Thursday, October 27, 2011

Moulting Chickens....

That's what I assume from the dearth of eggs and the gobs of feathers blowing around on the ground, anyway.  We're only getting 4 or 5 eggs a day from our 14 hens - mostly from the 5 Buff Orpington's. It looks like the Araucana chickens are the ones most off their production. 

It has been rainy and it is getting a bit darker earlier, so that probably has something to do with it.  About half the chickens just hit their first birthday, and the other half are 18 months, so that might have something to do with it.  I will have to start chicks again this Spring. 

Minnie the ewe is looming large and laying around looking like she is approaching imminent labor, but she's got at least 4-5 weeks left.  I think she is just a whiner.  I was pretty much a whiner at the end of each of my pregnancies - especially the one where the baby was 10 lbs 10 oz....boy, was I cranky when that one went over a week overdue!   I sympathize with Minnie.  She was a terrible mother the first time around; she left one of her twins behind several times and my husband had to carry the lamb out to the back of the pasture several times.  She was only a yearling, so we'll have to see how it goes this year before making any decisions.  She looks to be carrying twins again. 

The alternate pouring rain and rather gloomy skies mean the garden is growing slowly - except for the turnips; they are growing gang busters.  I haven't been able to do much out there because of time issues and now this stupid back thing.  I was feeling a lot better last night, but I must of overdone it, because today, I am aching again.  This is getting annoying. 

6 comments:

Chicago Transplant said...

Hi NancyDe,

Thanks for your update. I hope your back feels better soon.

Someday, I hope to find a nice place in Kula where I can have some hens and garden to my heart's content. You and a couple of other homesteaders have piqued my curiosity about raising livestock for meat. I don't think I could manage cattle, but sheep, goats and pigs might be possible. I'll look forward to hearing about the new lambs when they're born.

The days in Chicago are getting very short. We'll be turning our clock back to standard time soon. Then, it'll get dark really early.

I hope you have some nice weather soon so you can spend some time in the garden.

Cheers!

NancyDe said...

Hey CT, I always think when I complain about the "short days" about places on the mainland where it is getting dark very early - early for me is 6 pm, because it means I am coming home in the dark from all the sports runs. Right before Christmas Break, I am leaving in the dark and coming home in the dark, which is rough, but I bet in Chicago, it's even earlier.

The thing about Maui (and Oahu, which is why we moved 15 years ago) is that it is so hard to afford anything. At least on the Big Island, land is still fairly affordable. If I could have a perfect world, I would have my 7.5 acres on the Windward side of Oahu - Waimanalo, Kahaluu, or even better, some outskirt of Kailua! There is no way, though. It would cost millions of dollars. So I am just glad I have actual dirt and not just lava rock like so much of the Big Island and I put up with the 200 inches of rain....

From Beyond My Kitchen Window said...

I hope your egg production picks up. I drive 40 minutes one way to get my farm eggs. There is nothing like them.

NancyDe said...

Well, FBMKW, even what we're getting is enough, but it just makes me mad to feed the birds when they don't produce the eggs - at least I know it is temporary!

Zev said...

The first time our chickens molted, I thought they had some terrible sickness! No eggs, feathers falling out... then one day it dawned on me. Duh. :)

NancyDe said...

Zev, I know what you mean - they sure are ugly when they're moulting! And the egg-lessness is irritating, too.