Summer update

Goodness!  It has been awhile.

Well, the coop is just about done.  First we had to rip out that black and white floor.  The self stick tiles did not self stick so well, and between the chickens and the geese, we did not have too many to remove (ha!).  We put in some cheap sheet linoleum from the local do it yourself shop and hopefully that will last us through to next spring.

We went out of town over the 4th and came home to an egg...then another two days later.  We decided it was time to get those nesting boxes in.  So...in addition to the new flooring, the interior got revamped so as to accommodate the laying hens and the guineas.  The Guineas-Gals are in the coop, in the former brooder residence of Samson and Delilah (my sweet African Buff geese).  The geese have moved on over to their own aviary complete with lawn.  Their home is a storage bin filled with hay.  They seem to love it.

With respect to the geese...their first night in their own coop was one of serious stress for them.  I put all their fixins in there and left their storage bin door open thinking they would go in on their own.  Alas, they did not.  When we went down the next morning to check them out, they were literally trying to climb the wire of the aviary to escape.  It broke my heart.  So last night I walked them into their bin, added a water bowl and their food and they snuggled right down.  I closed them in and they were not stressed out at all this morning.  I think that since they were always cooped-in with the chicken from the age of six weeks, they just need that feeling of security.

I guess for those who have not figured it out, I adore my geese.

My chickens are something else too.  Watching the pecking order establish itself between the first four (two Buff Orpington and two Amerecauna), and the latter two (Barred Rock), has been a riot.  It will be interesting to see how the guinea hens integrate.  From what I understand the guineas will eventually rule the roost.

Our garden is in and doing well, minus the destruction wrought by our very own caddy-shack gopher nightmare.  We have tried everything to git rid of this one gopher; hunting, poision, gassing, baiting to shoot, batting to club (getting desperate), garlic, and we can not get rid of this thing.  I told my husband that when we finally do kill it I am going to put it on a stake in the middle of the garden so as to warn all other gophers.  UGH!

The garden meanwhile, boasts organic and heirloom varieties of corn, carrots, onions, peas, pinto beans, tomatoes of various types, potatoes, strawberries, raspberries and blueberries.  This garden is located to the north of the coop.  To the south is my culinary herb garden with varieties of mints, stevia, leeks, cilantro, chives, wild strawberry plants, dill, and others I can't recall at the moment.  This garden is also my little memorial garden with crosses for our lost pets.  The first two are for a pair of chicks that did not make it past two days.  My son was so upset!  So Lilla and Goodie will have crosses placed shortly.  An empty rocking chair represents my gramma who passed away two years ago.  I have a Japanese Maple in there too for some Bonzai grace and beauty.  One of the Aspen trees is also in this garden, and the other is locate in the other garden/yard area.  My hubby has installed sod in my herb garden and boy does it look perty!

We had intended on a small deck along the coop entry, but I just love this part of my yard, so Kev went all out and built me an awesome platform deck.  We are in the process of finishing up some steps down into the yard and then we are done.  Our inside project will wait until the snow flies cause we are pooped out.

Well, here are some pics of the goings on down on the farm. Enjoy!
A video tour is coming soon ;0)

Samson trying out his wings.  Delilah having a snack.

The Guinea-Girls (Balli, Ginny, Esmerelda and Silly)

New floor!  Hungry girls and the guineas in their brooder.

My Frog and his gals.

Showing off the new nesting accommodations.

View down the driveway to my oasis.  The lawn is going in around the windmill.  This is the culinary herb and memorial garden.  Two little crosses to go in for Goodie and Lilla, our two day old chicks that did not make it.  Frog was devastated.  The empty rocker represents my gramma.

The coop and deck.  To the left are the geese home and to the right the chickens.  Affectionately referred to at the Chickmansion and the Goosekau

Samson and Delilah in their new digs.

Garden

Garden view to coop

Checking out her new egg-laying hotel

From our house to theirs! Yay!

The beautiful chickmansion with first residents.  The geese were added today in their kennel, but pics of them will come later.

Checking out the roosting poles.

 First meal in the new house!

Hard to believe this was them a little over six weeks ago.

Love them!

New chicks

I picked up four new chicks to add to our little family of three hens and rooster. 

Unfortunately two of them passed; the first within 6 hours of coming home and the second two days later.  I have no idea why.  I called the store where I purchased them and was told that they were late on arriving by 16 hours and they believed they were stressed and dehydrated.  I tried some vegetable oil, electrolytes, etc, but they were unable to overcome their weakened state.  They were a Polish and Salmon Favorelle, and from what I understand are not the strongest birds in terms of constitution. 

My little boy was devastated.  He made two crosses and named them Goodie and Lilla.  He and his dad will make some wooded crosses to put out at the coop.

The other two appear to be doing alright and Nate has named them Sally and Lily.  These are a Barred Rock and Black Australorp.  I do hope these two little gals make it!

Here are some pics of our growing brood!

