Long time, no post!

Well, it's been a while since the last post. We have been busy sorting the house out, so not

had much time online.Last week we had a visit from the council planning department saying that they have had a complaint about our chickens. He had a look around, took some photo's and said he'd be in touch, as he needed to seek advice as he had never dealt with something like this before. So we have decided to preempt them and sell off our breeding groups and our Turkeys So far our Turkeys have found a lovely new home and we'll be getting eggs from them every year to hatch. The White Pekins have gone too and someone is picking up the Millefluer and Lavender Pekins on Sunday. We also have a deal in the pipeline for the Yokohama Bantams and Friesian Fowl, so that will leave just the Buff Pekins. We are going to keep the Silkies and our young Serama growers, but for other breeds, we shall be buying eggs in to hatch and raise. We still don't know who complained and why?, we had only been here a week and a half before the man from he council came round. We keep the cockerels in a soundproof shed until at least 9:30 in the morning, there is no noise heard from outside when they are in the shed. I guess some people are just miserable!

We are also going to concentrate of breeding ducks. We have not decided which breeds yet, but we're thinking about 5 or 6 different breeds. We have our Call Ducks. have Runners and East Indies in the incubator and got a young trio of Cayuga's today

Incubator 2 is due to hatch on Monday, I candled the eggs last night and there is 24 looking good.

 

We also have the following birds for sale

6-8 week old Pekins in Lavender, Buff, White, Gold Partridge and Cuckoo

6 week old Legbars

10 week old Lemon Millefluer Sablepoots

POL Buff Pekins

3 Call x Ducks

New website address is up and running

Our website is now set up on it's new url http://www.petersfieldpoultry.co.uk

As you can imagine, I have spent most of the day getting that sorted out, editiing and uploading the website, listing it on other sites and running through everything to make sure there are no mistakes (but I I missed something!).

Not really been out much with the birds today, but have let the White Silkies out to wander the garden today and they seem to be enjoying themselves. I have also had to cull a few young boys today. 4 Pekins in the brooder, 1 Serama and 1 Yokohama Bantam.

Needless to say there will be more coming up in the next week or 2 as the youngsters in the brooder start showing more signs of their sex.

The eggs we've had today are:
1 Turkey
2 Buff Pekin
1 Lavender Pekin
1 Friesian Fowl

Turkey eggs are fertile :)

 I candled the Turkey eggs this morning and all 4 are fertile :).

Also this morning, I made up another pen and separated our White Call Ducks, with the plan on being able to have some pure white eggs to put in the incubator after this lot have hatched.

I finished tidying up the shed today, so apart from putting up some more shelving and making new brooders (when I have the materials), it's all done.

I have some poultry bits that I'm not using anymore now we've cut down on the breeding groups, so I'll be listing them on eBay tonight


As for eggs today, we've had
1 Turkey
2 Lavender Pekin
2 Millelfluer Pekin
1 Friesian Fowl

Incubator 1 candled

 I candled incubator 1 tonight and am very pleased with the results. 12 out of 12 Runner Duck, 5 out of 6 East Indian Duck and 9 out of 10 Call Duck eggs were fertile. One Call Duck egg was cracked too, so now down to 8 Call Ducks. Extremely happy with the Ebay eggs :)

Apart from cleaning drinkers and feeders today, I've done nothing with the birds as We went to a family baptism this afternoon with a bit of Karaoke afterwards....and yes, I did get up and sing (well try to lol).

Eggs have been thin on the ground again with just
1 Turkey
1 Millefluer Pekin
1 Buff Pekin
1 Friesian Fowl

I've not seen a single egg form the ducks for a week, so I think they're probably laying in the pond...I'll have to keep them shut up for longer in the mornings.

Brooder is complete and incubator 2 candling

 I finished making the brooder yesterday and the chicks seem to love it. I was so knackered by the time I finished everything yesterday, I just ended up going straight to bed.

Been another busy day today with sorting out the shed and putting a couple of shelves up in there. Still want to put more shelves up but will do that another time.

