Canines & Kale

01/06/2021

One of the Cayuga ducks has decided to go broody. I don’t think that she realizes how long it will take to hatch those two golf balls that she’s setting on...

24/05/2021

Just chillin’ together on a hot day

17/05/2021

Starting the day with honeysuckle and not-so-baby quackers ❤️

09/05/2021

Stopped by the feed store and they had “senior” pullet chicks for $0.50 each. And they were basically the same age as the ones I just hatched out. I showed excellent restraint and only bought 6!

08/05/2021

The ducklings are getting big. Kolt is quite pleased with this development

29/04/2021

Taking the little quackers from their nighttime digs to their outdoor pen for the day. I think they’ve almost doubled in size some I got them! Almost big enough to let the dogs move them instead of using the tub.

27/04/2021

The box. It’s squeaking!!!

26/04/2021

We’ve reached the “person, there are weird noises coming from the box” point in the incubation process - squee!!

24/04/2021

Dinner time for ducklings ❤️

23/04/2021

Picked up some cute little baby quackers last night! These little things LOVE the water - so entertaining to watch (for me and the dogs)

22/04/2021

28 degrees outside and Kolt already had a morning swim!

There were geese on his pond that did not belong there. They didn’t listen to his barking on shore, so he had to go out to prove his point. Because rules! They left. He was proud of himself

22/04/2021

The local TSC had older ducklings that need a home. How do you turn that down? 🤷🏼‍♀️

And I’m gonna need another brooder box for the chicks hatching in a few days 😂

15/04/2021

Candled the “chicken seeds” tonight. We’re at 9 days in now and I’m seeing growth in about 80% of them! There are at least 7 unique crosses in the incubator between eggs from my flock and eggs from my niece’s flock. I’m super curious to see what color chicks will hatch and eventually what color eggs they will lay

08/04/2021

When ducks escape.

One of the Cayuga got injured and was getting picked on by the others. So she escaped the pen. But she didn’t belong out of the pen according to the Border Collies. They were right of course. And we corralled and caught her. I didn’t want to put her back with the others so I put her in the feed room and caught the other Cayuga to keep her company. When her sores heal, I’ll try integrating them back with the other.

07/04/2021

When you’re stuck but not quite resigned to your fate.

It was time to head inside so I could start my workday. Figment definitely wasn’t ready. He could have out maneuvered a measly human. Unfortunately, he was no match for the Border Collies.

06/04/2021

The Rooster -

I saw him perched up there today and had to go grab my camera. He is so darn handsome! And he's actually turned into a pretty decent rooster, too.

He leaves us all alone now unless Tess pushes his buttons. I can walk out with the hens without issues (maybe he just knows that Kolt would eat him if he tried anything stupid). He patrols the chicken area nicely and keeps an eye on the hens. He crows, but not too much :D

I'm glad I kept one when the rest went to the freezer!

05/04/2021

I don’t *need* more chickens. But I have fertile eggs and I have an incubator....

I’m super curious as to what color eggs I’m going to get from these crosses! I love having natural rainbow eggs

01/04/2021

To catch a cat.

Figment loves to go outside and pretend he's a fierce hunter. I humor him and let him go out when the dogs and I are out. He explores the barn, climbs through the brush piles and checks out the chickens.

When I head inside, he needs to go, too. He's small and there are coyotes in the area.

Sometimes he runs right up to me. Sometimes he tries to avoid me.

Tonight he tried to avoid me. He's recovered enough that he's now faster than I am. So I called the dogs to help.

Kolt ran up and used his Border Collie brain to artfully block as FIgs moved. I worked to get closer and snag the cat. Then Tess decided to help. Her method? Run right in, pounce on the cat and knock him over. Figment, resigned to his fate and used to Tess's style of interaction, just sat there and twitched his tail while waiting to be picked up.