Samson and Delilah went for their first swim yesterday.  They were petrified, but eventually Sam got with the program and starting diving and swimming.  Del just squawked alot and paddled around.  It was cute.

The other gals head out to their coop tonight (yay! I get my closet back).  The geese too.  The geese will relocate to the dog crate and the chicken will have the run of the coop.  The two new babies will stay inside the closet, and be joined by the guineas soon!

Chickmansion update

Almost there!  Now if the weather would cooperate with us..;)

Jill a Jack? and the duo of Samson and Delilah

It has come to our attention that our little Jill is likely (99% certain)  a Jack.  The dominate attitude, the fearlessness with which she/he stretches her/his neck up at you and comes toward you and looks you in the eye.  She/he has pointy hackle feathers (I guess that is the term), and a pretty good give-away as females apparently have more rounded feathers (and the other 3 do), and from what I just learned (although not the best indicator) has some little nubs on her legs that could be the beginning of spurs.  Also, his comb is staring to grown in and is bright red.  Check him/her out above. 

I really did not want a roo, but since I seem to have one, I'll just love him too.  He will be a beauty, that is for sure.  Now that this is the seeming situation, I am kinda anxious to hear him learn to crow...should be fun.  What they, the neighbor has a donkey and he goes off at 10-to-6 every morning.  I love it!

AND, yes the chickens are still in my closet.  The weather has been un-cooperative with respect to coop construction, but we are so close.  The aviary structure is built, the inside painted and floored, the chicken-hole door in, and the big door just about it.  The windows are in and nearly trimmed, and my curtains are here! 

It's a Chickmansion peeps!  Would you expect anything less for the girls (well, and one guy)? 

I have four more chicks coming today (I hope), and am excited to learn their personality and temperment traits.  Two Rhode Island Reds and two Barred Rock.  I understand both are gentle and heavy layers.  My Cynthiona (er, Synthiona as my six year old pointed out) and Georgia are such sweeties!  These are my Buff Orpingtons and they just crawl into your lap.  Maggie, the other Easter Egger is skittish, alot like Jill, but all girl.

Now, as for the whole Cythiona/Synthiona thing...my son pointed out that I was spelling her name wrong.  When I said it was with a "C" for Cindy, he said no, it is with an "S" and he should know because he made up the name out of his own brain, cause his brain told him it was with an "S" and so there.  Okay....so Synthiona with an "S" it is.

Speaking of which, Jill is not Jack, but rather Coatey (yes that would be Cody).  Again, named and spelled that way by my son.  He says that since they live in a closet surrounded by coats, it seems only right to name him Coatey.  Aaaah-huh.  Well, whatever, Coatey it is.

As for Samson and Delilah (our African Buff Geese), or Sammy and Del as we tend to call them, they are growing fast and are big!  I moved them from their plastic tub in my tub to just my tub.  Yesterday I discovered that they can just about jump out of the tub and are trying mighty hard to do just that.  So....when the coop is done and the chickens are in, the geese will relocate to the large dog crate and out to the coop too.  This will get the birds all in one place and out of my room, which by the way, stinks like a barn.  I will post some pics of the geese soon.

Just so you know, geese poo alot and they smell really bad.  Holy Moly!  I have to suck in a breath and hold it while I dive in the bathroom and tub to change their bedding (straw), every few hours!  Yeesh!  Can't wait to get them our roaming the yard and airing themselves out.  I do have a baby pool for them and once the weather warms will give them a go at swimming.  I might do it sooner in the other tub if this winter cold keeps up (rain and snow again).

The guineas are about a month out still.  Can't wait for them to arrive, and it will be about time to get the garden in the ground too!  Loving it down on our family farm (a big yard really, but we call it our farm ;o).

Jack would be the red and brown guy to the back right...tail pointed up, eye-balling me and check out those feathers on the neck.

There he/she is.  Can you see that comb coming in red?

Standing tall and proud and giving me the stink-eye.  At least he is not mean, not so far.    And, this really shows off the hackles and the comb color.

Samson and Delilah

Samson and Delilah have arrived!
They hatched at 7am on Monday the 26th and were put on a plane to us that night.  I picked them up at the PO the next afternoon!

They are just adorable!
Samson is the little on in the back and yes I can tell them apart.  He has a bigger gray spot on the top of his noggin.

They are very sweet and know my voice.  When I speak to them they sqwak and try to jump.  And, when I put them on my lap and lean back a bit they climb up to my chest and snuggle in.  I think they like the heartbeat and warmth.

So....for now, the goslings are in a bin in my bathtub, my chickens are still in my closet, my husband in the guestroom or camping out my our son in his bunkbed, and the weather has been non-cooperative for the coop. 

All in all things are par down here on the farm!

Have a great day!

Just about to go to the coop!

Here they are at about 5 weeks I think..judging by their feathering.  The coop is nearing completion and more pics to post shortly.
Here is my little guy Nate with his Cynthiona!

Aren't they cute?!