Happy New Year's

This is a minor change of pace, but happy New Year's everyone.

Here's to achieving our dreams in the new year (and doing our dreaming with our eyes open.)

Rouen Pekin mix Ducky Pictures

Slightly late putting these up, but I did promise them so here they are.

These are my Pekin/Rouen mix duckies. 

Blow pictured is my baby who didn't finish feathering out yet, with one of the 5 month old ones.  She's about two months younger then the other two ducks in the photo.

Below are taken several months later, everyone is feathered out and starting to look like adults.

 

 

It turned out I hatched out three black and white mixed duckies, two girls and one drake luckily. On my drake he has the green head of the Rouen and looks stunning in the sunlight.  One other one is a mix as well but she just has a cute little band around her neck as if she's wearing a choker. I'm going to keep the drake with his sisters and half sisters and see what interesting color combinations I get in the spring. (And yes this is okay to do, it's called line breeding, only this group will be bred together and there is an unrelated drake in their pen as well.  Their parents are all unrelated as well so genetically there should be no issues.)

Lets Build a Bee Bed (garden) Part 1

So I was thinking about it last night after my other post and I thought maybe it would be a fun and good idea to do a few blog posts about putting in a bee garden.  Some people when they put in flowers for bees put in ones bees don't like or have issues getting food from, I figured why not do a series of posts that go into a nice healthy, happy bee garden.  This will include steps from going to nothing to putting in plants and will include bee friendly plants.  This is also going to be an eatable garden, meaning everything in it will be safe to eat (who knows, some stuff may surprise you.)

Now this bed is going to be as organic as possible.  I'm not going to say 100% organic but it will be as close as possible.

First off lets find a place for your bed.  Walk around your yard and pick a spot that you wouldn't mind digging up and putting in some flowers/herbs.  It can be as close to your house or as far away as possible (just keep in mind it will draw bees so if your allergic away from your house may be a good idea.)  When picking your spot be sure to look up and see what trees are over head.  We're in the fall now so keep in mind come spring if there are trees over head they will make an area that looks sunny now into a shady spot.  For the bed we're putting in now full sun to partial shade is idea.  Pick a spot that gets a few hours of sun a day.  Ideally for this bed your spot should be 5 foot by 5 foot to 8 foot by 8 foot (mine is 8 foot by 10 foot.)

Once you have your spot picked out we're going to start building the bed.  No digging is required right now so don't worry about that.  We're going to use composting to make dirt.  If you have newspapers or old cardboard boxes take them and spread them around on the ground where your bed will be.  You can also use old pizza boxes for this layer.  All of the grass or dirt in your new bed should be covered by paper/card board.  This is important, do not use any paper or cardboard that is coated with the shiny paint or is shiny paper.  This is bad for the soil and the worms that will make their home in your future garden.  Stick to non coated, not shiny materials. 

Once you get this layer down add your garden bed walls.  This can be anything from wood (make sure it's not treated) to bricks, rocks, I use fencing on some of mine because of my birds.  I also use old wood to line the inner wall of my beds and bricks on the outside.  Build your wall to whatever height you want.

Now that the walls are done we're ready to start filling it in with composable materials, chances are you already have a great start to your bed in your house right now.  If you drink tea or coffee start saving your leaves, bags, grounds, and filters.  Worms love all of this and it makes great soil.  Egg shells are also loved in soil, as are left overs from veggies, fruits, sea food.  All of this can be saved in a plastic ice cream bucket and if it's dumped daily it doesn't make any smells.  So what else can be dumped in there since we have so much to fill up before spring?  Well most people know the common things, leaves chopped up, grass clippings, general outdoor mulch.  You can also add things like shavings from rabbits if you clean their pens or other pets like that, mice, birds; do not use cat, dog, or any other carnivore's droppings, they can contain pathogens and since we're going to be snacking on our bed with the bees we don't want that in there.  Okay so what else?  Any kitchen left overs are great for it as long as it's not meat or blood.  You'll hear people disagree on this, but using meat/blood in a compost bed can draw in scavengers such as racoons, skunks, possums or even outdoor cats that may dig up the beds.  Other odd things? People hair, as long as it's not treated, sweepings from the floor as long as you don't use flea powder or pesticides, the same as pet hair not treated, coffee carriers you get from fast food places (as long as their not shiny), news papers ripped up or shredded can be added as well to this layer.  The key will be to have a mixture of stuff in there, so it will break down nicely and provide our herbs with food when we put them in.

