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The Blue lace Red Wyndottes and RIR's we have been waiting months for arrived on the 6th. All the Wyndottes and all but 4 of the RIR's were dead. Dead as in, dead for at least a day from the look and smell of them. Of the 4 RIR's two weren't looking very healthy, lost one a few hours later and this morning, we lost another of that lot.
Of all the years I have been ordering chicks I have never had this happen. Needless to say we were a bit upset.
So I went to Tractor Supply and bought some of the production chicks they have, Golden Comets and Easter Eggers. They are not the breeds I want but we really need something to eat ticks around the house.
They are doing well and feathering out nicely.
I have re ordered the chickens I wanted, and they will arrive the last week of Aug.
If this the Postal Service messes up this badly again, I will know there is someone in their employ, about a day away from here, that doesn't like chickens or is just plain cruel. There is no excuse they can give me... for why this happened.
On a happier note, Nari enjoying the morning...
He's been fleeced! Here is the photo I promised to show you. Yesterday I sheared Apollo, or tried too. Just used my Lister Lasers with the medium blades, as I did not want to take a
chance of cutting him. Needless to say with his size at 250lb's and how much he wiggled,
didn't
quite get all of him sheared. LOL At least he is cooler. Good for some comic relief!
Caspian is doing very well. They are now in the horse pasture, until they grow large enough to put in with Apollo.
Their halter training is coming right along and they really enjoy going for walks and being itched.
This is Charming.... he is a little more stand-offish than Caspian but he is coming around.
Meet the two new wether's being tamed down, halter trained and will be future buddies to Apollo.
Only place I had to keep them, is in the Hen House, but they should be tamed out before the chicks arrive.
Will not be putting them in with Apollo until they are close to Apollo's size.
They are a little younger than I wanted but being in an area with very few sheep.....
Both two months old, the black and white one, Caspian, is 50lbs already! He is half Dorper and the other half is St Croix/Katahdin.
The white one I call Charming, is Katahdin.
He is soo cute, when he doesn't want people near, he stomps his little hoof at me. LOL If I don't go away, he hides in the corner.
Halter training is well on the way and they are doing great.
DH Can get DS to use the tractor.... LOL
New fencing going up on the front side of the property. Is the normal Woven field fence we normally put up, is just a little less spendy than the cattle panels. However it does take a lot more work.
I hope to have this area fenced in by Fall and have a few sheep running in it.
Then next spring we will get it set up as a hay field. Another, "I hope", anyway.
Seriously, in March, that is crazy but the poor Viking horse's were sweating just standing in the pasture doing nothing.
So now I have naked but Happy Icelandic's.
Got fur?
Will have to keep them clipped all summer to help them acclimate to this climate.
Dyfra was very happy to loose all her thick but soft downy fur.
Nike Swish anyone? This is what Stjarna has hiding under her bushy forelock.
Apollo has been roaming around the house for the last month or so. He was getting too frogy with the goats and learned out to get out of the round pen.
And people say sheep are stupid.
Now I have a 250lb+ yard sheep and he seems to be pretty content, though I know he wants other sheep to play with.
Sad thing is... I have been looking and what sheep breeders there is, are 2 1/2 hours away and their prices for wethers.... weee.... is incredible.
Just hope I can get a couple of buddies for him, soon, before he looses his sheepy mind.
Was hoping to sell him to someone with a flock but same problem applies, no one in this area, has sheep.
If I knew this was going to be this much of a problem, I would of left Apollo in Oregon.
I was worried he won't shed out, being a Katahdin and all but he is just starting on the top of his neck.
Maggie and Apollo out, eating the good stuff.... ok.. well mowing.
The Akane apple tree is already flowering, so I guess it is spring here in VA.
And if Spring temps are 70 to 80*plus..... I will be spending most of my time indoors this summer.
Finally, the inside of the Hen House. Floor painted for easy cleaning and white walls to brighten the place up a bit. Roost ready to go.
The back shelf is where we will have the nest boxes once they are old enough.
And last but not least, the new Hen House roof and Vents. The old black roof started leaking and that is not something we needed to happen, so we had Bucky the Contractor put a new roof on for us.
I picked the lightest shingles I could find and something with a little more character to it.
The lighter shingles and vents, means the Hen House stays a lot cooler and in this clime, that is very important. Last thing we need is baked chicken, at least with this method.
So now the chickens will keep nice in dry and cool, in their Home.
Two weeks and counting... for the chicks to arrive!
