about 40 % at lockdown. 

I have a second incubator set up and there's turkey, chicken, and coturnix eggs all set to hatch on the same day. Hatch day is two Fridays from now if I recall correctly. I also have a second set of turkey eggs that will hatch about two weeks later. It's been interesting playing musical incubators and hand turning all the eggs. 

House sale is progressing, we are in escrow and closing is set for the 25th. Last Thursday was inspections and today is appraisal. I hope everything goes smoothly.

I've been wanting to get more into spinning but am finding the cost of a spinning wheel prohibitive. I found some diy YouTube videos so now I've been trying to design my own wheel. We have plenty of lumber and some hardware, so I probably won't have to buy many parts.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 6, 2020)

Oh, and last night was the second night in a row I went to feed the bunnies and Sugar's babies were out of the nestbox. They are still too small so I think they stayed attached when she jumped out. They were all curled up in a ball together. The previous night 4/7 were out, last night 5/7 were out. She still has all 7 though, so she's being an excellent mom. I need to figure out a better nest box design so they can get back in. Their eyes are open, but they aren't very active yet.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 12, 2020)

Sold one bunny over the weekend, four more lined up for next weekend. I need to move the last 5, so I can wean the 3rd and 4th litters. They are getting big. 

It's raining now, which is a welcome break from the almost 100 degree heat. Hopefully it doesn't rain for too long, we are having a shipping container delivered Friday and will be converting it to live in after the house sale. We will definitely be installing an AC unit of some sort.


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## Bruce (May 12, 2020)

Where are you putting this shipping container?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 12, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Where are you putting this shipping container?


At my parent's place in their field. It's a 40' shipping container, we are going to insulate and plywood the inside. Fiance is going to install lighting and electricity, and an ac. We will still have to hike up to the house for bathroom use, but we might be able to pipe some of the well water over for gray water use.


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## Bruce (May 13, 2020)

Windows? Kitchen?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 13, 2020)

We are planning to install windows, ac, man door, and some interior walls. Meals will be had up at the house. I think we will probably have some cabinets and the microwave, so can fix some limited meals inside. We have been tossing ideas around for outdoor kitchen zone.


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## Bruce (May 13, 2020)

When you find a new place is the container going with you? Would make a nice "farm office" and tool storage "shed".


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 13, 2020)

Yes, when we get the new place, it will come with us. The idea was to get a second container and a roof beam kit to use both containers as the sides of the structure. Then add the roof and we will have a barn/storage zone. The shipping container would become storage/office/workshop.


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## Bruce (May 13, 2020)

That would be great. Storage, office space, workshop in the containers and equipment storage between them!


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## CntryBoy777 (May 14, 2020)

Ya may want to look in the camping dept at a WalMart....they have camping "potties" that ya can use....instead of treking and risking "dirty britches".....they aren't bad and way better than the old "slop jars" used before indoor plumbing existed....🤣....the containers are a good choice and be sure to get the high cube ones.....it will give ya room for extra storage without losing headroom.....


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 15, 2020)

We will have to look into the camping potty, lol. The shipping container is a high cube. It is supposed to be 8'10" tall 7'8" wide and 39'6" long as internal dimensions.

I have pips in my chicken and turkey eggs! Hopefully I will have babies out tomorrow morning.


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (May 15, 2020)

Miss @Larsen Poultry Ranch,

You have probably seen this video or at least something similar, but in case you have not, here is a YouTube video about a couple who built a shipping container home using 2 containers and a middle section so that they would have more space.  It is from the YouTube channel "Life Uncontained":

Senile Texas Aggie


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 15, 2020)

Senile_Texas_Aggie said:


> Miss @Larsen Poultry Ranch,
> 
> You have probably seen this video or at least something similar, but in case you have not, here is a YouTube video about a couple who built a shipping container home using 2 containers and a middle section so that they would have more space.  It is from the YouTube channel "Life Uncontained":
> 
> Senile Texas Aggie


We watched a video from them about adding the wall framing and insulation. We've been watching lots of YouTube videos regarding shipping container houses. I'm hoping it goes together easily.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 16, 2020)

Shipping container was delivered Friday, it looks in pretty good condition but looks like it's had a productive life. Walls and floor are sound, hoping the roof is as well. We bought some windows and a door; we will begin cutting out the spots to install them Saturday.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 16, 2020)

Cutting out the spots for the windows and doors is very loud. We are hoping to get them installed today and started on the insulation.

I sold four rabbits yesterday, two bucks and two does. The person wants to start raising their own meat rabbits. I'm very bummed the chunky Vienna marked chinchilla turned out to be a buck. It was a definite keeper had it been a doe. Only five more from the oldest litters. I'm hoping to get them sold soon or harvest if I can't find a buyer.


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## Bruce (May 17, 2020)

Senile_Texas_Aggie said:


> It is from the YouTube channel "Life Uncontained":


I've seen that and frankly I don't understand why anyone would do it. They built "exterior" walls on the inside of the containers, built a sloped roof over everything. Huge amount of work to modify the containers to connect them together with the new floor, cut out almost one entire side of each container, cut out and frame for windows, etc. Effectively they built an entire stick built house save for siding. Seems like it would have been a lot less work just to build that "look" from scratch. I don't know what used shipping containers cost but I can't imagine it would be less than the siding they didn't have to buy.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 17, 2020)

Bruce said:


> I've seen that and frankly I don't understand why anyone would do it. They built "exterior" walls on the inside of the containers, built a sloped roof over everything. Huge amount of work to modify the containers to connect them together with the new floor, cut out almost one entire side of each container, cut out and frame for windows, etc. Effectively they built an entire stick built house save for siding. Seems like it would have been a lot less work just to build that "look" from scratch. I don't know what used shipping containers cost but I can't imagine it would be less than the siding they didn't have to buy.


I'd rather have stick built, plus building 2x4 framing inside the container cuts down on the useable space by a lot. I think they have to do the framing like that so the insulation has a specific R value for building code. 

I purchased this container as "cargo worthy" which is a step down from brand new one trip. It was roughly $2,600 delivered. One trip containers are usually $3-5,000 higher than cargo worthy.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 19, 2020)

We finished the door and windows over the weekend and started installing the insulation foam board. It's using a lot more adhesive than we thought it would, and some of the walls are more dented out of shape than we realized. Fiance has the day off work so he is hoping to complete the insulation today. After insulation we will be placing plywood for the walls, with boards to hide the seams and provide support to the plywood. 

Once we have the plywood up we can start moving stuff out of the house and into the shipping container. I'm hoping we will get this done soon. 6 days to closing.


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## Bruce (May 19, 2020)

Sounds like the clock is ticking on your moving out. Good luck and try not to get too stressed.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 20, 2020)

Fiance scored an excellent deal on plywood. There's a local-ish place that sells plywood at discount usually because there's some damage or oddness about it. They told him they had 10' plywood for $18 when he called, but when he got there they were half off because some had damage and some had irregular/slanted cut edges. Works for us because we were going to cut them shorter anyways.

We finished installing insulation Tuesday and started the plywood. We were able to get most of the walls done, only two spots left. Next the roof needs to be insulated and add plywood, then we can do the internal walls. Then we should be able to start moving stuff in.

The lender is being a PITA, and my realtor has told me the closing date will be moved back, to June 4. If that's the case we will have more time to pack and clean, but it sure is annoying. I'm glad I didn't make an offer on something yet contingent on the sale, I would be freaking out.


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## Bruce (May 20, 2020)

I'm not sure we can believe this project is progressing without photographic proof


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 20, 2020)

Some photos


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## CntryBoy777 (May 20, 2020)

Lots of hard work, but sure looking Good!!....  ...I'm very familiar with the inside of containers....I unloaded them by hand for about 10yrs and pulled them while truck driving....


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 20, 2020)

I'm happy with the quality of this shipping container, the floor and walls seem solid although there's a lot of dents. I'm less happy about the roof. It didn't leak during the rain storm, but fiance popped the roof using high lift jacks and one of the rust spots opened up into a hole. He welded a chunk of metal over the spot and hit it with some flex seal so hopefully it doesn't leak.


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## Bruce (May 21, 2020)

Looks like progress is being made


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 22, 2020)

We are getting there


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## CntryBoy777 (May 22, 2020)

Movin' right along with it........I thought about doing something similar to that when we were looking to move, but never really pursued it....however, if a hurricane comes thru...it is on the "options" list...🤣


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 22, 2020)

This project is using a ridiculous amount of adhesive. Possibly because fiance only wants to use the instant stick stuff that costs more. I bet we could get by with less adhesive, but we're putting it on every rib before we put the foam board in place and it's taking 1.5 tubes per foam board.

I think it's going to look really nice once we get the trim up. I told fiance if we get it done this weekend he can take Monday off and go fishing. I plan to play with the new wool I just received from D and L Meadows.


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## Bruce (May 23, 2020)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> and it's taking 1.5 tubes per foam board


That does seem somewhat excessive. Perhaps a blob every foot on each rib would hold up the sheets?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 23, 2020)

Bruce said:


> That does seem somewhat excessive. Perhaps a blob every foot on each rib would hold up the sheets?


I dunno, fiance was in charge of installing most of the foam board. He bought the adhesive that's not instant stick and wanted to return it, I'm going to make him just use it up instead. We are almost done with the roof, and I think we can just use the drywall lift to press the foam boards into place for a longer period until the adhesive sets. A drywall lift is definitely the way to go to set the ceiling pieces in place it's made everything so much faster. I was able to get the drywall lift from harbor freight using one of the super coupons last year, this is the first time we've used it.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 24, 2020)

The patio bird has successfully hatched some chicks. There were 4 eggs when I peeked in the nest before they hatched. I don't know how many hatched but I could see two.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 24, 2020)

The living space is fully plywood and I started adding trim to cover the plywood seams. The windows will be a challenge as the plywood around the windows is not uniform due to how the angle iron was welded to create the window frame.

Fiance started setting up the conduit and pulling the wire for the electrical and his dad came over to help. Between the two of them they got it set up quickly. Then fiance finished pulling the wire and got almost all of the switches and outlets set up, the last one was missing screws so he couldn't finish it. I think we might have power out to the container tomorrow, at least using an extension cord. Supposedly we are going to trench power out to the location so it will be set up if my folks decide to go through building a granny flat at the location once we move out.


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## thistlebloom (May 24, 2020)

You guys have knocked that out pretty quick! Good work!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 26, 2020)

This picture is from this weekend, worked on the container all 3 days. We sure know how to relax on a holiday. Fiance thinks we could get power today using the giant extension cord, and he's supposed to get the split AC today and install it.




Had re-inspection this morning on my house and we are now cleared for section 1, yay! I think there's a re-appraisal this afternoon, not sure why, and then we are only waiting for the results of the water test. 10 days to closing.


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## B&B Happy goats (May 26, 2020)

Looking fantastic    ...sure hope all goes well with your closing....


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 27, 2020)

I checked on the patio birds yesterday as I was walking downstairs to do laundry and confirmed there are 4 chicks. They are so grumpy looking.

Yesterday it was over 100°, and when I checked on my incubator it showed 106°.  I had it in the building with my quail, so I moved it into the house. I don't know how long it was that hot but it might have been a few hours, but less than 8... Not sure if I fried them all. I'm going to candle after work today. I have turkey and chicken eggs set. It's supposed to be hot the rest of this week and then cool down over the weekend.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 1, 2020)

Well, we had a busy Sunday and with the help of a small army of family members, got moved out of the house and into the shipping container. The cats will be moved over tonight. We still need to move a few remaining items and then clean, but we are ready for closing. 

Still hunting for a property to buy. It's quite annoying, there's almost no low priced properties because cash buyers snap them up as investments. And bare land for 10 acres is going for pretty much the same price as 20 acres.


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## Bruce (Jun 1, 2020)

So buy the 20 acres!!!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 1, 2020)

Bruce said:


> So buy the 20 acres!!!


I would love to, but we are still getting our paperwork together. There's one parcel we really like, but it is showing contingent. We need to talk to our realtor to see if there's a chance we could make a backup offer or if there's no chance to get that property.

The other properties we've been looking at all have some issue or another that would be problematic. And there's not many new parcels showing up that aren't immediately getting offers. Kind of a seller's market I think.


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## Bruce (Jun 1, 2020)

Contingent often means "sale contingent on closing on another house". You don't have that in your contract because you moved out into the container.  If there is a contract on that property contingent on the potential buyer selling their current property, you still have a chance. And if the second "contingent" example is correct in this case, find out what the date is, they are not usually open ended. Something to look into, I would ask the realtor. If the date is near and you have your offer in, the seller might take that rather than give the current potential buyer an extension. An offer with no contingencies is far better than one that has them. You can't get a "yes" answer to a question you don't ask.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 1, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Contingent often means "sale contingent on closing on another house". You don't have that in your contract because you moved out into the container.  If there is a contract on that property contingent on the potential buyer selling their current property, you still have a chance. And if the second "contingent" example is correct in this case, find out what the date is, they are not usually open ended. Something to look into, I would ask the realtor. If the date is near and you have your offer in, the seller might take that rather than give the current potential buyer an extension. An offer with no contingencies is far better than one that has them. You can't get a "yes" answer to a question you don't ask.


That is our hope, that the buyer won't be able to fulfill their part and it will be "available" to an offer from us. We are keeping our fingers crossed.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 4, 2020)

Signed more paperwork yesterday, closing should be Friday. . We are going to celebrate this weekend and fiance will probably go fishing, he's been wanting to go for a while now. Maybe I will finally get a chance to play with wool.

Cats are adjusting to tiny house life. They haven't made a serious attempt at running outside yet, but I know it will come soon. I'm hoping we can get a porch set up before they do something stupid so I have a better chance of grabbing them before they get too far. We still haven't built the shelving and storage we were wanting for inside the living space. Once we do that, it will seem much bigger and less crowded.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 7, 2020)

House didn't close on Friday due to shenanigans/delay in processing by the underwriters so the title company couldn't close. Got a text at 4:50 that the processing was done and the sale should close early Monday.

Today we rearranged the furniture in the shipping container and it looks much more open now. I built a shelf so we could get some of the stuff off the floor. I sold a turkey hen and 8 poults too. If I can sell the other three adult turkeys that will open up a pen. Hatching is in progress and several turkey poults got stuck, the chicken chicks seem to be hatching without issues.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 7, 2020)

Hatch was called, 8 chickens and 1 turkey just fine. 3 turkeys are messed up, 1 might be saveable. I gave them nutri dench and will check in a couple of hours. If no improvement I will cull, as I really don't need birds that require special treatment.

Otherwise today has been mostly relaxing, and I sold two turkey hens this morning too! Hopefully the tom will be next and I can rearrange some pens.


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## Bruce (Jun 8, 2020)

How are the 3 poults messed up?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 8, 2020)

The first one almost looks like wry neck, but I know it's because it was stuck in the egg too long. The others were also stuck, but it affected their legs. The second one also had a twisted neck and one off leg. I could get it to almost stand normal if I held it's feet in place and pushed down on it's shoulders. But then it would shimmy and fall over. It wasn't making any progress after a couple of hours. The third one had extremely curled feet and one hip looked like it wasn't in the socket correctly, looked like bad splay leg. 

I gave all 3 nutri dench but after a few hours 2 & 3 weren't looking better so I culled. The first one was straightening out it's neck more, so I'm hoping it will work out. It was sleeping a lot though, not sure if that was good or bad. I haven't checked on them yet this morning.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 8, 2020)

Pretzel is still alive, neck looks mostly straight now but he keeps laying down and sleeping, while the rest of the chicks/poult are standing and eating. I gave some more nutri dench, hopefully it will work some magic and he will be up and around this afternoon.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 9, 2020)

Pretzel went downhill overnight, I think since he wasn't staying on his feet as much as the other chicks that they trampled him. He was still breathing but wasn't opening his eyes and I think just gave up, I culled him so he wouldn't suffer any more.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 9, 2020)

Realtor says the house sale closed yesterday but it was past the cutoff for wires, so I haven't received my $, I will check again on my break later. The buyer received their keys yesterday, and I think they are going to be remodeling a bunch before they move in. I'm supposed to be giving them a rabbit and some quail as part of the sale, but have yet to hear of when they want to receive them.


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## Bruce (Jun 9, 2020)

Nope, won't buy the house unless you throw in a rabbit and some quail. 
That's gotta be a first in a house sale contract.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 9, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Nope, won't buy the house unless you throw in a rabbit and some quail.
> That's gotta be a first in a house sale contract.


Lol, yeah. I actually had to sign an addendum that the rabbit and quail didn't add any value to the house.


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## thistlebloom (Jun 9, 2020)

Well that's a narrow point of view! 😄


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 10, 2020)

I was watering my plants this morning and heard something crashing through the shrubbery on the neighbor's property. I wandered over and found it was two cows. I couldn't get close enough to pet them (are you allowed to pet strange cows or is that a no no?), but I was able to give it some grass that was just out of reach on my side of the fence.


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## CntryBoy777 (Jun 10, 2020)

Ya might be better off admiring from a distance....ya might not want them to be enticed to your side of the fence....and getting too "friendly" could give them incentive to come "visiting" to your side.....


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## Bruce (Jun 10, 2020)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Lol, yeah. I actually had to sign an addendum that the rabbit and quail didn't add any value to the house.


I think their value should be deducted from the sale price (for potential tax purposes).


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 13, 2020)

House closed and the wire went through. I think I notified all the needed utilities to shut off. It's going to be nice not paying so many bills each month. We are not going to be charged rent by my folks, just sweat equity to help around the property. 

I created a spreadsheet to compare the different properties we've been looking at, so I think that will help pick the one to make an offer. I'm hoping we can get hopping on that and maybe make an offer this coming week.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 13, 2020)

Chickens are very creative on where they lay. Seriously debating on incubating these, or maybe I can move them under the broody hen...


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 17, 2020)

On Monday night I moved the broody hen to our small grow out cage inside the big chicken pen. She was setting in one of the kitty litter nest boxes, with handle, so it was very easy to move her. I checked the eggs as I grabbed them from the garden and two were damaged so they got tossed. From the size and shape they look like the same hen laid them all. Two were very porous but I gave them a chance, I sort of lost count but I am pretty sure there's a baker's dozen. This hen pecks a little, but not too hard. Once she figured out I was adding eggs instead of removing she started rolling them underneath instead of trying to peck me. Hatch due around the 6/7th.

I have a rabbit problem. Specifically too many rabbits for the cages I have set up. They are eating a ton of food too. I need to find my calendar to double check their kindle date but I'm pretty sure a bunch are big enough to harvest, that will solve some of the space issue. I have two more double hole cages I could set up, but hadn't thus far because the bottoms need repair. I think if I can get those up tonight then all the rabbits will be happier.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 17, 2020)

Broody hen, tucked down on the eggs. I am pretty sure this is a hen that was hatched and raised by a store bought speckled Sussex, her dad was our rooster King, not as certain on the mom. It was either the blue laced red Wyandotte or the speckled Sussex. King had a gorgeous huge comb that looked like a crown, and extra toes from a silkie grandparent.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 19, 2020)

I gave the broody a bath last night, something happened and she had broken egg all over her underside. I think the kitty litter box is good for transportation but not so good for setting. She had 6 eggs that still looked ok, so I swapped the kitty litter box for one of the flat nest boxes. She initially freaked out after the bath but settled back on the eggs after I left. If she ruins these eggs I will probably have to buy her some chicks. 




I went by TSC yesterday too, for rabbit food but they had chicks! I snagged some two week old white leghorn pullets. I was very tempted by the mixed bantams but there weren't any silkies.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 20, 2020)

Broody still setting. Chicks are doing ok, but need more space. Rearranged the quail some to open a cage for the 5 new quail hens I received from a byc friend. Some will go to make up the 10 hens for the house buyer. I also received 3 dozen celadon hatching eggs from a different byc friend. I'm getting the incubator ready and will set tomorrow.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 23, 2020)

Eggs were set, hand turning. Will probably candle on Friday to see if they are developing. I'm hoping the celadon eggs will be easier to see into than the regular coturnix eggs.

Broody still setting on her 6 eggs. I will probably candle those later this week. We found a broody earlier this week who had made a nest under a shrub in the garden, I think only a week or so along. This morning she was outside the chicken pen wanting in, so I checked on her nest and something got all the eggs. Just some bits of she'll left. Dunno if she'll continue to be broody or if she is done now. 

It's been hot and dry. We could use some rain, or at least a cooling breeze. So far haven't lost any rabbits but I lost a quail last night from the heat. 

Getting frustrated with the house buyer, still haven't heard back about when they want the quail and rabbit. I need to get them gone so I can rearrange cages and not have to worry about holding a surplus of hens and keep them alive in this heat.


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## Bruce (Jun 23, 2020)

Can you contact them and give them 1 week or that part of the deal is off?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 23, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Can you contact them and give them 1 week or that part of the deal is off?


I dropped a letter in their mailbox yesterday. Going to reach out again through the realtor if no response by tomorrow. 

I'm assuming they are busy renovating, the house had a new roof and it looked like they were prepping to paint the siding. I didn't notice if they'd changed any of the landscaping.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 29, 2020)

Broody is still setting, so I decided to candle the eggs. Only found 3 under her, so she lost the rest somehow... Of the 3, one was clearly rotten while the other two had veins. If she loses these two eggs I'm just going to buy her chicks.

Incubator is still going with the celadon eggs. I candled tonight and they were slightly easier to see into than normal colored quail eggs. I removed 6 which were clear and put the remaining 30 back. Some I wasn't sure about, but better to let them go a bit longer and candle again.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 29, 2020)

We went and looked at a property on Saturday, 10 acres, 3 bed/2 bath modular with giant covered front porch, a shop, cross fenced, with ag well in addition to house well. It is pretty much exactly what we were looking for but a bit farther out than I'd like. We put an offer in at list price and we should hear back Monday noon if they've accepted the offer or not.

They currently have some cows, chickens, ducks, and two goats. I got to pet one of the cows! Her name was Olive and she was friendly! I really want a cow like her, she was sweet. The cows are moving with the humans to Texas.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 29, 2020)

Ugh! The sellers decided to not accept our offer and to put the house on the market in 1-2 weeks, they are hoping for a bidding war. I'm very frustrated and fiance is pissed. That house would have been perfect.


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## Bruce (Jun 30, 2020)

What they are hoping for and what they will get may not be the same thing. IMO not to take an offer at the asking price, especially from buyers that don't have a "domino sale" contingency isn't real bright. If they want, and think it will sell for, more why didn't they have a higher asking price to start? Maybe because you offered asking price right off they decided they could get more?

Keep an eye on it, if they don't get their bidding war they will have to drop the asking price. Plenty of people have taken an economic hit due to the Covid shutdowns. Wait a few weeks and offer them 10% less than your original offer.

I do have to wonder if it wasn't on the market, how was there a list price? And if "on the market" means "through a realtor" where the original "listing" was not, they will take a 3%-6% commission hit. Hopefully their greed will be your gain.

Good luck


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 30, 2020)

I should have said asking price instead of list price. Their realtor works at the same brokerage as mine, so they were showing the house prior to putting it on the market in hopes that they wouldn't have to actually put it on the market. Then after we submitted our offer, apparently the husband's buddy was trying to buy a house on a nearby street and that house got into a bidding war. So the wife just wanted to be done with it and sell to us, but the husband wants to see if they can get a bidding war.

Very frustrating. But, it probably wasn't meant to be and we are going to keep looking. Hopefully something will come up a little closer.


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## Bruce (Jun 30, 2020)

It would be interesting to know how this other property compares to the one you are interested in.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 30, 2020)

Bruce said:


> It would be interesting to know how this other property compares to the one you are interested in.


It looks like a 3 bed 2 bath recently remodeled modular on 10 acres, so very similar. Does not appear to have the lake view. Possibly seasonal pond. Has air conditioned she shed/office building, and a chicken coop. The pictures look super dry though, I don't know if it's just useless to water the landscape or if the people in this area are against it somehow, the whole area is dry. I'd be super worried about fire danger. Almost no trees either, and doesn't appear to be cross fenced but has perimeter fencing.

If there's a bidding war for that house, the losers would probably go for the one we offered on, unless they find something else before it officially lists.


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## Bruce (Jul 1, 2020)

I suspect you are right about the "losers" going for the place you want. Then they can lose that bidding war as well 

Maybe they don't water due to the cost or possibly due to lack of a decent well. The whole area would be nothing but scrub if not for human activity.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 3, 2020)

We practiced rabbit subtraction last night, we will get to move the younger set around to better cages now. I thought 2 were girls but we checked as we butchered and the friendly one I thought was a doe was a buck. 4/5 were bucks! I'm worried the next batch are also mostly bucks, there's 9 in that grouping and I think only 1/7 from Cinnamon is a doe. The two from Paprika look like does. The house buyer is supposed to pick from these as they have the most variety of color. 

I'm still having trouble learning the rabbit colors. I understand the code on paper, but there aren't a ton of resources out there that show what the different combinations look like on an actual rabbit, at least for the not recognized colors. So, because some of mine have the shaded gene but are agouti instead of self, I haven't been able to find pictures of what x color looks like at age y, age z, etc. Maybe I should add a rabbit section to my website and update as the bunnies grow? I also haven't figured out what color I want to focus on for my Rex rabbits. It would be easy to just do Castor since I have a bunch of those already. Hopefully when we get the new property I can get the rabbitry expanded and get more colors to figure out what color I want to focus on.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 6, 2020)

25 Celadon quail eggs made it to lockdown, should hatch in a day or two. I checked on the broody chicken hen, and she only had one egg under her! It was pipped and peeping though, so should have a chick tonight. I'm going to see if I can snag some chicks from the feed store and add them to the nest.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 6, 2020)

The chick hatched! I bought 8 more chicks too. The broody kept pecking me as I put them underneath her, but at least she didn't go running off. Hopefully she will mother all 9.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 7, 2020)

They all looked good this morning. I had to help a few of the chicks out of the nestbox as it was proving difficult for them to jump out. Momma hen was not happy with my interference and gathered the chicks up. They seem to be listening, which is awesome.


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## CntryBoy777 (Jul 7, 2020)

A bit more hay in the box my help em over the lip...not too much tho....it is hard to beat a hen with chicks, always sweet....


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 9, 2020)

Broody chicken momma is still doing well with the babies. The chicks always look so cute when they jump on top of the hen.

I had 19/25 of the Celadon coturnix eggs hatch yesterday. 1 chick died while pipping, and 2 more had to be helped out of the egg as they got stuck while zipping. There's 3 eggs that haven't shown activity yet. I will probably try to candle or open them tonight.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 13, 2020)

The Celadons did ok hatching, I started with 36 eggs, and removed 6 at first candle as non fertile/early quit. Then I removed 5 quitters at lockdown. Of the 25, 21 hatched and the last 4 were DIS. All 21 seem to be doing well. 

I sold the tom turkey this morning, so the turkey pen was empty. I planned to upgrade the chickens in the orchard pens there but had to move the quail (in their cages) instead. The shipping container was getting way too hot despite fans - it was well over 100 degrees. We will be adding a roof and better fans, possibly a swamp cooler to get the temperature under control so the quail can move back.

Still searching for a property, we thought we found a great one but unless we get some good answers from the county tomorrow it will be off the table as a possibility as it would make building a house too expensive and over budget.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 14, 2020)

Sad and frustrated right now. We've been looking at a property for about 2 weeks now, and I finally got some information yesterday that basically means it's not going to work out. There's a "seasonal wetlands" across the property. From east to west, touching both sides of the parcel. The road is on the south parcel line. The well and perc'd zone are on the north side of the property. So, there's no way to get from the road to the building site unless you cross the wetlands area. Very frustrated that they are calling this a buildable piece of land when it's not.


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## CntryBoy777 (Jul 14, 2020)

Good thing ya found that out before signing "past the point of no return"....it is hard to accept sometimes, but there is a Better place for ya and you'll come across it....just have to keep searching....think of it as an "adventure".....


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 14, 2020)

Yeah, just feeling discouraged, because most everything is out of our price range and the stuff that's in our price range is either not useable or gone in 5 seconds. We are still looking but it's hard to put in hours researching a property and dreaming up the layout just to have the whole thing crumble. 

I really want to stay in CA because my family is here, but fiance has been pushing to move out of state. We'd probably end up in Idaho, Texas or Georgia if we did leave. We've got family in Texas and Georgia and he has business contacts in Idaho. I just don't know if we'd (me mostly) be able to handle the different weather and if I'd be able to bring my animals.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 18, 2020)

Checked on the momma hen this morning and was able to count all 9 babies. Yay!

We have a possibility of a house on 5 acres, but I'm worried they are going to ask too much. Supposedly the house and property is in rough shape so hopefully they ask for a fixer price instead of a move in ready price. We drove up to the front of it as they weren't showing it yet, it looked ok but the fence was falling down and the AG building looked like it was as well. Hoping to see it with the realtor on Sunday or early next week.


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Jul 19, 2020)

Hope it works out for you!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 30, 2020)

Critters are doing well. We butchered 6/9 of the middle group of bunnies, the last three were girls and I wanted to give them a little more time before I pick which one I'm keeping. The last group of bunnies (8 of unknown gender) will probably be butchered this weekend, they are getting big. I hate how much hay they waste, I need to figure out a better hay rack system. I swear half the hay goes on the ground.

I went to an iris sale this last weekend, and I didn't know they had so many colors! Or color combinations! I picked out so many different blue ones, I'm hoping I can keep them all organized and labeled with the names. I did get some non-blue ones too.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 30, 2020)

We did go and see the property; it's in a good area and has potential. It's a definite fixer and the contractor we had walk it gave us an estimate of around $37k to make the repairs. So, we kept that in mind when we made our offer. They countered our offer by increasing the price by $25k amongst other things. They have said the value is in the land, not the house, but they are pricing it way over the values of recent land that has sold. It's a tad frustrating especially since we had included a rent back where they can stay untill the end of September so it's easier for them to move out of state. 

We are thinking about how we want to respond to their counter or if we should just keep looking. I highly doubt the seller is going to get anywhere near what they want if they try to sell on the market. Maybe we just need to look at properties already listed instead of this pre-listing nonsense.

Honestly I feel like every time I try to do a real estate transaction I get screwed - is that just normal for buying and selling or is that just me?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 30, 2020)

Oh! Almost forgot to add, I found a neat website and ordered some seeds for the wedding favors, they are sunflowers. I also bought some flax seeds and a deer forage mix. Hopefully fiance can plant the deer forage mix where he might be hunting deer, or we might put it where the goats could browse on it. I'm excited for the flax because I would like to learn how to spin it.

I also bought a White treadle sewing machine this week, I'm hoping to dismount the machine and mount a flyer to turn it into a spinning wheel. The machine needs a band, but it looks like it might actually be in ok shape, the parts I know to move seem to move smoothly when I turn it by hand. I looked up the serial number and I think it was made in 1917-1918, so it's actually an antique! I'd like to see if I can fix up the stain/finish on it. I've read I can just use boiled linseed oil and some steel wool, then polish with a lint free cloth.


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## Bruce (Jul 30, 2020)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> I swear half the hay goes on the ground.


Sounds like my alpacas. They are super picky, if it isn't thin grass they just drop it. Seems, with regard to their tastes, I bought a lot of bales that were 3/4 bedding, 1/4 food.



Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> I'm hoping I can keep them all organized and labeled with the names.


And clear enough space to plant them all! Of course if you are going to move that would have to wait. 



Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> We are thinking about how we want to respond to their counter or if we should just keep looking.


Both. If they went up from their original "non listed" price they are getting greedy. I'd go up maybe a little from your original offer but certainly not to their new price. But keep looking because while they are trying to wring money out of you something better might come around.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 30, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Sounds like my alpacas. They are super picky, if it isn't thin grass they just drop it. Seems, with regard to their tastes, I bought a lot of bales that were 3/4 bedding, 1/4 food.
> 
> 
> And clear enough space to plant them all! Of course if you are going to move that would have to wait.
> ...


The irises will be going into pots until we find a place. My mom has a ton of irises already, but she doesn't remember what color is where she's had them so long, so planting in the ground would be unwise right now.

Our offer was less than their original rough number they had in mind, but the difference between them was the estimated amount of repairs. The market is doing wonky things, some places are selling quick and others just sit there. We are looking but there's not much out there which meets our criteria. We might end up staying in the shipping container into the fall.   At least it's comfortable and we aren't paying rent right now, so we are trying to save what's not getting spent prepping for the wedding.


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## Bruce (Jul 30, 2020)

Since you have an idea about how much the land would cost based on recent sales you have a good idea what the property is worth. Sounds like you are being smart and not jumping to buy out of fear that you won't find something. You never know when someone might come around and pay way more than a property is worth but you can't control that.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 30, 2020)

Yeah, that's kinda what I did with the last house. It had so many issues that should have been a red flag but I didn't know any better because it was my first house. I really should have kept looking. But, at least I learned a lot from that house and am able to apply that knowledge to buying the next one.

Just trying to stay patient and keep believing that if it's meant to happen it will happen, and if it doesn't happen there's probably a good reason and we'd be better off without it.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 2, 2020)

I took 6 chickens to auction this morning hopefully they sell decently. One is an extra rooster from my parents flock, and the other 5 were ones I had hatched.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 2, 2020)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> I took 6 chickens to auction this morning hopefully they sell decently. One is an extra rooster from my parents flock, and the other 5 were ones I had hatched.


The chickens did pretty good at auction, I'm happy with what they sold for. The two white silkie cockerels went for $7.50 each, the three mixed breed cockerels went for $8.50 each, and the big black rooster went for $15.50. I wish I could have caught the second black rooster. My net was $42 after the auction group took their cut. That's about 2 bags of feed   

I will add that the little cockerels were probably about 2 months old, and the big silkie only a month or so older. The big black rooster was from a hatch last year and was half black jersey giant, he had some red patches on his wings but was otherwise a glossy black with iridescent green highlights.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 4, 2020)

They accepted our counter to their counter offer! Ahhh! 

Need to schedule inspections and start planning things out. We are going to have 5.5 acres!!!!


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## B&B Happy goats (Aug 4, 2020)

congratulations  !.........soooooo happy for you


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## Bruce (Aug 4, 2020)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> They accepted our counter to their counter offer! Ahhh!


If you care to answer - was your counter offer lower, equal to or higher than their original "request"? I'm sure it was lower than their counter.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 4, 2020)

Bruce said:


> If you care to answer - was your counter offer lower, equal to or higher than their original "request"? I'm sure it was lower than their counter.


We offered $35k below what their realtor had told our realtor that they were thinking, because that was the rough amount of the estimate from the contractor to do repairs. Their counter was $25k higher than our offer, and after our realtors talked we countered their counter with $10k over our original offer which they accepted. 

Inspections are scheduled for Monday. Close is supposed to be a month out, and then they will rent back until the end of September. Hopefully the rainy season won't start early so we can get the roof re-roofed.


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## Bruce (Aug 5, 2020)

Sounds like you got the good end of those negotiations. I guess they figured out the actual vs hoped for value of the property.


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## thistlebloom (Aug 5, 2020)

That's exciting! Congratulations!!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 11, 2020)

Well inspection shows 15+ gallons per minute on the well, so that's good. Bacteria testing won't come back for a few days. House inspection report won't be back for a few days but did learn it has termites. Was already mostly planning to gut the whole place down to the studs so we can see what we are dealing with and move walls around, that pretty much solidifies that plan. The inspector did say to our face (and within hearing of the seller) that the house is in unlivable condition.

Seller is supposed to have the septic pumped and give us a report, they said yesterday they had planned to pump it right before they moved out so it was nice and empty for us.... Fiance's dad pointed out (to us not the sellers) that the exposed septic tank lid is showing liquid bubbling up - septic tanks should never be that full, there should be a foot or so of space between the top of the "stuff" and the lid. This means it's not flowing for some reason... Could be a clog (tree roots/stuff that shouldn't be flushed/etc), or could be a failure of some part of the system. This property has dry wells rather than leach lines, so we are having to learn about those. Might be pricey to fix if it's an actual issue. Our realtor is getting septic pumping and inspection set up so we will know what we are dealing with.

Starting to wonder if this is why the sellers refused to fill out the sellers disclosure form completely. If they were fixing to set us up with an unlivable house and waltz out of state. If the septic situation is a no go, we are going to have to keep looking. If that's the case, at least we would be only out the amount of the inspections and not our deposit.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 11, 2020)

On a happier note, fiance and I were able to go by the county office yesterday after the inspections and get our marriage licence. One step closer!


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## Bruce (Aug 11, 2020)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> If they were fixing to set us up with an unlivable house and waltz out of state. If the septic situation is a no go, we are going to have to keep looking.


Or have them take a lower price such that the difference covers the septic replacement.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 12, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Or have them take a lower price such that the difference covers the septic replacement.


That's an option as well. I'm not getting stuck with a messed up house if I can help it, not again. I'd rather keep looking.

Hopefully there's nothing wrong, or the sellers drop the price to cover repairing the septic if there is something wrong.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 13, 2020)

Sellers/selling realtor refusing to cooperate with scheduling septic inspection. Fiance and I talked and if they won't let us inspect on Monday, we are going to walk. If there's issues, they will need to repair or credit/drop price or we will walk.

So very frustrating, but maybe we aren't meant to be there. It just sucks that there's not much out there for sale that fits our criteria. I guess we are in the minority that we don't want to live in a cookie cutter house on a postage stamp sized lot. I really don't understand how people can live like that.


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## thistlebloom (Aug 14, 2020)

I hope you are able to find what you're looking for. So much of it is timing, what's available at the time you're looking. It sure sounds like the sellers are trying to hide something.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 17, 2020)

Septic inspection being scheduled for tomorrow. Waiting sucks.


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## Bruce (Aug 17, 2020)

Glad to hear it! I read Thistlebloom's post and said "Yep". No reason not to get on inspections if you have nothing to hide. But then it will all come out eventually so it is best to just get on with things and let the inspector find what (s)he finds.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 18, 2020)

Had some puppy therapy to combat recent negativity.





This is our future puppy:


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## frustratedearthmother (Aug 18, 2020)

How cute!   Puppies cuddles can fix a lot of things!


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## B&B Happy goats (Aug 19, 2020)

Puppy breath   ...congratulations  on the new pup


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 19, 2020)

We don't actually have her yet, I think she's barely a month? We won't get her till she's 8 weeks. Fiance's mom's dog is the one with puppies so we get puppy snuggles whenever we go over. Which is good for the puppies because they get more socialization.


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## frustratedearthmother (Aug 19, 2020)

I bet you can't wait to get her!

I just got a new puppy a few weeks ago and am waiting to pick up another of the same breed in  few weeks.  Is there such a thing as too much puppy breath?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 20, 2020)

Well, the property purchase fell through. Apparently they are offended we were doing inspections and when they said "the house is as-is" what they really meant was the improvements such as the well (report shows contaminated) and the septic system (they refused to allow it to be inspected) are part of the house (termites and tons of dry rot), and are "as-is". I am finding it hard to believe that people can live like that and not see that it's a problem. 

We probably dodged a lot of work and heartache but we are disappointed that we won't be getting the property. Back to the house hunt.


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## thistlebloom (Aug 20, 2020)

I think you dodged a bullet. There are fixer uppers and there are derelict dumps. Best to invest in something that only needs some TLC and not a complete expensive rebuild with all the attendant surprises that come with it.

I understand the desire to find a property soon though. I've spent time in those shoes.

A good place will come along, timing, timing, timing.


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## Bruce (Aug 23, 2020)

As-is IS as-is but that doesn't mean one should be allowed to find out what as-is means before plopping down a ton of money. I agree, you dodged one here. MAYBE you could bleach the well and it would be OK, depends on where the contamination is coming from. Was it even tested for heavy metals and all? Clearly it would have needed a whole new septic system. Could be they are waiting for someone who wants to pay way too much for the land and raze the house ... which wouldn't change the first 2 problems at all.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 23, 2020)

Bruce said:


> As-is IS as-is but that doesn't mean one should be allowed to find out what as-is means before plopping down a ton of money. I agree, you dodged one here. MAYBE you could bleach the well and it would be OK, depends on where the contamination is coming from. Was it even tested for heavy metals and all? Clearly it would have needed a whole new septic system. Could be they are waiting for someone who wants to pay way too much for the land and raze the house ... which wouldn't change the first 2 problems at all.


They didn't present it as selling as bare land. They presented as there "was no value in the home and the home was as-is". They are living on the property-which means the well and septic *should *be in working order because they are using them. They knew darn well from the moment we started looking at the property what we intended to do and that we were on a budget.

The well should be bleached and retested. We only tested for bacteria because the heavy metals testing takes weeks for results. 

I don't know what they are thinking, but now they are going to have to find a different buyer, and I doubt they are going to get anywhere close to what we were going to pay. If they had maintained the house in actual good condition, they could have listed for probably $600,000 + and gotten more than one offer.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 1, 2020)

Anyone else feel like time is stuck in fast forward?? People keep asking how many days left and it's not helping... Still have a ton of stuff to do but I think we can get it done in time, if I can force myself to delegate tasks. 

4 more days and then we are done and can relax!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 6, 2020)

We did it! We are officially Mr and Mrs! 🎉

There were some technical difficulties and a small delay, but we were able to get the ceremony broadcast so the family and friends who were not there in person could watch the ceremony. I think (hope) it was recorded too. The photographer was wonderful and the cake/cupcakes were divine. Now I just need to send off the paperwork and start the long slog of changing my last name. He's worth it though. ❤️


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## thistlebloom (Sep 6, 2020)

Congratulations!


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Sep 7, 2020)




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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Sep 14, 2020)

Miss Larsen Poultry Ranch,

I hope you and your husband are enjoying your honeymoon!

Are you being impacted by the fires in the region?  I hope you two are safe.

Senile Texas Aggie


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 14, 2020)

We left on Monday, and came back Friday. The hope was if we went up the coast we'd get away from the smoke in our area, well we did but we just entered the smoke of other areas since the whole West coast seems to be burning. Thankfully we were not caught in any of the fires, and we were able to enjoy our travel but it was very smoky pretty much the whole trip.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 21, 2020)

Well, we tried to look at a property over the weekend, but weren't able to see the parts of it we wanted. The side fronting the road was COVERED by blackberries. The "seasonal stream" had water in it despite not having rain for weeks if not months... The selling realtor straight up told our realtor to bring a machete, and he didn't have any pictures of the property that weren't taken from the road or satellite pictures. We machete'd for over an hour until we hit the second stream bank, it was too deep/filled with blackberries to keep going with the limited supplies we had; the first stream bank hadn't been that deep.

We are going to try to get through the rest of the blackberries hopefully today or at least a day this week, and will probably make an offer contingent on passing the perc and mantle. I don't know how they do the perc and mantle though, so it might get interesting if they need to access the area via vehicle versus walking in.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 21, 2020)

The parcel is rectangular, with the long sides to the north and south. The east side fronts the roadway. The neighboring parcels have wells that were drilled between 120-170 feet deep and produced in the teens gpm when they were installed. Irrigation water is available from the canal 1-3 parcels away, depending on where we access; we would need an easement to get the water. There is an HOA, so that might be a deal breaker. All of the lots on this cul-de-sac are 6+ to 8 ish acres.

The parcel is 6.7 acres, with a gentle slope going down from the road. I think there's at least an acre fronting the road covered with blackberries and shaded by trees. Lots of pines, some oaks, several I couldn't identify, and at least two fig trees. Some of the pines are dead and need to be taken down.


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## Bruce (Sep 21, 2020)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> The "seasonal stream" had water in it despite not having rain for weeks if not months...


What does that mean for the "rainy season"?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 21, 2020)

Bruce said:


> What does that mean for the "rainy season"?


No clue, possibly flooding? Probably happy waterfowl though. They might also be calling it "seasonal" because a permanent stream might have more restrictions. The neighbors to the north looked like they just had a culvert under their road to move the water along. 

It's possible too that this is the water from the canal and how it's transported from the canal to the neighboring parcels. The ones I'm used to are gunnited (spelling?) canals or pipes, but some areas of this county just have ditches, although I've never seen one overgrown like this.


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## Baymule (Sep 21, 2020)

Congratulations on the wedding! And I hope that you can find a place soon. Look up repo's for your area, sometimes you can find a deal.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 22, 2020)

Well, we machete'd some more last night, made it past the second stream and to a clearing but there's still more blackberries. I think we'd get clear with another 30 minutes, but we ran out of daylight. I think the streams are the same and we found an island. Won't be able to tell until lots of brush removed.

As we were leaving we passed a couple walking their dog so we were able to get some good info. Irrigation water pipe is pvc and should be in place, just need to pay to allow lock removed. Stream is normal and year round. Metal buildings not allowed, even shops. Pigs are also not allowed but other animals ok.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 22, 2020)

A new property just showed up, 3 bed 2 bath on 10.5 acres. It's a double wide on permanent foundation so the lender says we can lend on it. We are going to look at it tonight, if we like it we'll make an offer.


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## Bruce (Sep 22, 2020)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Metal buildings not allowed, even shops. Pigs are also not allowed but other animals ok.


I guess metal buildings are too "ugly" for the upscale neighborhood? Do they allow metal roofs?

And let me guess, no pigs because they stink right? Except they don't if they are managed properly, I doubt anyone would be putting in a commercial hog farm there, more likely one or two for future food.


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## Baymule (Sep 22, 2020)

My pigs don't stink! They have a large pen and they have a potty corner. Every once in awhile, if I am close, I get a whiff, but I never smell it up by the house. No metal building? What do they want, a brick barn? Gheesh. Plus 2 streams to cross, not much usable land on that one. Give it a pass.

A doublewide on 10 acres? Oh yeah! I'm a Doublewide Diva! We've been here 6 years and are enjoying our farm. Can't wait for you to go see this one!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 23, 2020)

We saw the 10.5 acre property and we liked it overall. The house is at least a double wide and might be a triple wide. It looked in decent shape although it was dated. The property is flat to the east, and starts sloping down to the west. We didn't get to check out the whole thing as the part beyond the fence was full of brush and stickers. Probably PO. We need to get clarification regarding the water before we submit an offer though. 

According to the paperwork I saw online, the property originally had a well 250' deep in 1979 that was producing 15 gpm. Then there's another piece of paperwork showing in 2015 the well was producing barely anything so they deepened it to 350', and resulted in 1/8 gpm. We saw two big water storage tanks while we were there. We need to confirm if they get city water or if they rely solely on the well. We also need to confirm if irrigation water is available. The online map shows an NID ditch running across the property but satellite view shows it was dry. 

The dirt is reddish and I think it's not going to be easy to grow things in. Not sure how long it will take or how much we will need to amend stuff with until it's decent. There's lots of oak trees of different kinds, and pines. I think I saw some baby fruit trees near the garden. It also looks like they planted oleanders. On purpose. Those will be one of the first things to go. I loathe oleanders.


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## Baymule (Sep 23, 2020)

Oleanders are deadly poisonous with no antidote. I hate them too. Be sure to poison and kill the stumps. Hope this one works out for you.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 23, 2020)

Baymule said:


> Oleanders are deadly poisonous with no antidote. I hate them too. Be sure to poison and kill the stumps. Hope this one works out for you.


I've tried poisoning the stump before, didn't work. The house I had before had oleanders that were probably close to 60 years old, a huge row of them. I ripped them all out but one with the help of my family. The two biggest stumps when we took them to the dump we were able to go over the scales, they were about 300 pounds together. That last oleander we cut it down to the ground and put stump killer on it, it was over 5' tall again within 3 months.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 23, 2020)

Confirmed with local utility they have potable water for use in the house. No irrigation water set up. They are going to look into that and call me back tomorrow with feasibility/quote. Apparently the canal is only about 900' from the corner of the property as the crow flies. Would need an easement.

The canal/ditch we can see on the map is apparently where the canal used to be, but that stretch has been abandoned. Also put in a request to research what that means for the easement through the property that was recorded.


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## Bruce (Sep 24, 2020)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Then there's another piece of paperwork showing in 2015 the well was producing barely anything so they deepened it to 350', and resulted in 1/8 gpm.


That isn't very promising! The aquifer has dropped that much? I wonder why. Is there a lot of irrigated farming in the area? Or a ton of new residential housing between '79 and '15?

It does seem that if canal that required the easement is no longer used the easement should be removed. 

Good luck with this one, at least you didn't need to hack your way in.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 24, 2020)

Bruce said:


> That isn't very promising! The aquifer has dropped that much? I wonder why. Is there a lot of irrigated farming in the area? Or a ton of new residential housing between '79 and '15?
> 
> It does seem that if canal that required the easement is no longer used the easement should be removed.
> 
> Good luck with this one, at least you didn't need to hack your way in.


I'm hoping they would use the easement to deliver the irrigation water. Then we wouldn't need to get a new easement. We will definitely need a pump system for the irrigation to get it up the hill, but if we install a big tank at the top, we could use gravity to distribute the water.

We looked at the property using husband's hunting app last night, and it showed the elevation lines. It looked like the property dropped off at a fairly consistent slope down to the west. I don't remember the elevation by the house, but midway through the property it was around 1100, dropped to 1000, then to about 960 at the west edge. Lots of elevation change.

Husband thinks it's driveable, but we could probably cut in a zig zag road to make it a little easier. I think it would be nice to terrace it a little, plant trees and garden on the terraces. I don't think the goats would have any trouble with the slope.


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## Bruce (Sep 24, 2020)

There is "driveable" and there is "safe to drive"  If you choose this property I'm sure he'll give it a good look over and make the right choice to build switchbacks or not especially if there is to be any tractoring involved.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 24, 2020)

Utility confirmed irrigation is possible, would need easement, buy pump, and install lines and probably a holding tank. Only available "intermittently", so that might make things interesting. 

I wonder if we can install a meter on the pumping line, so we can track what we actually pumped versus what they are gonna charge us. The gal said the charges would vary based on the pump installed.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 25, 2020)

Offer submitted yesterday. Waiting.


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## Bruce (Sep 25, 2020)

I hope it works out!


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## Baymule (Sep 26, 2020)




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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 30, 2020)

Received the counter-offer yesterday, they didn't want to pay for part of home warranty but that was the only thing they countered. Not a huge amount (so not sure why they are pushing back), so we decided to eat the amount and accepted the counter. We are in contract! Should be closed before Halloween!! 

We are gonna have a house on 10 acres!!! Already planning where we're going to put the garage and barns, and garden/orchard.


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## Baymule (Sep 30, 2020)

That is so awesome!!!!!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 5, 2020)

Officially in escrow, pending inspections now. Expected close 10/29. We are excited and impatient.


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## B&B Happy goats (Oct 5, 2020)

Congratulations


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## Baymule (Oct 5, 2020)

So happy for you!


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Oct 6, 2020)

Miss @Larsen Poultry Ranch, is this new place fairly close to where you were residing before?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 6, 2020)

Senile_Texas_Aggie said:


> Miss @Larsen Poultry Ranch, is this new place fairly close to where you were residing before?


Yes, it's only a little farther away from work than before, so my commute will be closer to 30 minutes. It's about 20 minutes from my parents house and 25 from my in-laws.


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## thistlebloom (Oct 6, 2020)

Yay! A place of your own is so exciting!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 8, 2020)

Well test went ok last week, still pending bacteria results but around 6 GPM, which is a lot higher than I was expecting based on the ppk I saw from the county. 

Home and termite inspection today, I'm at work so only getting intermittent updates. So far they did find termite damage by the front door.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 8, 2020)

Sounds like there's quite a few areas with termite damage and some rodent damage too. Apparently they didn't block access to underside of house in some areas...


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 13, 2020)

Got the full reports last night, negotiating with seller. The deck pretty much needs to be replaced, there's a lot of dry rot and termite damage there. Lots of water damage from leaking pipes and fixtures. Door needs to be replaced due to termite damage too. Hopefully they will be willing to work with us. We do want the property but don't want to be paying through the nose for the previous owner's failure to maintain the house. 

Apparently appraisers don't like out of the box jobs, due to potential liability. The lender has been trying to get someone to appraise the property for a week now, finally got someone. It's probably going to push the close date back.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 13, 2020)

I've been checking out the arbor day . org  website, there's quite a few trees I'm drooling over. The new house will be zone 8-9, so if I order by end of November I can get bare root trees delivered November to beginning of December.

I have been reading about coppicing, and that looks like a good way to make sure we have plenty of firewood on an ongoing basis. Several trees that are supposed to be decent for coppicing are available on the website so I might order some. There's plenty of oaks on the property, and I think those can be coppiced too, they'll just grow slower. The fun part is, this is CA, so there's restrictions on a lot of the trees I want to get.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 13, 2020)

The quail eggs I won at auction arrived on Fri, but I was finally able to get about 90 of the in the incubator last night. The rest are supposed to go in the second incubator tonight after we get it repaired. I weighed the eggs and chose the bigger ones to incubate in the better incubator, but hopefully I get a decent hatch out of both. I'll be happy with about 50% and overjoyed (possibly overwhelmed) if I get better than that. They were shipped eggs and then I waited longer than I should have to start them.

They are a mixed lot from Myshire, so could be any of their colors. I did get 21 celadon eggs but dropped one while I was loading the tray.  If those hatch I will have a second grouping of celedons. There were several eggs that were over 14g, one was 18g. I think that one is probably a double yolk though, so it likely won't survive.


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## thistlebloom (Oct 13, 2020)

Be careful about coppicing already mature trees. It will make for large wounds which trees have difficulty / slower to compartmentalize the wound, leaving time for disease to take hold.  I don't recommend it be done on mature trees. It will certainly limit their life span.
Coppicing is ideal for young stock and the best way to insure that the tree grows into a good framework from the start if coppicing them is your goal.

If you can grow eucalyptus in your zone there are several varieties that make good firewood. My dad had a woodlot of eucs on his small property that kept them in firewood.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 13, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Be careful about coppicing already mature trees. It will make for large wounds which trees have difficulty / slower to compartmentalize the wound, leaving time for disease to take hold.  I don't recommend it be done on mature trees. It will certainly limit their life span.
> Coppicing is ideal for young stock and the best way to insure that the tree grows into a good framework from the start if coppicing them is your goal.
> 
> If you can grow eucalyptus in your zone there are several varieties that make good firewood. My dad had a woodlot of eucs on his small property that kept them in firewood.


There's eucalyptus in the area, so that's a possibility too. I hate how much they shed though. But if they are only grown for a few years they might not shed as much or as big?

Might have to just clear out the mature trees then, and plant the young ones to coppice. The whole property is very treed. We couldn't even get to the lower portion because of the brush and a fence. I think the flatter portion with the house is probably 2 acres. The rest is on a slight hill.

I'm so full of ideas on what we can do to this place. I wish we could get a drone video of it from above. Kind of like a before picture, and then do more after a few months or a year, etc. Wonder if I know someone with a drone...


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Oct 13, 2020)

Could you use Google Earth for the "before" picture?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 13, 2020)

Senile_Texas_Aggie said:


> Could you use Google Earth for the "before" picture?


Definitely, but I don't know how often they take pictures. I think it's every couple of years.

Hmm. I think there's a way I can input gps coordinates of the property lines and plug them into Google Earth to show the shape of the property. That might be kinda cool.


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## Baymule (Oct 14, 2020)

Lenders can get squirrelly on property with damage. Some won’t lend, some will lend with a time limit on repairs. 

Our lender gave us 30 days and repairs had to be done by a licensed contractor. I had to send them a copy of the itemized invoice, marked paid, for proof. Plus the inspector had to come back. Check off the list and make his report.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 14, 2020)

Our realtor says that because we paid for the inspections and didn't write them into the offer that the lender doesn't get a copy, so they won't necessarily know the extent of the damage. Repairs are probably going to depend on what the appraiser says. If they mark down damage then the lender might require it to be repaired before escrow closes. Right now the appraisal is scheduled for the 22nd. We have asked for a credit during closing, but I don't know if we are going to request they make repairs or not.


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## Bruce (Oct 15, 2020)

Baymule said:


> Our lender gave us 30 days and repairs had to be done by a licensed contractor.


And if all the contractors are busy as heck? I guess one should not plan to close on a house just after a hurricane takes out the city.


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## Baymule (Oct 17, 2020)

Bruce said:


> And if all the contractors are busy as heck? I guess one should not plan to close on a house just after a hurricane takes out the city.


I had the contractor lined up and ready to go.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 19, 2020)

I worked in the garden all day Saturday. Previously all of the plants were squished up against each other and there was no walkway through. I damaged a few plants when I fell last week after losing my balance and not having something to grab to catch myself. The bruises on my legs were pretty spectacular too.

I moved the fence out a few feet (had to remove 2 t posts and install 3 more), so now the plants are grouped along each side with a center walkway. The plants have been mostly grouped by type too, so if they are still here and not at the new house when we are gonna get really cold, I should be able to throw a frost cloth over just one area and protect the delicate plants. 

I repotted quite a few of them as well, to give them more room to wiggle their roots and get bigger. The bigger avocados I started from pits in 2017. I have 8 growing now, and a bunch of pits to start some more. I also have 2 mangoes, several lemons, a lime, two walnuts, a gooseberry, three rhubarb, two kiwi (might be both female), two grapes, 4 figs, 2 guava, and more I'm forgetting.

I also have a banana plant I found for a steal of a price on FB marketplace, I'm hoping I can keep it alive and happy. I don't know if it's the fruiting kind or just ornamental, but it can be a happy patio plant either way.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 19, 2020)




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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 19, 2020)

I also took some cuttings from a willow tree and stuck them in dirt, I'm hoping they root. I need to see if I can find trees of a couple other types I was wanting and get cuttings from those as well, that way I won't have to buy them once we are in the house.

I have some seeds supposed to be arriving in the mail, to start two types of palm trees, a balsa tree, gooseberries, white bird of paradise, strawberry papaya, and darjeeling bananas. All of them should be able to grow in zone 8/9.

My mom joked I need to find a plants anonymous for my plant addiction (she said this as I stole the avocado pit from the avocado we had with dinner). I think it's a less destructive hobby/addiction than other things.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 19, 2020)

I still need to finish the fence on the end of the garden, right now it's open but somewhat protected against deer intrusion by the very prolific flowering maple and the spiky gooseberry. I received permission to expand it a bit, so it's going to wrap around the turkey pen (enclosure with silver tarp in the pics) and meet up with my brother's garden fence. I need to flatten the dirt out a bit and move a few rocks, but that will make it much bigger so I can get more plants or spread out the ones that I have now.

Do any of you folks reading this have rhubarb? How do you know when you can harvest it? I have three that I have been growing for a few years now and they are finally getting big so I was wondering if I could harvest some stalks.


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Oct 19, 2020)

Miss @Larsen Poultry Ranch,

You have a nice vegetable garden.  I wish I could grow a garden, but if I were to attempt it, it would end up looking something like this:



Senile Texas Aggie


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## Bruce (Oct 19, 2020)

I have a rhubarb plant, came with the house so I have no idea how old it is but it was "full grown" when we bought the place 9 years ago. The stalks are good size but unfortunately it is more of a green than red variety. The rhubarb sauce isn't as pretty as what my grandmother in So. Cal made. I would guess that like asparagus, once the stalks are starting to get reasonable size you can take a few without damaging the plant.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 19, 2020)

Bruce said:


> I have a rhubarb plant, came with the house so I have no idea how old it is but it was "full grown" when we bought the place 9 years ago. The stalks are good size but unfortunately it is more of a green than red variety. The rhubarb sauce isn't as pretty as what my grandmother in So. Cal made. I would guess that like asparagus, once the stalks are starting to get reasonable size you can take a few without damaging the plant.


Thanks! I guess I should see how much a recipe would use and then decide if I should harvest some. Some of the stalks look as big around as the celery we get at the store, so that should be big enough to use I imagine.


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## Baymule (Oct 19, 2020)

You have some beautiful plants!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 20, 2020)

Incubator 1 has been going for a week so I candled last night. Lots of development. 74/96 showed life, removed 22 clears. Incubator 2 is 2 days behind, so will candle that one on Wednesday.

We get to go walkthrough the house tonight, take measurements and hopefully see the rest of the property too. I'm getting excited, we are getting closer to the end of escrow.


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## Bruce (Oct 20, 2020)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Thanks! I guess I should see how much a recipe would use and then decide if I should harvest some. Some of the stalks look as big around as the celery we get at the store, so that should be big enough to use I imagine.


If they are as big as a grocery store celery stalk they are plenty big enough!!


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## thistlebloom (Oct 20, 2020)

When you harvest your rhubarb don't cut it. Grasp the stalk down low, by the crown and pull and twist. That will encourage it to send up another stalk, whereas cutting a stalk causes the stump part to just dry and wither.
You can take about half the stalks off your plant, it will be fine.


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## Bruce (Oct 21, 2020)

Sure, NOW you tell me 
I guess I'll yank next year.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 22, 2020)

Power went off this morning, two car crash involving a telephone pole by the freeway, causing a vegetation fire. Freeway stopped both directions. Unknown if injuries.

I was running around freaking out about the incubators but they only dropped to 93° by the time the power came back. I didn't turn the eggs this morning as I didn't want to open the incubators and lose all the heat. They are now almost back to normal temps, so will probably only cause an hour or two delay on the hatch. I didn't get to candle the second incubator eggs last night, will do that tonight.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 23, 2020)

I candled the eggs in the second incubator last night. Had 143 set, removed 36 clears and 2 early quitters. 105 left in the second incubator, it's so much easier to move the eggs to turn them now. There were one or two that were easy to see into but the rest were difficult to see through the shell. Happy little blobs!

I'm pretty happy with the fertility of the shipped eggs: 180/239 = 75%, and that's after being in the mail for 5 days and then sitting for 3-5 days before making it into the incubator.


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## Baymule (Oct 24, 2020)

Power off is a terrible moment when you have an incubator on! Glad it didn't last long, hope your hatch goes well.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 24, 2020)

I got an email late Friday that the loan was approved!!! Appraisal came in ok! Lender said we are still on track for closing next week. 

Selling realtor wants us to release the contingency for loan and appraisal, but for some reason they don't want us to do a walk through. Or at least, keep pushing it back; originally we were supposed to do one after the 18th when tenant was out. Then needed to wait because seller was cleaning their stuff out. Husband getting worried about what they are taking out, I really hope they aren't removing stuff that is supposed to stay with the house. 

I told our realtor we won't release the contingency until we get our walk through. We are getting impatient, we want our property!


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## Bruce (Oct 24, 2020)

Yep, don't let them off the hook until the walk through. Here that usually happens just prior (same day) to closing.


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## Baymule (Oct 26, 2020)

Never release until you get your walk through and closely inspect everything.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 26, 2020)

We should be closing this week, not sure what day. Walk through is still on for tonight, we want to walk the property to see if it's fenced all the way around. Sunset is at 6:10, I get off work at 5, probably won't get there till 5:30. I'm assuming it is fenced all the way, but we don't know how good the fencing is. I'm hoping it's enough to keep the goats in so we can put them there and have them remove the brush.

I need to learn how to identify trees, at least more specific than I can right now. I know an oak from pine, etc, but I don't know how to tell what type of oak or type of pine. I should look to see if someone has made an app to do this. 

There are certain oaks protected in CA, and others are ok to harvest/remove. The fines can be big so I don't want to take out wrong trees. Having to work around protected trees will make figuring out the layout interesting. We want to have a trail/road going the length of the property, and probably some outbuildings lower down.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 26, 2020)

Hubby is as bad as me! We went to Home Depot this weekend to grab some potting soil and a ceramic pot. As we walked past the citrus area he pointed out the orange trees. I think they are Washington Navel oranges, for juice? We ended up getting two, and big pots to replant them in. They are going to stay in their new pots until January-ish at least. I now have a citrus grove: 2 orange, 1 lime, 5 lemons, all sitting in pots waiting to move to the new house. The lime keeps putting out fruit. I cut all the fruit off before because I wanted to make it grow more greenery, gave it some rabbit poop and it took off. It did get a bit bigger, but it's covered with tiny limes.


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## Bruce (Oct 26, 2020)

Perhaps there are foresters that can come help with tree identification? I hope the protected ones are easy to identify!

I'm surprised you didn't check the fencing prior to making the offer. Knowing how much money you would need to have complete fencing would have been nice. I hope the fence you have is in far better shape than the fence we got. I knew the fenced area behind the barn was cr@p, didn't know the fence around the yard was rotting away under the latex paint.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 26, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Perhaps there are foresters that can come help with tree identification? I hope the protected ones are easy to identify!
> 
> I'm surprised you didn't check the fencing prior to making the offer. Knowing how much money you would need to have complete fencing would have been nice. I hope the fence you have is in far better shape than the fence we got. I knew the fenced area behind the barn was cr@p, didn't know the fence around the yard was rotting away under the latex paint.


There's a fence along the two long sides, at least as far as we could see from the house, because they are a boundary with the neighbors, south was wood (6' privacy fence) and the north I think was wire. The east side has a wire fence as the boundary to that property. There was a broken fence partway down to the west on the property that we didn't go past when we looked at it before, because the other side was full of brush and we were in nice clothes. I know that needs to be repaired before we can add animals, I just don't remember if it was a no climb, grid, or 3 strand barbed wire, and I don't remember if there was a gate. I need to remember to take pictures. We don't know if the property line on the far end is fenced. That backs up to a very large parcel. 

We have hog panels, and some small rolls of wire from various projects we can use already, but we will probably have to buy more fencing. I have a small gate and a long gate I'm pretty sure my parents will let us have. Less clutter around their place. I need to ask about that tonight.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 26, 2020)

The fence doesn't go all the way down the property line, either side! Argh! We ran out of daylight before we made it to the far end. We did find the canal ditch (empty) so we know we made it at least 1/2-2/3 down the property. There are parts that are quite steep, but some shallower areas too. Lots of deer scat, hubby was excited about the potential hunting possibilities. 

In laws pointed out we might be able to use the fence panels to make temporary enclosures to put the goats in to make them eat the brush. There is so much poison oak! That's probably going to take years to get rid of! Unless goats are magic and eat it all in one year? 

I saw lots of oaks, pines, buck eye trees, something that looked like an olive, all on the fenced out downhill zone. The zone up towards the house is mostly oaks with some pine. There's a garden zone (needs to be bigger) and some fruit trees scattered in the front yard zone. Nectarines, apples, peaches, black mission fig, pomegranate, possible grapefruit, and a random citrus.


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## Baymule (Oct 27, 2020)

You can put up temporary shelter with bowed over cow panels. The movable pens are a good idea.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 27, 2020)

Baymule said:


> You can put up temporary shelter with bowed over cow panels. The movable pens are a good idea.


I think the tentative plan is to make a secure pen to keep them in at night, and a temporary pen or two that will be moved as the shrubbery is consumed. We would have to move them back and forth morning and evening though. Time change is going to make that fun. We need a buck too, then we can get the does reproducing and expand the herd. I think we can lead the goats with grain, but I'm thinking about trying to halter train the goats. They were owned by FFA'ers before we got them, so I think they know how to be led on a halter, they just haven't done it since we got them. I don't want them to take off and eat unapproved plants while I'm trying to lead them.


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## Bruce (Oct 27, 2020)

Can you just make a moveable pen with a solar charger and step in posts?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 27, 2020)

I don't know if that would work, there's a lot of tree cover so I'm not sure how well solar would work. 

I think we are going to take this first weekend to figure out how we want the layout, and how much remodeling/repairing is needed. Then work on remodel/repair during the week since it will be dark and difficult to work outside in the evenings. Then have a big push to get most everything moved next weekend. Husband wants to move all the shipping containers on the same day as he thinks that will save money.


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## thistlebloom (Oct 27, 2020)

Things are moving forward for you! Pretty exciting to have your own place finally!

You can contact your County Extension office and get info for someone to come and look at your trees and id them for you. Also might be handy to have a look at the weeds and see if any are noxious/toxic to goats.
There are some plant ID apps, I can't remember the one I used, where you take a pic and it gets id'ed, but it was wrong a a few occasions so I quit using it.
It would also be good to know who put the fences up (might be impossible to find out) and if they are on the property boundary or set in on neighbors land. If they are the neighbors fences you cannot attach to them and will have to put your own up.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 27, 2020)

The dirt looks mostly like red clay dirt? It's reddish and hard. Not sure how well plants are going to grow. The lower area that had brush all over it looked like it had a small layer of brown dirt over the red, I bet due to composting of the vegetation/fallen leaves. Anyone have suggestions for building up the soil besides raised beds?

I think I have some clover seeds, and lots of rabbit manure to compost and add on top of it.


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## thistlebloom (Oct 27, 2020)

If it's clay it has a lot more minerals and nutrients for plants, just harder to deal with. I've never gardened in clay so don't have any first hand experience.
The rabbit poo is excellent for any soil!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 28, 2020)

Incubator 1 is locked down. 12 Celadon eggs in a hatching cage surrounded by a sea of mixed color coturnix. Should hatch on Halloween. Incubator 2 gets locked down either tonight or tomorrow.


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Oct 28, 2020)

I wish Mr. Greybeard were still on the forum, as he would certainly know where to find them, but I was unable to find them while looking just now.  There exists on line soil composition maps for your area which will show you your soil type.

What does it mean by locking down an incubator?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 28, 2020)

Senile_Texas_Aggie said:


> I wish Mr. Greybeard were still on the forum, as he would certainly know where to find them, but I was unable to find them while looking just now.  There exists on line soil composition maps for your area which will show you your soil type.
> 
> What does it mean by locking down an incubator?


Hmm, I will try to look online for the dirt info, or contact the county Ag department.

When you incubate eggs, the first part of the incubation (14-15 days for quail and 18 days for chickens) you are turning the eggs at least 2-3 times per day and keeping the humidity on the lower side. At the end of that time you increase the humidity and stop turning the eggs altogether so the chicks can get into position for hatch, and you want to avoid opening the incubator during this time so the heat and humidity will stay constant. It takes 2-3 days and then the chicks start hatching. It's called lockdown because you have to leave the incubator alone. 

If you open the incubator while a chick is in progress of hatching and the humidity drops inside the incubator it can cause the chick to dry out in the shell and get stuck. Stuck chicks usually have more issues than chicks who can hatch without assistance. Staying in the egg too long can cause or contribute to leg or toe issues. Their bones are fairly malleable when they are freshly hatched so it's possible to correct some or all of the issue, but you have to catch it in time. It's very difficult to put tiny hobbles on chicks (especially quail) to give them physical therapy to correct leg issues. Tiny shoes are annoyingly difficult as well, to correct toe issues. Thank goodness for vet wrap and painter's tape.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 29, 2020)

Ugh, waiting is so hard!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 29, 2020)

It has been recorded!!!!