A few hints for finding biodegradable matter, if you live near coffee shops you can ask them for their coffee grounds.  I know some people give them a bucket to dump them in and collect them daily.  If you live in a town that collects leaves you can ask the town if you can have some of the chopped up leaves. If you don't get newspapers you can ask your local recycling center for a bundle or two.  And don't forget about asking your friends for their composable stuff!

A minor side note, while doing this don't use herbicide around the bed or on your property.  If you need to kill weeds that can't be killed by pulling or smothering with mulch make a white vinegar and water spray solution and cover the offending weeds with that.  Its safer for the bees.

A few things about Feverfew

I keep seeing Feverfew being listed as a 'miracle herb' on a few sites around for things like headaches and migraines.

Now I will be honest, first off I've never used Feverfew, but there is a reason for this that I'm going to get into and it's the same reason everyone should first do their own research into any herbal supplement they want to take.  I've been researching herbs for several years, so while I'm not all knowing, I do try to keep myself educated about them.  Any time someone mentions something that works for xyz condition I look into everything about it, it's uses, how to grow it, how to harvest it, how to use it, and most importantly it's side effects.

Back to the Feverfew now, Feverfew is great for headaches and migraines.  It works by increasing blood flow by opening blood vessels.  There are other herbs that work well as well, and I'll get into them in a minute.  Like most other herbs Feverfew does have other uses, but mostly it will come up as a headache medication.

Now here's the important part, Feverfew's side effects.  It can cause miscarriages among pregnant women.  It can cause problems if you are trying to conceive as well.  If you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant avoid this herb.

For those who cannot take Feverfew other herbs do work just as well, peppermint taken as a tea can help prevent or relieve pain from migraines, as an added bonus it also helps settle upset stomachs that may result from migraines.  Other mint teas also help, but to a lesser degree (I use mint teas myself personally.)  I've heard catnip teas work as well, but I've never tried them myself.

Also if you are looking into a 'bee garden' avoid using this plant.  Bees hate the smell of the flowers and will avoid the beds at all cost. (In one book I own it actually recommends carrying some Feverfew in your pocket if you want bees to stay away from you.)  On the other hand if you want to plant something that will keep bees away then this is the herb for you.

Tiny Side Post

This really isn't farm related, but it also is.

I set up an ebay account and am selling some farm related goods on it (herbs, jams) and some not farm related stuff.  Next summer the ebay account will be used to sell honey and other yummies.

The link can be found here.

I'll be doing a few gift baskets for the holidays on it as well with jams, jellies, butters, things like that.  If your interested in farm yummies just keep an eye on there, I don't have a set pattern for when I list so it's random.

The Myth of 'Vegetarian Chicken Eggs'

I'm sure almost anyone who's seen them in the store has seen eggs marked as 'vegetarian'.  Now they may be chickens that are fed nothing but veggies, but I doubt it.  More true to what they are is the 'Free-Range Vegetarian' tags on them, or at least the free range part.  Chickens eat meat, naturally, in the wild they do.  The pet chickens people have now a days eat meat still, my own birds have gone after snakes, mice, moles, small things like that they can get to.  This is their choice as they free range and have 8 acres of land to roam on and eat all the grass they like.  Every chicken owner will also agree their birds eat bugs; if they can get outside or if the bugs get in to the coop they'll eat them.

Why do I mention this?  Because if you have a chicken that free ranges you will not stop them from going after bugs, or anything else they find tasty outside.  Chickens can and will chase a bug at top speed across the ground till they catch it or the bug flies where they can't get.  The minute that chicken eats that bug, that baby snake, anything like that it's not a vegetarian anymore, and no amount of talking to with a chicken will convince it not to eat something that's yummy (trust me I've tried.)  So basically, if they free range, they are not vegetarian.

