BeccaOH: Update of just STUFF

[BeccaOH]

Life's been busy. Lots of hatching going on. I hatched 4 Pekin ducklings (2 were crested but one was not right and had to be put down). My neighbor bought all three, so I look forward to seeing my first duck hatch grow up.

Then right after that my Ameraucana started to hatch in the incubator and I had to quickly prep the hatcher for them. I got 9 chicks and a 10th that had a long hard hatch. It was out this morning finally, but we'll see how it develops.

I finally got the blades on my big mower sharpened. My cousin helped me, but we didn't have time to clean the deck. It will need done this fall for sure. I'm no mechanic, but I've learned a few care things. Got to get a belt fixed on my tiller so I can till up the garden this fall. I want to plant a cover crop for the first time.

Got a couple red potatoes that were poking out of the soil. Plants are starting to die off. And now the deer can see in to the ripening tomatoes.

Aly and family stopped in last night. We looked over my BBS Orpingtons that are over a month old now. We tried to determine sex and got frustrated. I'll probably only keep a couple hens.

I posted my peachicks here on BYC for feedback, but haven't gotten much help. http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=232085

Been raining here and very humid. I look forward to a cooler weekend. I'm thinking of building a hoop house to hold feathered chicks for a couple months. I think I have everything on hand to do it. Perhaps like this one: http://4hpoultry.osu.edu/HoopHouse.htm , but I've also seen one bigger designed with cattle panels. Does anyone use them during winter? I could use a big, cheap turkey house/barn.

Lots of interest on BYC for my BR turkey eggs. I have a waiting list now 6 deep. Now if only the girls will keep laying. At least they are slowly started to pay for their keep.

 

[Wifezilla]

I hatched 4 Pekin ducklings (2 were crested but one was not right and had to be put down)

That is why I am afraid to introduce any crested genes in to my flock. They are so adorable, but so much can go wrong. It is cool that you get to watch them grow up

 

[BeccaOH]

I've been hauling a lot of feed around in my car. Sometimes it sits in there overnight before I can unload it. I've found the smell of feed is very nostalgic to me. It takes me back to spending time with my grandpa and step-dad. We'd go to the feed store that was old-fashioned with wooden floors, loading dock, and lots of feed dust. We also had an old granary building on our property I played in. It used to store lots of feed in big wooden bins, but in my childhood it just had a bit of cattle sweet feed in a metal bin. But the little tack house had a lot of that sweet feed smell along with horse sweat on the saddle blankets. I miss those old buildings, which are now all gone. Ahhh, nostalgia!

Saturday I started the hoop house and got most all of it framed in. It does take 2 people to handle the cattle panels. I didn't go 6 foot high. Mine is only 5'2", which is good for short me. So the base ended up at 8 x 9.5. I built the door and put a brace on the back. (Need to take pictures.) Now I need to cover it in wire and tarp.

I built it up by the garage, but I'm going to need to test its moveability and drag it down by my main coop. I need the hoop house for feathered out chicks, but I'm hoping it will be a good place for turkey. I hear a BYCer uses hoop house all winter in Michigan.

Lost the little Ameraucana chick, but had a turkey hatch over the weekend. It is the first from my BR trio!

Saturday, I had an old friend and her husband stop in for a tour of my chicken farm. She lives in the Akron area and has had backyard chickens and ducks for a while now. In fact, she inspired me to get into chickens. She is also the one I took a class with on foraging for wild edibles. It was great seeing them and swapping ideas. She is in love with my Brabanters.

My garden has been struck. I found I do have the tomato blight, and it is sweeping through fast. What tomatoes I've salvaged from the deer are not that nice, and green ones are rotting on the vine. I'm so bummed. We are out of canned tomatoes in the cellar, and I needed these. Not sure where to find some good local tomatoes for canning that won't cost me a fortune.

On a fun -- crazy -- note, I have the bantam grab bag from McMurray arriving Wednesday. I hope the majority of these will sell at the October swap I've been planning to attend.

My peachicks want more space. I'm considering taking them to a big auction this Friday, but I can't decide if I'd get the best price there or waiting over a month for the swap.

SIGH That's it for now. Off to work at the job!!!

 

[keljonma]

We haven't seen any tomato blight here yet. However, potatoes at a couple friends' places have been hit with blight.

Sounds like you have been busy! And with more chicklettes coming too..

 

[BeccaOH]

Kel, have you been to the Rogers flea market and auction? I've been talking to a friend about going on a Friday and staying for the poultry auction.

 

[keljonma]

No, Becca, I'm not sure I know where that is...


ETA... You are going to another poultry auction -- to sell or buy?

 

[BeccaOH]

No, Becca, I'm not sure I know where that is...


ETA... You are going to another poultry auction -- to sell or buy?

This would be a place I could sell my peachicks.

It is located sound of Columbia on Route 154. I hear it is huge. Here is the website: http://www.rogersohio.com/

 

[BeccaOH]

Here is the hoop house I'm working on.

I'm flustered this afternoon as I'm trying to mail out turkey eggs and can't get in contact with my buyer for Paypal. I went down the waiting list to find another buyer online, the the BYC server froze up for about 15 minutes. Times a'ticking to get these in the mail. I had them ready to go yesterday.

I guess they can always go in my incubator. There might be a corner of space left.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

http://www.sufficientself.com/forum/uploads/467_img_1759.jpg

Here is the hoop house I'm working on.

I'm flustered this afternoon as I'm trying to mail out turkey eggs and can't get in contact with my buyer for Paypal. I went down the waiting list to find another buyer online, the the BYC server froze up for about 15 minutes. Times a'ticking to get these in the mail. I had them ready to go yesterday.

I guess they can always go in my incubator. There might be a corner of space left.

OR MY INCUBATOR!!!!!!! please please please? just tell me what you'll want for them. You know Ernie wants some BR really really really badly

eta: if I'm able to get the stuff, wanna help me construct a hoop house? Your's looks fantastic!!

 

[BeccaOH]

I got someone to pay for eggs at the last possible minute. I have at least 11 eggs in my own incubator, and if they all hatch, I can't possibly keep them all. So I can make you a deal on poults.

The hoop coop has been fairly easy. Mom was my only helper, and we've managed well.

This is the thread I've followed for design and tips: http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=172799

I used 8-foot 4X4s down the side and 10-foot 2x4s on the ends. The 2 cattle panels are 4x16. I did angle the 4x4s on the end I plan to drag (back end) and so the end 2x4 went on in an angle. So far that has worked well. Used some 4-foot fencing from my garden roll on the ends and will put 24" hardware cloth along the bottom of the coop. Just got a 12x16 tarp that was in the medium grade for $29. Costs are adding up, but at least it isn't a $1000+ building.

Miss_Jayne on BYC told me she has 11 hoop coops with plans to build a couple more. And she uses them through a Michigan winter. That really intrigues me. I asked her to post hoop coop pictures to her website ASAP.