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## Mike CHS (Oct 30, 2020)

University of Tennessee publishes a Pocket Guide of all the trees here so I would think you could find something similar out your way.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 5, 2020)

Moved 2/3 shipping containers on Wednesday, final (40 foot) to be moved on Friday. That is the one we've been living in, so we moved into the house last night. The cats cried the whole drive but liked being able to explore the house. Hopefully we can get the final stuff moved and actually get the new flooring installed by the end of this weekend.


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## Baymule (Nov 5, 2020)

How wonderful! Yay!! House!!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 5, 2020)

Husband wants the dogs at the house already. Have to keep reminding him that we don't have a fenced yard for them yet, and I'd like to get more hiding/retreat spots set up for the cats. He then reminds me that his dog can jump/climb if she wants to...I really hope they can all get along. The dogs are purebred Havanese; his dog is retired from in-laws breeding program and the new puppy is actually her granddaughter. 

I'd like to build a catio so the cats can safely enjoy the outside. Maybe someday. The dogs could probably use it too. Maybe have two pet doors? Floor level and head height leading to outside cat walks? That way the cats wouldn't be trapped by the dogs.


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## Baymule (Nov 5, 2020)

I keep all my dogs behind a fence. When we moved here almost 6 years ago, We had a fenced back yard built and that went to Paris, our totally nuts Great Pyrenees. We had a Great Pyrenees puppy that went on a chain during the day, in the house in a dog crate at night to keep the coyoted from eating him. Our other 2 dogs never went outside that we didn't go with them. What a relief to finally get enough fence built so that we could let the dogs out. 

If your husband's dog can climb a fence, put a hot wire at the top and at the bottom to keep her from digging out. We have the back yard hot wired for Paris.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 6, 2020)

The dog is roughly the same size as the cats, and according to husband she's quite agile. I guess Havanese do ok with agility competitions. I think she'll respect a fence, we just need time and materials to install one. It sucks having full time jobs when we have such a long to-do list for the new house.

I told husband I didn't want the dog on the bed. I grew up in a household where dogs were not allowed on the furniture at all, cats only allowed on couches, beds, etc, but not tables. Guess whose furry behind is on the bed? Furthermore, she's on MY side of the bed. I'm going to have to research dog training techniques, maybe we can train both dogs to go in their kennels at night.


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## Baymule (Nov 6, 2020)

Our entire place is fenced in 2”x4” non climb horse wire. Cross fenced, garden, back yard, pig pen, everywhere. It was expensive but sooo worth it. We have 8 acres.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 6, 2020)

Dog did not sleep on the bed. One cat actually slept on the bed part of the night, probably as territory claiming action. It's been pretty quiet, dog I think just wants to sniff the cats and cats just want to keep distance. No chasing at all so far.

We have some no climb fencing but will definitely need more to fence a lot of the property. I think I know what we will be asking to receive for Christmas. 

I think I've figured out if I get 200' of 1" grid wire mesh 6' tall fencing I can make a Poultry Knox that's at least 25'x50' and separated into a zone for the chickens and turkeys. I just need to bite the bullet and order the wire mesh, I think the whole project will cost around $900.


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## Bruce (Nov 6, 2020)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> It sucks having full time jobs when we have such a long to-do list for the new house.


Yeah but the money sure helps to work on the to-do list  

Havanese, as in LITTLE dogs less than a foot tall? And you have to worry about them getting out of a fence? Yeah, run a hot wire 1' off the ground, that dog won't try to climb the fence more than once ... unless it is a very stupid dog 

Congrats on the move!


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Nov 6, 2020)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> I'd like to build a catio so the cats can safely enjoy the outside.



What is a "catio"?


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## Bruce (Nov 6, 2020)

A patio for cats! Kind of like a run for chickens. A secure area where the cats can get outside, sort of. I have a neighbor that built a hardware cloth enclosed "catio" off a bathroom window. The cats have a space about 4' wide and 10' long where they can be outside but no danger of getting hit in the road (like a few of their prior cats).


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 6, 2020)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Dog did not sleep on the bed. One cat actually slept on the bed part of the night, probably as territory claiming action. It's been pretty quiet, dog I think just wants to sniff the cats and cats just want to keep distance. No chasing at all so far.
> 
> We have some no climb fencing but will definitely need more to fence a lot of the property. I think I know what we will be asking to receive for Christmas.
> 
> I think I've figured out if I get 200' of 1" grid wire mesh 6' tall fencing I can make a Poultry Knox that's at least 25'x50' and separated into a zone for the chickens and turkeys. I just need to bite the bullet and order the wire mesh, I think the whole project will cost around $900.


As soon as I finished posting this and went back to bed the dog jumped on the bed. Grr.

Also found a pee spot and poop inside the house. I don't know if it was because she didn't get out in time, or if it was territory marking because it was done within 1-6 feet of the cats litter box. I will be ordering a bell thing so she can signal when she needs to go outside.

Cats and dog have been keeping distance, the cats have never been around dogs before and the dog is actually seeming to want to play. I think they can get along eventually.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 6, 2020)

Yup, what Bruce said, a patio for cats, but completely enclosed so the cat can't get out and raccoons/other can't get in. My cats have been indoor only for their whole lives since I got them as kittens since we've always lived near a busy road. I don't think they have the skills needed to survive outside at this point and I don't want them to become coyote snacks.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 6, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Yeah but the money sure helps to work on the to-do list
> 
> Havanese, as in LITTLE dogs less than a foot tall? And you have to worry about them getting out of a fence? Yeah, run a hot wire 1' off the ground, that dog won't try to climb the fence more than once ... unless it is a very stupid dog
> 
> Congrats on the move!


Yup, she's probably about a foot tall at the shoulder. She's a jumper though. If you reach down to pet her, she can leap straight up and lick you - INSIDE your mouth. She likes french kissing apparently. I don't know how to break that habit but I'd sure like to figure out how.

I think she'll stay inside a fence, I just want it to be a fence that will also keep out other dogs and coyotes. 

I finally met the neighbor to the south today, she seemed nice. She has a lab, so the dogs might have a play date.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 6, 2020)

I moved all the baby quail yesterday, I should have taken audio of the car ride. Over 100 chicks screaming because they were in the dark for the first time in their lives and there was no heat source. There were enough chicks in each container I wasn't worried they'd get too cold. It was a long car ride with all the screaming.

I checked on them this morning and they were fine, the slightly older ones are already testing out wing feathers! I'm glad I put the lids on, one of the chicks hopped on top of the water container after I changed it, definitely big enough to figure out how to hop OUT of the container.

I've got a potential buyer lined up so hopefully I can sell most of them tomorrow and make back the money I spent on the eggs. Plus then I would only need to raise about 10, so that would be much less stressful than 113. The ones I am planning to keep hatched out of Celadon eggs.

Planning to move the adult quail tonight or tomorrow, and the rabbits this weekend. Possibly chickens this weekend or next.


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## Baymule (Nov 6, 2020)

Getting everything moved and settled in is a job. You'll heave a sigh of relief when you get all moved.

What kind of turkeys do you have?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 7, 2020)

Baymule said:


> Getting everything moved and settled in is a job. You'll heave a sigh of relief when you get all moved.
> 
> What kind of turkeys do you have?


Right now I have two Royal Palm toms, and 4-5 mixed breed hens I hatched last year. Their dad was a standard bronze and the moms were blue slate and bourbon red hens. I also have one turkey from the Royal Palm x mixed group being raised with my chickens; I'm pretty sure it's a hen. 

I originally got the Royal Palms, because I was going to try to breed them (I had a hen but she got eaten by a predator) and sell the pure poults. Now I'm not sure what my plan should be. The birds I have will just create crosses, and previously when I've tried to sell poults the prospective buyers mostly request purebred poults. 

I will be trying to raise some meat turkeys this coming year, but I'll need to figure out how to make their feed less expensive, especially if they are toms, they eat so much!! I do want to continue with the heritage turkeys too, but I need to be better at marketing the eggs and poults.


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## Baymule (Nov 7, 2020)

I read that the Royal Palms have the least breast meat of the heritage turkeys. Boo. I was attracted to them, they sure are pretty. Next on the list is midget whites, followed by Bourbon Reds. Dunno yet. 

So how much do they eat. How many turkeys to a 50# bag and how long does it last?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 7, 2020)

Baymule said:


> I read that the Royal Palms have the least breast meat of the heritage turkeys. Boo. I was attracted to them, they sure are pretty. Next on the list is midget whites, followed by Bourbon Reds. Dunno yet.
> 
> So how much do they eat. How many turkeys to a 50# bag and how long does it last?


Hens or toms? Toms are pigs, when we had grow outs last year we went through so much feed. Hens are better. If they can forage you won't need to feed as much. I don't think we kept an accurate total of food eaten, right now they are at the in-laws and she's buying the food. I'll keep better track when they are finally over here and under my control.

Bourbon reds are sweet, the hen we had was super friendly and chatty. Never had midget whites, so can't help there. There's a turkey forum on byc, you can get a ton of info there. Heritage take longer to grow out, they build the frame first then fill in. You could always get a meat turkey or two to run with your heritage so you'd have lots of breast meat. I think we hatched in May last year and butchered toms the week before Thanksgiving, they were at least 20 lbs dressed but they weren't as filled in as they could have been. They were super tasty though.


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## Baymule (Nov 7, 2020)

Thanks for the information!


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## messybun (Nov 7, 2020)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Husband wants the dogs at the house already. Have to keep reminding him that we don't have a fenced yard for them yet, and I'd like to get more hiding/retreat spots set up for the cats. He then reminds me that his dog can jump/climb if she wants to...I really hope they can all get along. The dogs are purebred Havanese; his dog is retired from in-laws breeding program and the new puppy is actually her granddaughter.
> 
> I'd like to build a catio so the cats can safely enjoy the outside. Maybe someday. The dogs could probably use it too. Maybe have two pet doors? Floor level and head height leading to outside cat walks? That way the cats wouldn't be trapped by the dogs.


We actually have one of those lol! She is fine with chickens, rabbits, ducks, geese, lizards. Basically anything we can throw at her except cats. When we first got the animals she was around eight and didn’t have much experience with animals. Aside from chasing them for fun she was okay at first, then we had a bossy old hen peck her a few times and she learned. But when the goats got old enough they actually nailed her a few times and she has been extremely well behaved ever since. Not the nicest way, but we were new to animals and it worked out in the end. The only reason she isn’t fine with cats is because we have allergies and have never been able to properly socialize her around them. I would suggest a harness on the gentlest dog, let her sniff the cat (and probably lick it🤣) and let them gently get acquainted. If she gets aggressive, a quick punishment, and if she behaves, a quick reward. Keep the harness so you can pull her either away or out if it goes south.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 7, 2020)

messybun said:


> We actually have one of those lol! She is fine with chickens, rabbits, ducks, geese, lizards. Basically anything we can throw at her except cats. When we first got the animals she was around eight and didn’t have much experience with animals. Aside from chasing them for fun she was okay at first, then we had a bossy old hen peck her a few times and she learned. But when the goats got old enough they actually nailed her a few times and she has been extremely well behaved ever since. Not the nicest way, but we were new to animals and it worked out in the end. The only reason she isn’t fine with cats is because we have allergies and have never been able to properly socialize her around them. I would suggest a harness on the gentlest dog, let her sniff the cat (and probably lick it🤣) and let them gently get acquainted. If she gets aggressive, a quick punishment, and if she behaves, a quick reward. Keep the harness so you can pull her either away or out if it goes south.


The dog actually has been around goats, turkeys, and chickens, at least with a fence in between. Hasn't been around cats much because father-in-law is allergic to cats.

So far they are doing ok.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 9, 2020)

So far only 2 accidents in the house since she arrived that I'm aware of, but dog got on my nerves this morning. Husband left for work before I did, so I took the dog outside (36 degrees!) and told her to go potty. She looked at me then proceeded to wander around the yard for more than 5 minutes without any potty business happening. I took care of the quail and left her locked in the laundry room with her food and water for the day. At least an accident there will be easier to clean up than the carpet.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 9, 2020)

Husband's family came over to help us with the house this weekend, so the master bedroom is now painted and ready to start the flooring. The front room got painted as well, but it didn't get the kilz primer and there's several spots where the tannins in the wood paneling are bleeding through the paint. Also several spots where the paneling appears to be peeling due to the moisture from the paint. I think I can fix that with some wood glue and tiny nails. Mother-in-law also washed the blinds, it looks so .uch brighter in the front room now. The white beadboard was already there, I think they installed it when the addition was added.





On Saturday I put the 10x20 carport together for the rabbit zone, but there was a tree right next to where I wanted to put it which was damaged at the base. Husband had already marked it as future firewood (quite a few trees are standing dead or dying due to destructive bark removal by previous tenant's horses). He chainsawed it down but then the chainsaw ran out of gas. No gas can on the property yet. Second chainsaw was dull, no spare chain. So on Sunday husband bought new chain and other chainsaw related items, and brought his gas cans from his parent's house. Then chopped down maybe 8-10 trees which we had marked for removal. 




The shipping container in the photo is where the quail chicks are currently and soon the adults will be moved to from my parent's house.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 9, 2020)

I started a brooder project on Saturday and mostly finished it Sunday. The quail chicks were getting ridiculously crowded and smelly in their brooder totes. I bought a bunch of plywood and 2x2s, and built a brooder that is 2' deep and total of 16' long. I have removable dividers every 4', so I can separate the chicks by age/color/etc. 3 of the bays are done and housing chicks. The 4th bay needs more tablecloth, and I need to dig out a 4th heat lamp before it can be used. The group of 60 chicks can be split in half so all the bays can be used. The bays have: 10, 61, 41, 0.

I still need to finish the top, I really should have cut the back at 3' instead of 2', so the top will slant, but having that extra height will allow the heat lamp to be completely enclosed inside the brooder, rather than having to create a large hole for the lamp shield to protrude through. Rats have previously been able to get inside the shipping container and I don't want them to be able to reach the chicks.

The bottom is lined with a vinyl tablecloth, do hopefully that will extend the life of the plywood. I bought the wrong shavings and am kicking myself. I prefer the fine shavings and stupidly bought the flake. The bag says they are soft, but if you stick your hand in, it has sharp edges. Hopefully the chicks will be fine.

I gave the chicks some sand since I know they are probably going to be eating the shavings. Some did eat some of the sand, but no one started dust bathing yet, the sand is probably too cold. I also had to build a little platform to keep the water out of the shavings and level. The shipping container wasn't leveled yet, so there's a noticable slope down towards the front of the container.


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## Bruce (Nov 9, 2020)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> leap straight up and lick you - INSIDE your mouth.


Ewwwww!!!!!!!!



Baymule said:


> I read that the Royal Palms have the least breast meat of the heritage turkeys. Boo.


Yeah but how about the BEST parts, legs and thighs??


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## messybun (Nov 9, 2020)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> So far only 2 accidents in the house since she arrived that I'm aware of, but dog got on my nerves this morning. Husband left for work before I did, so I took the dog outside (36 degrees!) and told her to go potty. She looked at me then proceeded to wander around the yard for more than 5 minutes without any potty business happening. I took care of the quail and left her locked in the laundry room with her food and water for the day. At least an accident there will be easier to clean up than the carpet.


We got a 6 year old poodle mix, apparently he was “perfectly behaved and a great dog” who wasn’t even sort of potty trained. Apparently if you crate your dog most of the time it counts as potty training? Anyway, doggie diapers saved the day. We got reusable ones, so it’s just wash and go. The diapers also really helped when we had to evacuate, our family didn’t mind having him in the house(he was potty trained, but I was worried about all the stress regressing him).


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 9, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Ewwwww!!!!!!!!
> 
> 
> Yeah but how about the BEST parts, legs and thighs??


I haven't eaten the Royal Palms yet, so I can't answer that from personal experience. The mixed toms (standard bronze x red bourbon/blue slate) that we ate were quite tall and had a bunch of leg/thigh meat. 



messybun said:


> We got a 6 year old poodle mix, apparently he was “perfectly behaved and a great dog” who wasn’t even sort of potty trained. Apparently if you crate your dog most of the time it counts as potty training? Anyway, doggie diapers saved the day. We got reusable ones, so it’s just wash and go. The diapers also really helped when we had to evacuate, our family didn’t mind having him in the house(he was potty trained, but I was worried about all the stress regressing him).


I think she'll be fine, but she's not used to going on command. She's used to having a doggy door and going when she needs to go. I think husband needs to take her to an obedience class, so she and HE get trained on the commands. Apparently because she's cute she doesn't have to follow commands. He also feeds her human food at the table, and allows her to beg.

The family dogs I had growing up were trained to go on command, or could be tossed outside into the fenced backyard to be retrieved in 20-30 minutes. They were not allowed to beg, and had dedicated spots at least 6' from the dinner table they had to stay at if they didn't choose to be elsewhere in the house. We also never feed human food (carrots don't count), as it's not healthy and makes them fat quickly. 

No fence yet. Talked to husband about fence today, so hopefully that will happen soon.


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## thistlebloom (Nov 9, 2020)

Those oak trees will make some nice firewood! Getting the interior of your house painted is great progress too.



Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> I bought the wrong shavings and am kicking myself. I prefer the fine shavings and stupidly bought the flake.


If you can find them easily, wood pellets made for pellet stoves make good bedding. I put them in a muck bucket and add a little water and stir until they swell up. The texture is very fine.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 9, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Those oak trees will make some nice firewood! Getting the interior of your house painted is great progress too.
> 
> 
> If you can find them easily, wood pellets made for pellet stoves make good bedding. I put them in a muck bucket and add a little water and stir until they swell up. The texture is very fine.


I can get the right shavings easily enough, same price as the other too, just have to remember which kind is correct when I'm standing there are the register. I think it was less than $7/"bale", maybe 3 cubic feet per bale? Have to look at the package.

How do you dry the pellet mixture after you moisten it to de-pelletize? The chicks need to be kept dry as they get chilled quickly when wet. I almost lost the large group on Sun after their water tipped over and they and their bedding got soaked. They made a mosh pit under the heat lamp once I moved them to dry bedding and were ok and fluffy again in about 20-30 minutes. Glad I caught it shortly after it happened.


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## Baymule (Nov 9, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Yeah but how about the BEST parts, legs and thighs??


Tonight we had boneless, skinless chicken thighs, sprinkled with lemon pepper, and cooked in a skillet. They were good!


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## thistlebloom (Nov 9, 2020)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> How do you dry the pellet mixture after you moisten it to de-pelletize?



Since I don't use it for babies I haven't paid much attention. I guess you'd need to be careful more about it than I am. It takes very little water though.
 I use it in my horse trailer, chicken coop and sometimes the horse stalls.


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## Bruce (Nov 10, 2020)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> The family dogs I had growing up were trained to go on command,


I'm glad I'm not YOUR dog! My "plumbing" doesn't work on command.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 10, 2020)

Bruce said:


> I'm glad I'm not YOUR dog! My "plumbing" doesn't work on command.


Our former family dog Mystic, when she was a puppy my dad asked her "do you need to go potty?" when they were in the dining room. And she looked up at him and squatted and piddled right there. He couldn't get mad at her because he said the command, luckily it was on the linoleum flooring so it was an easy cleanup.

Going potty on command shouldn't be that hard if the dog has been inside for several hours. Unless the dog has already relieved themselves inside.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 11, 2020)

Still working on moving the rest of the animals over, it will be nice to not drive (16+ miles one way) each night to check on them and feed. Husband thinks I should swing by on the way home from work instead of returning home and then leaving again. It's possible, but requires more planning as a change of clothes and shoes would be required. 

I need to grab some t posts and wiring from my folks house, then I can install a fence up to the quail container and surrounding the temporary rabbit zone. I'm going to have the fence hopefully protecting the rabbits, quail access, and the plants. I need water for all 3, so it makes sense to me to group them together. Plus the plants may help hide the container and rabbit cover from view of the neighbors. 

I want to get the rabbits moved sooner rather than later so I can breed them. I need to set up more grow out cages too.


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## Baymule (Nov 11, 2020)

I had a job that I drove to 75 miles one way. Winter time, I barely got home before dark. We had horses on 16 acres, but lived in town. So I kept rubber boots, a jacket in my car, and finally tossed in a pair of coveralls for rainy muddy days. I barely made to feed right at dark, kinda hard to do in a dress and high heels.


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## Bruce (Nov 11, 2020)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> It's possible, but requires more planning as a change of clothes and shoes would be required.


I'd to that in a heartbeat rather than drive an extra 32 miles!



Baymule said:


> Winter time, I barely got home before dark.


DW is currently going to work not long after sunrise and coming home just before sunset. By mid Dec it will be dark both ways.


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## Baymule (Nov 11, 2020)

Been there.


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## Mike CHS (Nov 11, 2020)

The only thing I see good about the short days is that the chickens go to roost early (around 5:00).


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 11, 2020)

With the time change right now, I'm getting home as it's getting dark, it will get worse as winter progresses. It's hard to do yard work in the dark after work.

It's not that I don't want to bring a change of clothes, it's just annoying to have remember to grab everything I need. I ordered some overalls, hopefully they will arrive this week. 

Took a few crafting boxes out to the storage shipping container and saw a box that had kitchen stuff. Brought it in and husband was very happy, it had lots of different spices he hasn't been able to use in a while. He's a really good cook and has been moping without a proper kitchen and cooking devices.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 12, 2020)

I moved one cage of quail tonight. Still need to get the tarp backing up where I'm planning to stack the cages, but otherwise they can be brought over. Goal is to move the rest of the quail and the non-water resistant items tomorrow night after work. 

Found a fresh pee spot next to the cat litter box. Took away the charitable thoughts I had been thinking about the dog after she and the cat got along decently around dinner. They got within nose sniffing distance before the cat freaked out and scared the dog. Took care of the spot and started getting ready for bed, and there's a pee spot right next to my side of the bed, dry. Had to have happened this morning or yesterday. Took care of that too before I could get in bed. Hopefully tomorrow is better. I don't think she's telling us she has to go, I think she's just finding a spot and going.


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## Baymule (Nov 12, 2020)

Crate her in the house and take her outside to potty. Or let her out and see if she goes somewhere in the house. Then you can catch her in the act, pop her with a newspaper and hustle her outside. For some reason, little dogs seem to to potty in the house more than big dogs. My sister has a herd of aging little dogs, at one time she had 9, they all peed in the house, right in the entry way. Tile floors, easy to clean and mop, but still. I think she has 5 or 6 now. 

This is a new home to her, she may be out of sorts. Try the crate, work with her and help her adjust. Then it may be that she has that little dog thing that she sneaks off to go potty somewhere.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 12, 2020)

She's never been crate trained though. That's why I've been locking her in the laundry room when we aren't home, it's vinyl so easy to clean. I got some puppy pads when I did the animals last night and put one out. She's been trained on puppy pads. Hopefully today will be better.


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## thistlebloom (Nov 12, 2020)

A pair of oversized overalls, or even coveralls would be super handy to just put on over your work clothes. I have insulated overalls that have side zippers so they can be put on and off without taking my boots off. I use them for work during messy spring and fall cleanups, and also at home in the winter. Best cold weather clothing I've ever bought for staying warm and relatively clean.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 13, 2020)

We moved the rest of the quail tonight; they were freaked out by the move but they all got their water and feed topped off, and fresh dust bath sand. They made it super dusty in the quail container. 

I need to make name plates for the cages, so I don't get them mixed up; I had them memorized by location before. There's three groups of adult Celadons, but I think they are mostly males. I think I was only planning to keep 2 males, so I need to go through them all and pick the lucky pair, the rest will go to freezer camp. Of the total (15), I've only ever received 2 eggs max in a day, so I think camp will be well attended.

Rabbits and plants are next, but I'm hoping we can do those on Saturday or Sunday in the daylight.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 14, 2020)

Spent the first part of the morning running errands and buying fence posts and fencing. Husband doesn't want the rabbits and plants by the quail in the center of the driveway circle because he doesn't want a wonky fence, so we had to figure out a different place to put them. 

Finally chose behind the shed and small storage container, but there were several trees he downed last week we still needed to chop up and move out of the way. There's a few more we still need to fall too. So instead of installing a fence and prepping for rabbits we spent the rest of the day chainsawing and disassembling the trees. We will have lots of firewood once it is seasoned; the stack on the right is about 4' tall. We finally stopped when it got dark, still have more to finish tomorrow. I'm tired.


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## Mike CHS (Nov 14, 2020)

It's usually a good idea to get rid of trees you want down before you build the fence.    I have done it in reverse and wound up rebuilding fence.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 14, 2020)

Mike CHS said:


> It's usually a good idea to get rid of trees you want down before you build the fence.    I have done it in reverse and wound up rebuilding fence.


Yep, that's why we focused on the trees today. There's still one more close to the storage container that husband is worried about falling because it's close to the container and has a curve to it? I guess curved trees fall different. There's talk between husband and my brother about attaching a chain to the tree and to a truck to pull as it's cut to force it to fall where he wants it. 

I think there's 3-4 more that we need to remove before we start on the fence tomorrow. I'm hoping we can get it done so we can start moving the rabbits before dark.


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## Baymule (Nov 15, 2020)

When pulling a tree the direction you want it to fall, it is safer to run the rope around a tree in the way you want it to fall, then off to the side where the tractor or truck won't get struck by the fatting tree.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 15, 2020)

Baymule said:


> When pulling a tree the direction you want it to fall, it is safer to run the rope around a tree in the way you want it to fall, then off to the side where the tractor or truck won't get struck by the fatting tree.


I think if we can find a pulley, we can pull it towards another tree (that needs to fall) so the truck isn't directly in the way the tree is going to fall. That's husband's department, I'm just there to help disassemble the tree. I need to find my lopers, so I can cut up some more of the branches, there's a few he didn't get with the chainsaw that are big enough to be good kindling/fire start.

He wants to do a burn pile to get rid of the really small stuff, I'd prefer to chop it a bit and then mix with the rabbit manure or poultry manure to make compost. I think it's going to depend on the next rain and who gets to the pile first.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 15, 2020)

Dog is still pooping in the house, despite adding a puppy pad to where she had gone before. I guess we just need to put puppy pads everywhere we don't want her to go. 

The dog and cats seem to be getting along better, they almost sniffed noses last night and they aren't hissing/barking. The dog will chase if the cat runs, but stops if we scold her.


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## Baymule (Nov 15, 2020)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> I think if we can find a pulley, we can pull it towards another tree (that needs to fall) so the truck isn't directly in the way the tree is going to fall. That's husband's department, I'm just there to help disassemble the tree. I need to find my lopers, so I can cut up some more of the branches, there's a few he didn't get with the chainsaw that are big enough to be good kindling/fire start.
> 
> He wants to do a burn pile to get rid of the really small stuff, I'd prefer to chop it a bit and then mix with the rabbit manure or poultry manure to make compost. I think it's going to depend on the next rain and who gets to the pile first.


Y’all need a wood chipper, most will easily handle up to 2” limbs.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 15, 2020)

Baymule said:


> Y’all need a wood chipper, most will easily handle up to 2” limbs.


My brother brought one over, just before dark. I was trying to keep the smaller bits for kindling, which is what he then starting trying to chip up. I think it will all work out.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 15, 2020)

I actually remembered to take photos today:


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## thistlebloom (Nov 15, 2020)

You guys are really getting after the work on your new place! Don't forget to record all the changes with pictures. It's so satisfying to look back at where you started and be amazed at your progress.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 15, 2020)

Yeah, there's a lot of trees that were dead/dying. I can't remember if I already posted and I'm too lazy right now to go back and look. The people who owned it before us rented it out, and two tenants ago they had horses... 15 horses at one point. They ate to bark off so many of these trees it killed the trees.

We'd also like to improve the view and expand the cleared space. There's going to be beautiful sunsets visible if we can get rid of a few more trees down the hill. 

Hubby is happy with the progress we made today, the big almost flat spot is pretty much cleared and he's eyeing the spot for a shop. He brought his splitter over today too, so we will probably split most of this next weekend unless we work in the dark.


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## purplequeenvt (Nov 16, 2020)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Dog is still pooping in the house, despite adding a puppy pad to where she had gone before. I guess we just need to put puppy pads everywhere we don't want her to go.
> 
> The dog and cats seem to be getting along better, they almost sniffed noses last night and they aren't hissing/barking. The dog will chase if the cat runs, but stops if we scold her.



This is my 2 cents about the dog issue......

Get a crate that is sized correctly for her. It does not matter that she wasn’t previously crate-trained, she needs to learn the rules. She may make a stink about it, but don’t give in 

She needs to go in the crate whenever you are not in the house or are unable to keep an eye on her. Don’t use the crate as a punishment however, only as a means to contain/control her when you aren’t around. Make her sleep in the crate at night too.

Next step is get her on a schedule. If she’s used to free-feeding, stop. Offer her a measured portion twice a day. What she doesn’t eat within 10 minutes, pick up.

She needs regular, supervised potty breaks. If she’s easily distracted, keep her on leash until she’s done her business. Set a timer to remind you to take her out if you need to.

If you find a poop or pee in the house, don’t shove her face in it or punish her, she won’t understand why you are doing that. Verbally correct her only if you catch her in the act. We use a sharp “eh” or “oi” as our displeased tone and usually, if someone is being bad, as soon as we make that sound, they change their behavior. Even my 17 week old puppy has that figured out.

If you catch her in the act, quickly move her outside to finish.

Small dogs can be brats about house rules/house training, but if you are firm (not harsh) and consistent, they can be trained.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 16, 2020)

purplequeenvt said:


> This is my 2 cents about the dog issue......
> 
> Get a crate that is sized correctly for her. It does not matter that she wasn’t previously crate-trained, she needs to learn the rules. She may make a stink about it, but don’t give in
> 
> ...


I'd love to do this, but husband is not going to be on board. It's his dog, and he babies her. She's almost 10? Not sure her actual age. I think she would be fine in the yard all day, with a dog house/access to heat controlled area, but I'm told that is "mean"/"cruel". 

I really dislike how small dogs are treated compared to big dogs. They aren't people and they do need to follow rules. I think part of the problem is I'm the primary cleaner in the house, so he's not having to pick up her poop and treat the pee spots. I started pushing back on that this weekend, made him clean it up.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 16, 2020)

The main differences between our new house and his parents house where the dog was before, is the layout and presence of the cats. His parents have a laundry room that they turned halfway into a kennel, with a dog door to an outside enclosed area so the dogs can go there. 

Our new house we enter through the laundry room, and there's not really a way to transform it to a kennel like they had. We also have to deal with the cats, because they are indoor only, and if we add a dog door they are going to get out and I don't want them to turn into coyote snacks. So we need to figure out how to make a completely enclosed area where the dogs can access the yard to go to the bathroom but the cats can't escape.


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## Baymule (Nov 17, 2020)

No personal experience, but I have seen pictures of an outdoors cattery, all enclosed with tree branches, potty box and things of interest to cats. Some open a window, or put a cat door in the window, giving access to the cattery. If you made this off the laundry room, you could put in the dog door and an outside human door for access. Your husband is attached to his little PeePot and this might help. My sister keeps puppy pads in the entry of her home, where all her little PeePots go potty. They usually go right next to the pads........


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## Bruce (Nov 17, 2020)

Mike CHS said:


> The only thing I see good about the short days is that the chickens go to roost early (around 5:00).


Yep, I don't miss having "birds going to roost" coinciding with "making and/or eating dinner".



thistlebloom said:


> A pair of oversized overalls, or even coveralls would be super handy to just put on over your work clothes. I have insulated overalls that have side zippers so they can be put on and off without taking my boots off. I use them for work during messy spring and fall cleanups, and also at home in the winter. Best cold weather clothing I've ever bought for staying warm and relatively clean.


I have Carhartt insulated coveralls, they are great. Not quite ready to shower and dress before having to put the trash out early in the morning on cold days? Hello Carhartt!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 17, 2020)

Baymule said:


> No personal experience, but I have seen pictures of an outdoors cattery, all enclosed with tree branches, potty box and things of interest to cats. Some open a window, or put a cat door in the window, giving access to the cattery. If you made this off the laundry room, you could put in the dog door and an outside human door for access. Your husband is attached to his little PeePot and this might help. My sister keeps puppy pads in the entry of her home, where all her little PeePots go potty. They usually go right next to the pads........


We'd love to have a catio but the deck outside the laundry room is falling apart. I will push to have the catio there when we fix the deck, and either add a dog door in the human door, or a ramp to the window and a pet door there so both dogs and cats can use it.

There are puppy pads down, the dog prefers to go elsewhere in the house. She went three times in one spot, I put a puppy pad there and she hasn't gone in that spot again.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 17, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Yep, I don't miss having "birds going to roost" coinciding with "making and/or eating dinner".
> 
> 
> I have Carhartt insulated coveralls, they are great. Not quite ready to shower and dress before having to put the trash out early in the morning on cold days? Hello Carhartt!


I'm still waiting for my overalls to arrive in the mail, I ordered straight from the Dickies website.  I probably should have just gone to Bare Bones or Bass Pro and bought a pair.


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## Baymule (Nov 17, 2020)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> There are puppy pads down, the dog prefers to go elsewhere in the house. She went three times in one spot, I put a puppy pad there and she hasn't gone in that spot again.



Well there's your answer! Really surprised that it didn't knock you up the side of your head. Duh! Puppy pads!  Yes, puppy pads, put them everywhere! Yes, new carpeting for the house, a patchwork of puppy pads. I'm sure you could spray them with food coloring for making a pretty pattern with them! Oh! Since she avoids the puppy pads, make a bedspread with them too!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 18, 2020)

It's been raining all day, and expected to rain until tomorrow afternoon. So far no leaks in the roof discovered. Overalls arrived today, they fit well and protected my work clothes from the rain and mud. Score! Hubby has said several times now I should get an insulated pair, I'm hoping I get one for Christmas.

The shipping container I converted to the quail zone has a leaky roof. I put out Tupperware and pots to try to catch the drips. Looks very tacky but I think it's working. Birds weren't happy about getting wet, thankfully they didn't get soaked.


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## Bruce (Nov 18, 2020)

No Bay, the problem is the dog is 10 years old and highly insulted by the concept of puppy pads, those are for BABIES! I think they need to buy the Costco size quantity of Depends and spread those out. More suitable for an adult dog.


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Nov 18, 2020)

. I love your humor, Mr. @Bruce!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 19, 2020)

Not raining today, so far. My uncle demolished the fireplace/chimney in his house and is bringing the bricks over for us for free. He is awesome, and he even had my cousin knock off all the mortar, they look fantastic. I think hubby wants to build some sort of barbeque zone with them.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 19, 2020)

I placed an order online for bare root plants to be shipped mid January, and two potted evergreen huckleberries, which should ship next week. I'm hoping I can grow the huckleberries as a food hedge, for the fruit and to block view of the neighbors. The bare root plants are: elderberry x6, gooseberry x3, golden currant x3, red currant x3, and hazelnut x3. I'm really hoping I can keep all these alive and harvest some fruit next year. The different berries are supposed to be good for making jam. I'll post a review once the plants are received.


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## thistlebloom (Nov 19, 2020)

Nice!
I'm getting several bare root elderberries next spring. Getting your berries and fruit trees established early is a good idea. I wish I had done the same, but we didn't have a master plan and have had a lot of tree clearing to keep us busy in our spare time.
 I do have several mature apple trees now though that produce way more than we need in a good year. A little more variety would be nice, but I think now I'll probably focus on berries as they are much faster to get cropping.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 19, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Nice!
> I'm getting several bare root elderberries next spring. Getting your berries and fruit trees established early is a good idea. I wish I had done the same, but we didn't have a master plan and have had a lot of tree clearing to keep us busy in our spare time.
> I do have several mature apple trees now though that produce way more than we need in a good year. A little more variety would be nice, but I think now I'll probably focus on berries as they are much faster to get cropping.


We definitely plan to get fruit trees going this first year, but we still haven't finalized the layout of everything yet. There's a lot of oak and pine that need to come down to open up the area and let the new fruit trees get some sun. There's a local fruit tree nursery just down the road from my in-laws, mother-in-law actually worked there several years back. They do stone fruit trees mainly commercial quantities but they do have regular retail; they start selling the bare root trees in January/February so we need our desired tree layout by then. 

I already have a bunch of trees in pots just ready to be planted. The little fig I started from a cutting in winter 2019 had fruit on it this fall. I'm hoping it'll bounce back great once we get it in the ground and we'll actually get a decent crop, at least more than the 4 it grew this year. 

I recommend blue berries, the ones I got fruited the first year I had them. They are in pots though.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 19, 2020)

You could also look into dehydrating the apples, or canning them, or making apple sauce if you get too many to eat in a year. Or trade with other folks who might have something else you haven't got on your property yet.


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## Bruce (Nov 19, 2020)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> The different berries are supposed to be good for making jam.


The gooseberries are good because they provide the pectin the other fruits need. We've made raspberry/blackberry/gooseberry jam in the past.


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## thistlebloom (Nov 20, 2020)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> You could also look into dehydrating the apples, or canning them, or making apple sauce if you get too many to eat in a year. Or trade with other folks who might have something else you haven't got on your property yet.



Check check check, lol. I have dehydrated gallons of apple slices, and canned applesauce ad infinitum.
And yes on the blueberries.  I have somewhere around 18 +- in containers. They do much better for me in barrels because I can control the soil acidity better. My star performer is a blueberry bred for patio containers called Jelly Bean. That thing is absolutely loaded every year and the berries are very tasty.
It produces enough for fresh eating and freezing. I should say they, I have two of them.

I want to get more thornless blackberries, dh prefers them to raspberries, which I also have. I like them all.


----------



## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 20, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Check check check, lol. I have dehydrated gallons of apple slices, and canned applesauce ad infinitum.
> And yes on the blueberries.  I have somewhere around 18 +- in containers. They do much better for me in barrels because I can control the soil acidity better. My star performer is a blueberry bred for patio containers called Jelly Bean. That thing is absolutely loaded every year and the berries are very tasty.
> It produces enough for fresh eating and freezing. I should say they, I have two of them.
> 
> I want to get more thornless blackberries, dh prefers them to raspberries, which I also have. I like them all.


I'll have to look for the Jelly Bean, the green acres near me just put out a ton of berry sleeves. I was good and didn't buy any but... That might change this weekend.

I have a thornless blackberry I've managed to keep alive, it's in a pot but I think will do better in the ground. Just need to figure out where I can let it go nuts it won't be in the way. Ugh, really hating the lack of daylight, I want to play in the yard.


----------



## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Nov 20, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Check check check, lol. I have dehydrated gallons of apple slices, and canned applesauce ad infinitum.
> And yes on the blueberries. I have somewhere around 18 +- in containers. They do much better for me in barrels because I can control the soil acidity better.



OK, Miss @thistlebloom, my Texas Aggie I/Q got in the way, because when I started reading about the blueberries, I thought you were talking about blueberry jam, so 18 containers (such as jars) didn't sound like too much, but when I read that they do much better in barrels, then I thought "Huh?   That is a LOT of jam!" It took a moment before I decided that you were talking about blueberry _plants_! 



Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Ugh, really hating the lack of daylight, I want to play in the yard.



I completely understand.  But as Kung Fu's teacher might have said, "Patience, weed hopper, patience."


----------



## Bruce (Nov 20, 2020)

Weed hopper? I thought it was Grasshopper.


----------



## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Nov 21, 2020)

Bruce said:


> I thought it was Grasshopper.



 It was.  I remember hearing the weedhopper variation in a commercial and thought it funny, so I used that version to cheer up Miss @Larsen Poultry Ranch.  I hope it worked, but maybe not.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 21, 2020)

Spent all day working in the yard with hubby and family. We split a lot of the wood and cut up some of the remaining trees we dropped last weekend. Still didn't get the area cleared off completely for the rabbit zone. I'm hoping we can get that completed tomorrow morning to start moving the rabbits.


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## Baymule (Nov 22, 2020)

What I see in the background is very pretty!


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Nov 22, 2020)

Miss @Larsen Poultry Ranch,

I agree with Miss @Baymule -- you do have a beautiful piece of property there!  I hope some time you will be able to post more pictures of your beautiful place.

Do you have a powered log splitter or did you have to do all that splitting by hand?  You certainly have several nice stacks of firewood.  Refresh my senile memory, please -- do you have a fireplace or wood burning stove?  I hope you do or you plan to get one soon.

You and your DH have done quite a bit and will be doing a lot more there.  Please keep us up-to-date.

Senile Texas Aggie


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 22, 2020)

Senile_Texas_Aggie said:


> Miss @Larsen Poultry Ranch,
> 
> I agree with Miss @Baymule -- you do have a beautiful piece of property there!  I hope some time you will be able to post more pictures of your beautiful place.
> 
> ...


Yes, we have a wood burning stove. We've been using it as the heat source for the house as there is evidence rats are/were in the ducting for the furnace. We split the wood with husband's gas powered splitter, no way we could do that much by hand in one morning. 

I will try to take some pictures of the property today. The area we stacked the firewood is at the front of the property by the driveway. We plan to plant a lot of trees/shrubs there to block the neighbor's view of our property and produce fruit/berries. I think we might have to take out more of the oaks there.


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## thistlebloom (Nov 22, 2020)

Good work!
Do you know what kind of oaks you have?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 23, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Good work!
> Do you know what kind of oaks you have?


Nope. I need to find an app or website that can tell me. I'll try to post some pictures here too so you all can chip in if you recognize which kinds. 

The most common one has small leaves with little sharp edges. I don't like that kind. There's one with big beautiful leaves, I really want to make sure that one stays, or figure out a way to clone it. I'm going to try air layering some trees this winter, and finding acorns to try and start as well.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 23, 2020)

Sunday we had a small burn pile and got rid of all the brush from the trees that were felled, at least from the front area. I am planning to mix the ashes, quail manure/bedding, and leaves to start a compost pile. We also got most of the fence around the rabbit zone installed (hubby did most of it), we ran out of fencing and need to get gates and posts. The one spot we were going to place a gate post has a giant rock about 8 inches under the ground, so we need to either jackhammer it out or figure out a different way to install the post. It's right up against the shed so we don't have much choice in location.

We had to put the fence through the area that has a lot of rocks, and tried digging some out. We discovered we have "iceberg" rocks, some with just a tiny bit sticking out so you stub your toe and trip, but when you dig it out the rock is much larger than you think and now you've removed the rock and have to find some dirt to fill in the hole that you will step in and trip. The rocks were actually really easy to remove, the soil was nice and soft, not super clay like I thought. It was still a bit reddish, so maybe there's just a lot of iron in the soil. It probably helped we were digging 2 days after a nice rain. I think the rocks might be slate, they are definitely not granite.

We dug enough rocks I should be able to start a rock retaining wall. I don't understand why the previous owners didn't move some of these, it took just barely an hour to get a bunch moved, and she had told us she had to get elaborate with the mowing and weed eating to get around these rocks. Now the area is clear and would be easy to mow if we were going to allow it to grow anything.

I forgot to take before pictures, and it was getting dark by the time I thought about taking after pictures.


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Nov 23, 2020)

Miss @Larsen Poultry Ranch,

The two experts on this forum (that I know about) in dealing with large rocks are Mr. @Mike CHS and Mr. @Bruce.  I have seen a few videos on YouTube on removing large rocks.  Here are a couple of them that may help you:


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## Bruce (Nov 24, 2020)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> We had to put the fence through the area that has a lot of rocks, and tried digging some out. We discovered we have "iceberg" rocks, some with just a tiny bit sticking out so you stub your toe and trip, but when you dig it out the rock is much larger than you think and now you've removed the rock and have to find some dirt to fill in the hole that you will step in and trip.


Welcome to my life!!!



Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> The rocks were actually really easy to remove, the soil was nice and soft, not super clay like I thought.


Welcome to NOT my life!!!! I haven't found many that are easy to dig out. I've dug some out of the field with the forks on the tractor. There are others, plus a lot of ledge, that are still there. I watched the Micro Blaster video (and found others) when STA posted them a long while back. Unfortunately they are expensive and when I looked into renting one the closest place is in NH and a full day to get there and back. Of course the rental is from the time it leaves the store to the time it gets back so still too expensive.


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## GardnerHomestead (Nov 24, 2020)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Nope. I need to find an app or website that can tell me. I'll try to post some pictures here too so you all can chip in if you recognize which kinds.
> 
> The most common one has small leaves with little sharp edges. I don't like that kind. There's one with big beautiful leaves, I really want to make sure that one stays, or figure out a way to clone it. I'm going to try air layering some trees this winter, and finding acorns to try and start as well.



Im not far from you geographically and we have live oak, white oak, and black oaks on our property. Live oak is the pokey leaf. White oak has the bigger leaves, really pretty, my favorite. The live oaks look good all year though the others drop their leaves and each year i wonder if they are dead lol.


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## Bruce (Nov 24, 2020)

Are any of those the "protected" kinds?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 24, 2020)

I found a new website I'm drooling over, they sell cuttings, scion wood, and some started plants. Bonus is they are in CA! And they have some trees I wanted but couldn't find a place to get them as they can't be brought in from out of state. I will probably place an order this weekend. The hard part is going to be choosing which plants to get now, and which ones to wait on. 

They have loquats, figs, honey locust, paw paw, carob, mulberry, oaks, and so many other fruit trees. I've been looking for the mulberries and loquats, and had given up on finding the honey locust. The company is Fruit Wood Nursery.


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## GardnerHomestead (Nov 24, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Are any of those the "protected" kinds?



Not that I know of. I think just the coastal live oak is protected in California. But it could vary by county.


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## thistlebloom (Nov 24, 2020)

Yay! I love nursery shopping! And I super love loquats! Wish I could grow those here. When I was a kid the elementary school we went to had them growing between the rows of classroom buildings. We used to gorge ourselves on them.


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Nov 24, 2020)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> ... had given up on finding the honey locust.



Have you even seen a mature honey locust tree up close?  If not, here is a post from my journal that a former member of the forum, Mr. Greybeard posted *here* (second picture). He had honey locust on his property, which he cut down, and I have them here, which I cut down. I do not want a tree with thorns on it like that, regardless of the blooms they may produce. If you like them, then great! I just want you to know what you're getting before you get them, especially if the sapling you get doesn't have its thorns and you then get a nasty surprise.


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## Baymule (Nov 24, 2020)

And they produce hundreds of thorny seedlings! Great for flat tractor and mower tires. I’m not a fan of locust trees either.


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## thistlebloom (Nov 24, 2020)

There are thornless honey locusts.


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## GardnerHomestead (Nov 24, 2020)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> I found a new website I'm drooling over, they sell cuttings, scion wood, and some started plants. Bonus is they are in CA! And they have some trees I wanted but couldn't find a place to get them as they can't be brought in from out of state. I will probably place an order this weekend. The hard part is going to be choosing which plants to get now, and which ones to wait on.
> 
> They have loquats, figs, honey locust, paw paw, carob, mulberry, oaks, and so many other fruit trees. I've been looking for the mulberries and loquats, and had given up on finding the honey locust. The company is Fruit Wood Nursery.


We have a black locust tree. has the pretties blooms, pink, HUGE! The bees love them. We had a late freeze this year and killed the blooms, i was so bummed. They are thorny, and the little suckers that grow at the bottom become  huge thorny mess if you dont keep them trimmed back.


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## thistlebloom (Nov 24, 2020)

I don't like thorny trees either. But they have been breeding ornamental thornless varieties of many landscape trees for years. I have gardened under the thornless honey locusts and their leaves are small and just decompose where they are. Have never seen suckers or seedlings either.
We used to have black locusts and they were unpleasant to prune. But locust wood is excellent for fence posts and makes a nice firewood.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 24, 2020)

Senile_Texas_Aggie said:


> Have you even seen a mature honey locust tree up close?  If not, here is a post from my journal that a former member of the forum, Mr. Greybeard posted *here* (second picture). He had honey locust on his property, which he cut down, and I have them here, which I cut down. I do not want a tree with thorns on it like that, regardless of the blooms they may produce. If you like them, then great! I just want you to know what you're getting before you get them, especially if the sapling you get doesn't have its thorns and you then get a nasty surprise.





thistlebloom said:


> There are thornless honey locusts.


The nursery lists several types of honey locust, including a thornless one. I was planning to get the thornless for growing firewood and tool handles.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 24, 2020)

I made a list.. not even a full list of all the ones I wanted..  up to 49 plants! Sigh. Gonna have to pare it down a little and order just the ones needed to get the homestead started, and add more later. Probably focus on the firewood trees and rootstock.


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## thistlebloom (Nov 24, 2020)

You could have a wish list for Christmas and birthday gifts .


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## Baymule (Nov 24, 2020)

My standard Mother's Day gift is a 5 pound box of deck screws. Hahaha.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 24, 2020)

Worked on the new flooring in the master bedroom tonight. Stopped after finishing the closet as the floor vent opening in the right corner needs to be blocked off and the small closet needs the remaining carpet staples removed.


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## Baymule (Nov 25, 2020)

I know exactly where you are! When we bought our Redneck Mansion Doublewide, I ripped out all the carpet and laid unfinished white knotty pine, sanded, whitewashed and finished it, throughout the whole house. Had never done floors before...... 

You will be so proud when the floors are done! Be sure to post pictures!


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Nov 25, 2020)

Miss @Baymule, you should post a link to those posts.  I remember reading those posts and was really impressed with your work!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 25, 2020)

Managed to get some pictures of the two oak tree types I've found so far on the property. This is the one that has pokey leaves:







And this one has the big soft leaves:


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 25, 2020)

So, interior live oak? And California black oak?


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## Bruce (Nov 25, 2020)

I would have never identified that first tree as an oak, I only know the oak leaf shape of the second. Those are some LONG acorns on the first one.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 25, 2020)

Bruce said:


> I would have never identified that first tree as an oak, I only know the oak leaf shape of the second. Those are some LONG acorns on the first one.


I didn't even realize it had an acorn in the picture until I posted it lol. These are the oaks I'm used to, but the bark is a bit different than the ones at my parents house growing up. Not sure why, possibly they are different due to the horses chewing on them or something the tenants did?


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## GardnerHomestead (Nov 25, 2020)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> So, interior live oak? And California black oak?


In my non expert opinion yes.


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## GardnerHomestead (Nov 25, 2020)

Bruce said:


> I would have never identified that first tree as an oak, I only know the oak leaf shape of the second. Those are some LONG acorns on the first one.


Really? When i think of oak trees the first one is what i think of. By far the most common oak in this neck of the woods.


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## thistlebloom (Nov 25, 2020)

We had Coast Live Oaks back a hundred years ago when we were younger.
They have a different silhouette but similar leaves. That's the first I've heard of interior Live Oak. 
What a shame they let their horses damage them.


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## Baymule (Nov 25, 2020)

Senile_Texas_Aggie said:


> Miss @Baymule, you should post a link to those posts.  I remember reading those posts and was really impressed with your work!



Here ya' go






						Mobile Home Goddess
					

I got the kitchen and dining area done. Had to go from living room into the kitchen, then from living room into the dining area and meet at the end of the bar, fingers crossed that it would meet up and match up. it did! I got the hallway done and several courses into one of the bedrooms. Lots of...



					www.theeasygarden.com


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 26, 2020)

Gorgeous floors! We went with really thick laminate, to help give the structure more stability per husband. We are planning to remodel within a couple years so we didn't want to go too fancy.

Once we get the master bedroom floor done, we can move in there and get better organized. Then change out the fireplace surround and gradually change the flooring in the rest of the house. We also want to redo the kitchen layout, hopefully before doing the floors there.


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## Baymule (Nov 26, 2020)

Thanks! It was a lot of work, but so worth it. We bid on a HUD repo doublewide with 8 acres and moved from a 2500 square foot brick home. LOL I was trying to make it a little less mobile home-ish.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 26, 2020)

I think we might have two kinds of live oaks, there's some leaves with serrated edges and some with smooth. Different acorns too, one is small and the others I just found are huge. I'm going to try to start a bunch of the acorns overwinter. I grabbed some from my mom's tree too.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 26, 2020)

These are from mom's house, I got a small handful of acorns.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 26, 2020)

Live oak by the quail container.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 26, 2020)

Rabbit zone in progress. Plants in pots will go in this zone too.


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## Baymule (Nov 27, 2020)

Bruce said:


> I would have never identified that first tree as an oak, I only know the oak leaf shape of the second. Those are some LONG acorns on the first one.


The leaves on the first oak looked like a Holly tree until I saw the acorn, that was weird looking too! LOL


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 28, 2020)

So, the lady that bought my first house just listed it for rent on a FB community page that I'm a member of, for over $500 more than I had been paying for the mortgage when I owned it. I'm not sure how I should feel about that.

Ignore it and pretend I didn't see it?


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## Baymule (Nov 28, 2020)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> So, the lady that bought my first house just listed it for rent on a FB community page that I'm a member of, for over $500 more than I had been paying for the mortgage when I owned it. I'm not sure how I should feel about that.
> 
> Ignore it and pretend I didn't see it?


Don't let it bother you. You don't live there anymore. Direct your attention to your fabulous new home and farm. I sold the house I had for over 30 years and moved here. The man bought it for his wife, she had cancer and left him, but he still loved her. So he bought her a house so she would have somewhere to live. She died after a year and now he rents it out. Your old house is as much behind you as my old house is behind me. I'm now a Doublewide Diva in a much smaller home, but have 8 acres to play on and happier than I have ever been.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 28, 2020)

Rabbits are moved to the new house, but we still need to get the sawhorses set up so the cages aren't on the ground. They didn't freak put too much thankfully. Now I can breed them!! Trying to decide which lucky 4 girls will be first. I think if I breed tomorrow, I should get bunnies just before new years, most of the does kindle at 31 days.

I think I'm going to do Frost with Paprika and Pepper. And Expresso with Raspberry and Sage. That will give me chinchillas from Pepper, Rex castors/opals from Raspberry, chestnuts (small chance of opals) from Sage, and chestnuts/reds/REW from Paprika. These will be mostly meat bunnies.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 29, 2020)

Rabbits did not cooperate this morning. Will have to try again this evening.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 30, 2020)

Tried again tonight, still no luck. I need to find some mood music for them? Maybe some candles? Darn rabbits..


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## Mini Horses (Nov 30, 2020)

Wine and mood music combo?  😁


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 30, 2020)

@Baymule  how do you know what side is the "front" of the manufactured home? Having trouble finding the data plate so I think there's a VIN near where the tongue would have been. House is on permanent foundation and has vinyl siding over whatever was there before. Do I have to go under the house to see the VIN or would it be visible from the outside (under the siding of course..)?


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## Baymule (Nov 30, 2020)

Mine has little plates on one end. If you cannot find them, try looking on the deed. It may be recorded at the courthouse or perhaps the former owner can tell you. 

Do you know the manufacturer? If so, maybe a visit to a Mobile home lot that carries that brand to find out where they put the darned ID plate.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 30, 2020)

Looked around the outside when I got home and couldn't find the metal plates. Hubby is awesome and found the data plate inside the cupboard in the laundry room. So now we should have the VIN.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 1, 2020)

Paprika bred yesterday, Pepper had one fall off this morning? Put her back with Frost again tonight but no action. Raspberry and Expresso had 3 fall offs tonight, no action with Sage. I will try Sage and Pepper again tomorrow morning and evening, then wait 3 weekends and try the next set: Cinnamon, Sugar, and the twins (chestnuts who look like Sage) from Paprika and Expresso. Whomever doesn't kindle from the first set will go with group 3: Toffee, Coffee, and the dilute sable agouti who doesn't have a name yet. She looks just like Sugar but lighter.

Any suggestions for the three who don't have names yet?


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## Baymule (Dec 1, 2020)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Looked around the outside when I got home and couldn't find the metal plates. Hubby is awesome and found the data plate inside the cupboard in the laundry room. So now we should have the VIN.


Brilliant! I would have never found it.

Names........ you seem to have a theme going.....

Blackberry
Blueberry
Aronia
Strawberry
Elderberry
Goji
Cranberry
Huckleberry
Boysenberry
Mulberry

Latte
Cappuccino
Mocha
Frappuccino
Caramel
Cream
Arabica
Macchiato
Vienna

Nutmeg

Oh, spices-too many to list! 









						List of Herbs & Spices from A to Z
					

Add agar, amchoor and asafoetida to your spice inventory. Learn more about them at The Spice House - get free shipping on orders over $49!




					www.thespicehouse.com


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## Baymule (Dec 1, 2020)

Oh, Marshmallow and Chocolate!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 2, 2020)

Hmm. Vanilla, Nutmeg and Juniper. Now I have to find where the duct tape was hidden so I can update the name tags.

Pepper and Frost had no fall offs that I saw tonight, Sage and Expresso finally had one that I saw. I was trying to multitask doing other chores when they were together but there were several stretches where I was out of eye sight and ear shot. I'm going to assume it's possible both pairs actually bred and wait it out. Calendars are marked for new year's bunnies. I am super excited to see what we get from Sage, some of the bunnies should have regular fur and some should be Rex fur. This is her first litter so I'll hopefully get to fill in some of her genotype.


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## Bruce (Dec 2, 2020)

Obviously Santa needs to bring you a recording bunny cam.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 2, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Obviously Santa needs to bring you a recording bunny cam.


I've already asked hubby about cameras for the property. Pretty sure it's on the to do list. I want to see how the animals are doing during the day, and help deter trespassing. I think I need to get some signs.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 2, 2020)

It's not that I think we have trespassers, but I don't like not having a fence all the way around the property and I have no clue if people are coming on our property.

I'd like to get the property lines surveyed but I don't know how much that will cost. The neighbor to the east mentioned they might like to do a privacy fence along that property line, which we would be in support of, possibly could split the cost with them and put it directly on the property line. The neighbor to the north says that fence he put up, not sure if it's on the line or offset, but he did it to keep the previous tenant's horses from going on his property. He says he's got a ton of t posts and would be interested in working with us to get the rest of the property line fenced. Neighbor to the south says she put up the privacy fence on her side, and wants us to put up a fence facing it... so she can access both sides of her fence to make any repairs needed. I think two fences right next to each other is stupid and dangerous to animals who might get trapped between them. That side isn't completely fenced either, so need to know where the line is in order to fence.


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## Bruce (Dec 2, 2020)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> I'd like to get the property lines surveyed but I don't know how much that will cost.


A fair bit, and it will depend on if there are existing survey markers they can locate and work from. Do you have a survey map of the property? What are the approximate linear dimensions and how thick is the vegetation along the presumed lines? Definitely cheaper if they don't have to keep relocating the equipment. It is all based on time which included the drive time from the office to the property and back when I had the west line marked every 100' 2 years ago.

And when they are done, you might find that some of your neighbor's fences are on your property unless they had a survey done before they fenced. 



Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Neighbor to the south says she put up the privacy fence on her side, and wants us to put up a fence facing it... so she can access both sides of her fence to make any repairs needed.


Yeah, not a brilliant thought. Maybe she could ask permission from you to repair her fences when necessary.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 2, 2020)

Hubby says he found a stake with a ribbon on it at the north east corner, but don't know if that's actually the corner, or an official stake. The whole lot is a big rectangle, long sides (north and south) are 1,319 feet and short sides (east and west) are 345/346 feet, according to the assessor map on the county website. It has a N and W reading on it, wonder if I can get my phone to cooperate and show rough coordinates.

I might be able to reach out to the neighbors on each side and get permission to pen the goats up temporary along the property line on both sides to make sure the brush is removed. Need to get the goats here first.. It's going to be fun clearing the zone with PO everywhere. I wonder if I can get my brother's Kubota tractor and just drive along the property line zone to clear it..


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## Baymule (Dec 2, 2020)

It sounds like you have two good neighbors and one that is sorta so-so. If that lady's fence is on the property line, then she can move her fence back if she wants an alley so she can get to the other side of it. Why should you lose part of your land?

 Our property backs  up to a 1,000 acre game ranch. It is high wire fenced and the fence is offset 4' from the property line. Then there is woven wire laid on the ground and hog ringed to the bottom wire of the fence to keep varmits and neighborhood dogs from digging in. It goes without saying that we couldn't tie onto his fence, that would be trespassing. We ran our own fence on the property line. Our fence is 2"x4" non climb horse wire. There has been no animal that got between the fences. 

By all means, get it surveyed and get a good fence up. Money is a factor, you may have to do a little at a time. 

Here is a link to when we built our fence. We made mistakes and there is some very good discussion on that. LOL I used 12' and 16' gates and wish that I had used more 16' gates. Please start a thread in the fencing forum and post what you do, with pictures. It is a learning tool for others. Eventually, SOMEBODY will build the perfect fence! LOL LOL

Non-Climb 2"x4" Horse Wire Fence | BackYardHerds - Goats, Horses, Sheep, Pigs & more


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 2, 2020)

We are starting to get wire now, we bought one roll of 2"x4" no climb horse wire, 48"? tall and 200' long. It was the last roll they had, I think we might need to order it next time. We have a handful of t posts but used more than I thought we would on the garden zone. Need to walk the property this weekend in the daylight and figure out where everything is going to go.


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## Bruce (Dec 3, 2020)

A stake with a ribbon may or may not have been put in by a surveyor but in any case isn't something that can be used as an official reference for future marking. However, it might be marking the official pin which is usually not sticking out of the ground much so the flag stick makes it easier to find. If you find a metal rod or rebar, often with a pink or orange cap, in the ground near the stake, that is an official survey mark.


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## Baymule (Dec 3, 2020)

Our property is approximately 1200' long, on one side, 6 places of about 2 acres each, back up to our place. Since the corners have to be marked, there were pink tags at each corner. Easy! The other side is an 8 acre tract like ours and was marked front and back corner with a solid wall of trees, briars and brush in between. I had the surveyors back out to mark the line for fencing, it cost $400. They came back to the house, scratched up and bleeding in places, LOL. Then later I carried T-posts and the driver through the growth and drove them in as a permanent marker until we could hack, chainsaw and chop our way through to run the fence. 

We bought the 2"x4"x200' rolls of wire too. Start a fencing thread and chronicle your adventures.


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## messybun (Dec 3, 2020)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> With the time change right now, I'm getting home as it's getting dark, it will get worse as winter progresses. It's hard to do yard work in the dark after work.
> 
> It's not that I don't want to bring a change of clothes, it's just annoying to have remember to grab everything I need. I ordered some overalls, hopefully they will arrive this week.
> 
> Took a few crafting boxes out to the storage shipping container and saw a box that had kitchen stuff. Brought it in and husband was very happy, it had lots of different spices he hasn't been able to use in a while. He's a really good cook and has been moping without a proper kitchen and cooking devices.


I might be a bit late for this, but scrubs are really great for working in and don’t take up that much room. You could keep a small bag with your boots and stuff in the car or by the door, scrubs might be easier to stuff.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 4, 2020)

Hubby said we should look at the equipment auction near us (Sacramento) to see if we can find stuff for the property a little less pricey. Started looking at their site and they have a stump grinder, sawmill (new in box!), Atv, and a few Kubota tractors. I sent him the link for the tractor and his response was "that's a cute size". I guess that means it's not big enough?

Trying to decide if we should seriously look at the stump grinder, we cut a bunch of trees so far and not likely to quit soon. Might make us the most popular neighbors. I guess I should create a spreadsheet to compare renting vs owning.

Any thoughts on what order to start acquiring equipment?


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## Baymule (Dec 4, 2020)

How many acres, I forget. Will you be handling round bales of hay? We have a Kubota 2320, it is 23 horsepower and won’t pick up round bales. I think you need a much minimum of 60 HP. A stump grinder would be a good investment. Grind your stumps and use it for a side job. We had 3 stumps ground for $150. He was here about an hour. He had several jobs that day.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 4, 2020)

10 acres, with some slope to most of it. I don't think we'd be playing with round bales anytime soon, there's only a handful of goats we will be sharing part time to start with. I'm hoping to add sheep later.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 4, 2020)

I like the idea of earning money with the stump grinder, it could be a decent side job for weekends.


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## Bruce (Dec 4, 2020)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> I guess that means it's not big enough?


I don't know what "cute size" is but with 10 acres I think you need something bigger. Think about what you want to do with it, and about what you COULD do with it if you had a tractor. 

For instance, I don't have a logging winch (big bucks) but I do pull logs out then carry them on the pallet forks down to the barn for cutting and splitting. A grapple would be nice but again big $$ since you need not only the attachment but also a diverter or 3rd function to get hydraulics to the grapple (there are small electric ones, still expensive). Once split the wood goes into racks I made for drying and storage. Loaded the racks weigh probably 700-1,000 pounds. I put the racks on the porch landing for easy access from the house in all weather conditions so I don't have to hand carry (or garden tractor  and poly dump cart loads like I used to) the wood. A rack is about 1/3 cord and lasts a couple of weeks. 



When efficiently done (meaning there are 3 people), each piece of wood coming off the splitter is put directly in a rack and not touched again until I take it out of the rack from inside the enclosed porch. When we first bought here the dry wood was delivered in front of the little barn. We then carried it inside and stacked it so one pick up, one put down. Then when it was needed to fill racks in the enclosed porch it had to be picked up from the barn, put in the poly cart hauled to the front of the house then picked up, carried up onto the porch, put back down. Two more pick ups and put downs. It worked but boy was it not fun getting the loaded cart up to the house mid winter. Last year I moved the racks up on the front lawn before heating season. This year I built the level stone pad shown in the prior picture. Shown here is a rack on the porch landing, the top and back are moved to each full rack in turn. 



The point being: make sure you get a tractor with enough lift capacity for what you need to do. I've saved money by having things delivered on trucks without liftgates because I could take them off myself. My 35 HP Mahindra tractor's lift capacity is supposedly 1,650 pounds to full height at the pin. Of course one is never lifting at the pin and the capacity drops the farther out the load is from the loader arms. A Kubota L3901 has a 37.5 HP engine but only lifts 1,131 pounds. 

And then there is PTO horsepower. My tractor has only 26 PTO HP which means when I got the flail mower I had to go with a 5' rather than a 6'. There are other tractor brands that have higher PTO HP on the same engine HP size machines. Of course, being a tractor newbie I didn't know such things. Back to comparisons, the Kubota L3901 has 30+ HP at the PTO. Point being, there are a lot of tractors out there and they ALL have different specs and capabilities. Try to figure out your needs BEFORE you buy a tractor, new or used. The TractorData website can give you the specs for thousands of tractors. 



Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Any thoughts on what order to start acquiring equipment?


Yeah, in the order you need the attachments 

If step 1 is grinding stumps before you can do anything else like mowing fields and you figure to be doing a lot of that over time, buying a stump grinder might be a good first choice. Tractor Time With Tim has shown a couple of stump grinders on their YouTube channel. 

I got the tractor with a backhoe, pallet forks, 6' rake and a post hole digger. Still have plans to use the auger but haven't yet and have only used the rake a few times. 

The first thing I did was dig out the dried up (but still really mucky) pond with the backhoe and bucket. I was doing the initial 50 hour service a week from when it was delivered. 

I use the pallet forks a lot, more than the bucket actually. I moved this old deck piece with the forks. I wasn't sure about it but I put the forks under the deck on the end shown here, ratchet strapped it to the fork frame, no issue at all to pick it up and move it. The deck piece is 10' long and 5' wide. I have no idea how much it weighs.


Last week I moved a big rock, probably 500#, the guys dug up putting in the support screws for the new solar array. They could have moved it with their excavator and put it by the pond (their idea) but I prefered to have it in the big rock pile north of the barn. No problem to do it myself. I've also dug rocks out of the field with the forks.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 5, 2020)

Tractor stuff is going to be all hubby, I refuse to learn the mechanical stuff, saving my brain power for animal knowledge. He'll probably drag me kicking and screaming to learn some of it anyway. I think he wants a bigger tractor than what my brother has, and the one I was looking at in the auction site was smaller. I think we are going to price out the stump grinder and see if we can get one.

I don't know if we'll get a proper pasture going, we are very heavily treed. We need to take out a lot of trees to make that happen. And we'll need irrigation, which means approximately 900' of pipe just to bring the water from the irrigation canal to the edge of the property, and then probably 1300' of pipe to bring it to the top of the parcel so it can gravity feed down.

I'm hoping we can get a greenhouse going this weekend, start some winter veggies (it's a bit late for it), and start some fruit tree cuttings. Hopefully we can get a lot done this weekend.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 5, 2020)

We found this YouTube video yesterday, gave us ideas on how we could modify the log splitter a bit to make the process more efficient.


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## Baymule (Dec 5, 2020)

We have lots of trees also, my husband refuses to cut any more. So I have small patches of grass that I treasure. LOL When he gripes about the feed bill, I ask him if I can cut more trees and he shuts up. LOL

It may be cheaper and easier in the long run for y'all to hire a bull dozer.


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## Bruce (Dec 5, 2020)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> We found this YouTube video yesterday


He's got skills I'll never have. After that video I watched the one where he had built the conveyor and was dumping directly into OBC totes.


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## thistlebloom (Dec 5, 2020)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> We found this YouTube video yesterday, gave us ideas on how we could modify the log splitter a bit to make the process more efficient.



I love that kind of ingenuity!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 5, 2020)

Father-in-law has a bunch of big machinery, I think it includes some kind of bulldozer thing. They have a crane too, they've used that to take down tall trees before from the top instead of felling the whole tree.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 5, 2020)

Husband's sister had her baby this morning, a little girl. 6 pounds 10 ounces 19". Healthy, I think they get to leave the hospital tomorrow. First grandbaby on both sides. Husband's grandparents (both sets!) are excited they are now great grandparents.


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Dec 5, 2020)

Miss @Larsen Poultry Ranch,

I have the following tractor attachments that may relate to your needs:
+ grapple
+ pallet forks
+ wood chipper
+ tree shear
+ stump bucket
+ shredder / rotary cutter / mower
+ landscape rake
+ 2 bale spears (never used)
+ bucket

Because I have a lot of pasture and woods, depending on what I am working on, I will use the mower a lot or if working in or along the woods, I will use my grapple.  That is my most used implement.  I use the grapple way more often than I do pallet forks (or any other implement), although pallet forks are handy as well.  I can pick up brush and limbs, tree trunks (up to the lift capacity of my tractor), and I can drag a lot more than I can pick up.  I can even push over small and medium sized trees and then dig them up with the grapple.  I can see you using a grapple quite a bit, especially should you want to process wood for burning.

I use the wood chipper to make wood chips for use around our property.  I can see you using this to make bedding for your animal pens and stalls, and maybe mulch for your garden or flower beds.

