Quail_Antwerp: Words from the Barnyard...

[Quail_Antwerp]

We skipped church services this morning. Where I was running full speed on adrenaline yesterday - I'm crashing today.

We're spending the day catching the kids up on a couple school assignments that they didn't get finished this past week. They only have 3 more weeks of school, and then they get a few weeks for summer break.

I have all of the new poultry that I picked up at Mt. Hope in their respective quarantine pens. I'm so loving that Mama Cochin and her 8 babies! They are just so precious!

I was checking over my mottled cochins a bit more carefully this morning - I was a little bit upset to see that the one pullet has a ROSE COMB instead of a single comb. The lady I purchased them from is at every Mt. Hope swap, so when we go back in July I'm going to discuss this matter with her. I'm sure she'll make it right, I'm hoping that this was an oversight on her part. I'm also partly hoping I'm mistaken (though I'm pretty sure I'm not) and that as my little girl grows, her comb will look as it should.

I have a list of things I want to get done today - we'll see if we get through it all!

1. Organize chicken barn
2. Finish A-Frame coop
3. Set up grow out pen for Mille Fleur chicks (to be sold as pairs at July's swap)
4. Send in the kids' school assignments for the week.

and I'm sure I can add to that list today, but those are the top things I want done.

Tomorrow I'm taking the left over chicks from mine and Becca's chick days to the auction.

 

[TTs Chicks]

congrats on the swap - sounds like you need to rest. I had 1 goal today - to build an actual hutch for my rabbits. So far - someone lost the release valve from my compressor so I can use the nail guns, found some screws so got the drill and got about half the frame together and the battery died of course nobody charged the other battery so now I'm taking a break - the kids say that all this means I'm not supposed to work today :/

 

[kcsunshine]

Yep, that's what my mom says when we do something on Sunday. "You know it won't grow if you plant on Sunday". I always just tell her our ox was in the ditch.

 

[TanksHill]

Quail, are you back on the healthy wagon??? Sound like you swap day went well. How the heck do you keep so many breeds straight n your head? Let alone know what their combs a re supposed to look like.

I hope today is a great start to your week.

gina

 

[lorihadams]

I feel you Aly, we have been running around like crazy too. We had to skip church this sunday too to get the front porch set up and finish the siding on the house. I have eggs in my bator that should hatch in a week, indian runners anyone?

Oh, can I see pics of the silver appleyards? Aussie Sharon has some and hers are really pretty, we were thinking of hatching some eggs from her when we get done with this hatch.

Hope you got some much deserved sleep!!!

How are things going with the well?

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Just got back from aution - sold some chicks (actually, sold the last of the feed store chick days chicks), and some rabbits for Becca.

and then I bought...

I brought home some Hot Pepper Plants for E. Total of 16 plants. They sold really cheap.

Then I got a buck lop bunny. He was super cute, and my friend over the hill has a huge litter of lop bunnies right now - so I'll probably try to get a girl lop from her.

AND I picked up a window!! I'm hoping this window will work in my coop, as I need another window in it for airflow during the day.

There's no screen to the window, but I'm thinking after I get the window in I'll cover the outside with rabbit wire to keep predators out.

gina - yes, I'm back on healthy eating. I had a bunless hamburger yesterday - it was delicious! I just put on some provolone cheese, a tomato, and wrapped the meat, cheese, and tomato up in huge leaves of lettuce - no bun no condiments.

As for keeping the chicken breeds straight and what their combs should look like - I have read almost every chicken book I can get my hands on and I have Storey's Illustrated Guide to Poultry - which has color photos and lists what type combs and color patterns, leg color, feather pattern, etc. that each bird should have.

Like today there were silver spangled hamburgs at auction today - this year's hatchlings. They should have a spiked Rosecomb - they didn't. They had huge single combs.

I have some Quail d'Anver bantams from Meyers that should have rose combs - several of them spot single combs. I called Meyers, they want pictures as proof.

