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Thursday, December 30, 2010

Our Buff Orpington Family!

















We’re doing very well!  And it’s amazing - to us.

Our Buff Orpingtons began laying almost three months ago.  I found the very first egg on November 4th - and they were - barely - 4 months old!



















The progress with shapes and sizes of the eggs we’ve received brings the movie - “ Chitty-Chitty Bang-Bang “ - to mind.

Chugga-lugga-Chugga-lugga-Pooof-Clang-Chugga-Chugga!

But I’m happy to report this past week brought us a smile.  We enjoyed staring at the first filled carton of equally and nice large-size brown eggs that came in grand order!

And - as usual - I forgot to grab the camera before loading them into the egg bin for the fridge.

Our birds are spoiled - according to some of the Internet Surfing I’ve covered.




We’re not able to free-range our birds.  Unfortunately - we have neighbors that insist on letting their dogs roam all over the area - and they cross through our property all the time.

Dwayne built their coop with quality almost fit for human occupancy.  He built a covered yard connected to the coop.  And he built a portable tractor for them to graze on grass all around the property.

He’s now talking about building a very large fenced area surrounding their coop for dividing and maintaining grassy areas to move them about.



















During this winter - we let them out into the fenced garden area - when we get calm days with temps above 45*.

Expecting to be able to do that tomorrow - and I must remember to get video of that.  It’s hilarious!

But when they’re kept in the coop during really cold weather - we keep a radiant heater set at 65* - during the night at all times - during the day if temps drop below 45*.

I always add 1 Tbl. Apple-cider vinegar to 1 gal. water every time I refill their water bowls.  And those are kept clean and full at all times.

If I don’t get out there soon enough after the timer runs out and shuts off the heater - they get really warm water in the mornings - and again for their late afternoon re-fill.

It’s like - having hot tea with the Queen in the afternoon.

Not only do they enjoy it - they’ve come to expect it - with that look in their eyes.

I KNOW you didn’t forget to bring the nice water, Wench.

It’s nice water - not just warm water.

They receive cabbage - yogurt with additional crushed Acidophilus - hot oatmeal with wheat berry - and various other treats.

It keeps them from frothing and attacking like they’re auditioning for some Alfred Hitchcock remake.

No.  I’m lying!  Actually - they do get pissy if they don’t get something.  But when they get a treat - I get eggs!

Everybody seems to be coming along and catching up with each other - now that there’s only 1 Man of the House.

And speaking of -

Finally - I remembered to take the camera out there and shoot some video of him flirting.

Of course - he’s a tad pissy today and not flirting much.  He doesn’t understand the word “ tomorrow “ - and he really doesn’t care.

He just wanted to go outside - right now.

He only understands - “ right now “ - in his language.

That’s the funny part.

I don’t understand his language.

That’s something else he doesn’t understand.

So - here he is!  Meet …. Tom Jones!


4 comments:

Anonymous said...

haha That's too cute! Love your voice, too! :) TFS! What a good way to end my day. Leslie F.

ChileFarmer said...

Your reward of fresh eggs is really nice. So being good to the Lady's they being good to you. Mr. Jones looks mighty happy to. So what you have is a win, win for everybody. I like it. CF

Deb said...

Ohhhh can't wait for spring, so we can get a little more concrete for the brooder house and then some baby chicks!! Gotta get our flock back up better, and then hopefully we will be getting some of those eggs too. :) I'm missing fresh eggs, they haven't been giving us any for far to long since we don't have many chickens left.

Deb said...

Ohhhh can't wait for spring, so we can get a little more concrete for the brooder house and then some baby chicks!! Gotta get our flock back up better, and then hopefully we will be getting some of those eggs too. :) I'm missing fresh eggs, they haven't been giving us any for far to long since we don't have many chickens left.

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Our Buff Orpington Family!

















We’re doing very well!  And it’s amazing - to us.

Our Buff Orpingtons began laying almost three months ago.  I found the very first egg on November 4th - and they were - barely - 4 months old!



















The progress with shapes and sizes of the eggs we’ve received brings the movie - “ Chitty-Chitty Bang-Bang “ - to mind.

Chugga-lugga-Chugga-lugga-Pooof-Clang-Chugga-Chugga!

But I’m happy to report this past week brought us a smile.  We enjoyed staring at the first filled carton of equally and nice large-size brown eggs that came in grand order!

And - as usual - I forgot to grab the camera before loading them into the egg bin for the fridge.

Our birds are spoiled - according to some of the Internet Surfing I’ve covered.




We’re not able to free-range our birds.  Unfortunately - we have neighbors that insist on letting their dogs roam all over the area - and they cross through our property all the time.

Dwayne built their coop with quality almost fit for human occupancy.  He built a covered yard connected to the coop.  And he built a portable tractor for them to graze on grass all around the property.

He’s now talking about building a very large fenced area surrounding their coop for dividing and maintaining grassy areas to move them about.



















During this winter - we let them out into the fenced garden area - when we get calm days with temps above 45*.

Expecting to be able to do that tomorrow - and I must remember to get video of that.  It’s hilarious!

But when they’re kept in the coop during really cold weather - we keep a radiant heater set at 65* - during the night at all times - during the day if temps drop below 45*.

I always add 1 Tbl. Apple-cider vinegar to 1 gal. water every time I refill their water bowls.  And those are kept clean and full at all times.

If I don’t get out there soon enough after the timer runs out and shuts off the heater - they get really warm water in the mornings - and again for their late afternoon re-fill.

It’s like - having hot tea with the Queen in the afternoon.

Not only do they enjoy it - they’ve come to expect it - with that look in their eyes.

I KNOW you didn’t forget to bring the nice water, Wench.

It’s nice water - not just warm water.

They receive cabbage - yogurt with additional crushed Acidophilus - hot oatmeal with wheat berry - and various other treats.

It keeps them from frothing and attacking like they’re auditioning for some Alfred Hitchcock remake.

No.  I’m lying!  Actually - they do get pissy if they don’t get something.  But when they get a treat - I get eggs!

Everybody seems to be coming along and catching up with each other - now that there’s only 1 Man of the House.

And speaking of -

Finally - I remembered to take the camera out there and shoot some video of him flirting.

Of course - he’s a tad pissy today and not flirting much.  He doesn’t understand the word “ tomorrow “ - and he really doesn’t care.

He just wanted to go outside - right now.

He only understands - “ right now “ - in his language.

That’s the funny part.

I don’t understand his language.

That’s something else he doesn’t understand.

So - here he is!  Meet …. Tom Jones!


4 comments:

Anonymous said...

haha That's too cute! Love your voice, too! :) TFS! What a good way to end my day. Leslie F.

ChileFarmer said...

Your reward of fresh eggs is really nice. So being good to the Lady's they being good to you. Mr. Jones looks mighty happy to. So what you have is a win, win for everybody. I like it. CF

Deb said...

Ohhhh can't wait for spring, so we can get a little more concrete for the brooder house and then some baby chicks!! Gotta get our flock back up better, and then hopefully we will be getting some of those eggs too. :) I'm missing fresh eggs, they haven't been giving us any for far to long since we don't have many chickens left.

Deb said...

Ohhhh can't wait for spring, so we can get a little more concrete for the brooder house and then some baby chicks!! Gotta get our flock back up better, and then hopefully we will be getting some of those eggs too. :) I'm missing fresh eggs, they haven't been giving us any for far to long since we don't have many chickens left.