Pictures!!!

Look! Look! Pictures!!!!! Hooray!!!!



This is one of the Red frizzle chicks. They are so very cool! At least I think so anyway.



Another picture!!! Hooray!!!!



This little one is a Black Frizzle Bantam. I ordered 6 red ones, but only got 5 and this cutie. I have no idea who is going to be a hen or rooster. Whoever is a rooster is going to have to go to a new home. I   already have 4 roosters which is 2 too many. I have been trying to find homes for 2 roosters with no luck so far. I don't want to advertise them on Craigslist only because I don't want the roosters to be used for either fighting or bait.

This is a short post only because I am so excited about the pictures uploading today.

Oh, before I forget, thanks for all the suggestions on the odor problem. As soon as I can afford it I will get a humidifier. In the meantime, baking soda in the carpet, coffee in bowls placed around the house, and of course windows open. 

Today is garden planting day. This is what I am going to plant.

German Striped tomato ( heirloom)
Green Zebra tomato (heirloom)
Purple tomato (heirloom)
Early Girl tomato
Sun Gold cherry tomato
Corn
Pumpkin
Watermelon
Jalapeno pepper
Lemon cucumber
Bell pepper

It is going to be so exciting to actually have a real garden!

I am keeping my fingers crossed that the pictures will continue to upload because there are pics I want to share.

Until next time................ 



A steal of a deal and chicks

For some reason pics won't upload. So, once again no pictures. Sorry.

Gosh the past few days have been busy! Got more blackberry bushes cleared out. For those of you who don't have to deal with out of control blackberry bushes, well, consider yourself lucky! They are awful! The plant, not the berry. Anyway, while putting all the vines into a burn pile I looked up and saw a young doe standing there watching me. I don't know what it is but I love deer. Such peaceful, serene, quiet creatures. 

The garden hasn't been planted yet but now it is just a matter of waiting for the weather to clear up enough to rototill. And speaking of rototillers, there was a steal of a deal on one listed on Craigslist. I'm talking a steal of a deal! The guy who was selling it said the wheels wouldn't turn and that the engine never shut off. Well, for the price I couldn't pass it up so bought it ( hoping it would be a somewhat easy fix), brought it home and my brother came over and got it running like new in less than half an hour! Yay!!!! Doing a happy dance! I own my very own rototiller!!

The Americauana chicks finally came in yesterday. All 13 of them! After picking and catching my chicks at the feed store and ready to pay I noticed a sickly chick. Knowing no one would want that one, I traded one of my healthy chicks for the sickly one. The gal asked me why I did that. Well, why not. The little chick had been through enough and survival wasn't likely. The least I could do was not let it die alone and uncared for.  The chick made it home, but shortly after passed away. I named her Phoebe, said a prayer and buried her where the other hens that passed away are buried.

Little Inger, my absolute fav chicken has been sitting on dud eggs for awhile now. So, knowing she loves to be a mama, I picked her up, put her into the trough set up for the chicks to see what she would do. The look on those chicks faces really was hilarious. They have not seen a mama chicken before so they just didn't know what to do. After a few minutes Little Inger started clucking to them and before long all 12 chicks surrounded her. Little Inger is happy, the chicks are happy and I know this sounds a bit selfish, but it is a bit easier for me.

This afternoon I am watching Grace for a few hours while her mother goes to lunch with a friend. Thankfully she is such a joy to be around so am looking forward to some 'us' time.

Hope everyone is doing well. Yet again I must catch up with all of you. I sure have missed ya'!

Until next time.....................

Thinking of getting more chickens

For several days I have been giving thought to getting more chickens. Well, not thinking about just chickens because my mind has been full of ideas lately.

After doing a bit of research I do believe the Buff Orpington would make a good choice. The pic above is one from the Internet.

According to what I have read, they make excellent layers, are friendly, get kind of big and if it came down to it, well, they are good meat birds. Not that I would eat them.

Little Inger ( White Silky Bantam) , my absolute fave chicken, is being broody yet once again. Each day when I collect eggs, there she is sitting on eggs she has stolen from the other chickens. And again I must tell her that it is too cold for her to be raising babies. She gives me 'sad' face, which makes me feel bad, but having babies in winter is just not an option. 

Come March I plan on purchasing some Buff chicks.  Well, that is if I decide for sure they will be Buffs. I wonder if placing the Buff chicks with Little Inger and have her raise them is a good idea. That way she has instant babies! Does anyone know if placing already hatched chicks with a broody hen will work? 

And I have already begun to plan the garden! This will be the first real garden I will be planting in 6 years. But there is something I am wondering about. And that is what seeds to plant. Well, what I mean is, purchase the seeds available in just about any store, or plant some heirloom seeds. With all this genetically altered stuff going on, I  question the safety of those seeds. What I understand is the heirloom seeds are not messed with and will produce what used to be in years long gone. Any thoughts on seed choices?

Seems these past few days my mind is filling up with all kinds of projects. Me thinks I am getting back to 'normal'. The other day I was chopping wood and there was one piece that was pretty much getting the better of me. After a few minutes I decided that there was no way that piece of wood was going to win. So, with determination, I finally got it to split. Once it was in pieces I stood back, looked at it, then started doing a 'I won' dance around the pieces! I'm sure the cars driving by think a crazy lady lives here!

Oh, speaking of crazy. Haven't seen Creepy guy for awhile now.

I would love to hear your thoughts on what breed you like for chickens. I am looking for good egg layers. Also your thoughts on the difference between heirloom or regular seeds.

Until next time......................