I do not own a stump grinder although I have considered buying one.  If you do decide to buy a stump grinder, be sure to buy a tractor with an HST transmission, not a gear driven or power shuttle transmission.  The reason is that the stump grinder needs to move VERY slowly over the stump as it grinds.  Gear driven and power shuttle transmissions, even in the lowest gear, move too quickly.  (I own a tractor with power shuttle transmission.)

Miss @Baymule's idea about hiring a dozer to do the work may make the most sense, though.

Senile Texas Aggie

YouTube channel "GP Outdoors" using a grapple for handling a downed tree:





YouTube channel "Sawing with Sandy" putting firewood in IBC totes which he then moves near his house.  He also has a grapple to move the logs to his firewood processing area:


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 5, 2020)

@Senile_Texas_Aggie I read your list to hubby and he agreed with most of them, just need to figure out financing for the tractor and attachments. We will probably just borrow my brother's tractor or father-in-law's tractor for a bit. 

I do think we will check out the auction on the 9th to see if something will work for our budget and goals.


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## Baymule (Dec 6, 2020)

My weakness is tools. I love tools. I try to back up every electric tool with it's hand tool equivalent. For our tractor we have a bush hog, box blade, disc, Front end bucket and pallet forks. We never have used the box blade, seldom use the pallet forks. We have a trailer hitch on the tractor too so we can load up the flatbed with whatever we want to work with, that sure would have been a HUGE help if we had done that when we were building fence! I heartily recommend a trailer hitch for hauling those heavy rolls of wire, T-posts and assorted tools for building fence. 

Another very useful tool was a gas powered auger from Harbor Freight. I looked at a tractor powered auger. For our little tractor, it wouldn't drill very deep and was priced in the thousands of dollars. Definitely not worth the money! So off to Harbor Freight I went and bought a gas powered earth auger. 

It's on sale now!! Do I hear Christmas present? Lordy I do love Harbor Freight! 










						Gas Powered Earth Auger
					

Amazing deals on this 2Hp Gasoline Auger Powerhead W/6In Bit at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.




					www.harborfreight.com


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## Bruce (Dec 6, 2020)

Baymule said:


> For our little tractor, it wouldn't drill very deep and was priced in the thousands of dollars.


Curious! I think mine was < $800.


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## Baymule (Dec 6, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Curious! I think mine was < $800.


It was at a Kubota dealer, they were probably trying to rip my head off. It wouldn't have gone deep enough to be worth fooling with anyway. My tractor isn't big enough to operate an auger that would get the job done.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 7, 2020)

Now hubby says his dad might be giving us the Kubota tractor they rarely use, so we might not have to buy one. Still need to get attachments. Hubby wants an auger that will attach to the tractor as he says the hand ones can't deal with rocks. 

I think we are going to look at the auction site tonight and figure out if they have an auger attachment and stump grinder we could bid on. The only auctions I've bid in are eBay ones, although I've attended poultry auctions before as a seller.


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## farmerjan (Dec 7, 2020)

If you have alot of rock, I would suggest not getting an auger but getting a post driver.  We have alot of rock and ledge here in this part of Va.  Next to every single professional fence builder has a driver.  A few have augers, but they will get torn up on the rocks AND if you go to breaking a pto shaft, it is expensive.   The drivers take a little more care of your fingers to make sure they do not get in the way, but you can easily move the post a foot one way or another if you run into rock or ledge and not tear anything up.   We have a driver.  And there is no having to fill in holes, tamping and all that.  We try to drive posts when we have had some moisture because super dry ground will cause them to occasionally get broken off it you put too much "oomph"  into it.   The posts here seem to stay "tighter" in the ground when driven. 
Just a suggestion.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 7, 2020)

farmerjan said:


> If you have alot of rock, I would suggest not getting an auger but getting a post driver.  We have alot of rock and ledge here in this part of Va.  Next to every single professional fence builder has a driver.  A few have augers, but they will get torn up on the rocks AND if you go to breaking a pto shaft, it is expensive.   The drivers take a little more care of your fingers to make sure they do not get in the way, but you can easily move the post a foot one way or another if you run into rock or ledge and not tear anything up.   We have a driver.  And there is no having to fill in holes, tamping and all that.  We try to drive posts when we have had some moisture because super dry ground will cause them to occasionally get broken off it you put too much "oomph"  into it.   The posts here seem to stay "tighter" in the ground when driven.
> Just a suggestion.


Thanks! I will mention it to hubby. There seems to be a lot of rock in some areas and less in others. Still haven't figured out if the areas of less rock are just from fill dirt or what. Some areas smell strongly of horse when I was playing with the garden hose so I assume there's a lot of mostly composted horse manure. Good for the plants.

The big rocks we dug out so far would have ripped up an auger, but I think it could have handled the smaller rocks. I've got enough rocks to build a small retaining wall. 

Going to try to get some garden beds going and plant the garlic and onions I bought. I'm late putting them in, but I'm hoping they will still do ok. I think I can make some row covers/shields using the old fencing to keep animals away from the plants. 

Apparently I need to relocate my compost pile, because hubby wants to move the quail container from the driveway center to the side closer to the storage shipping container. Once that's moved, I think we can put a roof between the containers to have a storage zone for his boat and the tractor. Dunno when the tractor will be arriving.


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## thistlebloom (Dec 7, 2020)

The tractor news is exciting!


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Dec 7, 2020)

Miss Larsen Poultry Ranch,

Regarding post hole diggers / augers and post drivers, they all have advantages and disadvantages.  The 3 pt hitch auger is the cheapest but not ideal for some applications, as they have no downward pressure to force themselves into the ground,  Miss Babsbag complained about that and thus used a walk-behind Bobcat with a hydraulic post hole digger.  You can get hydraulic post hole diggers for tractors, but they are more expensive.  Here are some YouTube videos for the different types.

Senile Texas Aggie

3 pt PTO auger ("Red Tool House")





front hydraulic auger ("Messick's")





post driver ("Stoney Ridge Farmer")


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## farmerjan (Dec 7, 2020)

Leave it to @Senile_Texas_Aggie to come up with some good videos on stuff. We have a shaver driver. Yes it is loud, and it does a good job. Ours does the same...levels side to side, lean forward or back. The good thing is that if the tractor is not sitting level, you level the driver and the post will go in straight. I had to smile at the nice level ground they were driving in..... boy if only........... I bet we don't have 100 feet of straight flat ground like that. At least not for pasture. Anything that nice is crop ground..... the hills and rocks are for pasture!!!!!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 8, 2020)

Yeah, it's nice watching YouTube videos to learn stuff, but they don't seem to ever show how it works on a slope. Probably too much cussing to show it on a public forum, lol. I had a heck of a time getting the t post ties on, even with the little tool when the post wasn't perfectly vertical and the wire was pulled down the slope.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 8, 2020)

Feeling a bit frustrated with lack of progress on the property, but it's hard to stay motivated when I get home after dark. Going to try to make a point to keep the tv off when I get home tonight to get some stuff done instead of getting sucked into the comfy couch and relaxing in front of the TV. Quail need butchering, cages need cleaning, tree branches need to be chopped up and moved, compost pile needs to be moved, firewood needs to be brought in, and inside chores need to get done too.

I'm hoping we can get some outside stuff done tonight and then finish the floor in the master bedroom. I know hubby is frustrated how slow it's going together, but I am trying to be careful of the pattern on the planks as I don't want to have the pattern repeat right next to itself. So, I numbered the patterns and have tracked the planks I put down so no repeats so far. We stopped Sunday one plank shy of the doorway; once that is cut to make the transition we just have a nice easy rectangle area to finish. I want to get the baseboard cut and installed before we move furniture in.

After baseboard is installed will bug him to upgrade the outlets and light switches, and install overhead can lights.


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## Nao57 (Dec 8, 2020)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Hello all, I finally decided to create a journal. I currently live in Placer County, CA in a house on .31 acres with my significant other. I am an accountant and he is an electrician. Together we have 2 cats, 7 rabbits, turkeys, chickens, coturnix quail, button quail, and a dog. The cats currently live with us but the other animals have been moved to our folks' places while we work on the house to get it ready to sell.
> 
> We want to buy a property with 10 or more acres so we have space for all the animals and hobbies we dream of having. We have been searching for a while but finally found a property that looks great, the only catch is the seller doesn't want any contingencies, so we need to sell before we can offer. If that falls through, there are a few other properties we have looked at, but this is the only one (MAJOR fixer) with all utilities and a house in our price range.
> 
> ...




The orchard idea is nice. It does take some time, but its amazing to count on free food every year.


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## Bruce (Dec 8, 2020)

Ooh, a FREE tractor! That would be nice. 



farmerjan said:


> If you have alot of rock, I would suggest not getting an auger but getting a post driver.


Depends a lot on the rock. Not going to pound a post, metal or wood, into ledge. And if you hit a big rock you don't know if it is that and moving the post a foot or so would help since it COULD be ledge. The guys had to drill 5 of the 6 holes for the screw anchors for my upcoming solar ground mount.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 9, 2020)

Got some stuff done last night but not as much as we wanted. Floor wasn't finished.   

Ordered the plant cuttings and rootstock, for shipping in Dec-Jan. Got a confirmation email so hopefully will get info on ship date soon. I ordered a gazillion plants, I hope I can keep them alive. I tried to be good but there were so many tempting plants. I ordered 4 peach rootstock as hubby loves peaches. Really hoping I can get a few different kinds of scion wood once the rootstock is settled to get different peaches so we can have a long season. I ordered 2 cherry tree rootstock, and I might be able to snag a scion from my parent's trees, they grow a ton of cherries if we keep up on the trees. They are due for a trim this dormant season, I think they haven't been trimmed for several years and the production shows it.

Not going to list all the plants here but will take pics and list once they arrive.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 9, 2020)

There's also a commercial nursery nearby that is open to the public, they sell bare root first week of January. Hard to believe that's just a month away. 

I feel like time is stuck in fast forward. I don't have any Christmas gifts complete. Starting to freak out a little.


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## Baymule (Dec 9, 2020)

Our Christmas will be small this year. Gifts for the grand kids, White Elephant gifts for Christmas day at my sister's and that's all.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 10, 2020)

The Halloween hatched Coturnix quail are starting to lay, and the boys are getting obnoxious. I need to cull a bunch of the boys so the girls can have some peace and quiet.






Hubby was able to pick up my package at the post office yesterday finally, they sure make it hard to get stuff that won't fit in your box if you work normal hours. It was the evergreen huckleberries I ordered. They don't seem too bad after spending an extra 4-5 days at the post office. Pretty sure they arrived at the post office late Sat or on Sun. Not much root growth beyond the little plug and the pots were completely dumped out in the box but I was able to pot them up. I even found a worm in one of the plugs, so I'm pretty confident they will be ok. These will go in the driveway area once they get a bit bigger and I'm confident they will survive the deer. They will hopefully make a nice screen to block the neighbor's view and provide fruit. Penny supervised the unpacking of the box.











We buckled down and finished the floors in the master bedroom last night, now we just need to install the base boards and we can move in. We need to buy some transition pieces to put in the doorway for the bathroom and hall. Once we move our stuff into the master bedroom and out of bedroom 2, we can start that room but I think we need another roll of underlayment.


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## Mini Horses (Dec 10, 2020)

Floor looks good.


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## Bruce (Dec 10, 2020)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> I ordered a gazillion plants, I hope I can keep them alive.


And find time to plant that many!!! I bet it will look GORGEOUS when they are all in and flowering.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 10, 2020)

Bruce said:


> And find time to plant that many!!! I bet it will look GORGEOUS when they are all in and flowering.


And fruiting! Most were chosen because they are fruit bearing. I need to learn how to can food. And get hubby to build a bigger pantry.


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## Baymule (Dec 10, 2020)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> And fruiting! Most were chosen because they are fruit bearing. I need to learn how to can food. And get hubby to build a bigger pantry.


I can help you out on that. I can lots of stuff. I slaughter old laying hens, can the meat and make broth and can that too. This year I had so many tomatoes that I canned sauce, spaghetti sauce, salsa, Italian pizza sauce, even 2 different recipes of BBQ sauce. I have a 9 try Excalibur dehydrator and I dehydrate proceeds from the garden. 

You NEED this!






						All American 921 Pressure Canner
					

I finally quit wishing and ordered the pressure canner that I've been wanting for 3 years. I canned green beans and chicken broth today. I canned chicken backs and feet for the dogs yesterday, and the broth from simmering the feet-for us! This thing is heavy. Real heavy. I love it! I have used a...



					www.sufficientself.com
				




The All American pressure canner is the ONLY one made in the USA. it is top quality and I love mine! I named it The Beast. 

Here is a link to the dehydrator I have. 



			https://www.sufficientself.com/threads/i-just-ordered-a-
		

_excalibur_-3900-dehydrator.13401/

I'll be happy to help you all I can. Join the sister sites www.SufficientSelf.com and www.TheEasyGarden.com  I'm Baymule there too.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 11, 2020)

Baymule said:


> I can help you out on that. I can lots of stuff. I slaughter old laying hens, can the meat and make broth and can that too. This year I had so many tomatoes that I canned sauce, spaghetti sauce, salsa, Italian pizza sauce, even 2 different recipes of BBQ sauce. I have a 9 try Excalibur dehydrator and I dehydrate proceeds from the garden.
> 
> You NEED this!
> 
> ...


We received a dehydrator as a wedding gift, we still haven't had a chance to use it yet. We don't have any canning supplies yet, at least not much beyond a few jars and lids. I'm hoping if the pandemic calms down in the spring we'll find something at yard sales.


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## thistlebloom (Dec 11, 2020)

Those little eggs are beautiful! And good job on the floor, it looks great.
You're getting a lot done.
Your hucks look fine, they'll rebound and do well. We have wild huckleberries around here. They don't grow under 4000' elevation, but it's nice to know there are varieties for the home landscape.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 11, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Those little eggs are beautiful! And good job on the floor, it looks great.
> You're getting a lot done.
> Your hucks look fine, they'll rebound and do well. We have wild huckleberries around here. They don't grow under 4000' elevation, but it's nice to know there are varieties for the home landscape.


Yeah, I think they will start growing just fine.  That's interesting the ones in your area don't grow at lower elevations. This type of huckleberry is native to the west coast, I think. We are at about 1200' elevation here.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 11, 2020)

It's supposed to pour tonight   

I'm not ready for the rains to start. After tonight it's supposed to rain off and on for about 2 weeks starting late Sat. I have a lot of running around to do tonight to try to beat the rain getting stuff under cover.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 12, 2020)

Friday night it rained but I was able to get the tarps up over the quail container and over part of the rabbit zone. Pictures taken this morning. Rabbit zone layout isn't ideal, I need to set it up different to be able to walk all the way around, there's stuff in the way right now (at the side closest to the ladder).


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 12, 2020)

Saturday I picked up stuff and tried to get more organized. We ran to Home Depot as it wasn't raining and grabbed baseboards, a garden shed, and a battery for the tractor. Hubby worked on the tractor while I worked on garden stuff and prepped a space for the garden shed. It's not really level, but it's level enough for my purposes. The shed is 8'*6'.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 13, 2020)

Raining all day so far Sunday. The tarp we put over the quail container seems to be working, no leaks noticed where it was previously leaking. 

Mom had brother bring over the last of the trees I had at her house, the two giant pots of avocados. One had a mishap when I transplanted it to the bigger pot a month or so ago, so it died back. I'm not sure if it will come back but it didn't help when it fell off the tractor bucket hubby was using to carry it over to the garden zone. Here is a pic of the biggest avocado, I started it from seed in Aug 2017. It's probably close to 5' tall above the soil level and the trunk is probably the diameter of my thumb.




Here is a picture of the tractor, it's a Kubota. We used a chain and the neat little tool we got for less than $20 to pull some t posts out. This was an area that the renters had been using for a compost zone but was in an inconvenient area. Now hubby can level the area here a bit more so we can move the quail container over, then put up a roof between both for a storage zone. We found wire, pvc, and a hoof rasp in the compost pile.


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## thistlebloom (Dec 13, 2020)

That's awesome you have a tractor to use! It will make so many jobs go much faster.
I had no idea you could compost hoof rasps...


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## Baymule (Dec 13, 2020)

I wish I could grow an avocado tree! They grow in the Rio Grande Valley, I was born there, but I don't want to live there. So I guess no avocado tree for me! How long does it take them to bear? Avocadoes are so good!


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## thistlebloom (Dec 13, 2020)

My mom grew one from a pit and moved it with her from So. CA, to Boise ID, back to northern CA right on the coast, where she planted it in the garden. That thing got huge, 10' tall and at least a 10' diameter. It even bloomed most years, but obviously no trees to cross pollinate. Even if it had it was probably too cool to ripen an avocado there. It got hit by frost often but always survived. It was her pride and joy.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 14, 2020)

The avocado is from a pit, so supposedly it will take 10+ years to bear fruit. If I graft a scion from a mature tree then it could bear within a year or two. I plan to graft some of the other avocados, but I will probably leave this one to see what it does, or just graft a branch but not the whole thing. You need two types of avocados to bear fruit as one type has male flowers in the morning and female in afternoon, and other type is opposite.

I don't know how well the avocados will grow here, they don't like frost but mature trees may be able to handle the cold a bit better. We shouldn't get snow here so I'm hoping they will grow and I'll get fruit.


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## Baymule (Dec 14, 2020)

Last time I was in the Rio Grande Valley, it was for my Grandma's funeral. I was 21, so that's been a looooooong time ago! We gathered at a cousin's house after the funeral to visit and they had an avocado tree in the backyard on the south side of their 2 story house. The tree was as tall as the house! Full and bushy and loaded with avocadoes, it was  impressive. Cousin said that frost would hit the top and freeze it off or it would have been taller. The house protected it. As long as it has been, I still remember that tree-and the grocery bag of avocadoes I took home!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 14, 2020)

I'm hoping if I plant the more delicate trees on the south side of a building or wall it will do the same thing and create a microclimate to keep the plants warmer. I've been reading about fruit tree walls like they used to use in Europe to do the same thing but not finding a ton of info so far. I have concrete blocks and we have a tractor now, so might just need to get some thermometers and play around and see if it works.


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## Baymule (Dec 14, 2020)

Potager du roi, Versailles - Wikipedia
					






					en.wikipedia.org
				






			paris france espaliered fruit garden - Yahoo Image Search Results
		










						Fruit Walls: Urban Farming in the 1600s
					

From the sixteenth to the twentieth century, urban farmers grew Mediterranean fruits and vegetables as far north as England and the Netherlands, using only renewable energy.




					www.resilience.org


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 15, 2020)

Thanks @Baymule ! The article started out as the same info I've seen on several sites but went into more detail, then a link to another article about the passive solar greenhouses in China. That looks like something that would be cool to try and I bet if I could make one big enough I could get avocados or even other tropical fruit trees going in there. Needs southern exposure and the roof slope should be calculated to the sun's position to receive maximum sunshine. Hmm, might have to do some math and calculations.   

And take out more trees. I have a spot in mind though, it's got a low spot to it almost like a gully? Need to see if it turns into a stream when it rains, that could throw off the plans. But if it doesn't have water issues, I bet we could dig down a bit and have the greenhouse partially in the earth to help with heat retention.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 15, 2020)

It's cloudy today, has been raining off and on the past few days. Saturday was cloudy but no rain so we got outside stuff done. Haven't been able to work on the new shed yet, so it's sitting under a tarp in its box. I need to rearrange the tarps on the rabbits, their feed is getting wet or at least damp.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 15, 2020)

We finished the baseboards!! We'll, for the room, we realized we forgot the baseboards in the small closet after we put everything away. Hubby swapped out the old outlets to nice new ones, still need new covers for them though. We can start moving into the bedroom and start prepping the next room for the new flooring.


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## Baymule (Dec 16, 2020)

That looks so nice! I know you are excited to be making progress like this!


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Dec 16, 2020)

Baymule said:


> That looks so nice! I know you are excited to be making progress like this!



Amen to that!


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## thistlebloom (Dec 16, 2020)

Good job! You guys are cracking right along!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 16, 2020)

Yes, it looks really nice but I'm not thrilled about the door trim. We didn't change it and parts of it were cut to install the flooring so the bottoms don't look so great. I'm hoping once all the flooring is done we can upgrade the doors and will do the door trim at that time. Trying to stay on track and keep projects going.


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## thistlebloom (Dec 16, 2020)

I think you're right about pushing on the big stuff and not getting bogged down too much on the details.
Doors and trim are something that can be put lower on the to do list since nothing else is waiting on them to get done.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 17, 2020)

Got most of our bedroom stuff moved, this room is huge compared to the other one. It didn't look that way with no stuff in it, but it's so roomy even with stuff now. Need to finish up moving and organizing. 

Cats aren't certain what to think about moving rooms, they don't get a ton of traction on the hardwood. We need another runner rug by the door.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 18, 2020)

Ice on the car windshield this morning, wasn't expecting that. Checked the plants in the garden quickly and they seemed ok. Will check more thoroughly later when I have time. Last day of work before vacation, I have all next week off. Hopefully I can get some projects done and also get in the Christmas spirit. We don't have any decorations up yet, but we did find one box. Hopefully I can find the others and we can decorate.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 20, 2020)

I spent a lot of today butchering quail. Took a lot longer than I thought it would. I spent a good 20 minutes last night watching the Halloween hatch quail and grabbing the males out as soon as I saw them crowing or mating. I had to add a second holding cage after a while as there were so many. I ended up splitting them between the cages as "definite butcher" and "if I have time and after I choose the keepers". I thought I got most of them last night but as soon as I turned on the light this morning even more were crowing so I grabbed those as well. By the time I stopped quail watching and started butchering, there were 31 to butcher with 12-20 in the backup cage. There are still more males I didn't grab out that are hiding in with the females. Hopefully the ladies will be happier without being harassed by so many males. Tomorrow I get to butcher most of the remaining males I grabbed out after choosing the biggest/prettiest 3-4 to keep.


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## Baymule (Dec 20, 2020)

I had to smile at your post. I raised quail one time and I so remember thinning out the males!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 22, 2020)

Bred Frost and Cinnamon this morning, 3 fall offs. Tried to breed Expresso and Coffee, only one fall off. So I swapped them, putting him back in her cage and leaving her in his to hopefully put her in a more receptive mood. It seemed to have worked, she didn't hide when I put them back together tonight and they had two more fall offs. Going to breed two more does tomorrow. Need to add nest boxes to the first group towards the end of the week. It's really hard to tell if they are pregnant, but Pepper looked more chunky than usual.

Didn't work outside today, mainly worked on cleaning and organizing the house. Will butcher more quail tomorrow. I think I gathered close to 60 eggs today.


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## Baymule (Dec 22, 2020)

Quail eggs make good fried eggs, a yolk in every bite!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 23, 2020)

2 dozen quail eggs today. Ran some errands and did stuff around the house. Hubby played on the tractor and flattened the area where we are getting a 45' shipping container delivered Wednesday morning. It's not quite level but it's better than it was when he started, and he removed a bunch of trees and rocks too. There's a few giant ones he couldn't jam out of the ground with the tractor so hopefully the delivery truck is able to maneuver around them. 









I think it's time to plant some garlic, lol. This was in the kitchen, guess we didn't cook fast enough.


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## Baymule (Dec 23, 2020)

I bought garlic at the grocery store and found some pods starting to sprout, so I bought them too. I planted them and they are coming up now. LOL


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 23, 2020)

Container delivery guy was a bit early, but we made it work. Hubby, his dad, and a co-worker used hi lift jacks to shift it over a bit and level it, then added blocks. 




It was cold this morning! I guess it was cold enough to get frost, hopefully my garden is ok, I haven't had a chance to check on it yet. I received notification that the plants I ordered are on their way, so I need to prep for rooting the cuttings and either plant the rootstock or build a gravel bed to let them grow a bit more. I also went by Green Acres to buy some Christmas presents yesterday, and of course looked at the different fruit plants in sleeves they had. Somehow a Jelly Bean blueberry, a Goji plant, and an almond jumped into my cart.


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## Bruce (Dec 23, 2020)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> we realized we forgot the baseboards in the small closet after we put everything away.


No one looks in the closet anyway. 



Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Cats aren't certain what to think about moving rooms, they don't get a ton of traction on the hardwood.


That is what makes it fun! Especially when they get up a head of steam then try to change direction.


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## thistlebloom (Dec 23, 2020)

You'll love that Jelly Bean blueberry. Mine is by far the most productive of any other variety I have. It's planted in a half barrel on the patio and we pick berries off it for weeks because they ripen over a long period.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 24, 2020)

@thistlebloom  I was looking for one because of your earlier post, almost gave up but it was the second to last category of the blueberry varieties. I'm excited to see what we'll be able to harvest this year.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 25, 2020)

Merry Christmas all! Cinnamon rolls for breakfast.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 28, 2020)

Still waiting for bunnies. The 29th is the earliest possible due date. Two first timers and two experienced does. If the first timers mess up, the experienced does can foster. Hopefully they have good litters.

Sage - first timer, bred to Expresso. Expected mix of normal and Rex furred bunnies, and likely chestnuts/castors with possibility of opals (dilute). Her genotype: A_, B_, Cc, D_, Ee, Rr





Raspberry - first timer, bred to Expresso. All Rex furred bunnies, expecting castors & opals. Her genotype: A_, B_, Cc, dd, E_, rr




I dug out the oleanders planted by the previous owner, or maybe the tenant. The plants still had tags on them and had barely grown beyond the original root ball. Made them easy to dig up, I think I only spent an hour digging. Put them in feed sacks and dropped over the neighbor's fence as they said they wanted them for privacy screen. They said they are going to get sheep, but the oleanders are supposed to not end up in the sheep zone. I hope the sheep are smart enough to not eat the oleanders.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 30, 2020)

Did the nightly check on the rabbits and Paprika had eaten all of her nest box hay, either that or dumped it out of the cage, and the cardboard liner was completely gone. She had pulled a small pile of fur which was placed in the empty nest box. I gave her a new liner and twice as much hay and she immediately started creating a new nest. Apparently I didn't stack the hay the right way. She was busy digging and rearranging when I left, I doubt the liner will last long. Guess I need to upgrade her nest box to a plywood liner so the kits won't get chilled from below.

No action for any of the other does yet but I gave them more hay anyway.


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## Baymule (Dec 30, 2020)

Sheep WILL eat oleanders. I read of an account where sheep got in the yard, chowed down on oleanders and they all died. Deadly poison, as you already know, and no antidote. I'd dig them up too! But I would have put them in the burn pile. Hope your neighbors are smart enough to keep the sheep away.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 31, 2020)

Baymule said:


> Sheep WILL eat oleanders. I read of an account where sheep got in the yard, chowed down on oleanders and they all died. Deadly poison, as you already know, and no antidote. I'd dig them up too! But I would have put them in the burn pile. Hope your neighbors are smart enough to keep the sheep away.


 I think the smoke might be toxic too. I took the last ones I dealt with to the dump. To my knowledge there's no more on the property.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 31, 2020)

It's raining! Lots of rain, and supposed to get lots of rain for the next two weeks or so. Fun. 

I checked on Paprika after work and she has bunnies!


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Dec 31, 2020)

_Happy New Year, Miss @Larsen Poultry Ranch!_


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## GardnerHomestead (Dec 31, 2020)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> It's raining! Lots of rain, and supposed to get lots of rain for the next two weeks or so. Fun.
> 
> I checked on Paprika after work and she has bunnies!


Congrats on the babies! We so badly need the rain, but the mud is such a hassle.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 31, 2020)

Checked the rabbits again this morning, no others have kindled yet. Paprika still had warm bunnies in her nest. I think Raspberry might be next, she was nest building last night when I was feeding them.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 1, 2021)

Raspberry had her babies New year's Eve while I was at work, I think there's 6 of them, 4 castors and 2 opals. No action on the other two yet, but I gave them more hay.


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## Baymule (Jan 1, 2021)

Well, that IS a Happy New Year, isn't it? LOL I have a ewe named Eve, born on New Year's Eve.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 1, 2021)

Got to visit with sister in-law's family today for Christmas and hold my new niece. 😍 this is the first time hubby and I got to see her since she was born.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 2, 2021)

Worked in the yard today chopping up the trees we already had down and starting a burn pile. Cloudy all day with slight sprinkling. Made improvised dinner as we have no hot dogs. We do have marshmallows so might have those for dessert, but no chocolate bars so smores will be difficult.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 2, 2021)

I bet you don't have graham crackers either! 😄

I like your outdoor kitchen.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 2, 2021)

thistlebloom said:


> I bet you don't have graham crackers either! 😄
> 
> I like your outdoor kitchen.


 we do have graham crackers! At least, we did last I looked.


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## Baymule (Jan 2, 2021)

That looks like a good supper!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 4, 2021)

Worked in the yard again Sunday and cleared up the rest of the brush from the trees we had previously cut and burned it. Made smores on the coal pile after running to the store for chocolate and other necessities. Hubby got some sort of Reese's candy bar and we tried that on a smore instead of plain chocolate and it was delicious. 

We think if we get a bunch of backfill and put in some retaining walls we can do terraces going down the hill. I'd like to get the bird zone set up sooner rather than later so I can get all my birds together instead of at relative's properties. We also talked about creating a catio/dogio so we could install a dog door so there would be no more accidents inside and we could bring the puppy home too. She is still at the in-laws. We received a chain link fence kennel from my sister in-law that is quite large, I think we can make it work.


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## Baymule (Jan 4, 2021)

I like the catio and dogio idea! Will you enclose the top so the cat doesn't get out?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 4, 2021)

Baymule said:


> I like the catio and dogio idea! Will you enclose the top so the cat doesn't get out?


Yes, I want it to be completely enclosed so cats can't get out and raccoons can't get in.


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## Baymule (Jan 5, 2021)

Agree with the raccoons staying out! They carry some nasty parasites that you don't want your pets to get, or you either!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 5, 2021)

Lol, wasn't thinking about parasites, was thinking about the pet door into the house and not wanting raccoons or skunks to find their way inside.

I think we can get the new kennel panels set up after work today and see if it will work or need further supplies. Dunno how we are going to roof it yet. Also need to figure out if we are going to cut a hole in the existing door or buy one with the pet door already installed.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 7, 2021)

I am beyond excited right now!! I checked on the bunnies when I was feeding the rabbits and actually handled them a bit. Their eyes are still closed but they are growing fur, and I have a black bunny!!!!! And I think two blue ones!! I wasn't sure if the parents carried the genes but knew it was a possibility. The bunnies with pink inside the ears should be opals (dilute castor), while the bunnies with darker inside of the ears should be blue (dilute black), last pic.


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## Baymule (Jan 7, 2021)

So cute!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 8, 2021)

I showed the bunnies to hubby last night and the first one I picked up peed all over my hands. Darn bunny, at least it was cute.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 8, 2021)

Having ear problems. My right ear is blocked, can barely hear anything. It's been having issues for a few days and Wednesday night I put in some drops of hydrogen peroxide and distilled vinegar mixture for a few minutes and then drained, and that helped some. Thursday night I did the same but instead of getting better it got worse and the mixture didn't seem to drain out even though I slept with that ear downward. Might go to the doctor today after work.


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## Baymule (Jan 8, 2021)

Hope it gets better.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 10, 2021)

Ear is fixed!!! Hubby used the Ear RX to irrigate it and flushed out a bunch of wax.

I planted a bunch of flower bulbs along the driveway this morning. We ordered 6 yards of planting dirt to be delivered Monday, we are going to try to create a bunch of raised vegetable beds. I have a bunch of onion starts and garlic to plant, and bought some asparagus roots and two rhubarbs. The plants in the garden are doing ok, except the banana might be getting a little too cold at times. Some of the leaves are looking a little ragged. The avocados seem to be doing ok with the temps.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 12, 2021)

Tried to take a picture of one of the bunnies last night but the darn thing started wiggling as soon as I grabbed my phone. Prior to that it was sitting as cute as can be in my hand. So I took a picture of Raspberry instead. She is being a great momma. I will get pictures of the kits tonight. 




The mulberry cutting is growing! Actually there are two cuttings of the mulberry, and the buds are swelling. I'm hoping that means it's growing some roots too. I put the cuttings in clear cups with the hopes that I could see monitor the root growth. No visible action noted on the other cuttings yet.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 13, 2021)

Still trying to plant all the seedlings I bought, got 3 potted this morning before work. I think 6-7 are left, I need to buy more pots after work. One of the ones this morning had a teeny tiny new leaf starting. Hopefully it continues to grow now that it's outside instead of in the house.

New bunny pic. Final tally for Raspberry is 1 black, 1 blue, 2 opal, 2 castor. Good momma, really wish I could have shown her, hopefully I can show one of her kits if the pandemic ever ends.


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## Baymule (Jan 14, 2021)

Such a pretty rabbit and cutie pie baby bunnies!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 15, 2021)

Husband's family is talking about getting two beef to grow out. Dunno when that will happen this year but it would be the first time they have cows on that property. I think we'd probably need to take the goats before the cows go in. They are looking a little rough, I think they need to be wormed again.

Going to work on the yard this weekend, and check out the bare root fruit tree nursery and probably spend way too much money on trees. The cuttings I got are growing leaves, at least some are. I'm hoping the rest aren't too far behind. Figs, a loquat, an autumn olive, and a willow all have little buds growing.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 16, 2021)




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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 16, 2021)

Bunnies have their eyes open and can hop into and out of the nest boxes.  😍


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 16, 2021)

And our pup Liberty has come home with us. Not fully potty trained and we still haven't finished the fenced yard but we are going to try to make it work.






We worked in the yard today and got a lot done. We removed the frankensteined fence and pulled out the t posts. Then we removed the former garden zone and relocated the trellis structure. Then we started moving the giant pine rounds down into the field. The thought was to dig a hole and bury them so they would compost, but we found termites when we started moving them. Now I'm not sure if burying them is a good idea, or if the darn things would just dig out. Not sure if we should spray them, burn them, or just bury them as originally planned. 

The house and deck had some termite damage that we knew about from the inspection but to my recollection it wasn't active termites. Dunno if these will spread in the future or if they have already done so. Need to see if we can spray preemptively?


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## Mini Horses (Jan 17, 2021)

Do you have chickens?   Out them with the pine rounds?     Should work, so long as they aren't flying.


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## Bruce (Jan 17, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Dunno if these will spread in the future or if they have already done so. Need to see if we can spray preemptively?


IIRC houses in So. Cal were tented and fumigated every so many years.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 17, 2021)

I would burn them if you can. If they have to sit for a time before you can burn, tarp or wrap the pile in plastic all the way down to the ground securely. That's what the foresters recommend we do with any beetle bark infested wood anyway, if it has to be cut and left.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 18, 2021)

I'm so tired. 

After dealing with most of the pine rounds Saturday morning, I kinda splurged on bare root trees at the local nursery on Saturday afternoon. I ended up getting 16, plus a potted apple as they didn't have any bare root apples. Shortly before going to the nursery, I bought several shrubs and three trees at TSC. 

We spent Sunday morning finishing moving the pine rounds and the front yard looks much more open. Still need to figure out how to remove the three giant stumps, they are still well rooted. Then we started digging holes for the trees. We started by hand and then hubby ran to borrow my brother's Kubota tractor and finished digging the holes with the tractor. Liberty was trying to help with digging the holes, I finally had to put her in a play pen so she wouldn't get in the way or wander off. We finished 13 holes and focused on the bare root trees, so we just have 3 left. We need to take down the old fence and another tree so we can dig 4 more holes. I still don't know where I want to put all the fig trees.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 18, 2021)

You're going to have a real nice orchard. If you're going to splurge, trees are the way to do it.


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## Bruce (Jan 19, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> I ended up getting 16, plus a potted apple as they didn't have any bare root apples. Shortly before going to the nursery, I bought several shrubs and three trees at TSC.


You are a glutton for hole digging punishment! Like TB said, you are going to have one heck of a nice orchard.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 19, 2021)

Bruce said:


> You are a glutton for hole digging punishment! Like TB said, you are going to have one heck of a nice orchard.


I hope so! We put the orchard on the north side of the property, next to the fence as the neighbor started their orchard right there too, was hoping the trees would cross pollinate and we'd both get better harvests. The field-now-orchard should get full sun most of the day, and once we take out some more trees on the south part of the field there will be even more sunshine. 

I think we will put the garden there too, at least this first year and figure out how to change things again next year. There's a dip/low spot we'd like to get filled in. I'm hoping we can remove some of the good topsoil, install a french drain type thing, then fill with fill dirt then nicer dirt and put the topsoil back on top. We'll see what happens, it's probably going to be a few years before we get things the way we want them. 

Hubby is talking about getting bees now. I'm not allergic but I swell up terribly. I told him several times I won't participate in bees but he can do it if he wants. I just hope I don't get stung. The dang things fly past every other person and sting me when I haven't even done anything.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 19, 2021)

I'm excited for the cuttings I started, several more are now showing buds and the first couple have actual leaves! Little bitty leaves but definite leaf shape and a happy bright green color.

I might be starting some seeds for the garden soon. I think last potential frost is beginning of March. Hard to believe it's halfway through January.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 19, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> it's probably going to be a few years before we get things the way we want them.


😄 Yes, I would say that's a conservative estimate, lol.
We've been here nearly 20 and I still haven't settled on where some things should be located. We're getting there, but I have moved my garden 4 times. This may be it's final spot...


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## GardnerHomestead (Jan 22, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> I hope so! We put the orchard on the north side of the property, next to the fence as the neighbor started their orchard right there too, was hoping the trees would cross pollinate and we'd both get better harvests. The field-now-orchard should get full sun most of the day, and once we take out some more trees on the south part of the field there will be even more sunshine.
> 
> I think we will put the garden there too, at least this first year and figure out how to change things again next year. There's a dip/low spot we'd like to get filled in. I'm hoping we can remove some of the good topsoil, install a french drain type thing, then fill with fill dirt then nicer dirt and put the topsoil back on top. We'll see what happens, it's probably going to be a few years before we get things the way we want them.
> 
> Hubby is talking about getting bees now. I'm not allergic but I swell up terribly. I told him several times I won't participate in bees but he can do it if he wants. I just hope I don't get stung. The dang things fly past every other person and sting me when I haven't even done anything.


We have a couple hives, my husband isnt allergic but like you he swells up like a balloon, after about 30 stings the reaction isnt as bad, which is interesting. So theres hope!! Lol, bees are pretty cool though.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 22, 2021)

GardnerHomestead said:


> We have a couple hives, my husband isnt allergic but like you he swells up like a balloon, after about 30 stings the reaction isnt as bad, which is interesting. So theres hope!! Lol, bees are pretty cool though.


I do think it would be nice to get our own honey and I know it will be great to boost pollination of my fruit plants, I just hate getting stung. 

Last time I was stung I used a Benadryl gel medication, it took the swelling down in about 30 minutes to almost nothing. Still took almost a week before the skin went back to normal looking though.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 22, 2021)

Raining today, supposed to be dry tomorrow and then rain again Sunday. Not helping get the yardwork done. We still have 3 bare root trees to get into the ground. I hope they will live, they are in a bag with damp shavings around the roots and the bag keeps coming undone. 

Last night I was able to pot up several of the shrubs/roots I bought in the past two weeks: an aronia berry, two nanking cherry, a Chicago hardy fig, and 3 rhubarbs. I still have another rhubarb, a kiwi, and an almond to pot up, plus the three trees I got at TSC. I'm hoping the rain will help settle everything and make it want to grow. The comfrey roots I potted look like they are perkier and bigger. We need to fence off the new orchard before the deer decide to taste everything too.

I'm thinking about spreading a bunch of clover seed in the orchard zone, it's older seed but even if only a little grows it should help. I hoard seeds apparently, some of the stuff I have was harvested for 2012 planting dates...


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 22, 2021)

Sugar had her kits this morning, one was on the wire and the rest in the box. I gathered the extra fur that was everywhere and put it in the nest box, there were at least 4 there. I tried to resuscitate the cold kit but it never moved. Coffee and Cinnamon are also due within the next few days.


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## Baymule (Jan 22, 2021)

Congrats on all the fruit trees! They will bear fruit and pay you back with good things to eat. Ever make strawberry fig preserves? My grandmother made them, so I did too. Yummy! 

I got this recipe off the net.

Strawberry Fig Preserves Recipe
Prep
10 mins
Cook
20 mins
Total Time
30 mins


Course: Jams and Preserves 
Cuisine: American 
Yields: 2 pints (approximate) 

Ingredients
3 cups chopped or smashed figs* (about 2 pounds) 
2 cups sugar 
1 - 6 ounce box of Strawberry JELL-O 
Instructions

If you want to have sealed jars to share or store in the pantry for later, sterilize 2 pints or 4 half-pint jars in a hot water bath for for 10-20 minutes depending on elevation. Leave in the hot water until the preserves are ready to pour. For refrigerator jam, rinse clean jars and place in the microwave on high for 2 minutes.
Remove the stems from the figs. Chop coarsely and transfer to a large bowl. Smash with a potato smasher to the desired consistency.*
Add the sugar and JELL-O to the figs. Stir to combine all of the ingredients. Transfer to a 4 - 6 quart sauce pan.
Heat over medium heat, stirring until sugar and JELL-O have dissolved. Continue to heat, stirring to a full boil (a boil that can not be stirred down).
Stir at a full boil for 6 - 8 minutes.* Be careful, because the mixture will start to splatter and it's hot!
After 6-8 minutes, remove from the heat and pour into prepared jars. Wipe the rim of the jars with a clean, damp rag and top with the lid and rings. Tighten firmly.
Let sit on a cooling rack until cool. If desired, after 30-60 minutes, flip the jars over to let the fruit evenly distribute.

Kitchen Notes
Figs – I like using a mix of underripe, ripe and overripe figs. The underripe figs provide the chunkiness for a preserves whereas the ripe and overripe figs cook down into a jam which holds it all together. Therefore, you can use pretty much whatever is available. If you use only ripe and overripe figs, you’ll end up with more of a jam than preserves.

Smashing the figs – If you want the consistency of chunky preserves, then don’t smash too much. Smash just enough to get some soft pulp mixed in with larger pieces of figs. If you want more of a jam, then use ripe to overripe figs and smash away.

Cooking time – The amount of time depends on two factors: elevation and the consistency you want in the final product. At 5000 feet, 8 minutes yields a softer preserve/jam that spreads nicely on toast, but isn’t runny. At sea level, 6 minutes would probably do the job. For a thicker preserve/jam, cook 10 minutes. Some recipes you’ll find say to cook 4 minutes. However, I have found that, in 4 minutes, the figs don’t cook enough and the preserves are too hard.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 23, 2021)

Thanks for the recipe! I definitely want to try making jam. If the fig starts live I'll have close to 10 varieties of figs, they are all supposed to have different flavors. I just bought the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving, so that should get me started.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 23, 2021)




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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 23, 2021)

Omg, Cinnamon totally outfoxed me. It looked like she didn't have her nest made because the fur was towards the front of the box. She had 4 babies, probably same time as Sugar or even last night. I bet it was last night. I'm so annoyed with myself I didn't feel the nest instead of just looking. Now just waiting for Coffee, but not positive she took. I might need a new buck if I keep getting small litters with Frost.


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## Baymule (Jan 23, 2021)

The ball book of canning is a great book. Those strawberry fig preserves are fabulous on homemade bread! You will love them. Grow fig trees! Grow!

Congratulations on the litter, 4 beats zero.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 23, 2021)

I checked Sugar's kits, looks like she has 7, plus the one she lost, so she's doing great. This is her second litter. So we have 9 kits from the first group, and 11 in the second. Next group is due in 3 weeks or so.

Pics of Raspberry and her kits.


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## Baymule (Jan 24, 2021)

Your Rex rabbits are so pretty, do you do anything with the pelts?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 24, 2021)

Baymule said:


> Your Rex rabbits are so pretty, do you do anything with the pelts?


I want to tan them, we have been saving them in the freezer since we started butchering. We just haven't had time to do the tanning yet. I think we have maybe 7-8 gallon ziplock bags of pelts, each with 4ish pelts. Hubby is getting frustrated it's starting to take up a bunch of space in the outside chest freezer. Maybe I can start on those next weekend.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 24, 2021)

Things are growing!! The comfrey root has leaves and the Jelly Bean blueberry is starting some buds. The garlic I planted is starting to come up.








This past week we got two loads of wood chips, for free! Our family friend is a contractor and working a job less than 6 miles from our place and needed a place to dump the wood chips after taking out several trees. Should work great for mulch around plants and for walkways.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 24, 2021)

Looks like spring is not far off for you! Free chips, that's a great score.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 25, 2021)

Hard freeze warning for tonight, I think we are too low elevation for snow though. Supposed to rain a lot this week.  Not sure if I should do something with the new orchard trees. Still need to set up the second bunny structure and repurpose part of it for the more delicate plants. There's never enough time in the weekend.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 26, 2021)

Didn't get the structure up but did remember to put some frost cloths out. We have a sheet set that is ridiculously short and pops off the matress every time you sit on the bed, so that was repurposed as more frost cloths. I think it worked, got the avocadoes, guavas, mangos, and banana covered last night. It was still only 32 this morning so I left the cloths on, hopefully that is fine. I need to check the updated weather for the rest of this week. 

Got really angry at hubby and dog last night. He left the dogs in the house for over an hour while he was pouring the concrete for the gate post but didn't confine them to the laundry room; I wasn't home yet as he gets off work around 3-3:30. The puppy decided to rip up any paperwork she could get her paws on. We talked after I blew up at him and I think we are now on the same page again about not trusting the puppy unsupervised. I don't think she ripped up any bills or tax documents, but she ripped up some of the information I wanted to keep on file regarding her shots and vet visit.


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## B&B Happy goats (Jan 26, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Didn't get the structure up but did remember to put some frost cloths out. We have a sheet set that is ridiculously short and pops off the matress every time you sit on the bed, so that was repurposed as more frost cloths. I think it worked, got the avocadoes, guavas, mangos, and banana covered last night. It was still only 32 this morning so I left the cloths on, hopefully that is fine. I need to check the updated weather for the rest of this week.
> 
> Got really angry at hubby and dog last night. He left the dogs in the house for over an hour while he was pouring the concrete for the gate post but didn't confine them to the laundry room; I wasn't home yet as he gets off work around 3-3:30. The puppy decided to rip up any paperwork she could get her paws on. We talked after I blew up at him and I think we are now on the same page again about not trusting the puppy unsupervised. I don't think she ripped up any bills or tax documents, but she ripped up some of the information I wanted to keep on file regarding her shots and vet visit.


Good luck with the puppy   ...our almost 7 month standard poodle is going through the TASMANIAN  DEVIL stage, you would think he would be entertained by the other three dogs, nope...he has to get into anything soft and tear it up, drag it over to where I am and show me "his work of art "....gosh how I love that boy 😂


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## Baymule (Jan 26, 2021)

The frost cloths are working! 

Puppies just HAVE to destroy things. It's amazing just how they know the intrinsic value of things and zero in on what is important to you.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 27, 2021)

So. Much. Wind.  

It didn't get down to freezing last night, which was great because it was so windy the frost cloths blew off the plants. 

The Harbor Freight carport for the rabbits is thin tube steel, one side of the roof tarp has been catching water each time it rains and pooled enough last night to cause the pipe to bend. Pushed that back into shape, sorta, and pushed the water off and got a bunch of it on me. At least I was wearing my rain boots. I had to put a tarp on one end of the cage rows because the whole structure was being shifted by the wind and rain was hitting the ones on the end. Need to drive some t posts to attach the legs so it can't wander. I hope the rabbits don't eat this tarp as quickly as the last one. 

This morning the ridgepole was out on one end, thankfully causing the rain water to flow away from the rabbits. Luckily I saw it before hubby left for work, so he was able to put it back together. I worked on fixing the roof tarp and pushed all the pooled water off and ended up with a face full of cold rainwater. 

I really want my weather proof rabbit barn.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 27, 2021)

The weather people are saying we have an "atmospheric river" and it will last a few days. Joy. At least it's not supposed to get as cold again, just down to the 40s.


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## Baymule (Jan 27, 2021)

Those Harbor Freight carports are wonderful to have, they are cheap, go up fast and fill the gap between nothing at all and a permanent structure. Sorry the wind is beating yours to death, hand in there. Keep your eye on the prize! Barn!


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## thistlebloom (Jan 27, 2021)

I've used those tarp carports also. A lot! They typically have so much space between the "rafters" that water (and snow) pools and bellies out. One thing I did that helped with that issue was to stretch rope between ridgepole and whatever you call the horizontal pipe at the top of the wall, in a zigzag pattern. I made my zigs fairly close together so it was more supportive. It helped shed rain a lot better, but I still removed snow daily. When it rained I pushed the water up and off from the inside. Tedious, but I really despise dealing with collapsed buildings more than the daily pain of staying ahead of it.


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## Bruce (Jan 28, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> The Harbor Freight carport for the rabbits is thin tube steel, one side of the roof tarp has been catching water each time it rains and pooled enough last night to cause the pipe to bend. Pushed that back into shape, sorta, and pushed the water off and got a bunch of it on me.


Thin tube for sure. The wind bent one of mine right where it inserts in the 'top plate' fitting. I took it out and bent it back straight. It bent again as did the one on the opposite side. I added short angle braces to keep it from leaning in the wind, the pipes bent where they were connected. As you can see I've added 2x4 supports and the pipe on the left has totally broken and isn't even inserted in the fitting any more.





Several other pieces have bent and cracked as well. Gorilla tape to the rescue for this winter. Sadly you can not buy replacement parts. I'll see if I can insert some home made dowels to "repair" the bent and broken parts in the spring.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 29, 2021)

Carport seems to be holding up ok now. Still getting water pooling in that same area. This carport is new too, I bought a new one when we moved the rabbits as the old one's tarp was starting to fail. Bunnies are skittish but some are allowing me to pet them. I think the older set might be getting close to weaning age. I need to update the info plates on the cages to clarify when they should wean and when to rebreed the does.

Plants seem to have made it through the frost time with minimal damage. The tips of one of the guavas looks odd, but I don't know if it will lose them. I'm starting to see tiny buds starting on most of the bare root/seedlings I ordered from the nursery. I'm glad they are alive. I need to follow up with the second nursery, I haven't received my elderberry cuttings yet.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 29, 2021)

Hubby was on call yesterday instead of out working as most of the jobs they are working now are outdoor. He installed the can lights in the two spare bedrooms and the den. They are 4000k 4" lights, he put 4 in each bedroom and they are so bright! I think he used 6" ones for the den. It's crazy the light difference between the den and the living room, I can't wait till the living room gets upgraded. He did leave a mess though, electricians never clean up after themselves unless it's required... So there's bits of drywall and various trash all over the floors.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 29, 2021)

Yay for your cuttings starting to grow! That's exciting.
You reminded me that I have 5 elderberries being shipped this spring. I had almost forgotten. I have their place ready, other than digging the holes.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 29, 2021)

Bruce said:


> Several other pieces have bent and cracked as well. Gorilla tape to the rescue for this winter. Sadly you can not buy replacement parts. I'll see if I can insert some home made dowels to "repair" the bent and broken parts in the spring.



We must have bought ours when they were made of heavier stuff. No bending or cracking on ours, even when the rain pooled and then froze into a massive ice cube that I could barely push off. I had to get up on a ladder and push with my back to get it up and over the wall tube.
After that is when I used the rope to help it shed rain.


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## Bruce (Jan 29, 2021)

Too bad they went cheaper on the pipe. Probably one of those "raise the price or put less in the package" things. I'd rather they raise the price!  

I did run some rope on part of the "roof" though I don't know how much it helps given the "top plates" are not at the top of the connectors and the rope isn't all that tight. I think I'd need something like turnbuckles to get it tight enough to not sag under load. 

Fortunately, at least so far, I've not had a problem with snow load. I have an old dust mop inside the carport that I just push up against the tarp roof starting down near the "top plate" and the snow starts to slide. Often that gets the stuff higher up moving so a lot of it slides off pretty easily from each "section" of the roof. 



thistlebloom said:


> I have their place ready, other than digging the holes.


Which might have to wait until the ground thaws in the spring.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 29, 2021)

Bruce said:


> Fortunately, at least so far, I've not had a problem with snow load. I have an old dust mop inside the carport that I just push up against the tarp roof starting down near the "top plate" and the snow starts to slide. Often that gets the stuff higher up moving so a lot of it slides off pretty easily from each "section" of the roof.


I used the back side of a garden bow rake. Same method. Sometimes I pulled it off from outside, but if it's not too deep and heavy the push from inside works well.


Bruce said:


> Which might have to wait until the ground thaws in the spring.


I'm not sure our ground is frozen very deep right now as it is. But no matter, because they won't ship until it's planting time here. I ordered them last October hoping to get them in before the ground froze, but they delayed the shipping until spring. That's fine, except I'm usually a little like a headless chicken running around here that time of year.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 31, 2021)

Emergency vet visit. Liberty the puppy got her foot caught in an unraveling rug and chewed up her toe trying to chew the string off from around her wrist/ankle. Waiting for doctor to examine her now.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 1, 2021)

Estimate over $1,000. 4 other emergencies in line in front of her, so they probably won't fix her up until closer to 1am. Waiting for phone call to go pick her up. Not exactly the best start to the work week.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 1, 2021)

Ended up not being as bad as originally thought. Two sutures on her toe and might lose the toenail. If it does fall off, it might grow back. She already took her cone off. She has pain meds and antibiotics. I'm taking a sick day off work.


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## SA Farm (Feb 1, 2021)

Glad it wasn’t too horribly bad! Hope she has a swift recovery!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 2, 2021)

Took Liberty to the regular vet Monday afternoon for them to remove the bandage and check it. As soon as her bandage was off, she tried to chew her foot! Had to have hubby hold her on the drive home as she wasn't leaving her foot alone. Then he was a big meanie and attached the cone to her collar so she couldn't pull the cone off. She is getting better learning how to maneuver with the cone and not hitting as many things now. Poor little cone head.

We managed to plant the last of the bare root trees as the sun was setting. It started raining last night so they should be well watered. Still haven't got the fence up yet, really hoping the deer continue to play nice, but they probably haven't chewed on the trees yet because there aren't any tasty green leaves yet.

Raining today and might continue into tomorrow. Supposed to have lows in the 40s today and then drop into 30s tomorrow, might have to put the frost cloths back out. Argh.


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## Bruce (Feb 3, 2021)

I'm glad Liberty's toe isn't so bad after all. What a weird way to get hurt!


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## Baymule (Feb 3, 2021)

Poor Liberty! I hope she heals up well and everything is ok.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 3, 2021)

Liberty's other toes look better, I think the bruising has faded. The injured toe is looking worse. Liberty is getting around better though. She is still not super cooperative when I give her meds, but she's getting better.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 3, 2021)

Hubby wants to create some raised beds so I can start our garden. He keeps wanting to use found wood to do it though. I'm having a hard time getting it into his head that treated wood/former concrete form boards will probably leach chemicals into the soil/plants. I think we could probably use cedar or redwood fence boards to make the beds and it wouldn't cost too much. Yes, they will break down but they should last a season or three. Long enough for us to get a bit more settled and figure out how to make aircrete raised bed walls. We watched a YouTube video and they looked really nice and clean, easy to move around, and if we make them 4" thick I think they should help retain heat and warm up the soil.

I saved a broccoli from the previous tenant's garden and it actually looks like it's going to grow some broccoli. Maybe just a floret or two though, it's small, but it's something.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 3, 2021)

I researched pilgrim geese, then silver appleyard ducks, then looked at muscovies and pekins. I want ducks.  But we need to build a yard for them first. Metzer Farms is in southern California, or I could order from Cackle Hatchery. Need good weather again so we can plan the yard layout.


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## SA Farm (Feb 3, 2021)

I really loved my Pilgrims and SA ducks. So pretty and very friendly breeds. We had Pekins, but they were super wild. I would like to try Muscovies one day. I’ve liked everything I’ve read about them 😊


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 3, 2021)

SA Farm said:


> I really loved my Pilgrims and SA ducks. So pretty and very friendly breeds. We had Pekins, but they were super wild. I would like to try Muscovies one day. I’ve liked everything I’ve read about them 😊


My family had a muscovy drake when we were growing up, he was mean but we got him as an adult and I don't think he was treated well growing up. He was a great watchdog. 

I'm looking at options for meat/eggs, although I'll have plenty of eggs from the chickens. I like that the pilgrims and silver appleyard are supposed to be good foragers/grazers. Maybe I can turn them loose in the orchard to keep the grass trimmed there. 

Cackle Hatchery is showing straight run pekin males pricing drops to $4/duck if you get 10+, and lower with larger purchase. I'm really tempted to get some but I didn't look at what the shipping would be. Might just stake out TSC or see what it would cost to order through them. The TSC by us is less than 3? miles away. Quite dangerous. Last year I was really good when they were having a sale on ccx, and didn't get them because I had no room. I think they were a week old and only 75 cents. It was hard to not get any. This year we are going to have room.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 4, 2021)

Showed off the baby bunnies to relatives last night, and Sugar's kits had their eyes starting to open. Relatives were impressed with the size of the mixed breed does, said if they came upon a rabbit that size in the wild they would be alarmed. Honestly the girls are huge though. I think this weekend is when I get to breed them (Juniper and Nutmeg). Sage should already be bred, if she took this time. Need to check my records to confirm the due date.


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## Bruce (Feb 6, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> then looked at muscovies and pekins. I want ducks.


I follow Gold Shaw Farm's YouTube channel. With some experience he's decided that Pekins are sort of like CCX, bred to grow fast to be meat birds and suffer from that if they get to a couple of years of age. He just had to put down a 2 year old drake. Thus his opinion is not to get them unless one plans to raise them specifically for the table at the appropriate age.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 6, 2021)

Bruce said:


> I follow Gold Shaw Farm's YouTube channel. With some experience he's decided that Pekins are sort of like CCX, bred to grow fast to be meat birds and suffer from that if they get to a couple of years of age. He just had to put down a 2 year old drake. Thus his opinion is not to get them unless one plans to raise them specifically for the table at the appropriate age.


Yep, that was the goal, to raise the pekins for the table. I think muscovies don't have the same issues so they could be for eggs and meat, and they are supposed to be good mothers. We don't have a place for the ducks yet, so probably won't get ducks until next year at least.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 8, 2021)

Argh. Trying to find where I wrote down the breedings, not finding it so far. I know Toffee, Sage, and Pepper were bred last, and I think they are due this week. Pepper is looking extra fluffy. She did last time though and didn't kindle. I know I left her overnight with Frost, so hopefully she's actually pregnant. This is going to be her last litter, tired of fighting her to breed. She'd better have a daughter. I gave them nest boxes this morning.

I had a lot going on this weekend, so didn't get the last group bred. Need to try to do that tonight and tomorrow.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 8, 2021)

Double argh. Raspberry's kits are 6 weeks on 2/11 and Paprika's kits are 6 weeks on 2/10. Need to wean them this week. I should be able to grow them out until 64 days max, and then they need to go so I can wean the next set on 3/4-3/5. I'll be fine until April, then I think I'll be one cage short since the third batch is supposed to be 3 litters. I will have to stop breeding in time to have no kits in nest boxes in late May. So I think 2 more breeding sets, possibly 3.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 8, 2021)

Sugar kits. Still has all 7, opals and castors.





Cinnamon kits. Still has 4. Castor, opal, dilute sable agouti, and ??. Might just be odd castor, need to pull them out for individual pics. I might be looking at the same kit more than once. The odd one is on the right.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 9, 2021)

Vanilla and Expresso had 3 fall offs, she did great and lifted right away. Expected due date 3/12. I will try to breed Frost and Nutmeg & Juniper tomorrow, er, later today... Plus rebreed Coffee to Expresso.


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## Baymule (Feb 9, 2021)

Lovely kits! They are always so cute and cuddly. 

I forget, are your rabbits in a barn? If so, what about a ring binder to keep your records in, and leave it in the barn in maybe a cupboard?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 9, 2021)

Baymule said:


> Lovely kits! They are always so cute and cuddly.
> 
> I forget, are your rabbits in a barn? If so, what about a ring binder to keep your records in, and leave it in the barn in maybe a cupboard?


Nope, no barn. They are under a Harbor Freight carport. I would love to have a barn for them. I'm hoping we can get to building a barn before the heat of summer arrives.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 10, 2021)

Coffee and Expresso had 3 fall offs! Hopefully this time it takes. She will be due one day after Vanilla.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 13, 2021)

Still no bunnies from Toffee, Pepper, or Sage. 

The plants are starting to grow! Comfrey and rhubarb! Maybe this year I'll actually harvest some rhubarb, I bought several more bare root so I think I have 6-7 now.


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## B&B Happy goats (Feb 13, 2021)

Those .look beautiful,  wish I had a green thumb  like you do   ..your going to have some fantastic  harvests !


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 13, 2021)

I found my notes for the rabbits! I bred them on 1/16-1/17, so they aren't due for another couple of days. That makes me feel better


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 14, 2021)

B&B Happy goats said:


> Those .look beautiful,  wish I had a green thumb  like you do   ..your going to have some fantastic  harvests !


My thumb is kind of greenish, but I've killed a lot of plants along the way. Especially house plants. I did manage to make an orchid bloom at work, but I am almost certain the front desk lady snuck it some fertilizer or something; I watered it only once every one to two weeks and I think it likes the temp the office is kept at.

Bare root plants arrived this week, need to soak them and then get them potted up. Elderberry, gooseberry, currants, etc.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 14, 2021)

Working on flooring in the second bedroom while hubby manages burn pile in the front yard. He took out almost all the remaining trees, I wish he would take the rest out too. We are going to have a huge garden zone.   

We have been watching aircrete garden raised bed youtube videos, and found one that looks doable. We are thinking two lengths of panels, 4' and 6'. That way we can make the beds 4' wide and however long we'd like. I'd be happy with just the 4', but hubby wants longer panels so that was our compromise. Now we need to get some forms made up so we can get the garden going.

Pics of flooring progress:


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 14, 2021)

Next stage, install underlayment. We went with the higher end thicker bamboo stuff. 







You may have noticed the closet wasn't primed. That will get done after the floor is done. Hubby is not allowed to be in charge of painting anymore.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 14, 2021)

Precision cuts.   









I didn't want to cut the door trim but it wouldn't fit with it in the way. I solved the problem by having hubby hold the trim out of the way so I could slide the piece into place. He will reattach the trim when we install the baseboard. I feel pretty proud of this piece as I cut it myself and didn't ruin the piece or injure myself. Usually I make hubby do the weird puzzle piece cuts. We are using a table saw, oscillating multi tool, and a miter saw.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 14, 2021)




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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 14, 2021)

It's possible we might finish today. But, have to figure out if the saw on the back porch is too loud to run after 8-9.


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## thistlebloom (Feb 14, 2021)

Good work! Looks great, doesn't it feel good getting things checked off?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 15, 2021)

I hope the neighbors don't hate me. I kept going. I have two blisters somehow, but the floor is done as of 10:20pm. According to my photo timestamps, I started laying the planks after 5, since that is the time showing I finished the underlayment. There's less leftover cuts than the last room so I think I improved. This room had better dimensions.


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## Baymule (Feb 15, 2021)

You are doing a great job! I did the floors here in our house with no idea of what I was doing, so I know the challenges you face. You are doing fantastic,  it looks beautiful!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 16, 2021)

Sage had her bunnies!! I count at least 6?! I didn't take them out as I didn't want to freak her out. Looks like chestnuts/castors, with possibility of opals (top right corner?). Some might have normal fur, some should be Rex fur.


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## Bruce (Feb 16, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> It's possible we might finish today. But, have to figure out if the saw on the back porch is too loud to run after 8-9.


Nice work. How close are the neighbors?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 16, 2021)

Bruce said:


> Nice work. How close are the neighbors?


There are neighbors on 3 sides. The one to the north is a good distance away, the one to the east is closer, and there's almost nothing between our houses to block sound/view. I really want to plant a hedge, but there's an easement for the water on that side so not sure if the roots would be an issue. The neighbor to the south is ridiculously close, as both their and our house was built what I think is too close to the property line. The houses aren't within the setback zones but I bet they are right on the outside edge of them.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 16, 2021)

I want more trees.    But I don't want to plant some of mine in the ground just yet as we aren't past the last potential frost date.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 17, 2021)

Pepper had her babies today!!! I counted 5. She didn't clean everything up so I had to remove some soiled hay. She should do a good job raising them, but she's such a pain trying to get bred. I really hope she has a good daughter in this group so I can retire her and get a more willing doe. With my luck with this rabbit, she probably had all boys. All the kits should be chinchilla, carrying REW and Rex fur. I want the chinchilla coloring, but I think my other buck is double C, so I'd have to get a third buck or do some line breeding to get a chinchilla litter out of Pepper's daughter.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 17, 2021)

Paprika (F) - 3
Raspberry (E) - 6
Cinnamon (F) - 4
Sugar (E) - 7
Sage (E) - 6+
Pepper (F) - 5
Toffee (E) - pending

Total: 31+ bunnies 

Kind of seeing a pattern with the Frost litters, not getting good numbers, even though I know we had 3 fall offs. In Pepper's case, I left them together all night. I need to find my paperwork and see what his birthdate is, I will probably be looking for a replacement buck this spring.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 17, 2021)

Bunny pictures!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 17, 2021)

That's it, Toffee just used her last strike. As soon as her kits are weaned she's gone. It looks like she had 5 kits, 3 were in the back of the nest box covered with a nice layer of fur. Two were at the front of the nest box, stone cold, still bloody with some afterbirth. Not happy with this doe. All of her sisters did great, even on their first litters. This is her second litter and was her last chance.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 23, 2021)

Checked on Sage's litter and she has not 6, not 7, but 10 babies!!! They were pretty active and none looked too runty to me. 1 opal and the rest castor/chestnut. This means I have a total of 38 kits right now, with 18 of those in the third batch. I'm tempted to move 2 kits over to Pepper, her babies were fat little chunks. Pepper has all chinchillas so they'd be easy to tell apart.


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## Baymule (Feb 23, 2021)

Sweet, they are so cute.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 23, 2021)

checked on the animals this morning and went back in the house. Liberty had something and it didn't look like a toy. It was a bunny!  I don't know how, but I'm assuming it was one of Sage's and somehow fell out of the box when I was trying to get the dang thing back in the cage last night. The box barely fits through the door, and I mean I have to push really hard and wiggle the wires. I tried to count her bunnies again this morning without removing the box from the cage and only came up with 9. I'm so upset with myself, and really starting to get annoyed with the half a$$ setup I'm working with.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 25, 2021)

Second bedroom is finally painted. Hubby sucks at painting but refused to let me do it on my time schedule. I made him do another coat after I sanded off the drips he left from the primer and first coat, so it doesn't look as terrible. He wanted to leave it with the splotchy holiday riddled first coat. The paint should be fully dry tomorrow and he can install the trim. 

Once the trim is installed we can setup the guest bed and his grandfather is planning to stay with us for part of the weekend. This should be interesting. The house is still a disorganized mess, so we will have to see how much I can organize and rearrange out of the way before then.


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## Baymule (Feb 25, 2021)

All things in good time. You are working on a house AND property. You will use the half a$$ set up you have now to know what you don’t want and it will better help you design and build what you do want. You will get there.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 27, 2021)

Found someone in the local FB livestock group selling Hampshire piglets. They will be available in 4 weeks. We have to convince FIL but we might be getting some bacon seeds!!!


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## Baymule (Feb 28, 2021)

Do you have a pen ready for them? Congratulations on finding piglets, they go fast since Covid hit, everybody wants to be a farmer.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 28, 2021)

Baymule said:


> Do you have a pen ready for them? Congratulations on finding piglets, they go fast since Covid hit, everybody wants to be a farmer.


They won't be available for 4 weeks, and we are currently planning to have them at the in-law's since they have raised pigs before. I'm thinking we should call them Bacon, Porkchop, and Hamlet. Hubby and his sister raised pigs in FFA growing up, so he knows how to keep pigs. I haven't really been around them much but I'm looking forward to learning.


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## Bruce (Feb 28, 2021)

How far is it from your place to the in-laws?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 28, 2021)

Bruce said:


> How far is it from your place to the in-laws?


Only 15-20 minutes. Hubby works for him at the family business so goes by there almost daily anyway.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 1, 2021)

@Baymule  I just finished re-reading your thread where you built the pig palace. I'm going to try to convince hubby to build one, I'd rather have the animals on our property than his parents. I think we can build a nice one and since our property is sloped a bit where I'm thinking it would go, I think it wouldn't get too crazy muddy.

The pig seller is asking $150 for castrated males, but offered a discount for multiple after I asked if there was any give in the price. I'm really proud of myself for asking as I usually avoid any potential confrontation. He's willing to go to $130/each for the 3, with half up front as a deposit and they would be picked up Mar 28. I believe they are supposed to be pure Hampshire. 

Hubby says it's a decent price compared to what we've been seeing. It's not his first pick in breed but he says they have good hindquarters (roasts?). We are thinking we will try to sell one or more to pay for the rest and then we'd end up with free meat in the freezer. We might also try to butcher ourselves again, but I don't think it would be a good idea unless we can get a winch and arm like the traveling slaughter guy had. He let us watch the last pig hubby raised and it was like watching an artist. I'm pretty sure it went from breathing happy pig to two halves in the cooler in about 30 minutes. Then we had it taken to a butcher shop for cutting and packing. We might just do that again, or at least for the ones we sell. Hmm, I wonder if we can borrow FIL's crane... That could hoist a pig lol.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 1, 2021)

Ok, just looked at the ad again, I had the breed wrong. They are Yorkshire. Cute pics of the bacon seeds:


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## Baymule (Mar 1, 2021)

I hope my Pig Palace adventures help you on your pig adventures. Be sure and build the pen big enough so they can have a potty corner and be able to get away from their own waste. I love my Pig palace, it makes it SO easy to care for pigs. They can't turn their water over or lay in it. They can't turn a feed tub over and waste feed, feed bin is the way to go. Since I built the Pig Palace, I replaced the blue barrel in the corner of the shelter that was for soured corn. A neighbor built a trough from 2x10s for me and we have it anchored down. We bought a gi-normous boar and his head wouldn't fit in the barrel. He was advertised as 500 pounds, but turned out to be 820 pounds. That made a lot of sausage!

