EGGS!

Remember those chicks that were hatching back in June? They started laying eggs about 3 weeks ago. Now we are getting about 10-12 eggs a day. At first they were very tiny and then got to be a more respectable size. Occasionally, we get a surprise.

How do you like that egg? It dwarfs the other eggs! I've been waiting to take a picture before cracking it open to see what's inside. Maybe it's a dinosaur!

And do you see that little green egg? We have some hens that lay green ones. Each day is a surprise.

Ah...simple living. ;)

And come March, we will have a few more layers. These chicks hatched just before Halloween. There are 7, but we don't know how many are roosters. These chicks came from our old chickens. We gathered some eggs from those guys and then gave them away (they were only producing 0-3 eggs a day).

Hatching Chicks

I made a promise a while back to share our experience with hatching our own chicks. We found someone selling some fertilized eggs and bought a still-air incubator. We bought 3 dozen eggs, marked them with an "o" on one side and an "x" on the other. They had to be turned 3 times a day. Good thing we go to bed late, so we didn't have to worry about really watching the clock.

One night, half way through the 3 week incubation, the power went out for two hours. We didn't know what that would do to the eggs. We eventually found out.

When day 19 arrived, we stopped turning the eggs. And we kept an eye on those eggs! We saw many of them shaking and knew it would be any day! Ugh. Those eggs kept us waiting; the eggs were late. Apparently, that two hours made a difference. And maybe the temp wasn't quite warm enough, though it was a little difficult to regulate.

Then one morning...FINALLY! We saw a crack and kept a close watch on that little egg. It took all day.

We decided it was ugly in a cute sort of way. We kept it in the incubator until it was dry. Little chicks sure create a huge disturbance to the rest of the eggs while they flop around. So much for not turning the eggs during the last 3 days!

It was a much cuter creature when it was dry. And seemed so lonely all by itself.

Until more of the eggs started to hatch.

All in all, we didn't have much success with hatching eggs. Out of 36 eggs, 8 hatched and 4 survived. We did learn some things though and plan to try again with eggs from our own birds sometime.

We bought a dozen chicks from the mill in town and now have 16 chicks that have fully feathered out. Just two days ago, we moved them from the coop into the yard with a shelter. It's a temporary situation until we can build something a little bigger for them. We're only waiting until they start laying so that we can replace our 2-year-old hens. We figure that won't happen until November.

Additionally, we have two turkey chicks. The first two we had died. That's when we found out that turkey chicks need to be kept warmer than chicken chicks. Some information is more important than other information. The turkeys are still in the coop, but their pen is being prepared. November is also their big deadline. ;)

Cat Flavored?

Winter has begun to creep in. We've been below freezing several nights now. I think the momma cat even took her kittens somewhere warmer. (Don't know where that is, really.) So colder temps mean less bugs.

When I stepped out to dump some cat food out for the cats, Sticky Feet (our free roaming rooster) came running from the garden at the back of the yard. He stepped right up to the food dish, causing our biggest cat to back off.

As a cat, it must be really offensive to have what would naturally be breakfast, end up eating your breakfast!

And I've been wondering...if a chicken eats cat food, does he end up "cat flavored"? I hope it doesn't work that way, because he could also be "grasshopper flavored". A delicacy in some countries, but really very gross.

Recent Requests

Normally, I'm no good for requests. So I don't want any of you to start getting any ideas. I do not play well with others! ;)

But one person requested a picture of the chicken eating with the kittens. Another requested a view of my big belly (you'll be sorry). So I complied this ONE time!

I couldn't actually get a picture of the bird pecking because he's so darned quick! And I didn't catch it when all six kittens were eating, but this picture should be good enough. You can see he's not a big bird. We don't know if it's a bantam or just young. Time will tell...if he doesn't get eaten!


This is me this morning, right after I vacuumed and swept up by the garage door. (Found lots of earwigs in a backpack left on the floor.) No amount of exertion seems to put me into labor. And I was breathing like a marathon runner after I was done with my 10 minute job! I don't normally do side views of pregnancy. It's not pretty. So get an eyeful while you can...then grab some Tylenol for your eye pain. Joseph was wondering what I was doing in his room, staring at the wall.


I had a request of my own this weekend. The tub was beyond ignoring. I needed assistance and enlisted a 9-year-old boy to help. He had lots of fun, but the tub didn't look much better. (Most of that black around the wall is stained into the caulk. Very pretty and very stubborn. Not even bleach can touch it.) I eventually put a towel in there (so I wouldn't slip all around) and grunted and groaned my way around the tub. That didn't start labor either. So frustrating.

