November

It's November already and though we just finished a week long of beautiful weather, the cold northern wind is starting to blow in and I'm spending more time inside. It's been over a month since my last post. A lot has been going on that I really haven't found the time to blog. I'm now working on a chicken farm full-time to help with expenses.

My ex had cut me off support payments without notice. I had to scramble to make rent, selling most all my belongings to do so. But I'm back on track now and I've started legal action against ex. Farm Girl bought her first car.  Isn't it cute?

It's a Suzuki SX4 with a 4x4 option. Perfect for the approaching winter. Though rumour has it it is supposed to be a mild one. Fingers crossed it is.

In the livestock department, we haven't increased in number there yet, but we sold all our chickens after I got the job at the chicken farm as bio-security reasons demand no cross-contamination of birds. But that was okay, as they weren't laying anymore and were just another mouth to feed. Besides, I can get free eggs at work.

Our house was overrun with cluster flys.

The previous tenant hadn't bothered to get the house sprayed. Cluster flies are impossible to keep out of old farmhouses so it's important to get them sprayed every spring and fall. However, according to the exterminator who came and sprayed my house, the fall should be good enough to keep them at bay year round or at least the numbers down. Since I have a good landlord willing to pay for the spraying which can be costly at $300, I'll probably get it sprayed again in the spring.

The pigs are getting fatter. Especially Pork Chop, he's always been the biggest and the one we plan on eating ourselves. I'd estimate he weighs a good 150lbs. Won't be long now.

And I think that's it for now. We had a nice Thanksgiving dinner just the three of us. Was planning on going out since it was just us but in the end, made a turkey so that we could have leftovers for lunches.

Halloween was wet as per usual but that didn't stop the boy from going out of course. He dressed up as Bane from the Dark Knight.

We are still hoping to get some more sheep in before winter, but not sure if that's going to happen. With winter comes heating bills and Christmas. I've secured a snow removal guy to do my laneway so no more worries about trying to find a snow plow for the truck. We decided after I got the job at the chicken farm that we would not accept any horse boarders. We just weren't ready for winter boarding and besides we wanted the space for sheep. So I guess since we've turned away boarders, we'll have to somehow find money to bring in the sheep or the space will go to waste.

Broody

Several weeks back I answered an add for two free broody chicks. I thought it would be easier and cheaper to raise my own chickens in the spring than having to order some from the hatchery. You know you are taking a chance on anything when it is free, but the woman wasn't exaggerating. These hens are broody.  They started brooding nearly the moment they arrived at my farm.

The one in the back more than the one in the foreground. She won't let us anywhere near her eggs. Actually, I'm not sure if the one in the front is broody at all or she's just imitating her friend there and pretending to brood.

I'm not sure if chicks can be hatched this late in the summer, but we'll find out in a couple more weeks.

Some Updates

The kids and I have now been on the farm almost two weeks. The first thing we did was replace our hens.

And if you noticed, yes, that is a rooster. We got him with the girls which turned out to be a good idea as he really soothe their nerves and helped them take the move well.  So well, I had eggs within the first couple of hours they were here.

The area we designated as a the "chicken coop" is only temporary. There is no windows and we all know chickens lay based on the amount of daylight. Though in the past two weeks, I haven't noticed a decrease in egg count. Still, they will eventually be moved downstairs.

The only other livestock we had to move to the new farm were our miniature horses, Pixie and Blossom.

That was interesting. We had sold our trailer after the separation because I thought I'd bale on farming alone. So we had no way of getting the girls to the new farm next to hiring a hauling service which we were quoted a heck of a lot of money for. In the end, we actually put them on the moving truck. It was plenty big enough and had an escape door into the front seats so that we could monitor the horses and provide ventilation.

Yesterday, they went out into their new pasture for the first time. They had been housed in the stalls until they adjusted to the new place. They, of course, had to stretch their legs and familiarize themselves with their borders.

But soon settled in quickly.

So, I guess that's it for now. We have a visitor planned for Sunday, so check back later to see how that went.

Easter Eggs

The egg workers are back on the job.  Yay, maybe I'll have enough eggs to make an angel cake this weekend for Easter.

Farm Fresh

First egg of the year.

And the milk supply is overflowing.

Here's Hoping

Warmer weather is here, days are longer, nights are shorter and my chickens are "thinking" about providing me with eggs once again after a long harsh winter.

Smallest Egg Yet

Off to Slaughter

My fifty meals actually ended up being twenty-eight.  I nearly lost half the amount I started with.  Considering the hatchery probably gave me an extra two, the loss was much, much greater than I anticipated.  Obviously.  Just in the last week, the chicks were beginning to kill each other.  I found five dead bodies inside the chicken tractor and run.  I knew I had to get them slaughtered before I lost any more.  The day before you have to starve the birds.  I was terrified to find a massacre inside the greenhouse where I had locked them up the day before slaughter.  I mean these birds were out for themselves.  I had heard that about buying only male chicks but of course I hadn't heard that until after I had brought them home.  

