As you can imagine, a lot has happened around here since our last post.
I am quite fond of my hens - I try not to get attached to them individually but certain ones do stand out. Barack recently passed away, and I do miss her! She was a very sweet and gentle elder who was gifted to me quite a few years ago by dear elder of the human variety - I think it was 2018 as that is the date on this photo. She was not a young bird at the time either.
During the spring and summer, a total of twenty-one chicks were raised by mama hens. Five of the youngsters were still on the small side but out of the first sixteen, we rounded up ten (ten!) cockerels and just a few of my hens to cull (that was tough) and they went off to the processer. The freezer is now pretty well stocked with chickens. Of that last hatch of five - they seem to be all pullets which is pretty unusual. It could be a young lad is keeping his head and tail feathers down though!
Five of the recently acquired Buff Orpingtons went to a new family leaving twenty-eight hens and Pancho - or so I thought! It was time to get a new flock leader so Pancho was exited and last Sunday we brought home Julio. Thanks to his former turkey roommates he is missing all of his tail feathers but when they grow back in he will be a handsome fellow indeed. He is very shy so I really don't have very good pictures of him yet.
The afternoon that Julio came home, we had quite a surprise waiting for us - new chicks! This hen had been hiding out somewhere sitting on eggs and has hatched out four of them. We rounded them up and they are locked in the coop for now. They are cute little rascals but their mama isn't letting me get a good picture of them either.
Garlic was planted two weeks ago. It was a very warm day and everyone helped to get the job done quickly. We are trying a mulch of wild rice hulls on part of a row to see how that goes - the rest of the plot is tucked under straw as usual and is fenced to keep the chickens from digging it up.
The garden season is done of course but I have some nice volunteer lettuce coming in the greenhouse as well as a couple of kale plants in there.
Progress has been made on the new milking room. Here you can see the metal and wood siding on the front. Insulation has been added, wiring is mostly done and paneling is installed. All that is left (I think) is the installation of the outlets and lights. Then the does and I will be moving in! I will have more photos to share when that happens.
We are now into holiday craft sale season and I am spending a lot of time making product, labeling, filling orders, etc. I have been to two events so far, both very successful. This photo is from just yesterday, a little fuzzy taken by a fellow vendor but you get the idea. I have two more events this month and four scheduled for December.
Some of you might want to hear how the deer hunting season is going. Well, that is a subject for another day - soon I promise. Here is a hint - Kori saw more than these turkeys from her stand!
Until then, be well friends!
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