Biodynamic treechange (homesteading)

Blue Eggs Lead To Black Chook

About three weeks ago, you might remember my story about our broody hen and a dozen blue eggs we bought for her (Blue Eggs and ...What?).

Well, say hello to our first little black chook!

An Araucana chick, it looks as though this will be the only member of the clutch, as her 'foster' mum hasn't been that keen to stay on the 'nest' and hatch the remaining eggs. We were warned that this was a possibility, and given that this is our hen's first go at hatching, not really all that surprising - not an ideal outcome but a good experience none the less. And we've still got a way to go yet!

Our next step is to find out how and when to let this one into the main run and mix with the other chooks. Madly posting on a few key chicken and poultry forums for tips and hints.

It would be ideal if we've got a hen here that we can then add a few more Araucana chooks to over the coming summer. We'll keep you informed.

Blue Eggs and ...WHAT??!!

(With apologies to Dr Seuss)

Recently one of our hens has gone broody, and all the others have gone off the lay in support, or maybe because they are worried that she'll steal their eggs, or for whatever reason causes chooks to go broody.

At least the bantams are smart enough to know what's going on and are still laying their eggs.

Previously when this has happened, we've isolated the hen from the rest of the flock for a few days, and then they've come to their senses and gotten back on track. But as Mahatma, our gander now resides in the old duck shed that we've used for that purpose in the past, a new strategy was needed.

We were about to try the practice of dunking her in a big bucket of water, when a good friend suggested using her to raise some fertilised eggs. Having never done this before, that hadn't occurred to us, but makes perfect sense.

So yesterday I headed over to see Morna at Pembrooke Plants and Poultry and collected a dozen eggs.

 

Hmmm ... these are blue. That's different.

Of Geese and Men

Recently one of our neighbours heard that we were looking for some geese here at 'Near River', so their pair were promptly caught and I dropped in to them pick them up. Hey presto, now we have geese.

They are excellent foragers and during spring and summer require little additional supplemental feed. Often used for weed control in crops such as corn, cotton, ornamental plants, strawberries and sugarbeet, as well as in orchards and vineyards, geese will eat weeds without harming certain cultivated crops, however it is not known why geese do not eat certain crops. Another advantage of geese is that they are quick processors, leaving a good quantity of droppings as they move through the planting beds.

Free Rangin' Rhode Island Reds

One of the many delights of having some wide open space where we live is the opportunity it provides to run some poultry flocks, and the fun and wholesome produce that this provides.

The initial flock of ducks that we had for a short while chose to move to other surrounds, but since then, the chickens that we've been running in a couple of locations have been a great success.

In all we currently have 6 birds, and they are providing us with a great quantity of eggs, usually between 3 - 5 each day now that they are laying again. And I mean some of the richest coloured, best tasting, freshest eggs you've every had the joy to eat.

There's is a whole world of poultry out there to explore including a vast multitude of breeds, and egperts, with a range of web-sites and forums available as resources for information. My favourites include Feathersite, Organic Chickens, and the Organic Chickens Yahoo group. Australian publications include Alannah Moore's egcellent book "Backyard Poultry, Naturally", and Jackie French's "The Chook Book" - both are worthwhile obtaining.