You got pinky pigs! Yorkshires are good pigs, they will make you a lot of meat!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 4, 2021)

Chunky Pepper babies


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## Baymule (Mar 4, 2021)

They are so cute! Chinchilla color?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 4, 2021)

Baymule said:


> They are so cute! Chinchilla color?


Yep. These are half Rex, with normal fur. The mom is my first rabbit and she is a PITA to breed. I'm planning to keep a daughter and get rid of her. I'm hoping the kits will socialize easily and be affectionate like some of the other rabbits, instead of wild things like their mom. It was cute, yesterday morning I walked up and was talking to them and they ran to the front of the nest box. I'm hoping that's a good sign.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 4, 2021)

These kits are A_, B_, cchd c, D_, E_. So if I breed a daughter to Expresso, I will get kits who will be full color C, and carry either chinchilla or REW, plus 50% should be Rex fur. I might need a different buck... Maybe I should get a new REW buck. A lot of my herd is now related to Frost.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 4, 2021)

A weird goal I have is to raise a rabbit with every possible coat color. It's also teaching me the rabbit coat genetics.


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## Bruce (Mar 4, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> These kits are A_, B_, cchd c, D_, E_. So if I breed a daughter to Expresso, I will get kits who will be full color C, and carry either chinchilla or REW, plus 50% should be Rex fur


Somehow that all went straight through my brain with no understanding at all.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 4, 2021)

Bruce said:


> Somehow that all went straight through my brain with no understanding at all.


Lol, yeah the genetics can be difficult to learn. I just hope I type it right each time. The genetics can help you figure out the possible colors of kits in a pairing, so you can make better choices for pairings to get the results you want.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 5, 2021)

So we might be taking a bunch of quail and some extra cockerels to the poultry auction on Sunday. I really need to downsize my quail as we aren't eating the eggs as quickly as they are being laid and I am not doing well selling them. The extra cockerels are from my parents flock, purchased/hatched last year. I also need to go through their flock and decrease the freeloaders but I doubt we'll find time for that this weekend.

Still trying to re-floor two double rabbit cages, once that is done I can get the oldest litters separated and determine if they are big enough to harvest yet. The youngest litters are starting to move around more, it won't be long before they are out of the nest boxes.

Hubby and I are working on making some raised beds. We are making the bed panels out of aircrete and have the prototype mold built. We have to get some more lumber so we are going to raid my parents scrap wood pile. Once we have the molds, we'll need to create a foam generating tool to use with the portland cement. I hope it works like the YouTube video.


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## Baymule (Mar 6, 2021)

This will be a hard year because you have so much to do all at one time. ANYTHING you get from the garden will be a huge victory. Do not get discouraged, it will keep getting better.

Our soil is white sand. A cardboard box has more nutrients. This year will be out 7th garden and I can honestly say the dark rich soil is now over a foot deep.

With y’all building raised beds, you will be way out front because you can better control the fertility of the soil. I can’t wait to see pictures!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 10, 2021)

Argh! Coffee and Vanilla were/are due this week. Last night I checked rabbits and Coffee had dead babies in her nest box. She hadn't pulled any fur but the babies looked like she cleaned them off, at least partially. I counted 5. There was also what looked like probably the placenta?



Spoiler: Cold dead baby bunnies










I kept the box in hoping maybe those were just born too early? Maybe I or something else disturbed her?? This morning there were 5 more dead babies. She had pulled fur and two were in the back but not covered with anything. The ones at the top of the picture were the ones in the right spot in the nest box.



Spoiler: More cold dead baby bunnies









It's been raining for 1-2 days now, is it because of the storm? A fluke? Should I see if Vanilla gives birth and maybe split her litter between them or just rebreed Coffee? Vanilla has had a nest built for the last two days but no action that I could see.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 10, 2021)

Vanilla's nest:


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## SA Farm (Mar 10, 2021)

Sorry about the losses. They look fairly developed from what I could see in the pics, but obviously something went wrong along the way 😕 Personally, I’d rebreed at this point. If Coffee had pulled fur, the kits were definitely stillborn, and Vanilla had hers shortly after with too many for her to easily care for, I’d consider fostering, but not under the circumstances you’ve described.

Hopefully Coffee does better next time


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 10, 2021)

SA Farm said:


> Sorry about the losses. They look fairly developed from what I could see in the pics, but obviously something went wrong along the way 😕 Personally, I’d rebreed at this point. If Coffee had pulled fur, the kits were definitely stillborn, and Vanilla had hers shortly after with too many for her to easily care for, I’d consider fostering, but not under the circumstances you’ve described.
> 
> Hopefully Coffee does better next time


Yeah, I'm not sure what went wrong. I'm worried that it's because of the dogs, they keep getting into the rabbit area and eating the poop or whatever they can get their paws on. I'm trying to keep them out but hubby hasn't been helpful in completing the rest of the fence. The way the gates were added left a gap too.

Coffee's first litter was great, she had 7 I think and only lost 1. I bred her with my second group of does and she didn't kindle so rebred her with group 4. 

Vanilla still hasn't had her babies yet, at least as of this morning.


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## Bruce (Mar 10, 2021)

Losing all those bunny babies is hard


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 10, 2021)

Bruce said:


> Losing all those bunny babies is hard


Yeah, especially since she did great her first litter. And that would have been the second litter of 10, same buck different does.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 13, 2021)

Vanilla still has nothing. Very frustrating.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 13, 2021)

We had a butcher party this morning, and butchered all my non-keeper quail plus two bunnies. The other bunnies weren't big enough yet, the pure Rex seem to grow slower than the mixed breeds. We will weigh them next weekend and see if they are big enough then.

Bunny 1: live 6.32 lbs, butchered 3.29 lbs

Bunny 2: live 6.75 lbs, butchered 3.43 lbs


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 13, 2021)




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## Baymule (Mar 13, 2021)

Sorry about the lost litter. Sometimes things just happen no matter how hard you try.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 14, 2021)

Cloudy all day today, with the threat of rain. My parents came over to visit and help with yardwork. We all pitched in and got the random junk pile moved from the front of the yard/driveway zone to the side hidden by the storage container and sorted somewhat. It's mostly garden stuff and poultry stuff. 

Hubby was really happy as he has been complaining of the eyesore for a while. Then he chopped down the pine tree there and started playing on the tractor taking out a bunch of the dirt. His plan is to widen out the graveled driveway there to make a nice turnaround zone or extra parking. He is going to dig out the dirt for several inches and then put down road base and then gravel. He still needs to get the stump out.







Next mom and I worked on assembling the garden shed. I think it would have gone much faster if it had been made of wood. It started out square at the floor pieces... Hubby had to come help us when we finally made it to the roof step, as it was no longer square and the holes didn't line up. He pushed it back and forth, wiggled it around, and finally got it to line up enough so I could set the screws. We didn't get it completed before it started raining, but we got really close. I'm hoping we can finish it tomorrow after work provided the storm is done by then. 

Parents went back home and now hubby is grilling us some steak for dinner. Dogs were banished outside in their kennel all day because they went potty in the house again this morning. I think we might leave them in the kennel tomorrow while we are at work. They got let in and first thing they do is start wrestling. Guess they still have too much energy.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 15, 2021)

Anyone have a suggestion for what to plant along the fence between our gravel driveway and the fence with the neighbor? Right now it's maybe 4-5' wide strip of grass. It is part of an easement so I have to be ok with potentially losing or having to move whatever we put there if the water company decides to run water to the neighbors.

I have some canna bulbs that I think will get tall, but I'm trying to figure out an evergreen that will get at least head height to block the view. The cannas will die back in the winter.


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## B&B Happy goats (Mar 15, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Anyone have a suggestion for what to plant along the fence between our gravel driveway and the fence with the neighbor? Right now it's maybe 4-5' wide strip of grass. It is part of an easement so I have to be ok with potentially losing or having to move whatever we put there if the water company decides to run water to the neighbors.
> 
> I have some canna bulbs that I think will get tall, but I'm trying to figure out an evergreen that will get at least head height to block the view. The cannas will die back in the winter.


Can you grow clump bamboo in that area ?...


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 15, 2021)

B&B Happy goats said:


> Can you grow clump bamboo in that area ?...


Maybe? I am worried it would try to spread to the neighbor's side of the fence though. Hubby is also very wary of bamboo. I know I want to get some going on the property so I can use it for trellises and such, have to figure out a good spot.


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## SA Farm (Mar 15, 2021)

My vote would be for some type of evergreen...only because I know their roots are shallow enough that moving them wouldn’t be too difficult for a number of years.
Forsythia is a pretty shrub that shouldn’t be cost prohibitive if you don’t want evergreens. They do grow rapidly and would need to be cut back every so often, though.
Lilac would be my other top choice. So pretty and the scent is wonderful every spring.
Not much of a gardener, so those are the only ones I can think of. I may also have both of them in my front garden lol


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 15, 2021)

Mom has sun azaleas in her front yard, they are evergreen and get blooms. Might try that too. It's a long fence so I think I can do several different things. Just going to do them in clumps, not patterned like the last house as they were taking forever to grow together. I think I had two varieties of silver leaf? And strawberry tree.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 15, 2021)

I'm being bad and putting together a shopping cart on Baker Creek seed company and Arbor Day website. Hubby is going to be surprised.. We have a tractor so tree holes are easy to dig.    That's my story and I'm sticking to it.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 15, 2021)

Azaleas are deer snacks . Apparently mom's don't get snacked on because they are close to the house and the dog is too active going in/out. We don't have a yard dog so that's not going to work for us. We want to get one, but don't have perimeter fence done yet. Plus we still aren't done training the puppy. Ugh.


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## Bruce (Mar 16, 2021)

Forsythia and lilacs will have no leaves in the winter.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 16, 2021)

Bruce said:


> Forsythia and lilacs will have no leaves in the winter.


Yup, that's why I'm aiming for evergreen plants along the fence. I will probably get a forsythia just for yard interest, mom has one and it's a bright cheerful yellow.

Yesterday hubby was working on the area he took the pine tree out using the tractor and the east neighbor came out. He apparently told hubby that they were really looking to get the privacy fence up between our properties. They had talked about it before and we said we'd help with the fence since it's on the property line (supposedly). That way it would be a shared fence. Problem is that wood prices are ridiculously high now. Not sure if they want to pay someone to put up the fence or if they'd be willing to put it up with us. I'm thinking we should write something up and have it on file with the county to clarify what was spent on the fence and responsibilities for maintaining and or replacing. Would that be too much or just protecting everyone's interests?

If the privacy fence does go up, wouldn't need to worry about a hedge. Could just put whatever I want along the fence as long as it has shallow ish roots.


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## Bruce (Mar 16, 2021)

I'm all for covering bases myself, hopefully your neighbors are as well.  Make SURE the lot line is properly surveyed and marked before the fence goes up.

I wonder how easy it will be to agree on the design


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 16, 2021)

Bunnies!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 16, 2021)

I don't know why two are darker than the others. @Bunnylady  do you know why? Is it just difference in how their baby fur grew? Or something else?

Buck was REW, carries dilute and non extension. The doe has only ever had chinchilla babies with this buck, 3+ litters now so I'm assuming she is double chinchilla.


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## Bruce (Mar 17, 2021)

That is a bucket load of bunnies!!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 17, 2021)

Well, it looks like my old house is back on the market. They did a lot of painting, added stairs in the backyard, new countertops in the kitchen and different stove, remodeled the bathroom, new roof, no pics of the garage/storage zone. Listed it for 69,500 higher than I sold it. Dunno how much they spent remodeling but the roof wasn't cheap I bet. Interesting to see what it sells for.


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## Bruce (Mar 17, 2021)

Bought it to flip I guess?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 17, 2021)

Bruce said:


> Bought it to flip I guess?


Maybe. Their letter made it sound like they were looking for a home, but I guess you just can't trust people to be honest in those letters. Probably just wrote what sounded best in order to get the house.

Brand new roof and remodeled bathroom couldn't have been cheap, not sure how much they would make off it as a flip. Trying to convince myself it doesn't matter and who cares, just annoyed.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 21, 2021)

Bunnies are growing well. I think two of Pepper bunnies are Vienna carriers, might be considered Vienna marked. I think this one is a buck, second one with not as striking eye looks like a doe. No snips of white, but different eye colors.





Sage bunnies, starting to see difference in the fur, the opal has Rex fur and two others are Rex, the rest look like normal fur.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 21, 2021)

Hubby pushed to start flooring in the living room, as there's a place in the floor by the back door that there's no subfloor anymore, just the carpet holding you up. We started pulling up the carpet and there's clear dry rot by the window. We start pulling the wall paneling and there's more dry rot, and above the window there's leaves in with the insulation and it's damp.   

He pulled up the subfloor by the window and found several rat nests and two long dead rats.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 21, 2021)

The floor joists in this area are 2x4s. The rest of the house is 2x6s. They didn't build proper headers above the windows and the rot has pretty much demolished the floor plate. The whole wall wiggles if you push on the stud next to the window.

I think we need to redo the whole f*ing roof. I think it's been leaking above the window, for who knows how long.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 21, 2021)

They clearly made some repairs, as parts of the original subfloor were already replaced, and the ceiling had been replaced with drywall. But they didn't correctly repair the roof. So mad that people do these f*ing cheap incorrect repairs and leave the next person to deal with the fall out.


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## Baymule (Mar 21, 2021)

That sucks. What a lousy thing to happen and now you get stuck with the repairs. That's going to take time and money away from other things that you need to do. Not much you can do about that, this is a serious repair and must be done. What type of roof does the house have and can your hubby do roofing?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 22, 2021)

Baymule said:


> That sucks. What a lousy thing to happen and now you get stuck with the repairs. That's going to take time and money away from other things that you need to do. Not much you can do about that, this is a serious repair and must be done. What type of roof does the house have and can your hubby do roofing?


It has a shingle roof, and we know how to do shingles. I wanted to wait on the roof until the rainy season is over, so there's less chance we have to scramble to get it done or tarp it. I think we could probably do the roof in a weekend, we have friends we can pay/bribe with money/beer/pizza to help. 

We had a friend who works construction come over and give us his opinion. He said it might not be as bad as we originally thought, but there's definitely dry rot and some termite damage. If we can replace some of the footer beams and studs it should be fine, wood is just so dang expensive now. Hubby already has osb or plywood to replace the subfloor. It's probably going to take a week or so to get fixed, hubby still has a full time day job to do.


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## Bruce (Mar 24, 2021)

That is very unfortunate but at least you found it now when the house is open and it is easier to fix.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 24, 2021)

House still not fixed yet. Hubby bought some lumber and set up the saw in the front room. He cut out some of the ruined wood. Now the wall (non-load bearing) is very wobbly and there's a giant hole in the floor. Exactly what is needed with two cats and two dogs. Argh. 

I'm hoping he can get more of it installed today. We have been putting the puppy playpen around the hole during the day to keep the cats out and the dogs are outside. At night, we have the dogs in the playpen and just have to keep shooing the cats away.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 24, 2021)

The plywood siding below the window looks mildewy/rotted too. Dunno how we are going to replace that as the vinyl siding is probably attached to it. Grr.

Hubby is probably going to order some termite bait stuff to put around the house. 

Really wishing there was more time in the day and more motivation after a full day at work to get more done around the house. I need to start seeds, repot plants, plant bulbs, clean quail cages, clean rabbit cages, weigh rabbits, etc. Still don't have the raised beds installed.


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## GardnerHomestead (Mar 24, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> The plywood siding below the window looks mildewy/rotted too. Dunno how we are going to replace that as the vinyl siding is probably attached to it. Grr.
> 
> Hubby is probably going to order some termite bait stuff to put around the house.
> 
> Really wishing there was more time in the day and more motivation after a full day at work to get more done around the house. I need to start seeds, repot plants, plant bulbs, clean quail cages, clean rabbit cages, weigh rabbits, etc. Still don't have the raised beds installed.


I work full time too, i get the struggle, especially this time of year it seems like there's 1000 things to do and not near enough time/daylight in the day. You're doing great! one step at time. I try and compartmentalize what needs to be done otherwise I find myself running from one project to the next not really accomplishing much. I needed to get stuff in the garden and seedlings started this past weekend so I just focused on that and chose a day to tend to the million other things on my list.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 24, 2021)

Neighbor texted today, apparently someone was snooping around our house and then scurried off suddenly. Really wishing hubby would get the gate finished and cameras installed. They were on foot, so not sure why they would be at our place, we are the last house on the road.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 24, 2021)

GardnerHomestead said:


> I work full time too, i get the struggle, especially this time of year it seems like there's 1000 things to do and not near enough time/daylight in the day. You're doing great! one step at time. I try and compartmentalize what needs to be done otherwise I find myself running from one project to the next not really accomplishing much. I needed to get stuff in the garden and seedlings started this past weekend so I just focused on that and chose a day to tend to the million other things on my list.


We made a whiteboard list. It helps some, but we both just get wiped after work sometimes. We are trying to get into a better schedule. I have been having trouble getting up and to work on time, so started changing when I go to bed this week and it's making a difference. 

Figuring out which things can multitask too helps. I got several loads of laundry washed and dried (not folded tho lol) last night as I just tried to stay on top of the machine cycles. 

Tonight's goals: get caught up on dishes, clean off kitchen countertops, and repot the artichoke plants we bought on Saturday.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 24, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Neighbor texted today, apparently someone was snooping around our house and then scurried off suddenly. Really wishing hubby would get the gate finished and cameras installed. They were on foot, so not sure why they would be at our place, we are the last house on the road.


Hubby called our neighbor to the south, apparently it was her looking for her dog. I think we need to walk the fence line and figure out how her dog is getting over to our place. Glad it was a false alarm.


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## Baymule (Mar 24, 2021)

I'm glad it was a false alarm too. You don't need people snooping around. Glad it was your neighbor and not some nefarious creep. 

You have a lot on your plate right now. Just do things like you would do if you were eating an elephant--one bite at a time.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 25, 2021)

Well, got caught up on dishes and folded all the clean laundry last night, started another load. Hubby installed several 2x4s and a 4x4 in the gaping hole in the floor. The load bearing wall has apparently sunken an inch or two from level, so he needs to jack it up and make sure it can't sink more. My brother is supposed to be coming over tonight to assist. The bottom plate on that wall is completely rotted/termited away, which probably is why it sunk. Hubby has to prop it up, chip out the rest of the bad spots and install a new bottom plate. Fun times.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 25, 2021)

Brother might not be able to come tonight, maybe tomorrow? Might work better as no one has work on Saturday. Going to try to focus on the plants tonight, they need repotting or they are going to get root bound or die or something. I have canna bulbs I need to plant as well, I don't know where I'm going to put them but I think I need to pick a spot and move them again later. I also have strawberry and asparagus roots I bought that I've been ignoring, I have great plans but always underestimate how much time I need. Someday I'll be better.


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## Baymule (Mar 25, 2021)

You are better right now. You and your husband are doing a great job. You just can’t do it all at one time. The wall, roof and floor is a serious setback, but y’all are already on it and it will all be made right. You and your husband are resilient and are overcoming what is getting slung at you. Hang in there.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 28, 2021)

Took these pictures a few days ago and forgot to post. This is Toffee feeding her kits. It was really cute watching them dive under and hold themselves in place with their legs. Sorry they are blurry, I didn't want to open the door as I thought she would move if I did.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 28, 2021)

Well, we had a very long weekend. Weather was good, almost too warm. I should have been wearing a hat today and didn't think about it until I started getting a headache. 

Friday night my brother came over and helped hubby on the floor, tearing more stuff out and put in a few more 2x4s.

Saturday hubby's dad and grandpa came over and tore out more, including what hubby had already installed. They had decided to completely fix the joists so they ran the entire span of the room. That's right, they built the room using an eight foot span and THEN ADDED AN ADDITIONAL TWO FOOT SPAN! Connected of course with a HINGE. The support beam underneath was not placed where these two sections met, oh no, it was placed towards the end of the eight foot span, almost a foot away from supporting the smaller section, which of course was helping support the LOAD BEARING WALL. The damage to the bottom plate of the load bearing wall was extensive, it was almost completely eaten out by termites/dry rot. No wonder the wall had sunk an inch or two. It was literally being held in place by the aluminum siding. 

They came back over today and finished ripping out the rest of the floor in that room, in order to fix the rest of the joists. The joists now span the entire length, although they didn't use 10' boards, they used 8', and they are installing a new support beam under the section that is sistered together. The new joists feel very solid and sturdy, there's no give or creaking as with the floor prior to the renovation. Soon hubby will be able to sheet the floor with osb and we can finally start installing the new flooring.

I worked in the garden while the guys worked on the floor. I was able to pot up most of the fig cuttings I started a few weeks ago. Several looked like they started growing and then stopped, not sure what I did wrong. I don't think any of the mulberries made it, I'm a little frustrated as they had looked good and then suddenly dead looking.


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## Baymule (Mar 29, 2021)

Nothing like having to redo a mess done by idiots. My son bought a house with a back room addition that seems to be put on using bandaids. He has to tear the whole thing down. To put it back, he’ll have to hire a crew to tie in at the roof ridge line and extend the roof. The existing roof add on is fairly flat, only 6 1/2’ tall at the outer edge and it leaks.

You just can’t fix stupid.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 29, 2021)

Baymule said:


> Nothing like having to redo a mess done by idiots. My son bought a house with a back room addition that seems to be put on using bandaids. He has to tear the whole thing down. To put it back, he’ll have to hire a crew to tie in at the roof ridge line and extend the roof. The existing roof add on is fairly flat, only 6 1/2’ tall at the outer edge and it leaks.
> 
> You just can’t fix stupid.


It really sucks having to deal with stupid, incorrect repairs. On a positive note, at least I know now what to look for, if we were to have to buy another house. Not planning to move, but I know more now about what various damage and bad building looks like. 

I'm a little frustrated that some of this damage wasn't called out in the home inspection. It should have been visible from under the house. Makes me wonder if we could have gotten some of it repaired or at least the price dropped if we had known what to look for, or we might have kept looking. Oh well, a bit late now.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 29, 2021)

I need to weigh bunnies tonight. We were supposed to butcher this weekend but house project was more important. Pretty sure the rest of the first batch are big enough now. Need less bunnies to feed, they are eating a lot! I really want to keep a bunny from Raspberry, either the black or blue, but need to see if they are boys or girls. I might have to get a new buck, not looking forward to that.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 29, 2021)

Planning to get rid of Toffee, also considering getting rid of Cinnamon. Toffee has bitten me in the past, and has had small litters. Cinnamon was my first Rex doe, but her litters have been getting smaller. She's also not very friendly, more skittish. Her kits are in the second group, so if I butcher her at same time, that frees up a cage. Her fur is very ragged from being a mom though. 

Coffee hasn't done well recently; her first litter was great, but tried to breed her twice since and got nothing then dead babies. Will give her another try. I think I'll try breeding her this week.


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## Bruce (Mar 29, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> That's right, they built the room using an eight foot span and THEN ADDED AN ADDITIONAL TWO FOOT SPAN! Connected of course with a HINGE.


All I can say is  

Do you suppose the section was hinged so they could hide the bodies easily?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 29, 2021)

Bruce said:


> All I can say is
> 
> Do you suppose the section was hinged so they could hide the bodies easily?


Well, it had the subfloor attached above it, and then the carpet, so it wasn't like a secret trap door or anything. Father in law's guess is the section was transported unassembled and then assembled on site. So maybe it needed to be smaller to fit inside the other section? No clue, just shaking my head over their poor choices and wondering how we didn't fall through the floor already. That is the area we were stacking the new flooring boxes, 3-4 high, and those suckers are heavy!


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## Baymule (Mar 30, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> It really sucks having to deal with stupid, incorrect repairs. On a positive note, at least I know now what to look for, if we were to have to buy another house. Not planning to move, but I know more now about what various damage and bad building looks like.
> 
> I'm a little frustrated that some of this damage wasn't called out in the home inspection. It should have been visible from under the house. Makes me wonder if we could have gotten some of it repaired or at least the price dropped if we had known what to look for, or we might have kept looking. Oh well, a bit late now.


Some things in life just suck and you can't back up and do it over. You just have to plow through and keep moving forward. I think you are handling this very well, it's a pain in the backside, but you aren't letting it shut you down.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 30, 2021)

Baymule said:


> Some things in life just suck and you can't back up and do it over. You just have to plow through and keep moving forward. I think you are handling this very well, it's a pain in the backside, but you aren't letting it shut you down.


Trying not to let it get to us, but all these repairs are not helping our budget. The price of lumber is ridiculously high. I don't know if we will be able to afford a garage at this point. Hubby is pushing for a metal garage kit, but I would like a framed one or even cinder block one before a metal kit. We have just had so many issues with condensation and trying to insulate to prevent condensation on the shipping container and my brother's metal camp trailer. Maybe we'll take so long to figure it out that the lumber prices will come back down.


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## Baymule (Mar 31, 2021)

I like the cinder block idea.


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## Bruce (Apr 1, 2021)

How are the faults in your area Larson?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Apr 1, 2021)

Bruce said:


> How are the faults in your area Larson?


Faults? Like earthquake faults? Non existent to my knowledge. I am in the foothills of the Sierras, we don't get earthquakes here thankfully. Just fires in the general area annually.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Apr 1, 2021)

The fires are actually part of why I'd prefer cinder block or maybe stucco, or the cement fiberboard siding for the buildings here, so it's harder for them to catch on fire. Right now the house has vinyl siding over aluminum siding, and the well house is completely wood. 

The well house is also rotting apart, I should take a picture to show you guys how bad it is. I'm hoping it will hang on long enough for us to get the materials and time needed to tear it down and install a new building. They built it directly on the ground, without pressure treated wood. Dunno why people are so stupid.


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## Bruce (Apr 1, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Faults? Like earthquake faults? Non existent to my knowledge. I am in the foothills of the Sierras, we don't get earthquakes here thankfully. Just fires in the general area annually.


That would be the question. You need a really good foundation under a block wall building if you get earthquakes (unless you LIKE cracks). Not a problem for you


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Apr 8, 2021)

Well, I was hoping to go to a plant swap this Saturday but got informed by MIL that we all are going to a wedding on Saturday, same time as the plant swap ends. It's about an hour away so there's no point in trying to rush there and back and then get ready, I will just have to catch the next one. 

SIL is coming from Reno to attend, I'm assuming with the baby so I might get some baby snuggles. 

Hubby paid a guy to weedeat a bunch of the property, supposedly worked 5 hours doing it. I'm not too impressed with how much he got done in that time but clearly he's not as experienced at weedeating as hubby. He wasn't impressed either but at least we don't have to weedeat those areas now. Still a lot to weedeat as the weeds are almost knee high in places. Hubby wants to bring the goats over but hasn't found the time to make sure they will stay where we want to put them. Maybe Friday?? 

I also need to figure out how to tame down the goats, but I think they are usually food motivated. I will have to figure out what works as a treat that is more tasty than the weeds they are supposed to be eating. One of them was pretty tame from the prior owners and liked it when I tried to brush them before. The other was more skittish but not nearly as bad as the original goats hubby's family had. Couldn't get within 20 feet without them bolting. I wonder if I can buy a goat halter?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Apr 8, 2021)

We also really need to butcher some rabbits, they are going through a ton of feed. I definitely think the first batch is fully ready now, and the second batch is probably just a little under target weight. I need to check dates but I think the third batch is probably old enough to wean. The chinchillas in the third batch I might be able to sell as pets, but I don't have fancy colors for the Rex so they don't seem to sell as pets. Taste is the same regardless of what color the coat is, so will probably butcher those.


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## Bruce (Apr 8, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> I wonder if I can buy a goat halter?


I think people generally use collars on goats.


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## GardnerHomestead (Apr 13, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Well, I was hoping to go to a plant swap this Saturday but got informed by MIL that we all are going to a wedding on Saturday, same time as the plant swap ends. It's about an hour away so there's no point in trying to rush there and back and then get ready, I will just have to catch the next one.
> 
> SIL is coming from Reno to attend, I'm assuming with the baby so I might get some baby snuggles.
> 
> ...


I use a halter on my goats, its made for sheep i think but works on goat also. We use movable electric netting and it works really well for our goat. They have to kind of be trained to it though. i have 5 full grown does and 2 5 month old does and they keep our 2 acres down to barely an inch off the ground, even during the growing season.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Apr 14, 2021)

Bunnies are looking cute and they are all eating a ton of food, they need to get sold or harvested. Checked the birth dates and the youngest batches are 8 weeks yesterday and today. Going to see if I can get good individual pics of the chinchillas to try to sell as pets. Might try to sell some of the Rex as pets too. Need to see if I can badger hubby into butchering tonight or tomorrow, I want to cut down number of bunnies before the weekend, going to the coast on a girls trip with mom.

Trying to decide if I should breed one more time or if I waited too long, weather is only going to get hotter.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Apr 19, 2021)

Still have too many bunnies 

They are eating a whole 50 lb bag of feed in less than 2 weeks. I have to buy feed again today or tomorrow.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Apr 19, 2021)

Went on vacation with mom to the coast over the weekend, had a relaxing visit. Hubby and his dad continued to work on floors and walls. They got the floor in the living room done and all the walls shored up. Hubby finished putting drywall on the exposed walls yesterday. It looks nice but one more wall to do before complete. Then time to mud and tape, texture, and paint. Then finally can do the floors. 

We are still arguing/discussing how to do the fireplace surround. Hopefully we will get that figured out soon. Definitely hot enough weather now we don't need the fireplace.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Apr 26, 2021)

Hubby got the drywall up and most of the mudding and sanding done. And then it rained... And the roof leaked into the wall, down the stud and onto the osb floor. Grrr. Hubby went to the store and bought another gallon of Henry's roofing stuff and spread a bunch of it along the roof over the windows. We will be reroofing this summer if we can figure out the financing.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Apr 26, 2021)

We went to the flooring store yesterday and think we found tile for the fireplace surround and part of the pedestal, but we haven't found what we are looking for to use as the hearth/part that the fireplace actually sits on. I'd like it to be actual stone, or look like stone. Might end up going to a landscape supply and see if they have something.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Apr 26, 2021)

My rabbits are talented...


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## Baymule (Apr 27, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> My rabbits are talented...
> View attachment 84488


What happened?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Apr 28, 2021)

Baymule said:


> What happened?


I had to separate these two from the rest of the litter because they are bucks... and the black buck was trying to get frisky with his mom and sisters. This cage is smaller in depth than the other cages, so it doesn't fit on the parallel bars, so I added the white poles perpendicular to keep the cage up. But since poles are cylinders, they roll when the little idiots move around a ton. So far they have fallen only 3-4 times. At least they haven't gotten out and haven't been injured yet.

Rabbits are going to be sold or harvested by the end of this weekend. With or without hubby's help.


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## Baymule (Apr 28, 2021)

Probably not funny at the time, but I’m laughing!


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## Bruce (Apr 28, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> We will be reroofing this summer if we can figure out the financing.


Sounds like something you need to do ASAP. Any leak you see now is probably already leaking water into parts you can't see.


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## Baymule (Apr 28, 2021)

Can you do the roofing yourself?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Apr 28, 2021)

Baymule said:


> Can you do the roofing yourself?


We can, and we know a guy who does roofing on the side for a living. I bet we could get it done, or mostly, in a weekend. The problem right now is that construction material prices are higher than they were before. So it's going to cost a lot.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Apr 28, 2021)

Baymule said:


> Probably not funny at the time, but I’m laughing!


I was amused at them too, which is why I had to take the picture.


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## Baymule (Apr 29, 2021)

I knew lumber and metal roofing was high, I guess that includes 3 tab shingles too. Do you know how many squares you need? Last roof I put on, about 10 or 12 years ago, I found a place that had shingle seconds. The tops of the shingles had discolored granules on them. This didn’t affect the roof at all, as the tops got covered up by the next row of shingles. It was a couple of hours away, well worth the drive. Do an internet search and see if you can find seconds. Maybe ask builders too.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 5, 2021)

Took 3 roosters/cockerels and 6 bunnies to the auction on Sunday. Got 9.50/bird and 14/bunny. Definitely not thrilled about that, but less animals to feed and the hens at my parents house are breathing sighs of relief. I only took bucks, and I am pretty sure they eat more than the does. Still need to butcher the rest of the bunnies. Going into the hot time now, I think I missed my chances for a last litter before summer. Hubby has been talking about making rabbit jerky.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 5, 2021)

We worked a bunch on the living room the past few weeks, and got the walls done. We prepped the floor last night, should be ready to start flooring tonight. Hubby is antsy to get the living room back together and out of the den. The back and left walls are drywall, the right wall (with tv) is the paneling. Hubby refused to rip off the paneling and install drywall on that wall.





We took out the fireplace too, we are going to have a nice hearth and surround. Debating on whether we should have a pedestal underneath so it makes a nice height to sit next to the stove or just have the hearthstones on the floor. They are 2" thick. I would like a pedestal but now hubby is changing his mind. Grr. I think it should be 8-10 inches tall, would be a bit short for sitting but I think it would be nice. The premade one at the landscape place we went to had a 2" hearth stone top over an 8" pedestal. Any suggestions?


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## Baymule (May 5, 2021)

It’s looking good in there! I like the raised hearth too.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 5, 2021)

Another fun thing is our pup, Liberty, is now in heat. Poor thing, she's a little miserable right now. Mother in law is planning to breed her mid next week, then we will have puppies on the way to help pay for house repairs, maybe our new roof. So far she hasn't gotten out of the backyard and no other dog has come around, but we are thinking of putting her in the laundry room so she is more secure.


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## Bruce (May 5, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Debating on whether we should have a pedestal underneath so it makes a nice height to sit next to the stove or just have the hearthstones on the floor.


100% yes on raising it. Our woodstove is up about 5", I wouldn't mind it being higher. Better to sit on the edge than be down on your knees .... at least when you get older and less flexible like me. Unfortunately the people we bought from put the chimney pipe in at the exact height that their old (broken) stove needed for a horizontal pipe out the back. Thus we can't use the standard taller legs on the stove we bought and it is only maybe 3" above the "pad".


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 6, 2021)

Ugh, really wanting some sheep. I'm in a FB group and someone posted a link to their farm page. They are up in Oregon/Washington area, and have Finnsheep! The lambs are cute and they sell "flock seeds", their page says they can put together a breeding group with an unrelated male too. I think I would only want a small flock, maybe 3-5 ewes. Haven't figured out the ram situation yet. 

I think I need to do more research and gather supplies, but I'm hoping I can make sheep happen in a year or three. Need to build shelter, lambing jugs, sorting/catch pens, shearing stand, etc. Plus build different grazing zones and get everything fenced, and get actual grass/pasture growing. 

I think we have 4-6 acres downhill that we want to do animal stuff with, just need to clear brush/trees, fence, and install infrastructure. Might have to get goats on the property first, I don't know if sheep eat poison oak, and I don't want to think about what would happen if someone tried to spin poison oak infested wool.


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## Baymule (May 6, 2021)

I have hair sheep, they will browse like a goat, but not poison oak.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 7, 2021)

Baymule said:


> I have hair sheep, they will browse like a goat, but not poison oak.


Yeah, I want wool sheep though. I will see if we can get the darn goats over to eat it. I thought we could get a bunch done this weekend, but Sunday is taken up by mother's day. Breakfast at my mom's, and I guess a bbq at hubby's parent's house.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 7, 2021)

Went to top waters and feed rabbits this morning and the little black buck was on the ground. We just stared at each other for a few seconds then he started hopping away. I had to chase him down without freaking him out, grabbed him and went to check out the cage. It had fallen again, who knows when between 11 last night and almost 8 this morning. The other buck was still inside but there were gaps that the black buck must have used to get out. I put the buck back in and squished the cage back to where it was supposed to be. I didn't bother to put it back up on the bars, hopefully nothing will mess with them on the ground. They are going to go, one way or another tomorrow.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 8, 2021)

Worked on floor yesterday after work. I think it's been awhile since I posted some pictures. Here is floor finished and walls textured and painted.





Here is underlayment ready to go.




Here is floor installed, stopped to eat dinner and argue about the next steps.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 8, 2021)

Ran around and did some errands this morning, then prepped more floor area, the I worked in the garden. My back is not happy with me. It was hot today, and I am glad I was able to water plants as some were very dry.


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## Baymule (May 9, 2021)

“Argue about the next step”


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 14, 2021)

Hubby sanded and remudded yesterday, there's drywall dust everywhere. Ugh. He claims he cleaned a bunch of it up, seems doubtful based on the layer that's everywhere. He's getting hopeful we can finish a lot of the floor this weekend, and release the Roomba. We named it Dave. Dave hasn't been out to play in almost a year.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 14, 2021)

Mother in law took Liberty to have a date yesterday; apparently it was a big ordeal, as her suitor was a bit shorter than she is and they ended up needing assistance to line everything up. If it worked, we will be able to visibly tell in a month, and then she'll have puppies mid July.

She did great in the car and seemed to have a good time. Once she got home she immediately started roughhousing with Sophie and trying to play with the cats.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 18, 2021)

Hearthstones bought, sample tile and trim, not sure we like the tiles. Several stones have pits/holes in them. Haven't really found a tile that was perfect yet. Might try to check out hd supply. We've looked at floor and decor, home Depot, and this tile is from Lowes.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 19, 2021)

Ok, gonna share some personal news, I'm surprised I've been able to keep this a secret for so long. My hubby and I are going to be welcoming our first baby in early October. We will be 20 weeks on Saturday and will get to learn the gender. We are pretty darn excited to become parents.


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## GardnerHomestead (May 19, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Ok, gonna share some personal news, I'm surprised I've been able to keep this a secret for so long. My hubby and I are going to be welcoming our first baby in early October. We will be 20 weeks on Saturday and will get to learn the gender. We are pretty darn excited to become parents.


congrats!


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## Baymule (May 19, 2021)

Wow! Congratulations on the upcoming blessed event! Just how did you keep it so quiet so long? LOL


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## Bruce (May 19, 2021)

Congratulations, don't work yourself too hard. And remember you aren't eating for two, you are eating for one and a little one 😄


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 19, 2021)

Baymule said:


> Wow! Congratulations on the upcoming blessed event! Just how did you keep it so quiet so long? LOL


I was challenging myself, because usually I spill the beans. I'm terrible at keeping my own secrets, usually because it feels like lying or not telling the whole truth. I'm pretty darn decent at keeping other's secrets, just not my own.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 19, 2021)

Bruce said:


> Congratulations, don't work yourself too hard. And remember you aren't eating for two, you are eating for one and a little one 😄


Yep, trying to be good and not do too much. It's been a pain this last month or so, the doctor told me I'm not supposed to lift anything over 25 pounds, so hubby has to help move animal feed. I'm used to doing that all myself. It sucks not being able to do as much as help with parts of the house remodeling.

I'm also not supposed to clean the litter box, so hubby has been having to do that as well. He's not thrilled.

Eating-wise I've been fine, trying to just snack all day and not eat huge meals. Since I cut out soda (I really miss Dr Pepper) I think I've lost weight as I'm gaining baby weight. It'll work itself out.


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## Beekissed (May 19, 2021)

Awwwwww!   A new baby!!!!  Congratulations!   May you have an easy carry, quick delivery and a healthy baby.


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## SA Farm (May 19, 2021)

Congratulations 🥰 DH took over cleaning out the litter box when I was pregnant and I haven’t taken the responsibility back yet 🤫


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## farmerjan (May 19, 2021)

Congrats also from Va.


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## HomesteaderWife (May 20, 2021)

@Larsen Poultry Ranch - CONGRATS!


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## Bruce (May 21, 2021)

SA Farm said:


> Congratulations 🥰 DH took over cleaning out the litter box when I was pregnant and I haven’t taken the responsibility back yet 🤫


That happened here too and the last time we had a cat that was mine was before DD2 hatched. That was 26 years ago, I don't think DW has touched a litter scoop since she got pregnant with DD1 nearly 29 years ago. She's on cat #3 now.

There are now 3 indoor cats, 1 per female family member. DW gives them some dry food early to keep them from being annoying. I feed them later and clean the inside box and the one on the porch. DD2 feeds them dinner and cleans the inside box (when she remembers). DD2 gets a pass since she's 600 miles away in Canada.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 21, 2021)

Bruce said:


> That happened here too and the last time we had a cat that was mine was before DD2 hatched. That was 26 years ago, I don't think DW has touched a litter scoop since she got pregnant with DD1 nearly 29 years ago. She's on cat #3 now.
> 
> There are now 3 indoor cats, 1 per female family member. DW gives them some dry food early to keep them from being annoying. I feed them later and clean the inside box and the one on the porch. DD2 feeds them dinner and cleans the inside box (when she remembers). DD2 gets a pass since she's 600 miles away in Canada.


Mine (two sisters from same litter) were getting overweight when I free fed, so I switched to feeding a portion throughout the day. That caused them to mob me every time I came through the door. My cousin recommended an automatic feeder and it's been wonderful since. It spots out a certain amount of kibble at set points throughout the day and now the cats don't bug me to be fed and I only have to refill the feeder maybe once a week. The one cat is now back to a good weight and the other is still a little overweight but she no longer has fat rolls when she sits down.


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## Baymule (May 21, 2021)

I like cats, hate a litter box. When DD married, we had to find our cat a home. Our new (then) son in law was terribly allergic to cats to the point of barely able to breathe. Since breathing is required, we found Duckie a new home. I would have an outside cat now, but Paris (female Great Pyrenees) detests cats and kills them. Maybe some day.


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## Bruce (May 21, 2021)

It would have to learn to be a fast and wily kitty.


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## Baymule (May 22, 2021)

Not fast enough for Paris.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 22, 2021)




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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 22, 2021)

It's a boy!


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## Baymule (May 22, 2021)

How awesome! Congratulations!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 26, 2021)

Still working through the extra rabbits, butchered 9 with hubby on Sunday. Still have 14+ to go. I really want to try to make something with the hides, or at least get them tanned and out of the freezer. Hubby has been grumbling how much space they take up.

I lost Frost, my first buck this last week. He was a good boy and loved getting head scratches. Dunno what color I should get in a new buck; Frost was REW. I have Expresso, a castor, who I've been crossing to Frost's daughters but I can't breed any granddaughters until I come up with a new buck. I'm thinking might be smart to wait until fall when I will start breeding again. The daughters/granddaughters I kept are castor, opal, sable agouti, dilute sable agouti, and a blue. I'm thinking a black or blue buck? Or maybe I can find an opal that carries self, I think that might be ideal to get opals and blues out of the opal and blue does.


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## Baymule (May 26, 2021)

Bummer on losing your buck, sorry about that. Rabbits don’t seem to have long life spans.

Good on getting rabbits in the freezer. Do you sell any or just for your own consumption?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 26, 2021)

Baymule said:


> Bummer on losing your buck, sorry about that. Rabbits don’t seem to have long life spans.
> 
> Good on getting rabbits in the freezer. Do you sell any or just for your own consumption?


Trying to sell some to offset the cost of feed. 6 of the bunnies we just did are going to be processed by hubby into jerky, so I hope that turns out well. One doe (reject from the breeding program for bad attitude and small litters) had a TON of fat and was very large. Father-in-law was impressed with her.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 27, 2021)

This is what 6 bunnies deboned and rough ground once looks like. The meat goes through the grinder better when chilled, almost frozen. Hubby wanted it through the rough grind twice and then the fine grind, then will season and make the jerky. He bought attachments for stick jerky and flat strips. I think there's enough we can grind some bacon and mix with the bunny meat to make some bacon bunny burgers to see how they taste. 






I think he finished the rough grind last night, now to do the fine grind tonight. He might have enough time to start making the jerky and put it in the dehydrator.


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## Baymule (May 27, 2021)

I have made bunny burgers, they were good!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 29, 2021)

Attempting to air layer some plants, posted more details over at SS. Might start some more, need to go over to my folk's and the in-laws to try on some of their trees.

I think we are going to melt this weekend.


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## Beekissed (May 30, 2021)

Oh, I'd definitely melt into a big ol' puddle of grease at those temps!!!!  Don't know how you farm in such weather!!!!  I'd have to do all my farming at night and the animals would only move at night also.


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## Beekissed (May 30, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> This is what 6 bunnies deboned and rough ground once looks like. The meat goes through the grinder better when chilled, almost frozen. Hubby wanted it through the rough grind twice and then the fine grind, then will season and make the jerky. He bought attachments for stick jerky and flat strips. I think there's enough we can grind some bacon and mix with the bunny meat to make some bacon bunny burgers to see how they taste.
> 
> View attachment 85396
> 
> I think he finished the rough grind last night, now to do the fine grind tonight. He might have enough time to start making the jerky and put it in the dehydrator.


Never heard of bunny burgers and bunny jerky!!!  That would be a LOT of bunnies, a LOT of work deboning bunnies to get enough for that.  My hat is off to you for a ton of work on food production!


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## HomeOnTheRange (May 30, 2021)

Beekissed said:


> Don't know how you farm in such weather!!!! I'd have to do all my farming at night


You get up really early and try and get as much done by 10am-11am as you can.  Sometimes I will get up way before sunrise and wear a very bright red light headband to see.  I do not know how all of you with high humidity even go outside!

(OK @Baymule, I am sure there is a zinger coming about the red light! )


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## Bruce (May 30, 2021)

HomeOnTheRange said:


> (OK @Baymule, I am sure there is a zinger coming about the red light


Clearly it is somehow related to your side job.


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## Beekissed (May 30, 2021)

HomeOnTheRange said:


> You get up really early and try and get as much done by 10am-11am as you can.  Sometimes I will get up way before sunrise and wear a very bright red light headband to see.  I do not know how all of you with high humidity even go outside!
> 
> (OK @Baymule, I am sure there is a zinger coming about the red light! )


You are right....it's the humidity that will get you.  Like breathing through a warm, wet towel across your face.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 30, 2021)

It's CA, we don't get humidity like you guys in the south get. It's hot and dry here. AC is your friend. I try not to do outside stuff in the sun, it's way too hot, I wait for the shade and make sure I have a hat if I have to go out in the sun.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 30, 2021)

Harvested some garlic and planted tomatillos and cilantro from starts.


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## Baymule (May 31, 2021)

Hey, I’m being nice about that red light headband! Who would you be advertising for anyway? Squash bugs?  

Humidity here is thick enough that the very air drips........ throw in heat and it is soup. LOL We are having unseasonal cool temperatures and it is affecting gardens. But at least the grass is growing with all the rain we’ve had. Winter grass and clovers are done now, need to mow and let what little summer grass I have come on through. Sheep will be dry lotted, they won’t like it.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 2, 2021)

Well, I set up ice water bottles in the rabbit cages and have more water crocks on order, should arrive today. Did you know that the little baking ramekins are about the same size but cheaper than the crocks designed for small pets? Food safe and dishwasher safe too. 

Set up a box fan, going to add a second one tonight if I can get another power cord. Dunno if I should try to make an impromptu swamp cooler with the fan or just leave as is. I can buy a swamp cooler pad for less than $10, but would have to figure out a way to keep water running onto it. Maybe PVC with holes attached to a 5 gallon bucket with a float to refill as it empties? 

Hopefully I don't lose any more rabbits today. I lost 5 yesterday 6/1 and 3 the prior day 5/31. Going to butcher the other grow outs before they can die of the heat. I have about 13 grow outs left as of this morning.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 3, 2021)

Didn't have any heat dead bunnies today! Also didn't butcher grow outs as planned but hubby has promised he will help tomorrow. I think the fan really helped and the new tarp is blocking a lot of light. The ramekins arrived and they are bigger than I pictured, they will be harder for the rabbits to knock over. I also bought an ice cube tray that makes very large ice cubes, so I'm hoping that will help keep the water in the ramekins cooler a bit longer.

I checked the chinchilla bunnies and of the three remaining, only one is a doe. The two that passed yesterday of course were does. The pretty opal in the Flemish meat mix (3/4 Rex) is a buck. So I think I'm going to only keep the chinchilla doeling and all the other grow outs will be butchered. Unless the one opal from Cinnamon is a doe, might keep that. Otherwise they are all going. Need to redo the name chart and update my records too.


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## Baymule (Jun 3, 2021)

Keeping rabbits cool in the heat is a challenge. Get the grow outs butchered and concentrate on your breeding stock.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 4, 2021)

Hey @Ridgetop would 20*40 or 20*30 barn be a good size for a rabbit herd? They would be in single cages or stackers, with a manure collection system over a cement floor.

Hubby is willing to help me start planning out the bunny barn after the terrible week we had with the herd. I am wanting it to be a cement or cinder block building, built into the hillside, possibly metal roof or possibly cement roof with dirt/plants growing over it.


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## Ridgetop (Jun 4, 2021)

I love planning barns!!!  This post will be long (are there any other length of Ridgetop postings?   )!
First, are you raising meat breeds?  Dwarfs?  Show?  Meat sales?  How many holes do you want to accommodate?

Is this going to be a pole barn?  Better air flow for rabbits with a pole barn, but you will want to shade or close in the western exposure if it will get full sun.  Also south side with shade cloth hung in the summer.    I would not use stackers since there is too much work involved in cleaning the cage trays.   I prefer a hanging system over manure pits.  Hang the cages from chain with S hooks or clevises from large screw in hooks in the roof beams.  Make the manure pits with 2 x 12 lumber.  Cheapest wood possible since it will take 20 years to rot.  If wood is too expensive, then you can stack concrete block to make the pits under the cages.  Without mortaring the block together they can be removed to completely empty the manure pits.  Throw some earthworms into the manure pit when the manure and shavings get about 12" deep.   You can also add shredded newspapers, or if you use an office shredder, most of that shredded paper can also go in the pits with earthworms.  The worms will turn all that into lovely loose garden loam.  Use fine shavings in the pits to cover the manure when it get about 3" deep and rake it around.  No odor, and the urine soaks into the shavings making the perfect % blend of carbon (wood shavings) and nitrogen (rabbit urine is almost pure nitrogen) for gardens.  You can apply it directly to plants or till it into the garden soil.   I  suggest dirt floors for the manure pits  with raised walkways between the cages.  However, concrete floors with drain channels would allow you to hose out the barn after removing the manure and shavings/earthworm pit soil.  

What breed of rabbit are you raising?  If you are raising meat breeds in even half the cages, I would do *all cages 36"w x* *30"d* *x 18"h* standard cages with babysaver wire on the bottom 6".  Do "in and up" doors with the hook on the top of the cage to catch and hold the door out of the way.  Much more convenient and space saving than a side swing door.  This 36" wide by 30" deep babysaver cage size is appropriate for does with litters as well as being able to house a couple of growers till 3 months.   Bucks are often put in30x30 cages but why bother with that size when the 30x36 are just about the same price.  Using all 36x30 cages gives you a lot more flexibility in moving rabbits around since you are not restricted to putting the bucks in specific cages instead of being able to put them anywhere in the cage configuration.  

Once you have the cage dimensions, you can decide on the size of the barn you will need for maximum usage.  I have drawn up a 20 x 30 and 20 x 40 plan.  Actually the same plan just leaving the additional 10' x 20' area empty for storage or future expansion.  

The 20' width means that you can have a couple of feet overhang on either side of the outside cages which is good for rains.  On wet windy days I attached tarps to the outside of overhang and let them hang down on the outside of the cages.  In nice weather I rolled them up and tied them in place with hay ropes.  LOL Hay ropes - The Homesteader's Friend.   

This barn plan will hold 40 cages.  If you only build it 30' long, you will want to omit a couple of the back to back cages in the middle in order to get from side to side to feed in bad weather. 



Hope you can understand this scribble.  The trick is to measure the size and number of cages you want to use and build accordingly.  Then as I always recommend, add more square footage since you will eventually want to increase your barn or use it for storage space.  Yu can never have too much covered barn or storage space.  We tend to forget here in California that when the rains do finally come they are torrential tropical storms here in southern CA or or heavy brutal Alaskan storms in northern CA.  Also, in the summers it is good to have plenty of work space in the shade too.

When you are building remember to run a water line to the barn and electrical lines as well.  You will want to put in automatic waterers, misters, have lights in the barn, and be able to run fans.  Having lights in the barn is essential for winter breeding since you can extend the breeding season by the use of lights.  In super cold winters a shop light (those ones that look like stainless steel bowls with a light bulb in them) can be laid on top of a cage, or clipped to the hanging chain, shining into the nest box with a simple 100 watt bulb to save litters.  

I hope this answers your question about the size of the barn.  Remember just because you can fit 40 cages in the barn, at any one time several of them should be empty.  Keeping an empty cage next to a doe with litter will enable you to speed up breeding.  You can rebreed a doe with a 4-6 week old litter, then just before she is due to kindle remove the kits from the old litter and move them into the adjacent cage.  They will continue to gain at a better rate because they will be next to their mother.  If you decide to practice this intensive breeding schedule remember to put the brood doe on an 18% pellet instead of the standard 16%.  Also add 2 ounces of oats to her diet.  Oats puts on hard flesh.

I used to make a grain mix consisting of 1 part sunflower seeds, 3 parts rolled oats, and 1 part sweet feed (we used our goat grain).  My intensive breeding does also got a measure of calf manna while nursing. litters.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 4, 2021)

They are standard Rex and meat mixes. I think the one meat mix doe I weighed last was over 10 lbs, most of the pure Rex are 8-9 ish. I am hoping to build the barn into the hill, so it will stay cooler. If it goes where I'm planning the southern side will be in the hill, the north and east side will have access doors and windows, and the west side would either be in the hill too or have door/windows. I'd like to make bigger cages with attached nest boxes/hidey holes. 

We don't get too cold here, rarely down below mid 30s in the winter and we don't get snow. We do definitely get the darn heat in the summer.


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## Ridgetop (Jun 5, 2021)

You can still use the plan I sent to determine your building measurements.  Decide on the cage measurements and then multiply to make sure that your building will hold them.  The cages are easy to change configurations and dimensions, the building won't be once it is erected.

A warning about enlarging cage size though.  DO NOT make your cages any deeper than 30" since that is about the farthest you will be able to comfortably reach in and lift out 10-12 lb. does for breeding.  I decided to make some of my cages 42-48" wide figuring the litters would have more space as they grew and had a lot t trouble catching the fryers since they were able to evade my reach.  I ended up dividing those cages in half and adding a second door to make 24" x 30" grower cages for DH's show stock.  I also used my original 24x24 dwarf cages for grower cages since we would do an initial culling for the freezer nd meat sales at 8 weeks.  Those bunnies thought to be worth saving (and we culled very heavily) were put into the grower cages individually.  Then we would do another culling for meat at 3 months.  The saved stock was show and breeding stock and at 4 months transferred into standard 36 x 30 cages to reach breeding age.  

A lot of people like the attached nesting boxes, but I prefer the standard removable wooden ones.  You can easily remove the box to check the kits, remove dead ones, remove bedding in the heat and if the underlying bedding gets really nasty you can completely remove the kits and re-bed the box.  I also like to be able to clean the boxes after each litter, scrape them, wash them out,  and leave them in the sun to dry and sanitize.  

FYI:  Once we reached about 60 breeders in our barn, I added the smaller grower cages.  Only 15-20% of the litters went into them and 50% of those keepers ended up being kept as show/breeding stock.  While we kept the best bunnies to show and breed, we also sold breeding stock and DH would not sell breeding stock that he would not have been proud to put on the judging table himself.  We particularly liked selling starter trios to 4-Hers, FFA, and beginning breeders.  DH would always go and sort the first few litters and teach the kids and newcomers what to select for.  We started with mutt rabbits, added registerable pure stock and worked up to having some of the best in southern CA and had an excellent reputation. DH never kept anything for breeding that was not show type.  This meant that our rabbits reached a very standard body type and we had an excellent reputation for our NZWs and Cals.  

His reputation in rabbits was (and still is) very important to DH.  We don't sell culls in any species as breeders.  He is waiting until DGS2 is in 4-H to set up a rabbitry for our grandsons.  We will also set up a small rabbitry in TX probably with Cals.  He was known for his NZWs but I came to like the Cals better.  They were more docile and gained weight faster to fryer size by 2 weeks.

Make sure to send us pics of the rabbit barn as you build it!!!     No imogees of masked huggers but we had our vaccinations.


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## Baymule (Jun 6, 2021)

I used an open top next box with hardware cloth for the bottom-to let the pee pass through and it kept more kits alive. I used the aluminum auto drop clamp on lights, placed on the wire, over the nest box to keep the kits warm. The cubby hole type nest boxes sound like a good idea but are more trouble that they are worth. 

I also had a chicken coop attached to my rabbitry. The rabbitry had a dirt floor. The poop and pee hit the dirt, plus dropped feed and the chickens kept it scratched up, fly larva eaten and it didn't smell. The eggs were great! I had a door on the chicken coop so I could block them out if I wanted. No concrete floors, just dirt, no stacked cages to clean, that's just more work. Chickens+dirt=EASY CARE.

The only draw back to chickens in the rabbitry is ear mites. A once a month eye dropper application of  mineral oil in each ear took care of that so it was never a problem.


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## Ridgetop (Jun 6, 2021)

Also the problem of chickens roosting in the barn is that they roost above the wire cages and droppings can fall on the rabbits.    Nothing like picking up a doe to be bred and getting a handful of green chicken poop!  However, chickens do cut down on the fly population.    

Having manure pits under the rabbit cages and adding shavings to them once a week or month, also cuts down on flies.  If you raise earthworms in the manure pits, you don't want chickens in there since they will eat your earthworm crop!    Earthworms are  crop since you can sell them to organic gardeners, and sell the composted manure in the its to gardeners as well.  If you don't use it yourself.  Advertise in Craigslist.

What I call manure pits are what you could use as raised garden beds.  2" x 12" lumber nailed together to enclose the area under the cages.  This makes a 12" deep "pit" or box in which the manure and urine falls.  With the addition of a layer of shavings or sawdust over the top, the manure, urine, and shavings compost into lovely soft fluffy garden loam.  There is almost no odor, although some flies but they usually stay low around the manure boxes below the cages.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 10, 2021)

I raise coturnix quail too, I wonder if we did a dirt floor in the rabbit barn, if I could just let the quail loose in the barn to help deal with the rabbit manure composting process. They don't fly so they wouldn't be able to roost and poop on the rabbits. The annoying part would be trying to get the eggs, they don't use a nest box like chickens, it would a daily easter egg hunt. Hmm. Or maybe just use for grow out chickens? And give them roosts that are higher than the bunny cages but not overhead, they usually go to the highest spots they can access. Or maybe Cornish cross birds, they wouldn't roost...


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 10, 2021)

I'd like to get a black soldier fly farm going, that would help process the rabbit manure and food scraps a lot faster than the compost pile. I got a volunteer one going in the fall at my parents house and they composted a medium pile of quail manure and spilled feed in a pretty quick turnaround. It got cold though so I couldn't keep it going. I wonder if any of the pupae hatched?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 10, 2021)

Just got a text that the in-laws partially grown chickens have been massacred. Half dead and half missing. There were 20 littles with one older survivor from the first massacre. All gone or dead now. I told them they needed to fix their chicken run but apparently that didn't happen. 

I don't know if it's a fox or raccoon but that enclosure is definitely not predator resistant. They have old chicken wire along the bottom, and I watched a ground squirrel run right underneath the fence last time I was there. If a ground squirrel can get it, so could a raccoon or fox. The upper area is plastic bird netting. Just sad about the birds.


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## Baymule (Jun 10, 2021)

That’s terrible about your in laws chickens. Poor chickens.

I had an attached coop on my rabbitry. It had a door to the rabbit barn so I could close them out if I wanted. They didn’t roost on the cages. Occasionally a chicken would go walking on the cages and I swooped her off with my arm.


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## Bruce (Jun 10, 2021)

It seems many people just do not realize how "Fort Knox" a coop and run have to be. I'm sorry they lost their birds, hopefully that will be the wakeup call to rebuild properly.


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## Baymule (Jun 11, 2021)

Bruce said:


> It seems many people just do not realize how "Fort Knox" a coop and run have to be. I'm sorry they lost their birds, hopefully that will be the wakeup call to rebuild properly.


I studied BYC for months before I ever built my first coop. I studied the coop and predator forums, many of which started with (fill in the blank with predator of choice) 
__________ KILLED ALL MY CHICKENS! I built a Fort Knox coop, complete with wire laid on the ground all the way around it and never lost a single chicken.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 11, 2021)

We've lost birds in the past at my parents flock, and started upgrading the fencing a few years back. The side that was upgraded had had no incursions since but the non upgraded side is where the critters get in. Recently skunks or raccoons, thankfully they haven't lost too many birds in the past year. Sometimes the smaller young birds get out too, and we have to figure out where the new hole is and pile more rocks. I wonder if I can convince my hubby and brother to assist with doing the final sides of the pen... 

Hubby has been stressing about getting the house fixed up before the baby comes. We are going to push to get the living room flooring done this weekend so he can move the living room stuff back out of the den and then we can tackle that room next. He wants to get the kitchen remodeled but he's worried it won't happen until after the baby comes. He's been doing a bunch of electrical at a local cabinet making shop and they said they might be able to hook us up with kitchen cabinets just above cost, which would be fantastic. We'd plan out the kitchen using the Ikea kitchen planning website, then bring them the plans. I'm excited we might actually get a functional kitchen within the next year or two.

@farmerjan I think what you were saying on the other thread about taking advantage of the low interest rates right now is smart, and we might be able to do that to get the kitchen done, new non leaky roof, and maybe get the garage. Hubby has been saying if he had a garage he could set up his tools and such in that he'd be able to get projects done faster and easier. Plus we'd be able to store more stuff out of the way.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 11, 2021)

The bird pens I want to build here will be aviary style, with netting or fencing overhead. Too many critters know they can just climb over the fence to get tasty chicken nuggets. I don't like sharing my chicken nuggets with wildlife.


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## Bruce (Jun 11, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> thankfully they haven't lost too many birds in the past year.


I guess they are different than I am. ONE is TOO MANY for me. Lose one, fix the problem ASAP!



Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Hubby has been stressing about getting the house fixed up before the baby comes.


Tell him to chill a little  Baby won't be crawling around on the floor for many months. Plenty of time to finish stuff. DD1 was moved to another room when I got around to putting the hardwood down in her room. She was probably 6 months old at the time.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 11, 2021)

Bruce said:


> I guess they are different than I am. ONE is TOO MANY for me. Lose one, fix the problem ASAP!
> 
> 
> Tell him to chill a little  Baby won't be crawling around on the floor for many months. Plenty of time to finish stuff. DD1 was moved to another room when I got around to putting the hardwood down in her room. She was probably 6 months old at the time.


That's what I was trying to point out! SIL's little one is pushing 6 months and I don't even think she's crawling yet. We have a bassinet, a crib, or the puppy play pens to contain the little one, I think we'd be able to work on the house even after he arrives. Or just take him to grandma's (either one) to stay for a little bit. I think we can get it done tho, which would be a great load of stress gone.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 11, 2021)

Oh, and the reason they don't freak out about losing a chicken or two a year is they have over 20? hens, various ages and both mixed breed and store bought. We haven't counted in a while so the only thing we know for certain is we have two roosters and a lot of hens. A bunch are older and probably freeloaders, but there's enough producing that when they really get going mom is taking dozens into work almost every week to give to her coworkers. They can't go through them fast enough. I have 6 White leghorns over there too, they are I think 2 years this spring and they produce 5-6 eggs per day.


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## Bruce (Jun 12, 2021)

I have over 20 birds now too (with the 6 new chicks I got this week) but I don't consider any of them sacrificial even when they stop producing. And besides you KNOW the predators will take your best layers and/or favorite birds not the freeloaders.


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## Baymule (Jun 12, 2021)

I think y’all are making fantastic progress. Walk your husband around and remind him of how it WAS and just look at how far you’ve come! Brag on his and yours accomplishments, sounds like he needs a little encouragement.


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## Baymule (Jun 12, 2021)

I have 9 red sex links and something black, supposed to be black sex links from TSC. One is definitely a rooster with a dusky barred pattern . If he behaves, he can stay. Flog me once and he’s gone. Poor little black whatever they are have been brooded and raised with their grossly over weight CCX cousins. In the next few days, the last 8 will go to freezer camp and the black ??? Will have the chicken tractor parked in the shade and no more fat greedy cousins.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 13, 2021)

Baymule said:


> Flog me once and he’s gone.


Good plan. We have a one strike policy in my family, put into place when I was 3 years old. We had brand new chicks and used the play pen method to integrate them with the adults. We had a nasty mean rooster at the time. I was in the chick pen trying to grab a chick (causing them to panic and run around of course) and finally grabbed one. Just as I stood up holding the chick, in comes the rooster right at my face. He pecked me in the cheek about an inch below my eye. I'm very lucky he didn't get my eye. I started screaming and dropped the chick and parents came running. I ended up with three stitches and when we came back from the doctor's dad chopped the rooster's head off and we ate him for dinner. Since then we don't tolerate aggression in roosters, one toe outta line and we either eat them or take to auction where someone else will likely eat them. I still have the scar on my cheek but it has faded over the years.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 13, 2021)

Hubby making progress this morning, he rented a trencher! He had set up the irrigation pipe for the orchard as PVC but laid on top of the ground temporarily, now we can get it in the ground. Plus get water faucets set up in the driveway zone and towards the garden. This will make a huge difference in the yard and we'll be able to green it up a little bit to help decrease the fire danger. I believe he is also going to trench where the electrical is going to run down the driveway even though we don't have the conduit or wire for that yet. I want to get the gate up and working! I'm tired of random people driving into our yard, makes me think they are going to take stuff.

 I wonder if we can run a water line towards the temporary garden/rabbit zone? The permanent rabbit barn is supposed to be down that way. Hmm, gonna go bug him..


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 13, 2021)

And hubby hit the water pipe to the house... He went back over the trench to make it a bit deeper and the very first spot he started by the house has the water line apparently about 24" deep. No water to the house till that gets fixed. Sigh.


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## Ridgetop (Jun 13, 2021)

Aaah yes!  Those renovations that will "just take a couple of days" but end up lasting weeks, months, or years as more damage gets uncovered, discovered, caused . . . .  

When we bought our place here 33 years ago, DH assured me he could fix everything in 6 months.  I am sure he could have if he didn't need to work, if his employer didn't call mandatory overtime, if we had known how much there was to fix (in spite of an inspection), etc.  I learned to lay PVC pipe, do drywall, lay flooring, build cabinets, etc.  

When DH got home after a 12 hour day, 6-7 days a week, he would put in 4 hours on the house, barn, etc. before dropping into bed.  Luckily we were young, strong, optimistic (and possibly stupid?).  Years of labor taught us everything though so now no home repair or improvement frightens us.  And no real estate person can talk us into a purchase with "it only needs a little TLC"!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 14, 2021)

Well, we turned the oops into "it was totally on purpose". We needed to hook the new irrigation pipe to the water, so decided to install a Christi box where he cut thru the pipe and do it there. That meant he didn't have to trench up to the house and the connection was on the "before" side of the pressure regulator, so the irrigation pipe should have great pressure. 

How do we know it has great pressure you ask? Well, hubby glued the connections and waited about an hour before telling me to turn on all the taps in the house to flush out any dirt or air that may have gotten into the pipes. They were on for maybe half a minute, when I heard a muffled "pop" and then the water stopped. Yup, the pressure had popped one of the fittings and we had a small geyser in the yard. That was a fitting on the other side of the cutoff valve we installed to separate the new irrigation from the existing. Hubby turned that to off and turned the water back on. Then another fitting popped and he had to turn the water off again. He reglued the fittings and said we needed to wait until morning for water. Grr. We were already going to my parents for dinner, so they were kind enough to let us shower there as we were dirty and sawdusty from today's work.


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## Baymule (Jun 14, 2021)

Trencher! Water pipes! How exciting! When we moved here, there was only 2 water faucets, 1 at the front of the house, 1 at the back. I had to drag hoses around daily. That got old.

We hired a guy to run power to the sheep barn and horse barn, plus water to both and to the garden. I am grateful every day for those water faucets. I insisted on cut off valves on every one. Guy was irritated and tried to tell me I didn’t need them, but I stood my ground. When we have hard freezes, I cut them off.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 14, 2021)

And the fitting popped off again this morning. After hubby had gone to work and run a load of his laundry. Before I had watered my garden and animals, or got ready for work. Grr.

I turned the water off at the source, dug out the trench so it could drain more, and then tried to reglue it. The part that popped out was the reducer taking it from 1 1/2" pipe to the 1" pipe. I glued it then wrapped a ratchet strap around it. I turned the source back on and the strap held and I couldn't see any leaks, so I watered all the things and got ready for work. Then I turned off the water at the source again and released the pressure from the system before I left. Dunno what hubby can do to fix it or if it's fixed now.


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## Bruce (Jun 14, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Well, we turned the oops into "it was totally on purpose".


Kind of like a cat that falls off something then sits up and grooms itself "I MEANT to do that"
Sorry for the pipe troubles. I'm not real keen on PVC pressure water pipe. Fine for drains. 



Baymule said:


> I insisted on cut off valves on every one. Guy was irritated and tried to tell me I didn’t need them, but I stood my ground.


One of you is WAY smarter than the other. And the smarter one is the one that has to deal with any problems that may arise. Or may need to replace a downstream fixture. Lots easier when you don't have to shut off all the water.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 14, 2021)

We are going to melt this week.


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## GardnerHomestead (Jun 14, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> We are going to melt this week.
> View attachment 86014


Not looking forward to this. That 106 is so hard on the animals our meat chickens always look miserable .When we had bunnies i worried about them so much even with frozen water bottles.


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## Baymule (Jun 14, 2021)

Those are some high temperatures! It’s so hard on the animals. It may be a stupid question, but do y’all have air conditioning? I know some places don’t and when temperatures spike, it is awful. Here if you DONT have air conditioning, it’s because it just broke and the repair man is on the way.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 14, 2021)

Baymule said:


> Those are some high temperatures! It’s so hard on the animals. It may be a stupid question, but do y’all have air conditioning? I know some places don’t and when temperatures spike, it is awful. Here if you DONT have air conditioning, it’s because it just broke and the repair man is on the way.


We had it at the old house, and had it in the shipping container we were living in, but this house has a swamp cooler. We ordered a mini split ac heat pump and it's supposed to arrive this week. I hope it does and hubby can install it quickly.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 14, 2021)

GardnerHomestead said:


> Not looking forward to this. That 106 is so hard on the animals our meat chickens always look miserable .When we had bunnies i worried about them so much even with frozen water bottles.


Yeah, I have fans on them now, and one set of frozen water bottles but I need to get a second set so they have a full day to freeze in between use. Otherwise they barely last a few hours. I might try to figure out how to get a mister going to help cool them as well


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## Baymule (Jun 14, 2021)

If you freeze water in plastic bowls and pop it out, they can nibble on the ice block too.


