Belgian d'Uccles and hatching eggs ~

Hatched out 8 Belgian d'Uccle chicks.

 Will either be Buff, Buff Mottled and I think one will be a Blue Millie, if it runs the same way as the past chicks. 

One was a fighter, still pipping the next day. So I helped, had wry neck so I gave it vitamins and a couple of hours... Poof!  All better.

Gave them the Mareks vaccine the next day.

Keep fingers crossed for the shipped eggs. My Postal person tossed the box over the gate. 

Marked eggs are the ones I had shipped.

Cleaned out the incubator and put in the d'Anver eggs Kristen sent me and some more d'Uccle eggs.

Also picked up 4 Splash Marans chicks from a friend.

So the top of my double deck brooder has the d'Uccles, bottom part is for the Marans. I will have to shift the Marans out in a month.... big breeds just get too large and messy to be in the house long. 


 

Ice Storm ~

 Yup, we have Ice. 

Any where from 1/8 to a 1/2" depend how exposed things are.

I had to walk to the garage to get a hammer to beat the living day lights out of one of the latches so I could get into the main horse pasture.
(normally DH puts heavy duty gear grease on them, and they will work no matter how much Ice is on them)

Couldn't get into Maggie's pen, so I had to pick up and move part of the round pen to get in.

Nets are sagging in an impressive manner but still holding. I could not, knock the ice off.. stuff is very sticky.
Going to leave the poultry and pigeons in for now.

If this keeps up, we are going to loose trees. And the fruit trees in full bloom....  looks like I will not get any fruit from them this year.

Used my grippy boots I got at Cabela's all those years ago. Of course I am out of salt, so DH  will need to bring home salt, and put it on the steps tonight.

After this storm is over, will have a few hours work on just the fence.

 Leyland Murry and Cypress, not fairing well. Keeping my fingers crossed I don't loose them.

 A not happy Birch tree.

Plum tree, was full of flowers and just starting to set fruit.

 Not going to get fruit from a few of the trees because of this Ice.

 News said, its going to be like this tomorrow too.  Yea....

Kauai

 

 Not that long ago, DH had to go to Kauai 

on a Business trip.

I couldn't go, so he took some photos for me.

The above photo, the cliff in the background is 800' up!

 

Find the Helo in both photos.

Having only seen photos of Kauai from the air,

 it looked all green.
Wasn't expecting it to look like Utah or 

the Grand Canyon.

 DH said," there were chickens running wild all 

over the place".

So he took a photo of one for me. LOL

Maybe some day will get to see Hawaii in person. 

Creme Lucerne Pigeons ~

 After the issues with some of the Indian Fantails

 I ended up with.

I decided to buy a pair of Creme Lucernes.
This pair, is from parents imported from Germany.

 They came in very healthy and knock on wood, 

they are doing great.

 Trying to get some action shots of them.

 Not impressed that I stuck a Camera up in their shelf, 

to take a photo.

They look more like Teddy Bears, than birds.

Enjoying them a lot.

New Chicks~

 Winter seems to be the time to hatch out new chicks.
First two photos are of newly hatched, not quite dried off

Belgian d'Anvers.

 Can see how tiny they are.

New to me Brooder is working out very well.

Also have 1 Olive Egger and 4 French Marans 

that hatched out as well.

Have another 16 d'Anver eggs in the incubator right now.
After that batch, will have to wait for awhile, so they can feather out enough to go outside.

African Violet ~

Everyone knows when I moved, 

I gave all my African violets to a friend. 

As they would not be able to handle a month in the dark.

2 years ago, I bought one mini African violet plant.....
And it is finally Blooming!

Theo and Astras first day out~

 Astra and Theo, the mini Indian Fantails...
first day out in the flight cage. 

Astra is bold as brass, no worries in her.  

Theo is not quite sure.

Astra wasn't sure about me with the camera 

making clicking sounds.

Newest pair of Mini Indian Fantails ~

Very, very long day Saturday.

Didn't help I had a headache from hell, but I couldn't stop the day.
DH kindly drove me every where I needed to go.

