Lazy Gardener's Little Town Farm

Mini Horses

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Seems you want BEs, right? I suggest you replace the roos with one from a breeder who has BE -- with color & conformation together. It would be a good investment to make if better BE is your goal.

A rooster wouldn't be a major expense -- surely not like a ram, buck or stallion. Since I look at costs of my livestock, I'd spend $20-50 on a rooster and laugh at the price, having spent hundreds & thousands on the larger livestock males for breeding use.

I'd buy another roo and be done. That would improve ALL your future birds that hatch. Remember he's 50% of your entire flock genetics.
 

Lazy Gardener

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While that's a good idea for someone who is interested in breeding pure... That's not my goal at all. Yeah, I like the BE. But, my goal is a flock of birds with good conformity. They will have good carcass size, small comb, non feathered feet, good personality. A plus is that when the chosen roo is bred to barred hen, the resulting chicks will be sex linked. And, I am breeding forward for colorful egg basket. So, while BE is one factor to kick in the right genetics, I don't necessarily want a flock full of BE.
 

baymule

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Do you have enough space to pen hens with a younger rooster so you can see if he is going to be nice like his Daddy?
 

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Not at all interested in doing that. I have a separate coop, use it in the spring and summer months, but it is not predator proof. I get away with using it b/c the entire chicken area is surrounded by electronet.
 

Lazy Gardener

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Garden is a total bust this year. I've been tied up with family matters all summer, so not harvested what has been there, except for a few meals here and there. Got some nice carrots, some small zuccs before the rest got big and woody. A few meals of Fortex beans. The rest will be allowed to mature for next years seed. Plenty of butternut and one lone buttercup, a few pie pumpkins yet to harvest. Last night, I picked about 10 gal of tomatoes that I hope to turn into salsa. (expected frost, but temp did not go that low here, I thank God for that.) Had the best showing of green peppers I've ever seen, but all were on 2 plants! The rest were bushy, but naked. Too much N!!! Still beets and chard to harvest if I can find the time to do so.
 

Mini Horses

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Hope things improve with your needed family assisting. It's tough, especially long distance. I remember what I went through with my mom. It's hard. You must be stressed & it sure changes your own life dramatically. And it will for a long time. :hugs
 

flowerbug

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While that's a good idea for someone who is interested in breeding pure... That's not my goal at all. Yeah, I like the BE. But, my goal is a flock of birds with good conformity. They will have good carcass size, small comb, non feathered feet, good personality. A plus is that when the chosen roo is bred to barred hen, the resulting chicks will be sex linked. And, I am breeding forward for colorful egg basket. So, while BE is one factor to kick in the right genetics, I don't necessarily want a flock full of BE.

i think with many things having diversity is a good idea since you don't always know what diseases or the weather or what will be like.

one reason why i plant a lot of different beans each season. i have the bulk beans that we use quite a few of, and they should mostly be done by now, but then i also have other experimental beans that i plant to see how they will do or if they will finish in time. with this frost happening last night it will put an end to any plants that weren't already finishing so i may have lost or have a damaged crop now of the later beans, but all the early ones i've already picked and shelled most of them. the limas can be eaten as shellies so i can perhaps rescue those today and tomorrow, but we'll see how that goes...
 

baymule

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All you can do is the best you can. Sounds to me that you are putting your priorities in the right place. You aren’t Super Woman and you do need rest for yourself.
 

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