I candled the eggs in incubator 2 and have take out 10. 6 of the Millifluer Pekin were clear (probably their first eggs), 2 unmarked and 1 Lavender Pekin were also clear. I Yokohama Bantams was clear and 1 had a blood ring. All the others seem to be doing ok. The Turkey eggs are still to early to tell

I also had a peek at incubator 1 (the ducks eggs) and it's looking promising, I'll candle them properly tomorrow.

New brooder is work in progress

Shed before I started today

I have started work on the new brooder. I started to making a 7 foot long worktop to go in the shed and have made the frame, back and sides for the new brooder, which measures 4 foot by 2.5 foot. This will be the second stage brooder, where I'll put the chicks from 2-3 weeks old and will have raised platforms for feeders and drinkers and some low perches for them to hop on and off. I plan on attaching a first stage brooder next to it. But that will have to wait a while, as I'll need to buy materials for it. This will be followed by breeding cages/off heat brooders underneath.  I also need to think of storage, so will be putting shelving up on the other side and ends of the shed. Other than that, I have cut the grass in the front garden and plan on taking down the horrible blue fence around it tomorrow morning before finishing off the brooder, then tidying up the garden.

Eggs are still a bit thin on the ground but I did have the following today

1 Turkey

2 Lavender Pekin

1 Millifluer Pekin

1 Friesian Fowl

I don't know if the ducks are laying, but I haven't found an egg yet

Shed when I finished today

We're back :)

The move went very smoothly, although very tiring and time consuming. It took us 3 loads of the van to get all our stuff to the new house,  but by Sunday evening, everything was moved and the birds were in temporary pens. We've now managed to get downstairs sorted out but we still have the childrens things to put away and outside needs some work.

The ducks love their new pond, but sadly we did have 2 casualties of the move, both our Mandarin girl and our Lemon Millifluer Sablepoot girl have past away due (we think) to the stress. The other birds all seem to be doing fine and we're getting a few eggs.

I plan on building my new brooders in the shed over the next few days, which will be much better, as they'll be more spacious and tidier than the dog cages and rabbit hutches we have been using.

I do have lots of plans for the garden with all new pens and housing, but this will have to take a back burner for a few weeks whilst we ger the house sorted. The birds seem happy enough in their temporary homes, so there's no panic to get things done.

I did manage to get incubator 2 running on Monday and Incubator 2 on Tuesday
Incubator 1 has the following eggs in it:
12 Runner Duck
5 East Indian Ducks
10 Call Duck

Which are due to hatch on June 11

 Incubator 2 has

11 Yokohama Bantam
3 Friesian Fowl
8 Millifluer Pekin
10 Lavender Pekin
2 Buff Pekin
1 Black Pekin
5 Pekin eggs from our birds when the girls we're kept together on Saturday

These are due to hatch on June 3.

 We also added 4 Turkey eggs to incubator 2 on Tuesday, so they will be due to hatch at the same time as the ducks

A blustery day and a cat burglar!

 My wife and I got woken up at 5 AM this morning by the boys running in the room, both holding feeble bits of wood to tell us that "A cat has broken in and fighting with our 2". So downstairs we trundle, front room is a right tip (wasn't too tidy anyway because of the move) and the kitchen was upside down with the taps running on the sink!. The cat burglar had got in through a window in the pantry that we had left open and had obviously left the same way too. Anyway, we shut up the window and went back to bed, when we got up in the morning to get the kids up for school, Gyspy decided to think that I was the other cat coming down the stairs and started to growl like a tiger!.

It's incredibly windy today, 3 times it has blown the roof of my triple hen house!...In the end I managed to find some bungee cords to hold it down, as there is no point screwing the hinges on it now only to take them off again on Saturday to move it. It's also ripped some of the felt off the shed. Needless to say, I'm not too fussed about not fixing it :)

We've had a bit of a busy day running about getting things today. My B&Q Vouchers came, so I managed to get a new drill and circular saw, which I'll be needing to make the new set up and brooders :). I have also ordered 12 Runner Duck eggs and hope to order 6 East Indian Duck eggs later tonight, so they can all be sent on monday and hopefully have Incubator 1 up and running by Wednesday with these eggs and we'll filll it up with eggs from our Call Ducks.

