The Grille Team - heading for the block

Awwwww.... chickens they start out so sweet don't they??

Then they grow up

The solution this year (apart from deciding not to breed so many next summer) was to sort out the roosters, put them all together in the shadehouse.  Strangely enough, there has been no fighting since we put them in together without any hens around.  Go figure!

So the veggie garden /shadehouse is now our rooster pen.  These guys are destined for the pot.  Sad but true.  The word rotisserie has been tossed around a few times also, as this is hubby's new toy on the fire pit.

When you start out with chickens, they are so cute and I love them. .... but then they grow up and usually half will be roosters.  So in a practical sense, this is our next step in being a little self sufficient.

Hubby did make a little temporary shelter for them, with a roost and all, but it seems that height is preferred. I guess it is cooler at night too. I find it amusing to see them perched on what was previously a grill frame for growing beans.

They are doing a good job in the meantime of clearing out the veggie garden, before it is rotary-hoed and made ready for winter crop of vegetables.

I am planning on concentrating on pekin breeding too, so next seasons crop of chicks will be pure bred pekin bantams, and hopefully more saleable. 

cheers for now 

Wendy 

Shake a Tail Feather

Well it’s been a long time between chicks - they are well and truly hatched.  Fifteen in total – 10 to creamy hen and 5 to little black/brown hen.  Sorry to have kept you all in suspense.

The eggs were all mixed up, so I think each has a mix from all the hens.  They are all going well, so well that they are now nearly getting close to a one month old and have tail feathers!

The funny part  is that hubby made me a temporary divider in the nursery wing.  Little brown/black hen used to be one of my favourites, and I’d often pick her up and carry her around.  However, now she has turned into psycho mama.  

Here she is giving me the eye, planning an attack.

I have to walk through her pen to get to the other one, and I have taken to wearing gum boots and gloves just to attend to food and water for them!  However, she is settling down a bit now that chicks are a bit older.  Just a protective mama I guess.

As indeed I am.  Our son  has almost finished Grade 12.  He had his last full day of school yesterday, and just 3 exams over the next 2 weeks.  Only has to attend school on those days.  Then final chapel assembly  on the 16/11...... then it’s over.  Sigh.  Big sigh.  I was only just getting used to him being in Grade 12 – and now it is over!!

 (Coffee trees in flower again).

The school Formal has been and gone followed a few days later by ....Graduation.  We were involved – but only in a small way.  Nice to see them all glammed up.

It just all goes so fast, that’s the problem!

And these two ... what can I say?  I'm tempted to caption this snap Dumb and Dumber.  However, that would be unkind.

... to Dexter at least.  His label would read I'm a Terrier and Cannot be Trusted near Fast Moving Objects (this includes chickens) and have to be tied up.



Angel however had just walked into Dex's lead where he was tied....... and stopped.  If she could have marched in place. she definitely would.  I leave you with that thought.

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cheers for now
Wendy

**Anne** - yes they are all cute when they’re little aren’t they?!

 

quinn – it all worked out in the end.  I separated the two hens once the chicks  started hatching.  She didn’t seem too upset about missing out.   Next time, I won’t let that situation develop though.

Coal Valley View – I hope you get some chickens one day Mel, I’m sure your kidlets would love them.

veggiegobbler – sorry to have kept you in suspense for so long VG!  A happy result in the end, apart from Psycho Chook!

Don't Count Your Chickens etc. etc. .....

However, there could well be a boost to the number of bantams at our place in the next few days!

 Ten under this girl.

 

and 15 under these two.  Yes two!   In total, the number of eggs being incubated by these three are 25.

 The two sisters have quietly co-existed for the last few weeks.  Getting up at the same time to have a bit of a break - and then racing back to the nest.

Which leads me to wonder - what exactly is going to happen when (potentially) 15 chicks hatch?

They all have to move anyway - at the moment they are sitting on the 'mezzanine' level of the bantam boutique.  I have a large - hopefully fingers crossed - snakeproof enclosure ready to move them into.

This little one should be fine with hers.

What to do however with the two hens/15 chicken situation.

Looking for some help here - 

PLAN A - separate roughly half the chickens and put them into separate cages with each mum

PLAN B - well I don't really think that would work, but Plan B was to let them work it out themselves.  I can only see that ending badly.

PLAN C - I separate them but let them co-exist in a communal type arrangement.

Any thoughts or ideas welcomed.  Preferably in the next couple of days!  I probably should have separated them earlier, but they seemed pretty happy together.

Till next time at bantam central.

cheers Wendy

Maria

Yes fruit fly here too - we have had limited success with those fly trap gadgets, but still won't plant any more after the end of October. 

Fiona from Arbordale Farm 

Yes - totally weird!

Coal Valley View

Strange but true Mel!

They are at the awkard stage .....

Remember those cute little wee chicks?  Hatched in early August?

They are now definitely at the awkard stage.

 

Still want the warmth and security to hop under Mum's wing at night (feel sorry for the 3rd one!)

Trying to be fiercely independent by day

Things to do, places to be, but awkard in their new feathers and growth.

Kind of reminds me of a certain teenager around here at the moment.  However, he's not too keen on hopping under the wing.  More like trying to fly the nest lol!

By the way - believe me - I thought of many captions for this post in line with the first photo -  however I stuck with the safest one!

cheers for now
Wendy

Thanks for the nice comments on coriander.  More in the herb series to come.

veggiegobbler  It might be a bit cool where you are VG? 

Maria  I do that with the nasturtiums too!  Plus throw them into salads sometimes.  No I didn’t see the koala article.  Thanks Maria, I’ll email you. 

Sue Grier  All the herb flowers are pretty at the moment aren’t they?