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## farmerjan (Jun 14, 2021)

It was even on the local news here that Ca. was going to have record hot temps this week.... I feel for you... We are going to actually be a little cooler than we have been since the front moved out and has a little cooler and drier air behind it.  I'm glad.... we need a week of dry... DS cut hay today and will cut more tomorrow so we can get it made before the next possible weather comes in for Father's day weekend...


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## GardnerHomestead (Jun 15, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> We had it at the old house, and had it in the shipping container we were living in, but this house has a swamp cooler. We ordered a mini split ac heat pump and it's supposed to arrive this week. I hope it does and hubby can install it quickly.


we have a swamp cooler as well. Have never had a real cooler so we dont know what we are missing lol. I imagine going from AC to a swamp cooler would be hard.


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## Bruce (Jun 15, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> We ordered a mini split ac heat pump and it's supposed to arrive this week. I hope it does and hubby can install it quickly.


I suspect those temps will get him moving on it as soon as it gets to the house regardless of any other things that need to be done!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 15, 2021)

The Home Depot cancelled our order. Hubby contacted their customer service line and they've said we can resubmit the order and they'll give us 10% off. Which is great but I bet we'll have another 2 week wait until it arrives. Grr.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 16, 2021)

The mini split story gets better. Now it's out of stock. As are all the other 3 zone mini splits. Guess we know why they were so willing to give us 10% off... Very frustrated right now.


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## Baymule (Jun 16, 2021)

That is lousy. So now what? Maybe a small window unit just to get you by?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 16, 2021)

We've got the swamp cooler going, and the house seems ok to me. I don't think we can have the swamp cooler and an ac going at the same time. 

I'm more worried about the rabbits and the dogs. Rabbits got ice water bottles today and I found enough bottles so now there's a second set chilling for tomorrow. Hopefully they actually freeze solid. Dunno what we can do for the dogs, might need to buy another fan so they can have a breeze like the rabbits. Plus give them more shade.


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## Baymule (Jun 16, 2021)

Do the dogs have a wading pool to wet down in? One of those hard plastic waging pools can help them cool off.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 16, 2021)

Baymule said:


> Do the dogs have a wading pool to wet down in? One of those hard plastic waging pools can help them cool off.


We haven't given them one, but they are indoor outdoor dogs. Not really a fan of wet dog smell. I'll talk to hubby to see what he says.


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## Baymule (Jun 16, 2021)

No, no wet dogs in the house!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 16, 2021)

Oh, and my fix to the PVC appears to be holding. Hasn't popped off yet and we left the water main on while we were at work yesterday and today. At least that is working now. Fridge is having issues, too hot outside, no mini split because Home Depot screwed up, need new roof, saw is broken so the flooring is halted, and I still don't have my garden in.


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## Ridgetop (Jun 16, 2021)

If you don't have misters, put an old fashioned sprinkler on the top of the rabbit house.  Or get one of those sprinklers on a stand (they look like a twisted up piece of pipe and often come in bright colors) and put it in front of the fan so the fan blows air through the water.  It really helps.  Also fans blowing over big blocks of ice can help.

This is very unusual weather for June.  Usually very cool and gloomy this month here in California.  Big heat doesn't usually come in arrive until July.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 16, 2021)

Sheesh I sound whiney. 

Other positives to mention: orchard trees are now on a drip line and have protective cages, trenches dug and spigots are soon to be installed. Baby stuff is starting to accumulate, Goodwill has great prices on clothes.


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## Ridgetop (Jun 16, 2021)

When is baby due?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 16, 2021)

Ridgetop said:


> If you don't have misters, put an old fashioned sprinkler on the top of the rabbit house.  Or get one of those sprinklers on a stand (they look like a twisted up piece of pipe and often come in bright colors) and put it in front of the fan so the fan blows air through the water.  It really helps.  Also fans blowing over big blocks of ice can help.
> 
> This is very unusual weather for June.  Usually very cool and gloomy this month here in California.  Big heat doesn't usually come in arrive until July.


I need to put water or ice in front of the fans I have set up. I think it got this hot this early the year before last, because I was at the old house in June/late May and I lost most of two litters to the heat. It was my first year with rabbits and I shouldn't have bred so late but I didn't know any better at the time.



Ridgetop said:


> When is baby due?


Baby is due at the beginning of October. Just over 3.5 months left.


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## Ridgetop (Jun 16, 2021)

Worst part of pregnancy in the heat!  Actually no part of pregnancy was good for me.  Throwing up for 4 months, swelling feet, unable to bend over, constant trips to pee -  Where was the glow and wondrous calm of pregnancy?

Oh right!  *Now* when I can have grandbabies without any effort! 

We'll be think of you.

Oh yes, and definitely get a good size kiddie pool!  Not for the dogs - for you during the horrible heat of summer without A/C.  We only had A/C on the 2nd story of our 100 year old house and laying in that kiddie pool during the worst of the heat kept me alive!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 17, 2021)

Rabbits seemed to do ok yesterday. Ice bottles not freezing as quickly as I'd like. Going to keep adding bottles so there's more to keep the freezer cold. 

Found tasty sounding recipes for jerky yesterday, so I think I'm going to push for the darn extra rabbits to be butchered. I gathered most of the ingredients for the apple cider jerky, but not finding the instacure #1. Didn't really want to order it online but I might have to do so. 









						Apple Cider Pheasant Jerky
					

Enjoy this treat by preserving your wild bird meat into a portable snack. Making jerky is easier than you think with this simple recipe.




					projectupland.com
				












						Orange-Soy-Ginger Rabbit-Belly Jerky Recipe
					

Orange Soy Ginger Rabbit Belly Jerky Recipe




					www.realtree.com


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 18, 2021)

Yesterday was 102°, today is supposed to be the same or higher. Fans and ice bottles not cutting it for the rabbits. Very frustrated.

Hubby worked on the irrigation pipes and ran some conduit pipes for the electrical/video wiring. He wanted to get them all set up so he could fill in the trenches along the driveway. It was just getting dark and he started walking towards the front yard garden zone to work on that irrigation pipe and almost didn't see a little rattlesnake. It was maybe 2' long and did have a rattle. He shoveled it a few times. It it had been bigger I would have tried to skin it, he's wanted a rattlesnake skin. Now I'm freaked out there's snakes possibly everywhere. I feel like I should be carrying a stick around. Maybe we need some guinea fowl.


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## HomeOnTheRange (Jun 18, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> I feel like I should be carrying a stick around.


I carry a small 22 pistol with no. 12 bird shot filled shells.  Nice for snakes and other things without the worry of a slug traveling to far.


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## Baymule (Jun 18, 2021)

Fried rattlesnake is pretty good too.


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## Bruce (Jun 19, 2021)

Tastes like chicken? And do you chicken fry the rattlesnake?


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## Baymule (Jun 19, 2021)

Bruce said:


> Tastes like chicken? And do you chicken fry the rattlesnake?


Doesn't taste like chicken. Don't chicken fry, roll in cornmeal like frying fish.


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## Mini Horses (Jun 20, 2021)

Ever had alligator?  Tasted once, fishy!  Tastes like fish!  Don't like fish... .  Snake, never yet....not looking to.


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## Ridgetop (Jun 20, 2021)

Stuff tastes like what it eats.  Alligators eat fish (when they are not eating small pets and people who want to feed them!  LOL) so they taste fishy.  That is why wild ducks and geese often taste fishy as opposed to commercially raised ducks and geese.  Although geese are mostly plant eaters.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 24, 2021)

Hubby installed the baseboards and we were able to move the furniture back into the living room. Now the den is empty and we can start prepping that for the new flooring. Still need to get the fireplace surround tiles and get busy on the pedestal so we can put the fireplace back and out of the dining room.


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## Ridgetop (Jun 24, 2021)




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## Baymule (Jun 24, 2021)

Wow, that looks so good!!! I know y’all are thrilled with how it has come together (plus all the hard work). Beautiful!


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## B&B Happy goats (Jun 24, 2021)

Looks great, . I bet your happy to get moving along to the next project, big hugs to you


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 24, 2021)

First harvest of tomatoes!


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## Baymule (Jun 25, 2021)

Tomatoes! Mine are still green. They look delicious, enjoy!


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## Mini Horses (Jun 25, 2021)

How nice!   First is always so exciting....be it tomato, cuke or egg.   😁   same every season, amazing!   Mine are just blooming...I was late starting.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 25, 2021)

Tomatoes are now gone, we ate them on our salad last night. Nothing else in the garden is ready yet. The little zucchini plant I bought last weekend is perking up after planting and I'm hopeful I'll get zucchini later this summer. The pepper plants are still staying small, I wonder if I should give them some fertilizer? The Roma tomato plant is huge, and the other tomatoes and tomatillos are starting to grow into monster plants. Cilantro bolted already and the basil has been ravaged by bugs. Eventually I'll have my giant garden but so far it's just all in nursery pots and one raised bed.


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## Bruce (Jun 25, 2021)

Baymule said:


> Tomatoes! Mine are still green. They look delicious, enjoy!


I'm surprised they aren't farther along seeing as how you live in a warm climate. Did they go in late?


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## Baymule (Jun 25, 2021)

Bruce said:


> I'm surprised they aren't farther along seeing as how you live in a warm climate. Did they go in late?


Everything went in late. After the freakish record breaking winter storm we had, we had rains almost every day and unseasonably cold weather, nights especially. When that finally stopped, summer appeared with a vengeance. I still haven’t planted all my garden. I might not plant it all or plant more and call it a fall garden.


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## Mini Horses (Jun 25, 2021)

Me, too!!  Fall garden only.


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## Baymule (Jun 25, 2021)

Now it’s hot and dry.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 26, 2021)

I think I actually have a cayenne pepper growing! Just one single pepper though. I watered the garden this morning with some fertilizer in the water so we'll see if that makes the plants go nuts.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 28, 2021)

I don't think I shared this picture from 6/19, this little guy was in my garden! He was evicted with a shovel and it was the second rattlesnake we saw within a week, both about the same size. It freaked my hubby out because I was home alone and dealt with it without him. I threw it down the hill (using the shovel - the head was still snapping occasionally) and didn't bother trying to bury it, something came and cleaned it up within a day.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 28, 2021)

Just discovered this morning that the goji berry plant is escaping. I didn't know it would try to do this. I couldn't move the pot, it's rooted pretty decently.


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## Beekissed (Jun 28, 2021)

I think I'd be freaked out by poisonous snakes in my garden too!! We've pretty much eliminated all the copperheads hereabouts and have only seen a few in the past 25 yrs  now.  

You'll have to take to wearing snake chaps to garden!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 28, 2021)

Beekissed said:


> I think I'd be freaked out by poisonous snakes in my garden too!! We've pretty much eliminated all the copperheads hereabouts and have only seen a few in the past 25 yrs  now.
> 
> You'll have to take to wearing snake chaps to garden!


I've been wearing my rain boots out every time I'm in the yard now, I know it's not as good as actual anti-snake chaps or boots, but it's better than sandals.  For the few days after the snake visit I carried the shovel too lol! 

I'm hoping if we green up the area and get it landscaped and de-rocked, it will be less attractive to the snakes and I can worry less about letting the dogs and future kids out into the yard.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 1, 2021)

Moved some of the plant pots around in the garden this morning, tried to kind of make wider aisle ways so I could walk in between and water the individual pots. I took out some of the pots that had plants die, I can reuse the soil and upgrade some of the plants in smaller pots. 

The Roma tomato is humongous, and apparently it's because it grew out the bottom. And without the support from the pot right next to it, is too top heavy to stay upright. Made it a bit challenging and I couldn't rearrange that whole zone the way I wanted to. 

No snakes, lizards or other creepy crawlies were discovered, but lots of evidence of vole/mole activity and lots of pincher bugs. I squished a snail last night too.

I was relaxing playing in the garden, almost made me late for work. I bought a cucumber start last night, going to see if I can grow some cucumbers for the rabbits. It will get potted up this evening.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 5, 2021)

Took Liberty in for an x-ray to see if she was actually pregnant and she didn't have any puppies. It's kinda what I thought, as she didn't look pregnant at all to me.

We gave her a bath before she went in and now she smells good instead of gross. Plus her fur is soft again. Had to cut out a chunk of her ear hair as she gave herself a big mat, now her ears look odd because one is fuller than the other.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 5, 2021)

Hubby rented a stump grinder and has been grinding away all day. The oak stumps went quickly even though they were over a foot in diameter, but the huge pine stumps took a very long time. The outside was rotting away but the middle was still full of sap and difficult to grind despite being cut for probably close to a decade. 

The machine came with a full tank of gas, I put 4 gallons in the spare gas can, and he went through all of that. We just went and got another 8-10 gallons in the two spare gas cans, hopefully he can finish the last of the stumps and not have to buy more. I think it was worth the amount, it certainly cost less to rent this machine than the quote we got for two hours to have a stump grinder guy come over. I think his machine was bigger though, so might have gone through the stumps faster.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 5, 2021)

I always forget the "before" pictures, so here's an "in progress" one.





You can kinda see the chip pile from the biggest stump in between the left and middle tree trunks.


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## farmerjan (Jul 5, 2021)

Gonna cost me about $500 to get the guy here to stump grind the boxwood stumps in the back and the big old stump in front of the maple tree... But I am not up to it with these knees.... and I asked to leave the chip/sawdust piles too.  Going to get on his list, just haven't had the time, and with paying for the house cleaning, it will be another couple weeks to have the extra cash to do it.... 
Then see about getting the friend to look at and get the plans in the works for the base to set the outdoor wood furnace on....I want it where the boxwoods were behind the house.....he said that one thing he wished he had done, was put it on a concrete pad rather than stone base... so that is what I am going to do... get the pipes and all trenched in... shouldn't need it much before late Nov or Dec... but want to get all the preliminary work done,  before I go get the knees done... Another reason to not give up testing yet....


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 5, 2021)

The estimate we got for two hours was $200/hour. The unit hubby rented was $325 ish for 24 hours, but you have to bring it back clean and full tank of gas or they charge you fees. I think it was worth it, he took maybe 4 hours with a break to do the big pine stump. The oak stumps maybe 10+ minutes each. Some almost seemed more time moving the machine over and positioning it than grinding. 

It'll be worth it to get the guy out to grind that for you, unless you can get your DS's girlfriend to sweet talk him into renting a stump grinder and doing it for you. The unit hubby used has like a little joystick controller on the back and you just walk behind it. It didn't buck him around like the trencher did cause that one had a step on the back you were supposed to stand on.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 5, 2021)

Hubby ripped up the carpet in the den a few days ago, and we discovered someone cut through the particleboard. Can't quite tell why, but we are assuming they were cutting something else on top of it and didn't bother to change the height/depth of the blade. Picture with cat to show scale, lol. Hubby is going to have to rip out a large section where the cuts are and replace with OSB.







Plus, at the far end of the hallway, where the two edges of the different sections come together, they are off by almost an inch in height.

The cat in the picture is Abby, who is generally the scaredey cat. She does run from the dogs, but she can leap the 3' tall play pen while the other cat, Penny, refuses to try to jump, even when the dogs attempt to chase.


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## Bruce (Jul 6, 2021)

So they just put a carpet down on top of the sliced up subfloor? You bought from idiots. Oh wait, you already knew that.

I HOPE that the person charging $200/hour for stump grinding has a tractor 3 point grinder that can eat stumps fast.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 6, 2021)

Bruce said:


> So they just put a carpet down on top of the sliced up subfloor? You bought from idiots. Oh wait, you already knew that.
> 
> I HOPE that the person charging $200/hour for stump grinding has a tractor 3 point grinder that can eat stumps fast.


Yup, just the carpet and pad on top of the sliced up mess. The deep cut right next to the cat's front paws is supported on one side but on the other; if you step close to the cut the floor goes down a good inch or so, enough you could slide your toes into the gap if you were silly enough. You can see where they had to install additional backing near the triangle looking cut, I think because that piece came out. These people were definitely morons.

It sounded like the guy had a huge monster of a machine, and he was confident he could get through the pine stumps and most of the oaks stumps within two hours. Sounded like his machine was brand new.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 6, 2021)

Garden was rearranged in the last week or so. Found a bunch of plants who need bigger pots, and several of the figs are growing through their pots. I wish the orchard was more finalized so I could get them in the ground even though I know it would be better to wait until fall. They seem to be trying to plant themselves though. Spotted several lizards but no snakes while garden was rearranged. Still may rearrange a few more to make more aisle ways.










I actually have TWO cayenne peppers! Can I dehydrate them to make cayenne powder? I'll probably get less than a teaspoon off of these two peppers..




My brother gave me strawberries, two are cloning themselves. I might actually get a strawberry this year!




This is the avocado I'm trying to air layer. It has two trunks which grew from one avocado pit. There's an air layering thread on SS that has more details if anyone is interested.




Little baby avocado, this seed sat outside in the pot since last summer. I kept watering it and less than a month ago it decided it was time to grow. The small pot is a thyme that kept getting lost or not watered enough, so it got a booster seat to get more sunshine and water. Seems to be working well.


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## Margali (Jul 8, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Set up a box fan, going to add a second one tonight if I can get another power cord. Dunno if I should try to make an impromptu swamp cooler with the fan or just leave as is. I can buy a swamp cooler pad for less than $10, but would have to figure out a way to keep water running onto it. Maybe PVC with holes attached to a 5 gallon bucket with a float to refill as it empties?


I know I'm a month behind but here's our cooler for our RV. Technically a fin fan / radiator not a swamp cooler.
Pump $10
Copper coil $10
MIP x compression fitting $5
Fan
Cooler/ 5gal bucket

You freeze gallon jugs of water and put them in water in cooler. The cold water circulates in tubing and cools air going across. It actually lowers humidty by condensing water vapor than increasing it like a swamp cooler.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 8, 2021)

Margali said:


> I know I'm a month behind but here's our cooler for our RV. Technically a fin fan / radiator not a swamp cooler.
> Pump $10
> Copper coil $10
> MIP x compression fitting $5
> ...


Interesting, I will have to show that to my hubby. We could probably make one of those pretty quick.

Right now the fans and mister are working ok for the rabbits, it's supposed to get well over 100 again this weekend. Not looking forward to that.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 8, 2021)

Well, there was an earthquake that hit near the border between CA and Nevada, I guess a couple in CA today but that was the closest. I didn't feel anything at work but my MIL texted to say she felt it and it shook their whole shop. My mom felt it at her work a few towns over and it made the overhead lights swing and moved her computer chair. Guess it was a pretty strong one.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 9, 2021)

I can't wait for the weekend! Hubby and I want to try to knock out the floor in the den this weekend and maybe get a start on the dining room. Dunno how far we'll get because it's supposed to be hot.

List:
1. Hubby fix floor in den while I prep the walls so drywall can be installed.
2. Hubby install drywall in den while I clean up the dining room and remove items.
3. Remove built in china hutch monstrosity from dining room.
4. Start installing floor in den while hubby repairs floor and installs drywall in dining room.
5. Finish floor in den and hallway, begin flooring in dining room.
6. Argue about remodeling kitchen.


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## Baymule (Jul 9, 2021)

If it were me and my husband, #6 would be attached to #1, 2, 3, 4, 5, before and after!


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## Bruce (Jul 10, 2021)

A magnitude 5.9 *earthquake* shook the *California*-Nevada border Thursday afternoon, with people reporting feeling a jolt hundreds of miles away, as far as the Bay Area, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The earthquake, reported just south of Lake Tahoe, triggered a series of aftershocks with at least one with a 4.6 magnitude, the USGS said. 

Source


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## farmerjan (Jul 10, 2021)

Heard about it on the radio..... haven't heard about any major devastation from it though which is good....


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 10, 2021)

Bruce said:


> A magnitude 5.9 *earthquake* shook the *California*-Nevada border Thursday afternoon, with people reporting feeling a jolt hundreds of miles away, as far as the Bay Area, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
> 
> The earthquake, reported just south of Lake Tahoe, triggered a series of aftershocks with at least one with a 4.6 magnitude, the USGS said.
> 
> Source


Yup, that's the one. I didn't feel it at all.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 10, 2021)

We are gonna melt. Posting this while standing under the swamp cooler.


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## Bruce (Jul 10, 2021)

This would be me


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 10, 2021)

Phone now saying it's 106 outside. Rabbits are hot but misters are keeping the area cooler. Swamp cooler going at max power but doesn't feel like much.

Hubby pushing to buy a portable AC, I'd rather just get the dang mini split for the whole house.


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## Bruce (Jul 10, 2021)

I agree with you. I don't think portable ACs are very efficient. Spend more money and get something that will heat and cool a larger area.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 10, 2021)

Hubby bought one. It doesn't feel much cooler than the swamp cooler. He thinks it's better...


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## Bruce (Jul 11, 2021)

They have them at the massage place and they seem to work. We had one at our old house and I swear it actually heated the house. Hot air going out a thin plastic "tube" that got hot. Plus it had this dumb @SS flat tray under it that held pretty much no condensate and was a b1tch to keep it empty. Stopped using it and tossed it in the dump when I cleared the house out.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 12, 2021)

Almost 11:30 at night and it's still over 85°. My feet feel swollen and I had to take my ring off my right hand as I was afraid it would get stuck. Left hand can still get ring off. Supposed to stay hot for the next 10 days, but might dip down into the mid 80s during the week. I don't remember it getting this hot last year. Either that, or this house just sucks and the last one had actual shade.


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## Baymule (Jul 12, 2021)

I’m sorry you are feeling the heat with no AC. I’ve lived with no AC at various times in my life, I got used to it. I don’t want to get used to it any more. Hopefully the heat will break and things will cool off for you.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 12, 2021)

Baymule said:


> I’m sorry you are feeling the heat with no AC. I’ve lived with no AC at various times in my life, I got used to it. I don’t want to get used to it any more. Hopefully the heat will break and things will cool off for you.


Unfortunately I think it's gonna stay hot, probably into September. I think part of the problem is that this property is not irrigated, so the whole place is dry and hot. If we can get irrigation water and pipeline/sprinklers going and keep it green next year I think it might not be so bad. Hubby has sprinklers going on a timer in the driveway zone, and I don't think the "grass" is going to come back. I think it was just weeds and miner's lettuce. I think I'll see if I can buy some clover seed but I'm not too confident that anything will sprout. Plus the darn turkeys will probably eat the seeds before they get a chance to grow.

I think I'll go by Green Acres on the way home and see if they have any suggestions.


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## Bruce (Jul 12, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> miner's lettuce


Apparently we don't have that one.

What you need are some nice big shade trees all around the house.
What you DON'T need are some nice big shade trees all around the house that can fall on it. 
Catch-22!!!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 12, 2021)

Bruce said:


> Apparently we don't have that one.
> 
> What you need are some nice big shade trees all around the house.
> What you DON'T need are some nice big shade trees all around the house that can fall on it.
> Catch-22!!!


Yeah, there's several oak trees that shade on the eastern side, so those help in the morning, but they are too close to the house for our comfort and we'll be taking at least several down once hubby can get his dad's lift truck & possibly the crane over here. I want to plant a loquat or several that side, they are evergreen and should give decent shade. Not sure they'd get tall enough to shade the house though.

The south side doesn't have much in the way of trees, but there's an oak a decent distance away that might give shade, haven't watched it to be sure. Don't want/need to take that down because it's far enough I feel comfortable. Going to plant some citrus in that zone, there's a grapefruit but it's not very big.

Western side has some trees but the ground slopes downward that side so I think they are less help. The ones by the master bedroom need to go as they are closer to the house than we'd like and interfere with the internet signal. I want to redo that area and remove all the rocks and plant a butterfly garden there. Maybe we can get a Crepe Myrtle, those can get decently big given enough time, although they are messy. They can be shaped to a tree or shrub. Mom's are like trees in her backyard, taller than the house but not by much. They are probably 30+ years old.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 12, 2021)

I went by Green Acres and they didn't have the 3 or 5 gallon nursery pots I wanted, so I got some 2 gallon pots. I bought a strawberry guava and a pineapple guava.

I also took some pics of different shrubs that could possibly work for along the driveway with the neighbors to block the view. I think it'll probably take 3 years or more for them to get tall enough, but they might work.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 12, 2021)

Hubby was busy this afternoon after work, prepping the area to install the new subfloor. 












Penny is supervising.


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## Bruce (Jul 13, 2021)

Cat says "cut the work and feed me!!"


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 13, 2021)

Bruce said:


> Cat says "cut the work and feed me!!"


Lol, we have an automatic food dispenser for the cats, because little miss piggy Penny will eat too much if I free feed. It dispenses the kibble throughout the day and now they don't mug me when I get home. She's still a bit overweight, but she's better than she was a year ago.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 13, 2021)

I potted up the new strawberry guava and pineapple guava this morning.








Then I discovered that sometime since yesterday morning a deer attacked my garden!!! I'm so mad! I'm worried the squash won't make it, the deer ate almost every leaf!








The stupid deer even ate part of the horseradish!!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 13, 2021)

The deer skipped over all the baby figs, even the plants that had fruit started. Also skipped the seedling squash, that would have disappeared completely in one bite. 

I am going to try to get fishing line and bamboo stakes, attach the stakes to the fence posts and string the line between, with little flags along the line so the deer have to jump ridiculously high to get over the fence.


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## Bruce (Jul 13, 2021)

Ridiculously high to a deer is about 7'. I understand that 2 parallel 4' fences a few feet apart works. I guess they need some distance forward to go with the up. They won't jump into the smaller space. Supposedly.



Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Lol, we have an automatic food dispenser for the cats, because little miss piggy Penny will eat too much if I free feed. It dispenses the kibble throughout the day and now they don't mug me when I get home. She's still a bit overweight, but she's better than she was a year ago.


DD2's cat eats his dry food so fast that he barfs it up almost immediately. I found this slow feeder dish on Amazon. He can't eat fast because he has to paw out most every piece. She's planning to get an auto feeder when she moves out (whenever that might be). That might not solve the scarf and barf problem though because it will release whatever quantity into a pile.



Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> the deer ate almost every leaf!


At least it left the artichoke alone!!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 13, 2021)

Bruce said:


> Ridiculously high to a deer is about 7'. I understand that 2 parallel 4' fences a few feet apart works. I guess they need some distance forward to go with the up. They won't jump into the smaller space. Supposedly.


The current fence is 4-5', but has two low spots where we ran out of fence and used old stuff that's only 3'? tall. I was thinking if the bamboo stakes are 4-5', then I can make the fence look closer to 9' tall. Here's hoping.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 13, 2021)

I placed an order for bare root trees to arrive in Nov-Dec. Early Christmas present! Some of the other trees I wanted are not in stock. Going to have to check back again and see if they come into stock or not. Getting a free tree too! Arbor day foundation.

Hybrid Poplar - to try to grow for firewood
Hazelnut - for fruit and possibly firewood
Silver maple - for shade and possibly firewood
Sweetshrub - for landscaping, it has fragrant flowers
Red maple - free tree! - for shade and possibly firewood

I don't know if it will even get cold enough here to try to tap the maples to make syrup. Probably not enough quantity to make anything.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 14, 2021)

The deer attacked again while I was at work!!! 😡😡😡

Didn't discover the damage until I was doing rabbit night chores. They chomped on the kiwi!! And several more baby trees. Hopefully they will survive. Couldn't find bamboo stakes while at the store, so grabbed some branches from the pine hubby took down and used those with the string I bought to increase the fence and gate height. Definitely taller now, dunno if it's tall enough to actually keep the deer out. I grabbed a box of Irish spring soap, need to drill holes in that and string up around the perimeter.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 14, 2021)

Posted a pic of a giant bug on FB and my gardening friends told me it was a bad bug that eats fruit tree roots, so I ran back outside to try to squish it. The bug was gone but I surprised a deer who was hanging around the back fence. I yelled at it and it ran away. I then hung up the soap I bought around the fence line. Going to go check to see if there's new damage this morning.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 14, 2021)

Took pictures of my late night fence "upgrade", hard to see but it's made out of sticks, furring strips, a trellis, and string, installed around 11pm. Totally deer proof, right?? Lol, glad this eyesore is in the back of the house and not facing the front yard. Needs to be taller still. Mom has 6 bamboo stakes I can borrow, and I think I can get more sticks at her/my house. Maybe I should put the trellis vertical instead of landscape to get more height?


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## Bruce (Jul 15, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> The current fence is 4-5', but has two low spots where we ran out of fence and used old stuff that's only 3'? tall. I was thinking if the bamboo stakes are 4-5', then I can make the fence look closer to 9' tall. Here's hoping.


I once saw a post of a deer proof fence that was just fairly small diameter wood of various heights when "planted", gaps between them. Apparently the deer don't like the varying height of the "posts". Thus your jury rigged fence may be a deterrent.  Maybe weave some branches in the fishing line to make them more obvious?



Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Red maple - free tree! - for shade and possibly firewood


In your kid's life time 



Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> I don't know if it will even get cold enough here to try to tap the maples to make syrup. Probably not enough quantity to make anything.


Likely not. They need a long freeze then a freeze overnight, above freezing during the day cycle to get the sap pumping. Once they bud the sap will be nasty so no more syrup making. Tree should be minimum 12" diameter for a single tap.


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## GardnerHomestead (Jul 15, 2021)

Im also currently battling deer, they got into my garden and ate so much, i wanted to cry lol. we are trying really high netting this weekend. 8 feet, from amazon. This time of year they have babies and are very opportunistic, hope your fencing keeps them out.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 15, 2021)

Bruce said:


> They need a long freeze then a freeze overnight, above freezing during the day cycle to get the sap pumping.


Umm, we don't freeze here... Sometimes the grass/field will get frosty but not consistently through the winter. 

Maybe I can plant some maples at the in law's cabin, it is above the snow line so I'm pretty sure that would get cold enough. Would have to figure out if they could completely survive without human input, it's almost an hour drive away and unlikely we'd be able to check on them often.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 15, 2021)

GardnerHomestead said:


> Im also currently battling deer, they got into my garden and ate so much, i wanted to cry lol. we are trying really high netting this weekend. 8 feet, from amazon. This time of year they have babies and are very opportunistic, hope your fencing keeps them out.


Yeah, there's one with a cute spotted baby I keep seeing on the long driveway. There have been 2-3 "attacks" so far, but I don't think they have gotten in after I hung the Irish spring soap up. 

I was able to get some bamboo stakes at home Depot last night, six 6' stakes for $3.28, so I'm weaving that into the top of the fence and then using the cotton string to make a zig zag net look. I think the whole thing is close to 8' now?? I think I can get more done this evening after work. I did about 18' of the fence line last night before deciding that being dizzy on a step stool at 11 pm fiddling with stuff with my arms over my head might not be the best idea. Hubby was already in bed. Couldn't get a picture last night as it was too dark, and forgot this morning. I'm going to redo the low spot I fixed earlier too, make it look less trashy.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 15, 2021)

These were a few days apart, same doe and fawn.


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## Bruce (Jul 15, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Umm, we don't freeze here... Sometimes the grass/field will get frosty but not consistently through the winter.
> 
> Maybe I can plant some maples at the in law's cabin, it is above the snow line so I'm pretty sure that would get cold enough. Would have to figure out if they could completely survive without human input, it's almost an hour drive away and unlikely we'd be able to check on them often.


Might want to check with the locals before you spend the time and money. And then there is that time thing, you WILL be planting your "sugarbush" for your kids.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 17, 2021)

Went to green acres again yesterday for some more nursery pots, and checked out the fruit trees/plants while I was there. They had a sale on the raspberries for $1 for a 1 gallon pot!! I bought 3 'Lewis' variety, going to pot them up until we figure out where we'll have the berry patch. I also bought a second pineapple guava.


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## Baymule (Jul 17, 2021)

What about planting redbud trees around the house? They make small trees that won’t fall on your house, but give nice shade.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 19, 2021)

I'll have to look at the redbud trees, see if they would work. Definitely going to order more trees/bare root for this winter now that we are starting to figure out how we want the place to look. 

Still need to figure out irrigation, NID starts on the winter cycle so we need to get it figured out sooner than later so we don't get held back a year. They only offered us water from the canal at the bottom of the property, so we'd have to pump it uphill to feed the whole property. 

Hubby wants to get it from the upper side so everything will be gravity fed. It would have to cross at least 3 parcels, probably closer to 5-6 to reach us from that direction. But, if we could get it from that direction, we are pretty sure the neighbors would also pitch in to get access (two grow pot plants). I don't know if NID will allow us to pull from that direction though. The good part is if it is allowed, we already have an easement through the neighboring 3 parcels (who would benefit from the water) for the access road and utilities. Would just need an easement through the ones beyond that.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 19, 2021)

I picked a bunch of Roma tomatoes, need to find a recipe for making pasta sauce. I have a hankering for lasagna now, need to figure out how I can make it. I've done it before, twice I think, but always figure the ingredients wrong so it ends up a ridiculously large amount of lasagna. Maybe I should make it at my folks house, then there'd be 6 people to eat it instead of 2. Plus I want to see if I can do it with zucchini noodles, at least for part of it. I think it freezes ok too (not sure with the zucchini option) so would be good to make ahead especially as I get closer to due date.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 19, 2021)

Bought a bunch of cherries too, need to process those before they go bad. I want to try to dry some as well as freeze some in pie sized portions.


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## Margali (Jul 19, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> They only offered us water from the canal at the bottom of the property, so we'd have to pump it uphill to feed the whole property.


What is the total distance and elevation change from ditch at bottom to top of property? A solar power pond pump, tubing, and a resevoir tank might be an option to allow gravity feeding.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 19, 2021)

Margali said:


> What is the total distance and elevation change from ditch at bottom to top of property? A solar power pond pump, tubing, and a resevoir tank might be an option to allow gravity feeding.


The parcel is an almost perfect rectangle. The canal where we'd have to install a pump is about 900' from the south west corner of the parcel. The elevation at the bottom/west of the property is around 1000. The elevation at the top/east of the property is around 1300 or just under it. The parcel is over 1200' long from the west to east.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 19, 2021)

The water pipe blew the fitting off again. The water company had to come out and shut off the water because it was spewing so much water, this was about noon according to the notice they left. Hubby bought $170 more fittings, including a pressure regulator to fix it. Hopefully the 4th fix will actually work. Hubby won't let us use the water for 24 hours, so hopefully the garden can last that long. Rabbits seemed ok with the fan on high. Going to give them their ice blocks when I leave for work tomorrow morning.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 20, 2021)

I went to check on the orchard trees and it looks like we might have lost an apricot and a nectarine, they are very dry looking and I tried to scrape some of the bark on the one that didn't look as bad as the other and it didn't scrape well and looked brown. So that's 2 cherries, a pear, an apricot, and a nectarine lost so far. Grr. 

The one almond doesn't look so great, but I think it's because the deer keep chomping on it, somehow it got skipped when we were making the tree guards. I think we still have some scrap fencing we can make into a guard around it. All the trees need mulch too, to help keep their roots cooler.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 21, 2021)

Water is back on, hopefully the fix lasts this time. Hubby installed a pressure regulator that brings it from about 160 pressure down to 50. Watered the garden a bit and the rabbits did ok today.


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## Baymule (Jul 21, 2021)

For watering the trees, get 5 gallon buckets and drill a 3/16 hole in the bottom. Fill with water and it will slowly seep into the soil with no run off. Put a brick or rock in the bottom to keep it from blowing away when empty. Move the bucket around the tree on each watering. 

I have made lasagna with zucchini noodles, it comes out a bit watery. Good, but too watery. I tried dehydrating the zucchini noodles and that was not very satisfactory. Sooooo I have had another brain fart, Ill share with you. I have a Keto lasagna recipe that you make the noodles with eggs, mozzarella and cauliflower rice. I'm going to substitute grated zucchini. I will grate it, package in 2 1/2 packages and freeze, then thaw and squeeze out the excess water. 

Here is the recipe for the noodles, just do the zucchini as above.

3 large eggs
1 12 ounce package frozen cauliflower rice
1 cup shredded mozzarella
kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350 and line a half sheet cookie pan with parchment paper. Beat eggs, pour in cauliflower rice, mozzarella and salt. Spread over prepared pan in an even layer about 1/4" thick. Bake until firm to the touch and golden, about 25 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes. 

Play with the recipe, the instructions say it will do for a 8x8 pan. Then proceed with your lasagna recipe. 

for meal portions, it freezes well, in or out of the pan. If you have a Food Saver and want to freeze it in bags. just put a portion in a bag and freeze with the top open, overnight. Once frozen it can be vacuum sealed. Wipe the inside of the bag to get rid of any moisture for a good seal.


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## Baymule (Jul 21, 2021)

I have served that lasagna before and nobody knew it wasn't pasta noodles until I told them.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 22, 2021)

Water is still working. Watched a bunch of meal prep freezer videos on YouTube last night, I feel motivated to make some but need to make sure they are recipes I'll actually eat. I think it'll be smart if I can make a bunch of meals and stick them in the freezer so once baby is here I don't have to do much beyond heat things up in the microwave or oven. Plus we could save a bunch of money if we plan things correctly.


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## Baymule (Jul 22, 2021)

A big pot of stew is good for several meals. 
Bake a chicken and freeze it in meal portions.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 23, 2021)

Hubby's birthday is today, going to have small get together at my folks house with steak, Mac n cheese, baked potatoes, corn, cauliflower, bread, and chocolate chip dark chocolate brownies and homemade vanilla ice cream for dessert. Gonna be in a food coma. Have to make it through work first though.

Hubby liked his present, I got him the boxed sets of all the Stargates. So now even if they take them off Netflix again, we can watch them whenever we want.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 23, 2021)

75 days. 

Starting to freak out a little. Trying to get baby room more organized and clean. Then need to get master bedroom organized and clean. Still need floor in den done, walking on the particleboard and OSB is not fun. Starting to think that maybe hubby and mom are right and I won't get my new kitchen before baby arrives. Grr. So tired of cruddy layout of current kitchen.


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## Baymule (Jul 23, 2021)

That is some humdinger of a birthday dinner! Yummy!
If it’s going to be awhile before you get the floor done, paint it. It makes it easier to walk on.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 23, 2021)

I'm gonna make him work on it this weekend. The longer he takes to get the subfloor done, the bigger I'm gonna get and harder it will be to install the flooring. Maybe I'll get him up early tomorrow morning to work on it.


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## Baymule (Jul 23, 2021)

Just promise him another birthday dinner!


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## HomeOnTheRange (Jul 23, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> I got him the boxed sets of all the Stargates.


Loved all 11 seasons of SG-1.  Like SG Atlantis as well.  Did not like SG Universe, to much whining.
Liked the original move, but not so much the newer ones...



Baymule said:


> If it’s going to be awhile before you get the floor done, paint it. It makes it easier to walk on.


I like my painted floors.  Since they are easy to keep, I turned my two back rooms into grow rooms since I could spill all sorts of things on them and not hurt them.  Plus clean up is easy! (No @Baymule, not that kind of grow room!!)


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## Baymule (Jul 23, 2021)

HomeOnTheRange said:


> Loved all 11 seasons of SG-1.  Like SG Atlantis as well.  Did not like SG Universe, to much whining.
> Liked the original move, but not so much the newer ones...
> 
> 
> I like my painted floors.  Since they are easy to keep, I turned my two back rooms into grow rooms since I could spill all sorts of things on them and not hurt them.  Plus clean up is easy! (No @Baymule, not that kind of grow room!!)


Not that kind of grow room? I was only thinking vegetables……..


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 23, 2021)

HomeOnTheRange said:


> Loved all 11 seasons of SG-1.  Like SG Atlantis as well.  Did not like SG Universe, to much whining.
> Liked the original move, but not so much the newer ones...
> 
> 
> I like my painted floors.  Since they are easy to keep, I turned my two back rooms into grow rooms since I could spill all sorts of things on them and not hurt them.  Plus clean up is easy! (No @Baymule, not that kind of grow room!!)


Hubby really loves Stargate. He was very surprised I hadn't seen it before we met (I'd seen the movie but not the different series). So we had Stargate marathons and watched them all. Partway through Netflix decided to stop carrying whichever series we were on and we were stuck for a month or so till it came back.

I liked Atlantis best I think, but did like Universe. Although it seemed a bit far fetched that the one dude in Universe knew everything. Usually if you are a specialist in a field you don't have time to become a specialist in another field let alone several others. I wish they hadn't just ended the series the way they did, I wanna know what happened next. I've heard rumors there's a new series potentially in the works, dunno how long we'll have to wait for it though. It would be fun if they continued the Universe series somehow, or at least looped in some of the actors so we learn what happened.


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## farmerjan (Jul 23, 2021)

Since I have not had TV for over 15 years, I have no idea what Stargate is... and I pretty much quit watching most stuff 10 years before that except for a few things since my work schedule was so crazy when I was both testing and banquet waitressing.... There is a 2 season "series" called Legacy... Kentucky horse farm set back 1800's..... but it ended at the end of the second season... and it needed to keep going... left alot of unanswered stuff... 
I have only seen bits and pieces of Star Wars, or the one with "beam me up Scotty",   and other stuff like that... never seen Harry Potter series.... I was never into spaceship stuff or "supernatural" stuff.  One of these days.....


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## Bruce (Jul 23, 2021)

farmerjan said:


> I have no idea what Stargate is.


Similar here.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 23, 2021)

It's a science fiction movie, that they then made into a tv show, then two different spinoffs and another movie. 

Stargate SG-1 https://g.co/kgs/shTN7k


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## farmerjan (Jul 24, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> It's a science fiction movie, that they then made into a tv show, then two different spinoffs and another movie.
> 
> Stargate SG-1 https://g.co/kgs/shTN7k


Thanks....


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 25, 2021)

Hubby made a bunch of progress in the den, got subfloor finished and then his dad and grandpa came over and helped install the drywall on all 3 walls. Hubby taped and mudded, and will sand and mud again on Sunday. I might be able to start the flooring Sunday but may wait until the sanding and mudding is done with. Amazing how much progress can happen in a few short hours with some motivation.


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## Baymule (Jul 25, 2021)

Better let them texture and paint before starting on the floors! The walls are making a huge leap forward! Yay for Dad and Grandpa helping!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 25, 2021)

Baymule said:


> Better let them texture and paint before starting on the floors! The walls are making a huge leap forward! Yay for Dad and Grandpa helping!


The wall behind the fireplace hasn't been textured or painted yet, I think we are going to try to do them all at the same time. We can put a drop cloth down and protect the flooring, it worked well in the living room. Hubby isn't allowed to paint unsupervised as he doesn't check for drips and holidays, and doesn't do edging. 

I think I'm going to pack up everything in the built in china hutch and push for that to be taken down so we can get the wall in the dining room at the same time.


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## Bruce (Jul 26, 2021)

I'd wait on the floor until the walls are done. Otherwise you'll be fighting the sanding dust. If you wait until they are painted the painters don't have to be careful


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 26, 2021)

Hubby is finished mudding, needs a little more sanding and possibly some touchups, he doesn't like how some of the corners came out. 

It's crazy how much brighter that room looks without the dark wood paneling on the far wall. Probably helps that the curtains are down but still.


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## Bruce (Jul 26, 2021)

Corners are hard. So are butt joints if you don't have tapered edges.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 28, 2021)

Yesterday it sprinkled!! I think for a good portion of the morning and stayed cloudy for quite some time. I don't have a rain gauge so I don't know how much it was but not a lot. 

Came home from work yesterday and hubby had textured the den. Didn't texture the fireplace wall, grr. I started taking the stuff out of the china cabinet and took out all the doors and drawers I could reach. The stupid fireplace is in the way so I couldn't get the stuff in the middle. I really want to do that wall when we do the others but hubby is dragging his heels. I told him he's not allowed to paint the den without me as he doesn't look for or prevent drips. Might prime it tonight even though the fireplace wall isn't ready.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 28, 2021)

Also got our water bill yesterday, plus a letter stating our usage had increased drastically from the prior month. No duh. The pipe came apart at least twice and wasted a ton of water. The bills for the prior two months were about $75 each. The current bill is just over $400. I've watered the garden the same for the past few months, so can't blame it on that. We did get the drip system set up for the orchard, but I don't remember which month that started. On for 30-60 minutes (can't remember which, hubby set it up) 2x per day, with 5 gal/hr dripper per tree. 

Really want to get irrigation water for the property. Have been researching that, and hubby has been talking to a lot of the neighbors. Apparently the group of parcels above our group of 4, has irrigation water pipes in from a box a mile away? Sounds like they are buying it without the utility's knowledge and apparently there is some water theft going on. If we could get the whole lane on a pipe, with official accounts, people should actually receive the water they are paying for. Kind of afraid to rock the boat tho, don't want to get the neighbors in trouble, I just want water.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 29, 2021)

Textured


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 29, 2021)

Omg, little dude has been kicking way more starting a few days ago. I think he's practicing karate or soccer kicks or something. 10 more weeks!


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## Baymule (Jul 29, 2021)

Walls are looking great!
10 weeks! It won’t be long now!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 29, 2021)

Sat down next to hubby and showed him where the baby has been kicking all afternoon, and he kicked again! Feels weird and looks weird. Then hubby said we should watch Alien.


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## Bruce (Jul 30, 2021)

You might have a little "Danger Dan" in there!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 30, 2021)

Bruce said:


> You might have a little "Danger Dan" in there!


Well, hopefully he's a good kiddo and won't cause too much trouble. I keep saying I was a great kid and rarely got into trouble, when I say that around my mom she just laughs and laughs...

At least it'll be a few months before he's mobile, so I have time before he can get into too much trouble. I have baby gates and play pens, so I think I can keep him contained for a while beyond that too.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 30, 2021)

Got all the doors and drawers out, saved the hardware except one bent bolt. I'm saving the glass doors as I think they can be repurposed or the glass set in something else. Need another box and some packing material to get the rest of the stuff off, then going to push hubby into disassembling the hutch.






I'm planning to make lasagna tonight, going to make all the ingredients and then assemble different versions and freeze most of them. So we'll have plain, with spinach, with mushrooms and extra meat, with chicken, with zucchini, etc. Lasagna is a filling comfort food.


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## Bruce (Jul 30, 2021)

Don't forget the latches on the kitchen cabinets! Still time for those too.



Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> I keep saying I was a great kid and rarely got into trouble, when I say that around my mom she just laughs and laughs...


🤣  Perhaps her memories aren't quite the same as yours


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 31, 2021)

I made lasagna! I got round aluminum tins that should have 2-4 servings depending on the person and made 6.5 lasagnas. I ran out of sauce and cheese. There are 2 plain, 2 plain with spinach, 1 with mushrooms and meat, and 2 with meat. The last plain one is unfinished, going to buy more cheese and sauce this weekend to finish it. Hubby was not happy I was making all these delicious smells in the kitchen and then everything went into the freezer.


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## Bruce (Aug 2, 2021)

Where did you find round lasagna noodles?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 2, 2021)

Bruce said:


> Where did you find round lasagna noodles?


They didn't have any square aluminum foil pans, so I made do. Should have gone to Costco or sam's club. I don't cook my lasagna noodles whole, I usually break them in half, so I just find or make smaller pieces to fit.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 2, 2021)

Cooked a big lasagna (rectangle pan) last night, took forever, but it came out soupy? I don't think it was cooked long enough. No tin foil to cover pan either. Need to go to the store tonight and get foil so we can try baking it again tonight.


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## Bruce (Aug 3, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> They didn't have any square aluminum foil pans, so I made do. Should have gone to Costco or sam's club. I don't cook my lasagna noodles whole, I usually break them in half, so I just find or make smaller pieces to fit.


Check out Barilla no boil noodles - NOT the gluten free ones!!!!
Much easier and much less time?



Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Cooked a big lasagna (rectangle pan) last night, took forever, but it came out soupy?


What recipe are you using? I was using 2 jars of sauce following the Barilla recipe. What I didn't notice is that a jar of Barilla sauce is a lot less than a jar of Boves. Now using only 1 jar and much less soupy.


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## Baymule (Aug 3, 2021)

If your sauce is thin or watery, heat it in a pot and stir in cornmeal a little at a time until you get the desired consistency.


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## farmerjan (Aug 3, 2021)

Also, cooking without foil will evaporate some of the moisture out during the cooking process.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 3, 2021)

I got foil on the way home last night, and baked it covered for 15 minutes, then uncovered for another 15 minutes. Set for 5+ minutes to cool a little, then had for dinner. Hubby happy with the taste but probably could have done 5-10 more minutes baking. It should be fine, since we'll be reheating it for leftovers this week.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 3, 2021)

Took all the rest of the stuff out of the hutch and convinced hubby to dismantle it because we were discussing the potential kitchen remodel. 






Halfway done





All gone!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 3, 2021)

Measured the kitchen, and it's roughly 12*11. I think we can steal about 3' from the laundry zone if we change things up there, trying to figure out if that's enough space for a small walk in pantry too.


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## Baymule (Aug 4, 2021)

A pantry is a must! This double wide we have had a small coat closet and I put shelves in it and made it a pantry. It’s crammed full. Lol


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 4, 2021)

Baymule said:


> A pantry is a must! This double wide we have had a small coat closet and I put shelves in it and made it a pantry. It’s crammed full. Lol


This one has two closets in the laundry zone, one we are using for cleaning stuff and the other has dry goods, but the layout sucks and it's hard to access. There's a closet/pantry in the kitchen now, but they put it in the space between the fridge and wall oven and the back wall is the DIAGONAL wall from the hallway. It's the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen.


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## Jesusfreak101 (Aug 4, 2021)

We dont have a pantry in this house. Dh built different kinds of shelves most didnt work out so they are now for tools. But he built shelving in laundry room those worked for us. A pain but better then nothing. Pantry is a must have. Expecially with kids they eat more then the sleep lol.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 4, 2021)

I really want to try dehydrating and canning, but not getting much help. Hubby's grandma knows how to can and it sounds like I might receive most of her unused canning supplies now that they moved down here. Not really going to try to mess with that until next spring/summer when hopefully we'll have the garden in and producing. Although I suppose I could go to the farmer's market and buy some stuff to can. 

The dehydrator Hubby has stored in the tool shed, on the loft shelf. I can see it when I go in. It's too tall for me to reach without a ladder and over 25 pounds so I'm not supposed to lift it. I've asked for it to be brought in several times. I'm thinking of taking a picture and sending it to mom and Hubby and say if it doesn't get brought down by Friday I'm going to get on a ladder and grab it. Kind of dramatic but I'm tired of being ignored. 

I have goji berries that I can dehydrate, and Hubby's parent's fruit trees are producing. I bet we could dehydrate some fruit for snack, baby food, or even make fruit leather. All of that should store well in the walk in pantry we don't yet have or the root cellar I want Hubby to build.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 7, 2021)

Both of hubby's grandpas and his dad came over today and helped him with the fireplace hearth. They got it framed and then cut the hearthstones on the top to the right size. We have to decide if we can attach hardy board to the frame around the sides and then attach the tiles, or if that would make the overhang too small. 






Hubby even moved the outlet I didn't like so it won't be in the background part of the fireplace. It will be capped in our bedroom. 





I went on a girls trip to Ikea with my mom and brother's fiance. I bought a bunch of odds and ends, but the main purpose of the visit was a new nightstand/dresser. I was going to get a little one, but then we spotted a slightly bigger one with a nice top that looks like it could double as a changing table too. One of hubby's grandpas helped me assemble the new dresser and hubby and his dad removed the old massive one. I liked the look of the old dresser but it was way too big to be used for a nightstand. Probably 5' tall? Now I just need to clean a bit and then we can install the new dresser. The size of it should allow the bassinet right by my side of the bed too.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 7, 2021)

Hubby says it will take a week for the thin set to dry/set enough before he can install the fireplace. He is going to do the thin set tomorrow and then we will work on removing the last of the carpet and working on installing more of the flooring.


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## farmerjan (Aug 7, 2021)

Did you think to ask one of the guys to get the dehydrator down for you?????  

The hearth is going to be nice when you get it done....


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 7, 2021)

farmerjan said:


> Did you think to ask one of the guys to get the dehydrator down for you?????
> 
> The hearth is going to be nice when you get it done....


Hubby just brought it down!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 9, 2021)

Sunday. Thin set was applied and the hearthstones are now on, can't move them. 




I sorted out the flooring planks and relabeled the stacks to prep for more flooring installation fun. Baby didn't like me bending/kneeling when I helped put together the dresser, figure out the flooring, and put away the clothing in the new dresser, so had to sit down for a lot of Sunday. I think it was sciatic? Having issues. I was kneeling by the bed at one point folding socks and almost couldn't get back up. I did some stretches and was able to move again. I've been getting lots of leg cramps this trimester too.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 9, 2021)

Going to go by the store after work and see if I can get stuff on the list and stuff I can dehydrate. Maybe bananas? Hubby loves dried bananas. We have some tomatoes in the garden almost ripe, maybe will try some of those as well. Supposedly you can dehydrate spinach or kale or other healthy greens, blend to a powder and add to other food to increase the nutrition in a meal without impacting the taste too much. Might try that too.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 10, 2021)

Watched another YouTube about making green powder out of spinach or kale, looked easy enough. I don't have either though, so would need to wait to grow my own or buy it. I do have horseradish growing though... dunno if it's just the root that is spicy or the leaves too. Kind of tempted to try it.

I did get bananas, hubby also brought nectarines/plums from his folks house. They smell heavenly.


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## Baymule (Aug 11, 2021)

We picked 2 wash pans of elderberries yesterday. I’m going to dehydrate them. I still have elderberries in the freezer from last year, taking up valuable space! I’ll use them up first.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 11, 2021)

Baymule said:


> We picked 2 wash pans of elderberries yesterday. I’m going to dehydrate them. I still have elderberries in the freezer from last year, taking up valuable space! I’ll use them up first.


The YouTube gal I have been watching recommends frozen veggies as one of the first things to try, because they usually turn out well. Maybe you can dehydrate the frozen elderberries?


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## Jesusfreak101 (Aug 11, 2021)

For the leg cramps ask your ob about ultra mins supplement my midwife has me on them. They tend to help me. I got them off amazon i think.


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## Baymule (Aug 11, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> The YouTube gal I have been watching recommends frozen veggies as one of the first things to try, because they usually turn out well. Maybe you can dehydrate the frozen elderberries?


Frozen vegetables cells burst, when thawed, the cells release the juice. So, no I don’t think that will work. It would be neat to make fruit roll ups with pear purée and elderberry juice. Yummy! Lol


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 11, 2021)

Baymule said:


> Frozen vegetables cells burst, when thawed, the cells release the juice. So, no I don’t think that will work. It would be neat to make fruit roll ups with pear purée and elderberry juice. Yummy! Lol


Fruit leather or fruit powder!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 13, 2021)

A tip for anyone about to work with grout: make sure you have a sponge!! And really consider using a bag to pipe the grout into the lines similar to icing a cake. SO much faster and less messy than troweling it in.

Hubby started putting the grout in last night and didn't have a sponge, was trying to make do with a damp rag. The grout is darker than the hearthstones, so he was worried it was going to stain the hearthstones. We finally broke down and sacrificed one of my kitchen sponges and it worked much better. He started the grout by troweling it in, and made a huge mess. I forced him to try a bag to pipe it into the gaps and he was much happier with the result. We also had to resolve how to get the grout to stay in the gap between the stones at the edges where there was nothing underneath. My solution was duct tape! Worked quite well actually and hubby thinks I'm clever. Double win!

In progress: 





Cleaning up the lines:




This morning:


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## farmerjan (Aug 13, 2021)

You are very resourceful... the "bagging it in" like with frosting was brilliant....and the duct tape....


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## Bruce (Aug 14, 2021)

Bagging does work well with larger grout lines. For smaller ones you use a grout float. It is basically a fairly firm rubber pad with a handle on the back. Drag the grout in diagonally to the lines. The wet sponge (and LARGE bucket of water) is used to get the grout off the tile. Do this diagonally as well.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 14, 2021)

Hubby put some sort of sealant on it, it changed the look a little darker. I like it. Cat seems to like the hearthstones. Brother is over now, they are going to try to move the stove onto the hearthstones without damaging anything or themselves. We shall see what happens.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 14, 2021)

Woohoo!! Stove is up top!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 14, 2021)

It's almost like we know wth we are doing.


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## Baymule (Aug 14, 2021)

That looks so nice! You are going to LOVE that when it gets cold!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 15, 2021)

Swamp cooler has been terrible lately, not cooling much at all. Hubby and brother looked at it today and installed a new float valve thing. They found where it was leaking and supposedly fixed the leak. We are pretty sure the unit has never been serviced. We replaced the pads a month or two ago? And the old ones were literally disintegrating as we pulled them out. The pads are probably not getting soaked correctly, which would cause them to not cool correctly. Dunno what hubby plans to do to fix that.

The mini split heat pump has now been ordered, directly from the manufacturer's website. Hopefully this order doesn't get screwed up. 

My feet swelled up again today from the heat, and I took my ring off because I was worried my hands would swell more too. My boots are a size larger than I really need, but the foot part felt tight due to the swelling. I guess it's a good thing they are normally too big.


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## Mini Horses (Aug 15, 2021)

I have a similar set for my stove in my house.  It was wood burning, now switched out to propane one...just not cutting wood!!   BUT I used a fireproof product on walls and floor lift area that looks like stone.  Light weight, easy to cut and comes in various color schemes, stone or brick look.  You can't tell it isn't stone to look.   I had the real thing in another house....this looks as good and was a whole lot easier!!  It's in pieces, not strips and you manipulate the fit like real thing.


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## Baymule (Aug 15, 2021)

Swollen feet…….. lay on the floor and put your feet on the sofa. It will help with the swelling.


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## Bruce (Aug 16, 2021)

Yeah it will send the blood to your head 



Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> without damaging anything or themselves.


Especially the second part!!! Those things can be heavy.  Everything looks great!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 16, 2021)

Bruce said:


> Especially the second part!!! Those things can be heavy. Everything looks great!


Lol, I was more worried they would damage the hearthstones and then we'd have to figure out how to fix them. The guys did a great job and I'm proud of my hubby for how nice it looks.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 17, 2021)

Went to appointment today, doctor seems happy with the baby's growth and my weight gain during entire pregnancy. Got the TDAP shot, which should protect against whooping cough. Need to confirm hubby has had that shot within last 10 years too. Doctor recommended getting the Covid shot but I am still not wanting it while pregnant, if at all. 

Hospital has come up with new guidelines, effective today, so only ONE person can go with me to delivery. Rules might change again between now and 7 weeks. Oh, and the person has to have either a vaccine card, or a negative covid test from within 72 hours. I don't need either as I will be tested upon admittance, regardless of Covid shot status. Grr. Makes me think I really should have researched and pursued a home birth. Probably too late to change now. Doctor said right now they are admitting the attending person even without the card or negative test, but in those cases they are required to wear an N95 mask THE WHOLE TIME. Umm, SIL was in the hospital a few days, I doubt my hubby will be able to keep the mask on that long.


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## farmerjan (Aug 17, 2021)

Glad baby's growth and all is good... sad about the covid stuff and your DH.... don't have any answers for you.  Can't he get the covid test like you, on admittance?


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## Jesusfreak101 (Aug 17, 2021)

Some midwifes might accept you but i think you miyht be right on the timing


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 18, 2021)

farmerjan said:


> Glad baby's growth and all is good... sad about the covid stuff and your DH.... don't have any answers for you.  Can't he get the covid test like you, on admittance?


No, they won't give him a test because he's not a patient. He has different insurance than I do. Open enrollment is September though, so at least going to try to get him on my insurance then. He could go to a clinic thing that is supposed to give quick results. Need to research that more, and see how fast they get results. Might be able to swing by and get him tested on the way to the hospital?? Then he'd only have to wear the mask till his result came in.


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## Bruce (Aug 18, 2021)

Presuming you don't want DH to maybe come home with Covid after the baby is born, maybe he should get vaccinated. Babies have zero protection.


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## farmerjan (Aug 18, 2021)

There is a video put out by an icu nurse on Rumble.... please look it up.... and for goodness sake please don't get vaccinated until you at least watch it and do some investigating on your own.  Aug 12,2021 with Sebastian Gorkle... nearly every site she references, I have looked at.  The presentation done by Dr. Pierre Kory to the Senate committee was heartbreaking... he was nearly in tears begging them to at least look at the ivermectin studies done and consider it so that more people didn't die and it has been ignored.  rumble.com/vl2uxz-icu-nurse-you are being lied to about Covid


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 19, 2021)

Hubby is pretty sure we already had it at the beginning of last year. I'd like to get an antibody test, to see if we already have antibodies. 

7 weeks till due date! Little dude is sticking out like a beach ball.


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## Baymule (Aug 20, 2021)

If all he has to do is wear an N95 mask, I’d skip the test. I wear a N95 mask when cleaning out the horse/sheep barn. It’s not that bad. And it’s usually in hot sweaty conditions and he’d be in AC.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 20, 2021)

At home this morning it was a little smokey but not too strong. Drove down to work and the air is almost yellow. Looks like a great cloud cover until you realize it's smoke. Parked at work and noticed ash flecks on the black car beside mine. Then I noticed the ash flecks in the air. Now my car is going to be covered with ash in addition to the dirt. I don't think I've washed it for over a year. Probably time to do so. I hope these fires get contained and the smoke clears out. I don't want to imagine how thick the smoke is in areas actually closer to the fires.


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## Bruce (Aug 20, 2021)

farmerjan said:


> and for goodness sake please don't get vaccinated until you at least watch it


Too late, got mine in March and April. 

I guess if you start taking Ivermectin you won't have worms  

Seems like those who think Ivermectin is a better preventative than the vaccines created specifically for Covid should be able to come up with the money to do scientific testing. She has lots of nice looking charts that say it is very effective but they are not based on proper scientific trials. Must be someone with big bucks out there who thinks there should be actual trials and will spring for them. If it really works, great.

She also talked about hydroxychloroquine, pushed by Trump. He also pushed Remdesivir, which she says is totally ineffective, and injecting/ingesting disinfectants. 

She talks about the "ICU bed crisis" in New York and LA driving vaccines/masking requirements, saying it doesn't exist. I think they are trying to make sure it doesn't happen. Why isn't she talking about places where it does exist like Alabama where the vaccination rate is low, they have a 28% positive test rate (up from 5% 2 months ago) and they DO have a serious lack of ICU beds. NPR story yesterday on NEGATIVE number of available ICU beds in Alabama hospitals Is there an ICU crisis everywhere? No. But things are getting worse. A few weeks ago Vermont was again down to single digit cases per day, it was 149 yesterday. 9 people in the ICU and another death. Who are these people? Primarily unvaccinated people and the average is droppon.

And she claims that the mRNA vaccines modify your genes. PATENTLY FALSE! She's also claiming the vaccines were rushed to market when in fact mRNA has been in development for 20 years. She claims prior testing of mRNA on animals was halted because all the animals died. This too is false. At this point I shut her down. Enough with the false claims.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 23, 2021)

Friday night hubby and I laid out the cut pieces of underlayment and jigsaw puzzle pieced them together to cover the rest of the floor in the den, hallway, and area up to the dining/kitchen zone. Duct tape is your friend! 






Saturday I spent the day with dad as mom and brother went to a memorial service for a distant family member who died in the past year (not Covid, she had battled cancer for quite some time). I wasn't very close to that side of the family so didn't feel comfortable attending and someone needed to be with dad.

Saturday hubby had his dad and grandpa come over again and they floored the rest of the prepped area. Now we just need to move all the stuff out of the dining room zone and rip up the carpet, floor, and then do the same to the last bedroom. 







Sunday hubby and I ran errands and bought supplies from home Depot for several projects. He added the base boards in the den and I had found a corner trim piece I made him install over the raw edges of the drywall corners. Next step is fixing the transition between the hallway and baby room, I'm hoping we can get that done Monday or Tuesday night. After that we have the window trim to figure out and then I can finally get real blinds/curtains up instead of the tacky blankets and/or bedsheets I've been using.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 23, 2021)

We were bad and didn't meal prep this weekend, but hubby had made breakfast yesterday, so he still had a breakfast burrito for today. I am going to try to get meal prep done tonight, I should have started the crockpot with chicken before I left for work. Grr.

It's been cool enough the past week I haven't had the misters running just the fans. Yesterday one of the fans stopped working. I need to have hubby look at it and see if it's fixable or if I need to just get another. It was a $20 box fan from Walmart, so won't break the bank if I end up needing a new one. 

The garden is doing well, lots of the plants have put out a ton of growth, so it's actually difficult to move around in some areas. I need to move everyone around again to remake the aisle ways. I think a deer is reaching through the gate to chomp on the one pepper plant slightly too close. It's the only explanation I can come up with for missing leaves on only the side closest to the gate. Luckily no deer have jumped in since I put the soap out. I'm wondering if I can get a scarecrow up, if that would help keep the deer out, especially if I can get a mechanized one like they have around Halloween? Hmm.


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## Baymule (Aug 23, 2021)

The progress y'all have made on your house is astounding. Take a bow and pat each other on the back. The house is looking great!


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## farmerjan (Aug 24, 2021)

Floors are looking really nice.  It is a great feeling.  I feel that way everytime I look at the living room floor after it got sanded and the finish put on it.


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## Ridgetop (Aug 24, 2021)

So much progress!  House is looking great!

Can't wait to see pix of little "Beach Ball".  Will his nickname be BB?  lol


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 24, 2021)

We've been calling him "junior" a bunch, although he's not going to be named after my hubby. I already have his name picked out, just waiting until he decides to arrive now. Baby shower is this weekend, seems like we were going to have a lot of people then suddenly a bunch backed out. I ordered 6 dozen cupcakes, so we are going to have a ton extra. 

I'm sad and frustrated that a bunch of my family doesn't want to get together. I don't like being the center of attention and have disliked having birthday parties since I was in grade school. Seems like something always goes wrong and I always end up disappointed. I'm frustrated with myself that I let my expectations get so high. 

It's never going to go back to normal. The politicians and those who want control over others have realized it's extremely profitable to keep the common sheep afraid and divided, so they will milk the situation for all they can and then create new things for us to fear.


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## Ridgetop (Aug 25, 2021)

You are so right!  I really think that a lot of this Covid variant thing is to frighten us into staying home, wearing masks  and in genera being controlled.  I just feel sorry for those people that have allowed themselves to be terrorized by the media and government.  

Look on the bright side - freeze those extra cupcakes!  You will need them to build up your strength when Junior arrives.  It is a scientific fact that cupcakes help fight post natal depression.  Especialy if they are *chocolate*!


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## Baymule (Aug 25, 2021)

What about a drive by shower? Drive up, grab a cupcake off a table, leave a present, honk horn, drive away as you wave and smile at them. See? Problem solved and you can still have a party!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 25, 2021)

Planning to freeze some of the cupcakes, we went with the same baker who did our wedding cake and cupcakes and they were divine! People are still talking about the cupcakes from the wedding. Anniversary is on the 5th, it's crazy it's been a year.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 25, 2021)

Finally got notification that the mini split heat pump has shipped and should arrive today!!!! I'm so excited!! We need to get a cover for the swamp cooler so it won't let smoke in, and then we can keep the house temperature controlled and smoke free!!


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## Ridgetop (Aug 25, 2021)

Having HVAC operational while you finish off the interior of the house will make the work so much more enjoyable.  Nothing worse than working in the summer heat in an unfinished house.

Do you have overalls?  I used to wear a pair of men's overalls with a sports bra when working in the apartments we were renovating without AC.  Loose enough to allow air flow and comfortable if you had to get down on your knees.  Get a large pair to accommodate Jr. and cut them off.  Check the thrift stores.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 28, 2021)

No cupcakes, but Bundt cakes due to issue with baker. Mother in law did fantastic with decorations.


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## Bruce (Aug 29, 2021)

Nothing wrong with bundt cake!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 29, 2021)

Hubby had his friend come over to help today, they were able to run the lines for the living room unit, and I think the bedroom unit. They need to run the electrical for them, then get some sort of vacuum pump thing to pump the refrigerant, then the units will be operational. The bedroom unit is on the opposite side of the pictured wall, and since we didn't drywall the bedroom, hubby cut the access holes on this side for easier patching.





They also installed drywall on the small wall and side wall of the dining area. We left the outside wall as is since hubby plans to expand the house, no reason to drywall a wall that will hopefully be gone within a year or so.





We think they had this lovely linoleum in the kitchen, bathrooms, and laundry, to go along with their orange carpet (as seen previously in the thread). The kitchen is quite small and poorly laid out, so I'm hoping we'll be able to remodel it within a year or two.





I did a ton of laundry and dishes while the guys worked. After dinner I am planning to meal prep for the week. I also want to get everything set out so I can try the dehydrator tomorrow morning, I'll get it set up tonight and put the stuff on the trays and turn it on tomorrow morning so it will run while we are at work. First attempt: dehydrating frozen vegetables. The dried veggies will be great for soup/stew, or pot pies. I'm thinking rabbit pot pie would be delicious.


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## Baymule (Aug 30, 2021)

It’s looking great. Y’all have sure worked hard at this.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 30, 2021)

Baymule said:


> It’s looking great. Y’all have sure worked hard at this.


Thanks! I think it's worth it, but it's definitely been a challenge. It will be nice to finally be able to relax and not have a house project to work on.

Hubby was so tired from yesterday he slept through his alarm this morning. I didn't get moving as quickly as I has planned so I wasn't able to start the dehydrator. I'll try to get it going this evening. I think I did 6+ loads of laundry yesterday, so all that needs to be folded too. I was able to fold some of it as I took it off the line, and some this morning but there's still several full loads to do.

We are trying to save energy and dry the clothes on the line instead of using the dryer. They are a little smokey smelling, but the whole house is smokey smelling due to the swamp cooler bringing in smokey air, so I don't see a difference between drying on the line and using the dryer - the clothes will smell smokey either way. 

Driving to work this morning was like driving down into a smoke cloud. 🤢


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 31, 2021)

The mini splits are on!! They are working!!! Windows are actually closed! 






Third one for the den still needs to be done, but it will get done once the 50' line set arrives. The kit we bought only came with 25' line sets.


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## Baymule (Aug 31, 2021)

That is awesome. You can generally bundle up to stay warm as long as it’s not freezing cold. But you can’t take off enough clothes to stay cool and that can become a problem. LOL Living in hot and humid east Texas, I’ve done without AC before. Didn’t even have AC as a kid, window units as I got older, central air and heat in my first apartment when I was 17.  Most older homes don’t have central AC and heat and I lived in a lot of those over the years. Last 25 years I’ve lived in luxury!! LOL
It’s real hard to sleep when you’re laying in a puddle of sweat.


