babies, babies, everywhere!

We’ve received word from the vet that a form of sinusitis was at least partly to blame for our poultry losses last month. While relieved to know something, it’s hard not to feel impatient to learn what the missing pieces of the puzzle are. In any case, the chickens continue to recover, put on weight, [...]

my morning in the barnyard

We’ve had a lot of rain – I should’ve taken a picture that shows how high up my boots the mud now reaches – and it’s been a busy time, so I haven’t spent as much time with the animals as I would like to. This morning, I could finally remedy that situation. When I [...]

it was our first 100% hatch-out

All eight mixed-breed eggs hatched (there had been 9, but I removed the 9th a week or so ago after candling showed no growth at all) and we have some real lookers in this batch, including a gorgeous slate-gray chick and a BR/Australorp mix who has the prettiest markings from both breeds and big Orpington/BLR [...]

and once again…

Here’s the first to appear from the second half of our first batch of mixed-breed chicks. (Say that ten times fast!) It obviously has some Barred Rock, but whether it’s a cross with an Australorp or with a BLR Wyandotte is anyone’s guess. These chicks aren’t spoken for, due to the humidity fiasco with the [...]