Devonviolet Acres

[Mini Horses]

I've always liked Edith and now -- WOWSER! What a bird! Only Thanksgiving she'd have at my table would be in a seat next to me. I'd almost buy a couple just to put with the chickens. Anyone have a "guard turkey" for sale?

 

[greybeard]

Curious about something. Is that a dirt floor with a 2x4 laid right on/in it?
I've never seen that done unless a cement footer is 1st put down. Seems like it would rot rather quickly, even if treated..

 

[Bruce]

He let her have it for a few more minutes, and then flipped it over the six foot fence. She was not happy!!!

Of course she wasn't, he stole her dinner!

 

[Devonviolet]

Curious about something. Is that a dirt floor with a 2x4 laid right on/in it?
I've never seen that done unless a cement footer is 1st put down. Seems like it would rot rather quickly, even if treated..
View attachment 50895

Yup. Treated timbers right on the dirt. We built the coop right after we moved here, and we didn't know what we didn't know.

Actually, the coop has been there for 3-1/2 years, with the treated 2x4s right on the dirt. They are still nice & strong, with no rot. We have 12" patio blocks laid along the entire outside of the coop, so that is probably helping to keep it dry.

 

[Devonviolet]

Shortly after I posted this morning, I got a call from the post office, that our guineas were here. So, I drove the 9 miles to get them. It was so sweet to hear the peeping on the way home. It just made me smile.

I was upset to see one DOA. But then realized that Ideal Poultry had added 6 pearl guineas to the lavender guineas, that I had ordered. There were 7 lavender guineas. So, we now have 5 pearl guineas and 7 lavender guineas. I immediately put a bowl of electrolyte water (sea salt and a sprinkling of sugar) in the box, and they all knew what to do. It was so cute! The lavender ones (which have feathered legs and black beaks) were drinking and the pearl guineas [I think], (which are smaller with striped heads and yellow beaks), were jumping right into the water.

DH had the stall, in the barn, all ready. So we took them out to the barn. We have an indoor/outdoor thermometer, so we can tell the temp from the house. I set up the heat lamp, and after a few minutes realized it was WAY too low. It didn’t take long for the temp to get up the the high 90s. Since 90 is ideal, I raised the heat lamp up. It took several adjustments and the lamp is now about 3 feet off the ground. Actually, we have turned it off, because the outside temp is 93F. So, for now they don’t need it. I will keep an eye on the thermometer throughout the day, and turn it on if necessary. I’m sure we will need it tonight, as nighttime temps have been down in the 70s lately.

There is an opening, for ventilation, next to the door to the stall. DH had put chicken wire over the welded wire, in that space. Once we had the temp right, the guineas all got a burst of energy and were running all over the 8x8’ stall. It was like little gray mice dashing about. Kinda freaky. We had to be REALLY careful where we walked!

At one point, I realized one of the guineas had slipped through the chicken wire and was outside the stall. Once the first one figured it out, the rest followed. If they worked at it, they could just barely squeeze through the little holes. At one point we had four little birds outside their stall. So, DH found a 6” board, and blocked off their route of escape. Here they are cuddled up under the heat lamp.

After we left them in the barn, I stopped by the duck run, where the two Muscovy hens are brooding their nests. Hen 2 is definitely brooding her eggs. She has pulled out a bunch of down and is on the nest. She moved off, so I could get a shot of her 11 eggs.

The Khaki duck is in with the Muscovies, because last week, one of the Rhode Island Red hens was beating up on her. DH kept chasing the red away, but she would turn around and come back to beat on her again. The Khaki seemed to have a sore foot or leg and she couldn’t run away. So, DH put her in with the Muscovies. Here is hen 2 after she settled back in with her eggs:

Hen 1 moved off her nest just long enough for me to get a pic of her eggs too:

She then got right back on. Here she is standing on the eggs before she settled in:

Moving the nests tonight is going to be very interesting. I’m thinking we will slide a piece of sheet metal under the nests and see if we can’t move them all in one piece. We have another 8x8’ stall in the barn and will likely put each nest in one of the two back corners.

