NH Homesteader's journal

[frustratedearthmother]

Yep - sounds like she could use a break!

Yay eggs! My gals were doing pretty good until they all decided to go broody - grrrrr. Might have to make some more changes around here, lol. I've got three broody' and I'm not happy about it.

 

[NH Homesteader]

Boo broodies! Well, sometimes they're awesome so boo to unauthorized broodies, lol! I don't want any, I've got a full incubator! And most of the eggs being laid now aren't fertile anyway. Any broodies I get are being given turkey eggs.

 

[baymule]

I have a Muscovy duck setting now. I saw that they were laying and didn't gather any, sure enough, I got a broody duck!

 

[NH Homesteader]

Oh cool! How do you like your muscovies? They're wild things. My ducks were constantly broody and laying and setting in odd places. One hatched like 9 ducklings once. Free ranging them became a problem, lol

 

[NH Homesteader]

Milked the big girls this morning. They hate when I touch their udder but are good for the machine. Much better behaved than I would have imagined! Got 1/2 gallon total but didn't strip them, DH was helping with the machine and I wanted to end on a good note lol. They had been separated from the babies for 9 hours.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Woo Hoo - that's awesome! Yay milk!!

 

[NH Homesteader]

Woo hoo! Milk tastes great! Now I'm going to pasteurize. So either Patty's milk is wonky, or there's an issue with pasteurizing or I wasn't cooling it fast enough. YAY!!!

 

[baymule]

Oh cool! How do you like your muscovies? They're wild things. My ducks were constantly broody and laying and setting in odd places. One hatched like 9 ducklings once. Free ranging them became a problem, lol

The jury is still out on how I like them. Maybe if I had a pond, it would be a better environment for them. They are the ultimate farm duck, they pretty much take care of themselves, multiply, and multiply. This is my first experience with one setting. I had one go broody last year, after they all quit laying. Dumb duck.

 

[NH Homesteader]

I wanted some. DH is not a fan. Plus he's allergic to duck eggs so probably don't need ducks lol. Here I believe you are supposed to report your muscovies to the state because they are an invasive species and there have been issues with them going wild and taking over wild mallard habitats. I don't need to deal with that. But they are interesting!

The wind is horrible today. I can't believe we currently have power. We are watching a couple trees nervously because they're a little too close to the house! Still sleeting too. DH is home today because of the weather so we're headed to the feed store shortly.

 

[sumi]

Hope the trees will stay put and the power will stay on for you! It's been windy here too, but not bad. Just enough to be a bother.