But anyway, I am pleased to report I only loss one overnight.  Pretty good odds I think.  When I dropped them off at the slaughterhouse, I had to wait my turn before my chicks were put on the hanging hooks that carried them off upside to their death.  I watched a batch before mine go through the assembly line and noticed three things.  Those birds were super quiet and looked as if they were sleeping long before their throats were slit.  Second, they were nearly grey from filth.  And third they were fairly small.  I was worried my chicks hadn't reached full weight and was going to ask the workers at the slaughterhouse if they looked big enough but one glance at the other chickens being slaughtered and I didn't have to.  Mine were nice and big roasters.  

When it was finally my chickens turn I noticed how much of a fight they put up--even after having their throats slit.  Turning to the woman who unloaded them from their crates and transported them to the hanging hooks, I said kind of embarrassed, "They're a bit frisky aren't they.  Sorry about that.  Are most birds like this?"

She shook her head and said, "These birds are happy birds...you must have pasture raised them."

One of the differences I wanted to make in my way of farming was that I wanted these animals who would one day provide me and my family with food, a respectful and happy life when alive.  So as they went off to slaughter kicking, screeching and biting I know that's because they had not lived a comatose life, numb to sunshine, grass, worms and bugs and all the other things that make chickens happy.  They lived happy and contented little lives, while albeit short was good while it lasted. 

Today

We woke to find the turtle had company once again in the empty pond.

At first we thought it was a groundhog, but it's rat tail gave this muskrat away.

The Bambino heard about the plight of the bumblebees so we went around the property looking for bees.  We had no problems finding any.

The meat chicks still live.

The man spraying my neighbour's corn fields, did the courteous thing and came over to worn me he would be flying over the horses and didn't want to spook them.  I assured him they would be fine and I was right!!

Even the mini's did fantastic, including young Blossom who followed the example of the older horses and learned the helicopter was nothing to fear.

The sheep, however, were another matter.  They spook at everything, so indoors they went.  Which gave me the chance to use our new-to-us hay feeder out.

Back at the pond, Sydney and Jewel are obsessed at the new pond occupants.

And I have a new favourite love.

But don't worry, Aussie, mommy still loves you best.

Disposing of Weeds, Country Style

With the onslaught of mosquitoes and flies lately, I thought I would help combat the problem with cleaning up the overwhelming and overgrown bushes and weeds around the property.

When living in town, this would have caused me anxieties trying to figure out how to dispose of all those weeds and bushes with little cost to me.  Out here in the country, I don't have that problem.  Next to my compost bin, I have my very own recycling team.  The goats will happily eat any overgrown bushes I cut down.

An the chickens love when I dump a bucket of weeds over the fence.

What do you do with your weeds and brush?

Linking to The Prairie Homestead

Ever Seen a Chicken Lay an Egg?

I was in the coop collecting eggs and happened upon one of the hens about to lay an egg.  Luckily, I had my camera in my pocket.

Week 9

Oh those breasts!  At this point, I am starting to notice the development of my chicks breasts.

After all, that is the main reason we bred this type of chicken.

Cornish cross chickens are not only known for their fast growth but also because of the amount of meat on their breasts.

This is bad news for them as it means a shorter lifespan.

But at 9 weeks, my chicks are already outliving many of their cousins.

I'm in no rush to slaughter this fellows until they are nice and big and full of breast meat.

So they get to live on my farm for another week.

At least.

It will really depend on how big those meaty breast get.

Week 8

By this time, I thought our broilers would be ready for slaughter.  I haven't weighed them but am thinking they look too small yet so have decided to hold off for another few weeks.  We love chicken in my family and a small broiler just won't do the trick.

Manure Anyone?

I'm not 100% sure why chickens love manure other than the wonderful worms, bugs, undigested food that can be found within.  It supposedly makes a difference in the way they taste and their level of vitamins and nutrients.  But as I have yet to eat one of my chickens, I can't attest to that.  But unlike so many farms where they use rotational gazing with chickens, they will often rotate along with another livestock such as cattle or pigs.  I have neither.  I do have sheep, but they are on the opposite pasture along with the horses.

Not wanting my chicks to be missing out on any valuable nutrients, I brought them some fresh yummy manure from the mini pasture.

Initially, they came rushing from the cool shade of the coop believing I was tossing them yet another scoop of their favourite grain.

But then they were like, "What the heck?!  This is nothing but sh**!"  And promptly turned their beaks away.

I figured I owned the only chickens on the planet that didn't think fresh manure was the equivalent to a chicken delicacy.  But then I remembered this was their first time ever having a taste of it and should rightfully be wary.  

It took some braves souls (and a swarm of bugs around the manure) to finally lure the chickens into investigating this new food.

I believe the verdict was good.

I'll be definitely adding manure to my chickens diet from now until slaughter.