To Do List (Before Spring):

My to do list before spring.  Gotta love that little widget.  Before spring meaning, in my world, before it's time to start the garden.  March 20th is totally irrelevant as far as marking spring goes around here.  Heck, our frost free date isn't until June 8th!  Although it is definitely warming up out there and the snow is melting fast, we're a long ways from seeing anything green yet.  And it's snowing!  So I still have a few weeks to get the last of my winter chores and projects done before we dive into spring- gardening, yard clean up, fencing, firewood and what not.

-clean out & reorganize basement
-fix the wood slide/basement window so it will close properly
-refill firewood from wood shed
-clean out #3 & #4's room
-remove carpet
-wash & polyfill walls
-paint
-put in new carpet
-get ready for the tax man
-clean out the feed room
<-buy new feed bins> DONE
I bought really big rubbermaid bins for feed.  And the squirrels chewed through the lid of the oats bin THE FIRST DAY!  Little buggers.  5 squirrels have met their doom in the squirrel trap since then.  I never minded when they stole from the bird feeders.  I don't mind when they clean up the stuff we spill.  But the ungrateful little buggers that are causing damage are on the hit list.
-clean out chick brooder box
<-test heat lamps/buy new bulbs> DONE
<-order chicks> DONE
I decided on 50 non-sexed Columbian Rock X Reds  

and 25 Bronze Orlopp turkeys.

They'll be arriving May 11th.  I bought corn crib wire to fence in the garden, and we'll be building the new chicken coop/turkey pen at the end of the garden.  With it all fenced in, I'll be able to open the gate between them at the end of the season/next spring, and let the birds browse, scratch, dig, fertilize, and control pests in the garden.  Since I spend tons of time in the garden all summer, I think it'll deter the foxes and other predators.  I'm hoping anyway.  I've also got plans to make use of human urine.  It's supposed to work well to keep deer and other animals away from the garden, so why not?  Once the fence is up, the boys can start marking our territory.
<-get greenhouse ready> DONE
<-put plastic on roof and sides> DONE
<-put wood on sides> DONE
-build & install door
The greenhouse has plastic.  Lots of plastic.  

We used 1X3s at the bottom of all four sides to hold the plastic down.

I put my digital thermometer inside last night.  It tracks the lowest and hottest temperatures, as well as the current temp.  Last night it dropped to -1.7°C (28.9°F)  That's not bad, considering it was late afternoon by the time we got the plastic done, and there wasn't time for the heat to build.  Today it's at 10.4°C (50.7°F) even though it's -2°C (28.4°F) outside.  It feels nice in there.  It shouldn't take too long to defrost the ground at that rate, and all we've done is plastic.  I have some black 5 gallon pails to fill with water and place inside yet.  The black will absorb the heat from the sun faster, and the water will help to moderate the temperature inside longer.  No garden hose yet, so I'm waiting for rain.  I should have filled them with snow before it started melting.  We didn't build a real door, after all.  Just hung plastic with a board for weight.  Since the pig in the greenhouse plan is out the window- and the entire garden will be fenced to keep out goats- a solid door isn't required now.

 All done.  Awesome.  Getting excited to plant.

-start seeds
-spring cleaning

In other news- none of the eggs hatched from the electric frying pan.  I'm too much of a wimp to crack them open to see how they were coming along.  They already smell.  There is a significant weight difference between some of them.  I'm not sure what that means.  The little gray hen is still broody and has managed to lay/steal more eggs than she can cover.  I would think they should start hatching soon if they're going to.

No trees tapped.  I've been procrastinating.  Now looking at the weather forecast, I may have missed the opportunity.

Hubby got a new toy, an Arctic Cat 650cc quad.  That should haul some serious firewood.  We might be taking the pick up off the road- still not running.  We'll see, I guess.

Chick Choices

Our feed store gets its chicks from Frey's Hatchery in St. Jacob's.  Which is kind of funny, because it's the same place we used to get our chicks from when we lived down south.  Last year I started with an order of 50 Hatch Day Choice chicks, and later ordered 30 White Rocks, since the hatch day choice were awfully small when I attempted to butcher them.

