Ebay and Eggbid - Very Bad

My parents have been here for a visit so things have been busier than usual.

How could I forget that I bid on (and won) 24 ringneck pheasant eggs. I fear I've lost control.

But isn't a loaded incubator lovely?

I've Gone and Done it Again

My name is Cori and I'm an incubation addict.

(Hi Cori)

I do this to my self every year. I've got 18 guinea eggs, 18 red/gold pheasant eggs, 12 Barnevelder eggs, and 10 blue splash Marans eggs. I should mention I'm down to one automatic egg turner. I've borrowed incubators from a friend and am plotting all the turning, stop turning, and hatching on a calender.

I'm my own worst enemy!

If the grass would stop growing I might actually have time to take some pictures.

Ducklings! (Specially for Alison)

My friends just got 50 ducklings. I ran over to see them. Ducklings are much hardier then chicks or pheasants. I'm tempted to get some but I know it will lead to geese and swans and our pond is too small to support all that. I would love a pair of swans.

If you order chicks (or have someone send them to you, are you paying attention Alison?) you have to get 10 or more so there is enough body heat to keep everyone safe on the journey. You usually have to get 25 chicks.

Pheasants - Not A Great Hatch

I don't know what the problem was but I only hatched 6 pheasants.

They are darn cute and very active.

I've looked online to see what might have gone wrong. I really think it came down to fertility. It might seem crazy but I just ordered some more pheasant eggs on ebay to try again.

The Pheasants Are Hatching, The Pheasants Are Hatching

As in "the British are coming."
I have been very anxious about the pheasant eggs because I've never hatched them before. I thought they would break out really fast like guinea hens but it has actually taken them hours to break out. Right now I'm up to 3 out with 6 more pipping. They're not dry yet but they seem more fragile than chickens. They're much clumsier than chicks.

Life, Death, and Rainbows

Yesterday was busy and odd. We got up extra early to take two car loads of stuff to "The Worlds Largest Yard Sale". We were up before 5am. All the animals were fed, chicks checked on, incubators checked. We were out the door at 6am. We spent all day at the sale.

We did very well, and got rid of a bunch of stuff. Our basement is much more tidy now. I left the sale after 4pm and was home by 5pm.

Hoover was very happy to see me. I made a salad for Kirby. I checked the incubators and decided the chicken eggs that were going to hatch had hatched and turned off the incubator so it could cool down and I could clean it.

When I checked the incubator an hour later the temp was 71 degrees and shockingly I could hear a chick peeping. I quickly opened the incubator and tried to find the egg that was alive. I found it and peeled away most of the shell turned the incubator back on and put the chick in. I didn't really think the poor little thing could possibly survive after getting so chilled.

Then I went down to the barn to put everyone in for the night. I was not prepared to find Splish, one of my favorite hens dead in the goat stall. Splish was the only Blue Splash Maran hen in the flock and I had hoped to hatch some of her eggs to add more to the flock. On the bench in the goat stall there was an egg that didn't have a hard shell. Imagine an egg with only the membrane. It is not unusual to occasionally get an egg like that and it doesn't mean a hen is sick. It is just something that happens. I have no idea why Splish died.

While I was going about the barn getting everyone in, the sky darkened and a thunder storm started. Within minutes the sun came out while it was still pouring. I went out, got soaking wet and saw a rainbow. It was late just an hour before sunset and I could see the full rainbow. I managed to catch the rainbow with a flash of lightning. I have never been able to walk away from a rainbow, I stay until it disappears.


So, I'm walking around the barn soaking wet. It felt like my clothes weighed 50 pounds. I'm torn between the sadness of losing Splish and the beauty of the rainbow. I went in to collect the eggs and I found a tiny blue egg. This egg was even smaller than the tiny white egg I found before. Have you ever heard that things come in threes? I was thinking the little chick in the incubator, Splish dying, and the rainbow was three. Then there was the tiny egg and when I went to write the egg count on the calender I saw that there was going to be a full moon. It was all just too odd.



I was so exhausted, and still soaking wet. I dragged my wet butt back to the house. When I checked the incubator the little chick was still alive.

I fell into bed.

When I woke up this morning the little chick was moving around the incubator. I have moved her (oh, I hope it is a girl) to the brooder with the other chicks. She is still doing well and we have named her Coolio.

We're Up to 12 Chicks

I think the hatch is over. Not the best hatch but considering how the were probably tossed about in the mail I can't really complain. I don't know if I will order any more eggs or just try to hatch my own. Of course next week the pheasants hatch. Maybe that will hold me for a while...Doubt it.

HATCHING

It doesn't matter how many times I incubate eggs, I always get so eggcited!

So far 8 have hatched. I'm pretty sure a few are from the eggs that came in the mail.

We Are Gonna Have a Ton of Blueberries This Year

There are so many blueberry blossoms! I think this is the year I learn to make jam. If anyone has a sure fire recipe send it my way, please.



I have to throw in this picture. I was weeding and after I yanked the first dandelion I looked at my glove and it was like a little work of art in my palm.

Dandelions

To most of us they are just weeds.
But to Kirby, they are yummy snacks.

The Geese Have Hatched

I really need a camera with some zoom.



There between the two geese are about 10 baby geese. Gooselings, gooselets, whatever.

Everything is Blossoming

I am officially letting go of Winter and embracing Spring. However, I will not ever embrace high temperatures in the 90s in April. I have not forgiven Mother Nature for that little stunt.

I went around and checked the fruit trees to see what was going on with the blossoms and most everything is in bloom.

Here are some apple buds
still closed up tight.
And here are apple blossoms. My focus leaves a bit to be desired. Must work on that.

Here are cherry blossoms. This is a sweet cherry. I have never tasted one because the birds always get them before I do.


Peach blossoms. These peaches are heavenly. You must eat them outside, bent at the waist so the juice doesn't run down your face.

New Flock Members

Since Babyface passed away Peanut is the only turkey in the barn. My friend (the one where I get most of my new creatures) had just gotten a pair of turkeys that weren't really working out. Peanut has been looking around for Babyface and seemed sad so here they are.



The tom had some sort of crazy name that ended in Dozer, so we are calling him Dozer. The hen is really sweet but nothing about her jumps out as a name. We started thinking of names that go with Dozer and came up with Dreamer. Sometimes they're Dozey and Dreamy.

Cleo really checked them out. I think Dozer was startled to see a bird that was bigger than him. Peanut perked up when she saw them and I think in time they will all bond.