Sunday, April 26, 2009
Visitors and new chicks
The newest additions, I got 4 more little chicks, they are Black Jersey Giants, supposed to grow to over 10 lbs and laying large brown eggs. They are already 9 days old
Prince watches as Ziva dives into the hole
I think when Ziva came home this afternoon she had lots to talk about the holes she was digging, she really had a good time with it
Ayla watches that new little dog with interest
Prince and Wendy flirting
Prince and his newest little buddy Ziva
Little Ziva is a purebred German Shepherd Dog, she is a beautiful little dog with a structure like a real working dog and not like the showtype German Shepherds that don't look or move like a functional dog. Congrats to Cheri to this beautiful little girl.
Ziva became fast friends with Prince
I think Prince would love to have a puppy for himself to hang out with instead of his moody sisters who always give him a hard time
Wendy aka "Brillo Head" had the shade all to herself for a while
Prince was so patient and fascinated with little Ziva
Prince checking out where the little puppy is going with something in her mouth
My magnificent Cici
My Purple Robe Locust is in full bloom, and the bees are loving it
Prince and Leydi with my cousin Tini and her daughter Amelie who came to visit they will live in the US for another year before they go back to Germany, or maybe England where Tini's husband comes from.
Prince enjoying all the attention
Prince seems to say "okay now, I am ready, so pose already so we can get this over with"
Nanuk looks like he really does not want to be bothered, he has made himself a hole to sleep in
looks mighty comfortable
Enya with the chickens
I bought a few more of the Coolaroo dog beds, all my dogs love those and they can be used both indoors and outdoors, in the winter I just put a blanket over them, but in the summer the dogs love them because the air can circulate under them, and if I place it over the air conditioning then they really don't want to get up anymore
The newest additions, I got 4 more little chicks, they are Black Jersey Giants, supposed to grow to over 10 lbs and laying large brown eggs. They are already 9 days old
Prince watches as Ziva dives into the hole
I think when Ziva came home this afternoon she had lots to talk about the holes she was digging, she really had a good time with it
Ayla watches that new little dog with interest
Prince and Wendy flirting
Prince and his newest little buddy Ziva
Little Ziva is a purebred German Shepherd Dog, she is a beautiful little dog with a structure like a real working dog and not like the showtype German Shepherds that don't look or move like a functional dog. Congrats to Cheri to this beautiful little girl.
Ziva became fast friends with Prince
I think Prince would love to have a puppy for himself to hang out with instead of his moody sisters who always give him a hard time
Wendy aka "Brillo Head" had the shade all to herself for a while
Prince was so patient and fascinated with little Ziva
Prince checking out where the little puppy is going with something in her mouth
My magnificent Cici
My Purple Robe Locust is in full bloom, and the bees are loving it
Prince and Leydi with my cousin Tini and her daughter Amelie who came to visit they will live in the US for another year before they go back to Germany, or maybe England where Tini's husband comes from.
Prince enjoying all the attention
Prince seems to say "okay now, I am ready, so pose already so we can get this over with"
Nanuk looks like he really does not want to be bothered, he has made himself a hole to sleep in
looks mighty comfortable
Enya with the chickens
I bought a few more of the Coolaroo dog beds, all my dogs love those and they can be used both indoors and outdoors, in the winter I just put a blanket over them, but in the summer the dogs love them because the air can circulate under them, and if I place it over the air conditioning then they really don't want to get up anymore
Saturday, April 04, 2009
Chicks moving outside for the day,
Enya guarding her chickens, she has always been trustworthy with the chickens and the goats, now, almost 16 months old, I leave her alone for periods of time in the chicken yard. Actually today I put out my new pullets for the first time in their new coop and didn't really think this through and left Enya out with the chickens. When I came back an hour later I realized what I had done, but all was fine. What I have noticed is that I am usually a bit too cautious and when I start "forgetting" to watch it's really because I can trust them. Overall Enya has a wonderful temperament, she is quite the social butterfly when she meets people, she is amazingly cooperative about things I ask of her, she seems to be happy whether I leave her out with the dogs or with the chickens or bring her in the house, just never complains, as she matures she has been less of a bully with the other dogs, though she will make her opinions known and won't take no for an answer.
some of my hens in a scenic shot, I have finally found a new home for my rooster Sophie, he is getting a second chance at freedom with chicken keeper near Death Valley who has a bunch of hens that seem to be rather fast and flighty, so maybe Sophie won't be able to catch them.
two of my Barred Rock pullets eating an apple
the two Buff Orpington pullets
this is Smokey, I was going to call her Harriet, but Smokey stuck, so that's what it is. She is very personable and will jump on my arm often, she talks a lot and gets very excited when I pay attention to her, chickens are just such fun animals to own
Just a cute shot of a Barred Rock chick
they are already going through their first molt and I find little feathers everywhere
I am a bit suspicious that the chick on the right might be a rooster. According to the color pattern on the feathers and feet it's a pullet, but it also has some signs of a rooster like the different tail feathers. I guess we will find out. I really like having a rooster, as long as he is gentle with the hens and doesn't attack me.
