Sunday, May 12, 2013

Happy Mother's Day

I know it's been a few weeks since I've posted anything here.  
In that time we've integrated the bay chicks into the chicken flock.  They are getting big and are all doing fine.

Some of the new pullets


Our oldest hens and also the 2 roosters are now 3 years and 7 months old.  



Except for Freckles, she's even older, we got her as a hen and have no idea how old she is.  

Freckles

We have a few hens that are a few years younger that we raised and adopted through the past 3 years.  


Bonnie, a former shelter hen


Our egg production has diminished greatly, that's why we got 10 new pullet chicks this year.  It was time for some new life in the coop.  This time we purposely purchased all pullets, so we wouldn't have to deal with a bunch of them turning into roosters.  

I'm hoping the new babies start laying this summer - got got them real early to get a good early start.

Also since I've posted we got a new roof.  Yeah to no more leaks in the back hallway when it rains!



We haven't lost any guineas lately - that's always awesome.  We've seen lots of fox and hawks and heard lots of great horned owls, but the predators have not killed, just come and looked and backed off.  Because I'm such a girl I can't actually kill a fox, but I'll shoot at it's feet and give it a good scare.  Maybe I've scared them away?  Often I see a pair of red-tailed hawks scoping out the baby chickens, they circle above the chicken pen.  But the pen has a roof and they know it, so they just watch the chicks and then fly away.  In their hawk minds they probably dream of a chick escaping from the chicken pen, and they swoop down and get their own young-un's a nice dinner.  But not in real life.  


The guineas love the warm weather.  I'm happy they all survived the winter.



The guineas have been laying eggs in the woods.  Sometimes we find their nests and enjoy a month worth of guinea eggs.  I usually have 1 chicken egg and 1 guinea egg for breakfast.  I don't want the guineas to attempt to raise their own keets, it's certain suicide, so I take their eggs.  Most of the time the eggs disappear before I find them, probably taken by fox or coons overnight.









Benjamin and Brindle kept me company as I walked through the woods this morning.







Also since I've last posted our lawn mower broke.  We need to do something and soon!  The grass is taking over!




Lots more is going on, but I'll save it for the next post. 
Don't want to give you too much information (TMI) in one sitting!

Happy Mother's Day!  Hope you enjoyed these pictures of my Sunday morning.
Hope everyone has a great Sunday today.

Shadow and Jack

10 comments:

Kessie said...

I love taking photo safaris around your place! Good idea just taking the guinea eggs. Safer just to buy or incubate your own keets. I love the cats accompanying you on your walk.

Mary Ann said...

I hope a Happy Mother's Day is in order... your pictures were so wonderful and peaceful, I enjoyed them very much. Always so risky integrating the flock with new arrivals!

John Going Gently said...

That beautiful photo of the guinea calling makes me want to hatch more out this spring

Unknown said...

I have a question about your guinea fowl. How old are they when you introduce them into the chicken pen as babies?

Knatolee said...

Glad the predators are leaving the guineas alone!! Your chickens are all looking great. We're getting some youngster this year too, as some of our hens are the same age as yours! :)

Good luck with the mower.

Farm Girl said...

What lovely shots. I like seeing how pretty and green every thing is around your place. So glad it sounds good and you got a new roof.
Oh, I just hate it when the lawn mower breaks. I hope you get it fixed soon.

Country Girl said...

Nice pictures. Hope you had a nice peaceful day!

Country Girl said...

Nice pictures. Hope you had a nice peaceful day!

CaliforniaGrammy said...

Thanks for such a beautiful peaceful walk in your woods this morning. I brought my cup of coffee with me and enjoyed every moment!

CaliforniaGrammy said...

Thanks for the beautiful walk in your peaceful woods . . . I brought my coffee along and enjoyed every moment!