Paradise in Disguise Hobby Farm Blog

Just a quick little post ... (Ha Ha - that was my intention :) I have lots to write about, but also trying to use these unseasonably warm days to finish preparing for winter. Saturday, I cleaned coops in 40 degree weather, even a little sunshine. Yes, the last one I cleaned after dark. But I just turned on their light & used my trusty headlamp to go back & forth when dumping the bin-fulls of litter in the chicken's yard. Only have the roosters' coop left, but so glad to get that done on a beautiful warm day for December! While I was at it, did a little rearranging of some of the young stock. The "big group", aka, the PA/DC coops are still on grower feed, even though there are more pullets laying, plus the adults which are molting. One hen "Pansy" looks like a porcupine right now. But, that's a good thing, I suppose because I that means she'll return to laying faster. I "read somewhere" that good layers molt faster, and they had a d...

Remember that post about Lydia's daughter Matilda & how I'd put two eggs under her that the duck had started to incubate? Well, they never hatched but I set 6 more eggs on Nov 15th. I hadn't counted out when they should be due, but this morning when I checked on Matilda, there was an empty egg shell in front of the nest. Sure enough, a little chick was underneath her. Here are the photos I took tonight: If you look closely, the chick has feathered feet! Since it hatched from a "khaki green" egg, I presume its mother is  one of the Bielefelder "Bob" & Catskill Homesteader  "Susan" pullets ; the father would be one of the Swedish Flower Hen & bantam Millie fleur Cochin crosses. What a little cutie & hardy as one day Matilda didn't return to the right nest & I found her at night on the wrong nest. It was below freezing & all the eggs were cold, but obviously this little chick survived! Last night moved the...