We (well mostly Tom) are building a farm stand to sell our produce. This is a hopeful act since the weather is not cooperating in helping us have produce to sell. We shall see.
In other farm news, we continue the “rent-a-hen” business. Here are hens selected for the next job. Three (a Rhode Island Red, a Welsummer, and a Dominique) were the chosen ones to move to the city for the summer to eat in the garden and make eggs. It is like a vacation for them as they do not have to deal with roosters.
Our peahen hatched a chick, but we think it is a chicken chick rather than a pea chick. The hen then abandoned the eggs, and we found some chicken eggs in her nest. So no peachicks this year, but the chick is cute.
The pack training is not going too well. I bought duffle bags that would be better sized for the goats than the llama panniers. I put wool inside and packed them with weight for the first time. Lil spent the whole time rubbing the bags hard against any object she could find to get the packs off which she finally succeeded in doing. Our beagle decided to join the fun and managed to escape 4 separate times, interrupting the session. And Zeus did well until he decided to rear up and butt Billy. This threw the bags off him into the mud. So I got to carry the muddy bags back myself. I am just about to give up on pack goats.
I did hike our pack llama Walker around the place with the weighted duffle bags, and he did well. So the next trip (today?) I will try to pack Zeus and Walker at the same time. We shall see how that combination works. And tie up the beagle. We did find fresh coyote scat out back on the packing training session so it is probably good that I am bringing the llama on walks out behind our pastures and spreading his smell.
Sounds like you are quite busy. I am hopeful that I’ll be able to open to sell farm produce next spring. Right now I’m making goats milk soap to sell this fall with (hopefully) pumpkins in October. I had a peahen abandon her nest after the first chick hatched, and my aunt finished incubating the rest of the eggs and actually had another one hatch. Good luck with the pack animals!
A little busy, yes. If we were smart we would have tried to incubate the rest, and we would have pulled the chicken eggs out of the nest. Live and learn. Good luck with your soap and pumpkins. Hopefully we will have stuff to sell soon. So far just eggs. The walk yesterday with the llama and goat went OK. It would have been easier with two people.
ADORABLE pea hen picture. It looks like maybe a barred rock chick? Ondra went nuts over the picture. We LOVE chicks here, We have had several unplanned, and some planned chicks this spring.
Jackie
Thanks Jackie. I am glad you both enjoyed the photo. Once I caught the chick on her back but hopped off before I could get the photo. We have Dominique hens but no barred roosters. Probably a mutt chicken. We usually have sneaky hens and unplanned clutches but none so far this year.
Love the peahen picture! So, are you going to an honor-system type of thing with the produce, or will one of you be manning the stand?
Thanks Denise! It will be honor system with a web cam. And vicious guard dogs 😉