Another picture of the mystery chick, I think I will call it Rocky (it's a barred rock), which is of course a very name that nobody would ever think of, haha
tail comparison
this is Lucy, last fall she had a bump right in front of that right eye that looked like a boil, then it shrunk and dried up, in this picture it is barely visible, it's that little grey spot to the right of the eye
A few days ago I made breakfast for myself and just before I sat down to eat it I tought that it looked really pretty and that maybe I should just take a picture of it that shows what a hard working chicken farmer gets to eat for breakfast.
I am in the process of painting my barn, I don't know if chickens like purple, but it's a color I really like, so here we go. the Walls are a greenish beige, some leftover paint from where I work, nothing like using up leftover paint and keeping it out of the landfill.
my new nestboxes, the chickens really like those, not sure if it's because they are purple, or because they are a bit more roomy than the other ones. The nestboxes were made from a 25 year old handmade microwave shelf that I got for free on Pahrumpfreecycle. Looks pretty good, doesn't it. I love that pretty shaped back board, gives it a nice touch.
I built this little structure mostly from scrap wood I had laying around, we get a lot of wind here, and it gives the chickens a place to stay out of the wind or the rain, and it provides shade as well. The dogs squeeze into it too sometimes. I ordered 22 new trees this weekend from the Master Gardener's office, they will be small, but at only $ 3.50 each, this can't be beat and in a few years they will be a nice size and add to the beauty and usefulness of our property, it's really a ten year project to grow enough trees to make it possible to spend time outside for me, the dogs and the other critters in the heat of the summer and still be comfortable.
Enya guarding her chickens, she has always been trustworthy with the chickens and the goats, now, almost 16 months old, I leave her alone for periods of time in the chicken yard. Actually today I put out my new pullets for the first time in their new coop and didn't really think this through and left Enya out with the chickens. When I came back an hour later I realized what I had done, but all was fine. What I have noticed is that I am usually a bit too cautious and when I start "forgetting" to watch it's really because I can trust them. Overall Enya has a wonderful temperament, she is quite the social butterfly when she meets people, she is amazingly cooperative about things I ask of her, she seems to be happy whether I leave her out with the dogs or with the chickens or bring her in the house, just never complains, as she matures she has been less of a bully with the other dogs, though she will make her opinions known and won't take no for an answer.
some of my hens in a scenic shot, I have finally found a new home for my rooster Sophie, he is getting a second chance at freedom with chicken keeper near Death Valley who has a bunch of hens that seem to be rather fast and flighty, so maybe Sophie won't be able to catch them.
two of my Barred Rock pullets eating an apple
the two Buff Orpington pullets
this is Smokey, I was going to call her Harriet, but Smokey stuck, so that's what it is. She is very personable and will jump on my arm often, she talks a lot and gets very excited when I pay attention to her, chickens are just such fun animals to own
Just a cute shot of a Barred Rock chick
they are already going through their first molt and I find little feathers everywhere
I am a bit suspicious that the chick on the right might be a rooster. According to the color pattern on the feathers and feet it's a pullet, but it also has some signs of a rooster like the different tail feathers. I guess we will find out. I really like having a rooster, as long as he is gentle with the hens and doesn't attack me.
Another picture of the mystery chick, I think I will call it Rocky (it's a barred rock), which is of course a very name that nobody would ever think of, haha
tail comparison this is Lucy, last fall she had a bump right in front of that right eye that looked like a boil, then it shrunk and dried up, in this picture it is barely visible, it's that little grey spot to the right of the eye so yesterday I decided to take a look at that scab like thingy and scratched it with my fingernail, it felt like it was moving, so I prodded some more and sure enough the whole thing came right out, it left a little crater to the right of her eye, but the skin underneath was healthy. The thing that came out was about 2 mm in diameter and very hard, I tried to break it up but it was rather solid. Now this thing has been in that spot all winter, so this wasn't just a scab. this morning when I checked her the crater was barely visible anymore, so I am guessing it will just diappear. What a strange thing.
A few days ago I made breakfast for myself and just before I sat down to eat it I tought that it looked really pretty and that maybe I should just take a picture of it that shows what a hard working chicken farmer gets to eat for breakfast.
I am in the process of painting my barn, I don't know if chickens like purple, but it's a color I really like, so here we go. the Walls are a greenish beige, some leftover paint from where I work, nothing like using up leftover paint and keeping it out of the landfill.
my new nestboxes, the chickens really like those, not sure if it's because they are purple, or because they are a bit more roomy than the other ones. The nestboxes were made from a 25 year old handmade microwave shelf that I got for free on Pahrumpfreecycle. Looks pretty good, doesn't it. I love that pretty shaped back board, gives it a nice touch.
I built this little structure mostly from scrap wood I had laying around, we get a lot of wind here, and it gives the chickens a place to stay out of the wind or the rain, and it provides shade as well. The dogs squeeze into it too sometimes. I ordered 22 new trees this weekend from the Master Gardener's office, they will be small, but at only $ 3.50 each, this can't be beat and in a few years they will be a nice size and add to the beauty and usefulness of our property, it's really a ten year project to grow enough trees to make it possible to spend time outside for me, the dogs and the other critters in the heat of the summer and still be comfortable.