New Chickens (Australorp) and other pets

good morning those beautiful souls who come by this way.
This is a time of wonder hear at the uncommon gang. Our home is full of new life. A new hamster for Dash, her name is Heather. She came to him at the pet store. WE believe in life and the wisdom there of. She chose him.
He learns much from her. Today after a week of days she took treat from his hand. He love to tend her and thinks well toward her in consideration to her feelings, wants and needs.

When we returned from our vacation it was put before me to think of an image that makes me think or feel heath. To purchase or cut out an image and place it in the kitchen. Nothing really fit, no wants or desires had I. So I sat still and though of life past. It was then I remembered him. He was fire and mahogany and his name was Rudy. He passed when the children were very small. Just after Dash came home. Dove loved him. He was a canary.
His song filled our home and made me feel fresh and alive every morning.
Yes...a canary.

On creigs list was a cage just new and all the treats toys supplies one could offer. He came with all needs met. $50. He is so beautiful. His song got him kicked out of the other house , me thinks. Now I do not mind the song of a bird. A cover over the cage and a calm spirit makes critters different. He has settled down now. His song rings though out the entire house. I feel so alive hearing it. Now I am an old birder. Some time now I had convinced myself no caged birds for me. Now that I am free and have learned we all have cages of our own sorts I see things differently. This little fellow is happy, longing to sing for someone. Preferably, I think a mate. However my company seams to please him well.


We also now have six more chickens. The other five girls have been laying sense 2007. I figure I best get another flock started. These girls are full size. After some research it was settled in my mind. Australorps five of them and one Laced Wing Wayndott. The folks that had them were very gracious to me. The fellow a real gentleman who raised gentlemen. We threw in the Wayndott so I gave it to Dove to name. The Lady was a real hoot. Her name was Wanda, she was so sweet.

Now my girls are a bit scrappy they are moulting and will soon bill out.
Before they were taken out of the dog kennel I got two eggs! That was within an hour of purchase. A day later seven out of the six birds within the first 30 hours ownership. Real sweet birds. We spent some great while  acclimating them.

Australorp - Standard - Page created by: LauraSBale

Chicken Breed Info: Purpose: Dual Purpose Comb: Single Broodiness: Average Climate Tolerance: All Climates Breed Temperament: Friendly,Easily handled,Calm,Bears confinement well,Quiet,Shy,Docile General Egg Info: Productivity: High Size: Large Color: Brown Breed Colors / Varieties: Black Chicken Breed History: The Australorp Breed was developed in Australia  at the end of the nineteenth century  with Black Orpington stock from England.  The breed also has genes from Rhode Island Red, White Leghorn,  Langshan and Minorca crosses.  The purpose of the breed was as a “utility” chicken for both high egg production and meat.  It was originally known as the Black Utility Orpingtons.  The breed was standardized after World War One  and admitted to the Standard of Perfection in 1929 in England under the fitting name Australorp. By the end of World War Two, Australian poultry breeders  wrote up their own breed standards, which have been accepted worldwide.  Historically, Australorps have been egg-laying champions: an Australorp hen once laid 364 eggs in 365 days.  They are an exceptionally beautiful bird, quite big,  with black glossy feathers  that have a green sheen and huge black soulful eyes. Chicken Breed Comments / Experience: I find Australorps to be very easy going chickens.  They are friendly, quiet and very good egg layers,  laying as many as 300 eggs a year. They do well with other breeds and weather the winter months well.  Two of my girls went broody at the same time and sat in the same nest together, taking turns giving each other a break to eat and drink.  They even sat on other chickens Wyandotte - Standard - Page created by: Me + Peeps Chicken Breed Info: Purpose: Dual Purpose Comb: Rose Broodiness: Frequent Climate Tolerance: All Climates Breed Temperament: Friendly,Easily handled,Calm,Bears confinement well,Quiet,Docile General Egg Info: Productivity: High Size: Large Color: Light Brown Breed Colors / Varieties: silver laced, golden laced, blue laced red, buff, blue, black, white, columbian, red, barred, penciled partridge. Chicken Breed History: Although not much is known about which birds contributed to the wyandotte it is thought that the cochin and the sebright bantam were big contributors. The breed was sometimes known as excelsiors or American Sebrights but were later named Wyandotte after the boat of the father of the original breeder. Chicken Breed Comments / Experience: Wyandottes are very sweet but they do go broody often. They lay well and usually don't fight much. They have a lot of plumage and that makes them look larger than they are. The hen weighs around 6-7lbs. and the male weighs 8-9lbs. They lay medium to large light brown to brown eggs. They make great mothers and roosters have a deep, relatively quiet crow. Rooster Hen Egg Chick Adolescent Color / Variant Thumb Size # Pics Page Creator Silver-laced Standard 1 Renee Silverlaced Standard 1 Bubblesegg Silver Laced Wyandotte Standard 6 Brian21 Silver Laced Standard 2 Carondesign We are loving life!

Rooster Hen Egg Chick Adolescent

 

Two weeks in the life of a homemaker/mother/gardener

 Each morning Dash goes out to the coop and gets his breakfast.