So what then if it just says 'vegetarian'?  You have one very sick group of chickens if they're forced to be vegetarians.  Chickens need protein to grow feathers, lay eggs, and be healthy chickens.  Without a good source they can't do any of that, and if allowed chickens will start plucking one another's feathers and eating them to get protein, they can and will also attack, kill, and eat the weaker members of the flock.  I am serious, this does happen, this is why most egg production chickens in plants have their beaks clipped. (I'm not going to get into how hens are treated in plants, you can google that if you want to.)

Basically you can't have real vegetarian chickens laying eggs, it simply wont happen.  It's a good advertising ploy, but the reality is these eggs are not vegetarian. 

Save yourself the money, get free range eggs.  Or better yet get eggs from your local farmers markets.  Most of the farmers there love their birds, and they probably treat them like pets.  Sure the eggs may not be super pretty super market ones and they probably cost more but I can guarantee you the hens are happier and healthier then the ones that lay the store ones. (And remember what I've mentioned before, the healthier the hen, the healthier the egg.)

Chicken Facts-Egg Color

I've been, as of late coming across a few articles where whoever wrote them clearly didn't research what they were writing about.  I really don't feel like creating an account at each site to comment so I'm simply going to compile the articles here, on this blog, with corrections.

Some time last month I read an article on yahoo news about egg color, if the colors matter, what it means.  In the article I read it stated that brown eggs come from brown chickens, white from white chickens and that was the only difference.  I will agree with the article, there is no nutrition difference between white, brown, chocolate (colored), olive, pink, or green/blue eggs. 

The nutrition in the egg comes from the feed the chicken eats, and how healthy she is.  It's very easy for a consumer to see how healthy their eggs are, when they crack them open what color is the yolk?  Most of your store bought eggs come from hens in cages that get fed a laying feed designed to get them to lay as many eggs as possible, on these you should notice the yolk will be a light yellow color.  On your true free range eggs you'll notice the color of the yolk is orange, a very bright happy shade of orange.  The reason for this is because free range hens are able to eat grass, veggies, bugs, and other yummy things chickens like to eat so they have more nutrients for their eggs, plus they get out in the sun and naturally get more vitamin D.  Healthier hen, brighter colored egg yolks.

Now, as for the egg color, what does that all mean?  While it's true some colored hens do lay certain colored eggs, for example Road Island Reds will lay brown eggs, and White Leghorns will lay white eggs, the chicken's color does not determine the egg color.  Brown Leghorns still lay white eggs, White Rocks and Road Island Whites both lay brown eggs.  What then makes an egg the color it is?  All brown eggs are really white.  If you crack one open you'll notice inside of the shell it's white, not brown.  The reason it appears brown is when hens lay eggs they 'paint' them brown.  If you get a fresh laid brown egg you can sometimes wipe off the brown coloring and see the white egg underneath.  It's kinda cool and I've actually done it a few times cleaning eggs from my hens.  Sometimes, like a printer a brown egg layer will run low on pigment and the brown eggs will turn out speckled, lighter then normal, or half painted.  Nothing is wrong with the egg, the flavor will still be fine she just 'ran out of ink'.

 What about those blue/green/pink eggs then? Those eggs are really that color, if you crack one open you'll see the inside of the shell is the same color as the outside of the shell.  This is due to a genetic trait in that breed of chicken due to selective breeding.  Nothing is wrong with the eggs the hens are just breed to lay them that way.

Incubator Life Hack

For those who like to run incubators to hatch their own chicks, ducks, and the like.  I thought of this while cleaning my incubator to run another batch today, it's a simple one that I'm not sure many people have thought to do.

For those who use regular, not digital thermometers, before you put it in your incubators place it in a ziplock bag (make sure it's clean), once you've run the incubator and hatched your babies simply take the thermometer out of the bag, throw out the bag and you've got a nice clean thermometer you can reload into a bag for the next batch.  It makes cleaning them a lot easier since babies tend to crawl over everything while they dry off.

Good Place For a Nap

On top of my other brothers and sisters that didn't hatch yet of course...

