Chickens and all things fowl..........

[kickstand]

I'd love to head out west for a trip. The only thing keeping me from doing it is all these pets.

Although on a much smaller scale, we're in the same boat. 3 dogs and a cat make vacations a near impossibility, at least together. Lately we've each been seeing family, she hers, and in July, me mine. They're on opposite sides of the country. Damn critters.

[hsehntr98]

Same here Joe. If it wasn't for the 70 birds, 5 dogs and 10 cats I could take a small vacation too.

[Boston_Joe]

I'd love to head out west for a trip. The only thing keeping me from doing it is all these pets.

[W.Lynn]

Dang Joe, y'all need a Texas vacation, and drop me off a crate of those pets.

[kickstand]

I understand, no judgment here.

[Boston_Joe]

Nope, but I do love roast duck. Unfortunately Mrs Joe made me promise that we would let our birds die of natural causes. I've grudgingly lived up to my end of the deal and we've sold off our surplus birds. I don't ask any too many questions about their new homes.

[kickstand]

Serious question Joe: will you be putting the extras in the freezer?

[Boston_Joe]

We've got some overachieving ducks. First a mallard who hatched 12 of 15 about 4 weeks ago. They'll be mixed as we no longer have any Mallard Drakes. Everyone survived and they are now running around as part of the flock. The second as a pair of coparenting hens (a Cayoga and a Buff). They shared a nest and have batted 16 out of 19. This adds 30 new ducks to our previous flock.

I see an inventory reduction sale in my future.

Oh we had another Mallard Hen hatch a chick. Most likely from an Americana. She had 4 other eggs in her nest but lost them to a snake. I had checked on her at noon and all was good. When I went out she was out at one of the mini ponds in a panic. I checked the nest and the eggs were gone as well as the chick. I was ready to caulk it all up as a loss when I heard a loud chirp. Mrs Joe and I started looking around the 1/2acre wooded area where the nest was. After about an hour of moving and listening we finally caught sight of him. It took us a few minutes to pinpoint him/her. The Mallard hen and chick are together in a brooder box until next weekend or so.

[Sacajawea]

Here's how to control, out of control chickens... the one that got away, however, probably has close ties to a certain Michigan gang of Thug chickens...

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2016/05/17/drunk-roosters-captured-in-new-zealand.html

[W.Lynn]

Nice. Got a friend with some barred rocks - they're a little more outgoing than the rest of her hens, I like them - and their eggs.

[RD]

barred rock and speckled sussex.


RD

[Boston_Joe]

What breed are they?

Our last batch of chicks are already out with the main flock. We have some 3 weeks old ducks in the brooder area of the coop who are raring to go.

[hsehntr98]

They are cute RD. Mine will be here in June.

[RD]

Gwyns new chicken nuggets. )

RD


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[hsehntr98]

The white rooster and the red hen you see in the picture are currently in the guest cottage.