Tomato off the vine the night before.

This is what you call a fresh breakfast

 The joy of mothering and growing a garden flowed well this week.

Dash and I really had a time of it pulling carrots.

He was such good pleasure and keeps speaking of it with the biggest grin on his face.t

 The last week has been full of fung shui as I reinvented the studio.

I love it! By shifting the sewing center north the beading center was able to shift into place.

No longer facing a window that could not even be open is huge.

The mirror and window bring added space.

 It is all a little messy yet but coming along.

 I just LOVE it!

 Facing into the room is wonderful. Now my monitor is in view.

 Outside the hens were vieing for the best spot after the coop was cleaned this morning.

The day of seed gathering was spent in 70* wonderful cloud floating by sky

It was so beautiful

After a three large loads of laundry on the line and time in the garden my soul was more than content.

 Carrot seed for next crop

 Dill seed for harvest and herb for the kitchen.

It is a very spicy dill.

 The best onion to seed for next crop.

 this is Leek

 Broccoli

 Narcissism

Just today as Dash was in his hiding place in the garden.

He had his Mac and cheese under the umbrella of the narcissism and the big leaves of the broccoli.

The chickens came to him and he was sharing his macaroni with them.

It was so dear.

 Radish seed pods were collected to dry.

Pick ten leave some.

The birds love them.

I love the birds, win win.

 radish

 Mothers day was wonderful over at my MILove's.

Steve's brother and his family were there.

Dash had me in class on Monday.

I did a painting demo and painted our dear Rena and spoke of deeper things to the children.

It was so fun. I was pretty wiped out afterward and a very sweet girl saw me and came offering to carry the Travel easel for me. Perfect timing. Saturday's infusion was a bit hard on me.

Dash told Steve that in Social Studies Monday they were talking about the Civil War (Steve and I are history buffs). He said in answer to why the war was fought...the South fought for their "rats...". It went over the teachers head. "dad why did they fight for rats"? Rolling in laughter "son...their rights".

"What are rights dad?"

Telling me this at shower time I could not stop laughing. Even after lying in bed a while so funny!

The South were fighting for thier RATS!!!

Ha!

 Doves grown up some after the three days at camp. 

She is doing so well. A real serious student.

We teach that education is a real gift.

These girls out of 99 kids won both camp awards.

She is a good kid to find peace around. 

Her kindness and humor are really treasured.

 Speaking of gifts the tomato plants are very happy.

Kissed by the bees daily a huge crop to come.

 Tonight I got the biggest compliment and joy from a neighbor.

She works at home and her office faces my front yard.

She called to me tonight just as I was finishing sweeping the front entry.

She told me how my flowers are the first thing that she looks forward too each day.

She opens her window first thing in the morning.

That is just why I planted them. It was my prayer as I dug that soil that in so doing that it might bring a little joy to all those who drive by too and from work.

Working on several things at the beading table. 

This is finished now.

We are happy and well. Hope all of you are as well. It was so nice to see your comments.

Susie, Amrita, Denise, Julie and David. Reighine and e-m0m your too beautiful. Hope that you all know that about yourselves.  I know I am forgetting names at the moment forgive me. Know that your sweetness touched my heart. Thank you for saying hello.

Life...it's all so beautiful.

Hundreds believed sickened by tainted eggs!

A total of 380 million eggs have been recalled since last week because of concerns they may be tainted with the potentially deadly salmonella bacteria, the Egg Safety Center said.

Salmonella, which is generally contracted from contaminated poultry, meat, eggs, or water, impacts the intestinal track.

Symptoms include diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps, which typically begin within 12 to 72 hours, according to the CDC. Vomiting, chills, headache and muscle pains may also occur, according to the Mayo Clinic. These symptoms last about four to seven days, and then go away without specific treatment in healthy people. Antidiarrheal medications may help with cramps, but they may also prolong the diarrhea, the Mayo Clinic said.

To Read More about it click here

So anyone else want to have a few chickens?
Mass production creates mass epidemics. The old agrarian culture has a lot to say for itself. The indulgence of ease can often place us in a dependent position to our own harm. We have 5 chickens was six but lost one. We have had almost 1200 eggs over two years. Do I need to purchase feed? Yes at $14. a bag for a month. They also eat kitchen scrap, fertilize my garden, entertain and educate my children. They are pets that produce. We need no rooster for the girls lay without. The only need for rooster is if chicks are desired. In the city we can not have one. They tend to be ornery things anyhow. Some folks like to eat fertile eggs. Well not I. The eggs are a deep yellow almost orange yoke. Although my little bantam (breed) chickens lay eggs that are only half size they are so nutrient dense it is like eating two eggs. They are filling. The hutch was a bit of an investment. We have a tractor hutch now under a canopy. The girls are not free range due to the hawks. One sat on the hutch one day not 3 feet away on the outside of the widow I was sitting near. Good warning.

So learn more about having your own chickens. Gain some independence . Begin to be more dependable toward your own needs. Who can you trust more? If there is not a way to do this then be sure to get farm eggs if your able. If this is yet not an option take your health into account and perhaps just use a powdered egg product for cooking and baking.