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## Ridgetop (Sep 1, 2021)

Same here in southern CA.  Not even any window units!  First HVAC was a roof unit that only cooled the top floor.  House was built in 1920 so ceilings were 10'. Ceiling fans in all rooms worked well by opening all windows at dusk, and closing them by 9am, and dropping all blinds and draperies. Turned on AC upstairs in late afternoon to cool top floor for sleeping.  Turned off at bed time and opened all windows for breeze.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 1, 2021)

I want to remove the ceiling swamp cooler and replace with a whole house fan. The swamp cooler leaks/condenses occasionally and caused issues with the subfloor prior to us purchasing and repairing the house. Whole house fan should allow us to cool the house down in spring and fall without having to run the ac all the time. 

Hubby doesn't want to do any of that until we redo the roof, which will likely be next year. We are probably going to put tarps on the whole roof this winter before the rains start. I don't trust it not to leak. Hubby also doesn't want to do the roof right away as we are tossing the idea around of expanding the house on the front door side first, which should allow a much bigger kitchen, giant pantry, and a fourth bedroom. We'll have to see how much it would cost for permits, and we'd probably have to relocate the guest/kids bathroom to make a hallway going to the new bedroom. Hubby also wants 10' ceilings; the ceilings right now are 8'. I think 10' would be a bit excessive. But, I could get my nice cement fiberboard siding (bonus that it's fire resistant!) and we'd possibly do a metal roof (also fire resistant!). It's probably going to be very pricey for all we want to do.

Then we'd wait a few years and expand the house on the other side, potentially add a third bathroom and fifth bedroom, while rearranging the den/living room layout. We don't want much, do we?


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## Mini Horses (Sep 1, 2021)

Lotta bedrooms....special reason?  🤔


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 1, 2021)

Mini Horses said:


> Lotta bedrooms....special reason?  🤔



I want probably 3 kids, hubby is pushing for 5ish. He keeps saying he wants a basketball team. 

We haven't even finished cooking the first one yet (5 more weeks till due date!). We shall see how many we end up with. At least multiples don't run in either side.


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## Bruce (Sep 1, 2021)

How many genders do you suppose you might have? Kids can share bedrooms. Plus, with 3 you DO have a basketball team, you and DH count 

Not sure why DH wants to wait until the roof is done to put in a whole house fan, aren't they generally installed in an end wall?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 2, 2021)

Bruce said:


> How many genders do you suppose you might have? Kids can share bedrooms. Plus, with 3 you DO have a basketball team, you and DH count
> 
> Not sure why DH wants to wait until the roof is done to put in a whole house fan, aren't they generally installed in an end wall?


The whole house fans I'm familiar with are installed in a central location of the house in the ceiling. I don't think I've ever seen one that was a wall unit.


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## Ridgetop (Sep 2, 2021)

It is easier to do any roof or attic work while the roof is off - probably why DH wants to do the work when putting on the new roof.   Particularly since you are already planning to add area to the house that will be under the new roof, you will want to centralize the whole house fan.  

Additional bedrooms are always nice and can be used for multiple uses - i.e office sewing and craft rooms, guest bedrooms. etc.  The kids can still double up.  Up to a certain age many kids share with siblings.  It is especially handy so they can share the same larger toys and play together.  Make sure the bedrooms have nice large closets.

Have you considered adding a 2 story addition instead of so many single story additions?  You can leave the upper story unfinished as a "bonus room" with the plumbing stubbed in until you can afford to finish it off into kids' bedrooms and bathroom.  By keeping the master on the ground floor you don't have to go up and down as often, and can police the exits when the kids hit their teens!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 2, 2021)

Hmm, I really wasn't thinking about a second story since I've been trying to avoid stairs. No issues in the family atm, but I had to deal with stairs in the last house. I was thinking it would be better resale value if the entire house is wheelchair friendly, but maybe that's something I shouldn't fuss about.

Hubby's parent's are building their "dream house" on their property after 20ish years of owning it and living in a modular home. They are going to use a cement styrofoam type block to build it. I am thinking we should watch how that works out and maybe use that for the walls of the expansion. We'd probably be able to do a second story if we go that route, otherwise I think the new expansion walls are planned to be 2*6 studs, which should also allow a second story.


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## Ridgetop (Sep 2, 2021)

Make sure to pour 2 story rated foundations - that is where the codes will require strength for the second story.  That expense will not be too much more, and will save you money if you do decide to go up.  Remember that what you spend on the heavier foundations you will save on the roof since you will be roofing only half the square footage.  Same with the plumbing if you stack the upstairs bathroom above the downstairs bathroom.  Heating and AC costs will also be less since the upstairs will act as insulation for the downstairs.  Since you are in Auburn, check the cost of triple pane windows as opposed to the required double pane.  Your HVAC savings might make the cost worthwhile.

By making the master BR and bath on the bottom floor with a second or guest bath, you can use the upstairs for the children's room and you will retain resale value.  Even when down sizing, most retired people hope their children and grandchildren will come to visit and will see the upstairs bedrooms and bathroom as a secondary living space that they can close off when no one is using them.  Alternatively you can add a balcony access with stairs later and convert to an upstairs apartment for rental or use by a caregiver.

I like the foam block idea - how do they rate as insulation?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 2, 2021)

They are insulated concrete forms, ICF. This article explains them fairly well, but I think in-laws are using a different company, can't remember the name. Insulation they are supposed to be really good, but can also add additional on the inside or outside.









						ICF Construction: Everything You Need To Know
					

Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF) are becoming a more common way to build homes. But just how sustainable are Insulated Concrete Forms?




					www.buildwithrise.com


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## Bruce (Sep 2, 2021)

Ridgetop said:


> Make sure to pour 2 story rated foundations


You beat me to it!!

I agree, the entire house doesn't have to be handicap accessible unless one happens to have a handicapped child. If there is a master on the first floor along with a bathroom, kitchen/dining and living rooms, most old folks wouldn't make use of the extra upstairs rooms even if they were on the first floor. And I ASSUME the house currently has at least 2 bedrooms so that provides for an office/craft/whatever room on the first floor. Up is cheaper than out (if the foundation can support it. Less foundation, less roof, easier to heat.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 2, 2021)

Ok, the in-laws are using The Perfect Block. 



			https://theperfectblock.com/
		


I think we'll definitely try to make the expansion footings rated for a second story. We still want to do an expansion of some sort because the kitchen and dining areas are very small, and I don't see how we could rearrange the house to change that without moving an external wall out to add more space. I think the expansion on the first side (west) should basically just make it the size/width of a 4-wide, should be plenty of space then.

The expansion on the second side (east) would probably just bring the ends of the house out to where the wall is on the living room, which is the current triple wide part. I'd actually prefer not to expand much farther that way as it would be encroaching closer than I'd like to the septic tank and lines, plus the ground is sloping downward and the floor of the house is already about chest height when standing next to the house on that side. I guess we could close it in and make it into storage?

I'd love for a way to rodent/pest proof the underside of the house. Hubby said he saw raccoon prints on the underside and we know there's rats. New footings should help prevent access from critters, right?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 2, 2021)

I need to map out the house and upper zone of the property so you all can picture this better. Or give more advice. 

House is currently three bedroom and two bathrooms, approximately 1600 sqft.


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## Ridgetop (Sep 2, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> I'd actually prefer not to expand much farther that way as it would be encroaching closer than I'd like to the septic tank and lines,


You need to check building codes in your county/city since distance from septic system - tank, and lines - will be crucial to your permit. Most building codes won't allow building within a certain distance from septic sank or over it.  

When you say "4-wide" and "triple wide" is your current house a manufactured home?  If so, you need to check building codes there too since some areas don't allow you to add on to manufactured housing.  You can build up to it but you can't attach a new stick built addition to the manufactured home.  Ran into this some years ago when shopping for a home in central California.  The owners disclosed that they had added on to a manufactured home and it was a "no-no" to building codes.  They couldn't sell the home except to a cash buyer who would assume any problem with the building codes.  Codes may have changed since then.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 2, 2021)

Hmm, both good points. Yes, it's a manufactured home. Ideally, we'd rip out what makes it a manufactured home and replace with stick built type construction as we go, and eventually get it inspected to prove it's not really a manufactured home anymore. I think we'd have to redo the floor joists though and get rid of the original metal trusses. 

Hubby has a friend whose family did that. Bought a place with modular, then built a stick built shell around it and removed the modular, so all that was left was stick built. Then got it inspected and declared as stick built. Dunno if that was same county though.

It is infuriating that the people selling homes talk up modulars/manufactured and claim they are no different than stick built, when they are treated differently permit, insurance, and home value -wise. Our loan was half a percent higher apr because it's manufactured instead of stick built.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 2, 2021)

Less than 5 weeks to due date, aka 34 days  


Starting to freak out a bit. 

Worked on the baby room last night, going to work on it again tonight. Got almost all non baby stuff moved out, and organizing baby stuff and putting it away. Need more shelves or storage things.


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## Bruce (Sep 2, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Yes, it's a manufactured home.


Oh that does make a big difference!!! I seriously doubt the "foundation" is rated for 2 stories and the walls of the home surely aren't. 



Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Starting to freak out a bit.


Om, om, om


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 2, 2021)

Mama hen hatched 3 babies.





I decided she needed more. 1 buff Orpington, two Easter eggers, and three salmon faveroles. 





She came right over to them and started talking to them as soon as I added them to the cage. 





We went out after dinner and there were three not under her, everyone else was tucked in. I scooted the three underneath and she pecked me a little for grabbing at the babies but didn't take off. The pecks didn't hurt and didn't leave a mark.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 2, 2021)

Bruce said:


> seriously doubt the "foundation" is rated for 2 stories and the walls of the home surely aren't.


The house is actually on a permanent foundation, permitted too! The permanent foundation is literally piers/posts though, so very much doubt a second story would work as it stands currently. We'd definitely be pouring some concrete foundations and redoing the supports if we were going to do a second story.

The walls seem to be 2*3s, not even 2*4s. So there's not a lot of strength there either.


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## Baymule (Sep 3, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> The whole house fans I'm familiar with are installed in a central location of the house in the ceiling. I don't think I've ever seen one that was a wall unit.


We call them attic fans. They run in reverse, drawing  in the air from outside and can create a good sleeping breeze.


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## Baymule (Sep 3, 2021)

That’s a good momma hen! Keeper!

We live in a double wide, my first. They can blather about how well built mobile homes are, but that’s all a bunch of hooey. If the power goes off in the summer, in 20 minutes this place would bake cookies.


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## Jesusfreak101 (Sep 3, 2021)

I second what baymule said and winter you ll freeze. We had to deal with that granted ours is an older single wide but they built the same just wider lol. My dad tore theirs appart and rebuilt the walls and ect. He also use normal sheet rock. My three year old son can make holes in the wall very easily here. Drives me nuts.


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## Ridgetop (Sep 3, 2021)

Manufactured homes have come a long way.  The newer ones are nicer, but still made flimsily.  

Prefab homes on the other hand, are made in sections, then assembled on the foundation.  They are better made and are actually like a real house when completed.

Manufactured homes used to be set up and left with the axles and wheels still attached.  Then skirting was added around the outside to hide the wheels.  However, the mfg. housing people realized that those wheels and axles could be reused and that by leaving them on the mfg. houses they were losing a lot of money.  Now they bring the mfg house out to the site, connect it together and use pillar and beam "foundations' to set it up on.  Then they remove the axles and wheels to use on the next mfg. house.  If you examine the "pillar & beam foundations" you can see that some of them are simply concrete block stacked to support the underpinnings of the "house".  Often the concrete blocks are not even mortared together.  Some mfg houses have stacked block with wooden shims to level the "house".  

When we were shopping for property we saw some pretty crazy support systems on mfg houses!  

The best thing will be to go to the Building & Safety department in your city or county and get a copy of the codes governing building as well as the codes governing mfgd. housing.  That way you can read up on the requirements and plan accordingly.  Alternatively, you can take advantage of the new regulations coming in California relative to "granny flats".  Start with a stick built granny flat and then add on to _it_ later to convert it to the main house, keeping the mfg house as a "granny flat" or rental.

Whatever you do, you need to read the building codes for your location so you won't make any expensive mistakes.  Relying on hearsay is not the way to go.

Exciting about the new addition (human)


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 4, 2021)

"granny flats" here have to be less than 1200 sq ft, or I think 1200 sq ft max, so can't claim this one as a granny flat. The county actually has a program that provides I think 3 pre-approved building layouts/designs for a granny flat to allow the permitting process to go through quicker.

The current house is actually in the best place on the parcel, not sure if there's even a second spot we can use for building a granny flat without a bunch of dirt work to prep the area.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 4, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Mama hen hatched 3 babies.
> 
> View attachment 87500
> 
> ...


Mom checked on them Friday morning, they were fine. Checked on them Friday evening and all the bought chicks were dead or dying from head wounds. Not a fun find. Guess we can't trust this hen after all. Not a great start to the weekend.


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## Baymule (Sep 4, 2021)

Aww that’s too bad. Sorry about the little ones.


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## farmerjan (Sep 4, 2021)

I don't know when you did it, but from my experience you never add chicks during the day.  Always tuck chicks under a hen at night when adding extras.  They seem to be more accepted... and some hens will not take new ones... sometimes won't even take the ones she hatched if there is one or 2 that are different colored or marked different.


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## Bruce (Sep 4, 2021)

That has been my experience Jan. The one time I tried before it was REALLY REALLY dark I had to pull them and do it again the next night. 

And Anais wouldn't take chicks no matter how dark it was, try to stuff them under a wing from the back and she'd turn and peck. BUT! Once she was broken, about 5 days, it didn't matter if the chicks were Mama Heating Pad brooded or brooded by another hen she REALLY wanted to help raise them and would stick with them until they were 3 months old or more even when the "mother" had bailed on them weeks before.


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## farmerjan (Sep 4, 2021)

Chickens can be so notional.... and they call them dumb clucks?????


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 7, 2021)

I have added chicks to a broody before, and as you experienced, was successful during the night instead of the day. I wasn't planning to stick around my parents house for another two hours until dark so we took a chance and gave them to her during daylight. The annoying thing is SHE TOOK THEM. She was mothering them, snuggled them and kept them warm all night. I don't know what happened during the day to cause her to reject them, but it was deadly to the chicks. 

I will be very happy to get the birds on my property where I can see them and intervene when necessary. It's extremely difficult to intervene when the animals in question are a 30 minute drive away, plus me being 8 months pregnant. The set up there is not friendly to people who can't get up and down from the ground easily.

The chickens at my parents house were my dad and my thing, mom likes them and takes care of them now that dad can't, but it would be nice to cut down on the numbers, especially since there are a lot of freeloaders. I'm thinking I want to go through all the hens in spring and get rid of any not laying, to decrease the flock to 8-9 hens plus the rooster. I can then add young birds each spring as needed and remove the older ones. I'd like to get another standard sized polish, as mom likes them, we had a sweet polish hen a few years back.


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## HomeOnTheRange (Sep 7, 2021)

Baymule said:


> They can blather about how well built mobile homes are, but that’s all a bunch of hooey. If the power goes off in the summer, in 20 minutes this place would bake cookies.


Did you always want an Easy Bake Oven?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 9, 2021)

I was watering my garden this morning and got sprinkled on! Just enough to wonder what the heck was going on and look up to see the weird clouds zooming by overhead. I doubt it will actually do anything more, and it's supposed to get in upper 90s to 100 today. It might cool down to lower 90s this weekend. I am ready for cooler weather. Rabbits are still doing ok, but I'm pretty sure they are tired of the misters.

Tomato plants are looking off, I'm wondering if I should just pull them out. I'm not getting enough to make heating up the kitchen to make sauce worth it, and they have completely taken over the pathway. The tomatillos are still big and green, I can't tell if the fruit are getting any bigger. They look like little lanterns.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 9, 2021)

On Monday hubby and I went by TSC to look at fencing, as I've been pushing to get the front garden set up so I can decrease the hand watering needed in the garden. We tried to buy some no climb 6' but ran into issues with understanding which fencing was which price. I purchased what I thought was the right fence. I was in the truck while hubby was chatting with the forklift driver trying to get it loaded. They discovered I ended up buying the wrong stuff (welded wire), but they were completely out of that kind anyway. The manager actually ended up coming out and came up with a potential solution. He had three rolls of 100' welded wire 6' tall that had been damaged in delivery to the store. We could return the one roll I had bought ($180 plus tax) and buy the three rolls for $50 each. Sold!! Some parts of the rolls are really messed up, but since we wanted to make more loops for protecting the trees it will work perfectly. The rest should allow us to put up the garden fence and keep the deer out. Hubby does plan to have a tractor sized gate in the east and possibly west side in addition to the man gates, we aren't as certain about the west side as the tractor would have to drive over the leach field. 

Once we build the garage I plan to replace the fence with a nice block wall, stuccoed, with a moon gate. The wall will be attached to the garage and go up to the neighbors fence along the property line, and then over to the house (hopefully expanded by that time).

I plan to try to lay out the garden this weekend while hubby works on the dining room floor with his dad.


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## Mike CHS (Sep 9, 2021)

Welded wire should work fine for a garden fence plus you got a great price.


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## farmerjan (Sep 9, 2021)

You did good on the fence after all.  That is a good price, welded wire is not the best for some things but ought to work good for what you want and for that price it will be great....


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 9, 2021)

Yeah, hubby doesn't want to use welded wire for animal fencing, but for the garden it should be great. I wanted the no climb for the orchard, to help keep the deer and other animals out. Hubby doesn't want to do anything with the orchard fence until the connex is out of the orchard zone. I think we can at least do the front side up to the gate post since that should not be changing and we can move the connex through the future gate zone.

I'm excited for the garden to get going and the yard to get laid out. Mom said she is going to come over and help on Saturday.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 9, 2021)

It's thundering and I see lightning!! I can hear sprinkling!! We have stuff outside that isn't supposed to get wet!!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 10, 2021)

Downpoured for a short while then stopped. Still thunder and lightning. Red flag weather warning. I hope this doesn't start more fires.


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## Bruce (Sep 10, 2021)

Careful putting tension on the welded wire, the welds will pop. And if you plan to use a string trimmer near it, be extra careful because the plastic string will rip the welds apart as well. Don't need to ask me how I know


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 10, 2021)

Ground is still wet/damp looking. Dunno how much it rained. I actually bought a rain gauge but haven't installed it. D'oh! The outdoor thermometer shows 78 degrees. Clouds overhead so it may continue sprinkling. I really hope this rain happened over the fire areas too.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 12, 2021)

This morning we got going later than we'd planned, so I wasn't able to work in the front garden as it was too hot by the time we got home from errands. We bought more underlayment for the dining room floor, some sample tiles for the fireplace backsplash thing, new shelving for the spare room, and a decent little dresser for the baby room. 

My mom came over to help around the house and then hubby's parent's and one set of grandparents came over to help as well. Hubby and his dad were able to get the dining room floor installed so now it looks fantastic. The moms and grandma helped sort the baby clothes and then fold and put them all away. We also assembled the stroller, the new shelves, and the baby bouncer thing. We did a lot!

Tomorrow I plan to finish getting the bassinet and baby zone in my bedroom done, and finalize both of our go bags. Little one has 4 possible outfits to wear home from the hospital. He's going to look cute no matter what.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 12, 2021)

The tiles for the fireplace zone are 4"*8" brick look tile. I was thinking just a brick layout, but hubby is thinking that's too boring, wants possibly herringbone. I think that will take a lot more work and tiles. I took a pic of the tiles, I think I can try to work some Microsoft paint magic and see if we can get an idea of what it would look like either way. Looks like the sample at the store is herringbone.






I put the sample tiles by the fireplace pedestal, and brick layout they would have two full rows and a cut row. The upper area we want roughly 4' high, so will probably end up with a cut row there too. Unless we go with the herringbone pattern, which will have lots of cut pieces. It's nice to think this project might actually get done sometime soon. There will be a border edging the backsplash and between the wall and the pedestal. We are also arguing whether to use the light or dark gray edge pieces. Hubby wants to use the same grout as we used for the hearthstones.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 13, 2021)

Finished cleaning out the master bedroom today, got a lot of stuff organized and filed. Hubby moved the big filing cabinet into the house and I was able to transfer everything from the little cabinet to the big one. There's still a big pile of random stuff I pulled out of the bedroom to go through and get organized, but I will work on that tomorrow.

We moved the bassinet into the master bedroom and I think there will be enough room for the rocking chair too. Now I just need to get the changing stations set up and I'll be ready for the munchkin. 24 days till due date.

Edited to correct # of days... Apparently I can't count..


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 13, 2021)

Hubby and I have been talking about the tiles and we think we're going to do normal brick layers along the pedestal. The backsplash thing I think we are going to do as herringbone, with a layer of regular horizontal or vertical surrounding the herringbone, with a transition tile on the side edges and a mantel/ledge along the top side.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 13, 2021)

I drew a picture! Lines are a little off and the bricks are not necessarily to scale, but I think it gets the idea across.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 13, 2021)

Next doctor appointment is finally scheduled. They were refusing to schedule me because I was "exposed" to someone who then came down with Covid. The "exposure" was on Aug 28, they did not have symptoms at that time, they developed symptoms during the next week and were tested and positive (entire household of 3) on Sep 4. One person had no symptoms beyond loss of taste/smell, other two were more sick but not needing hospital. There is no proof that they were positive at the time I was "exposed" to them. They could have gotten it afterwards, which in my mind is more likely as no one else who was also "exposed" to them at that time has gotten sick. If I had called to schedule the appointment on the Friday before they were tested and told everyone the results, the doctor's office would have scheduled me no problem.

On 9/7 I tried to schedule my week 36 appointment, which would have been over 14 days after the "exposure", but they refused to schedule anything. I had no symptoms. I still have no symptoms. After several days of phone tag and "I'll have to ask the doctor", they offered that if I took a test and was negative they'd schedule me. If it was positive, I would have to wait 10 days after the test before I could get an appointment. I took the dang test on Thursday 9/9 and was of course negative. They didn't call me back until this morning 9/13 to get me scheduled, for the END of the week, where I will be at 37 weeks. I understand that Covid is serious, and there are a lot of people sick with it right now, but I don't stop being pregnant just because I might have gotten exposed. This is my first baby, and he could come early, or might come late. Without a doctor visit to evaluate my physical condition, I have no way of knowing when to expect his arrival or if there are complications I need to be aware of.

I am at 36 weeks pregnant. I literally have no info on my baby right now other than the doctor is happy with my weight gain and the baby's heartbeat sounds good. I haven't been given an ultrasound since the 20 week one. I don't know how big he is. I don't know if he's in position. I am feeling very frustrated with the lack of communication. Next baby I'm definitely going to find a doula or midwife, and not have it at the hospital. I don't think Covid is going away any time soon and this is ridiculous. I'm also half expecting that they are going to refuse to allow my husband in with me due to "new restrictions", and I will end up having this baby alone, without an advocate to make sure I get the treatment and care I want.


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## Mini Horses (Sep 13, 2021)

Hope you get satisfaction from the doctor for your concerns.   

I like your plans for the stove back.  Please be sure to check heat tolerance for the "tile".


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## Bruce (Sep 14, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> I drew a picture!


It will look nice. How far out from the wall will the mantle project and how far will it be from the stove pipe? Those suckers get really hot.



Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> I don't know how big he is


I definitely understand your frustration. Seems like the least they could do was schedule the appointment assuming the Covid test would come back negative, deal with it if that turned out not to be the case. 

Regarding the weight based on ultrasound. The Monday before DD1 was born they decided she was too small (about 4.5 pounds), didn't have enough room, scheduled induced delivery for Wednesday. She decided to show up on Tuesday and was small, but at 5 pounds 9 ounces FAR heavier than they had determined. Point being, I wouldn't put too much stock in their ultrasound weight value 

I have no issues with a doula assuming you have no "high risk" medical conditions but I don't think you are going to get any ultrasound information from one.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 17, 2021)

Flat tire driving home on Wednesday, luckily I figured it out at the second stop light from work and didn't get on the freeway. Brother and dad came to my rescue and swapped the tire for my little donut spare. Got the tire fixed on Thursday and back on the car. Les Schwab is awesome and the repair was covered under the warranty. I had driven over a screw.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 17, 2021)

Since I got my tire fixed after work on Thursday, the feed store closed before I got there. Rabbits were completely out of feed, so off to TSC we go. They were out of the big bags of Manna Pro, so had to get a different brand. Hope the rabbits don't start a revolt over it. At least it's something to eat.

They had baby chicks marked down to $1 each! Pullets even! Rhode island reds, and white leghorns. The bin with the white chicks had a note that someone had accidentally added meat birds to the white leghorns, so the whole bin was mixed. To my eyes they looked mostly meat birds. Hubby said if I got the stuff out of the den and living room that I could get chicks. Now I have to decide if I can get all that stuff moved before the chicks get snatched up, or if it's not worth trying to hustle on that project. It would be nice to get some meat birds now so we'd process right before Thanksgiving. I have the grow out bins in the quail container I could put the birds in, I'd just have to buy feed.


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## Bruce (Sep 17, 2021)

Decisions decisions!!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 17, 2021)

Dr appointment today, she said the baby is head down and seemed happy with how he is positioned. Apparently I'm already partially dilated and partly effaced.    this kid better wait until October. I have plans! Sigh. She also said that it's not an indicator that labor is anytime soon. Could be tomorrow, could be next week, could be due date, could be late. 

Got home and worked on packing my go bag. Going to try to get it all together and start taking it everywhere with me.


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## Bruce (Sep 18, 2021)

Yep, get that bag ready, babies are notorious for not sticking to your schedule! Good that baby is head down already, no concerns about a breech birth.


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## Mini Horses (Sep 18, 2021)

I'd say no chicks right now!  So much going on. You just won't have time when babe arrives.  Trust me!!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 18, 2021)

Mini Horses said:


> I'd say no chicks right now!  So much going on. You just won't have time when babe arrives.  Trust me!!


I know, that's the smart thing but I want to get them


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## Mini Horses (Sep 19, 2021)

They had a few at feed store I wanted BUT I didn't buy yesterday......I still want and know I *don't *want the dedication and time to raise, then butcher! It's an addiction!!  

Not buying!   Not!!


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## Margali (Sep 19, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> I drew a picture! Lines are a little off and the bricks are not necessarily to scale, but I think it gets the idea across.
> 
> View attachment 87603


I think that looks great!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 20, 2021)

Go bag is packed. Only things missing are phone charging cords and wall plug. And snacks. Feeling alternately terrified and excited. Hubby still needs to pack his go bag.

Baby room is pretty much done. Need to make up the spare bed and hang up the changing table supply caddy. And hang up the one in the master bedroom.

Need to write down instructions for the quail, rabbits, cats, dogs, and plants. Dunno who will be in charge of those but hopefully we'll only be away from the house a day or two. Guess I should get that figured out too...


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 23, 2021)

Hmm, not much changed since Monday.

 Hubby finished mudding the drywall and sanded it. Needs texture and primer, then can paint. Hubby thinks we should do gray accent wall on fireplace wall, and same green on wall in dining that we did in den. Apparently he invited some people over to paint this evening so I guess I don't get a vote. We'll see what it looks like when I get home.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 23, 2021)

Work gave me my birthday plant early, as I am going to be out the week of my birthday and it's up in the air as to whether I go in each day now. We made it to 38 weeks yesterday, so less than 14 days till junior's due date.

The birthday plant was an avocado! I got to pick the variety and I'm pretty excited to have a named variety to go along with my unknown-grown-from-seed avocados. I think this one is a type B, I'm very tempted to go buy a type A so everything will have a chance at pollination. I'm also wondering how long it will take before I could potentially take a scion from this little plant and put it on the bigger home grown ones. I know left to themselves it would probably be years before they fruit. The biggest one I think has grown at least a foot this year.


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## Bruce (Sep 23, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Apparently he invited some people over to paint this evening so I guess I don't get a vote.


Sure you do, if you don't like it you paint it again with your color choice when he isn't home


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## Mini Horses (Sep 23, 2021)

Yeah. Then wait to see how long before he notices


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## Bruce (Sep 23, 2021)

If he's like me it would take a long time unless the change is really dramatic.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 27, 2021)

Monday again, guess I should update.

The texture got added to 2/3 walls, but not the small wall. Took 3 cans of texture. We decided it was on purpose since hubby will have to cut holes in that drywall anyways to move a light switch and run electrical wiring. He can patch and texture it later. It did get primed, but not painted. The other two walls got a first coat of paint. We used the same green 'Urban Nature' as in the den for the dining room wall. We chose 'Rainmaster' for the fireplace wall. Both have streaking (green is worse) so a second coat is required.

Hubby's extended family descended upon the house on Saturday and helped clean and organize. Hubby is still very stressed waiting for the munchkin to arrive. Three more days to make it till October. In two more days we'll be at 39 weeks. 

Den has stuff I need to file and put away, then it will be pretty much clean. Cat room (third bedroom) is better organized but still has too much stuff. I think those are the last two rooms needed to finish off and we'll actually be organized inside the house.


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## Baymule (Sep 27, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Once we build the garage I plan to replace the fence with a nice block wall, stuccoed, with a* moon gate.* The wall will be attached to the garage and go up to the neighbors fence along the property line, and then over to the house (hopefully expanded by that time).


Ok, I have to ask, what's a moon gate? The wall sounds like it will be beautiful


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 27, 2021)

Baymule said:


> Ok, I have to ask, what's a moon gate? The wall sounds like it will be beautiful


It's a circle, or looks like a circle. I'm not quite sure yet how we would have the actual gate inside it though, as I want it to stay closed to keep the dogs/children in the front yard and critters out. 

These are the screenshots I took for my inspiration.


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## Baymule (Sep 27, 2021)

Oh, I like that!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 27, 2021)

Not feeling that great, and hubby says he thinks the baby bump is lower. I wanted him to wait until October, but he might be having other ideas. It's a wait and see. Afraid to tell MIL, she's been freaking out for me all week.


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## Baymule (Sep 27, 2021)

October is only 4 days away. So you are thinking you won't make it? Baby will come when baby says so!


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## Jesusfreak101 (Sep 27, 2021)

I say this minr like to play mom its time oh wait no its not for a few weeks prior so this being ypur first he/she could be doing the same practice before the event kinda of thing. That being said could be the real deal just wont know until you know lol. I have brandon hicks contractions every pregnancy and i still cant tell the difference during them. So there that.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 27, 2021)

Baymule said:


> October is only 4 days away. So you are thinking you won't make it? Baby will come when baby says so!


I dunno if I'll make it. I dunno if this is actually anything but it certainly isn't pleasant. Feels like period cramps but not really feeling like they have a start or end. Probably just more Braxton Hicks contractions. If I still feel like this tomorrow I don't want to go to work but I still have projects to complete. Ugh.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 27, 2021)

It's raining!! I know we need the rain, but I could have used a warning... I had several loads of laundry up on the line. Now I have to throw it in the dryer or wait to see if it's not raining tomorrow and put it all back on the line. 

Plus, hubby hasn't put the tarps over the roof... I really hope the roof doesn't leak.


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## Baymule (Sep 28, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> It's raining!! I know we need the rain, but I could have used a warning... I had several loads of laundry up on the line. Now I have to throw it in the dryer or wait to see if it's not raining tomorrow and put it all back on the line.
> 
> Plus, hubby hasn't put the tarps over the roof... I really hope the roof doesn't leak.


I want to hit the smiling face for the rain and the sad face for the laundry and roof.


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## Bruce (Sep 28, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> I'm not quite sure yet how we would have the actual gate inside it though, as I want it to stay closed to keep the dogs/children in the front yard and critters out.


I don't think those are meant to have gates. If you put one in it will be super custom. Probably have to do a lot of welding and engineering to figure out where the hinges will go and how beefy they have to be to hold up a round gate without much point of contact.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 28, 2021)

Bruce said:


> I don't think those are meant to have gates. If you put one in it will be super custom. Probably have to do a lot of welding and engineering to figure out where the hinges will go and how beefy they have to be to hold up a round gate without much point of contact.


Yeah, I think the whole thing will have to be custom. Hubby knows how to weld tho, so I think we can figure something out.


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## Jesusfreak101 (Sep 28, 2021)

I was thinking unless you really needed the gate to fill the entire circle why not half or have two halfs that you could open just so its lighter and easier to open for you.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 28, 2021)

Jesusfreak101 said:


> I was thinking unless you really needed the gate to fill the entire circle why not half or have two halfs that you could open just so its lighter and easier to open for you.


I think it would be really pretty with two halves. I will have to draw it out but I bet I can get hubby to make something. Probably won't happen for a year or two though, as the gate can't go in until the wall is in, and wall can't go in until the garage is built and house extension is determined. 

The front garden is going to be regular wire fencing until then. At least the fencing should be tall enough to keep the deer out.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 28, 2021)

Oh! And hubby said the neighbor called him this morning and let him know a BEAR was spotted on the neighbor's security cameras overnight. Guess that was what was making all the neighborhood dogs bark. Wonder if hubby needs to apply for a bear tag?


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## Bruce (Sep 28, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Yeah, I think the whole thing will have to be custom. Hubby knows how to weld tho, so I think we can figure something out.


Then you can get a gate for a reasonable price!



Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> as the gate can't go in until the wall is in


Picky, picky, picky!!!  

2 half gates is a great idea @Jesusfreak101. No need to open both sides if half is wide enough to walk through and it spreads the weight to 2 sides on 2 posts.


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## SA Farm (Sep 28, 2021)

I’m so excited for you to have your first baby soon!!! I want a 2nd one now that my boy is just over a year 😋
I either read somewhere or my mom told me that cramps and/or braxton hicks are your body’s way of exercising to prepare for the real deal. Somehow that made it easier on me when I had them...about a week or two off and on before he arrived ❤️


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 29, 2021)

Had a pretty miserable evening, but apparently they were all just Braxton Hicks contractions as they stopped/I was able to ignore them enough to sleep. Penny the cat was velcroed to my side all night, I think she's going to be great with the little one. 

No cramps yet this morning so I'm feeling more optimistic that we'll make it to October. Next Dr appointment is Friday am, might call to see if I can get it changed to pm so I can help the new payroll gal in the morning and be done with work and on vacation/sick leave in the afternoon. Baby bump has definitely dropped lower. He is still wiggly.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 29, 2021)

Rabbits are much happier with the cooler weather, I didn't even need the fan on yesterday or today. Quail have been stocked up with food and water, so caretaker will just need to turn their lights off and on. Rabbits will need feed and water checked daily. 

Garden is doing ok but I need to harvest all the tomatoes and remove the plants. The tomatillos are almost ripe, they aren't splitting the husks but several are almost filling out the husks. The plants are loaded with little lantern shaped husks, so it'll be interesting trying to harvest the ripe ones.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 30, 2021)

Pattern from last couple days seems to be cramping in the evening after work but nothing in the morning. He's still dropped lower but is still wiggly. He seems to wiggle more when I lay on my right side, I don't think he likes it as much as laying on my left side. I think we're going to make it till October. 

Friday is my last day of work and then I'm out on maternity leave (sick/vacation) until the baby arrives. I think we are ready. Go bags are packed and car seat bases are strapped into the vehicles. Excited and terrified at the same time. But looking forward to meeting the munchkin. I'll finally be able to share his name once he's here, in-laws have been super antsy to learn it.


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## SA Farm (Sep 30, 2021)




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## Bruce (Sep 30, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> I think we're going to make it till October.


Seems quite likely, only 13 hours from when you posted


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 1, 2021)

Bruce said:


> Seems quite likely, only 13 hours from when you posted


You jinxed me!! He arrived at 11:13pm. 7 pounds and healthy.

I was feeling cramping after work, but stronger than the past couple days. Hot shower didn't help much and we decided to go to the hospital. Arrived in the 10 o clock hour, they checked me and immediately put us in a room. Things got busy and they told me to start pushing. He arrived after about 20 minutes of pushing. Not what I was led to expect for a first baby.


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## Baymule (Oct 1, 2021)

Congratulations on the fine healthy baby boy! You have now entered into another phase in your life, parenthood. It will never end, but will be supplanted when you enter into grand parenthood. Both are the best parts of your life.


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## Thefarmofdreams (Oct 1, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> You jinxed me!! He arrived at 11:13pm. 7 pounds and healthy.
> 
> I was feeling cramping after work, but stronger than the past couple days. Hot shower didn't help much and we decided to go to the hospital. Arrived in the 10 o clock hour, they checked me and immediately put us in a room. Things got busy and they told me to start pushing. He arrived after about 20 minutes of pushing. Not what I was led to expect for a first baby.


Congratulations!!!!!! Being your first I was betting you had at least a solid day of labor before birth! Even though you wanted October, I'm so glad it was an easy labor.  (My 2 were both awful, 3-5 day affairs!)

Make sure you actually do the bed rest and heal up! You'll be at 100% sooner that way, no matter how much you think you need to be up now. I swear, that's the hardest part of a new babe.  

I'm so excited for you! Congrats again!


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## Jesusfreak101 (Oct 1, 2021)

Lol with babies expect the un expected lol so excited for yall!


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## farmerjan (Oct 1, 2021)

WOW.... congrats on the new baby.... And be VERY VERY THANKFUL that it was such a short quick birth.  Maybe you wanted to wait but it sounds like it all went smoothly and the baby is a good size.


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## Mini Horses (Oct 1, 2021)

Congrats!!!


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## GardnerHomestead (Oct 1, 2021)

congrats!!


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## SA Farm (Oct 1, 2021)

Congratulations 🎉🥰


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 1, 2021)

Pic of the little one.


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## Thefarmofdreams (Oct 1, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Pic of the little one.
> View attachment 87803


So beautiful!!!! Congrats again!!


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## Jesusfreak101 (Oct 1, 2021)

Warning baby snuggles are addictive lol. Enjoy it newborn stage doesnt last long.


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## Bruce (Oct 1, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> You jinxed me!! He arrived at 11:13pm. 7 pounds and healthy.


Sorry about that! 

But it sounds like all went VERY well. I'm sure there aren't many women in the world that has given birth that wouldn't envy a 20 minute "active" delivery time! I'm sure DW would have prefered that.

Congratulations!!!!!!!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 2, 2021)

Bruce said:


> Sorry about that!
> 
> But it sounds like all went VERY well. I'm sure there aren't many women in the world that has given birth that wouldn't envy a 20 minute "active" delivery time! I'm sure DW would have prefered that.
> 
> Congratulations!!!!!!!


Yeah, I really wasn't expecting it to be so quick. I had planned on trying to do it natural and without pain meds but gave up on the way to the hospital. Then when we got there I was too far along and they wouldn't give me any since his head was right there.


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## Baymule (Oct 2, 2021)

I took Lamaze classes on my first. WTH? They told me it would be so easy, in the midst of things, all that went out the window. But the wonderful thing about birth, is you get the baby and labor pains are forgotten about. 

You are going to be the best Mom ever!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 2, 2021)

Baymule said:


> I took Lamaze classes on my first. WTH? They told me it would be so easy, in the midst of things, all that went out the window. But the wonderful thing about birth, is you get the baby and labor pains are forgotten about.
> 
> You are going to be the best Mom ever!


Thanks! I'm trying to be a good mom. I finally got about 5 hours of sleep when they took the munchkin for his 24 hour exam around midnight. The nurse woke me up to try to feed him since he hadn't eaten since just before that but he's zonked out and now I'm wondering if they fed him formula while he was at the appointment. His tummy looks full and he really should be hungry at this point. So we're just doing skin to skin and snuggling.


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## SA Farm (Oct 2, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> now I'm wondering if they fed him formula


I hope they didn’t if you plan to breast feed. My SIL had a very difficult time getting her first to latch after the nurses bottle fed him (without asking her and against her wishes). It was one of the stories that contributed to my decision to have a home birth.
🤞All goes well for you! I also believe that you’re not only going to be, but already are a fantastic mom!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 3, 2021)

I checked with them after I posted that, and they said they didn't feed him at all. Hubby had asked for a bottle of formula and brought one into the room but it was still sealed and unopened. 

We got discharged around lunchtime Sat and went home, mom and dad brought us lunch and met their grandson. They left after a few hours and the in-laws came over and brought us dinner and met their grandson. 

I'm definitely going to take advantage of all the free meals friends and family are planning to bring.


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## Baymule (Oct 3, 2021)

This is your time to rest and get to know your son.


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## Bruce (Oct 3, 2021)

And now your new life routine starts


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 6, 2021)

Apparently 3ish days is my limit on only cat naps. I have been setting my alarm to pump every 3 hours or so because the little stinker won't latch properly. So not much sleep happening. I slept through the alarm this morning by about an hour. I'm surprised he wasn't screaming his head off. He's been a pretty calm and non fussy baby, he's fantastic. He'll cry if he has a dirty diaper, but stop as soon as he's changed. 

This evening MIL came over so I took a nap since I had pumped extra I wasn't needed to feed. My brother and his fiance, plus my dad also visited. I overslept that alarm by an hour and a half. Missed pretty much their entire visit. Apparently hubby made my brother change the poopy diaper, fiance videoed it though, lol. 

Baby has a little jaundice, so we get to take walks in the sunshine tomorrow to see if that will help. He is eating, pooping, and peeing well, so just need to work it out of his system. He had his first Dr visit on Monday and they did the heel prick test, made us retest today, almost no change in the value. They aren't super worried as long as it doesn't get worse. I'm hoping it'll get better by his next visit on Thursday.


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## Baymule (Oct 6, 2021)

Get your rest. What a lovely baby, it only gets better from here.


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## Thefarmofdreams (Oct 6, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> I have been setting my alarm to pump every 3 hours or so because the little stinker won't latch properly. So not much sleep happening.
> 
> This evening MIL came over so I took a nap since I had pumped extra I wasn't needed to feed. My brother and his fiance, plus my dad also visited. I overslept that alarm by an hour and a half.


I'm so glad you're getting sleep when you can! Sleeping is more important than the visit (they mainly wanna see the babe anyways!) so use those opportunities.  

Re: poor latch... have you seen an IBCLC?  Has he been checked for tongue and lip tie? Do you know to offer the nipple to his nose, so he has to reach WAY up, thus opening his mouth and getting a better latch? (I went through difficulties with my youngest & latching.  I feel your pain.  If you need resources or anything... lmk!)


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 6, 2021)

Thefarmofdreams said:


> I'm so glad you're getting sleep when you can! Sleeping is more important than the visit (they mainly wanna see the babe anyways!) so use those opportunities.
> 
> Re: poor latch... have you seen an IBCLC?  Has he been checked for tongue and lip tie? Do you know to offer the nipple to his nose, so he has to reach WAY up, thus opening his mouth and getting a better latch? (I went through difficulties with my youngest & latching.  I feel your pain.  If you need resources or anything... lmk!)


He did have a slight tongue tie, but towards the back of the tongue. He was able to reach his lips with his tongue so it wasn't too bad. Since he was having latch issues I had them cut it with hopes he'd latch better, and he can move his tongue more now. He still won't latch without a nipple shield. 

The issue to me looks like he's not opening wide enough, so doesn't get enough breast in his mouth to create suction. Without suction, the breast loses shape and then he gets angry there's no food. He does decently with the shield as it holds the breast in the right shape.


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## Thefarmofdreams (Oct 6, 2021)

Did they give you follow up exercises for the tie? They're supposed to have you do various things to make sure it doesn't heal back into a tie. Have you tried different positions? Laid back is a good one for promoting a better latch.  You can also express by hand to get him started so he doesn't have to wait for letdown. (Tell me to stop if I'm too much. One of my close friends is an ibclc. And my 2 yo has such poor oral function from birth that he couldn't figure out a bottle, latched like garbage and now has a speech and feeding therapist bc he doesn't talk or eat. I have more breastfeeding knowledge than is good for me )

I'm glad you've found some options that help your little! I know you'll find a rhythm that works for you 2.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 6, 2021)

Thefarmofdreams said:


> Did they give you follow up exercises for the tie? They're supposed to have you do various things to make sure it doesn't heal back into a tie. Have you tried different positions? Laid back is a good one for promoting a better latch.  You can also express by hand to get him started so he doesn't have to wait for letdown. (Tell me to stop if I'm too much. One of my close friends is an ibclc. And my 2 yo has such poor oral function from birth that he couldn't figure out a bottle, latched like garbage and now has a speech and feeding therapist bc he doesn't talk or eat. I have more breastfeeding knowledge than is good for me )
> 
> I'm glad you've found some options that help your little! I know you'll find a rhythm that works for you 2.


The Dr said to stick my finger in his mouth and gently wiggle from one side to the other under the tongue. This is a lot more difficult than it sounds as usually he goes into piranha mode when I stick my finger in and he starts chomping/sucking on the finger.

He seems to do better trying to breastfeed after I pump for a few minutes, then stick him on with the nipple shield. Each time I try without the shield he doesn't stay attached and spits out the breast.


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## Thefarmofdreams (Oct 6, 2021)

The post-tie exercises are definitely not simple, lol.  Babies!

Sounds like you're finding a rhythm that works! He'll get there.   Definitely try different positions and keep working at it.  You got this!


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## Baymule (Oct 6, 2021)

Sometimes we need help and it's not barnyard animals......
This is a wonderful community.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 6, 2021)

Everyone keeps telling me that the next one will arrive faster. The Dr joked that hubby needs to learn how to deliver babies. If we get the goats and sheep on the property that should help us practice, right? 

Little one is still a bit yellow but we had a nice 10 minute or so walk in the sunshine this afternoon. Hopefully he will look less yellow tomorrow.


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## Baymule (Oct 7, 2021)

There is nothing more special than the time you spend with your baby.  They grow so fast, each stage of growth and development is even more wonderful than the last. One day they are all grown up, out on their own and you wonder how did THAT happen.


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## Margali (Oct 7, 2021)

Yay, for baby!

All 3 of my kids were toungue tied. The post-tie exercise are hard to do but important. Our doctor also had us sweep finger up underside of tongue to encourage frenulum stretch.

If baby is still have issues latching consider another consult. My youngest had lip, tongue, and cheek ties. The lip tie kept him from flaring his upper lip up and back to make proper suction. The cheek tie restricted mouth opening.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 7, 2021)

Munchkin still a little yellow, but cloudy and sprinkled a bit this morning so I'm not sure if we are going to have sunshine to set him in. We'll see. At Dr appointment now. 

Tile guy is at the house and working on installing the tile for the fireplace, it's going to be awesome. He was impressed with my drawing, said not everyone thinks about all the things that are needed and picks out all the pieces before the job starts.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 7, 2021)

Hubby getting antsy/excited for the garage but we still have to come to an agreement on how big and layout. I think we can get that figured out this week, and then figure out how much it's going to cost.

I really want to stop doing so much on credit and do the Dave Ramsey method to get all our stuff paid off and owned outright. I have a credit card I normally pay off each month, and it's hard for me to think of using the debit card instead of the credit card, but I think being stuck at home with baby will help. Less chance of shopping if I'm not going to the store. Need to disconnect it from Amazon though, that's where the convenience of just click a few buttons and it'll show up at your house will really get you.

Hubby has a credit card balance that I think if we can budget and stop eating out, we can pay off by the end of the year. Then we can attack his truck balance. My car is fully paid off and I plan to use it till it dies. I love my little car, and the car seat fits well in it. I could definitely fit two car seats, so it should work for the next 2-3 years at least before space might become an issue. I almost feel like we should look at selling his truck and getting something cheaper, but he really loves that truck and he had a custom lumber rack installed.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 7, 2021)

Had to stop the above post as hubby and munchkin came back from his procedure, he did well and didn't cry. It helped I got him milk drunk before.

We talked about our debt and possibly replacing the truck on our way home and hubby was definitely on board for the credit card balance attack and somewhat on board for the truck. He definitely needs a truck as he uses it all the time, but he was open to looking for something less expensive and apparently the rack isn't permanently attached, so it should fit any other F150. I pointed out looking for one with an extended cab would be smart, as right now the car seat makes the passenger seat really scrunched up far forward. He really doesn't want to buy private party as he wants some kind of warranty, low mileage, and low maintenance/issue truck. I used to work at Enterprise and still know one of the sales guys, so maybe we can ask them to keep an eye out for a truck and we could potentially do a trade in.


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## Mike CHS (Oct 7, 2021)

Truck prices are seriously silly for the last couple of years.  I have always bought vehicles that were 2-3 years old because they depreciate so fast that first year but when we were looking for a truck last year, we wound up buying a new one because the used ones cost the same.


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## Margali (Oct 8, 2021)

This website was awesome for figuring out which pickups would seat multiple kids. https://www.thecarcrashdetective.com/3-across-car-seat-guide-html/ He lists which seats he used in each year model of pickup.

We have a 2017 Ram 1500 Lonestar. It fits 2 boosters and an 8year old in the back.


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## Baymule (Oct 8, 2021)

I worked at a Ford dealership, selling cars. While there I bought my husband a 2004 F250 Lariat diesel crew cab truck and surprised him with it. I got it at invoice, dealer got the hold back, but it saved us thousands off the window sticker, I'm thinking about $8 thousand. Then Ford ran a 72 hour no interest sale and we didn't have to pay interest. I'm driving that truck now. 

My DD and DSIL got Dave Ramsey books and studied them. It is a good system. They will buy a vehicle on credit but always pay off early. They saved money during their 1 1/2 years in Odessa and are now using that to fix up their house in Corpus Christi. Built in 1950 of poured concrete, it needs new septic system $$$$$, new breaker box and some wiring $$$$$, new plumbing-the pipes going to the septic are clay pipes made in sections $$$$, and the flat roof leaks ? don't know on that one yet. LOL They bought it for  2-3 hundred thousand LESS than surrounding properties and will spend a fraction of that to get it up to code and fixed up. So while all is chaos and confusion now, in a couple of years they will have a nice house on 1 1/2 acres, in one of the best neighborhoods in town, worth waaaaay more than what they paid for it.


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## Margali (Oct 8, 2021)

Dave Ramsey method and book is great to help switch mindset. Be advised he's Christian and that is mentioned / quoted VERY often in the book. As a non-Christian it pushed my tolerance limits but the info was good.

Another good tool is "You Need A Budget" which has website and videos to go with software. It is an envelope system that pairs well with Ramsey philosophy to get debt free.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 8, 2021)

Munchkin is almost back up to his birth weight! He's eating well and is such an awesome baby. Doing better overnight, only getting up two times after going to bed around midnight now. Going to try to transition that to going to bed earlier and getting up 3 times instead.


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## Jesusfreak101 (Oct 8, 2021)

Jaundence can linger as there can be some breast milk jaundence as well. My oldest boy had that, but didnt cause any issues. I think all mine had mild jaundence at birth. It tends to take a bit to work out of their system and as long as its not getting worse your good.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 13, 2021)

I think the jaundice is pretty much gone, he doesn't look yellow to me anymore. He's still putting on weight I think and is starting to look more chunky. His umbilical cord fell off too, so now he has a little belly button and we can give him a bath.

I over did it on Monday, we went by my work to show off the little guy then to two different stores. Hubby had insisted on bringing the stroller so he pushed the stroller and I pushed the cart through each store. I was definitely leaning on it by the end, and tried to stay sitting most of the time after we got home. Took a relaxing day yesterday and going to try to do some light stuff around the house today. 

FIL has been super worried about their workload since hubby was trying to get 2 weeks off work and they have several large projects in addition to the normal on call/maintenance they do. He didn't work at all last week but is now working today and tomorrow. At least me being up for the little one means I can wake hubby up on time for work.

It's been super windy here the past few days, pushing random stuff all over the property outside. The shelter for the rabbits ended up moving several feet. I had hubby help me move it back in place last night. It's going to be so pleasant getting a dedicated bunny barn. Hubby found a listing for concrete blocks for $1 each, which I think is a good deal. Hubby doesn't really want to buy it at this time though. I think we need to get the garage and barn plans nailed down on paper so we can plan for purchasing the materials and get that started.


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## farmerjan (Oct 13, 2021)

Buy and store any deals like that NOW.... it is going to get worse, the inflation is going to go up and you are going to pay through the a$$ IF you can find stuff... Whether the plans are finalized, they sure AREN'T GOING TO GO BAD,  sitting there waiting to make the final decisions....  You might not be able to afford them down the road....


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## Bruce (Oct 13, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> I over did it on Monday, we went by my work to show off the little guy then to two different stores.


I guess you didn't really realize what a toll having a baby takes on your body! That part will get better and eventually the little one will sleep more so you will as well.


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## Baymule (Oct 13, 2021)

Yes! Buy those concrete blocks. I scrounged materials for several years. I'd drag home used lumber and pull the nails out of it. I stacked it in the garage. I hit the reject rack at Lowes and buy it. I went through construction boxes at work for what I could find.  When we bought this place, I brought it all with me. Upshot of it is, with paying labor and $4500 in new metal for roofing and sides, we spent under $8,000 on a 36'x36' barn that insurance appraised at $30,000 for replacement costs.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 14, 2021)

Hubby doesn't want to spend the money on the blocks now, grr. We talked about the garage plan and actually put out stakes for the rough layout of the garden.

Took the munchkin in to the Dr office today and he's no longer yellow, so jaundice is gone. He's at 7 lbs 5 oz now, so above his birth weight now that he's 14 days old. I tried to breastfeed again today before the appointment and I think he latched pretty good on the one side, but he likes to chomp too, so that was painful. Going to try again tomorrow, I'm hoping it'll help increase my milk supply and he'll get better at latching.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 23, 2021)

Yay sleep deprivation! I'm so freaking tired. 

Still trying to exclusively breastfeed/pump and avoid formula, so I have to wake up every few hours to pump. Thursday the new breastfeeding shield arrived, I think the brand is Haakaa? It is longer than the basic one the hospital gave me, the nipple part is almost identical to the bottle nipple and best part is that due to the length, when little one chomps down, he doesn't reach my breast. Feels SO much better and he actually stayed latched onto it, plus seemed to have deeper latch and no air sucking sounds compared to the other shield or the bottle. I have been using it off and on since it arrived and I think it's nice but it takes so much longer to feed little one this way. Or he was just playing around and being annoying today. Pumping is usually 20-30 minutes, then 10-20 minutes to feed the pumped milk. I breastfed him for well over an hour and he still acted hungry after. I pumped over an ounce after I took him off, and he ate all that too. 

I'm hoping my supply increases again, he's definitely growing. He can hold his head up now and is only still a little wobbly. He's so top heavy though, we have to watch him or he'll just completely tip over in your arms. He's been having tummy time and it's definitely strengthening his neck muscles.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 23, 2021)

Also, he has little baby snores. I took a video. 

I'm hoping he grows out of the snoring or it gets less as he gets bigger. I already have to worry about hubby snoring and stopping breathing as he does it, I don't want to have to worry about little one doing that too.


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## Margali (Oct 23, 2021)

Is he flat on his back and snoring? Try using a wedge pillow to keep him on his side if you are worried about the snoring. That's what I did for mine due to snoring and acid reflux.


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## Bruce (Oct 23, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Yay sleep deprivation! I'm so freaking tired.


Are you paying attention @Cecilia's-herd ?? You'll be twice as tired!



Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> He's so top heavy though, we have to watch him or he'll just completely tip over in your arms.


That is how babies are.



Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> I already have to worry about hubby snoring and stopping breathing as he does it


DH has sleep apnea (in case you weren't already aware). Daytime tiredness and morning headaches are common. I do well with an oral appliance from the dentist that moves the lower jaw forward opening the airway. Some people have to have CPAP machines, I absolutely hated that thing.


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## Cecilia's-herd (Oct 23, 2021)

Bruce said:


> Are you paying attention @Cecilia's-herd ?? You'll be twice as tired!


Oh gosh… I’m so tired already. I can’t do more tired! 

Sitting outside in SUN finally today. 54* and sunny.


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## Bruce (Oct 23, 2021)

Cecilia's-herd said:


> Oh gosh… I’m so tired already. I can’t do more tired!
> 
> Sitting outside in SUN finally today. 54* and sunny.


I don't think you have a choice unless DW is going to take over all the baby work including feeding all night 

Yes sun makes everything seem a bit better.


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## Cecilia's-herd (Oct 23, 2021)

Bruce said:


> I don't think you have a choice unless DW is going to take over all the baby work including feeding all night


Helpful thanks. 🤣🤣😫😫


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 23, 2021)

Cecilia's-herd said:


> Oh gosh… I’m so tired already. I can’t do more tired!
> 
> Sitting outside in SUN finally today. 54* and sunny.


Probably is going to depend on how you feed the kids and how many helpers you have. With two, it's unlikely they will be sleeping/eating on the same schedule, so you will be more tired. I don't know if you are planning to use formula or just breast milk; I think they have breast milk banks but I don't know how those work.

Sunshine is awesome and really helps with mood/feeling better.


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## Cecilia's-herd (Oct 23, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Probably is going to depend on how you feed the kids and how many helpers you have. With two, it's unlikely they will be sleeping/eating on the same schedule, so you will be more tired. I don't know if you are planning to use formula or just breast milk


We are planning on 100% breast feeding. And I know I’m going to be more tired than I have in my entire life. I know it’s worth it.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 24, 2021)

Cecilia's-herd said:


> We are planning on 100% breast feeding. And I know I’m going to be more tired than I have in my entire life. I know it’s worth it.


You may want to try to make your milk come in before they are born then, and save the colostrum too. That way you can stockpile milk and also increase how much milk you are making.


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## Cecilia's-herd (Oct 24, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> You may want to try to make your milk come in before they are born then, and save the colostrum too. That way you can stockpile milk and also increase how much milk you are making.


36 weeks we are going to start pumping.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 28, 2021)

Little dude is 4 weeks tomorrow, it's crazy how fast time flies. He's eating more, and doing really well at holding up his head. He is more and more alert after feeding, and starting to grab at things. He's ripped my glasses off several times today. He doesn't like to be burped.


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## Baymule (Oct 28, 2021)

These are precious days. Every stage of his development will be cuter than the last.....until maybe age 12-13.


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## Cecilia's-herd (Oct 28, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Little dude is 4 weeks tomorrow, it's crazy how fast time flies. He's eating more, and doing really well at holding up his head. He is more and more alert after feeding, and starting to grab at things. He's ripped my glasses off several times today. He doesn't like to be burped.


He’s got a little personality! ♥️


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 28, 2021)

And he's apparently entering a slightly clingy stage, he doesn't want to drop off to sleep unless I'm holding him. Hubby was a little miffed that he was fussy and refusing to chill out after he held him, fed, burped, changed, tried putting in the swing, etc. Then he handed the munchkin to me and he started snoozing.


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## Bruce (Oct 28, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> He doesn't like to be burped.


I would think the pressure of NOT burping would be somewhat uncomfortable.



Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Then he handed the munchkin to me and he started snoozing.


Of course he did! Whose heartbeat is his metronome, yours or DH's??


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 1, 2021)

Hubby's family got together over the weekend to celebrate his Grandpa's 80th birthday. They took lots of family pics, including some 4 generation pics with his grandma, mom, sister, and niece, and then grandpa, dad, hubby, and our son. I'm really glad his grandparents are still with us and able to interact with the little ones, not everyone gets to have that. 

Mother in law came over yesterday and cleaned up my kitchen and then got some munchkin snuggle time. He's starting to sleep a bit longer so I am starting to feel less sleep deprived. 

Hubby did a burn pile and got rid of a lot of the brush from the front yard. He also pounded in t posts for my front garden. Once he gets the tractor going we can remove the chain link dog zone that came with the house and reuse the posts for the gates and pull points for the front garden. After the concrete for that sets, we can get the fence installed and hopefully make that zone deer proof. Then I can start moving plants over and get some in the ground and others where they will have more sunshine and space than they do now. All of my fig cuttings have rooted themselves through their pots. Still trying to figure out where the fig forest will end being planted. Hubby tried the two varieties of figs that put out fruit and really liked the "violet" one, I forget the full name of the variety but I at least wrote it on the plant marker. These plants started from 6" cuttings I received on the mail last winter and are now waist high. One even put up two stalks/trunks, I might be able to take cuttings from that one as I shape it a little this winter and get even more plants.


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## Baymule (Nov 1, 2021)

My grandmother made strawberry fig preserves using strawberry jello. I lost the recipe over the years, but was given figs in 2012. I found the recipe on the internet and made the preserves. It took me back to sitting at my grandmother's breakfast table, eating biscuits with a generous dollop of her strawberry fig preserves. Yummy!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 2, 2021)

Took the munchkin to the in-laws today to watch him while I ran to the store. I tried to stock up on necessities and was able to get a lot of baked goods supplies as the ones from the old house are still mia. Pretty sure they won't be useable once they show up. The shelves throughout the whole store were pretty bare. They did have pallets sitting out ready to be put on the shelves but there would still be gaps even with that stuff on the shelves.


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## Mike CHS (Nov 2, 2021)

We don't go to the store often but we have been seeing more bare shelves.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 2, 2021)

Mike CHS said:


> We don't go to the store often but we have been seeing more bare shelves.


I haven't been out much since the munchkin was born, but the shelves have been fairly empty each time I go. I'd rather get some extra stuff now than not have it available to buy later and run out.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 7, 2021)

Saturday we went over to my parent's house and disassembled the aviary (13*20) made out of wire mesh and pipe framing. Brought it back to our house, we'll try to assemble it Sunday if we can figure out a flat zone, then I can bring my chickens over and have less things for mom to take care of at their house. Plus we'll get eggs! We've been having to bring eggs over from their house or just use the quail eggs.

Hubby brought his dad's bucket truck over and I think we are going to take out a bunch of trees near the house and along the driveway. Once we got home Saturday hubby used the tractor to remove the posts from the old chain link dog kennel that was attached to the carport, we are going to reuse the posts as pull points/gate posts for the new garden zone. He was able to pull all out quickly, the ground was soft from all the recent rain. He only bent two, and thinks he can fix the bend to get it back straight. 

We also picked up two tractor buckets of rocks. The rocks were placed around the front yard plant beds as borders and they aren't that appealing to me. I want them gone. I think we probably have at least three more buckets full to move, then the front area will look nice and clean, plus less attractive to snakes. I found a small alligator lizard in the rocks, I'm glad he didn't get squished.

I found two spots where bulbs are popping up, but they are kind of in the "lawn" area, so I need to move the bulbs to a container or someplace where they aren't going to get hit with the weed whacker again - I wanted to move them last year but hubby butchered them before I could. I also have a package of daffodil bulbs to plant and some saffron crocus bulbs too.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 7, 2021)

MIL came over with containers to help organize my baking stuff and we discovered a bunch of my flour and other stuff had weevils in it. Gross! Makes it hard to stock up if the food goes bad. Need to figure out a better way to store everything. At least now it's in air tight containers.

Now I have to decide if I'm going to make weevil bread to feed to the chickens or if I am just going to throw it in the trash.


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## Bruce (Nov 7, 2021)

Or give the weevils directly to the chickens? Dump the whole bag out for them, they can eat what they like.


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## Margali (Nov 7, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> I found two spots where bulbs are popping up, but they are kind of in the "lawn" area, so I need to move the bulbs to a container or someplace where they aren't going to get hit with the weed whacker again - I wanted to move them last year but hubby butchered them before I could. I also have a package of daffodil bulbs to plant and some saffron crocus bulbs too.


Could you put a couple garden posts in a triangle around the bulbs so husband knows they are keepers? That way you don't need to rush to get them.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 8, 2021)

Margali said:


> Could you put a couple garden posts in a triangle around the bulbs so husband knows they are keepers? That way you don't need to rush to get them.


The two patches of bulbs are less than a foot diameter each, it should be easy to move them. Hubby didn't weed whack last year until the grass was probably close to a foot high, it just got started growing out after the recent rain so I think I have a couple of weeks to get it done.


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## Baymule (Nov 8, 2021)

I have flower bulbs planted here that I'm gonna have to move. I've hauled some of them or at least their immediate family LOL, around for over 40 years, not leaving them behind now! I have amaryllis and narcissus bulbs, I love the bright red splash of color and the narcissus sweet smell in the yard.


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## Bruce (Nov 8, 2021)

Baymule said:


> I have amaryllis


Sweet! The only amaryllis up here is the one you get to bloom at Christmas and it will rarely bllom again even with fertilizer. Can't keep them outside in the cold cold ground.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 9, 2021)

It's raining. Again. I think we are officially in the rainy season. At least I no longer have to water my garden.  I brought the surviving papaya seedling inside, it's getting into the 40s/50s at night. So far it's still alive but the leaves are looking a little yellow. I'm thinking of watering it with some fertilizer, although I already put a bunch of bunny berries in the potting soil. 

Munchkin is doing well except we are fighting a diaper rash. 

Penny the cat is being super clingy, I think she likes that I've been home all day for weeks. Now that it's colder she's been stealing my chair as soon as I get up. Abby the cat has figured out how to jump over the tall baby gate, that was supposed to be cat proof, into the baby room. Then she curls up in the dock a tot thing. She seems very proud of herself. Penny still hasn't made it over the gate. Maybe Abby likes the alone time?


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## HomeOnTheRange (Nov 11, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> we discovered a bunch of my flour and other stuff had weevils in it.


I put all of my excess flour in the freezer.  Also placing cloves and bay leaves in your pantry will repel them.  If this does not work, you can try putting out White Vinegar.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 13, 2021)

Papaya seedling still alive, and the new leaf it is growing looks a little bigger. Mom came over yesterday and got us out in the yard in the sunshine, we put the munchkin in the stroller so he was contained and easy to move around. He slept the whole time. We dug up the bulbs and I planted them in the bulb circle in the driveway turn around. There are Freesias, daffodils, some kind of lily, and two unknown bulb types. I also planted a bag of daffodil bulbs hubby bought. My back was hurting after I finished and it was getting quite cold.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 13, 2021)

Munchkin is often refusing to burp, which leads to spitting up, leading to yet another outfit change. He's so freaking adorable yet so frustrating at times. He has also been more awake after being fed, which is cool, but not at 1am when I am delirious with lack of sleep. I have had less than 4 hours of sleep tonight.


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## Bruce (Nov 13, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> He's so freaking adorable yet so frustrating at times. He has also been more awake after being fed, which is cool, but not at 1am when I am delirious with lack of sleep. I have had less than 4 hours of sleep tonight.


Wow, sounds almost like a baby! 

Oh, wait, he IS a baby!  Welcome to parenthood


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 13, 2021)

We worked in the yard today. Hubby is using a lift truck to chainsaw the front yard trees down, while I move the cut pieces to either the burn pile or the tractor bucket (logs). He got a lot done, and I was able to help for an hour or two while an aunt watched the munchkin. 









After the aunt left I put the munchkin in the stroller and brought him out to where I could work on the burn pile branches and cut out the larger pieces for kindling while hubby ran out to the store. Hubby says to just burn it all but I'd prefer not to buy wood or have to chop up bigger pieces to use for kindling. It went a lot faster once I found the good loppers. 




Hubby started the burn pile and we are going to have hotdogs and s'mores. A good ending to a productive day I think.


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## Bruce (Nov 14, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> I'd prefer not to buy wood or have to chop up bigger pieces to use for kindling. It went a lot faster once I found the good loppers.


Smart woman.


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## Baymule (Nov 14, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> We worked in the yard today. Hubby is using a lift truck to chainsaw the front yard trees down, while I move the cut pieces to either the burn pile or the tractor bucket (logs). He got a lot done, and I was able to help for an hour or two while an aunt watched the munchkin.
> 
> View attachment 88201
> View attachment 88200
> ...


You got blue gravel? I feel cheated, my driveway gravel is regular ol' brown stuff.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 14, 2021)

Baymule said:


> You got blue gravel? I feel cheated, my driveway gravel is regular ol' brown stuff.


Brown gravel? I don't think I've seen brown gravel. The gravel I've seen from the landscape companies are usually gray or blue. I bet the color is due to what is available in the area, it's probably sourced locally as it's heavy to transport.


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## Baymule (Nov 14, 2021)

Most rocks are brown! What is that blue stuff in your driveway? haha, scoop it up and make jewelry!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 17, 2021)

Welp, I gave notice at the old job. Exciting and interesting times ahead.

I received a job offer a week or two ago from the lady who left our office in April, she's a controller at her new job and is in charge of their accounting department. The new job is part remote: I can work from home 2-3 days per week, I can bring the munchkin into work with me (after training is complete), and it is a lot more money. 

Current boss is a little worried as they need to hire someone now, but I didn't burn any bridges and he said I can contact them if it doesn't work out at the new place. So that's great I have a fall back but I think the new job will work out fine. 

The only real annoyance is that I'll have to change doctors as the insurance the new job offers is different than the current insurance and the current doctor doesn't accept the new insurance. I've been going to the current doctor for decades.


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## Bruce (Nov 17, 2021)

Sounds like things are going in the right direction  I wonder if your doctor can choose to accept the new insurance, might be worth asking. I really wish we had universal health care then this sort of stuff wouldn't happen.


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## Baymule (Nov 17, 2021)

Congratulations on the new job! It sounds like a move in the right direction.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 17, 2021)

Bruce said:


> Sounds like things are going in the right direction  I wonder if your doctor can choose to accept the new insurance, might be worth asking. I really wish we had universal health care then this sort of stuff wouldn't happen.


That was my hope too, but I called and they don't accept it. I could try calling again but I don't think the answer will change.


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## Mini Horses (Nov 18, 2021)

Often it isn't the doctor accepting but, the insurance company not allowing.  Check with insurance company, in case.  Also the pay scale may be different -- internal issues.

Otherwise, job sounds great!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 21, 2021)

Munchkin slept for 6 hours!!!  



I only got to sleep for 5, but still!!!! He is chunking out and growing. He'll be 8 weeks on Thanksgiving. Crazy how time flies.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 1, 2021)

First day at the new job today, figuring out the schedule has been interesting. My mom is going to watch munchkin today and Friday, MIL will watch him Thursday. Commute isn't going to be fun but once I get through training and can work remotely (at mom's house) I think it'll be better. Even more awesome is hubby finally got an email from Starlink and it should be coming to our area soon ish.   

Munchkin has been clingy and wakes back up after I set him down after a feeding more than half the time. And since I'm exclusively pumping at this point, that means I have to stop pumping to grab him and then restart everything without spilling everywhere, with him on my lap. At least so far I'm staying ahead of him with milk, and I'm hoping I can do so for another two months at least.


