Promises, Promises

Tweet

Oh Dear.  It's been another month since I've blogged!

But really, I'll get back to this soon.  In the summer it just seems like I should be doing outdoor things while I still can!  Plus we've been spending a lot more time at the barn with the horses since my daughter got her new Arab and he is in training.

I also have to start back selling on eBay too.  I like that little extra money!  I'm going to investigate Etsy too.

My vegetable gardens have done really well this year and I'm in the middle of enjoying the harvest from them.

  

There's nothing that can match good homegrown, fresh from the garden, tomatoes, greens, carrots or beets!!  Soooooo sweet!  I've already planted my Fall garden.

Plus I discovered volunteer plants of potatoes, and butternut squash coming up full force in my huge compost pile!!

I'm going to have enough squash to last me all winter, for sure!!

I think it is trying to reach the golf course!!!

I haven't dug to see if there's any potatoes yet.

Most of the squash have normal necks but some are round!  I don't quite understand?

It would be great if that plant was acorn squash!!

My little chicks are nearly full grown and are now 16 weeks old. In 2-3 weeks I might be seeing some eggs from them already!!

Babies grow up so fast  : )

Here's my little flock.

We've been going to the barn a lot more because of my daughter's new horse.  His name is Adonis and he's a full blooded Polish Arab.  She wants to spend as much time as she can with him to bond and he is also under training now.  He's 14 and had been a show horse his whole life showing country pleasure and was made to have his head up in the air which he really isn't built for.  He has more the frame of a hunt seat horse so he is being taught that he can relax his head and neck, stretch out more and hopefully bring up his top line.

 Now that doesn't mean my two horses are getting neglected!

Here's Echo with his newly braided mane and my older QH Preacher, loves his grooming time too.

My new house cats are doing well.  The kitten, Kia, is constantly getting into trouble and Maddie the adult has decided she wants to be an indoor/outdoor cat.  She is getting along just fine with the barn cats and stays really close to the house.

One good thing, to report:  The kitten, Kia, has already gotten 2 mice!!

Come on Maddie, get with it!

Well, that sort of gets me caught up.

I hope I haven't lost all my followers!

Leave me a comment and say "Hi" if you stop by.

Shirley

Catch Up Photos from the Past Two Weeks

Tweet

So much happening this start of summer time!!

Here are a few photos of what's been going on in Shirley's World.

The veggie gardens are flourishing.

Getting plenty of salad greens.

The big girls still aren't sure about this young-un's.

Early morning in the chicken yard is so pretty.

We spent some time with Preacher and Echo at the barn.

I didn't get a photo of Echo.  I'll have to do that today!

And, of course, in case you didn't here! Cleveland won the World Championship!

(and everyone is still celebrating!)

Shirley

**Note!!

Michele got her new Arabian horse so tune into the next post because he's already at our barn!!!!

Catch up on Photos!

Tweet

I have been so busy with new things going on that I have not been on the computer except for my phone.  I haven't blogged, haven't done my budget and haven't done much reading.

Also the weather has been beautiful and I spend as much time as I can outside.  

I do still constantly take photos with my iPhone however!

But today we are having a nice rainy day which we have needed.

So here I am.  I'll try to catch up on a few things.

I'll save the recent news till next post.

Here are some of the misc. photos from my life from the past couple weeks:

Molly was broody for about a week but is out of it now.

Beautiful foxglove.

This is an ancient large tree with the most interesting bark.

I think it is an osage orange tree but doesn't drop fruit.  Maybe it's just too old to produce any longer.

It is the home to many little red squirrels. 

I moved the little chicks (now called poullets) out into a cage in the chicken run to introduce them slowly to Molly and Dottie.

That left me with the mess to clean up in the dining room!!

Everything was full of dust and had to be wet wiped and EVERYTHING washed in the entire room.  

Took me 2-3 hours!

We had a little nap after that!!

At first the little ones kept knocking over their food and water.

But I figured it out.

Hopefully this will only be a 2 week arrangement before I can fully integrate them.

My plan to transfer them into another pen inside the garage at night just didn't work out.

WAY too hard to catch them at this point!

So I put a tarp over them that I can lower in case of cold nights or storms that could blown rain in on them.

I'll try to catch up to today in the next post!

Shirley

Sprouting Beans and Seeds for You and Your Chickens

Tweet

I know I did this before but made lots of mistakes at the time.

So here is my second try (in a smaller scale!)

Last time, (which I think there is a post about it awhile back), I tried to make a large flat container of wheat grass.  Well, it stayed to wet,(too hard to drain) and it got moldy and had to be tossed.

This time I am doing some organic lentils in little mason jars.

Just big enough for me or treats for my chickens.

These are organic mung beans.

1. First step, rinse the beans, lentils or seeds well.

Then soak for 8 hours.

2. drain well and rinse again, then drain well again.

3. Set in a darkened area till beans start to sprout.  (rinsing and draining twice a day.)

3. When beans start to sprout well, put into a light area.

They should be ready for your salad etc. or for treats for your chickens in about 5 days.