Prissy Passed

Today we returned home from an outing to pick up our car from service only to have Dash running in to cry out loud that prissy was dead. As we all ran to the coop to see...well it was an awful thing. Dove has recently been placed in charge of the animals replacing Dash for this duty by mutual consent.

"Dove did you give the girls water?"
"yes Mom"

A dog bowl was there with water...
Later at bed. Ashureing her that birds can be blind to water if not placed within their container she opend up to truth...

"mom they did not have water, I never gave it them. I don't want to care for the animals anymore"
"I forgive you if truth becomes your way then Prissy would not have given up her life without purpose."

Dash calls to me...
In his covers I tell him of what had happend...
"Mom, I knew she didn't water them"
"That must be a hard thing to know"
"I want my job back"

Dear Prissy My best laying hen rest her soul. To think of all of those birds in a prison of a coop thirsting without water...so much that my sweet girl (Miss Prissy) passed. Oh Lord the pain of my children pale it so. Yet my Prissy has died and all the girls suffered. So Sad.

Raising Chickens

6 hens
Total Egg count to date 1000 !

Starting November 7, 2008 

January 14th  Each of the 6 chickens laid an egg today for the first time!
All hens laying 1-8-2009

Over 900 eegs now have been laid by my hens

Total Egg count to date 920    1-14-10

Starting November 7, 2008
January 14th, 2009 Each of the chickens laid an egg for the first time!
All hens laying 1-8-2009

Outdoor Wednesday

 

 

Today's Harvest
Spaghetti squash just under 4 pounds

Sun tea, yes it is that hot here mid 80's today.

The kids went in and we got them their h1n1 shots.

They have the day off and I have been taking it slow.

The pillow even got to see my sweet cheek, slept until 9 am. that is something for me.

Dove is really well today, bless God in time to make the inoculation appointment in good health.

She really put us such a huge fuss, almost had to call a nurse to help me get her out of the bathroom and the pediatrician's office. You know it was one of the first times I realized she is almost big enough for me not to be able to do anything about it if she refused.

So with the wisdom of lessons learned I gave her the old two choices within my peramiters. Makes her think she has control thus the security is established.

Told her she could come to the room herself or I will have to call a nurse to help me to take her there.

She promptly stopped refusing. I told her I knew she was afraid. Then it dawned on me there was NO reasoning when she is like this and so the old two within came to mind and I went for it.

Meanwhile Dash is across the hall, awaiting his shot, with a bit of grown up and little boy... mom come... look in his sweet little eyes.

Dove is really taking a lot of the efforts at those times and so I just hugged Dove let go and went to Dash. I supported his courage and told him "melted butter" and his little arm relaxed he took a breadth and she did the deed and he was over it.

So Dove was up and fought us...I had to bear hug her standing up and hold her head to one side and kiss on her. The shot was given and then it was like oh! nothing's wrong I'm fine mom.

aaaaa oh o.k. alright.

The nurse and I exchanged smiles and I thanked her. The shot was free and my insurance billed the visit.No co-pay.

Now to get one for me. The doc office said no to adults only kids high risk. Because my kids are high risk I explained to her I think she may want to check again.

Oh another battle , I'll see the doc in the morning for the sot? and for the neuro follow-up.

Please pray

Hay folks we got a sick bird tonight.
She was not standing when I found her.
Looked up any possibilities, that never looks good lol

Kids are pretty distressed.
I cooled her down and gave her water
She was so distressed.
I rubbed her belly after a while when Dove approached she noticed an egg laid.
It was very very soft shelled. Not a good sign. We were delighted however encase it be that she be bound.

We would really hate to see her pass, and as for the flock the idea of contagion is not a pleasant one to say the least. Most of the birds were molting and that may be all it is but....I am concerned over them.
That would be a real hard thing on the family.

Tackle it Tuesday Making Mayo

Good Morning!

One of the things needed for the week is a new jar of mayo.

I have altered this recipe several times.

Now make sure the egg is room temp!
This is a real important thing.
The oil being room temp is important too.
I use olive or non GA genetically altered canola oils.
This is a jar of real quality mayo were making.
Not the store bought stuff.

New lesson today the apple cider vinegar is not so good here.
I did not like the taste.
Putting the egg and the herbs, salt and a little of the oil and vinegar is a real trick here.
It really gives enough to mix well.
Otherwise it just sits under the mixer blades.
The real key here is prayer and holding your tongue just right :)

I use a little onion powder in ours.
It can be altered as you wish.
A little sugar was added to balance it out.
The apple cider caused this.

This is the reference book used.

Many other tasks to do

Camping dishes done this morning need to clear the counter
Dove is now emptying the dishwasher each morning.

This is yet to be finished.
I want to at least add the DE to it.
My hands and back are rather tired to move it today.
Fed the chickens to gather the eggs for the mayo.
The coop needs to be raked and composted.
This little beauty needs to be identified
He has Planted himself out front near the walk.
I must see whether he is a tree or not.

As per a request
I will also be posting some of my jewelery for sale on the Place to Create Blog this afternoon.
For any one who is interested.

So I am off.