Also, when you have breeds that you are passionate about, that you are seriously wanting to work with, it's super easy to remember what they are supposed to look like and what standards they should meet. Like my bantam cochins - single combs, good foot feathering, and huge poofy tails are traits that I look for.

A good cochin will be so fully feathered, they'll resemble a genteel lady wearing a full ball gown of feathers. Think a long the lines of Scarlet O'Hara and the full ball gowns she'd wear to a party.

lori - I will have to work on the pictures of the Silver Appleyard ducklings. I am not using my regular computer here at home, and I'm not sure how to send pictures from the library computer.

The well is done - they've even pulled out the rig already. We're just waiting for him to come back and cap it. Right now, it's covered with a huge bucket and a cement block - to prevent any kids from falling in.

As soon as this rain lets up, he'll probably come cap it and then we can start hooking up the stuff.

 

[TanksHill]

Who hoo for the well!!

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

As soon as this rain lets up...

but its gonna rain all week! drat.

glad you sold all your chicks

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

ok, so I guess Ohio's not going to tell the tale, so I'll do my best telling of it...

Saturday, as you all know, Becca and I had set up at Mt. Hope. We were having a grand ol' time - and every time I showed up back at our booth with a new critter, or I said the phrase, "I need a box, crate, etc" Becca would roll her eyes, laugh, and say "now what did you get?"

Should have seen her expression when I showed up with Hope the Goat Doeling in my arms

Anyhoo - we were at our set up spot, and here strolls along Bourbon Red and his wife. It was wonderful to meet Bourbon's wife, because, frankly, the two times we've made the trip to his house to pick up birds/swap birds, we'd not seen/met his wife. We were beginning to think she was either a figment of his imagination, OR he was keeping her isolated from anyone in the outside world. lol The thought had passed through my mind fleetingly that perhaps we should send in S.W.A.T. or a Private Investigator to ensure both her existence and/or her safety. I mean, for all we know, he's been keeping her duct taped in the basement.

Sorry, Bourbon! I'm only kidding!

But no, his wife is super nice - and was quite happy that we had taken the geese and even said we were her hero for having done such.

So they went on to look around and promised they'd probably stop back by.

A little while later, this lady walks up to our booth and says, "Aly, do you know who I am?"

Well, she looked a wee bit familiar, so I asked, "Turtleblossom?" as she resembled BYC member Turtleblossom whom I'd met last November at Ohio Nationals.

Her reply was, "I'm ohiofarmgirl!"

My reply???


An ear piecing, ear drum shattering, scream - perfectly executed in a typical idiot fashion!

and then I promptly hugged her - and she hugged me back! It was like seeing this wonderful friend that you haven't seen in years - even though we were actually meeting for the first time.

I had been contemplating purchasing an Alpine goat across the way from us - she was 9 months old, priced at $75, and already bred. Ohio walked with me to check her over, and gave me some pointers, and said she didn't think it was a good idea. Yes, she was cheap, but she was also small for her age, and there's a chance of serious complications resulting in death when she kids.

Ohio was super nice about helping me make the decision to NOT get that goat, and I know she was saving me serious heartache later by giving sound advice!

Of course I already had my Little Hope, and Ohio petted and checked her over and gave her official, "Seal of Goat Approval" and said she thought Hope was nice. Even though she's a pygmy, I picked a good one!

So they had to go, but I walked a bit with them and looked at some Toggenburg goats (I think that's what they were) that were for sale in the back of a guys truck. They were nice looking, but never did find the owner of them to find out how much.

Ohio suggested I hold out for a goat in milk. I think she's onto something there - so for now, working on getting Sassy a date and looking for a nice doe in milk...

We didn't get to visit long, but just getting to meet ohio AND The Big Man was wonderful!

So, there ya have it.

And, I wasn't even tempted to buy the camel - even though I did think he was cute and I got to pet him......he wouldn't have been useful for anything here - I know some people said camels can be milked but, uh, I don't think anyone would want his, uh, milk?







ofg - it's not suppose to rain on Thursday, so we're planning to spend the day at Hartville Flea Market.

 

[Henrietta23]

wonder what you will come home with on Thursday......... :bun