My Rouen and Pekin duckies are finally proud parents to a bunch of peeping babies.  They're a mixed breed mostly though so they should be interesting growing up (I'll be sure to take a lot of pictures of them since I noticed not to many pictures Rouen/Pekin mixes online.)

Spring Time Tease

If my weather is like anyone else's then you know what's going on here, nice warm weather one week then suddenly frost the next.  The frost decided to happen the day the Farmer's Almanac called for the last frost day, and the next few days after.  I didn't start putting in my veggies yet so I didn't loose anything there, though I did put in some flowers for butterflies and bees but those appear fine.  My herbs are by luck still in pots inside, I simply haven't had time to finish the raised beds they will go into.

As for the fruit trees... The frost hit the day after my apple tree's blossomed.  The peaches and crab apple blossoms have already come and gone.  I'm not sure what this will mean for the fall fruit harvest (I need all the apples and peaches I can get for more butters.) I also have noticed a lack of bees with the cold snap.  Before the temps dropped I saw bees everywhere, now I haven't seen them most of this week.

The weather fooled my out door barn cats too I noticed.  Last week we had temperatures in the 80s-90s, and the cats started to shed their winter coats. 

Kind of hoping spring decides to come back so I can finish getting my flowers in, and get the rest of my gardens in before it's to late.

Chicken Math Part 2

So Tractor Supply has their Chick Days now.  I went in last week to get ducks, and two types of chickens.  They didn't have them so I came out with 8 Silver Laced Wyandotte and two pullets of an unknown breed.

Skip ahead to this week, go into Tractor Supply for feed... and came out with the ducks I wanted, one unknown duck, my best guess is Kahaki Campbell but I'll have to see when it gets older.  I also walked out with 5 bantam silkies, and one unknown, it's got the coloration of a silkie, but it has the normal amount of chicken toes so another mystery to see when he gets old.

To add to the fluffy overload, my ducks eggs are due to hatch next week.  I'm not sure how many have ducks in them, I candled and saw a few so with any luck I'll have (more) baby duckies next week.

It's An....Egg?

It was nice and kinda warm today, maybe I good thing I guess.  I walked out to see what my ducks were doing, after noticing they had been quieter then normal (the Pekin love to chat.)  Walking up to their pen with their breakfast they rushed toward me like normal so I thought maybe they had just been enjoying the sunshine.

Nope.

 

Apparently someone laid an egg toward the front of the pen and they were scared of it.  Food of course won over the scarey egg thing.

Now I have this duck egg in my kitchen and I'm not really sure what to do with it.  Hubby did want to try duck eggs, but it's the girls first egg so I dunno.  Eat, bake with, or see if they lay me more and try to hatch them out...such choices.

I love the Spring Time

Sadly it's not even close to spring yet.  Winter did give me a nice break today so I could go outside and look at the herb bed I've been building.  Right now it's just walls and a bunch of leaves, grass clippings and other compostable matter, but come spring it will be a rather large bed with 6 different flowering herbs. (Honestly right now it kinda looks like a mess of stuff.)  Still the weather was nice enough for me to add more stuff to it to break down, and allowed me time to realize how much more work I need to do on it.

Being grounded inside to to ice and cold isn't any fun, but I've been passing the time by herb shopping online both for prices and for uses of herbs.  Thanks to my husband's want of bees I've been learning what herbs they love to and what ones will help them. (For example did you know if you don't want your honey to crystallize you can plant sage and the pollen they will collect from that will help keep honey as a liquid.)

Still spending all day shopping and learning isn't helping to keep my urge to grow plants in check and I found myself starting some catnip in a window box planter.  If nothing else I'll have some healthy catnip for teas for myself till spring, and my hope is I can take the plants I start now and repot them as needed, and eventually move them outside to a new home.  Though I got my first 'new plant' seeds in this week, lavender for a bed, which now has me wanting to try to grow a few seeds of that now too.  I say say new because I already have seeds for Echinacea/Purple Cone Flower and a few others from my own plants.  Oh well, I guess I'll just need to find something else to occupy my time as a way to maybe kill my planting bug.

I assume I'm not the only one out there counting down the days till they can get outside and play in the dirt.