I'm not the only reader Have a look at the views to your journal, you obviously have multiple readers who are keeping mum. Come on folks, at least pop in a say hi to CYG.
I read everyones journals and posts daily. I just don't always comment. Some topics I know nothing about so I don't comment. I just soak up the infomation!
Quick update! Lola's babies are getting so big! We have two Harlequins, two Magpies and an Otter with white diamond on forehead. Strawberry--my New Zealand White--kindled this afternoon. She was bred to our blue ribbon New Zealand Red Hazel. She had four live kits, two reds like daddy and a black and broken black. We think she must have New Zealand Black in her background? The fifth baby was another black and born dead. She's feeding and caring for them perfectly and we're so proud!
I have a Dwarf Hotot buck I'm going to put up on the Buy/Sell/Trade section. Also, we processed our first birds yesterday, three Australorps roosters. I helped pluck and clean and we are keeping feathers and feet for crafting. We will be making chicken-feet backscratchers! The birds look gorgeous and are stowed away at freezer camp! That's all for now. Angel--REW Lionhead--is due the day before Thanksgiving. Black Friday and Black Saturday--lol--we will be at craft shows and hopefully make some chicken feed, nestbox and Christmas gift money. Thanks for reading!
Thanks everyone for letting me know you're reading. I was too stupid to notice the "Views" tab--college degree and everything!--so I didn't know. Anyway it's gonna be a busy week for Handled With Care! Angel will kindle either on Thanksgiving or the day before, and Lola's kits are opening their eyes and will be popping out of the nest box Friday or Saturday! I have to get a little shoe box or something to compensate in case they need a warm bed still. The turkeys are adjusting well to the new big run and have finally figured out how to come in from the rain without us chasing them inside. Roosty--my Australorp roo--is enjoying less competition since the guinea males ignore his hens and the Silkies know better than to evoke his wrath.
The roosters being processed was a somewhat shaky situation. I knew it was what we planned and I know they didn't suffer at all but every once in a while it will hit me that I raised them carefully from day old chicklets and only their inability to outdo Roosty decided their fate. Two of them also had bad attitudes and Roosty is--to us two humans only--a big cuddly lap chicken. I personally put my hand in one of them and cleaned it out with grandma's supervision, kinda surreal. Now they look like grocery store chicken all packed up in the freezer. That makes it easier. I think it will get easier with the birds but the rabbits? I just don't know anymore. The roosters are also easier because I'd rather process them then sell them and have them end up as a fighting roo--not that Australorps are much for fighting! Anyway, I have a while to think on this before any kits are of age--at least we know the broken black is staying! I hope it's a doe! Good to know either Hazel or Strawberry carries the broken gene. I will soon post pics of the NZ kits on the website.
Anubis--the Dwarf Hotot buck--has been sold! A nice woman is buying him for her five-year-old. Before you flip, the lady plans to care for the rabbit herself and is realistic that her daughter probably won't help. She has already called back a few times asking my advice about food, toys, housing and the like. She is a very nice woman that reminds me very much of my own mother. I'm holding the rabbit until the day before Christmas Eve so she won't have to hide him for a long time. I'm very pleased that he is going to a home where he will be the housepet and spoiled like he deserves.
Angel had her kits right on time Wednesday morning. She had four live kits and no dead kits but the runt couldn't seem to stay warm--may have been a peanut? It wasn't deformed and only a tad smaller and she fed it but it didn't make it. She's doing fine with the remaining three, feeding them and spends more time in the box than Lola or Strawberry do. I hope that's a good thing and she isn't just enjoying the warm box--haha!
Anyway I'm baking pies for Thanksgiving--cherry, chocolate, raisin, lemon and my famous honey pumpkin squares. I'm also making soaps, Gifts-in-Jars and stamping leather for the upcoming Holiday Craft Fair--and possibly a little extra traffic at the market on Black Friday. I made a chocolate cappuccino soap that is layered chocolate, buttercream and coffee. It looks and smells awesome!