This may be the last proper post until Wednesday, I don't know what the mobile blogger is like, but I'll try to let you all know what's going on over those few days.

Eggs have been rubbish today, maybe due to the rain and wind??. We've only had:
1 Call Duck
1 Turkey
1 Friesian Fowl
1 Millifluer Pekin

3 days and counting

Only 3 days now until the move and everything is sorted out as much as it can be until Friday. I even had the luxury of having a lay down and read me book this afternoon!

The birds have pretty much been left to themselves again today, although I spent a bit of time out there (mainly trying to catch the 3 young ducks!)

Tomorrow I will be cleaning out the brooders, stocking up on feed and bedding and hopefully (if my vouchers come) getting a new

One of the Buff Pekin hens appears to have gone broody...not the ideal time, but if she's still adamant after the move, I'll put some eggs under her (maybe I'll get her to hatch the Turkey eggs?)

On the egg front today, we've had:
2 Call Duck
1 Turkey (which I went and broke!)
2 Lavender Pekin
1 Buff Pekin
1 Millifluer Pekin
1 Yokohama Bantam
1 Frisian Fowl

I've not counted up the eggs I have at the moment, but I should have enough to set Incubator 2 asap after the move (hopefully Sunday)

Aaaargh!!!!! - No internet for 5 days :O

I'm going to be offline from Friday til Wednesday when they install Sky in our new house, so until then, I'll try to update my blog (no pics) through my phone or see if I can find an unsecured network :).

Have been bust sorting out again today and doing loads of washing (I can be domesticated). I managed to get the growers house down and all dismantled. We're almost there now, just the 2 boys rooms to sort out tomorrow, then will be the last bits on Friday. We have the van from Friday evening, so will load up as much as we can before it gets dark on friday, then hopefully on Saturday morning, there won't be too much lifting before I've woken up properly (has at least 3 cups of coffee lol).

The closer  comes, the more excited I am getting (maybe it's got something to do with me itching to get the incubators back on?). I've got a lot of work ahead of me to make the new pens and houses and duck enclosures. I also want to make a small "breeding" pen for ducks, so I can separate my White Call Ducks and try to hatch some pure white from them. I am also keeping an eye out for eggs now that I'd like shipped out on Monday so I can get the incubator running by Wednesday. I'm looking for some East Indian Ducks, Miniature Silver Appleyards and White Runners, but I am also considering Cayuga's and keeping an eye out for some reasonably priced Carolina's

On the egg front, today we have had:
1 Call Duck
1 Turkey
2 Buff Pekin
2 Lavender Pekin
1 Milliflluer Pekin
1 Friesian Fowl

First 1, then 2, then 1 now 0 ducklings :(

The poor little duckling just seemed to keel over and die today, no idea why as it was looking quite strong and the sticky eyes had cleared up, I guess there must have been infection somewhere :(

The weather has been lovely today and our 4 and 5 week old growers have been out in a run enjoying the weather and grass :)

As usual for this week, we have been busy sorting out and packing for our move on Saturday, most of downstairs is all packed now and ready to go, we just need to tackle the kids bedrooms and the back shed.

I was looking out of the window today and felt quite sad at how depleted the garden looks now that I have got rid of 3/4's of our chickens and taken down 15 runs and houses :(, I've take pics below where you can see before and after. Of course, I am excited about getting stuck in in the new place and having a blank canvas to make all new runs and houses for our birds. Also looking forward to having a nice brick shed that will be perfect for a hatchery and brooder room

Tomorrow, I plan on dismantling the growers house and run. We only have 4 birds in there at the moment, so they will be going into a double hutch for a few days. The house and run (a converted dog kennel and run) is quite bulky, so I think it's a good idea to take it down now rather than rushing around on Saturday morning when we're trying to load up the van.

We've had the following eggs today:
2 Call Duck
1 Turkey
2 Millifluer Pekin
1 Buff Pekin
1 Yokohama Bantam
1 Friesian Fowl

5 days and counting

We're into the final week before we move, so things are  going to be very hectic here. I have finished sorting out the shed, so now everything for the chickens is done and ready to go, except the housing and runs that they are currently in, which will come down on Friday.

