SA Farm's journal

[SA Farm]

I set all the bought hatching eggs this morning. One of the turner trays broke, so I have a few to hand turn until I have more space at lockdown later on this week. As of right now I have 19 eggs going to lockdown on Tuesday, but I’ll be doing one more candling session to pull any more quitters.
I have to turn on and calibrate my lockdown bator today. It’s a little finicky, so it’ll probably take a few days to get it where I want it with temp and humidity.

I’ve been loving the weather the last few days - sunny and cold. Not hot enough to melt, but beautiful
I don’t remember if I mentioned it, but my parents took over my rabbits when I moved, and they still have some of my old bloodlines - which I think is pretty cool. They did lose the buck, but they picked up a little mutt for their current litters and got some fun tri-colours and harlequins out of their NZ reds.

They’re a little young, but of the four we brought in for snuggles, we had 2 boys and 2 girls. The fatty in the first and third pic was definitely a boy lol

 

[Pioneer Chicken]

Cute bunnies! Love their colors!!

 

[SA Farm]

I did some egg candling of my bought eggs and they’re looking pretty good! Too early to decide for sure if I have empties, but I may have one of the 6 or so I looked at. The rest had discernible veins, though teeny tiny ones.
In more exciting news, I have two eggs with pips in them so far. Of course it’s the duck eggs. They tend to be rather impatient to hatch compared to chicks and turkeys!
I’m so excited!

 

[SA Farm]

All 24 bought eggs are developing!
I have four hatched ducklings so far and for more - and that the chicks do something as so far they’ve been quiet.
I tried the egg carton method - setting the eggs in a carton to prevent hatchlings from knocking over the unhatched babies.
Not impressed. Never doing it again. Worth a shot, but not pleased with the results

I am, however, pleased that I have cute little ducklings to look at and take pictures of.

 

[goatgurl]

so glad you are back and updating. I am only on here sporadically myself. cute little duckies. I just got 4 welsh harlequin babies last Monday, I love my muscovys but want ducks that are not just seasonal layers cause I do love me some over medium duck eggs for breakfast. straight run so I hope to get at least a couple of hens out of the 4, . right now I have 3 Muscovy hens setting on nests full of eggs but they sell well so i'm letting them.
glad you were able to move back home. when all is said and done family is really the most important thing there is. we fight and quarrel but also love and support one another.

 

[Pioneer Chicken]

Awww, congrats on the ducklings!! They sure are cute!!

 

[SA Farm]

First hatch/test run of the season is complete!
4/10 ducklings
5/9 chicklets

Next lockdown for a small batch of ducks is tomorrow. Today my first duckies moved out to the brooder shed while the chicklets get to stay inside because they’re so tiny and adorable I want to keep them close to look at and hold.
Found another raiser of Silver Appleyard ducks within a decent driving distance, so I’m working on plans to pick up a few soon so I’ll have a couple of bloodlines
The weather is warming up and my sprouts are sprouting like mad. I don’t have much interest in gardening, but I do it for the good of my critters and family.
I’m planning on building a few “salad bars” for the birds - basically a wooden frame with a mesh cover that I plant with grass, leafy greens, and some herbs for the birds to snack on without being able to get to the roots to destroy them.
It’s especially good for the ducks since they’re the worst for destroying all greenery in their pen!

 

[Pioneer Chicken]

Cuuuttttteeeee!! What kind of chick? I’d love to do a special garden for my critters but just don’t want to use the time I do have towards that. Maybe when I am old and gray! I’m just kidding! Perhaps somewhere down the line. Right now, or yard is nice and green so I let the goats out to browse and toss handfuls of grass into the chicken pen.

 

[SA Farm]

Cuuuttttteeeee!! What kind of chick? I’d love to do a special garden for my critters but just don’t want to use the time I do have towards that. Maybe when I am old and gray! I’m just kidding! Perhaps somewhere down the line. Right now, or yard is nice and green so I let the goats out to browse and toss handfuls of grass into the chicken pen.

You could do it with just grass to make it perpetual and very little maintenance

The chicks are EEs. Possibly bantam. I need to weigh mom and dad. He looks big, but he’s all fluff and feathers.
Mom and Dad:

The eggs the chicklets came out of:

Dad must have some pretty strong Silkie genes since two of the chicks have one extra toe each and one has two. Look at that fluffy butt

 

[Pioneer Chicken]

Cute!! I was thinking cochin or silkie due to the feathered legs. Mama hen is so pretty!! It'll be neat to see the chicks grown!!