I don't like White Rocks.  Frey's has a whole page explaining why they get harder to raise each year, and the issues with their organs not developing at the same speed as their bodies.  Yes, economically they may make sense to a lot of people.  From egg to freezer in 8 weeks.  But I have issues with time restraints.  Under no circumstances do I want to HAVE to butcher all of them on the same day.  I much prefer to do a few here and a few there.  Easier on my back, and allows me to work on different projects according to the weather.  I'm also not a fan of white meat.  Nor my husband, nor my boys.  We all fight over the legs and thighs, and then use up the breast and ribs over the next few days.  The white rocks were 'manufactured' to grow big fast, as well as to grow bigger breasts- the preferred choice amongst the majority of the population.  I want a chicken with big healthy legs.

An interesting side note- those puny little hatch day choice birds, I'm quite certain were black sex links.  The hens are all black, and the roosters all looked like barred rocks- thus my initial confusion.  They're supposed to finish at 5.5 lbs at the end of lay, and 7 lbs for the roosters.  The roosters did turn out a nice size, though I didn't weigh them, and the hens are looking really good now.

Red hen on the water trough, black hen behind.

I've picked up my price list from the feed store.  Deliveries start April 13th. I need to choose. 

At maturity/after lay, Frey's gives live weights as follows:  (and prices)
Red Sex-Link                       4.5 lbs                                             1.25 (Non sexed)     1.06 (Cockerels)
Black Sex-Link                     5.5lbs     7lbs cockerels                 1.25                          1.06
Barred Plymouth Rock          5-6lbs     6-7.5 lbs                          1.58                          1.20
Columbian Rock X Red          6 lbs        7.5 lbs                             1.34                          1.06
Red X Columbian Rock          6 lbs        7 lbs                                1.34                          1.06
New Hamp X Barred Rock   6 lbs        7.5 lbs                             1.34                          1.06
Rhode Island Reds                'comparable'                                  1.58                          1.20
Hatch Day Choice                                                                         1.03                           .86
Frey's Special                      6 lbs        8 lbs (15 weeks)             1.33                          1.25


I've eaten a lot of Rhode Island Reds over the years.  They were our preferred breed.  If you buy the same type of chickens year after year, it can get difficult to tell who is in their prime.  I don't want to be putting my best egg layers in the freezer.    So if I buy 100 non sexed of a different breed each year, I'd have the roosters to put in the freezer in the fall, and then I could alternate the hens by colour.  This year the Black Sex-Links would be in their prime, so all of the other hens could go in the freezer with the roosters.  Next fall I'd be able to identify all those black hens as freezer meat, while this year's hens, say barred rocks, were in their prime, and bringing in a new batch of, say Rhode Island Reds.  Thus keeping my hens young & fresh, and in peak production, while filling my freezer annually.  Sounds good in theory.

On the downside, I'd be putting a lot more feed into those hens, raising them longer.  Last year's batch was about 4 to 1 hens to roosters.  Not great odds for freezer meat for immediate use.  And the majority of the birds going in the freezer would only be in the 5-6 lb range.  I really like my 8 lb and up birds.  Which leads me to think that maybe I should order 50 'hens' non-sexed, and 50 specials, just cockerels.  The prices I listed there are by the 100.  Ordering 50 raises the price per bird.  For example, 50 specials would be 1.37 each ($68.50)(400lbs @ .17/lb), and 50 non-sexed barred rocks would be 1.70 each ($85)(6lbs/bird 300lbs @ .28/lb), for a total of $153.50.   Which is actually cheaper than $158 for 100 non-sexed barred rocks, but also lowers the odds of replacing my flock of hens annually, if by chance the odds flip 4 to 1 cockerels to hens.  Buying hens raises the price again.  50 Barred Rock hens would be $116 (@ 2.32 each) plus the specials is $184.50.  And I really don't need that many hens.  30 is nice, but lowering the numbers again raises the prices again, and lowers the accuracy of sexing.  Such is the dilemma.

