Devonviolet Acres

I use screws for the same reason, also makes repurposing and replacing much easier, too. It does seem "Plans" have a way with Changing quite often here.

frustratedearthmother said:

Congrats on such an accomplishment!

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Thanks FEM!

It seems that the projects never end. After we are finished with the coop. We move onto converting a gazebo into a goatshed, to accomodate a couple of dairy goats that we are planning to add, to our herd, probably mid-February.

Awesome! Fresh milk - it doesn't get much better than that! Are you getting kids or grown-ups?

frustratedearthmother said:

Awesome! Fresh milk - it doesn't get much better than that! Are you getting kids or grown-ups?

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2 bred Lamanchas! Talk about jumping in with both feet!!!

One is due 3rd week of March & one is due 2nd week April. So, lots to do between now & mid February.

That is a big jump but you seem more than ready.

That is awesome! Are you getting them from goatgurl?

You will love all that lamancha cuteness

Well ya know we'll be waiting on Pics & Kids then...

Goat Whisperer said:

That is awesome! Are you getting them from goatgurl?

You will love all that lamancha cuteness

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Yes, you guessed it. I'm getting excited!

I've been talking to her for a while about these 2 goats. I'm glad they are kidding a few weeks apart, so I can enjoy the first set of kids before the next batch comes along.

The first doe is 2 years old, and is a first freshener. So, we both are starting fresh, so to speak.

Have been going through and reading some of the journals and was reading yours, and thought I'd put in my 2cents. The pekin ducks are a little bit later maturing than some so the male(s) may not show curled tail feathers until 20 weeks or more. CB777's male is of the "grey" or mallard color pattern so the male is always the different color than the female except when they are going through their summer molt; when both are the same basic color for a couple of months, then they go through a second molt and get their "winter color". That color pattern occurs in mallards, rouens, calls, and runners. It makes telling the males apart easily. Both the pekins and the rouens are in the heavy duck class and are good meat ducks, the rouens look heavier than the pekins and look like they are dragging the ground all the time. They also often lay a bluish tinted egg, while the pekin's is mostly whiter. Both breed much better in water that they can swim in not just wade in.
The "poultry hook" is what we call a chicken leg catch. I use it alot for hard to catch chickens but you have to be fairly fast with it with some birds. It's very handy but once you get them you have to pull it so that the bird can't shake their leg out of it. Takes a little getting used to but once you do, it's ideal.
The turkey hen pulling her own feathers could be protein too low in her feed, or the feed not balanced with nutrients. Since she has been penned up and cannot forage as they are bred to do, she is not getting the needed trace minerals and nutrients that she needs. Also the boredom, since again they are happier out scrounging for whatever they can find.
I think the kelp is a good idea but would only do it once a day at most and probably only 1/8 cup. It is a "TRACE" nutrient additive. Once ingested, the gizzard will work to break it down and it will be completely absorbed, not passed through the system faster like a mammal.
Hope this helps.

We use screws for almost everything. We do have a framing nail gun and various finish nail guns and a crown stapler, but screws are the most widely used. When the standard at Lowe's and Home Depot switched from Phillips to star head we had to switch too but then Lowe's had different sized star tips for different sized screws and that is where I drew the line. Home Depot screws all use the same tip regardless of length and I see now that Lowe's is following their lead. I buy 3" and 3.5" screws by the 5lb box and I am considering the BIG bucket next time.

It is a great feeling to get a job done. I am so behind on all of mine and this rain is not helping one bit.