ELeVan ~ Honaker Farm Journal

[elevan]

Thanks Jodie and SheepGirl...it's somewhat comforting to know that I'm not the only one with idiot animals. I mean they have prime browse in their pasture and they want to jump for a mowed lawn...and that's what they're eating - the neighbor's grass! Egads, but I don't know their reasoning.


In other news, my chickens have stopped laying in the coop - completely. I finally figured out why. My does are going into the coop through the window and having a grand time playing on the shelves (poop boards) and in the nest boxes. No wonder my hens aren't going into the coop during the day. Problem is that they're also not laying in the barn's nest boxes :/ I haven't gotten a single egg in over a week!

 

[Southern by choice]

It must be something hovering in the air... so many people I know are suddenly going through the same thing... what is with the goats??
Very strange!

That really stinks about the eggs! Some birds (Northern States) may stop laying if temps remain at or around 90 degrees. Hopefully they will lay again soon.

Hotwire for the goats! Works like a charm.

 

[elevan]

Our temps have been flip flopping. Today actually feels like a breezy autumn day Maybe they did just stop laying. But if I were them I wouldn't lay in the coop either with those goats bouncing around inside!

 

[elevan]

Went out to the coop this evening to lock up and found all the chickens and ducks milling about around the coop. :/

Then I heard the does calling from inside the coop. They'd knocked the window closed and couldn't get out and the birds couldn't get in.

 

[elevan]

So far so good with the goats staying in.

But now it's Sandy, our mama duck who is flying over the fence leaving her ducklings screaming for her I just had to catch her and throw her back over the fence. Thankfully she flew into our front yard, not the neighbors.

 

[elevan]

Goats are still staying in


We've been looking for a male guinea for the past 2 days. Heard him calling in the evening but couldn't find him. We found him this morning setting on a nest. So either it's a girl who never calls female calls or it's a male who calls male calls setting on a nest. We're a little confused but whatever floats his / her boat. That will make our 5th guinea nest waiting on a hatch.

 

[ksalvagno]

Wow, your Guineas have been doing well this summer. Do you sell the chicks or just grow them out for the freezer?

 

[elevan]

We do both, sell keets and grow them out. We have a long list of folks wanting keets this year, so I guess the guineas are on the right track for us.

 

[ksalvagno]

Wow, that is fantastic. Nice when things don't take much to bring in some income.

 

[Pearce Pastures]

Gosh, our hens have gone CRAZY with laying this week. They were a bit slow with the humidity but I think the cool snap made them happy. My bucks though---- Starting to stink!