And then there are the foxes.  Our first year here with chickens we ended up with very few birds in the freezer, even fewer hens, and lots of well fed foxes.  They were so well fed and brazen, that once we started putting the chickens in earlier in the day, they came to pick up their dinner earlier in the day- in broad day light, through the pasture, past the dogs!  While our security has gotten better, the threat is still out there.  The plan would be out the window if we had another year like that.

 So, amongst all of this, why not throw some turkeys into the mix?  The foxes took all but 2 turkeys the first year.  The second year they spilled their water dish on themselves and froze their little feathers off.  Last year we skipped the turkeys.  I was planning to skip the turkeys again this year, and until I get a proper shelter and security site designed for them.  But this year, Frey's has introduced Orlopp Bronze turkeys into their flocks.  I'm happy to see it.  I want to support the option of non white market turkeys.  To do that I have to buy some.  They're almost double the price of the whites, at $6.61 each for day olds.  If I buy turkeys, and all goes well, I don't need as many chickens.  I don't need as big of chickens.  25 turkeys would be $165.25(@25lbs/bird 625lbs @ .26/lb).  I could skip the specials, buy 50 non-sexed, and end up with almost 3 times as much meat in the freezer, with leftovers pretty much guaranteed at every meal.  I love leftovers.  If all goes well.  If not, I could end up with very expensive foxes.  And it puts me in a time crunch to get that turkey pen built. 

Of course, none of these prices takes the cost of feed into consideration, or materials for the turkey pen, or losses that are likely to occur.  It assumes maximum weight per bird.  It's all a gamble.  The end results could vary drastically.

What to do, what to do...  Sleep on it.  Hubby says just do it.  lol.  He's helpful.

Dorie's Day Out

Dorie was tired of being cooped up in the chicken coop.  She wanted to get out in the sunshine and socialize.  Casper wasn't so sure he liked that idea.

Dorie showed off her young 'un to all the cows and goats and horses.  She had a bit of a tussel with Tori, when Tori got a little too interested in Casper.  But Dorie let her know that she was his mother, and whose going to argue with those horns?

Nelly wasn't sure what she thought of Casper.  She's not the baby any more.  It was oddly satisfying to see her hanging out with the cows all day.  Almost like she just realized she's not a goat after all.

Dorie settled into munching and gossiping with Mindy while Casper had a nap in the barn.  Everything seemed fine, so we left them to it.

A couple of hours later I went out to check on them.  Dorie is so rude.  I walked all over the place, and she just kept looking at me like, "What baby?'

Mindy refused to divulge any secrets either.  The dogs sniffed out tracks and followed trails.  Dorie looked at them as if to say 'Dumb dogs'.  I was starting to get worried.  Where was Casper?  Not in the barn, not in the coop, not in the hay pile.  Not laying down beside his mother!

A loose chicken distracted the dogs.  I went to fetch it.  Walking back towards the coop I saw Dorie slowly making her way down the fence line towards her hiding spot from the year before.  Gotcha.

Getting them back into the coop last night was a bit of a pain.  Dorie followed her treat bucket, no problem.  But Casper was staying put.  Probably because his mother told him to.  He had to be pushed, pulled and prodded along to keep up with his mother.  But we made it.

'What hiding spot?'

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Casper

 The good.  I was so happy yesterday morning.  Dorie calved.  Everything went according to plan, as nature intended.  Casper is a lively little bull calf.

He's driving his mother crazy (just a little bit).  She wants out.  I told her she has to wait til tomorrow, when it's supposed to be above freezing!! to go show off her little one.

He said 'yeah mom, I'm tired'.  He's very cute.



Then the bad.  Nanner decided it was time for her to pop those kids out too.  Except, it wasn't kids.  It was one very large kid.  His head was huge.  And got stuck.  It took about an hour to finally get the head through, and the kid was obviously dead by then.  Then the shoulder was stuck.  I couldn't reach in far enough to ease it loose.  She pushed.  We pulled.  Two hours.  It finally came out.  We were all exhausted and shaken.

Nanner is heartbroken.  I feel so bad for her.  She's about 12 years old, and she's never had a kid.  As far as we know, this was her second delivery.  She lost both of her kids the first time too.  She went right to work cleaning up that baby.  Poor Nan.  She didn't seem to understand why it wouldn't get up.  It was so sad.

