Snake Season

Nature's rhythms seem to assure the black snakes will be coming out of hibernation just about the time the farm is full of Spring eggs and baby chicks. This is the second snake we've found and relocated in a week. The first was in a nest box at Hen-a-bago 3, contentedly digesting eggs. I discovered it when I heard the hens raising such a ruckus I had to see what was upsetting them. The snake pictured below was discovered by our livestock guardian dogs as it slithered its way toward a coop full of week-old chicks. Their barking caught our attention and Charlie used his "snake catcher" to hold the snake as we drove it to the woods on the other side of the farm and released it to hunt something other than our next layer flock.

This black rat snake was looking for a meal. We appreciate the rodents these snakes eat but we prefer not to have them eating the eggs or young chicks. So we gave this one a ride to another location on the farm.

More Chicks

A broody hen will sit on any eggs no matter the breed or even the species. This white rock has hatched out some New Hampshire Reds.

Chilly Morning

And Mama Hen is hard at work under the heat lamps giving a little extra boost of warm comfort to the 9-day old chicks.

See the 2 little chick heads sticking out from under the Mama Hen? There is another chick on her back. 

Broody hens and baby chicks

It's the time of year when most hens lay eggs abundantly and a select few "go broody." A broody hen sits on a nest, even one from which the eggs have been removed because that's what her hormones have programmed her to do. We put our broody hens to work by removing them from their flock and placing them on a nest in which we have put about a dozen fertile (we hope) eggs. Three weeks later we have baby chicks and a Mama Hen to teach them how to be a chicken.

Six broody hens all in a row--5 White Plymouth Rock and 1 New Hampshire Red

This Mama Hen hatched out 6 chicks and is now also taking 45 chicks hatched in our incubator under her care. She was broody for us last year also and is very good mama.

Mama Hen 11; Rat Snake 2

Friday morning Charlie let the "Mama" broody hen and the 13 chicks in her care out of the brooderhouse to enjoy the day, the grass and the bugs.  These babies really know how to forage thanks to this attentive Mama's guidance.  When Jan went by the brooderhouse about an hour later she counted only 11 little yellow fuzz balls.  We searched the outside yard area and could find no signs of chicks so we guessed a snake had gotten them.  What we didn't guess was that the snake was so close by.  When Jan went into the brooderhouse to put down some fresh straw she found an unexpected "sunbather" in a corner.

Notice the lumps in this young (but large) rat snake.  Our 2 missing biddies.

Charlie caught the snake with his trusty snake catcher.  

And away we went.  With Jan driving the cart and Charlie holding the snake (who was a little angry!) we took off for the back woods on the farm and released it.  Rat snakes help to keep the rodent population under control for which we are grateful.  We'd prefer they not eat the chicks or the eggs, but sometimes one seizes the opportunity.  It's been a week of snakes.  This is the 6th one we've seen and the 4th to be caught and "relocated."

New Babies!

Some of our White Plymouth Rock pullets went broody so we set eggs under two of them.  Almost all of them hatched!

Can you see 3 little yellow fuzz balls peeking out from under this mama?

Day 2 and they are out of the nest and wandering about.  Mama is clucking at the chicks and puffing up to make herself look formidable in case we get any ideas about bothering the babies.  At night we put them in a large tote with a weighted screen top to protect them from black snakes.  Snakes really like to eat baby chicks and we really like to prevent them from doing so.  There are 13 babies in all.

New Chicks

The power outage from the ice storm stretched into day 5 on Tuesday and we were a bit worried about the 130 baby chicks due to arrive the next morning.  Baby chicks need 95 degree temperatures for the first week and, without power, we had no way to provide it. Fortunately, our electricity was restored late on Tuesday and we were able to plug in the heat lamps and prepare for the chicks.

Our newest flock of layers is a breed called New Hampshire Reds. They hatched on Monday at Meyer Hatchery in Ohio and very soon were packaged for shipment to us via the US Postal System.  Our post office called at 5:30 Wednesday morning to announce the chicks arrival. Jan went to get them while Charlie did the morning chores with the other critters.  The chicks are thirsty when they arrive.  Teaching them to drink is our first task. Quickly they found water without help.

Some felt a little chilly and huddled together under the heat lamps for warmth. Chickens naturally cuddle together in a group effort to keep everyone warm.  It was a cool, rainy and windy day.  

Some were hungry and made use of the feeders filled with organic chick starter from our local feed mill, Reedy Fork Organic Farm. This batch of chicks is alert, active and healthy.  We anticipate them growing quickly and becoming reliable providers of delicious and healthy eggs.

Broody Hens!

Broody hen in a nest box with a baby chick

We had been hoping for months on end for our hens to become broody so that we could hatch more chickens. In the last couple of months we have had success!

Baby chick among the eggs

We started finding chickens in the nest boxes that would not get up off of a clutch of eggs and rather than discouraging their broodiness we encouraged it and designated particular boxes for the broody hens. Once the chicks hatched we moved them into the brooder house.

Minerva Louise with baby chicks

Much to our delight Minerva Louise, one of our "yard chickens," went broody and not only hatched out 5 eggs but also adopted a number of other chicks from a different flock, kept them warm, and tended to them! It was always a delight to see the babies climbing all over Minerva Louise and peeking out from beneath her.

As Minerva Louise protected her brood she was not always so gentle with older chicks in the growing mixed flock in the brooder house. Once her babies were big enough we removed Minerva Louise and now she watches over the young chicks along the outside of the fenced run.

Minerva Louise longingly following the babies

Before and After-- Looking Back at our Animals!

We were looking through our photographs the other day and realizing just how much our animals (or farm staff) have grown over the last season! In this post we share some photos of the "before and after" of the no-longer-babies so you can see how much they have grown! 

GOATS

Baby

Charlie with baby Simon, still at breeder's facility before the kid is old enough to come to the farm.

Adolescent

Getting there, not quite adult yet, but growing larger! 

CHICKENS

Babies, our first run of chicks--a straight run mixed variety of heavy, dual-purpose breeds.

Adolescent Rhode Island Reds and Partridge Rocks

Adult

GUINEAS

Babies aka keets

Adolescent

Getting there, not quite adults, but we are starting to see more of their adult features! 

Unfortunately, we are also seeing fewer guineas as 3 have been taken by predators.  Apparently guineas are especially enjoyed by hungry wild critters such as raccoon and owls who hunt at night when guineas are vulnerable due to their natural desire to roost in trees. We have three surviving guineas who seem to be smart enough to keep themselves alive by sleeping each night in the large hen-a-bago with the Rhode Island Reds and Partridge Rocks. 

Photo, courtesy of Jami Ansell

SOFIE

Our guardian livestock dog

The day she arrived at the farm in June 2011.

Adolescent, she still has some growing up to do! 

Photo, courtesy of Jami Ansell

Photo, courtesy of Jami Ansell

Our first year with our hard-working staff of animals has been both an adventure and a learning experience!