MyHouseIsAZoo2's SS Journal

[Myhouseisazoo2]

Well I had a lovely long text chat with younger sister (shes16) about lots of "farm things" yesterday.

She seems very interested in hatching out eggs and is offering to pitch in for an incubator, I showed her the model I was interested in and she seemed alarmed at the price but I let her know it wasn't a right away purchase we could make and that I wanted to have a wizbang plucker first since a good majority of the roosters if not sold would end up going to freezer camp.
She's also offered to help pitch in for supplies to start a meal worm farm so that we can use them for treats/sell some to the other FFA kids at her school. I'm thinking $2-3 for a container. It'll take about $50-60 to start the mealworm project out but that's just purchasing the worms and feedduststuff I have one or two 10 gallon tanks around here somewhere.
I think the funniest thing about the text chat was how surprised she was by the research I'd already done into everything for the things we talked about, makes me feel like she hasn't noticed how much research I'd already put into everything else....

Oh well. Let this older sister keep surprising her. Silence still reigns the backyard (except for the ocassional duck quack) however I am slightly concerned as my egg production dropped fro 3-5 eggs a day to 2 maybe 3 a day... Really hoping the girls will start laying again soon as I'm not quite ready for another rooster yet. If I have to get one due to them needing that crow I can use a rooster collar to keep it to a minimum.

 

[Britesea]

it's normal for chickens and ducks to lay fewer eggs (or even stop altogether) during the winter. The laying reflex is directly related to the amount of light the bird's eyes receive which is why commercial egg farms use artificial light in closed barns to keep their birds laying at peak production all the time. Unfortunately, this burns the hens out prematurely and they are usually culled by the end of their second year. I prefer to live with fewer eggs in the winter and have healthier birds.
You can dehydrate the extra eggs you get in the spring and summer, to have something during winter. I know people get all freaked out about the bacteria that might grow in the raw eggs, but if you are using an electric dehydrator with a fan, it will dry pretty quickly- and cooking the eggs thoroughly will kill the salmonella.

By the way, humans also react sexually to the amount of light they receive, which explains the tradition of June weddings, lol.

 

[sumi]

If you are not in a rush with the mealworms you can start on a shoestring, with a few live worms and build it up at very little expense. Remember the warmer they are, the quicker they multiply, so if you can keep them in a nice warm room (85*F+), with something moist to nibble on (ours adored carrots) and some bran, you'll have a good size colony going in a few months' time.

 

[Myhouseisazoo2]

Well I went and did it again with little sis. Went and got 6 more chicks 3 cuckos, 3 americaunas.

And that's not all. I got my first two rabbits today

Meet Smokey the grey female and Cadbury the tan male.
We suspect that Smokey may be pregnant but we're not sure. Mums says she thinks she is but I'm not sure.... Guess we'll find out in a months time...

 

[Britesea]

if they came home in that box together, then she is, lol

 

[Myhouseisazoo2]

We bought them at Pratt's today and the two of them where pretty close it seems. She would hop away from our hands and he would hop after her, they seemed pretty cuddly and mom says she can kind of feel the "beans" maybe its cause I'm a noob but I can't feel anything but a layer of fluff and maybe a little 'fat'....

Will have to invest in some bigger cages/making them some cages. I'm thinking of putting them on the patio and dragging some fans out for the summer. I've got space for the two of them in the house right now but if I've end up with 5 or more then I won't have the space any more (which won't do as I want them to get to at least fryer size)

 

[Myhouseisazoo2]

Also their pretty decently sized we suspect between 4 and 6 months of age.

 

[Myhouseisazoo2]

Hey everyone, hope everyone's been well, haven't had much time to post lately. Me and Twinnie bought our first pressure cooker today! It should be here sometime between today and next Wednesday we're super excited! P.o.w.w.o.w started last week and we want to waste ad little as possible this year (our first box had cucumbers, tomatoes, grey squash and yellow squash) I'd like to can up some veggies/veggie dish's and salsa for the summer when p.o.w.w.o.w ends.
Also we got another female rabbit

Meet Milly <3 she really likes being pet and held! When I let her run around the spare room she'll hop around a bit then lay on the bed with me. She also does this funny thing where it looks like she's licking her lips before hopping around.

 

[Myhouseisazoo2]

Man are my ducks getting big, and I've an issue with them as well cause Pinky lost her pink spot! Now I can't tell the two of them apart im thinking pinky has some white lines around her eyes while Bubbles has a darker face... Not sure though could be the other way around... Wish I'd put number bands on em before I couldn't tell!

The magestic Oreo
They still hate being picked up and attempt running away from me every chance they get :l eventually we'll get to pettability and excitement to see me and maybe (I could be hoping for to much here) the ability to pick them up with no issue (my chest/arms are really ripped up right now)

Pinky and Bubbles
The rest of my flocks doing great the chicks should be big enough to be integrated soon espeacilly the 3 buffs as their getting huge!
I'm fairly positive that smokey was never pregnant since mom says she now feels nothing... And I didn't think about it till now bit most male rabbits aren't fixed at pet/feed stores are they?

The rest of the flock

 

[Myhouseisazoo2]

Well so far its been a busy year! Processed my first rabbit, did our first canning (hot veggie mix and pickles), first pickling and changed a bunch of the radiator stuff for my car! Made 4 eggplant lasagnas, canned 15 jars of green beans and dried a ton of baby tomatoes and zucchini. Winding down the night by making whole wheat baby zucchini cupcakes
Hope the new years was well for everyone and may this year be better than the last!