Chickens, chickens and more chickens

Last week, Russ received 50 Barred Rock future layers. They are little balls of black fluff. In the last week, they have grown a lot already and seem to be very hardy.

Barred Rock chicks

Also arriving was a bunch of Cornish X's, future meat birds. They are not near as hardy as the other chicks due to being a hybrid bird. They started out in half of the brooder but we found out quickly that they needed to be even warmer than the Barred Rocks. They are currently in the house where the temperature is more to their liking. Even with two heat lamps on them, they just got too cold outside. Being in the house agrees with them as they have doubled in size in just a week!

Cornish X chicks

Russell saw an ad for Rhode Island Red layers and also some of the movable pasture coops. It turned out to be the same couple that we had bought the Americaunas from last summer. So off we went with a flatbed trailer and the chicken carriers. He just loves the new coops! He bought four, they are well made and a bit smaller than the two that he made last year.

The new RIR's are in two if the coops at the farm until he can get a hoop house built for them. They have been laying pretty well for having their life changed in a big way.

"New" pastured poultry coops

Russ is in the coop moving business again! He moves the layers each morning, they learned fast to run to the front of the coop for the daily move.

Here at the "440", the layers are doing good. The Americaunas love to lay in odd places so we are always on the lookout for eggs in the hay now. The layers are joined by the two Silkies during the day. Larry has turned out to be a very handsome rooster and Moe is just as sweet a hen as can be. She is laying cute little eggs too. I would like to try to have her raise some chicks soon.

Two of the Cornish birds did not end up on dinner tables. Peg is a nice little hen that had lost her leg do to an animal attack at the farm. She hops and flies all over. At night she roosts in one if the layer boxes.

Peg, the one legged Cornish hen

Peeps is the little bird that was squished and could not stand when he got abused in the brooder box. I had brought him in the house and put him in a sling. Russ thought I was nuts, but I had to try. After two weeks he was good as new. I put him out with the Silkies and he must think that he is one of them. I have never seen him fly at all. (Silkies can't fly do to their feathers being more like hair.) He has turned into a very handsome rooster and seems to know it!

Peeps, one fine looking Cornish rooster!

All Quiet at the Farm, for Now!

Since the meat birds have all been processed, things are quiet at Sandy Plains Farm.

Russ has the horses there. They have all of the 20 acres and are doing great on grass. We do have my old Arabian mare here at the house. A few weeks ago she was found in the middle of the night a few miles down the road! We have no idea how she got out. So she is enjoying being the queen here at the "440".

Russ has said that it is odd to not move the birds each morning. But he does have the goats to tend to. They are doing good, a bit on the noisy side at times. They are still located in the side yard at the store. They get a lot of attention there too!

Here at the house, the layers are doing pretty good. We have been successful enough with the eggs, that we are adding a flock at the farm.

It is not very quiet at the house though! Russ has also ordered more meat bird chicks as well as some layer chicks. They will spend 3-4 weeks in the brooders and then go down to the farm. Then it will be a daily move again!



New layer chicks! Very loud layer chicks!



After having some semi-successful gardens on the south side of the house, I decided to move it to the north side. The garden will have more light during the day. I plan on putting in some raised beds. Time will tell on that!



We did get 8 blueberry bushes planted this past weekend. They are 3-4 year old bushes so we should have fruit this year. The chickens were very into inspecting the job!



Helping to plant blueberries!

The rabbits are doing good. I have had 2 nice litters this past week and another due next week. I need to get my grow out pens built soon! My goal is to have 10 breeders and I am more than half way there. I plan to have meat for sale at my store and the Mill Spring Farm Store.


Six fat little California babies!





Quiet grazing horses at the farm