31/03/2021

Me “I need to figure out what to have for dinner”

Also me “it should probably include eggs”

23/03/2021

Tess and the rooster have a tumultuous relationship. They're constantly sizing each other up and telling the other to get out of their space. It's a bit laughable as both should have it figured out that the other is no big deal. But Tess is a bit of an eager busy body and Roo doesn't want an eager busy body next to his hens. He's also pretty sure that Tess won't eat him.

The other dogs ignore the rooster. And they also have the presence about them that says it all - "I'm not going to pick a fight with you but I will win one" And Roo respects that.

Enter Sunday. I'm outside doing yard work. Dogs are meandering around being dogs. I take a break for a minute and hear Tess in the background barking about SOMETHING. And I ignore. Apparently it's a big deal because Kolt come to get me. He usually just watches me or brings a toy. Not this time. He's nudging me, barking at me and jumping in my lap. So I do the sensible thing and follow him.

Roo has gotten out of the chicken pen and is in a Mexican standoff with Tess. Kolt runs up and wants them to knock it off. He's not interested in intervening (both are being a bit foolish and he knows it), he just wants things back to the normal orderly state. And he needed my help to make it happen.

So I yelled at Tess to knock it off and stay put. And corralled Roo and got him back where he belonged.

Peace and order returned. Kolt was satisfied

22/03/2021

Kale planted, Swiss chard planted, Spinach planted, Bok Choy planted and growing!!

And yes, my seedling trays are in a dog kennel (those things are great for everything!). The plan is to keep it uncovered in good weather and cover it with plastic to create a big of a greenhouse when it’s cooler out.

20/03/2021

Farm work night. Next to the barn was an overgrown mess of brambles, grapevines and sumac. I put the chickens and ducks there to start to clear the brush closest to the ground. They do an amazing job of clearing weeds and working the ground and I love using the electric fence to move the around to different areas. A few weeks ago I started clearing the big stuff bit by bit. Before I started you could hardly walk next to the barn. Tonight I was able to move the fence there. What a lot of work! I’m really pleased with the results. I just wish I had taken a before picture when I first started

05/03/2021

The Barn Cat.

Well, not really. He's happy house cat who likes to pretend that he's tough guy when he gets outside.

I wasn't going to get a cat. I like them, but I'm much more of a dog person. And I have three dogs already. Then a friend found some abandoned kittens, bottle raised them and needed a home for one. I simultaneously started having an issue with mice in my house. And he WAS kinda cute and cats are low key and simple.

Enter Figment. He came in, decided the dogs were okay and that he belonged here.

He explored, wrestled with Tess, and generally took over the house.

And then he ate a mouse, got a weird brain infection and almost died at 5 months old. So much for a simple, low key pet.

But he's on the road to recovery now. It's a bit long and winding, but he's back to being a happy little guy who wrestles with the dogs, gets around pretty well and joins in when the dogs and I head outside.

He thinks he owns the barn now. He'd better be a little careful - the rooster might argue with him on that one...

26/02/2021

Woke up to a perfect frosty morning. So I grabbed the camera did quick round of photos before the work day started.

22/02/2021

An egg color wheel - creative homesteader goal achieved!!

22/02/2021

Today’s discovery -

13/02/2021

Canines and a quacker this morning -

06/02/2021

It’s pretty cold out so the chickens got a warm breakfast. They loved it but the ducks were highly suspicious of this new form of food

30/01/2021

Starting some indoor winter gardening today. If all goes well, I’ll have fresh greens in a week.

All the supplies shown here can be bought at many Dollar Tree stores for only $6! It should be enough to grow 3 batches of greens

27/01/2021

So much s***k for an “old dog” ❤️

24/01/2021

I love the variety of colored eggs that I get from my chickens and ducks!

21/01/2021

My winter garden. It’s not much, but it’s fun to be able to pick fresh Bok Choy in Michigan in January! I had Swiss Chard growing until the middle of December. And my signature Kale was growing until the deer snacked on it...

The plan is to build a cold frame next summer so I can have a decent selection of cold hardy veggies all winter

20/01/2021

Lunch break with the crew -

02/01/2021