The ugly.  We're going to send her away.  We debated it last year when #1 decided he wanted to raise goats.  On the one hand, she's pretty old.  Blending in with a new herd could be hard on her.  She still hangs out with the horses and cows- or rather, bosses them around, more than with the younger goats.  On the other hand, if Oscar knocks her up again, it could really end badly for her.  So I advertised her this morning.  I'm hoping someone might like her for a pet, or at least that someone with miniature goats might understand and take pity on her.

Now to clean up the sun room.  First thing on the job list for spring- build a goat shed!  Or a milking stand.  Or maybe one of each.  Or maybe a new chicken coop.   Hmmm...  That might be the easiest, and then I could move the chickens over to the garden area.  I'll have to think on that.  Or maybe stalls in the barn.  That would make sense.  Something needs to change, that's for sure.  This goat in the sun room thing is getting out of hand!

It's a Boy! (We Think)

#1 Moved Dorie into the chicken coop last night.  She was very swollen and had her tail dangling off to the side oddly.  I meant to check on her last night before I went to sleep, but passed out in front of the tv.  This morning I woke with a feeling of dread.  What if...

I walked out to the coop.  Mindy was standing outside beside the coop.  Lonely?  Distressed?  I don't know.  Quiet.

I stood outside the door listening.  Nothing.  Normally when Dorie hears or smells us coming she bangs on the door.  Not today.  Dread.

I opened the door.  She was still standing.  Relief.  I talked to her for a minute.  She was facing me and I wanted to get a look at her other end.  Normally she would back up so we could bring her feed in or open the other door.  And then I saw it, between her legs.  Another leg.  I bent down and looked underneath her.  She has a calf!

She finally backed up, swinging her head from side to side.  Looking at us.  Looking at her calf.

He was still damp, but clean.  A little wobbly, but on his feet.  She did it!  She did it all on her own!  She is awesome.

I let her sniff my hand.  That was ok.  I took a step toward her, and she lowered her horns.  Ok Dorie.  He's all yours.  We'll come bug you later, lol.

#1 went out about an hour later.  He of course, can get close enough to peek underneath the little one.  (Since he did most of the milking last year, Dorie acts like he was her calf.)  He claims he saw testicles.

#2 went out another hour or so later.  He reports Dorie and the calf were lying down at first, and then the calf got up and bounced around like a kid.  He flipped himself over and exposed himself, revealing testicles and a penis.

I'm going out again soon.  Will I get to look?  I don't think she trusts me not to try something crazy- like stealing her calf or milking her.  We'll see.

We have a calf!  And a cow!  Both alive and well!  Very happy here!!!

Out and About with Mama

Since the weather's warming up again, Mama and Bullwinkle are parading about the yard, munching on hay, enjoying the sunshine.  Bullwinkle definitely suffered some frost bite on the ears, and as well as being stuck in this odd position all the time, the end of one seems to be dead.

Mama seems to be in good spirits.  Bullwinkle is playing shy.  I think he's afraid we'll steal him and take him back in the house.

Ok, maybe he'll say hello.

There we go.  A nice close up.  The yellow patch is the remains of the burn mark.  He's such a sweet little thing.  We're so happy to have him out and about and doing well.  Such a rough start for such a sweet little guy.

Spring in the North

Milder days.  Snow turning to slush.

More hay exposed.  Lots of snow to melt.

The beginnings of a puddle.  And muck.  Cows wandering. 

Out of round bales.  Feeding square bales.  Poop waiting to be cleaned up.

Gates getting harder for goats to jump.

Puppies happier to spend more time outside, without fear of freezing.

Yes, it's in the air.  Spring is on it's way.  Sap may be ready to run soon.  We've taken a dip in temps again, but it won't be long now.  The pine trees are waking up.  I wake up hacking and coughing daily now.  Of all the things to be allergic to when you live in a pine forest, pine trees are not recommended, lol.  Another month or so and we should see patches of grass peeking up in the low spots.  The goats will start browsing in the brush on the edge of the road.  And maybe, if we're lucky, we might see a calf and a couple of kids.  Before Nanner explodes!