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## Baymule (Dec 1, 2021)

Congratulations on the new job. You will get everything all figured out. It’s good to have mom and mom in law for babysitting back up. That’s a HUGE help!


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## farmerjan (Dec 1, 2021)

x2 @Baymule's thoughts.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 10, 2021)

Frost warning for tonight. Need to get more lights next time we are at Home Depot.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 24, 2021)

I think it has frosted at least 3 nights in December so far. It has now been raining for days, we might have a break on Friday 12/24, then more rain for days.

Munchkin is growing well and holding his head up without too much bobbing around. Hasn't rolled over yet but will probably do so within a month. He really dislikes tummy time on the floor, I think because he's not holding his head up high enough yet. He does better with tummy time on my or hubby's chest.

We took down more trees in the front yard, haven't had a chance to chop them up yet though. Hubby dropped them and did not hit the house, but did hit the old rotten deck, so it's kinda smooshed in a few places. At least with all the rain we can have burn piles no problem now.

My two plant orders came in, need to get holes dug and get them in the ground or potted up. Hopefully they last until Monday, things are hectic right now with all sides of the family wanting time with munchkin.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 24, 2021)

Oh, and with all the wind and rain, the swamp cooler is leaking. The one I wanted to get rid of when we had time and good weather, but hubby insisted on keeping. Now he agrees we should have taken it out. We have towels and a pot in the hallway to catch the water. So far it doesn't appear to have damaged the floor, unlike where we had the spare fridge in the den that leaked all over the new floor and caused it to buckle at the seams.


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## Baymule (Dec 24, 2021)

We always tie a rope to a tree, run it around another tree and tie to the tractor, to pull in the right direction. Works like a charm.


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## Bruce (Dec 24, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> He really dislikes tummy time on the floor,


Can you blame him?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 26, 2021)

Bruce said:


> Can you blame him?


No, but he's supposed to be working his muscles and pushing himself up to look around. He gets frustrated and just screams into the play mat. 

I'm hoping he will do better soon. He has had a lot of time in people's arms these past few days and since he pushes off so strongly with his legs, we've been having him try standing while the person holds him in place. I think it helps his core muscles. Probably doesn't help his arms. He's really getting better at holding his head steady, he doesn't bobble much anymore unless he's really tired.

He has slept through the night 4x in the past week. Which is fantastic except I wake up with engorged breasts and have to juggle feeding and changing the munchkin with pumping. So far I've been able to stay ahead of him and now actually have a bunch of milk in the freezer too.


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## Cecilia's-herd (Dec 26, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> No, but he's supposed to be working his muscles and pushing himself up to look around. He gets frustrated and just screams into the play mat.


My sons 4 days old and honestly he just sits in his incubator and screams too 🤣 frustration seems to be a boy thing 🤣


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## Bruce (Dec 26, 2021)




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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 28, 2021)

Supposed to frost again tonight, and may actually get below freezing while raining within the next two days, which means we could get snow. We are at 1200 feet so we usually don't get snow, we didn't last year. 

I put up my new frost clothes I received for Christmas, hopefully they work. I still need to buy more Christmas lights to help keep the plants warm. The biggest avocado doesn't have a frost cloth but I was able to get the lights up to the top of it.


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## Baymule (Dec 28, 2021)

We might get a wintery mix on Sunday. That means maybe snow, ice and usually it melts when it hits the ground.


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## Bruce (Dec 29, 2021)

Hopefully no winter storm in TX like last year!


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## frustratedearthmother (Dec 29, 2021)

Bruce said:


> Hopefully no winter storm in TX like last year!


X10000000000000000000


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## Baymule (Dec 29, 2021)

Bruce said:


> Hopefully no winter storm in TX like last year!


No kidding! I never experienced MINUS degrees in my whole life! -6F is something that I would rather not do again.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 29, 2021)

There was snow on the ground when we woke up, but it was back to raining so I don't know how much longer it was there after we left for work. It was neat seeing it but I'm hoping it didn't damage my plants and won't happen too much more this winter.


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## Baymule (Dec 30, 2021)

When I lived in Livingston, 160 miles south of here, I could garden all year around. In the winter I switched to cole crops, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, greens, lettuce, onions and such. Sometimes we got snow, but it didn't kill anything. Plants often stalled, quit growing and held off until early spring, but nothing froze to death.

Here, north of Tyler, Texas, it stays cold enough, long enough to reduce everything to mush. I gave up on a winter garden. Now I'm moving 125 miles south. Won't have a garden as it is a temporary place until I find a new farm. So I'll be excited to find a new home and figure out the planting schedule. 

Sometimes ice and snow doesn't do any harm, I hope your plants all do well and survive the cold spell.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 30, 2021)

No snow today, just rain off and on.

@Baymule  maybe you could try a garden in containers? That way you could take it with you. At least salad greens or something, it's hard to beat fresh greens. 

I hope they will be ok too, time will tell. We are supposed to have a break in the cold/nasty weather for a few days and then another winter storm system will start. I'm hoping I can get the yard cleaned up and more winterized before the next storm hits.


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## Baymule (Dec 30, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> No snow today, just rain off and on.
> 
> @Baymule  maybe you could try a garden in containers? That way you could take it with you. At least salad greens or something, it's hard to beat fresh greens.


I have a friend that will be only 30 miles away, that raises a big garden. So I wont be doing without. I've already considered a few tubs. Have another friend with cattle and I can get all the cattle lick tubs I want.


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## farmerjan (Dec 30, 2021)

I used to move some of my tropical fish outside into the big cattle lick tubs in the summer under partial shade and the plants grew like crazy and then I had lots of new ones, multiplications,  to bring back in and add to my indoor tanks.  I have some of my "moved" to this house, plants from the old house, like the peonies.... and have used those tubs for all sorts of things.  They are heavy with dirt in them..... One place used to take them back for a couple dollars discount on the new ones....
 He//... we used to return the 100# feed sacks years ago and got paid for them.  The feed company would clean/disinfect them and then bag up feed again..... made sense.... nowadays you can't hardly get 100 lb sacks of feed and the 50's are all paper or plastic that isn't even recyclable either.... at least I do use the paper for garbage bags and for putting down in the garden for walk ways between rows and to lay down then put hay/straw/etc.  type of mulch on top around the plants.....


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 31, 2021)

Trying to clean house with a munchkin is hard. He doesn't want to fall asleep in his swing or bassinet, only in my arms. So having to take a break on cleaning till he lets me put him back down without waking up. 

I have today and Monday off, so 4 day weekend to get stuff done! Going to try to get the tree mess cleaned up and the chicken pen put together. I have bare root plants that need to get planted too.


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## Margali (Jan 1, 2022)

Maybe try a baby carrier for doing chores? Worked great with my littles since body heat and heartbeat lulled them asleep. I could do most chores wearing them with minor changes like kneeling vs bending at waist.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 1, 2022)

Margali said:


> Maybe try a baby carrier for doing chores? Worked great with my littles since body heat and heartbeat lulled them asleep. I could do most chores wearing them with minor changes like kneeling vs bending at waist.


I have one and it works for some stuff, but it's hard to do a lot of things. Washing dishes is impossible because he's so big in the carrier that I can't reach the sink. I was able to do laundry wearing him. Tried chopping up branches to prep for a burn pile and he fell asleep fairly quickly but I kept bumping his legs with the lopper handles and he didn't like that at all.

Mom came over yesterday and today and watched him so I could work in the yard and do housework. I think once he gets a little bigger and can keep himself entertained it should be easier. He's not rolling over yet but he's starting to kick his legs and arch his back so that'll probably happen soon. He's drooling a ton and trying to chomp things so I think he's going to get a tooth soon ish. He's grabbing stuff now too, and has a nice strong grip.


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## Cecilia's-herd (Jan 1, 2022)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> I have one and it works for some stuff, but it's hard to do a lot of things. Washing dishes is impossible because he's so big in the carrier that I can't reach the sink. I was able to do laundry wearing him. Tried chopping up branches to prep for a burn pile and he fell asleep fairly quickly but I kept bumping his legs with the lopper handles and he didn't like that at all.
> 
> Mom came over yesterday and today and watched him so I could work in the yard and do housework. I think once he gets a little bigger and can keep himself entertained it should be easier. He's not rolling over yet but he's starting to kick his legs and arch his back so that'll probably happen soon. He's drooling a ton and trying to chomp things so I think he's going to get a tooth soon ish. He's grabbing stuff now too, and has a nice strong grip.


How old is your son, if you don’t mind me asking? It’s so fascinating to read about other peoples babies… they just learn things, it’s crazy. 🤣


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 2, 2022)

Cecilia's-herd said:


> How old is your son, if you don’t mind me asking? It’s so fascinating to read about other peoples babies… they just learn things, it’s crazy. 🤣


He is 3 months now


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 2, 2022)

Went outside to check on the critters and do night chores and there are frost crystals in the plant pots in the garden. I guess it's going to frost overnight. I feel like this winter is colder than last year.


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## Baymule (Jan 3, 2022)

When my kids were babies, I did a whole lot of just holding them. My daughter especially wouldn’t let me put her down. I wound up teaching the baby class at church because I couldn’t leave the room. I taught whatever class she was in up through kindergarten. At school I had to walk her to class, stay in the room until class started, then slip out the back door. She stuck to me like a dog tick. LOL


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## Bruce (Jan 3, 2022)

Better than a deer tick! Dog ticks don't carry Lyme


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 4, 2022)

Bought a bunch of plant sleeves at Home Depot and Green Acres on Sunday, and munchkin helped me pot them up on Monday. Yay for a day off! 

Male/female kiwis, male/female honeyberry, jostaberry, red currant, white grape, 'pink lemonade' blueberry, two raspberries, two types of gooseberries, and a few more I forget.






Now I just need to rearrange the whole garden zone so I can cover them easier, might do a row cover type thing like at Green Acres. It's currently raining and did not frost last night.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 4, 2022)

Munchkin is definitely out of 0-3 clothes, is in 3 or 3-6 clothes now. Size 2 diapers already too. He is a chunk! I think he might be in a growth spurt, he slept a good stretch of time yesterday and went to sleep a bit early last night. He's been pretty consistent about eating approximately 30-38 ounces of milk every day.


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## Baymule (Jan 4, 2022)

They don’t stay little very long. Enjoy every minute!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 4, 2022)

Baymule said:


> They don’t stay little very long. Enjoy every minute!


I am trying to enjoy it all, it's a little harder when he's screaming bloody murder but overall he's an awesome kid and we are blessed that he is healthy and happy. 

Last night he was tired but didn't want to go to sleep and I was pumping, so hubby was holding him. Munchkin was screaming so hard I thought he would hurt his throat. He had clean clothes, clean diaper, no burp needed, just tired. Hubby finally pinned his arms under the blanket and munchkin finally fell asleep.


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## Baymule (Jan 5, 2022)

My youngest granddaughter was like that. She still hates going to bed at 5 years old. If they can get her to be still, she'll fall asleep. Easier said than done!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 6, 2022)

Omg, we tried the white noise machine I just bought and why the heck didn't I buy this earlier??!! Munchkin was fussing last night, swaddled and turned on the machine, out in less than 15 minutes. Then the little stinker woke up at 3, changed him, fed him, noise machine, out within 15 minutes. So awesome!

Slept through my alarm because I had been up from 3-4, so ended up being late to work. Thankfully I can make up the time and be good to go. I really love my new job!


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## Baymule (Jan 7, 2022)

I well remember the working days with a baby to care for. It’s tough on a working mom. I worked night shift and it seemed like I never got any sleep. 

I’m glad that you have discovered how to get your baby off to sleep so you can get some rest too!


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## Bruce (Jan 7, 2022)

Your post got me thinking Larson. Why isn't there something where you can record your heartbeat while the munchkin is in utero so you can play it back to them once they escape? Seems like that very familiar sound would be really soothing. Plus, isn't it common for new babies to calm when Mom holds them more than Dad? Again, return to the familiar sound?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 8, 2022)

Bruce said:


> Your post got me thinking Larson. Why isn't there something where you can record your heartbeat while the munchkin is in utero so you can play it back to them once they escape? Seems like that very familiar sound would be really soothing. Plus, isn't it common for new babies to calm when Mom holds them more than Dad? Again, return to the familiar sound?


The noise machine has lullaby, white noise, ocean, and heartbeat. That would be cool to be able to record your own heartbeat to use for the playback.

Yeah, munchkin usually calms down better when I'm holding him, which makes hubby pout. Today though, hubby has the magic touch and was able to get him to settle when he just kept crying for me.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 11, 2022)

Order came in from Arbor Day Foundation, and they shorted me 3 trees. I didn't take pictures or video as I opened the package, so I'm not sure how I can prove it. Not sure it is worth contacting them about it but I'm disappointed. I got a silver maple, (free) red maple, two hazel nuts, a sweet shrub, and supposed to be 4 hybrid poplars. They only sent 1 poplar.

The poplars are supposed to be for shade and firewood. I believe they are supposed to send up suckers if the roots are exposed a bit and slightly damaged, so I might be able to try that to get more trees from the one I received.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 11, 2022)

I've been watching a bunch of grafting videos on YouTube, and I'm excited to try it but I can't find my darn grafting tape. I ordered some new tape to arrive Wednesday, but I'm sure I'll find the previous tape within a week or two. I have some scions for peach, cherry, and loquat I need to try to graft. They are currently in the fridge.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 12, 2022)

I really want to go by TSC to see if they have trees yet, I got some last year and I think they were only $15. If I can get a pear I can try to graft on a branch from the Asian pear at my folk's house. I'm really looking forward to trying to graft but I'm worried I'll screw it up and kill the plants.


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## Baymule (Jan 12, 2022)

Too bad about the shortage, contact them and see what they say. 

Grafting! I say go for it. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Take pictures and teach the rest of us!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 12, 2022)

Oh! I found this and thought of you @Baymule , don't you have a pink banana squash you grow each year? I received the Baker Creek seed catalog and already started drooling over seeds, I think they have more stuff online too.


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## Bruce (Jan 12, 2022)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> The poplars are supposed to be for shade and firewood


Poplar is a poor wood for fires .... unless maybe you mean outside fire ring "wieners and marshmallow" fires.


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## Baymule (Jan 12, 2022)

Last year I grew Giant Pink Banana squash. 3 plants put on a LOT of squash. I picked the young squash and machete chopped it for the sheep. They LOVED it! I picked mature squash and made pies. It impressed me with how much food those 3 plants produced.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 16, 2022)

Fowler Nursery is selling their bare root fruit trees, so we went by on Saturday. We bought 10 trees, 5 for us and 5 for the inlaws. We had to replace several of the trees from last year that didn't make it. I think there's one more that died that needs replacement but since all the trees have lost their leaves it's hard to tell which is actually dead. I need to go scrape some bark and then write it down. Mom wants to replace a tree at their place and you get a discount for buying 10+ trees, so we are planning to go together next Saturday. There was miscommunication and the inlaws want more trees than the ones we got yesterday so we should be able to get 10 to get the discount; it roughly equals one tree off.

I made a chart of the orchard and wrote down all the tree info, then I put it into a spreadsheet and made a map tree map in excel. I got a bunch of the trees written down from the garden zone but not all. Need to update soon, once I rearrange the plants. The miners lettuce is taking over again now that we are in winter and getting rain every once in a while. Hubby and I walked the orchard zone and below it, and roughed out what is going where, so now we just need to write it down so we don't forget. Probably draw a map too.

I tried grafting this morning, not sure the grafts I did will take but it was worth a shot. A cherry, two peaches, and two loquats. I sliced my finger pretty good while grafting, thankfully not too deep but it made me wonder if the graft would do better or worse with blood on it. I tried keeping a bandaid on it but I'm washing my hands so often it makes life difficult. It stopped bleeding fairly quickly but it doesn't look pretty.


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## Baymule (Jan 17, 2022)

You are going to have a awesome orchard! Grafting, you should take pictures. I admire your abilities. Maybe not the cut finger, that's something I would do. LOL


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 17, 2022)

The finger isn't that bad, but it may scar. I need to put some Neosporin on it overnight.


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## farmerjan (Jan 17, 2022)

I think it was on SS (sister site) that one of the members was doing a bunch of root ball grafts???? Or something like that.  They had very good success.  Try searching in the forums and see.


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## Bruce (Jan 17, 2022)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> I sliced my finger pretty good while grafting,


Maybe you could have put a slip in the cut. Then you would have fruit at hand all the time in a couple of years


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 26, 2022)

Writing this here so I don't forget. Stupid weather app didn't warn me, or I have the settings wrong. Frost on Tuesday, windshield was iced up. Phone said 34 Wednesday but no frost on windshield. Dunno how it affected the plants. Haven't been able to do anything, been leaving at 7 ish in the morning and back well after dark. Hoping I can get back earlier tonight and pick up the house and property. We are supposed to have people over Thursday night and on Saturday. I'm tired of the place looking terrible.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 26, 2022)

The apple seeds I started have sprouted, I'm excited to have some free trees. I dunno how long it'll take before they fruit, but I'm willing to wait to see how they turn out, plus I can try grafting them as well. I have loquat seeds and two tamarind seeds started as well, but they are still in the soaking stage. I also ordered more seeds, we'll see how many baby trees I can get started at once.


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## Baymule (Jan 27, 2022)

I hope the frost didn’t hurt anything. I’ve done that dark to dark thing in the winter. It’s hard. It will get better, spring will come. 

Enjoy your company. Take a break to just enjoy the visit. 

One of these days you are going to have a fantastic orchard. Even with my move, I can’t have trees that are not freeze hardy.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 29, 2022)

We had a lot of folks over today; I am tired of being social and just want to relax. My mom came over to watch the munchkin so I could work in the yard. Hubby's grandparents, aunt, uncle, and two cousins came over to help work in the yard and visit. 

A group of church folks also came over to help in the yard, they were hard workers! They were here for only 3 hours but got a lot of work done in that time. Hubby worked on chopping up the trees he previously dropped, and we had two burn piles going. Two of the young men worked the splitter and split all of the rounds in the zone by the well, while I and a few others stacked the freshly split and previously split wood. We stacked it up on pallets next to one of the shipping containers. There were 4 pallets and I was able to get 3 rows on each pallet. One pallet I kept as seasoned wood and the others were the fresh wood that will need to age until at least next year. Ended up with stacks that were about chest high. I'm a bit sore but we did good and the area looks much better now. I believe we are going to continue working on this tomorrow.






After all of those folks left, hubby's other set of grandparents came over to visit and my mom went home. Everyone who held munchkin today commented on how heavy he was, so I brought out the baby scale I bought but haven't used yet. We weighed the munchkin and he is 17 pounds at a few days shy of 4 months. He is a happy little growing boy. He's got some rolls but I don't think he's too heavy, he looks healthy to me. 

Grandparents went home and now we are enjoying the peace and quiet while munchkin sleeps.


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## Baymule (Jan 30, 2022)

Wow! What a great day and getting so much done! Blessings for family and church friends coming to help. Where would we be without our friends and family? It's good to hear that your baby is growing and thriving, it won't be long and he'll be walking!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 30, 2022)

Baymule said:


> Wow! What a great day and getting so much done! Blessings for family and church friends coming to help. Where would we be without our friends and family? It's good to hear that your baby is growing and thriving, it won't be long and he'll be walking!


His cousin was walking at just under a year, so still a few months to go lol. He hasn't rolled over yet, but that will probably be coming soon. He is grabbing things now and can hold something in his hands to chew on it. He drools a ton so might have teeth in a month? No tooth bumps yet.


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## Ridgetop (Jan 30, 2022)

Once he is walking well, he will think it is fun to stack wood!   For a couple years anyway!  LOL


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## Bruce (Jan 31, 2022)

Or until he is ASKED to stack the wood!



Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> His cousin was walking at just under a year, so still a few months to go lol.


They are all different. DD1 crawled once and said "heck with that". She was walking at 9 months. DD2 was a lot slower, I don't think she walked until maybe 14-15 months. Crawling was fine with her.


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## farmerjan (Jan 31, 2022)

My mom said I was walking at 9 months.... my DS crawled, scootched along on his butt until after he was 13 months... then got up and started to walk.  Then he never stopped.....


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 1, 2022)

Frosted again this morning, didn't cover the plants last night, grr.

Told MIL yesterday how much munchkin weighed, and it's apparently the same weight as his cousin, who is 10 months older. She has a smaller frame though. It's going to be interesting seeing them grow up together.

Next appointment for munchkin is on Monday.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 4, 2022)

The goal this weekend is to get the chicken pen assembled and then move the chickens over. Once they are here, I can start incubating some eggs and going through my parents flock to get rid of the old non-producing hens. 

My birds I am bringing over will also need replacement by the end of the year, so I plan to buy more leghorns and a few other breeds to play around with the genetics. I really liked the dark brahmas I had before but they take so long to mature. I may try to get one of those cream legbar roosters, to get the blue egg gene.

I am going to breed the Easter egger rooster with my white leghorns this spring and then see how the chicks grow out. I'd like a pretty bird with interesting colored eggs, but I also want the white eggs as I'm going to try to sell the hollow eggs online or decorate and sell them. So I will probably keep some pure leghorns to keep white eggs. If I can get several chicken pens growing, then I could have several breeding flocks with different purposes.


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## Ridgetop (Feb 4, 2022)

Remember all the milestones. Mainly as soon as the kids ae old enough and capable enough at something they insisted on helping with when you had to redo it for them, they no longer want to do it!


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## Baymule (Feb 5, 2022)

Different breeds of chickens are fun. I have a hankering for Jubilee Orpingtons. They are so pretty, I love the spangled colors. I won't be having chickens for awhile, so post pictures of yours!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 5, 2022)

Orpingtons are nice too. MIL had a buff Orpington that hatched well over a dozen chicks, and raised them all. Speckled Sussex are similar in color to your jubilee I think, but different body type. Speckled Sussex are good moms.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 6, 2022)

Almost got the chicken pen assembled yesterday, going to try to finish today. We got the frame up with only a little trouble, but started attaching the mesh with wrong overlap. Now we have to take off the middle piece and reattach. Then end pieces can be attached and skirt buried. Then it's ready for chickens.


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## Bruce (Feb 7, 2022)

What will keep the foxes from digging into the pen, are you going to skirt wire? 



Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> but I also want the white eggs as I'm going to try to sell the hollow eggs online or decorate and sell them.


I have 2 Austra Whites from Meyer. They are a cross between a Black Australorp and a White Leghorn. They are much more the body type of the WL and lay Large to XL. LOTS of them. I do NOT know which is the rooster and which the hen in the cross and maybe that affects the egg color.  Aurora lays a pure white egg and Gretel's are barely off white. They are pretty chill birds, I've heard that WL can be somewhat flighty.

Anyway, if you can figure out which way to cross them to get white eggs, you might like to make your own personal line of Austra Whites (which is probably a trademarked name).


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 8, 2022)

There's a wire skirt about 1 foot wide, and I will be placing rocks or bricks around the edge. We have seen foxes and coyotes here, so we will need to make sure the pen is secure otherwise we will lose birds. This pen is not the permanent placement of the chicken pen, just for now until we get more infrastructure and materials. 

We have seen fencing panels at an online auction that look beefy and decent for chickens, I think it is basically 2*4" holes, so it should keep out bigger critters, but we'd have to add smaller mesh along the bottom to keep rats out and small chickens in. I want to get this fence, and install over a poured concrete perimeter, and possibly add bird netting above the pen.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 8, 2022)

White leghorns can be super flighty, depends on the strain and how much they are handled while they are young. You can get a bird pretty tame if you spend time holding and interacting with the bird as it's growing up. The ones I have are flighty, but I want to get some eggs out of them and then replace after the new generation is hatched. There are brown leghorns too, but I don't think they are that pretty.


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## Baymule (Feb 8, 2022)

A big YES on the wire skirting. Bear in mind that raccoons can climb and they can tear up chicken wire, if you are using that over the run top.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 8, 2022)

I don't use chicken wire, as it doesn't protect from predators only contains chickens. The chicken run we are in process of installing has 1" welded wire mesh. The future chicken pens might have bird netting (lightweight stuff), or 2" welded wire mesh, or nothing on top. It's probably going to depend on our budget, pen size, time, etc.


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## Bruce (Feb 9, 2022)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> but we'd have to add smaller mesh along the bottom to keep rats out and small chickens in.


 I don't think rats are a danger to the chickens but weasels are and they can fit through 2x4" fencing like it was a cattle panel. And they climb so you would need that 1" wire all the way up.


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## farmerjan (Feb 9, 2022)

Rats are a big danger to small bantams but especially to chicks.  And they will eat eggs if there are some that are cracked or broken.... Rats also get into the feed and carry too many diseases....


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 15, 2022)

We went by Green Acres and looked at their seed options. I'm thinking if we get seed we can broadcast it during the next rain so the seed has a chance to get to the dirt and sprout instead of being immediately eaten by birds/critters.

Any thoughts/issues with these seeds? I am leaning towards the erosion control mix, because it might do better with sun/shade and intermittent watering. Maybe the annual ryegrass too?


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## farmerjan (Feb 15, 2022)

Nice to have choices with some explanations.  I would go with the Erosion mix... 1st listed.  First off rye grass is more a cooler weather crop but it comes up  fast.  It will be good to graze early.  Grows fast and has alot of "water" in it.  Here in Va we have a little trouble getting it dry for hay.  Most dairy farmers will chop it for a "haylage".  It is a great crop for getting the ground covered and growing.  It is often grown here as a winter cover crop,  Anything that gets too tall/old for optimal grazing will be good to add organic matter back into the soil.  There are some farmers here that grow it,  and then kill it off and no-till plant corn into it and it acts as a great "mulch" as the plants get established.  It does not regrow from a root system, but any that goes to seed will grow from the seed.  So it needs to be replanted.  But as a nurse crop, it will be the basis for other types of grasses and clovers to get started and then it will die off if not grazed.  

I do not like fescue.  It is a great crop to extend the growing season, it is used to grow and "stockpile" for fall and winter grazing.  There is an endophyte that causes toxicity in the plants.  Common fescue is all endophyte infected.  There is a brand that is not endophyte infected and it costs more and is not as hardy.  It can cause animals to have some problems, the main thing is if forced to eat it during the summer when it is most prevalent, it can cause animals to have overheating, rough hair coats, sometimes digestive issues...sometimes attributed to causing abortions,  but founder is one of the well known side effects.  Cattle will stand in ponds to try to "cool off".  If there is other forage, the animals will not eat it in the summer.  After a fall frost, the starches turn to sugars, the toxicity is "nullified" and it is very good protein and makes a good late season forage/grazing crop.  It makes a lot of forage and can be grown for hay and is very prolific.
Once you get fescue in the field/area, it is very hard to get rid of.  Fast growth will overshadow other grasses. 
It was used for stabilizing roadsides and stream banks here in the east and has literally taken over fields.  But it does cover good and keeps on growing....

I would not use anything that requires irrigation.  Yes I know you want to water your grasses/pastures to keep them growing, but you will be setting yourself up for heartache if something happens and you cannot irrigate/water on a schedule.  Most any plant that is for irrigated fields is for growing as a hay producing crop.
A plant that is somewhat drought tolerant will grow better in most any situation that has sufficient water/rain;  unless it is subjected to severe excessive rain/water/flooding.  Yet will survive with drought and then come back when a little moisture falls.  Drought tolerant means exactly that... it will tolerate and come back.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 15, 2022)

farmerjan said:


> Nice to have choices with some explanations.  I would go with the Erosion mix... 1st listed.  First off rye grass is more a cooler weather crop but it comes up  fast.  It will be good to graze early.  Grows fast and has alot of "water" in it.  Here in Va we have a little trouble getting it dry for hay.  Most dairy farmers will chop it for a "haylage".  It is a great crop for getting the ground covered and growing.  It is often grown here as a winter cover crop,  Anything that gets too tall/old for optimal grazing will be good to add organic matter back into the soil.  There are some farmers here that grow it,  and then kill it off and no-till plant corn into it and it acts as a great "mulch" as the plants get established.  It does not regrow from a root system, but any that goes to seed will grow from the seed.  So it needs to be replanted.  But as a nurse crop, it will be the basis for other types of grasses and clovers to get started and then it will die off if not grazed.
> 
> I do not like fescue.  It is a great crop to extend the growing season, it is used to grow and "stockpile" for fall and winter grazing.  There is an endophyte that causes toxicity in the plants.  Common fescue is all endophyte infected.  There is a brand that is not endophyte infected and it costs more and is not as hardy.  It can cause animals to have some problems, the main thing is if forced to eat it during the summer when it is most prevalent, it can cause animals to have overheating, rough hair coats, sometimes digestive issues...sometimes attributed to causing abortions,  but founder is one of the well known side effects.  Cattle will stand in ponds to try to "cool off".  If there is other forage, the animals will not eat it in the summer.  After a fall frost, the starches turn to sugars, the toxicity is "nullified" and it is very good protein and makes a good late season forage/grazing crop.  It makes a lot of forage and can be grown for hay and is very prolific.
> Once you get fescue in the field/area, it is very hard to get rid of.  Fast growth will overshadow other grasses.
> ...


That's why I was thinking the drought tolerant mix, so we can irrigate if we have the water, but likely only once a week or so.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 19, 2022)

Chickens are supposed to be moved this weekend, just need to finish the pen skirt, add a cover, and set up food/water. Mom has started saving eggs for me to incubate as incentive to move the chickens. Once they are moved over I can start the incubator. 

I will probably do two incubators with two hatch dates; my parents flock eggs first and the Easter egger and leghorn project eggs second. Plus somehow add in quail eggs too. I might have a potential repeat customer who wants quail for snake food.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 19, 2022)

My parents flock has added a random rooster. Mom thought it could have been one of the youngsters that I missed, but the age is wrong and I specifically took all the roosters except my Easter egger and the original flock leader who has since died.

Second theory is it is a neighbor rooster who decided to relocate himself as the neighbors just let their birds wander. Not sure if we should try to confirm ownership and return him, or just roll with it. We might have to walk down and ask. 

I was planning on changing up their flock this year as part of my Easter egger project, and get them younger hens who don't freeload as much. Less free loaders or low producers means we can have fewer birds there overall.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 19, 2022)

Caught the chickens without incident tonight and put them in the pen. Still need to get them a proper roost, cover part of the pen, and give them nest boxes. 1 rooster, 4 white leghorns, and 1 blue something. I think wyandotte? I don't remember what she is.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 20, 2022)

Chickens gor a nest box and a temporary roost, will need to upgrade to a better permanent one. Three eggs were laid but only two gathered, we have one or more egg eaters.

I'm glad I put these in the aviary, not a regular pen. The rooster tried several times to fly out.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 20, 2022)

Aviary progress pictures. Digging out for the skirt.








Skirt buried and rocks added.







Chickens added.





Eggs!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 20, 2022)

I discovered poison oak growing when I grabbed rocks from the rock pile.


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## Bruce (Feb 21, 2022)

I hope you were wearing gloves! Even if you aren't sensitive to it some of the sap could get from your hands to the baby.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 22, 2022)

I was wearing gloves but I saw it before I touched it thankfully. We just have to figure out how to get rid of it without touching it. Can't burn it, not sure if it can be composted without contaminating the compost. Might dig it up, douse with vinegar to dry it out and kill it, leave for a few weeks and then bury it? Could feed it to a goat instead but the goats can still transmit the oil if they rub against it.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 22, 2022)

Feeling sick this morning, so I'm probably going to take a rapid Covid test. Supposed to go into work today for taco potluck because it's a super twos-day, 2/22/22. I had a sore throat starting Sunday evening and now I have a headache too. Hubby hasn't said he felt sick and the munchkin seems normal. I should be able to work from home if I am positive, but I will miss out on the tacos and someone else will have to bring in the beans. Grr.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 22, 2022)

Negative test. So just a cold. Still sucks.


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## Bruce (Feb 22, 2022)

Yeah but better than having Covid! That is the new normal? Get sick with a cold or the flu and: "Well at least it isn't Covid".


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 22, 2022)

Stayed home to work remotely today because I am still feeling sick. It started hailing, then snowing!! 

I ran outside and put the chicken feed in a bin, then found an old tarp and managed to get it over part of the aviary. Hard to do with only one person. My hands were frozen numb by the time I went back inside. The chickens of course, were still standing in an uncovered corner even after I tried to shoo them towards the covered area.

It changed to rain, now back to snow. I didn't expect this at our altitude!!


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## Bruce (Feb 22, 2022)

Snowman time!!!!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 25, 2022)

Snow is mostly gone, whatever is left in the deep shadows is mostly melted to ice and refrozen. Getting the snow/ice off the bunny cover was fun on Wednesday. I should have worn a rain jacket.

It's going to be difficult to incubate the eggs from the leghorns as we have an egg eater. I have gathered a grand total of 4 eggs since the chickens arrived, and that was the first two days so unlikely to be fertile. Two additional eggs were broken. I should be getting 3-4 per day from the 5 hens. No eggs today. I need to build or buy a roll away nest box.

I still feel sick. Took care of munchkin and worked remotely today, I'm exhausted. I no longer have a headache but the sickness has moved into my throat and I'm coughing up yellow green grossness. I'm also losing my voice, so that's awesome. I also have difficulty breathing in if I swallow or move wrong. Being sick is awesome.


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## Mini Horses (Feb 25, 2022)

I like your chicken run!!


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## Bruce (Feb 26, 2022)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> I'm coughing up yellow green grossness


That doesn't sound good, time for a trip to the doctor?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 26, 2022)

Bruce said:


> That doesn't sound good, time for a trip to the doctor?


No, just normal cold stage. I'm now at the drippy nose and no voice stage. I am thinking it will be completely gone in a couple days. 

So far hubby and munchkin haven't shown any signs of getting it. My brother apparently got sick at a similar time, so I'm thinking we got infected from the same source somehow. Parents and SIL didn't get sick either.


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## Baymule (Feb 27, 2022)

Sorry that you are sick, it’s no fun when you have so much to do. 

I like the chicken run, it looks nice. Egg eater! Chicken and dumplings time, if you can catch the witch!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 2, 2022)

Still coughing a bit but almost over this dang cold. Hubby and munchkin didn't get it thankfully.

Worked from home today and went out several times to check for eggs. I was able to gather TWO leghorn eggs for incubation! I brought the incubator in tonight, will clean tomorrow and get it running to check temperature. Right now I have 32 chicken eggs to set.

I have been checking on my plants a bit often after the cold weather we had and quite a few are starting to wake up and start leaf buds. My rhubarb is coming back too! I'm excited for my plants growing and I'm hoping we can get my garden going soon. I received my recent order of plants and seeds and need to get them potted up: sunchoke tubers, comfrey division, hummingbird sage cuttings, honey locust seeds, persimmon seeds, and carob seeds. The sunchokes and comfrey are trying to grow in the bags!


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## Baymule (Mar 2, 2022)

Good thing that you are feeling better, you have lots to do! I’m glad your plants weren’t damaged by the cold weather.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 2, 2022)

Baymule said:


> Good thing that you are feeling better, you have lots to do! I’m glad your plants weren’t damaged by the cold weather.


Most don't seem to be damaged, but I did have one that was actually broken by the snow. I pieced it back together and wrapped with twine and grafting tape, time will tell if it will heal or just die. No visible growth on it yet. Of course it's a plant that I grafted, so I might lose the grafted branch too. All the ones I grafted I can't see if they are growing yet. 

The rhubarb was actually snowed on directly, and growing within a few days. Hardy little plants. I think this year they are going to be big enough I'll actually harvest. I want to get them a permanent bed too, same with the asparagus and artichokes. The artichokes didn't die back to the ground, maybe because they are in containers? I have 4 of them, dunno if they will grow fruit this year.


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## Bruce (Mar 2, 2022)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> The rhubarb was actually snowed on directly, and growing within a few days. Hardy little plants.


Don't worry about the rhubarb, it grows fine here and you'll never see a temp close to what we get in the winter. 



Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> The artichokes didn't die back to the ground, maybe because they are in containers? I have 4 of them, dunno if they will grow fruit this year.


My aunt had a couple of huge artichoke plants up in Mill Valley, they are perennial in warmer weather areas. I have to buy new plants every year, probably a different variety than what you grow.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 2, 2022)

Bruce said:


> Don't worry about the rhubarb, it grows fine here and you'll never see a temp close to what we get in the winter.
> 
> 
> My aunt had a couple of huge artichoke plants up in Mill Valley, they are perennial in warmer weather areas. I have to buy new plants every year, probably a different variety than what you grow.


The artichokes I've grown before seem to die back in the cold and then regrow from the roots. Not sure if that's what's actually happening or if they are self seeding, but each year they got bigger so I've always assumed it was the same plant getting older and amassing more resources. I think this variety is Green Globe artichoke?


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## Bruce (Mar 2, 2022)

I have no idea what variety my aunt had, but she was in a prime artichoke climate. Just north of the Golden Gate. Never too hot nor too cold. My sister planted some at her house south of L.A. not far from the beach. They didn't die back.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 6, 2022)

It's supposed to frost again tonight   

Gas is getting stupid expensive. I'm glad I filled up in Rocklin rather than in Auburn today. I paid $4.999 for 87 octane, but the gas station in Auburn showed $5.999 for 87 octane and $6.999 for diesel.


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## Bruce (Mar 6, 2022)

A buck higher??? The 2 stations nearest me were ten cents different.  Seems weird since they are across the street from each other, Shell & Mobil but a buck is just crazy.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 6, 2022)

Bruce said:


> A buck higher??? The 2 stations nearest me were ten cents different.  Seems weird since they are across the street from each other, Shell & Mobil but a buck is just crazy.


Yeah, I haven't seen that big a spread before. I filled up at an Arco but the higher price was at Chevron. Chevron usually has a little higher price, but that was just crazy.

This fuel should last me a week, possibly closer to two depending on how much remote working I'm going to do.


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## farmerjan (Mar 6, 2022)

I bet there will be alot of people pushing to work remote again....


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 7, 2022)

Incubator is heated up. I've held onto these longer than I would prefer, so I don't know what the success rate will be. I am hoping to sell the silkie and silkie cross chicks to pay for the feed for the rest. Total of 34 eggs.


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## Baymule (Mar 7, 2022)

Hatching chicks is so much fun! I hope you get a good hatch and have chicks to sell.


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## Bruce (Mar 7, 2022)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> I've held onto these longer than I would prefer


How long?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 7, 2022)

Bruce said:


> How long?


They might be close to 3 weeks? Possibly longer. Mom was gathering the eggs and I couldn't start incubating till the chickens were moved, then once they were moved I lost a week because I didn't get the incubator cleaned right away. She had also found a nest so those eggs are who knows how old. 

If they grow, fantastic, if not, I'll try again. The 5 white eggs are from my leghorn project, although I'm thinking one might be from the blue wyandotte. I gathered those here within the past week.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 8, 2022)

Munchkin rolled over 3 times last night from his back to his tummy while he was on the mat and we were watching our TV show. Of course we missed all 3! Soon he will be more mobile, time to baby proof the house.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 8, 2022)

I lost my rabbit Paprika last night. She had been looking thinner than normal for a few days and then started head tilting. I checked on the rabbits last night and knew she wasn't going to recover. She was an awesome rabbit and a good mother. I have three of her daughters and one granddaughter to continue her line.


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## Bruce (Mar 8, 2022)

3 weeks does seem kind of old but like you said, if they develop, they do. No loss. 

Sorry about the rabbit, was she old (as domesticated rabbits go?)


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 8, 2022)

I got Paprika in 2018, so she was around 4 years old. I think that would be considered old age for a meat rabbit. 

Pepper is a few months older than Paprika, the rest of the herd should be closer to 1-2 years old.


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## Baymule (Mar 9, 2022)

Sorry about Paprika, it seems to always be your favorites that you lose, while some cull you don't particularly care about, thrives. 

When my kids were babies, I crawled around on my hands and knees, looking at things at their eye level.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 9, 2022)

We have been having him eat some pureed food, we started with oatmeal, then rice, then applesauce. Last night he had banana and he ate half a banana! I think we are going to do a vegetable next so he doesn't get stuck only wanting sweet fruits.


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## farmerjan (Mar 9, 2022)

I started my son on cereal and applesauce then went right to some vegs for the very reason of him not wanting only sweeter tastes.  He did vegs really good...but loved to make "raspberry sounds" when he had a mouthful of peas....


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 9, 2022)

farmerjan said:


> I started my son on cereal and applesauce then went right to some vegs for the very reason of him not wanting only sweeter tastes.  He did vegs really good...but loved to make "raspberry sounds" when he had a mouthful of peas....


He was blowing raspberries a ton the past few weeks, but has not done as much this last week. We still don't know who taught him to blow raspberries lol.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 10, 2022)

Added some quail eggs, if I timed it right, everyone should hatch around the same time.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 13, 2022)

Munchkin has slept the whole night through, from 9/10 pm till 6ish, for the past four nights! He had carrots last night, he wasn't too sure about them. He will get them again tonight and tomorrow night. I think I need to steam them longer so the puree ends up smoother.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 14, 2022)

Yesterday was crazy busy, we should not have done all we did with the time change added in, because of course we stayed up late and then slept through alarms.

We went to church, then some chores, then went over to visit our northern neighbor. He is installing a fence along our shared property line and wanted our input/help. He has a road cut in all the way to the bottom so we finally got to access the bottom of our property. I thought the whole bottom was fenced, but no, only partially fenced. Because of the delightful slope covered with blackberries where there is a seasonal stream. We have a lot of work to do to clean up the bottom of this property and make it useable for humans. Apparently the deer love this zone as it has a north facing slope.

There were some very steep spots along the neighbors trail, and I am surprised we were able to do it without stopping. I think it was a half mile there and back, plus I was carrying the munchkin and a backpack.

After we came back from the neighbors, at dark, we ran to the store for groceries and then finally home to relax. Except I was supposed to make mini pies for Pi day, so I had to prep that out too. It ended up being too late last night to bake them, so I did that this morning. Now I'm so late for work I think I should have just done it last night and dealt with the lack of sleep.


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## Bruce (Mar 15, 2022)

So do the bosses care more if you are late WITH pies or on time WITHOUT pies?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 16, 2022)

As long as I make up the time and keep my boss in the loop it's fine. Pies turned out tasty.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 16, 2022)

I candled the eggs in the incubator, they have been in there since the evening of the 6th (chicken) or 9th (quail). I removed one celadon quail egg and 5 chicken eggs, two of which were from the leghorn project (3 left); these eggs had no visible development. There were 2 chicken eggs that looked like early quitters, but I marked them and put them back, I'll give them until next week to see if they are actually alive. Now there are 30 chicken eggs and 2 quail eggs left. 

I ordered hatching eggs from a lady in Oroville, for another incubation I plan to start on the 24/25th. That should allow me to hatch the chicks just a day or two before Easter. These eggs are cream legbar, potentially opal legbar. That means they are auto sexing as chicks, with the fluff indicating gender, and they lay blue eggs. I believe they also have an interesting partial head fluff/ top knot too. I will need to get my second incubator up and running to accommodate the second set of eggs.


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## Baymule (Mar 16, 2022)

Sounds like a fun day going to the back of your property and getting to look around. Of course you found more work to do! Goats or sheep would love those blackberry leaves!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 16, 2022)

Baymule said:


> Sounds like a fun day going to the back of your property and getting to look around. Of course you found more work to do! Goats or sheep would love those blackberry leaves!


Yep, the goats would have a field day I'm sure. The tricky part is figuring out how to contain them and deter predators.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 16, 2022)

My graft is alive!! I will take more pictures after work, just took this quick one this morning.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 26, 2022)

New additions have moooved in at the in-laws. Hubby and I plan to call them Sir Loin and Filet Mignon. Beef steers, supposed to be about 8 months old.


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## farmerjan (Mar 26, 2022)

Good looking steers from what I can see.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 26, 2022)

The incubator is peeping


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## Baymule (Mar 26, 2022)

Future steaks and hamburgers!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 27, 2022)

The one quail egg hatched around 5pm yesterday. There are at least 2 pips in the chicken eggs I can see this morning. I forgot how long it takes chickens to hatch compared to quail.

It started out in the hatch box, I don't think the box is going to contain the chicken chicks if it couldn't contain the quail chick.


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## Baymule (Mar 27, 2022)

I hope you get a good hatch!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 27, 2022)

Removed the quail chick from the incubator, several chicken eggs had pips. And the incubator cheeped again after the noisy quail chick was removed.

I believe there are 25 chicken eggs.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 27, 2022)

First chicken is out, seven more with pips visible.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 31, 2022)

Hatch is complete. One quail chick, 18 chicken chicks. 7 are silky chicks, the rest are mutts. I am going to try to sell these chicks and start another incubation this weekend.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Mar 31, 2022)

I have been working from home this week, and heard a ruckus from the chickens today, the sound they make when they are being chased. I ran outside and saw a glimpse of something gray and fluffy ish looking. I think it was a fox. I'm really glad I built the chicken cage as an aviary instead of a traditional pen otherwise I would have lost birds. Good news is that I spotted today's eggs before they had a chance to eat them, so I got 4!! 

We also moved the rest of my chickens over to our house, so mom doesn't have to deal with them anymore. It is a surprise for her 60th birthday, she will see tomorrow when she gets back in town.

I was able to gather 4 more silky eggs too. Incubator is going to be full...


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## Baymule (Mar 31, 2022)

If you have an egg eater, that is so frustrating. Look up plans for a roll out nest box. There are plans for that on BYC. If I ever build my dream coop, I want a roll out nest box.


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## Bruce (Mar 31, 2022)

I've got an egg eater too. Never had one before and NEVER has she eaten eggs in the past but this year she's decided cleaning out eggs is a good thing to do. She will be 3 in June and now lives in solitary confinement. It is one thing to feed a hen that is no longer laying, another to feed a hen that gives you negative egg counts. 

A customer of DW's loaned us a white ceramic egg. Presumably the hen is supposed to try to break it open, can't and gives up eating eggs assuming all are like that. It is light in weight but dang it sure looks real. The first few days in solitary Daisy buried it deep in her nest box. She seems to have given up on that now. And she ate the one egg she laid. If she has laid any more she has not only cleaned it out but eaten the shell as well.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Apr 1, 2022)

Yeah, usually any egg eaters I have dealt with eat the entire thing, leaving behind almost no evidence. The ceramic eggs are nice, I need to get some for my house and replacement ones for mom's house. We had some there and they slowly disappeared. We weren't sure if a critter was making off with them or if they were accidentally included in a dozen that was given away to friends or family.


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## Baymule (Apr 1, 2022)

Egg eaters go in the soup pot.


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## farmerjan (Apr 1, 2022)

99% of the time you cannot break an egg eater that is breaking, eating and totally cleaning up the eggs. We use the fake eggs to get the hens to lay where we want them to, and it helps to discourage any pecking of their real eggs.  The only way to pretty much stop it is if they are in a contained coop and you have roll away nest boxes.  It is not a guarantee but it helps.  Unless she is a valuable hen for breeding purposes, egg eaters get their neck wrung.  At least one good thing about chickens, the chicks don't learn bad habits from the hen if they are hatched in the incubator.


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## Mini Horses (Apr 1, 2022)

My DD cals them "self feeders"😁.  I call them soup stock.


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## Bruce (Apr 1, 2022)

Daisy laid and cleaned out an egg yesterday. There are suggestions to blow out an egg and fill it with mustard or mustard and dish soap. I might try that though I don't know how many "ICK!!!!" eggs she would have to break into before she decides to quit (if she does).


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Apr 2, 2022)

I will probably create a roll away nest box, they have actually been laying in the same spot the past few days. I got two eggs yesterday, and three the day before. So I am thinking the one hen I lost might have been the instigator and the rest just helped. At least that's what I hope. I have lost fewer eggs since she passed.

I have over a dozen eggs from that pen now, I think close to 3 dozen total, so hopefully this incubation will be more successful with my leghorn project eggs. The one that lived from this last incubation only lasted a few days as it had navel issues.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Apr 2, 2022)

More pics of the successful graft.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Apr 4, 2022)

I somehow gathered FOUR leghorn eggs today! Plus more silky eggs and quail eggs. Time to get the incubator going again. I have a turner tray for the quail eggs but not for the chicken eggs. Unless I get one I'll have to hand turn again. I can do it but it's a pain.

I also sold the 7 silkie chicks I hatched on 3/27-28, so I just have the Easter egger mixes left. I'm hoping those will sell as well and then I will only need to worry about the damaged leg chick (DLC) plus the quail chick. The leg was injured by the other chicks and I couldn't see how I could fix it so the chick will stay until I determine it's suffering too much or is too handicapped to live a good life. I don't remember having toe attackers this bad in previous hatches. Possibly because I'm using a non-red light bulb? The quail chick and DLC seem to get along ok, and are snuggling now that the other chicks got moved to the outdoor brooder.


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## SA Farm (Apr 4, 2022)

The non-red light bulb can cause cannibalism since they can’t get proper sleep - messes with their cycles…
Or so I understand from research. I’ve never experienced it myself since I’ve always used the red bulbs.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Apr 6, 2022)

SA Farm said:


> The non-red light bulb can cause cannibalism since they can’t get proper sleep - messes with their cycles…
> Or so I understand from research. I’ve never experienced it myself since I’ve always used the red bulbs.


I haven't been able to find the red bulbs in a lower wattage, only 250 watt. The white bulb I'm using now is 125 watt. It's plenty of heat and I'm assuming less expensive to run than the 250 watt bulb. Everything is trying to go to LED now, I don't think they understand the need for lightbulbs that emit heat.


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## Bruce (Apr 6, 2022)

Mama Heating Pad brooder!!!!!!!! NO light, no problems.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Apr 7, 2022)

Bruce said:


> Mama Heating Pad brooder!!!!!!!! NO light, no problems.


The heating pad caves don't work for quail. They don't figure it out in time and end up dying. 

The birds are doing fine now, and are very quiet. I'm hoping regular handling of the quail will make it friendly, probably just as it shows that it's a boy.


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## Bruce (Apr 9, 2022)

Broody hen maybe?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Apr 30, 2022)

Incubator is locked down, I'm hoping I counted the days right. Hatching should be Monday, I think. There are 13 quail eggs, and I definitely saw one wiggle when I did the pre lockdown candling. Took 2 chicken eggs out that were late quitters, no veins visible and less darkness inside the egg than the other eggs. Remaining are 30 chicken eggs with good veins. 13 are silky eggs and 16 are leghorn project eggs, with one egg that I can't tell, it's bigger than the rest of the silky eggs but not as white as the leghorn eggs. Time will tell.

The current plan is to sell the current chicken chicks at auction tomorrow since I've had no luck on Craigslist. Then sell the silky chicks once they hatch either through Craigslist or raise them to about a month and sell at auction. Really trying to at least break even with my birds this year.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Apr 30, 2022)

Munchkin is growing and developing his personality. He still isn't rolling other than one direction but his core is getting stronger. He can stay sitting for a very long time now just playing with toys. I need to practice with him how to roll the other direction and how to sit up by himself. 

He is mostly sleeping through the whole night, and starting to eat purees. He likes turkey and sweet potato, does not like peas or green beans. I don't blame him, they tasted gross. He loves banana. I tried giving him steamed broccoli last night, and he maybe put a tiny amount in his mouth, the rest was shredded and decorated him, his chair, and the tray. He had fun though.


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## Margali (Apr 30, 2022)

I used a $10 ceramic bulb for my chickens. It worked great for heat without light.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Apr 30, 2022)

He is cutting his first tooth!! At 7 months!! 

His lower jaw has looked a little different the past week but I wasn't sure if it was tooth bumps and had planned to ask sister in law if it looked like he was teething when we were at the in-laws today. I pried his mouth open to show her and there's a tiny sliver of white sticking out! Now it makes more sense why he's been chewing everything he can grab and put in his mouth.


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## Mini Horses (May 1, 2022)

My son cut teeth early and fast!  Had a mouthful in no time.....born with a headful of hair.   Then my daughter...born bald and stayed that way for a long time, teeth slower, too. 🙄

Happy to say, both have hair and teeth now!  🤣.  Just wait until he's walking!! FUN 🤗


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 2, 2022)

Yeah, he has had very fine hair since the beginning, it's just finally starting to get thicker. He looked bald for a long while.

He didn't have a good night last night, was up screaming and couldn't be consoled. I finally tried the gum numbing gel, then a dose of Tylenol. Slept the whole night after that. Happy baby again this morning.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 2, 2022)

Lots of quail chicks out, can't see into the separating container so no number until I pull them. 6 chicken chicks out, only 1 is leghorn. If this hatch doesn't do well I might have to do another one and only have the one type, no silkies or quail. There over 2 dozen leghorn eggs, I need babies to grow out.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 3, 2022)

9 quail out and 20 chickens out. 10 more chicken eggs and 3 more quail eggs left in the incubator. 1 quail chick was dead in shell and was removed.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 3, 2022)

Like my lamp height adjuster? I thought it was pretty clever and outside the box.


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## Baymule (May 3, 2022)

You are having a good hatch!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 7, 2022)

Hatch is done. The last-out silky had a pot belly and a small amount of difficulty walking. I left it in the incubator an extra almost day and it seemed to be normal after that. I can't tell which one it was in the brooder anymore.

The last out leghorn project chick wasn't as strong. It was still absorbing veins when I pulled the last couple of chicks. I left it in the incubator with potbelly silky and by the time the silky was looking ok the leghorn had finally busted out. It was day 23 by then. It was a little curled and kept pushing too hard with it's legs so kept flopping over to it's back. I tried giving it some physical therapy but it passed while I was at work. 

There are 9 quail chicks, and over 20 chicken chicks. It's like a giant puddle of chick floof in the brooder. The quail chicks are in a separate brooder.


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## Baymule (May 7, 2022)

Congratulations on a great hatch! Chicken math at its finest, plus quail too!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 17, 2022)

Munchkin is getting better at eating pureed food, he slurped down the entire store bought pouch the other day. I like the pouches as it makes it easier to get it in his mouth with smaller mess, but when he grabs it and squeezes it makes a huge mess. Darn kid. At least he's eating. 

We are trying to cut back on milk and increase solid food. He has also tried chewing on bread and hubby tried to give him a chunk of meat. He really really liked the piece of bacon we gave him mother's day morning. Pretty sure he didn't actually get a piece off it, but he sure enjoyed it. His second tooth is now visible out of his gums, and definitely feel it when he grabs your fingers to chew on them.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 17, 2022)

I took the 11 chicks from the first hatch to auction on Sunday. I couldn't stick around so waiting for the check in the mail to see how they did. I was very tempted by the little bunnies that looked chocolate colored, but I highly doubt they were Rex so I was good and didn't try to stay and bid.

I joined two rabbit groups on FB, so I'm hoping that can help me get a new buck. Hubby has been making progress with moving rocks and dirt where I want the bunny barn, so I'm hoping we can get it leveled and pour a foundation soon. It's going to get hot in no time. If we can't get the barn going I will have to get the ice blocks frozen and the misters set back up.

Garden is doing ok. I bought some bamboo stakes and used some yarn to straighten up most of my avocados I grew from seed. They are much happier now. They will probably be happier still when I give them some more rabbit manure tomorrow.


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## Baymule (May 17, 2022)

https://www.amazon.com/RadiantGUARD-Radiant-Barrier-Insulation-48-inch/dp/B00EZV1BRG/ref=mp_s_a_1_2_sspa?crid=FUS8XXUT4C1L&keywords=radiant+heat+barrier&qid=1652790290&sprefix=radiant+heat+barrier%2Caps%2C192&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFMUkZON0M3SEhIUk0mZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA1MDgyMzZUNkUwNTE5Sk5ITTQmZW5jcnlwdGVkQWRJZD1BMDA2OTA5NFhNQU5RUEdQMUJGWSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX3Bob25lX3NlYXJjaF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl
		


Use radiant heat barrier over the roof decking, under the metal roofing. It will cut the heat by 10 to 15 degrees. It will be a bunny lifesaver. It is awesome stuff!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 28, 2022)

I guess it's been a while since I posted. Today is yardwork day so I'm going to try to take pictures to post.

Munchkin is doing well, he has two bottom teeth that appear to be fully in now, and has gone back to sleeping through the night. He is learning to eat solids, mostly purees but we've been giving him some finger food too. He is a happy boy and getting super strong. Still not wanting to crawl, he might go straight to walking. He can pull himself up to standing/leaning on something from a sitting position.

I still don't really have a garden in, the raised beds haven't been built and the fence posts are still not cemented. Getting frustrating but trying to make the best of it. I have two mangos I am growing from seed that I am excited about, plus I repotted many of my avocados.






We had something trying to get my chicken eggs and set out the live trap. Ended up catching a skunk, on a work day after hubby has already left for the day. I didn't feel confident to kill it with one shot and couldn't find someone to come shoot it so I pulled the trapped skunk into the shade and it had to wait all day until hubby returned.





Father in law let hubby borrow his excavator, so he has been having a lot of fun digging up giant rocks and moving them around. He has been working on the rocks where I want my rabbit barn. We may need to move the barn a bit farther down the hill than I originally pictured as there's a humongous rock cropping that is not moving or breaking so far. Either that or hubby will need to break out the jackhammer.

It got hot at the beginning of this last week, up to low 90s, but hubby fixed up a swamp cooler and that kept the rabbits from getting too hot. They were definitely feeling it and breathing faster than normal, but no where as bad as last year. I need to find where the misters were stored and then they should be even cooler. I bought a new Rex buck, non pedigreed so he will be the meat buck. I still need to get a buck with a pedigree, probably going to try to find an opal, as that should pair nicely with the colors I have now. He is a bit skittish, but I have been trying to gently talk to and pet him every time I go by his cage and it's already made a difference. Going to try to tame my does a little as well but they are older so might not be as effective. The new buck's name is "Bubba Fig" and he is black.





There's a wild rabbit that hangs around the front yard, very silly critter. I think it's a teenager? Otherwise I'm not sure how it has lived the long, being not afraid enough of humans.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (May 30, 2022)

Had to fill up my gas tank tonight, from empty, just over 10 gallons. It was $6.299/gallon here.


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## farmerjan (May 30, 2022)

WOW,  JUST WOW!!!!!  We are nearly $2 gal less... most stations here are in the 4.39 to 4.50 for regular.   Our on road diesel is 5.75 or thereabouts.  I try to not let it get less than 1/2 so it doesn't "hurt" so much to fill.  I am also doing as little "going places" as absolutely necessary and trying to do things before I go to work when I am already out.


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## Bruce (May 30, 2022)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Still not wanting to crawl, he might go straight to walking.


That would be DD1. Crawled once at 9 months, said "heck with it" and started walking. DD2 on the other hand crawled until she was well over a year old. 



Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> I still don't really have a garden in, the raised beds haven't been built


We are leading similar gardening lives!



Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> There's a wild rabbit that hangs around the front yard


Wow, BIG ears on those California rabbits. The Eastern cottontails have ears about 1/3 that size.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 4, 2022)

I caught it on video!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 6, 2022)

Did I share that we had a pest company out and they said we have in ground termites? We need to clean up all wood debris near and under the house. Plus remove any ground contact with the bottom of the house, and then have the pest company back out to spray. The previous owners were **** idiots.

We spent most of Saturday ripping out the rotted wood deck and then hubby played on the excavator and regraded the area where the deck had been. He also found what appears to be a white PVC water pipe that had been running under the deck past the house, but we have no clue why it's there, there's nothing it would have been going to. For once the hidden pipe didn't get busted as we discovered it. There is one water spigot on the far side of the house but that water pipe was laid almost directly under the edge of the house. Not smart to my way of thinking as if it busted open it would flood the crawlspace zone.

The remaining portion of deck looks mostly ok, but we need to crawl underneath and see if the joists are rotten. I think some are, but some are newer and would have been replaced when the previous owner replaced the deck boards in that section. Most of the wood did not appear to be pressure treated in any way. Several 4*4 uprights were completely rotted/chewed through and wiggled when you pushed on them. The gutter on the formerly decked portion of the house, drained down a chain THROUGH a hole cut in the decking. Gee I wonder why the wood on that side was completely rotted away??


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 6, 2022)

In progress













Almost done





Done!


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## Baymule (Jun 6, 2022)

Just what you DON’T need! Termite restaurant right up against your house! Wow! What a mess!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 6, 2022)

Baymule said:


> Just what you DON’T need! Termite restaurant right up against your house! Wow! What a mess!


I just looked at the inspection report again, and the front deck actually didn't have active termites but definitely dry rot. The termites are currently coming up under the house near the back deck. I know there were termites under the house and front deck previously but were treated at some point before we bought the house.

I called today to get a appointment set up for the treatment, they are supposed to call back tomorrow. I'm hoping the termite guy will show us what it looks like when he goes to treat so we can be more aware of what signifies termite presence.


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## Mini Horses (Jun 7, 2022)

Nice clean up.....troubling and a lot of work☹️.  But the clothesline is now close!  👍

Hope the treatment does the trick.


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## Baymule (Jun 7, 2022)

Termites will make little mud tunnels to get from one piece of wood to another on the outside of concrete blocks or masonry.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 7, 2022)

Mini Horses said:


> Nice clean up.....troubling and a lot of work☹️.  But the clothesline is now close!  👍
> 
> Hope the treatment does the trick.


Lol, the clothesline was there before, but now instead of the rotted deck on the farther side there's a nice drop off... Makes you pay attention a bit more when hanging laundry for sure. I really don't like that it tilts when in use, but it might be because I'm loading it unevenly. 

I think we should probably put up a railing, but we still haven't confirmed if the remaining deck is ok to stay or needs ripped out too. We can access underneath now so we can check to see how much more is rotted/chewed up. The decking looks ok to me, but the supports and joists might not be ok. I know the supports for the bench along the edge are mostly rotted away, literally being held up by where they attach to some of the joists.

I think the current plan is to play with the grade a little more, and then put down weed blocker and small gravel or pavers where the deck was previously. Then we could have a decent sitting area out front. This is the east side of the house, so it will get morning sun and afternoon shade. We have a shade sail we need to dig out of storage and set up. Hubby left the tree stump with the hammock hook instead of removing the stump; we need to find where his hammock got stashed and bring that out.


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## Bruce (Jun 7, 2022)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Done!


Good riddance!


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## Baymule (Jun 8, 2022)

My sister has a 1500 square foot covered deck at her house. She loves to sit outside on her deck. So do I and everybody else that goes there. Haha, the double wide I'm buying is only 1400 square feet!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jun 8, 2022)

Baymule said:


> My sister has a 1500 square foot covered deck at her house. She loves to sit outside on her deck. So do I and everybody else that goes there. Haha, the double wide I'm buying is only 1400 square feet!


That is a huge deck! Life goals lol

I want a really nice back patio deck zone, concrete with a fire pit and pizza oven. It'll probably be a decade or so before that happens. We'd have to figure out the elevation change and how to cover up the septic tank zone without making it too inaccessible, while also preventing any smells out.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 26, 2022)

It's been a while since I've posted, sorry! It has been really hot here, and with the trees taken out of the yard the sun has been really beating on the house. The heat pump is definitely doing a better job than the swamp cooler to keep the house cool though. Hubby not happy about the electric bill but it's still better than last year.

So far no rabbit losses, we got a new-to-us swamp cooler and set that up for the rabbits. Hubby still working on the rabbit barn zone. He might finally have the pad size done, but thinks we might need to install a retaining wall because of the lower edge needed so much fill dirt. We had posted an ad for a place to dump free dirt and one person brought maybe 30 yards! Would have cost a small fortune to buy that amount. We are still discussing how I want the barn built.

Munchkin is growing like crazy and I need to buy a bigger car seat. He's about 23 pounds and over 29 inches tall. He is great at crawling now and walking holding onto couches or hands. He has also started (just this last weekend) taking steps without holding onto anything! We are working on baby proofing the entire house.

Hubby had a talented friend over who helped him install the front gate!! Still no power to it but it's there and looks level. Hubby has more grading to do to make it look better and let the water drain better. Now we go to leave and if we don't want to hop out and move the gate, we drive out the second entrance.. kinda annoying but hubby still needs to set up the front gate motor. He ran the electrical pipe to the zone a long time back but needs to pull and hook up the wire. The friend has a welding/gate/fence company, so may be able to help install the front fence line. Hubby wants nice iron fence. I saw a fence last year that I liked the look of, need to drive past it and take a picture so he will do it the way I want lol.

Orchard is doing ok, but the trees in the side yard are struggling with the deer attacks. The apple they attacked prior year is coming back from the roots, so will be rootstock that I can try grafting. I wanted to get the side yard trees moved to the orchard this last winter but will need to wait until they die back this winter and pray they haven't gotten too big to survive the transplant. Hubby dug some holes so I could plant some of the trees in containers but I've been afraid to plant them with the heat. Might just go for it since they are probably too hot in the nursery pots anyway? Need to make more hoops to keep the deer off.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 26, 2022)

The deer got into the garden several nights in a row this past week. They chomped a ton of plants. One mango seedling looks done for, the other was bigger and still had one leaf so I'm hoping it'll come back. The apple seedling was almost completely gone, but it's still greenish and I'm hoping by watering the heck out of it, it will come back. The deer are the tops off most of the loquats. I hate deer.


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## murphysranch (Jul 26, 2022)

Me too. Hate their damage even tho they have darling babies.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 26, 2022)

I think they are attacking the garden because they have babies now. There's at least 4 babies in the group that lives by our area, and I think two of them are twins as they followed the same momma. I just wish they would eat the brush down the hill rather than my plants.


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## Baymule (Jul 27, 2022)

Why eat brush when you have planted them a buffet? Your plants are much yummier. 

Hope you get the gate wired up soon, that will be a wonderful convenience!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 27, 2022)

I bought 6.5' deer/bird fence that should arrive before the weekend, plus one of those shade/privacy screens to attach to the chain link around the new garden zone. I'm hoping we will get it all together this weekend so I can move plants and prevent further deer attacks.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 31, 2022)

No deer attacks recently. The deer/bird netting hasn't arrived yet, but Saturday hubby and I put up a section of the new garden fence, 6' woven wire 2"*4". We could have put up another section but it was over 90° and I was melting, munchkin was not happy stuck in his playpen, and it took us maybe 2 hours? To do the one section so it pushed lunch back so we were all cranky. So now the area looks like: gap for man-gate, fence, tractor gate, and then t-posts awaiting the fence to be stretched.

Several of the plants which had a lot of damage from the deer have itty bitty leaves starting to grow, so I think they will come back. The avocado I grew from seed that was super tall, which the deer knocked over got severely sunburned and most of its leaves are crispy. Not sure if that ones going to come back but I'm still watering it in case there's a chance.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 1, 2022)

I tried to post more yesterday but the website was having trouble?

Sunday morning hubby had a friend over and they pulled off the swamp cooler from the roof and patched the hole. Hubby took pictures of the rafters before they closed up the hole and it was delightful to see how little material there was holding up the roof. It's ridiculous but apparently it was to code to build that way at the time. Makes me a lot more nervous now whenever hubby has to walk on the roof. There is some insulation up there, at least where we were looking, but it wasn't very thick insulation.

Sunday afternoon I went out to get the trash can at the end of the driveway and the neighbor was out feeding his sheep. You could tell because they were loudly exclaiming that they were perishing from hunger. Munchkin enjoyed watching them. Neighbor came over to talk and said he is planning to put the male in his freezer within a few weeks as the four ewes should be bred. He wants to sell the ewes as he and his wife want to be able to travel and they haven't been able to find a caretaker for the sheep and chickens. There are three meat cross ewes and one pure meat ewe (male is same breed). My mind is going blank on the breeds. Suffolk? It's the really common cross that the 4H kids use for meat sheep. I will probably remember it about 20 minutes after posting...

He asked if we were interested but we don't have a fenced zone yet. I asked hubby and he doesn't want to get sheep right now but I'm very tempted. We would have a few weeks to get a fence and shade/barn/thing up. To sheep or not to sheep? I was able to gently pet the male sheep's nose through the fence and one ewe came close enough to the fence to try and lip my fingers in case I was providing treats but the others wouldn't get within 5 feet of a human.

Monday the sun shade arrived, going to try to install that next to the house where we took out the deck, it's supposed to be 6.5'*16'. That way we can have a shaded sitting area, and maybe put the kiddie pool there too. If it works well I'll probably buy 2-3 more to make a good sized shady zone. Deer/bird fence still not here, need to check the tracking info.


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## farmerjan (Aug 1, 2022)

I don't know CA weather.... BUT.... if you are going to buy this is the time to get them. In most places, August is the cheapest of months and many try to not sell.... cooler weather will have people thinking the grass is going to start coming back, there will normally be more rain.... plus, if he thinks they are bred, you will be getting a better deal.  Would he sell the whole package with the ram?  
Could you keep them there at their place...??? provide some "checking on the house property sitting"  type of deal?   Give you time to get a place for them and give the neighbor a little benefit of the property not being totally "empty????  
I would seriously think about it.... prices are going to go up as things get more "scarce" with the drought in other parts of the country... 
Wish I was close, I would get them and put them on my 2 acres here, and get the chickens as I am about ready for some new ones since I lost the couple to the hawk/fox???? Even if they only laid halfway decent for awhile....


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## Baymule (Aug 2, 2022)

What @farmerjan said. Yes! Get the sheep!


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## Mini Horses (Aug 2, 2022)

Instigators!🤣


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## GardnerHomestead (Aug 2, 2022)

Hampshire/suffolk is the 4h mix, we had some this year for fair and they were fantastic. loved them


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 2, 2022)

GardnerHomestead said:


> Hampshire/suffolk is the 4h mix, we had some this year for fair and they were fantastic. loved them


Ugh, my brain kept saying Hampshire but then it was like, no, that's a pig breed. Lol.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 2, 2022)

Hubby doesn't want to get the sheep, says we have too many things going right now. But also says he thinks lamb is delicious if you know how to cook it (he doesn't yet, and I don't either). I think prices for meat critters is going to go wonky, with lack of feed, people butchering because of lack of feed, and the anti-meat people. I'd like to get my bunny barn done so they are protected, out of sight, and cooler so I can start breeding them again.

I have no clue how much a bred meat ewe should cost, but I'd bet it would be over $1,000 for all 4 ewes. Plus hay, grain, medication/first aid stuff, shearing appointment or shears, a new ram, etc. I think I need to do some research and make a spreadsheet.

We have a roll of 4' tall 2"*4" woven wire, I think 300'ish, we would just need more t posts. The current car port (stores stuff not cars) is actually two mare motels put together, which we need to move (along with the stuff) to build the garage, so that would work for their housing. Probably want to run hot wire along the fence to deter animals. 

