Friday, May 25, 2012

Jiminy's albatross imitation

Geese are so funny. When they're little, their wings are just little tabs, and seem way too small for their bodies. Then, seemingly overnight, their wings quadruple in size and are suddenly too big. They remind me of some sort of sea bird fledgling. Great big heavy wings that they can barely lift.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Quick pic Thursday... More chicks hatched

The other broody's chicks hatched yesterday. Providing I'm correct about Dunder over a barred hen producing sex-linked chicks where the boys have a white head spot.... 3 of 4 maran eggs in this hatch produced boys, one of which is in the pic above. Ugh. I'm gonna name him Stewy. :) At least Belly gave me 2 girls of the 3 maran eggs she hatched.

I think the white head spot means that he should be barred? If so, with that brown face... Interesting.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

I love our wisteria


Enjoying it while I can, as the recent wind and rain have been knocking off blooms at an alarming rate.

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Internally pipped goose egg!


Ok, so I'm on my second round of goose egg incubation. The pic above is me in a dark tiny closet, holding a small maglite to an internally pipped egg. That little peak is the beak! Internal pipping is where the gosling/chick/keet/whathaveyou breaks through the membrane inside the egg, allowing access to the large air cell at the big end of the egg. Within a day or so, I should see an external pip, where the baby breaks through the shell so it can access outside air. Shortly after that, baby will "unzip" the egg, breaking the shell in a circular manner so it can get free of the egg.


In the pic above, I think something is wrong with the egg. See how there's a lighter area under the air cell, unlike the first pic? Perhaps a ruptured air cell? I dunno. In any case, the gosling is moving around in there, so hopefully it can proceed to external pip.

This is my last round of incubator eggs this season, and it has been an incredible experience! The geese are done laying, and our second and last round of chicks are due naturally-incubated under Jerky Pecking $&@#% Hen next week. (Not every hen can be as sweet as Bellina, you know). I'm hoping to foster these new goose babies (if they make it through hatching) with Affie. Sooooo much easier when the geese raise them, as I don't have to feed and water them separately, and I also don't get ATTACHED to meat birds... sigh... We'll see how it goes. Wish me luck!

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

My, how the goslings have grown!

So, these are the goslings that I hatched in the incubator a few weeks ago. That's Jiminy in the front, Meat Goose behind, and their pet duck (Crusty) on the right. They're currently living in the recently vacated duck tractor. Every evening, I let them out for a walk and some socializing. They're way too much fun. I do love geese!

Monday, May 14, 2012

Soaking up the sun... Turkeys finally outside!

We put the turkeys outside yesterday. First thing, they all flopped on their sides and started soaking up the sun. Silly birds! They were the last birds to go outside, along with Belly and her babies. No more brooder birds! Woohoo!


Friday, May 11, 2012

Standing guard

Ever vigilant, Bitor makes sure that nobody gets near his goslings.

On another goose note, Affie has been halfheartedly sitting on a beautiful nest she made and the remainder of Baby's eggs. I went in last night and took them all away. Good thing I did! I candled them all, just in case any were late lays and showed development. Yeah, no. Most were sloshy inside, and a couple had some evil streaks. Yeah, they all went carefully into the outside trash before they could explode on me. Lol. They were starting to stink. Ew. Ew ew ew! If Affie wants to be a mommy so badly, and Baby's babies aren't enough for her, perhaps I'll try and get her to accept the incubator babies when (if) they hatch next weekend. Would sure help me not get attached to them! Happy Friday, all!

Thursday, May 10, 2012

UPS deliveries in the country, and why you should order extra wedding invites

This is what I came home to at our gate. My wedding invites came today, yay! Something ripped the box open and destroyed 1/4+, BOO! Hopefully I still have enough, as I ordered a few extra. I think it was a neighbor dog, as ours were all still in their kennels. $&@%#!!! WTH!

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Quick pic Wednesday... Icky Chickies

Because I've been too busy to post about the Pekins yet.



Meaties are getting big! 3-4 weeks to go until butcher day.

Monday, May 7, 2012

Pekins off to butcher!

Well, I got up at the crack of dawn and delivered the pekins to the processor before work. Yesterday, we drove out and picked up two dog crates from the processor. We loaded the 9 ducks up last night, and they were delivered to the dock at 6 this morning. 5 in one crate, 4 in the other. I'm relieved to have them gone. They are incredibly messy creatures. Upside, though, was that they didn't seem to eat nearly as much as the Cornish X, and seemed to grow out faster. We'll see what the weights are like when I get them home this evening (same day pickup! Woohoo!)

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Lap goose

The weather is halfway decent, so I brought Jiminy out to eat some grass and stretch his/her legs while I listened to some Diana Gabaldon on my iPod. Yeah, didn't work. Darn goose insisted on being in my lap, and would only eat grass if hand fed... I'm a sucker. This baby seems like a female to me, so I'm gonna start calling Jiminy a she, and we'll see next spring if I do or don't see eggs. :)


Friday, May 4, 2012

Sweet Jiminy

I adore this goose. It loves to snuggle, and screams to be picked up. I took the two goslings out for a walk on the lawn yesterday, so they could stretch their legs and have a bite of grass and clover. Jiminy didn't want anything to do with Meat Goose (what we call the one that isn't particularly friendly). Jiminy just wanted to run circles around me and eat, every so often looking up at me and chattering away like I could understand. :) Too cute.

Oh, and I checked on Baby last night, and she has 3 goslings. Will try and post pics and more info this weekend. Happy Friday all!!!

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Another new mommy on the farm!

Baby Girl's goslings started hatching yesterday! See the little gosling by her side?


LJ went out to change the goose water, and all the girls were in the hut and hissing at him. Strange, as the ladies don't hiss at us... Just at strangers. Then, he started to hear peeping. :) When I got home from work, I had him distract Bitor so I could snap a quick pic. All the geese are excited and hanging out around Baby. Bitor diligently guards the goose hut, Sweet Girl snuggles down a couple feet from Baby, and Affie has been smack in the middle of things, nestled right next to Baby and helping her incubate the eggs. Can't wait to get home this afternoon and check on the progress!!!

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Blackberries 1, Henry 0

This is what happens when stupid dog goes tearing into the blackberries after mangy rabbit... Looked much worse 4 days ago.

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Pics soon

Ok, so I've been mia again. Lots going on! Training new gal at work, playing brooder musical chairs, some critters now outside and others scheduled for butcher, down to 2/7 guineas, Belly's chicks hatched, more eggs in the incubator, visit from Mom and finally have my wedding dress, my beloved van died, etc etc etc. I'm exhausted. Hope to post soon WITH pics. :)