Peony Flower~

   

My 3 Peony plants, managed to make it through last winter.

One gave me this beautiful flower to enjoy.

Hardy plants ~

 Well, at least most of my Rugosa Roses are doing well. One of the very few rose plants, I haven't managed to kill.
Moved to this State, and my very green thumb, turned brown.
Had DS put the chicken manure/shavings/straw around them all winter.
The Rose hips are a plus as the chickens and horses love them, so they make nice treats.

The very hardy, French Crab Apple tree, is holding its own, even with the damage to the trunk due to Rabbits. 

Added a Black Berry vine along the Hen house yard fence.

 It should be hardy enough to survive here, too. 

First Grape Vine I planted, has survive another winter, surprised but happy to see.

All three Peony plants also made it, and it looks like I might have flowers this year.

Flowering Dog Wood ~

Looks like the Flowering Dogwood has survived another year. 

Hopefully we will be able to put some more in around the property one of these days.

Flowers last a long time and are quite pretty.

New Tom Turkey, Captain Morgan~~

DH and I, went ahead and got a Tom Turkey for our Turkey hens.
Wasn't planning too and really didn't want one.
However....
They are in love with Stjarna and before one of them gets stepped on..... though I had better get them what they wanted.  One of them was also pacing the gate to get out, meant, if we needed to go some where, we couldn't.

I need happy guard dogs..... LOL

DH named him, Captain Morgan.

Had to fast tract him into the main area around the house because of the heat.
He lost a lot of chest feathers in the transport and when I had DS try to keep him still enough to de worm and dust him.
He is an impressive 45lbs, so hard to handle...not mean at all, just big!

So far, knock on wood, he is good with all the other poultry. 

 

 

 

First Double Rainbow ~

Took the photo a few days ago.
First double rainbow I have seen since leaving NW Oregon.
Was quite pretty.
You can even see some rain in the above photo.

Newest additions ~

 Blue Wheaten Ameraucana went broody on me 21+ days ago, so I gave her some eggs to hatch out.
After DH was finished with the other side of the new hen house I put her in there and she stayed on the eggs.
Thought I heard soft cheeping the other day but I did not want to push in.
Since my move to this State, I haven't had much luck with full sized hens raising chicks.
Knock on wood so far... she is doing well. Of course it had to be my BW AM hen.
Only have 5 of them. Had planned on raising a lot more of that breed, but its kind'a hard when my best goes broody.

Chicks are from Welsummers, one Buff Orp egg and I am pretty sure the huge lighter chick is that one and two pure bred BW AM eggs.
Saw 4 chicks, sure there are more under her some where. I hope any way, as I put 9 or 10 eggs in her nest.
I know pretty sad when I can't remember how many. LOL
I let her and her eggs stay in the hen house until about 3 days before they were due to hatch, before I moved the nest box with the hen and eggs in it.. lock stock and barrel, to their new home..... while I tried to keep and eye on things I am sure other hens added eggs.
Am hatching out bantams every 21 days in the house and just put a number of eggs under a Welsummer who has also gone broody.

As she starts taking them out, will make sure to check.
Here are 3 of them.

Hopefully, when they grow up, they will lay a nice 

dark Olive green egg.

Newest Bantam chicks ~

 Belgian d'Uccles and 1 d'Anver. Just 5 in all again.

Since I had an issue with the d'Uccles and I had to cull 4 of my hens.
Set aside their eggs for the last week, so I stuffed the incubator full of eggs and will have to hand turn 5 to 6 times a day for 21 days.

My incubator is so small, it can only auto turn 7 eggs

at a time.
That way, I will hopefully have replacement stock.