This weeks hatch all seem to be doing well, the duckling has a bit of a sticky eye that it's had since hatch, but seems to be coming along nicely. The Turkey poult seems to be thriving and the chicks are well...just chicks :)

We've had the following eggs today:
2 Lavender Pekin
2 Buff Pekin
1 Millifluer Pekin
1 Turkey

Another 10 babies added to the brooder

We woke up this morning to 12 babies in the incubator. There was 1 Yokohama Bantam, the Call Duckling that hatched yesterday and the rest were Pekins. All are now enjoying the warmth and food in the brooder :). There's 6 eggs left in the incubator, but I'm pretty sure they're all DIS. I shall keep it running overnight just to be sure.

Been busy packing today, as it's only a week until we move, so haven't really been out with the birds much today.

The eggs we've had so far today (not checked for about 3 hours)
1 Lavender Pekin
2 Buff Pekin
1 Turkey
 I'm sure the Call Ducks have both laid, but I can't find where they've hidden them and I also think one or two of the Millifluer Pekins have probably laid too.

More duckling drama and xmas dinner hatched

Went to the shed this morning and the bloody broody was off the eggs and the duckling again and the poor thing was dead, so we were down to no Call Ducklings :(. One hatched in the incubator this afternoon, but I'm not going to put her with the broody as I just don't trust her to not let it get chilled.

Incubator 1 has been hatching well already with a Poland, 2 Lavender Pekins, 1 Call Duck, 1 Buff Pekin and our Turkey :). With most of the others either pipped or cheeping away in the shells.

It's been a nice day of no work in the garden today (other than cleaning out the brooders)
On the egg front, we've had
2 Call Duck
1 Turkey
1 Buff Pekin
1 Lavender Pekin
2 Millifluer Pekin
1 Friesian Fowl

We DID have 2 Call Ducklings, now back down to 1 :(

Another Call Duckling hatched last night just before I went to bed, but when I got up this morning, the broody was over the other side of the hutch off the eggs which were stone cold and the duckling was dead too, it couldn't have happened long after hatching as the duckling wasn't fluffed up. So to be on the safe side, I have removed the 3 remaining eggs and put them in the incubator and stuck a couple of Pekin eggs in with the broody in case she misses the eggs. 1 of the eggs has externally pipped and 1 has internally pipped, but I've not seen any movement in that egg for a good few hours. I would suspect the other egg is dead, but I'll keep it in there for now.

I have finished sorting out the garden today, so now there is nothing left to do out there until the day before we move. The Black Pekin's pen has come down and I've taken apart and burned the Lavender Pekins house and have put them in a temporary house. I have just had another big bonfire and burned all the wood I won't be needing. So tomorrow I can help packing things up in doors.

Our Turkey egg has pipped :) and the Polish egg is cheeping away too, no signs from any of the other eggs yet.

Talking of eggs, today we have had
1 Call Duck
1 Turkey
1 Buff Pekin
2 Lavender Pekin
1 Friesian Fowl

Still have just the one Call Duckling

We still have just the one Call Duckling, but one is externally pipped and one is internally pipped, so we'll wait and see. The one that has hatched is doing really well :)

I have been extremely busy in the garden today, with the house move confirmed for the 11th, things have to get done. So I have moved the Yokohama Bantams into their temporary home and dismantled there house and run and have also dismantled the houses in the runs for the Black Pekins, but the last girl is going tomorrow, so I will take down the run after that too. I also cleaned out and sorted the brooder shed, so now you can actually find what your looking for in their lol.

The 6 week old ducklings have had another day in the Call Duck pen and been enjoying a swim :). 

Incubator 1 has just gone on lockdown and is due to hatch on Saturday, I had a quick candle of the eggs when I added water and no signs of internal pipping yet. There's only 17 chicken eggs all Pekins except a couple of Yokohama bantams and 1 Polish and 1 Turkey egg.

The eggs we have had so far  today are:
1 Call Duck
1 Turkey
2 Buff Pekin
1 Friesian Fowl
1 Yokohama Bantam.