Quail_Antwerp: Words from the Barnyard...

[Quail_Antwerp]

Yea, I'm working on my duck/waterfowl list heeheehee!

I'm thinking Silver Appleyards....maybe a small group of runners.....more Welsh Harlequins.....A pair or trio of Toulouse....

Hmm...what else???

Tomorrow we're going to work on some indoor bantam pens in the coop addition. These are going to be indoor breeding pens for bantam pairs. We have everything on hand (we think) to get them done hopefully in a day! They are going to be about 3.5 ft high x 4 ft long and 2 foot from back wall to front.

Last week I had scored pieces for the floors of these bantam pens for $4 a sheet out of the Lowe's scrap lumber pile. I also scored a bundle of 7 1x1's to use for roosts for $6.85 out of their scrap pile.

We also got a sheet of thin plywood for $2 to finish some small animal travel cages we're working on.

I've still got plenty of wire around here left over from projects from last year to use for more pens.

and as always, I'll be taking lots of pics as we're working!

and I'm going to use the saw! whoot!

 

[FarmerDenise]

Quail, sounds like you're on a roll

 

[ToLiveToLaugh]

Quail, I aspire to your productivity. (But note, I'm not doing anything to achieve it! haha)

 

[lorihadams]

AussieSharon has silver appleyards.......

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

So while ya'll were here goofing off and waiting for goat babies - except ofg who was passed out under the table after witnessing the drama of goatie birth - I was outside working up a sweat!

I cleaned out the new addition on the layer coop.

Then started framing for the soon to be new bantam breeding pens.

AND

I hillbillied up a divide of sorts between the old part of the coop and the new part of the coop.

wall where bantam pens are going

The wire "wall" you see here is actually a recycled garden gate from Becca. It didn't completely cover from floor to ceiling, so I used some scrap pieces of OSB and T-1-11 left over from last year's projects to finish sealing things up. Er - rather, patched things up. hehehe.

It works, tho, the chickens can no longer get to the new part of the coop.

We made a door between the old side and the new side out of a pallet topper.

It might be all patched together, but that entire wall was FREE. YAY!

The bantam pens, I have roughly $20 invested in those, so not too bad, and I'll end up with 4 pens when all is said and done.

 

[Up-the-Creek]

Good job Aly! That is sweet! We do the same with our materials,...we use and reuse, and reuse some more! And take any and all building material that is free,...

 

[The YardFarmers]

Good job on your building project- certainly have had a complete turn around with weather, haven't we?

We would like to get the silver appleyard ducks too- need more room though!

Just wondering where you were at with seeds/gardening? Got anything going yet?

 

[justusnak]

GREAT job!! Looks great, and you can't beat the price!!

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Good job on your building project- certainly have had a complete turn around with weather, haven't we?

Yes we have! and I'm loving it!
Unfortunately tomorrow we'll be stuck in the big city for E's follow up appointment with his neurosurgeon, so most of tomorrow will be wasted and Saturday/Sunday they are calling for rain. Might not get to do more work outside until next week as a result.

We would like to get the silver appleyard ducks too- need more room though!

Yep, I am really wanting to get some of these. I think they're beautiful.
I'm getting another pair of Muscovies this weekend - but shhhh! I don't want it getting out that I may soon be harboring fugitive ducks!

Just wondering where you were at with seeds/gardening? Got anything going yet?

And this is where I have to confess....I don't like gardening.

I'll rototill it all up - because Dh can't anymore, but DH will plan what/when it gets planted. Last year he was able to assist with the planting, but I don't think he will be able to this year since his back surgery. It's near impossible for him to squat/bend since his back fusion.

I will do the hoeing between the rows, too, when it's needed. Kids help with the weeding once the plants are big enough for us to point out to them what the weeds are.

In all honesty, though, my husband is the green thumb around here.

Our only raised bed is "my" garden, and the only thing I'm planning to plant in that is my carrots or leafy greens - and that's mostly for the rabbits and green treats for the chickens.

We weren't going to plant any sweet corn this year, because the last couple years weren't a good yield and there's a local farmer who plants field corn across the road from us. Last year his field corn cross pollinated with our corn. We weren't pleased. But. We still have corn seed leftover, so we want to use that up.

We already have most of our seeds for this year. We'll plant tomatoes, green beans, sugar snap peas, squash, zucchini, sunflowers (for us and for the chickens), bell peppers, hot peppers, cucumbers, onions, and red pontiac potatoes.

We also have our food bearing plants that come back every year. We add to what we have planted each year - or at least try to. This includes a good sized strawberry patch, blueberries, asparagus, rhubarb, pear trees, peach trees, and a plum tree. We also have several pie cherry trees. I'm hoping this year we can add a couple apple trees. We haven't harvested from any of our fruit trees yet - except the Cherries - because they were all either planted last year or the year before. The cherry trees have been here for well over 19 years, though.

Plus, we have loads of blackberries and black raspberries that grow wild all over our property.

But to answer your question, I never start seeds inside. We plant directly into the ground. We dump animal poo (especially ferret poo!) straight onto the garden all winter long and stir stir stir it right in the garden spot all winter. When it's not frozen and snow covered that is. lol We rototilled a lot of poop into that soil right before the first Big Freeze, and we plan to rototil a lot more poop into that soil before the Big Planting.


WEEKLY REMINDER:
Monday is Auction Day - but this next Monday is a SPECIAL Auction Day - they are going to be Auctioning off Easter Lambs and Goat kids! and bunnies! I want a sheepie! I'm planning on taking a one legged rooster and 3 rabbits to the auction on Monday ....and I'm hoping I'll see and get a lamb or two - or a couple goaties!

We'll see, though.

E said no goats - he didn't say no Lambs.

 

[FarmerDenise]

How much do you usually pay for a goat or sheep at auction? Since I finally got the go ahead, I am seriously looking for either lambs or goats kids. We have an auction here too, but have never been.
I should probably check it out. I know they auction sheep on mondays.