Went to the Pigeon show, really nice folks there. One of the judges that I bought the new pair from, in between working, kindly told me a lot of good info.
Spent some time listening and learning. OK,,, and drooling over a few more pigeon.
Look forward to showing my pigeons next year.

The two photos are of the new pigeons.

Then went on to meet up with Sara, so she finally could get Maggie's Hyperbike she purchased. Was really nice to talk to her, wish I had more time.

After that, went over and got that very large old oak cage. Will be able to use it to brood out chicks and so on, in the house without having to worry about the cats. Two levels, and lots of room.

Also have a new RCom Incubator..

New to Me Brooder ~

Raising chicks in the main part of the house is dusty and always had to worry about the cats.

Been looking off and on for the last couple of years for something I can make into a brooder.
Always the brides maid so to speak.
Until, this time.

New to me cage, cleaned up pretty well,

and used a wax oil on it.

 5' 2" long, two levels.

Will make it a lot easier to brood chicks out.
Now able to have it on the other side of the house,

and in the same room as the incubator.

Cages like this new are $$$$$ .

This cage is old, worn in places, but still very use-able.
Make of Oak.
Got it for a very,very good price.

Now the chicks will be safe and I don't have to worry about the cats.

The Green Bean experiment ~

 The Green Bean experiment is doing pretty well.

Even getting green beans. 

If I had extra light, think they would do even better.

Can you find the green beans? LOL

Is great to have a tiny indoor garden. 

Also nice to know, I still have a little bit of a green thumb.

(I did plant peas with them, however, they did not do well. I would need to add a fan for air, to help strengthen them)

Miniature Ribbon Indian Fantail Pigeons

 My young pair, not quite totally feathered out,

Mini Ribbon Indian Fantails arrived today!!
Photos taken, maybe, 10 minutes after they 

were put in their housing.

I am soooo in love! 

They are very curious and checking everything out. LOL

***Bit of an update.

Sadly, I have learned, the male piegon has a number of serious faults, so showing or raising offspring from him would be impossible.
Trying to find him a Pet home.

The Hen is a little better and can be worked with.


I will be picking up a new pair from a long time breeder and Judge soon.

Super blue Egg ~

So there is hope..... was wondering if my pure Legbar pullets from my darkest hen, would lay eggs as blue as hers.

Well, one did, the Bluest egg on top, is a new egg from one of the Legbar pullets.  Keeping my fingers crossed these eggs will be like the mother's and won't fade as the year goes on.

The bottom left egg, almost looks like a pale violet, is from one of my older Legbar hens.
Tiring to figure out how to get that color to deepen. 

Also got another Olive egg, a little darker than the first one.
Which is cool!

Photo taken in natural light, indoors, photo wasn't touched. 

 

First Green Egg ~

Last winter I crossed two pure breeds, in hopes of getting 

deep green Olive eggs.

This is my first Olive egg, its not quite as dark as I was

hoping for but its a good start!

Gardening Indoors ~

Miss gardening, 

but it is not some thing I can do in this State 

during the summer.
So, I planted some peas and bean seeds in a pot, 

by a very sunny window.
They are growing. LOL

Not sure how they will do, is an interesting test, to say the least.

Bird Netting going up ~

 DH and DS put up knotted game bird netting over two of the chicken runs...... Not pretty but it works. High enough I can walk under it without issues.
Major load off.

Above is the main pullet Bantam shed.

Couple more pens to go.

Thinking I want to plant some Service Berries and such in one area of the pens. 

So they can have snacks and shade.

Local nursery has 50 to 90% off plants in Oct.
Got the pretty Jasmine that is doing well, during that sale. Only cost me $3.00!!

 Below is the new Hen house.

The Tomato and Pepper Experiment~

As you know, I had some issues with the horse manure 

compost a few years ago.

So DH and I decided to do a small test run and see how things were going.

Put them in a couple of pots near the kitchen door.

The Pepper plant is doing pretty well. 

The Tomato plant.......

seems to be trying to Die and Live at the same time.

Slight improvement over the past couple of years.

Young Turkeys are Growing up ~

One of the Jakes (young turkey male) was fanning his tail,

 so I took photos of him strutting his stuff.

Everyone just ignored him, poor thing.... but I told him how pretty he looked.