Bruce's Journal

[CntryBoy777]

Ya sure can't beat that at all....maybe writing down those instructions would be of benefit come Spring, and not rely on that "Vintage" memory....
I'm with @Baymule on the Old Hickory knives....it's all that I use in the kitchen.
Hope the garden does come thru for ya....it is late, but something is certainly better than nothing.....sure hope ya survive the zucchini....

 

[Mike CHS]

Premier1 has the Customer Service part down pat. I ordered some milking pails last year and my order did not include a part that wasn't mentioned in the description but it was needed to make it work. I got a call from them the morning after I placed the order and was told what I needed and said they were holding my order to make sure I got what I needed.

Hard to beat that.

 

[Bruce]

You are right Fred. I should write it down and put it in the case. I can forget stuff from yesterday let alone 9 months.

If the problem was how dirty the boys were, I guess they'll be hand sheared. The only other possibility would be to keep them away from dirt which is not practical. I did buy a pistol grip pump oil can (before sending the unit back). I've seen them used in YouTube shearing videos. The oil in the squeeze bottle comes out too fast, no squeezing needed so it doesn't hit the hole in the unit well and I think too much is wasted putting it on the cutter/comb. That should help me more easily put the oil where I want it. And maybe I need to put a bit on more often rather than waiting until they stop cutting well. He did say that if they are "chewing" to move the comb forward so there is more than the recommended 1/8" distance between the points of the cutter and the drop off where the comb teeth hit the flat part.

 

[Bruce]

Not too much excitement here. Lousy picture of the partial eclipse. I have no idea what the "not sun" and red spots are but the camera really wanted to focus on them, not the eclipse. And the camera saw it upside down so I had to flip it


Pictures of the April chicks. The gate is directly behind the kitchen window, the solar panels are just beyond and to the left. The last picture is of the Barnevelders Trouble and Trill.

 

[Bruce]

Trouble has taken an interest in Oreo. Guess that means she IS a she and is getting close to laying her first egg. He is very "teenage boy" about it. Dancing around clumsily and trying to figure out how to get a girl's attention. She doesn't seem very impressed.

 

[CntryBoy777]

Oh....don't count him out, just yet, and their are other hens that might think differently.....

 

[Bruce]

Yes, he was on Penelope today. Serves her right, she's low on the pole of the older (2 & 5 Years) hens and chases the young ones more than any other hen does.

 

[Bruce]

Went to the fair Thursday. Should have entered my hatchery chickens, what a load of "meh"! Many birds listed as Ameraucana, crossed off and EE written in. Lots listed as EE, crossed off and Ameraucana written in. There was ONE possible Ameraucana, a black. ALL the others had patterns that can not exist in an Ameraucana. Half the Easter Eggers (claimed Ameraucana or not) didn't even have beards or muffs which are REQUIRED on Ameraucana. I know there are no standards for EEs as they aren't even a breed but sheesh what poor specimens these people entered.

I have no interest in showing but I bet I coulda sold Trouble for at least $25. Heck people had RIR pullets for $20/$25 and they are as cheap as a day old chick comes from a hatchery. The Barnevelders are $10+. They had one Barnevelder pullet, Trill is a much better looking bird though I wouldn't sell a pullet.

 

[CntryBoy777]

That's an idea Bruce....since ya have no interest in showing, it would give a couple of young Ladies something to do to "Occupy" their time with.....nothing says "Encouragement" like a few awards....

 

[Bruce]

Um, Fred, they aren't interested at all. They don't even go down to the barn, especially DD2. The closest she gets is the drive bay up top where the garden tractor is ... and only when I ask her to mow the lawn.