And there you go. You'll be careful to make requests in the future!

Little Buckaroo Rodeo 2009

It was rodeo time just recently. Our little town holds a rodeo for kids ages 18 months to 12 years. While all of our kids fit into that category, Joseph did not participate in any events. But the rest of them did!

It started with a parade of all the contestants. The rodeo takes up two nights. They had a little over 300 kids sign up this year. I hear if they get 350, they'll have to hold it over 3 nights. Nathan is the kid in the tan shirt, followed by the girls and trailed by Daniel in the navy blue (in other words, our kids are the one who aren't wearing cowboy hats).

Nathan was first to "compete." He had signed up for the mutton bustin'. The poor kid ended up on the toughest ewe in the circuit. He barely got out of the gate before he had a face full of dirt. She was just as rough on the other kids unlucky enough to be put on her back. But he was a good sport.

Rebekah's event was the stick pony race. She was to run around two barrels with her (borrowed) stick pony and come back. Daniel took her to the gate and then she said she didn't need any more help. She darted out towards the barrels as soon as they said "go" and didn't slow down until she tripped and landed in the dirt. Then she just sat there. Apparently, she was waiting for a rodeo clown to come and help her up. We must get the most from the experience!

Next up was Daniel (notice how the sun has gone down?) He was very excited to ride a calf. He's vowed to never attempt it again. The calf and the ewe must have collaborated before the boys got to them. They both dumped their riders fairly quickly. Daniel flew off sideways and landed on his side, with his arm tucked under. He looked to be a little hunched as he left the arena and I wasn't sure he wouldn't cry. He didn't, but he didn't want to talk about it, either!

Leah was last and the most reluctant to follow through with her event. She had signed up for stick pony goat roping. She made Chad go down with her and I wasn't sure she was going to even participate. Then they said "go" and the competitive side of her took over. She ran out to her goat and threw the rope over its neck before the boy competing with her ever got started. Don't mess with Leah.

All the kids that participated got a couple of tootsie rolls from the rodeo clowns and a little silver belt buckle with the rodeo name and a bronc riding cowboy on it. Sp now we have 4 belt buckles kickin' around the house...but no belts to put them on.

But that isn't all we left with. At the end of the rodeo, they have a Chicken Scramble for kids 5 and younger (no parents, friends, family, etc. are allowed in to help). Rebekah and Leah went in. Rebekah hung around the guy with the camera...as if he's going to protect her from the chickens? Leah ran her little heart out, chasing chicken after chicken. When it came to actually reaching down and really grabbing it, she "chickened out." Fortunately (or is it unfortunately?), someone had more than their limit and Leah happened to be standing nearby. So she got her chicken after all.

You'd think she'd been given a puppy. She and the boys lovingly carried it to the van and held it on the 5 minute ride home. She first named it "Sleepy" but by the time we pulled into the driveway she'd changed it to "Sticky Feet." I know of no other creature with that name.

We already have 12 chickens, but if we put this new bird in with the bigger, older ones, there will be a lot of ruckus. So Sticky Feet lived in a cage on the back deck for almost two weeks before I was able to talk Leah into letting him out and seeing if he could survive the cats and freedom.

He now roams the yard during the day and returns to the cage at night. We lock him up to keep him safe from tom cats. He has started eating cat food, so it's not an uncommon sight to see him surrounded by 6 kittens as he pecks to get his meal. This sure is a crazy place to live.

Envy

I just took 4 bruised and withered apples out to the chickens. As I walked to the coop, all 12 birds came running and met me at the door. The first apple I threw in had all the chickens running after it. I got to do a little chicken bowling with the next 3 apples.

After all 4 apples were in and available, I noticed 11 birds fighting over one apple. The 12th hen was either too smart or just clueless, but she had her own fruit. I looked at the bustle of chickens trying to get to the single apple and thought (for probably the thousandth time), "Dumb birds."

They were all so worried about missing out on what the others had that they didn't even bother with the two apples that were sitting untouched. I know they knew they were there because some of them had pecked at them but eventually couldn't resist the frenzy over the coveted prize.

Then I got a little philosophical. I wonder how many times we can't appreciate our abundance when all we can worry about is what someone else has? I see it so many times in my kids. And I feel it when I walk unexpectedly into a clean house. They didn't know I was coming, so I know they didn't get a chance to clean up first. Why is their house cleaner than mine? (Not a hard thing to do, really.)

I proudly consider myself smarter than a chicken. I hope I act like it.

