Friday, May 8, 2009

Spring at Jordan's Croft

Good news!

Brownie hatched out 11 little bitsy peepers two days ago. Today she got them out of the nest. My husband ran off with the camera, or I'd have some of the cutest baby duck pictures that you've ever seen.

The problem with a mixed species flock is the ducks and the chickens get into turf wars. The best thing to do for the ducklings is to move them and Mommy to their own space.

Until yesterday the nursery pen was full of 12 Dominaker pullets. I moved the pullets into Chicken World yesterday afternoon. This is actually a heck of a lot trickier than it sounds. The 'pecking order' wars can start, pullets can get cornered and beat up. I was counting on having 12 to chase would keep the casualties to a minimum.

When I moved the pullets, I put them off to one side, blocked from the flock of Sony and the four hens. This would give everyone a day get used to each other. As usual with these brilliant ideas, I got outsmarted. The pullets were loose in Chicken World this morning. Everyone looked pretty happy.

Sony should be in Rooster heaven. These are all females, except for one cockerel who is my backup rooster. Sony will have a harem of 16 hens by the end of summer.

We will be neck deep in eggs come spring.

Did I tell you that I'm funding my retirement by selling eggs?

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