I took LOTS of photos while I was out there. I think I’m limited to 8 pics per post. So, I’ll post this and start a new post.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Really cute keets! I have never seen a guinea with feathers on it's legs OR a black beak, but I'm not a guinea expert for sure! Really like your muscovies - hope you get a great hatch!!

 

[Devonviolet]

The goats are all getting big! Rosemary has the most gorgeous, shiny, auburn coat. She is pretty much the same size as Angelica, who is ten months older. They are the best of buds!!!

The twins, will be 4 months old this Saturday, and are growing nicely. They continue to be the sweetest, friendliest goats - always standing up on the fence for some cuddles and lovin’. I sure do love those little girls.

We are going to be moving them this evening, after dinner, as Danny Boy is maturing. He continues to be standoffish, which makes me sad. He’s such a cute little goat, and I would love to cuddle him. From now on, we will definitely make sure our kids will get some bottle/lap time, even while we let them nurse off their moms. Having friendly goats makes a world of difference. It’s SO nice!!!

So here are some pics I got today.

First up, Sweet Rosemary (she was not bottle fed, and isn’t as friendly as I would like)

Here are the buddies, curious about what I’m doing with my phone (taking pics).

Here are Faith and Hope, up on the fence, wanting some lovin’:

Here is cute little Danny Boy. That’s Faith with him.

As I was on my way into the house, I caught a glimpse of the garden and have been wanting to get a few shots, to show that we really DO have a vegetable garden this year. FINALLY!!!

This is 4 hills of “Grey Zuccini”. Lots of flower buds, but no zuccini yet. We got a late start.

This is a combination of Savoy Cabbage and Watermelon Radishes. I’ve never grown either, so am looking forward to harvesting them.

 

[Devonviolet]

On my way into the house, I also went by the peach tree, which is full of ripe or almost ripe peaches. I took some shots, and picked two of them. DH and I each ate one.

Here are some of the peaches, still in the tree. I ate the one on the bottom of the branch, in the first picture. YUM!!!

Here is the biggest one, cut up in a bowl. It was the best, sweetest, juiciest, tenderest peach I have ever eaten!

 

[Mike CHS]

Did you spray your peaches this year? We did not and between the whatever sucking bugs that ruined the outer layer and the little worms at the pit, we didn't get a single peach. I'll be spraying next year after the peaches star forming.

 

[Devonviolet]

Did you spray your peaches this year? We did not and between the whatever sucking bugs that ruined the outer layer and the little worms at the pit, we didn't get a single peach. I'll be spraying next year after the peaches star forming.

No, we didn’t do anything, except sprinkle Azomite around the roots and water them, to keep enough water, for the peaches to get big and juicy. They did have some tiny dark spots on the skin. But that didn’t penetrate to the flesh. I did see a 1/4” hole in one of them, but there wasn’t any damage to the flesh. We did have to tie up the branches (little ones tied to bigger ones) to keep the branches from bending and breaking. A couple of them were almost touching the ground, from the weight of the peaches, as they ripened.

Many years ago, when I lived in California, my ex-husband and I rented a house in North Hollywood. The house was about 40 years old, at the time, and there were two big, old fruit trees in the back yard - a Satsuma Plum and an apricot. I have never before or since had such amazing, juicy, sweet apricots. I loved picking them to make jam The plums made yummy jam as well. And both trees were just loaded with fruit. One summer both trees reached their limit. The apricot branches got so heavy with fruit, one of the two main trunks snapped and half the tree fell to the ground. I frantically started picking apricots and started canning.

Then, later that same summer, i was walking down the hall, in the house, and heard a LOUD cracking noise. I went out in the back yard, and a major branch was on the ground - again LOADED with plum. I never canned so much fruit in my life. But, it was oh so good!!!

I have never done anything to any of my fruit trees. I have heard that some people have problems with bugs and worms. But, I never have. The only problem we had, this past spring, was birds eating our blackberries. I was in the kitchen, at the sink, and when I looked out the window, I saw a jay eating berries. So, that same day, DH and I put in t-posts, and welded wire fencing. Then we put some wood “T-stakes”, and draped bird netting over the berries. The next morning, I saw a jay land on the t-stake, most likely trying to figure out how to get the berries. Tough luck birdie!!! The berries were exceptional this year.