Ho Hum

I feel like I'm supposed to blog and be witty, entertaining, insightful and purposeful at the same time. I think I'm going to miss on almost all points (except for the blogging part).

Don't think that I've snuck away for a chance to do this. I have all 3 little ones in the room with me. The girls keep asking me, "What does this say?" And I'm sure Joseph is aspiring to be a printer repairman. He just has to have a broken printer first, so that is what he's trying to achieve. Heck, maybe I should let him break it and then I can get a nicer printer to print up my scrapbook pages. Maybe I can hold him off until next year's tax refund comes so that I can actually buy a new printer.

We've got a wet, gloomy day outside today. October was beautiful (despite the freak snow on occasion), but November is slipping into a sort of depression. The least it could do is snow so that things could look cleaner and brighter!

I've recently taken on a task to sew, sew, sew and crochet. I'm trying to make up some things to hopefully make a little money. With Christmas in the air (or at least in the stores), I'm aiming for the gift-buyers. So between dish cloths, pillows (some in high school colors), aprons, and whatever else I can make quickly, I don't have much time for daydreaming. I'm hoping to find a craft fair soon or else I'll come up with some other way to get them out there.

Chad's mom came out on Wednesday afternoon to watch the kids for us while we went to a Stk. temple meeting and session. We hadn't been to the temple together since before Joseph was born. It was nice to get a chance to go back. We really appreciated her willingness to come for the night and the kids had fun with her!

We are currently down to 12 chickens. Both roosters have been butchered and slow cooked on Sunday afternoons. Thank goodness. I was tired of carrying a stick out to the coop to gather eggs. The last rooster was probably tired of my stick! Let this be a lesson for you all: I eat my enemies!

*In response to comment #2: I personally did not butcher the roosters. Chad has decided that warmer weather is better for cleaning out chickens.

One year on the farm

October 29th was our one-year mark for living in the new house. It doesn't seem like it's been that long! We've turned into quite the little farm in that year.

We've finally been enjoying eggs from the chickens. This is the 2nd container full of these beautiful brown babies. We have 12 hens, but average about 4-5 eggs a day so far. We got 6 eggs one day this week. We've already given one dozen away!

Leah learned that if you hit the egg on your forehead, it will crack (the egg, not your forehead). It made her cry. I think she thought she was in trouble. Often times, the chickens will peck at the eggs and crack them anyway. But let that be a lesson to all of you...no hitting your heads with eggs!

We recently got 3 more cows in the corral. I know some of you are shocked and some are just slowing shaking your heads. The cows are part ours and part Chad's business partner. That brings us up to 5 head. (Sounds so farmer-ish, right?) All 3 are steers (males that can no longer be daddies). They are much more vocal than the two we already had. I'm sure the neighbors are glad.

Here's a little picture of the "farm" one year after we moved in. It's already outdated, though. We butchered one of the roosters, so we really on have 13 chickens. We hope to be down to 12 soon, when we get rid of the second rooster. Roosters are pesky things.

The kids have enjoyed playing in the pasture all summer. Here is one last shot before the snows come in and bury all the tall grass under a couple of feet.

And isn't this a beautiful sunset? I'm really glad we live here.

Cock-a-doodle-who?

Remember our chicks we got in May? They're getting pretty big now. I don't have any pictures of ours, but here are some of the same breed. Chad bought 15 females since all we really wanted was eggs...not necessarily chicks. One died and 14 survived.

Two mornings ago I was dreaming one of my regularly incoherent dreams (something about following a brick, winding pathway with some kids through some kind of temple grounds to visit the prophet and seeing a sunbather up ahead - and thinking that is really inappropriate!) when I heard a strange noise. It took a couple or 3 times to realize that I really was hearing it. I stumbled from bed, glanced at the clock (which was just shy of 6 AM) and went to the window.

Each time I heard it I was trying to eliminate what animals might be making the sound. I first suspected the calves and then decided it wasn't them. Maybe the lambs? No. Is it...could it be the chickens? By the time I'd decided it was coming from their pen and now I need to hear it to figure out what they were doing, it stopped! I was thinking...Dumb hens; someone thinks she's a rooster! And a sad sounding rooster at that. It sounded like a wounded and dieing lamb. (I never did get back to sleep.)

So I went out to the chicken coop later that day. No, we didn't have a rooster. Rather, we have 2 roosters! I had been thinking that some of them were growing faster than others, but what once looked like an early bloomer a few weeks ago now looks decidedly like a rooster. Twice.

Apparently, they are just getting old enough to crow. I hope they figure it out soon. A day-break wake up call is bad enough - the dieing lamb sound is pathetic!