Mine started to sprout by the 2nd day.

These will be ready in another day.

When seeds, beans or lentils are sprouted they contain more nutrients than just the beans or seeds.

Beans and lentils have always been known as the best source of protein.

When sprouted they also contain more Vitamin C and B vitamins, more thiamine, niacin and riboflavin compared to the seeds.

Beans and legumes are also easier to digest when sprouted.  They don't produce as much intestinal gas because the complex sugars are broken down when sprouted.

So there are many, many advantaged of sprouting!!

Give it a try.

I have done scopes about this subject the past couple days on Periscope.

You can get to them on my Twitter page here:

https://twitter.com/hoofprints

also here where all my scopes are stored:

https://katch.me/hoofprints

Shirley

Bumblefoot!

Tweet

Little Miss Eggo has bumblefoot again.

What is bumblefoot you ask??

It's like an abscess, a boil, from a break in the skin of the chicken's foot pad that allowed bacteria to get in and form an infection.

It can be minor or serious.  Big or little but it has to be taken care of before the infection spreads up the leg that can make the chicken septic and can actually be fatal!!

Here's what it looks like.

Swollen pad of the foot with that black crusty scab.

You may notice it first by the chicken limping a little or just not wanting to move around.

It must be lanced and the core of the infection gotten out.

I wasn't able to take pictures of the procedure as both hands were very busy, holding the chicken and performing the procedure!

First you clean off the foot really well and soak in warm epsom salt water for about 10 minutes.  This softens the scab and makes it easier to remove.

After trying to get all the infection core out, (a lot of the time it will come out in one piece), I wasn't that lucky, you soak again, medicate the area and put a dressing on her foot.

It has to be soaked and redressed everyday until it looks like it is resolved and is healing.

Here are some pictures of Eggo on the second day of soaking and re-dressing.

You put a dark towel or cloth over their head and that calms them and they almost go to sleep!

Her pretty lime colored vet wrap dressing.

She is not a happy girl!

What is this thing on my foot???

And that's bumblefoot.

It's not uncommon but it's hard to get rid of.

Shirley

Some Good Chicken Breeds To Start With!

Tweet

For the First Time Chicken Keeper

There is a great chart to see all the kinds of chicken breeds.  

It's called Henderson's Chicken Chart.

It lists 60 different breeds.

I'll put a link at the bottom of this post.

Everyone with chickens has their favorite breed.  It's just like with dogs.  

Everyone has their most beloved breed of dog.

There are some chickens that are just known to be more docile and friendly and would be easier if you're just starting out.

After all . . . they will become like pets if you just have a small flock.

You'll name them and talk to them and tell them what good girls they are when they give you an egg!  : ))

OK then!

Here you go.

 The Road Island Red.

They are great layers.  You'll get an egg a day.

They are active and fairly docile.  They are robust and hardy to heat and cold.

The reddish brown is the most common color.

The Barred Plymouth Rock

This is a favorite among chicken owners.

They are calm and docile.  Easily handled and friendly.

Can be easily taught to eat from your hand.

They're cold hardy and lay large light brown eggs.

The Silkie

If you want to try a little bantam (miniature) chicken,

the silkie is a fun choice.

They are friendly, but remember their eggs are also miniature size!

Their feathers are so soft and fluffy they feel like silk.

Care should be taken if introducing bantams into a regular size chicken flock.

Welsummer chicken

The Welsummer chicken is docile, non-aggressive and will easily fit into a mixed flock.

It lays beautiful chocolate colored brown eggs.

It is cold hardy.

The White Leghorn Chicken

This is an "egg laying machine"!

The most common chicken used to lay eggs for production.

It lays large white eggs, is hardy and heat tolerant.

Can be flighty and nervous. though

The Orpington

It comes in a couple different colors but the buff orpington is the most common.

It is docile and easily handled but does tend to go broody more than some other breeds.

It is a good mother and lays large brown eggs.

The Wyandotte

This is a silver laced wyandotte and can also be seen as a golden laced wyandotte.

They lay medium to large brown eggs.  They are calm and docile.

Robust and cold hardy.

The Cochin

The cochin comes in many, many colors.  The special thing about them is their feathered feet.

They are calm, docile and easily handled.  They can go broody easily and make good mothers.

They're cold hardy.  Their eggs are a little smaller and are a yellowish brown.

They come in regular or bantam size.

The Easter-Egger or Americauna

The easter egger is a calm and curious chicken.

Some can be a little stand-offish.

They have tuffs of feathers (muffs) on each side of their face near their beak that reminds you of a chipmunk.

They lay slightly blue to green eggs, medium to large.

A must for a pretty egg basket!!

The link to Hendersons Chicken Chart is here:

http://www.sagehenfarmlodi.com/chooks/chooks.html 

Hope you found this useful if you are thinking of getting chickens for the first time or just adding to your flock.

Watch for my broadcasts on Periscope about chickens and my other animals etc.

Link is at the top of the right side bar.

Shirley