Frustratedearthmother's Journaling Journey

[frustratedearthmother]

They are call ducks....that's why I had decided NOT to bid on them...Ancona Call Ducks.

But they are really cool looking! We shall see....plus I read that they are harder to hatch cuz they are so little and their beaks are little so it makes it hard for them to pip. We will see.....

 

[NH Homesteader]

Cool! I don't know much about them. Other than people are always selling them for loads of money here lol

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Other than people are always selling them for loads of money here lol

Oh - well heck - maybe I did a good thing, lol!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Grrrrrr - somebody is trying to outbid me on the turkey eggs..... less than an hour left so I'm gonna wait until the last minute and add a couple bucks to my bid. I love this stuff, lol. But, I'm not gonna get crazy about it - if they want 'em much more than me - they can have 'em!

 

[NH Homesteader]

If you don't win them, I can probably find you some. Just let me know

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Oh cool! This particular seller has a lot of listings so this isn't my last chance. However - if I keep getting outbid I might take you up on that offer! Thanks!

 

[sumi]

Wow, Calls are adorable! But they are a bit hard to hatch from what I heard too… I did a quick search on BYC for you and found some tips and info:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/hatching-call-ducks.800584/#post-11562495

 

[Mini Horses]

Like you guys --- not seeing my farm as a real "income" source but, rather a pay for its inhabitants. So selling eggs, piglets, kids, trained milkers, etc. to offset their feed. Yeah, the minis are like all hoses now, money pits. BUT -- I have ample pasture so winter hay is they expense for them. Besides, they are MOSTLY my old breeders and I feel I owe them. Just lost a 34+ y/o mare to old age 2 wks ago. She had a good life. Such is herd dynamics.

AND -- like FEM -- the darned job gets in the way of "need to do" at the farm!! Alas, I have another year or two to get tractor paid off. Then, I can stay home. But doubt I will give up all work --- probably cut back to 2 days Spring/Summer/Fall and 3 or 4 in Winter, which would be primarily food demos at that time. Plus, you don't do so much out there in Winter.

I need to have a week to do "stuff" on the farm and next week I have 10-12 hr days all week! The next week is looking like only 25 hrs, so hope to have at least 2.5 days at home. Better than none but really need about 10!

I'm going to dispatch roos that week...I promised myself! Have a few hens who were never trained to coop, so I want to catch & pen them. Almost have that location completed. Coop there, expanding fence and adding net to prevent flyouts. Need to fix a separate pen for kids, so I can keep does milking. THEN, major cleanout of barn. That is a week in itself, so will not be done for a couple more weeks.

These are just the "immediate" needs. So, why would I even consider turkeys??? Don't "need" them. It's that dream to do it all!!! The eggs are fresh & 20 a dozen, not bad. At 10-18 per poult, if you get 6 to hatch your a winner. I'd rather win a little scratch off with the money. I have 3 hens now setting on "nothing" and they are serious! Maybe I could do my broody pens in a stall and just hatch some of my HUGE numbers of very fertile hen eggs, instead. At least have replacement layers for winter for free. More roos to butcher....even a few to sell at a chicken swap. Many of my flock is reaching their 3rd yr and we know production is reduced then.

Decisions. I just don't want to run incubator and then raise chicks. I want the hens to do! I need to work on that. Just talked myself into that. May buy a few eggs from a local breeder with a type I want to add, also. These girls do not want to break up.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Thanks @sumi! I'm afraid I may have a problem with these.... But, I'll give it my best shot.

I didn't raise my bid on the Midget White eggs. Thought I'd get this duck situation figured out first, lol. I do have a second incubator that I've hatched hundreds of birds in. I may dig it out and see how it performs after a couple years of vacay time. If it holds temp well I just might go ahead and proceed on another auction for the Midget White eggs. I've got some broodies too, that might be an option.

I could do so much better if I'd just make myself SELL some critters, lol. And, I am going to force myself to actually check out my chickens and start culling the non-layers and the extra roosters.

I have had a Faverolle hen penned in the quail pen for a few weeks. I thought she was an egg eater, but she's laying fairly steady and she's not abusing the eggs at all - so I tossed the Faverolle roo in with her. She should be producing pure eggs that I might incubate. Most of my birds are old and I'm running out of layers!!

I'm going to try and take a couple extra days off around Memorial day so maybe I can get some of these things done! I could cut my feed bill tremendously if I'd just get rid of he free-loaders, lol. I've got a couple old does that don't contribute to any income - but they'll live out their days here. As long as they're healthy - they get to stay.

 

[Mini Horses]

I could cut my feed bill tremendously if I'd just get rid of he free-loaders

Me too! MAINLY chickens. Even free range, they need feed much of the year for decent egg production. Even the older ones can made good chopped meat, broth, dog food. Hey, $$ saved is $$ saved!