Need to get the front fence finished and talk to a real estate lawyer to see what options we have about the people who use our driveway as part of a walking trail. I really don't like that they just walk through, some at the crack of dawn.


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## SA Farm (Aug 2, 2022)

See? You’ve already got the fencing and housing available, just need to put it together 😉
Around here, bred ewes go for around $5-600 each for non-registered whatevers, but that’s up here in Canada. I would check prices on Kijiji or Craigslist and ask him what he wants for them — see if it’s comparable or maybe even a great deal.
You could also get the friendly one and one other to keep the price down and still have starter stock…if they lamb, keep one or two for yourselves and sell the others for your ram/hay money.


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## farmerjan (Aug 2, 2022)

Hampshires are also a breed of sheep.  Big wooled breed, wool on face.  Suffolks have clean black faces


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## Ridgetop (Aug 4, 2022)

I agree that you should think carefully about buying these sheep.  If they lamb, you will have meat for the freezer.  Lots of good lamb recipes on line - just don't overcook it.  

I don't think you would have to pay that much.  The ewes are cross breds so no value in breeding stock.  Although they have been _exposed _to the ram there is no guarantee they are bred.  If the weather has been very hot, the ram might be temporarily sterile - high heat does that to breeds that don't breed out of season.  Hamps and Suffolks only breed once a year.  Normal breeding time for those breeds is in September through December when the temperatures start to fall.  Since you don't know that they are bred for sure you shouldn't pay a higher price on the chance they are bred.  If they don't lamb you have lost a year breeding.  These are not Dorpers or Katahdins that remain fertile and breed all year round.

Also, _how old are the ewes?_  If they are 4 years old they are getting past their reproductive life.  If they are yearlings or 2 year olds they would be more valuable.  Unless he has a reputation for good Fair lambs, this cross won't produce more than freezer meat for anyone.  However, you could get some good meat for your freezer.  

Don't bother with the ram.  Instead keep a large meaty ram lamb to breed next year to the ewes.  Inbreeding for terminal freezer lambs is not a problem.  Once the lambs are born you can sell any ewes that don't produce, or sell the entire flock at the auction after weaning the lambs.

Hay prices are astronomical, a lot of people won't buy now with the drought and hay prices.  If you could keep them on his property in his pasture, and just cross the road to feed and water, it might be a good investment.   Like I say, you would only have to keep them for about 7-8 months until their lambs are weaned and then if you don't like them sell them.

Unless there is a lot of green pasture available in your area, there may not be many people willing to buy.  If there is a livestock auction near you, call and ask what sheep are selling for at the moment.  Specify Hampshire/Suffolk crosses since Dorpers bring ore $$.  Then ask what he wants for them.  Remember the sale yard charges the seller 10% of the price plus a couple dollars per head yardage.   If the price sounds right, offer a little less.  He would have to load them up and take them to the auction so if you can just keep them on his property, he is better off than wasting gas.  He can always say "no".  And since you were not in the market right now anyway, if he refuses no problem.


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## Ridgetop (Aug 4, 2022)

By the way, you might be able to sweeten the deal by offering a lamb in the spring as part of the purchase.  I would keep the ram with the ewes for another month to make sure they are bred but _don't buy the ram_.  Rams are not nice and can be dangerous to children.  Instead keep a ram lamb and use him unti the ewes are settled then put him in your freezer.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 8, 2022)

Still no budging from hubby about the sheep. Maybe next year if things haven't gone to heck by then. 

Saturday hubby helped at my parent's house with getting the foundation poured for a garage. It turned out well and looked really nice. Sunday we got up early and took chickens to auction. All the leghorn project cockerels went, as well as all the silkies I had hatched at the same time. I was just done with them spilling food and fighting and crowing and didn't want to deal with craigslist craziness trying to get them sold. The auction will be mailing a check so I have no clue how much I will be getting. Hopefully enough to cover the 3+ bags of food it took to get them this big. 

All of the project leghorns looked the same: white with intermittent splashes of black feathers. Boys had red color leakage on the wings. All had muffs/beards. It was interesting to see that all the boys had yellow legs like their mothers, while the hens appear to have the grayish legs like a lighter version of their father. Since only FOUR of them were girls I am planning to do another hatch to get more hens so I can continue the project. I don't know if the leg color difference is visible when they are younger, if so that would help determine keepers a lot earlier and I can take the boys to auction before they eat a ton of food. 

Sunday afternoon we processed a bunch of peaches. The in-laws tree was loaded and they sent us home with several boxes and bags of peaches. We cut them up and put them in the dehydrator and trying to do the freeze dryer but it is having trouble keeping the vacuum in order to turn on. I plan to make peach powder with the dehydrated peaches. There's still about half the peaches left to process. I think I might try a cobbler or mini pies tonight.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 8, 2022)




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## Bruce (Aug 8, 2022)

That is a LOT of peaches! Lucky you 

Nice to get rid of the noisy feed eaters too


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 10, 2022)

Freeze dryer still broken. Peaches in the fridge look dark, not sure if because they are bad or because they were frozen and thawed multiple times. Need to bag them up and throw in the freezer. Or make pies. Or turnovers. Or smoothies. I'm getting hungry now.


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## Ridgetop (Aug 10, 2022)

about possibly spoiled peaches,  but   for pies, turnovers, smoothies . . . .


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 12, 2022)

Managed to gather 7 eggs this morning! 2 from the leghorns!! Going to try to get close to a dozen if I can continue getting them daily and then set. TSC is still doing chick days so I might order some chicks to arrive when this batch should hatch and raise them altogether. 

I'd like to get some meat birds, it looked like I could order 10 Cornish cross females for about $29. Seemed like a decent price even if they won't get as big as the boys. I could let them go a bit longer and end up bigger, but they get angry when they run out of food. Or I could check them each week and see if they have any on sale. Last year in store they had mixed leghorns and meat birds marked down heavily because someone put them together by accident. I wish I hadn't been so close to my due date then, hubby wouldn't let me get them. Maybe this year it'll happen again.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 17, 2022)

I'm up to 5 eggs from the leghorns, got two yesterday. I put out the ceramic decoy eggs and the stinkers pecked at them while I was still standing there. No wonder I barely get any eggs. I have most of the parts for the planned roll out nest boxes, just need to get started and get them built.

Lost a silkie hen yesterday, tummy was huge, looks like she was internally laying. She was at least 2, probably 3 years old.


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## Baymule (Aug 21, 2022)

People use your driveway to go to a walking trail? Oh heck no! I know y’all are working on your place, doing all you can, but a front fence would top the list.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 22, 2022)

Baymule said:


> People use your driveway to go to a walking trail? Oh heck no! I know y’all are working on your place, doing all you can, but a front fence would top the list.


Not to go to a trail, but as part of a loop, going from the one neighborhood area through our yard and along our easement road (easement is for utilities and accessing the properties on the road) out to the main road and then back to the neighborhood. 

I really want to install cameras and get the front gate done. Need to talk to a real estate lawyer to see what we can do about the access from that neighborhood area and preventing a permanent easement from being established.


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## Bruce (Aug 22, 2022)

Can you not post the property? Once legally posted you can call the cops on them


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## Ridgetop (Aug 24, 2022)

When you bought your property you had to obtain a Title Search from a Title company. That search would have listed all the boundaries, *and easements* on your property.  The easements would have included all utility easements, easements to other properties, etc., _*in fact any legal access to anything or for any purpose across your property*_.  Then the Title company would have issued a Title Insurance Policy.  

Pull the title search document from your purchase documents and read it for any easements that would cross any part of your property other than the utility easement road that accesses other properties.  You know about that one, but if there is no public easement to that utility easement from the other neighborhood, then you can block access.

Remember that even though there is an easement across your property not everyone is entitled to use it.  Utility easements are for that purpose only and are granted to utility companies to maintain the utilities.  The utility easement does not allow any member of the public to use it, only the utility company named.

Easements along that road that are for access to other properties are only for access to those properties by the property owners, and their visitors (personal or business.)  That does not mean that any member of the public can just walk along that road.  You can also post that road as "No Trespassing - Private Property" and also put up a sign reading "Private Road - No Egress" or "Private Road - Dead End".  We are on a dead end private road and any neighbor has the right to stop anyone we don't recognize and ask where they are going.  Since we all know everyone on the road, we recognize the names.  We all feel safer this way and over the years it has cut down on strangers driving through to sight see or case properties.

Definitely post "No Trespassing - Private Property" signs along the utility easement and along your property where people are crossing to that road across your property.  Once you post the signs you have legally notified the entire world that they are crossing private property.  This will prevent the establishment of an "Easement by Prescription" or "Easement by Adverse Possession".  If there is no easement across your property to the private access road, then fence it off.


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## Ridgetop (Aug 24, 2022)

Bruce said:


> Can you not post the property? Once legally posted you can call the cops on them


She is in California and the police or sheriff won't come out for simple trespass.


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## Bruce (Aug 24, 2022)

Then what is the value of posting the property if the law won't enforce it?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Aug 24, 2022)

New exciting development! I posted a while back on FB marketplace asking for fill dirt, and yesterday got contacted by someone needing to dump a lot of dirt. So far we are the closest so we might get it all. They are doing the groundwork for a new building. He said it's probably 170 yards.   

They are paying for the trucks cause they are needing to get rid of the dirt. Bunny barn building pad might be done a lot sooner!! We will probably need to rent a backhoe or bigger tractor to move the dirt around. I hope this works out and we get the dirt.


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## Baymule (Aug 24, 2022)

That’s wonderful! Yay for free dirt!!!


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## Ridgetop (Aug 24, 2022)

Bruce said:


> Then what is the value of posting the property if the law won't enforce it?


Because the trespassers cannot later claim that they have set up a prescriptive easement and claim legal right to pass.  That is why we tell people that drive over the road across our property behind the gully that they have permission to pass in order to do brush clearance on any vacant land they own behind us.  Permission is revocable at any time - like when they start to grade and pour foundations.  Then we go to Building and Safety and report that they do not have an easement.  Building and Safety pulls any permit they have mistakenly issued to build and requires the person to stop grading and return the property back to the way it was.  Then that person decides to talk to us nicely about purchasing an easement instead of just giving DH the bird when he tells them they can't build because they don't have an easement across our road.  

Once someone said that the dirt road is a public road (not true) and another time that their easement was on the road when it was in another place.  Since the permit people don't know the area, they issue a permit based on what is told to them.  When they find out the truth they rescind the permit.


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## Bruce (Aug 25, 2022)

Wouldn't it be easier if they contacted owners of abutting properties that someone has requested a permit? Maybe it isn't a problem often enough. Still I think the neighbors should be notified. Of course it is no different here, you (maybe) see a permit posted, up to you to notice it and find out what is being done.


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## Ridgetop (Aug 25, 2022)

Yes, but we are talking about California and more specifically Los Angeles.  Bureaucrats.  

When we were doing some permitted work on the house after the earthquake, we had 3 different inspectors come out to sign off the final inspection.  Why 3?  Because the 1st one said we had to do something differently on the electric.  We changed it to what he wanted. The 2nd guy wanted us to change it again but differently.  Ok did that.  The 3rd guy wanted it put back the way DH originally had it installed!  DH said he would do that if the 3rd guy would come out to inspect after it was done since each inspector made us change things. The 3rd inspector said to request him personally and he would come out.  It took 4 visits by the building inspector to get it signed off the way it had been installed the first time!

There is a reason why people don't like to get permits.


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## Bruce (Aug 27, 2022)

My sister who lives in Huntington Beach had to have the drywall inspected before it was taped. Some of the inspections seem like nothing more than money grubbing to me.


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## Mini Horses (Aug 27, 2022)

Bruce said:


> inspections seem like nothing more than money grubbing to me.


They have to pay those inspectors somehow.....🤣.  Some seem not needed!


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## Bruce (Aug 27, 2022)

Job creation? I have no idea why drywall would need to be inspected prior to taping. Plumbing I can understand, electrical I can understand. Some things are safety related. Not drywall.


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## Ridgetop (Aug 27, 2022)

New installation is to screw in drywall instead of nailing it up.  Nails can pop out.  The inspector has to inspect to make sure it is screwed up properly before the tape hides everything.  I don't know why they can't just say to leave several screw heads unmudded to make sure they used screws but . . . .


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## Bruce (Aug 27, 2022)

People actually STILL use nails??? I used screws when I did the house over 30 years ago!!!!


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## Ridgetop (Aug 28, 2022)

We do too, but some people just still nail it up cheaply since they can use a nail gun and go faster.


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## Bruce (Aug 29, 2022)

Drywall with a nail gun??  What kind of holes does THAT make in the drywall?? Wouldn't be surprised if that stuff gets loose over time. 

Still, since when does the government care about quality? Buyer beware and all that. I thought they were only concerned with houses not burning, maybe taking their neighbors' houses with them, and having the fire department making runs.


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## Baymule (Aug 29, 2022)

Too much government overreach. They need to round up all the inspectors and plop them down in mobile home factories. I’m on my second double wide, you’d think I’d learn…… NOPE! If you want a lesson on screwball stuff, buy a mobile home. Those imitation homes have gotten pricy! Astounding! 

Sez the Doublewide Diva!!


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## Mike CHS (Aug 29, 2022)

I'm not sure it's a good thing but the only inspection we get here is a check of functionality when you get electric service.  You have to have at least one light and one receptacle  to meet the requirements.  The county keeps track of septic systems by keeping rough drawings provided by the installer but they don't check anything.  The county next to us (which starts at our driveway) goes overboard but they include some of Franklin and the Nashville suburbs.


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## Bruce (Aug 30, 2022)

No inspections here now that I think of it, all new everything in the north building of the house in 2013. 

Where we used to live, 25 miles south, no inspections if you do your own work. Seems kinda backwards doesn't it? Presumably a licensed plumber or electrician knows what they are doing and would do it right more than your average DIY person. Certainly the guy that owned this place before us and wired the barn didn't know WTF he was doing. I'm pretty sure Burlington has plenty of inspections regardless of who does the work.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 2, 2022)

Well, the dirt didn't happen. The guy found someone to buy the dirt from him. Bummer, but makes sense he'd rather sell it and cover some costs than give it away free and have to pay for the truck time. If we wanted dirt from the guy we would have had to pay $150/hour for the truck. Still a decent price but since we didn't have to have it, we are going to continue getting random amounts of free dirt.


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## Baymule (Sep 2, 2022)

Bummer. That’s too bad.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 10, 2022)

Tuesday it got up to 113 degrees. I lost one leghorn hen but thankfully I didn't lose any rabbits. I was working from home so checked on them throughout the day and sprayed them with water during the hottest part of the day. I am very grateful for the swamp cooler, it made a world of difference. It's on a thermostat so turns on whenever the temperature gets over 75 degrees.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 10, 2022)

Wednesday we started getting drift smoke from the Foresthill fire, not too bad but definitely noticeable. I had several loads of laundry on the line I should have brought in the previous night. I decided we were going to just deal with it and not rewash it since I don't want to run the dryer and we can't line dry it due to the smoke.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 10, 2022)

Thursday the smoke was worse but animals still doing ok. Temperature is still high but starting to cool down. 

Was working at mom's house so she could watch the munchkin while I worked and dad fell twice. He had low blood pressure and the advice nurse said he should go to emergency. They ran a bunch of tests and he has Covid. Falling and weakness are apparently symptoms. The rest of the family and caregiver tested negative. Not sure where he got it, unless he got it about 5 days prior. He got an infusion and is resting at home.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 10, 2022)

Friday the smoke was worse, the sky was orange. Picture was taken around 8 something in the morning.





I got an egg from my project leghorns! It's green and a little small, but size should improve over time. Pictured next to a silkie egg.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 10, 2022)

Saturday the smoke isn't as bad today but still there. Temperature is still hot but the smoke layer I think is helping keep the temperature down lower than it would be otherwise.

We (hubby) are working on electrical for the shed at my parent's house. Mom trimmed a bunch of branches from the fruitless mulberry and I am taking those home to give to the rabbits. I took two cuttings I'm going to try to root. If they take I can try to graft on the fruiting mulberry.

Later we are going to run by the store and then work on going through boxes and reorganizing stuff in the house.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 14, 2022)

Tuesday morning woke up looked outside and was excited to see blue sky with fluffy white clouds! Wind had blown away all the nasty smoke. And the high today was a mere 80 degrees! Which was good because the power went out. I set up my phone hotspot and worked off that for almost 2 hours until my laptop was at 10% and phone was at 15%. Then I gave up and went to Mom's to finish working the rest of the day. Of course once I arrive I see the notification that power was returned, 3 minutes after I got in my car and left.

Munchkin is either sick or not reacting well to growing more teeth. He has had a low grade fever since Monday evening. All he wanted to do today after hubby brought him home after work was sleep and cuddle. I got home and munchkin perked up quite a bit. He started wanting to play too. Temp is lower than previous, so I think he's getting better. Having a sick munchkin stinks


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## murphysranch (Sep 14, 2022)

I saw that 80 was shut down yesterday due to a fire. I haven't checked today to see how it is or if they contained it.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 16, 2022)

I think they are finally getting containment on the fire closest to me, but it's not really impacting us so I haven't been paying attention like I probably should. 

I wore a sweater today! Temperature is projected to be a high of 65 on Sunday with 65% chance of rain!! I think we are finally getting our fall weather! Time to panic and run around outside putting everything away so it won't get wet.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 16, 2022)

Munchkin had a really rough night last night, still low grade fever and since he was eating and drinking, haven't taken him in. Today he was fine during the day but didn't eat much all day and didn't drink as much as usual. Temperature didn't get back up to where it had been the last two nights. I'm hoping he's finally over most of whatever this is. 

And omg, I thought tantrums like they show on TV were just made up, like I had never seen anyone actually do this in real life. He gets frustrated he can't grab something or do something, and he will literally throw himself on the ground, thrash his arms and legs, and scream. It's kinda funny if if wasn't so loud. We are learning how to distract him so he doesn't get to this stage.


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## Baymule (Sep 17, 2022)

You sure are dealing with a lot. I hope the cooler weather helps and you get some rain to slow down or put out the fires. 

Tantrums; go to another room. It isn't enough to ignore him because you are still an audience. Get up and leave the room.


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## Bruce (Sep 17, 2022)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> And omg, I thought tantrums like they show on TV were just made up, like I had never seen anyone actually do this in real life.


Now you know! DD2 used to get so wound up she would vomit.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sep 20, 2022)

Sunday I bred Bubba Fig with Maple. Got two fall offs and then Maple was completely uncooperative. Tried him with Pepper, and Sage's daughter and they weren't having it. Monday I tried him with Sage and she lifted right away and they had two fall offs. I think I'll wait until next weekend and try to breed another 2-3 does. I have 8 does total.


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## Baymule (Sep 20, 2022)

Bubba Fig!! Hahaha! Love that name!


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## Margali (Sep 27, 2022)

@Larsen Poultry Ranch Human kids have brain development growth spurts / leaps every couple of months. With mine they triggered frustrated tantrums because kiddo suddenly has new ideas but can't implement them. Usually only last a week or so. 🤞🤞


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 3, 2022)

Bred a doe on Saturday morning, 4 fall offs! Tried a different doe Saturday night but no cooperation so I left the doe in the buck's cage and moved him to hers for the night. Sometimes being in his space gets a doe in the mood. I tried again Sunday morning and she still wouldn't cooperate, plus tried to bite him. I moved each back to their home cages and picked a different doe. She was more cooperative and eventually had 3 fall offs. Babies are due 11/1-11/2.


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## Baymule (Oct 3, 2022)

Yay for fall offs! I had a champion white Satin buck that would fall off, then come to the front of his cage for me to pet him. Lots of Good Boy's, LOL LOL


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## Bruce (Oct 3, 2022)

Baymule said:


> Yay for fall offs! I had a champion white Satin buck that would fall off, then come to the front of his cage for me to pet him. Lots of Good Boy's, LOL LOL


You sure he wasn't asking for a cigarette?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 3, 2022)

Baymule said:


> Yay for fall offs! I had a champion white Satin buck that would fall off, then come to the front of his cage for me to pet him. Lots of Good Boy's, LOL LOL


Lol! My buck started out very skittish but I've been trying to pet him every time I go by his cage and also pet him after his dates. He is definitely more friendly, especially after he figured out I was bringing his dates to him.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 3, 2022)

Trying to be better about taking notes on the rabbits and I can't for the life of me find where I had named Sage's daughter and Pepper's daughter. I know I liked the name Willow but couldn't remember who I assigned it to, so officially from this point forward Pepper's daughter is Willow and Sage's daughter is Parsley. These are the two due at the beginning of November.

Sage and Maple are due in just over two weeks.

Juniper, Nutmeg, Pepper, and Vanilla are planned to be bred on the 15/16 and the 29/30. Don't know which combo yet. Then Sage/Maple should be ready to be bred on Nov 12/13 when their kits are about 4 weeks old, and then weaned around 5 or 6 weeks.

I am going to need at least 4 grow out cages, ideally 2+ for each litter but if they can be butchered by 8-10 weeks it will free up cages. I currently have 5 empty cages with 1 of those needing light repair, the rest just need to be cleaned and set up. I have 4 more cages that need the floor replaced and 1 that needs the side wall repaired. I definitely need more sawhorses to put them on and a cover as well, unless hubby gets cracking on the bunny barn. I am going to need a lot of feed too...

I don't know if I will keep any from these first litters but I know I need a second buck and I would like more pure Rex does. Maybe if Willow throws a Rex fur doe... I need to write down my criteria and then stick to it. That will make it easier to stand firm and not waffle on a decision because the cute little bunnies get friendly. I need to do the punnett squares to figure out what colors I'm likely to get too.

Maple and Vanilla are the only purebred pedigreed Rex, and Vanilla is a non show able color (sable agouti). They are full siblings but different litters. I don't know if either one carries the self gene but it's possible because their mother did have a blue doe in one of the litters. Both could carry the dilute gene because both parents had it.

Sage, Juniper, Nutmeg, and Parsley are daughters/granddaughter of Paprika, my awesome Flemish mix doe and they are big. So I want to keep them, but only Sage has had kits before (she had a litter of 10!), so the others need to produce or they will be replaced.

Pepper was my first doe and Willow is huge. Pepper carries Vienna and I don't know if Willow has the gene. I really hope she produces good kits.


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## Baymule (Oct 5, 2022)

Bruce said:


> You sure he wasn't asking for a cigarette?


That or a treat!


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## Baymule (Oct 5, 2022)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Lol! My buck started out very skittish but I've been trying to pet him every time I go by his cage and also pet him after his dates. He is definitely more friendly, especially after he figured out I was bringing his dates to him.


I had a black satin buck so spoiled that if I didn't stop and pet him every time I went by, he sprayed me. Needless to say, he got moved from the front door to the back row.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 14, 2022)

First two does got nest boxes on Monday night. So far they haven't pottied in them but they did eat a lot of the hay, I keep having to refill. They should be due on Tues/Wed and I plan to try to breed two more does this weekend.

Still fighting rodents in the quail container and getting into the rabbit feeders. There's rat sized and mouse sized. The mouse traps don't kill the rats and the mice don't set off the rat traps. Except apparently, two mice size are the equivalent of one rat - I got two in the same rat trap one evening. I have killed at least 8 rodents in the last two weeks but only have rat sized traps so far. I set 12 mouse sized traps and two mid sized traps this morning.

All animals are drinking less water with the cooler weather so chores have been taking less time. Garden plants are doing well and I have two baby mango trees starting from seed, with possibly 3 more if they ever sprout. I bought a named variety of mango and guava for myself for my birthday. So far the deer have not discovered them. 

We bought the supplies needed to try to make the concrete/aircrete raised bed panels. I will try to take pictures or videos as we make them in case it might help others. I'm excited to get progress on these so I can start the fall garden. 

Hubby found a tree guy who is going to take down the four oaks which are very close to the house and power lines starting this weekend. One oak has a passion vine growing at the base and climbing up the trunk. I think it's just ornamental as I haven't seen any signs of fruiting. I don't know if it can be saved, or if it will come back from the roots. I have heard passion vine can be slightly invasive. We are going to have so much firewood I wonder if hubby might try to sell some, or use his chainsaw mill to make a few slabs from the oak. We don't really have a mantel for the fireplace yet...


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 14, 2022)

I am trying to make a diy inkle loom, and repurposed a dish rack thingy for the uprights and the dowels I took off were used in the body. I will try to get pictures tonight. It's been drying over 24 hours, I might be able to try to add the warp threads, but I need to find the tablets and fishing swivels so I can attach everything correctly. I am pretty excited I am finally making progress on this particular project.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 14, 2022)

Several family members and myself have been looking at our genealogy and family history. We have been able to track several branches back to the 1700s, and some even farther. Mom found a family bible from her father's side that is from the late 1800s hidden in her hope chest. I am going to see if I can get a box or something to protect it and then it will go into my hope chest. I want to make a tapestry or something I can hang on the wall showing the family tree once we get it figured out more.

My dad's side is mainly from Norway and mom's side is mainly Swedish and Irish/English. It's fun seeing the Norwegian and Swedish names from prior to entering the US, the last name was "xxx"son, or "xxx"dotter, meaning the son or daughter of "xxx". A lot of the time they would name their child their own parents' name so it would go back and forth for several generations as the first name and then last name.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 14, 2022)

Munchkin had his one year appointment this week, he's growing on the curves he was before and the doctor is happy. He is going to be tall! He's already 25 pounds. He has 8 teeth and is eating regular food. We are working on weaning off milk, or at least decreasing the amount, he's been on whole milk for about 3 weeks now. He walks really well and is babbling a lot. Sometimes it sounds like real words, but it's hard to tell. He loves playing with water. He can high five and clap, and sometimes waves. His hair is finally starting to thicken and get longer, we might have his first haircut before the end of the year.


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## Margali (Oct 14, 2022)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> I am trying to make a diy inkle loom, and repurposed a dish rack thingy for the uprights and the dowels I took off were used in the body. I will try to get pictures tonight. It's been drying over 24 hours, I might be able to try to add the warp threads, but I need to find the tablets and fishing swivels so I can attach everything correctly. I am pretty excited I am finally making progress on this particular project.


Cool, let me know if you want to talk weaving. Are you setting up for inkle (2 rows of pattern) or card weaving (2+ rows)? The loomy bin has a neat online pattern generator, http://www.theloomybin.com/cw/index.html.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 14, 2022)

Margali said:


> Cool, let me know if you want to talk weaving. Are you setting up for inkle (2 rows of pattern) or card weaving (2+ rows)? The loomy bin has a neat online pattern generator, http://www.theloomybin.com/cw/index.html.


I think it is tablet weaving? But inkle style frame loom thing. I have been watching YouTube videos from Elewys of Finchingefeld as inspiration/guidance. I was planning to use the tablets to make a pattern and the fishing swivels are to help prevent over twisting.


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## Margali (Oct 14, 2022)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> I think it is tablet weaving? But inkle style frame loom thing. I have been watching YouTube videos from Elewys of Finchingefeld as inspiration/guidance. I was planning to use the tablets to make a pattern and the fishing swivels are to help prevent over twisting.


Swivels do help some. A big thing is what kind of yarn/thread you use. DO NOT use knitting yarn it snags and pills together into an awful mess. Ask how I know  Cotton crochet thread works well. I normally use the largest in stock (3?) for the warp and 1 or 2 sizes smaller for the weft on the shuttle. It helps with bulkiness.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 14, 2022)

I couldn't access those patterns, I'll probably just use one from YouTube that is supposed to be easy. I've never woven anything like this before. 

Here is the loom, I need to put one more piece in with some sort of clamp so I can adjust it as it gets tighter.


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## Baymule (Oct 15, 2022)

Please take pictures as you go. This is interesting!


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## Margali (Oct 15, 2022)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Here is the loom, I need to put one more piece in with some sort of clamp so I can adjust it as it gets tighter.


Looking good! Tablet weaving puts a lot of stress on a loom. I would add a board as shown. Mine is actually double-sided so pegs don't bend. I will take picture once I get it out of storage.

A basic clamp like this from big box store works great for tensioning. The bar back is smooth enough it doesn't snag weaving. When clamp moves too close to uprights, loosen tension and move a loop from uprights to a bottom inner peg then retension.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 15, 2022)

Margali said:


> Looking good! Tablet weaving puts a lot of stress on a loom. I would add a board as shown. Mine is actually double-sided so pegs don't bend. I will take picture once I get it out of storage.
> View attachment 94020
> A basic clamp like this from big box store works great for tensioning. The bar back is smooth enough it doesn't snag weaving. When clamp moves too close to uprights, loosen tension and move a loop from uprights to a bottom inner peg then retension.
> View attachment 94022


I was planning to add the moveable piece where you marked the lower blue line, hopefully with at least 4 inches of horizontal movement available. I will see if I can find more wood for an upper brace, I used just one 6' board for the rest of this along with the pot holder thing.

I have some clamps like that but I was hoping to keep it all wood and nice looking. We shall see what I can get done today, we are working around the house while tree guys disassemble an oak between the house and power pole. I'm halfway expecting to hear a loud crunch but I'm hoping they won't drop anything on the house.


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## Bruce (Oct 18, 2022)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> inkle loom


I had to look that up and I have NO idea how one uses it!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 18, 2022)

The tree guy was a master at his job, he may be part squirrel. They took down the oak without damaging the roof or power line. It sounded like he was teaching the young man who was helping him with the lines, pulling the branches the way they were supposed to fall. It was really fun to watch him dismantle the tree. Now the area looks much bigger and open. They also took out the tall thin tree, very flammable, just what you want 2 feet from your house..









He is supposed to return on Thursday to do the other two oaks and then we get to split and move all the wood. Hopefully hubby's tractor cylinder is fixed and splitter comes back from the in-laws so we can get this done in October, rather than sitting here forever.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 18, 2022)

I have decided this inkle loom is a prototype, otherwise it's ugliness would make me upset. If it's a prototype it's ok it's ugly as long as it works and teaches me what I need to know to make a pretty one that works better.

For example, do not attempt to freehand drill a slot for the sliding tension bar thingy. It will not be straight. It will not be pretty. It does allow the tension bar to move though.

Also Ryobi sucks. Hubby bought a Ryobi drill bit set and they have such a stupid design to hold the bits into the case. To try to get the bits out to use them you either need pliers or gloves, or you will cut your hand trying to pull the bit out. Guess what I did?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 18, 2022)

Bunny check: no bunnies this morning, gave hay to everyone. Will need to buy more hay within 1-2 weeks.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 18, 2022)

We were working in another part of the yard Sunday and there were so many acorns I started gathering them to see if I could make acorn flour. I think I spent less than 30 minutes overall and I ended up gathering 8 pounds 9.5 ounces of acorns.






Sunday night I shelled/sorted through 3 pounds 14 ounces and discarded 1 pound 9.5 ounces in shells/nasty bits. There's roughly 2 pounds 4.5 ounces of acorn meat cold leaching in a bowl of water in the fridge. It took a very long time, the shells were flexible so I cut each acorn into quarters and pried the meat out.

Monday I watched a bunch of YouTube videos and now I have the remaining 4 pounds 11.5 ounces sitting in trays in the sun. Once they dry a little I should be able to smack each acorn with a hammer and the shell should open. Apparently you can also float test them similar to eggs, if they float they are bad: either from a prior year and old, or have a bug chewing out the inside. Ones with holes did have a bug but it has chewed it's way out.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 18, 2022)

The second batch of acorn shells I'm going to try to save to dye some wool. Apparently the tannins from the acorns are supposed to make a nice gray dye in combination with iron. I'm pretty sure we have iron nails I can scrounge up. I have white wool I partially processed sitting in the closet. I will try to take pictures.


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## Margali (Oct 18, 2022)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> We were working in another part of the yard Sunday and there were so many acorns I started gathering them to see if I could make acorn flour. I think I spent less than 30 minutes overall and I ended up gathering 8 pounds 9.5 ounces of acorns.


Interesting. Please let me know how it turns out!


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## Baymule (Oct 18, 2022)

That’s great about getting the trees down. Tree guys really know their stuff.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 19, 2022)

Bunny update, still no bunnies. Both does have plenty of hay. Sage was sitting in her box though. I even stuck my hands in each nest and felt for babies and nothing. Hopefully there will be bunnies tomorrow.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 21, 2022)

Bunny update, still nothing. Maybe the buck was shooting blanks? I will wait until next weekend and then breed them again. Right now there are two due at the beginning of November and one mid November. The other three does have been completely uncooperative so far. I'm really annoyed because they are supposed to be my meat momma's, but maybe I let them get too fat? I have been free feeding because my schedule wasn't regular for the longest time and I didn't want them to go hungry. I might need to change their feed schedule. If I can finally get these difficult ones to breed, I might keep a daughter or two and replace the mommas.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 21, 2022)

Munchkin had shots last week and now he is clingy, a little congested, and he has low grade fever. He didn't do anything yesterday afternoon except snuggle and whine. This morning was the same but not much whining. This afternoon he is perking up and actually wanting to play. I'm hoping he's over the worst of it finally.


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## SA Farm (Oct 22, 2022)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> maybe I let them get too fat? I have been free feeding because my schedule wasn't regular for the longest time and I didn't want them to go hungry. I might need to change their feed schedule.


If they’re getting too chunky and you can’t feed regularly, free feed hay and give them a certain amount of pellets per day. As long as they get it daily, it shouldn’t matter if it’s at the same time as long as they have something to munch on while they wait.

Some ACV in the water and fresh greens (grass, dandelion, plantain are great options) can also help get them “in the mood” as well - including the buck.
If you need to know sooner if they’re bred, there are (or, at least, used to be) some good YouTube videos on palpating 2 weeks into the pregnancy. I got pretty good at it for a while there, but I no longer have rabbits and doubt I could explain it very well anymore 😋


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 27, 2022)

Still nothing on the first two does. Second two got nest boxes tonight. 

Weather is much cooler, it has been getting down into the 40s at night. Good for rabbits, less so for my mangoes, bananas, and guavas, etc. I need to set up my Christmas lights on the temperature controller and maybe get a rough greenhouse going too. The canna lillies are very droopy but they will come back from the roots.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Oct 27, 2022)

I keep forgetting to take a picture of the front yard, it is very open without those trees. Lots of brush in piles and rounds that need to be split and stacked. Hubby finally brought splitter home. It is supposed to rain Sunday, so might be able to get a burn pile going in a week or so. We still have wood from the first year at the house that needs to be restacked in a better location, it's currently falling over into a walkway and probably getting eaten by termites. 

We are going to end up with enough wood for decades if we keep taking trees down. We already had enough for this year and probably will have enough for the next two as well if we process all the trees we just took down. I'm excited that my coppicing book arrived.


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## Bruce (Oct 27, 2022)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Also Ryobi sucks. Hubby bought a Ryobi drill bit set and they have such a stupid design to hold the bits into the case. To try to get the bits out to use them you either need pliers or gloves, or you will cut your hand trying to pull the bit out. Guess what I did?


Bought a different brand of drill bits? Nothing special about Ryobi bits or many others. DeWalt bits come in a nice case


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 6, 2022)

Bruce said:


> Bought a different brand of drill bits? Nothing special about Ryobi bits or many others. DeWalt bits come in a nice case


No, kept trying to use these even after I cut my fingers. Just used something to protect my fingers and refused to put the bits I was working with back until I was sure I was done with the project.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 6, 2022)

Monday I went into the office for Halloween potluck. Tuesday night hubby and I went to see Dave Ramsey's Building Wealth seminar with another couple from church, we had a great time and it was inspiring. 

Wednesday morning I started to feel sick, but brought munchkin over to mom's to work remotely as usual, but by the time I got to her house I definitely had a fever and was not feeling good. I alternated napping with trying to get through emails and was relieved when we made it to 5:30. Mom and hubby conspired together and hubby picked us up and brought us home, leaving my car. Definitely had fever and chills at that point. 

I spent all of Thursday on the couch under a pile of blankets napping, with whole body aches. Friday was the same except the chills and aches were mostly gone. Saturday felt a lot better until hubby pushed too hard to try to get the front room cleaned up and I crawled back to the couch under a blanket. He did a burn pile and cleared all the brush from the driveway side of the yard from the trees being taken down. Sunday I felt a lot better and we were getting ready for church when I took a Covid test. The dang thing was positive. I took a second one and it was positive too. There goes our plan for the day. Ugh. I was sure I had whatever mom had, she had gotten tested twice and was negative for Covid so I was sure I had the flu or RSV or something like that. Now I feel fine except an intermittent cough. I do have a little stomach upset but I think that is probably the result of not eating Wednesday - Friday; I had no appetite at all and things started tasting weird. Still don't have much of an appetite and food just isn't the same when it doesn't taste like you remember. 

To top off today, munchkin clocked me in the face with his water bottle, hitting me in the mouth. My lip has a nice little knot on it now but thankfully it only bled for a little while.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 7, 2022)

Acorn project: soaked the acorns in the fridge, changing water daily for idk, 2 weeks? Not much visible in the water and when we tried the acorn it was still astringent. Put the acorn meat through the food processor and into glass jars and this is working so much better. I think it should take much less time this way but only fill the jars about halfway with the acorns so it's easier to pour out the water. Also do that part slowly as the finely ground acorn will settle across the top layer. The tall thin jars I put too much acorn in, rearranged after water pour out.

Ready for water pour off





New water added and whole thing shaken. Back into the fridge 




Going to do this until water is clear and meal doesn't taste astringent. Then will dehydrate and grind finer.


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## SageHill (Nov 7, 2022)

WOAH - That's a lot of acorns! I have no idea what one does with acorns -- other than keep the sheep away from them. Is whatever you're doing dependent on the type of oak tree they come from?


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## Mini Horses (Nov 7, 2022)

Pigs love them.


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## farmerjan (Nov 7, 2022)

Pigs do not have the problem with the tannic acid or anything in the acorns... Acorn fed hogs, actually have a very good flavor.  It was something that old time farmers did.... ran their hogs into acorn/oak forests in the fall,  so that they would get that flavor... It is a little of a "sweet" flavor... hard to describe... but they do a very good job of using acorns as a feed.  Also, they have a good protein level and are very palatable to hogs.


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## Baymule (Nov 7, 2022)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Acorn project: soaked the acorns in the fridge, changing water daily for idk, 2 weeks? Not much visible in the water and when we tried the acorn it was still astringent. Put the acorn meat through the food processor and into glass jars and this is working so much better. I think it should take much less time this way but only fill the jars about halfway with the acorns so it's easier to pour out the water. Also do that part slowly as the finely ground acorn will settle across the top layer. The tall thin jars I put too much acorn in, rearranged after water pour out.
> 
> Ready for water pour off
> View attachment 94349
> ...


What about straining through a piece of broadcloth?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 9, 2022)

SageHill said:


> WOAH - That's a lot of acorns! I have no idea what one does with acorns -- other than keep the sheep away from them. Is whatever you're doing dependent on the type of oak tree they come from?


Supposedly the different types of oaks have different acorn flavors. I don't think I would be able to tell the difference though.

I may end up straining it, but so far it seems to be working just pouring off the tannin water.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 9, 2022)

I took another Covid test tonight, and it was positive. Tested the munchkin, and he is positive now too. He's got a low grade fever and is wanting to cuddle.


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## Baymule (Nov 9, 2022)

I’m sorry you and munchkin are sick. Hope it’s a light strain and will leave soon.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 14, 2022)

Tested Sunday night, only two tests left in the house so just hubby and I. I am now negative and hubby is positive. I am planning to get more tests on my lunch break so we can test munchkin and then hubby in a few days.


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## Bruce (Nov 14, 2022)

I tested positive for 2 weeks after I had no symptoms.


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## Ridgetop (Nov 15, 2022)

Newer Covid strains are not nearly as serious as the original.  I think in spite of masks that we have all more resistant to the virus.  More serious now are the respiratory viruses that are affecting toddlers.  Doctors are saying that it is because during the Covid lockdown infants were not exposed to any germs so did not build any immunity.

Best way to build childhood immunity is to have pet dogs and allow children to play in barn!  LOL  Younger brother would lose his pacifier to the dog (male Weimaraner who wanted to suck it himself - probably because youngest brother was always sticky).  Kevin would toddle after dog and fight for possession of the pacifier and pop it back into his own mouth before my mother could reach him.  Very healthy child!     The dog kept getting what the vet said was tonsillitis.   I did not know dogs had tonsils, but the vet said this was what the dog had and gave mom antibiotics for the dog.

Hope you all get better soon.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 15, 2022)

Got more tests last night and tested hubby and munchkin this morning. Both positive. I should have bought more than 4 tests, but at $25 for two they are pricey. Hubby is doing yard work and playing on the tractor. I am working remotely and watching munchkin. Munchkin is getting tired of being in the front room and wants to explore everything.


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## farmerjan (Nov 15, 2022)

This is for any and everyone.... not targeting or singling out any one member......Okay, at the possibility of sounding stupid... WHY all the covid testing?  Please can someone explain this to me??? What does that mean for everyone that is doing testing?  Is it a requirement of work/not work?  If you get over the initial symptoms, what is the benefit to test? 
 People do not constantly test for all the other things out there.... they go to work after getting over the worst of the flu symptoms... yet could be still contagious... they get colds and go to work.. and giving the germs to others... these other respiratory things going around that many small children get,  are they putting on restrictions to retesting before a child goes back to school????  Children can get real sick quick, yet covid is less likely to cause problems in children than say some of these respiratory viruses....

I am not being difficult... I do not understand the whole constant testing for covid ..... it is no more contagious than most of the rest of the cold viruses... which many are corona based type viruses....
You get a cold and get over it.,.. you get the flu and get over it.... you get covid and get over it.  People get complications from flus just as well as covid...you can wind up in the hospital too, and people die from flu bugs if they have a weakened immune system too.. What does it prove except to give the gov more numbers to add to their lists... they don't worry about how many serious flu cases there are with this fervor......
Does testing positive mean you are definitely passing on active infectious germs to others???? Or that your system still is showing antibodies to it?????

I had a mild case and just kept on going.  I do not wear a mask, I do not avoid exposure to general daily germs... If I get sick with a cold or a flu type bug... I try to take it easy, do all the "normal stuff", fluids, vitamins for immune boosts....  stay away from people for a few days until I am not showing much in the way of signs. 
And I am in the "high-risk" population.......

The perfect example is what was stated above... that children are showing more susceptibility to things from lack of exposure.... and they are getting sick and it is serious because they have little or no immunity from the lack of exposure for the last 2 years.... kids pass bugs back and forth and that is what helps to build their immune systems.... they get sick, they get over it... 
Yes some kids get very sick and have to be hospitalized... so do alot of adults that have stronger immune systems... but if we don't start to get stronger immune responses, we are going to be at the point of where we need to live in a bubble.... 

Thanks in advance for anyone that can give me an explanation.


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## Mini Horses (Nov 15, 2022)

Habit?  Work?  Curiosity?  I could see If at ER, so they could treat however they feel most appropriate, or quarantine for contagens, enter into records....at home, I'd treat as any other possible illness I'd  encounter.  A virus has to run it course, you try to stay comfy.


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## Ridgetop (Nov 15, 2022)

Difference is that now you can buy a test that tells if you have the virus.  (Or are pregnant or a host of other things people may want to test themselves for.  LOL)  DIY medicine.  I had to take one before my knee surgery.  Otherwise I feel like why bother?  Also new advertisements are saying to test yourselves and then ask the doctor for the Covid medicine.  During the pandemic the doctor said there was nothing he could give you.  DH was very sick with Covid.  I I doctored him myself since the VA said they didn't have access to any of the Covid drugs.  They were all reserved for people who were considered high risk.  

In the old days,  we would take the baby or child to the doctor.  Usually the result was a virus.  However, for a very high fever, they would do a throat swab to test for strep.  Strep throat (Streptococcus) is the beginning infection of Scarlet fever.  If untreated by antibiotics it becomes Scarlatina, then Scarlet Fever.  Untreated Scarlet Fever can cause Rheumatic Fever with permanent heart problems.  This was a killer disease in my grandmother's day (thus the quarantine signs on doors) but now easily controlled by antibiotics after a positive test for Strep.  Infants can contract strep too although it is usually more common among ages 3 through 12.  DS1 caught strep at 18 months old, and the pediatrician refused to test him for strep.  His reason?  Children under 24 months did not get strep according to him. My older daughter had already had strep a couple times so I was familiar with the symptoms.  He refused to give him antibiotics until he threw out a raised red rash which my grandmother, staying with us at the time, diagnosed as Scarlatina (the beginning of Scarlet Fever).  My darling husband came home and found me in tears on the phone with the obstructive pediatrician.  He snatched the baby and drove to the doctor's office where he proceeded to shout to be seen by the head of pediatrics.   The head of pediatrics (also the head of the HMO clinic) immediately diagnosed Scarlatina.  Two antibiotics later the baby finally responded but for several years we lived in fear of rheumatic fever.  The clinic head became our permanent pediatrician.


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## Baymule (Nov 16, 2022)

“The old days”……… you went to the doctor with a fever and were immediately seen, given medication and sent home. Now-fever is the Mark of the Beast and don’t come in. So explain to me how you get treated for whatever you have. 
Step 1. Take Covid test
Step 2. No Covid,
Step3. Call doctor 
Step 4. Set appointment 

It’s stupid. 

We have high jacked your thread, hope you don’t mind.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 16, 2022)

I don't mind the hijacking, it's a good discussion. Supposedly if you have a positive test then you are contagious, and should be isolated. 

However, sister in law called yesterday and talked to hubby (she is a RN) and said that if he has no symptoms then he can go back to work and does not have to isolate. Supposedly you can test positive for weeks even without symptoms. So this morning he went back to work (works for his dad's family business) and took munchkin to MIL to watch for the day while I work remotely. I still have congestion and cough but no fever and no positive test. I'm hoping they don't get it, although they had it back in August so maybe they are immune.

I had a doctor's appointment scheduled for tomorrow, and I had to cancel because they won't let you in if you've had a positive test within 10 days. They won't even let me reschedule until I have no symptoms. So I have to wait for this stupid cough and running nose to go away before I can CALL and get an appointment, which will likely be at least 2-3 weeks out from the call. Hopefully I don't catch anything between then. Makes me mad.


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## farmerjan (Nov 16, 2022)

I have had several bouts with strep throat and had scarlatina as a kid.  No after effects from it that I can tell... but I will get a real bad sore throat about every 2-3 years... go to the dr and they do a strep test... usually negative... but have been able to get the dr to listen to my history... give me erythromycin and in 48 hours no sore throat... do the course of the antibiotics and done. That is one of the few times I ever "push" for an antibiotic... because whatever causes the infection responds immediately... also probably because I don't take stuff hardly ever.... 

@Larsen Poultry Ranch ; maybe you have a cold or something else... and when you get sick that is when you are "supposed to go to the dr".... It is soooo much BS anymore.  No wonder so many wind up in the emergency room or the acute care places... because people's own drs won't see them "if they are sick"....


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## Ridgetop (Nov 17, 2022)

They won't see you when you have symptoms, so you wait to go in.  By then you are over it.  Or dead.


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## murphysranch (Nov 19, 2022)

I think the home testing is to try to prevent the spread of it. I'm a mystery shopper once in a while, or a business inspector  (for the same company) (for grocery money mostly). If I'm even remotely concerned about Covid, I have to cancel my job. We don't want all these people to get Covid all of a sudden like in 2020.  I tested several times and didn't get a positive so I continued on with my periodic assignments. 

I've not had Covid, but I was sick with a cold for almost 4 weeks. After two years of masks and instant hand sanitizer, we've all forgotten what its like to be sick. (previous cold was in winter of '19).


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## Ridgetop (Nov 20, 2022)

I think more people are getting sick because they did not share germs and build resistance during the 2 Covid years.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 20, 2022)

Ridgetop said:


> I think more people are getting sick because they did not share germs and build resistance during the 2 Covid years.


I think this is the main reason why so many kids are getting seriously sick with RSV right now. Staying home and isolating is not great for growing immune systems, they need to get mild sicknesses so their bodies learn how to fight off the worse ones.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 20, 2022)

And speaking of growing immune systems, munchkin just ate a handful of dirt. Guess I should be thankful it was in the yard and not in the chicken pen..

He was chewing on an acorn a few days ago. I'll be glad when this stage is over and I don't have to fight him to get stuff out of his mouth. He bites.


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## Baymule (Nov 21, 2022)

Anything and everything goes in their mouth. It’s a full time job, monitoring just that. And you can’t put a muzzle on little toddlers. LOL


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## murphysranch (Nov 21, 2022)

Wait...what? You've not yet taught him "DROP IT!!!" ????


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## HomeOnTheRange (Nov 21, 2022)

Baymule said:


> And you can’t put a muzzle on little toddlers. LOL


Just tell them it is a new type of COVID mask...


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## Baymule (Nov 22, 2022)

HomeOnTheRange said:


> Just tell them it is a new type of COVID mask...


Yeah, with a grill in front of their mouth. LOL


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## Ridgetop (Nov 22, 2022)

DD1 ate a snail.  DS1 ate a slug.  DS2 & 3 loved going with me to take goats to breeder because sliding down her 10' manure pile was the best fun!  

Protein and dirt to build immunity!  You are a good mommy!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Nov 22, 2022)

murphysranch said:


> Wait...what? You've not yet taught him "DROP IT!!!" ????


Lol, no. He doesn't come when called and he doesn't drop stuff when told. He giggles and runs away. Thankfully my legs are longer and I'm still faster than he is. 

He's a smart kid, just not quite talking yet. Lots of nonsense babbling though. It has sounded like he said "kitty", "dog", "sit", "momma", and "daddy". He also knows to indicate he wants up by putting his arms up. He's getting better at petting cats and dogs, less grabby and more swiping pat motion. He still grabs tails though.


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## SageHill (Nov 22, 2022)

Ridgetop said:


> I think more people are getting sick because they did not share germs and build resistance during the 2 Covid years.


Bingo!
I listened to Mike Rowe's podcast this morning as I was cleaning stalls. He had Justin Hart on, he's the author of 
Gone Viral How Covid Drove the World Insane - wow - I think you'd like it. I'm going to grab either the Audible version or the book. The guy is a numbers and statistics guy really interesting to hear what he had to say in the podcast.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 7, 2022)

I have several rabbits bred, first one is due the week before Christmas. Second and third are due just after Christmas, and the last two are due around new year's. I need to breed the last 3 does, or make the decision to cull them.

I'm hoping she actually took and I'm not just wasting time and feed. Not entirely sure the does aren't too fat but the buck is unproven so could be both. I made sure they had 4 fall offs, except the one doe that refused to cooperate only had one. It's been cold enough long enough that the buck should have recovered if it was a heat sterile issue before. 

I feel like I've complained about the rabbits before so sorry if this is a repeat. I'm feeling like the Little Red Hen here, and struggling with wanting to downsize animals/projects/plants since I'm having trouble juggling everything.


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## SageHill (Dec 7, 2022)

Fingers crossed for some nice sized litters!!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 8, 2022)

SageHill said:


> Fingers crossed for some nice sized litters!!


Even a small litter would be an improvement over no litters. Biggest litter I've had was 10, smallest was 4 (not the same doe). 

There's a rabbit show in Vacaville in early January I want to go to, it's supposed to be a Saturday. I'm hoping to get a buck and a doe there, but I've never bought at a show before so I'm not sure how that works. I want to set up a quarantine area but I don't know if I have space to set it up properly. I didn't quarantine when I got rabbits before, but I know I was probably just lucky they didn't have anything to spread to my herd.


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## SageHill (Dec 8, 2022)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Even a small litter would be an improvement over no litters. Biggest litter I've had was 10, smallest was 4 (not the same doe).
> 
> There's a rabbit show in Vacaville in early January I want to go to, it's supposed to be a Saturday. I'm hoping to get a buck and a doe there, but I've never bought at a show before so I'm not sure how that works. I want to set up a quarantine area but I don't know if I have space to set it up properly. I didn't quarantine when I got rabbits before, but I know I was probably just lucky they didn't have anything to spread to my herd.


Going to the show would be great for you. Since it's in January you've got time to figure out buying there. As for a quarantine area - since it's temporary how about space in your garage?? Just a thought. Though could be a pita with rabbit gear further away.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 9, 2022)

SageHill said:


> Going to the show would be great for you. Since it's in January you've got time to figure out buying there. As for a quarantine area - since it's temporary how about space in your garage?? Just a thought. Though could be a pita with rabbit gear further away.


This house doesn't have a garage 😭 that's one of the things we are trying to add. The old house had a very large garage.

Could possibly set up a cage in the quail container, but I'd have to figure out how to capture the urine and droppings so they don't damage the floor. I need to reorganize that zone anyway...hmm..


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## SageHill (Dec 9, 2022)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> This house doesn't have a garage 😭 that's one of the things we are trying to add. The old house had a very large garage.
> 
> Could possibly set up a cage in the quail container, but I'd have to figure out how to capture the urine and droppings so they don't damage the floor. I need to reorganize that zone anyway...hmm..


Well darn it anyway on the garage. 
For catching droppings check out concrete mixing tubs - they're plastic and have decent depth and sides. Heavy duty and basically cheap - $8 medium (5.8h x 19.7w 27.6 L) - $18 large (8inh x 23.84wx36L)  at Home Depot here in San Diego - yours may be less if you're lucky.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 13, 2022)

Sage was hay stashing!!! I'm so excited!!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 13, 2022)

She had a nice nest this morning. I gave her more hay. I'm excited she might have babies within a week!


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## Baymule (Dec 13, 2022)

Baby bunny countdown!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 25, 2022)

Sage kindled on 12/18. I didn't handle them until the next day since it was so cold when I originally checked them. I counted 7 kits, and they look like their coloring is castor/chestnut and opal. I will get more pictures of them once their eyes are open and they are actually cute instead of naked hippos.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 25, 2022)

Willow has a nest started, Maple has a nest started, Parsley has a huge nest started and Juniper started hay stashing tonight. I rearranged Parsley's nest a bit and pulled out some damp hay. She wasn't happy about that and nipped me, broke the skin. Not thrilled about that but it will only count against her if she ends up being a bad mom. She actually usually lets me pet her.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 25, 2022)

Merry Christmas everyone!!


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## Baymule (Dec 26, 2022)

Lots of kits on the way! Is Santa Claus bringing them?


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## farmerjan (Dec 26, 2022)

No, Santa doesn't bring kits... only the Easter Bunny can deliver baby bunnies.... and the Easter bunny is having second thoughts about coming out in this COLD.....can't say as I blame him.....

They are going to wait a couple days for it to warm up a little bit...


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## Baymule (Dec 26, 2022)

He is on his way! He just came through Texas!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 28, 2022)

Willow had babies 12/26, I haven't counted them yet, I think there's at least 5.

Edit 12/28: there are 6 babies


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 28, 2022)

Maple had babies overnight, do I count them as 12/27 or 12/28? First time mom. She had plenty of fur pulled but all the babies were in the middle of the box and she JUMPED on them because she was nervous I was messing around her cage trying to check on them. One squealed quite a bit. I'm hoping it is not damaged internally - I guess squealing like that would indicate she didn't harm it's lungs. I pulled her nest apart and redid it at the back of the box. There were 8 kits, 7 alive and 1 partially eaten. One alive kit looked like it was missing an ear. I really hope Maple gets it together and is a good mom.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 28, 2022)

Yesterday it was quite windy and rainy and I was working from home. Just before 10am I hear a creak...crash! The oak tree just fell over, probably because it was a triple trunk. I'm glad we already took down the trees by the house. Since this is in the backyard field zone it will probably be a while before we process the tree. Pic is from the computer room window.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 28, 2022)

Maple kits


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## Baymule (Dec 29, 2022)

Firewood in the backyard. At least you don’t have to haul it very far. LOL
Congratulations on the baby bunnies! They are always so tiny and sweet. Tip on warming up a cold kit, tuck it into your bra. I’ve picked up little ice cubes before, tucked them in my bra, when they starter mewing and wiggling, I turned them over and warmed the other side, then gave them back to momma. Sometimes when feeding the babies, the doe jumps out of the nest box and one will not let go and get dragged out.


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## SageHill (Dec 29, 2022)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Yesterday it was quite windy and rainy and I was working from home. Just before 10am I hear a creak...crash! The oak tree just fell over, probably because it was a triple trunk. I'm glad we already took down the trees by the house. Since this is in the backyard field zone it will probably be a while before we process the tree. Pic is from the computer room window.


Ah I know that sound well! We had a few eucalyptus trees and a cottonwood that did that. 
Yay on the kits! You all with the buns make me ~think about trying them. But I don't think I could
handle the "end game".


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## Ridgetop (Dec 29, 2022)

Lot of hype about rabbits eating their y9ung but they really only eat the ones that are already dead to try to dean the nest.  Occasionally a young and enthusiastic doe ei bite off bits ike ears or toes trying to clean their kits.  She will get better with future litters and since you don't eat the ears or toes anyway you will have a couple for the freezer.  Any dead ones can be fed to the chickens.  Seriously maimed kits are easily and humanely put down by putting them in a paper bag and putting them in the freezer.  They die quickly.


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## Baymule (Dec 29, 2022)

SageHill said:


> Ah I know that sound well! We had a few eucalyptus trees and a cottonwood that did that.
> Yay on the kits! You all with the buns make me ~think about trying them. But I don't think I could
> handle the "end game".


They don’t taste very good with the fur on. And believe it or not, if you bite them, they are liable to bite you back!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 30, 2022)

Juniper getting her nest ready this morning. She keeps moving the box around, I finally shoved it into the spot she was trying to nest in. She's a first timer too. Only Sage has kindled before, I'm glad she was first. I really feel like the first timers do well if they are near an experienced doe or watch another doe.

I was worried about rain getting into the shelter between the tarp and top, so I grabbed a couple of big cardboard boxes and put them directly on the top of the cages. Instant rain guard. Guess I should order more bigger things from Amazon, all I have left are smaller boxes.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 30, 2022)

Thankfully I haven't had many cold kits so far.

It is easier to butcher with others, especially if you can get a designated dispatcher who isn't attached to the bunnies. It also helps if they bite or scratch the h*11 out of your arms when you are making the decision to cull. They seem less adorable then.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 30, 2022)

@Ridgetop what do you think of a nest box like this? Not my picture but a screenshot. Has inner chamber for the kits, outer chamber so mom can still be inside the box, and she can also sit on top to get away from the kits before they learn to jump up.


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## Baymule (Dec 30, 2022)

JMO, but I think the outer chamber is unnecessary. The top is a good idea. 

I had hanging wire cages. I finally went to open top nest boxes with hardware cloth bottoms. With the open top and wire cage top, in cold weather I placed those aluminum clamp on automotive lights with a 100 watt bull over the nest. The wire was ran through the rafters. Kept new kits warm. The hardware cloth on the nest box bottom was for allowing the pee to go through. Does would sometimes pee on their babies. With a solid bottom, it was wet and ammonia fumes built up quickly. Kits could die overnight. That’s what worked for me. Everyone has different set ups, just thought I’d toss that out there.


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## SageHill (Dec 30, 2022)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Guess I should order more bigger things from Amazon, all I have left are smaller boxes.


ROTFL -- that is funny! 
(says the box hoarder queen)


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## SageHill (Dec 30, 2022)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> It also helps if they bite or scratch the h*11 out of your arms when you are making the decision to cull. They seem less adorable then.


HA! That I get!! We did have buns - as pets - when our son was 5 (eons ago) one managed to bite through his finger for no reason. That one should've been stew.  I made get this figured out. Time will tell.


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## Ridgetop (Dec 30, 2022)

The outer chamber is unnecessary like Bay says.  Mother rabbits don't stay with their kts during the day.  This is because in the wild it is safer for the kits if she lays up a little away in order to be able to run and draw off predators before they find the nest of kits.  They return to the next at night to feed the babies.  This is also why some first-time rabbit breeders think the does are not feeding the kits or have abandoned the nest.  (45 years ago a friend had a doe that gave birth.  Since the doe didn't stay with the kits during the day she thought it had abandoned the babies.  She bottle fed the kits every 2 hours day and night!   This was before we started breeding rabbits, and also pre-internet so no info there.  LOL  Surprisingly they all survived!

Instead of a top on the box, try putting a piece of cheap drywall (not treated kind) in the cage.  Momma will sit or lie on that during cold weather and to spare her feet and hocks from any sharp points on the wire.  Untreated is best since therabbits will chew the drywall.  Cut the pieces by scoring with a utility knife and breaking them into 8" wide x 16" long for meat breeds.  This will give the rabbits a large enough piece that you will not have to replace it for several weeks (they will chew it smaller).  You can often get broken pieces of drywall free at Lowes, etc.

Instead of that very large box with 2 compartments, change out your metal boxes for regular size wooden ones.  Wood is a naturally insulator while the metal boxes get icy in the winter.  Baymule's design of putting screen on the bottom so they stay dry is a good one.  I stopped making my nest boxes with tops because some of the larger does would whack their backs when hoping and out and would decide that they did not want their nest in the box.  

Baymule's shop light suspended over the cages - or even sitting on top of the wire - also works in severe winter weather.  I used those metal bowl shaped shop/auto lights all the time in the barn - with heat lamps for kids and lambs and with standard 100 watt bulbs for the rabbits.  I also used to add broken straw scraps to the boxes in the winter and remove extra bedding in hot summer months.  I kept a coffee can on top of the cages and stored the extra fur in it.  I replaced it at night when I fed.  In the summer I would collect extra fur from overly-enthusiastic nest builders and keep it to use in nests whose moms barely pulled any fur.  The rabbits didn't care.  If one didn't like strange fur, they would just kick it out onto the cage floor.


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## SageHill (Dec 30, 2022)

Ridgetop said:


> Mother rabbits don't stay with their kts during the day. This is because in the wild it is safer for the kits if she lays up a little away


... and why as kids we always found little rabbit nests --- were told to "leave them alone" --- and we did, but we also watched for when they ventured out. 
Ahhh those were good days.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 31, 2022)

Parsley is pulling fur. And I now have a kit in my bra, one of Willow's.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Dec 31, 2022)

Put the kit back since it was trying to popcorn when I uncovered it; it's an opal.

Parsley is kindling right now.


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## Youngfarmer2019 (Dec 31, 2022)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Put the kit back since it was trying to popcorn when I uncovered it; it's an opal.
> 
> Parsley is kindling right now.
> 
> View attachment 95381


Lucky! The only rabbit I’ve ever seen kindle was one I had to help give birth, all dead babies☹️ I have 8 rabbits I breed and raise for meat, maybe someday I’ll see it…


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## farmerjan (Dec 31, 2022)

From a total clueless rabbit person... what is the meaning of "it was trying to popcorn?"


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 2, 2023)

farmerjan said:


> From a total clueless rabbit person... what is the meaning of "it was trying to popcorn?"


The kits are born blind and deaf, so they feel for movement in the nest (like when mom comes to feed them) and jump up like popcorn popping to make contact with mom and find the milk bar. They start opening their eyes around 10 days to 2 weeks old, I think hearing starts around then as well.

The kit was squeaking and jumping, and felt warm so I took that as a sign it was ready to go back into the nest.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 2, 2023)

Youngfarmer2019 said:


> Lucky! The only rabbit I’ve ever seen kindle was one I had to help give birth, all dead babies☹️ I have 8 rabbits I breed and raise for meat, maybe someday I’ll see it…


Mine usually wait until they are undisturbed to give birth, usually overnight or when I'm at work. Someday I'll have a camera set up so I can record it. I haven't had one with issues during kindling thank goodness, I don't know if I would be able to help much. All of my does are skittish and I think me being there would make it worse.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 2, 2023)

There's a rabbit show in Vallejo next Saturday, I'm excited to go and hopefully get some good info. I found a lady who shows Rex and she may have a rabbit for sale that would help improve my herd. I think I'm going to focus on the castor and opal colors. I'd love to get some magpies but I don't think my current breeders would complement that coloration.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 2, 2023)

Sage kits. Tried holding one last night and the little bugger jumped out of my hands. Thankfully I grabbed it as it was falling and put it back. They definitely need some socializing. Not quite sure about the color of the light kits, could be shaded or could be chinchilla, or could just be baby fur and need to get a little older. They look mostly normal fur and not Rex but I haven't pulled them all out to check. The color looks too even to be shaded but I didn't think there was any chinchilla genes. I need to double check the pedigree for mom and assumed pedigree for dad - I only know the dad's parents not the grandparents.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Thursday at 2:11 PM)

Found one dead opal kit on the ground so I pulled everybody to check kits. 

Juniper has 5 healthy black kits.

Willow has 6 kits, mostly castor/chestnut and two opals. One opal was very runty and thin, so I moved to Juniper's nest since her kits are about the same size (younger).

Sage has 7 kits, 4 chestnut, 1 castor (Rex), and the two that look chinchilla

Maple has 4 healthy kits, 3 black one castor. Two dead black and one blue kits. One of the black kits is now "Lefty", as it's the one she over groomed and it is missing it's right ear.

Parsley is the one I couldn't get a count originally because she was so aggressive. I couldn't see any nest in the part of the box I could see and she kept jumping into the box and just sitting there so I assumed she lost them. I pulled the whole box up to the front of the cage and she has a decent nest right at the front! So when she gets in the box the babies are in front of her. I counted 8!!!! Live and looked healthy, a bunch of different colors, need more fur to tell. This is the youngest litter. I'm assuming the dead kit came from her since all the others are accounted for.


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## Baymule (Thursday at 6:39 PM)

Awesome bunch of babies! Congratulations on the litters.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Saturday at 4:21 PM)

Mom watched munchkin last night so hubby and I could have a date night and early start this morning to go to the rabbit show. I had a lot of fun and enjoyed talking to several of the Rex breeders. One had an opal buck she said wasn't great but he's at least the right color and unrelated to my buns. He is going to go into quarantine for a month and then will get a date with Maple and possibly a few of the others too. 

There's another show in Gridley in 2 weeks.


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## Baymule (Saturday at 7:11 PM)

That is awesome! You got an Opal Rex buck! Picture please? A date night too!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Sunday at 11:11 AM)

Super windy with rain last night. Rabbit structure looked like this when I got out there this morning:





Thankfully the rabbits were ok, except we lost the runt and one of Maple's kits got out of the nest box and died. I hope she does better her next litter otherwise she's not going to stick around. She's down to 3 babies right now. If I were more confident with Willow and Juniper I would foster over to them and rebreed Maple. Hmm. I could try that..

Fixed shelter:


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## Baymule (Sunday at 3:08 PM)

It was looking rather droopy. Good job on getting it back together and making it right.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Monday at 12:25 PM)

We said a prayer thanking God for the great weather we had Sunday; while it was overcast it didn't start raining until around sunset when we were wrapping up our project. 

So Sunday morning we fixed the rabbit shelter, then ran to harbor freight and bought the fancier version of the carport, the one with ends and sides so it's completely enclosed. The framing seemed really sturdy, it's a heavier tube metal and the spans are shorter. There's also 6 cross frames instead of just 3 in the 20 foot span. Plus it bolts together instead of just slotting the pipes together. Hubby also added some self tapping screws as well for the parts which didn't have bolts.

Once we got home we disassembled the just-repaired structure and moved everything around so we'd have enough flat space. The new structure is 2 feet wider at the base. We spent most of the day on the rabbits, over 3.5 hours on the new structure alone. The main thing I'm concerned about with this structure so far is the end pieces and the roof are held on with straps and ratchets. Two ratchet hooks had popped off by this morning, they were a pain to get reattached. It warns you not to over tighten and it's hard to tell if it's tight enough.










The bunnies are now in two rows facing a middle aisle instead of in the center facing two outside aisles. It is SO much easier to walk around and tend everyone. I also rearranged the order of rabbits to put all the nursing does in the center away from the ends; Pepper and Bubba Fig had to change cages so he's on the end again, he was very excited hopping around smelling Pepper's scent. I have three empty holes (each cage has two sides, or holes) for grow outs currently set up, and have decided to cull Vanilla and Pepper, so that will be two more holes available. There's a smaller single hole cage I had set up but took down during the move since it needs to be cleaned and I need to find the hardware to fix it so it doesn't collapse. I also have four more holes the same cage type I'm using but the floors need to be replaced. I have the wire but I think I need to buy more j clips and possibly the pliers as my supply stash wandered off.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Monday at 12:30 PM)

@Ridgetop , should we move Maple's kits to Juniper and rebreed Maple? She has three, two blacks and a castor, pure Rex. Juniper has 5, all black and I can't tell if they have Rex or regular fur yet. Both litters are still in box with eyes closed, although they'll be opening soon. I'd like to be able to track which ones are fostered though, how do you mark the kits when they are so small? I've done sharpie in the ears before but the foster mom usually cleans it off pretty quickly.

Edit: I have a tattoo pen, I've just never tattooed a kit that small so wasn't sure if that was a possibility.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Monday at 3:07 PM)

The in-laws bought two cows earlier this year to raise for the freezer. I don't know if I showed them before but got hubby to take a picture of one today. The in-laws are putting one in their freezer and splitting the other between their two children, so we are going to have a lot of beef in a month or two. I guess they are supposed to be graining them now and will butcher in a month or so. They like the grain finished ones better than only grass fed, the last grass fed we had didn't have a good taste.

The one pictured is the good cow who stayed in the fencing, the other cow escaped and took a trip back to his original herd, they are not far away. He is supposed to be coming back as soon as they coordinate trailering. Their retired pasture horse is in the background.


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## Baymule (Monday at 8:33 PM)

Hey that’s a great job on the new rabbit barn! Congratulations on making it easier for you to care for the rabbits. 

Good cow/bad cow! Hahaha!


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Yesterday at 2:21 AM)

Checked on the rabbits before bed tonight. Willow has at least one chinchilla and eyes are starting to open. Maple's kits look small but I think they are being fed. They are so close to eyes open I am going to leave them with her, plus they are smaller than Juniper's kits, I think they'd get pushed around too much if I tried to combine the litters. Juniper has 5 little black hippo kits with eyes starting to open as well. They all look like normal fur. Didn't mess with Parsley's kits, and Sage's kits don't want to be picked up and snuggled. I'll keep trying.. Eventually they will love me, right?

The chinchilla for Willow confirms that the buck has chinchilla gene and not REW. Which is excellent for pelts, but apparently not good for getting proper show colors if I'm going to try to focus on castor/opal. There was only one chinchilla Rex at the show in Vallejo. I think there were roughly 60 Rex total in the Open and Youth categories.


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