**Anne**  I agree Anne, it can be a bit strong at times.  I made some pesto and went overboard a bit.  I haven’t grown sage, so I must try it.

librarygirl  no it probably is too cold.  I think a lot of people find coriander a pest, because it does self seed!

Bantam babies!

I am ridiculously pleased to be able to show these photos.

while it may be a case of photo overload.....

our first (totally) home bred bantams hatched on the weekend!

Although Little Banty is a proven foster mother (just click on the bantam link on sidebar).

these are the first ones from the Pekin bantams that she in turn raised.

So thrilled!  Let's just hope we have snake-proofed the pen enough.


The funny part is that the three eggs sat for about 10 days in the egg bowl with the others in the kitchen before I decided to have a go at hatching (gross! said my son - we could have eaten them).


How wonderful is Nature - just had to place them under Little Banty and 21 days later out they popped!

Oh - in case you are wondering why I don't let her raise her own eggs ...... well our Rooster at Stud, Little Dandy  ....... is her brother.  I'm no genius of genetics, but it doesn't seem right somehow.

cheers for now
Wendy

Samantha – I think you are probably right about the rocks, however after years of trying to build our soil up from clay, it’s great just to be growing carrots at all!

librarygirl – thanks for the inspiring recipe!

Sue Grier – I’d be interested to hear about any olive oil soap you make Sue.

Maria – good luck with the vine.  We might try more with the gardening soon too.

Fiona from Arbordale Farm – good point about the carrots.  I think there must be  so much wastage because consumers will only buy perfect produce.

Kirsty @ Bowerbird Blue – it all worked out well in the end.  We should get a bit more diligent with our gardening though I think.

delia hornbook  - thanks Delia!  They are cute carrots aren’t they!?

veggiegobbler – I’m sure you’re carrots will be fine VG – make sure you post photos!

Hen Happenings

Well nothing too exciting to report - not really sure why I haven't posted for a little while.  Anyhoo.... I'm back with a few snaps of what is happening around the hen house at the moment.

The hens have all been very busy, back in full swing with the egg laying.  This is rush hour in the hen house some days.  There is of course, several other options available for more comfortably egg laying.

However, this is the preferred nesting box it seems.  Looks pretty uncomfortable to me!  Does make for a funny photo though.

Little Banty is going well with her latest batch of little chicks.  They are so cute, and about  6 weeks old now.  She has decided they are big enough to nest on the perch at night.  So there they all huddle, as close as they can get to her... and a couple under her wings.

 I'm wondering now how many little hens there are in this batch.  What are the odds I wonder?

This little beauty is the last of the previous surrogate batch of Little Bantys'.   Sadly, she is the only survivor as the other 5 have all died.  They met their Maker in (when I think about it) very surprisingly different and diverse ways.   Strangely, I don't think snakes were involved.

Can anyone tell me -  what do you think she is?  I'm assuming just bantam Pekin, but her colouring is lovely.  Such a lovely little creature too, so friendly.  Laying eggs already too at about 5 months.

I call her Little Dainty :)

(I have just re-read all this and realised how many times I have used the word 'little' with regards to Bantams.  Apologies, but obviously they are little and cute!)

cheers for now - Wendy

My comments from previous post :

Fiona from Arbordale Farm - thanks so much for linking up Fiona.  Your morning walk definitely looks more rural than mine!  Do you see any cars I wonder.

Bruise Mouse  - yes it is lovely - wish I did feel more invigorated than I do some days!  I do appreciate it though.

muppy - nice to have some un-cultivated spots I think too Muppy.

saving for travel - let me know about the snake skin if you are serious! I still have it.
sophie...^5  - yes it is an attempt at civilisation anyhow!  Dexter loves his walks.

Suzanne - please do, would love to see it!

Judith - Dexter well behaved - I think not - he is a terror/terrier!  Photos can be deceiving.

It Just Shows

Obviously I don't get out very much. ..... and that would be even in my own backyard!  Too much computer I think.

 

 

 

I had been admiring other spring blossom photos and forgetting that we had our own!  Tropical peach and tropical plum apparently.  I had forgotten about them because they have never done very well.  Here they are looking spendidly neglected in our back paddock.

In my mind, they had been cast into the vast money pit that we have spent on fruit trees over the years.  Maybe this year is looking promising?

Obviously too, I can still declutter when I put my mind to it!  A mere mornings' effort.  Straight to the charity shop this afternoon.  Decided to get a little reckless because there hasn't been much support for holding a garage sale.

So I'm looking at just giving donations instead of trying to scrabble for a few $$.  Someone will be delighted with a few good finds amongst this lot I think.  Unfortunately though, I often walk out with a purchase after leaving things at the shop!  Who else does this?!

And lastly - necessity is the mother of invention?  Is that how it goes .... anyway this is how Little Banty is keeping her babies warm at the moment.  Off the roost and into the nesting box.  This is an old mower catcher from the dump.  We have a few and they are great and cost $0.  The obviously like it, but not sure how long they will all fit in there.  Maybe they will last till the weather warms up a little.

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Here's my replies to comments on previous post:

Tania @ Out Back - thanks for dropping by again.  I must be off and check out your blog, sorry I haven't done so yet.... and yes we are having lovely weather.  Totally the best time of the year.

saving for travel - it is certainly a great way to get trees in the ground quickly!  Enjoy your holiday - Devon sounds lovely.  Hopefully your cold will go far far away also.

 **Anne** - I agree!  It's a great project and one well worth supporting, but any tree is good!

 Fiona from Arbordale Farm - I'll have to post a photo in a few months.  Hopefully we will get some rain, things are a bit dry now.

muppy - always more trees needed!

Cheers for now - Wendy