fuzzi's "Gardens and Chickens...and Goats? Oh My!" Journal and More Thread

[Baymule]

It looks much better. Ease back into the exercise. I wormed lambs yesterday and quit. That was enough!

 

[fuzzi]

It looks much better. Ease back into the exercise. I wormed lambs yesterday and quit. That was enough!

Yes, Ma'am!



DS mowed last night!

DS said he will also saw through the wisteria roots and small stumps, to even out the ground and make it an easier mow.



This morning I took Caleb for a ride, left around 7:30.

I scored at a yard sale, all this was on a "free" pile!

Then we went to the farmers' market, where I picked up my goat milk, and a loaf of sourdough bread. I followed that with a half mile walk at the park.

After we got home I put Caleb on his cable and decided to do a little more trimming. And a little it was. The temps were in the 70s but the sun was getting hot.

Both sides are now done!


I also trimmed a section by my ponds that is too narrow to cut with the mower.

I wanted to do more trimming, but I stopped.

The cart full of yard clippings were shared between coops, and with the remainder I mulched around the irises growing next to the house.

DS unloaded two bales of straw from my SUV, stacked them in the small shed. If I had to I could do it, but it's easier on my neck, and good for him to handle it.

This is where I think I will move one of the Rose of Sharon, about 5' away from the fence, towards the left side. I could put the second RoS on the right side, move the trash can. They would do some nice screening there.

Final count is two chicks. Dinah was trying to get them out of the nesting box this morning, I helped because the lip was a little too high. The nice Dominiques came over and pecked Momma and chicks despite Dinah fluffing up, so new family went into the brooder box for a few days.

Dinah got the chicks settled in the clean nesting box in the brooder. They have feed and water, and some security until they can run away faster!

Third egg had no signs of hatching, and Dinah abandoned it. I opened it, and saw it was an early quitter, probably died a couple weeks ago. Sad, but happy to have two live chicks.

I filled the bird baths with fresh water, and picked more cabbage worms off my cabbage and collards. The worms were received by the hens with enthusiasm. I even dropped a couple in Dinah's brooder, and she made "Come and get it" noises for her chicks.

NOW I'm in.

 

[fuzzi]

This afternoon:

 

[fuzzi]

We didn't get rain, it just sprinkled.

Rain gauge is dry, walking in the grass didn't soak my sneakers, as my socks are still dry.

 

[drstratton]

This afternoon:

That is one happy mama, with some cute babies.

 

[fuzzi]

I decided to mow a little of the overgrown slope in front. I should have just used the push trimmer...I was using the Honda, heard a large POP, a cloud of black smoke came out and then white smoke followed.

So I rolled it back to the shed and took out the old Husqvarna that I just had repaired. It sliced through the heavier weeds, no problem, but then started screeching. It's coming from the rear wheel drive.


Slope will have to wait, I took a break.

 

[fuzzi]

I think Lois, Sussex pullet, is going broody...

She's 9 months old.

If she's willing I'm willing to take a chance on her, with a few eggs.

Brooder door is open, so Dinah can take her chicks out for a walk in the coop. She was all puffed and fluffed, screeching when I opened the door to freshen the waterer.

Little but determined!

ETA: that's Esther on the left, the hen I brought inside to nurse after she had a hard molt. She chatters at me in her Sussex way.

 

[drstratton]

I decided to mow a little of the overgrown slope in front. I should have just used the push trimmer...I was using the Honda, heard a large POP, a cloud of black smoke came out and then white smoke followed.

So I rolled it back to the shed and took out the old Husqvarna that I just had repaired. It sliced through the heavier weeds, no problem, but then started screeching. It's coming from the rear wheel drive.


Slope will have to wait, I took a break.

I'm so sorry. We're repairing our ZTR, the starter went out, at least that's what we hope the problem is. Just waiting for the part.

 

[drstratton]

I think Lois, Sussex pullet, is going broody...
View attachment 127665
She's 9 months old.

If she's willing I'm willing to take a chance on her, with a few eggs.

Brooder door is open, so Dinah can take her chicks out for a walk in the coop. She was all puffed and fluffed, screeching when I opened the door to freshen the waterer.
View attachment 127666
Little but determined!

ETA: that's Esther on the left, the hen I brought inside to nurse after she had a hard molt. She chatters at me in her Sussex way.

More baby's! None of mine have shown signs of going broody. No roosters, so I hope they don't.

I'm glad Esther is fully recovered.

 

[fuzzi]

So...the Honda mower appears to be running fine, now. Online diagnoses said lack of air can cause too much gas being burned, loud pop, black smoke. There was a lot of dust/dirt as I mowed, so maybe it got choked.

Today I ran the trimmer over the slope, got half of it done!

Before I started trimming it the entire slope looked like the weedy side in these photos. I think I'll do some more trimming in a little bit.