tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80941008684590324292024-03-05T21:15:48.891-05:00Twelve AcresSnippets of my life upon returning to my childhood home to raise my own family. We live on twelve acres of pure Ohio countryside...heaven on earth.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12534106679136054532noreply@blogger.comBlogger257125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8094100868459032429.post-3378531111555206252009-09-06T18:32:00.006-04:002009-09-06T18:38:01.753-04:00USDA Grade "Tiny"Gingersnap, our 22 week old golden Campine pullet, laid her first egg today. She is our smallest pullet and we think she is the cutest too.Here is her little egg next to a large one that one of the Orpingtons laid. She's our only white egg layer. Derek said he's going to have it for breakfast tomorrow morning. He better fry up a couple extra ones or he'll be hungry within an hour!Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12534106679136054532noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8094100868459032429.post-77803279294231972952009-09-02T21:55:00.005-04:002009-09-02T22:50:04.115-04:00Future Twelve Acres TreesThis is my bounty of locally collected acorns and nuts so far this fall. I am a big squirrel right now, going from location to location collecting nuts from trees as I go. In the basket are Bur Oaks and Black Walnuts. The tray is holding Shagbark Hickories on the left and Ohio buckeyes on the right. The buckeyes are a first for me. I have searched for these and had a hard time finding this Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12534106679136054532noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8094100868459032429.post-75484391758312110972009-09-01T19:13:00.003-04:002009-09-01T19:26:35.832-04:00A Year In EggsIt's official, the year of counting eggs from my 14 layers is finally over! I have completed the chart, at right, so that you can see how things turned out. If you're thinking about getting chickens or are just curious about how many eggs a hen can potentially lay, it will give you an idea of what to expect.My girls averaged 18 eggs per hen, per month which is a 58% lay rate per month. I have 5 Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12534106679136054532noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8094100868459032429.post-69336960321339434592009-08-08T12:31:00.005-04:002009-08-08T18:05:29.872-04:00Duck EggsCan you tell which one is the duck egg? My ducks lay jumbo eggs and I like to use them in cakes. They seem to make cakes more moist. I can't explain why but that's been my experience. Duck eggs are also more nutritious than chicken eggs. For a comparison of nutrients, click here. While we're on the subject of duck eggs, I woke up this morning to see that Macaroni has 10 brand new fuzzy babies Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12534106679136054532noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8094100868459032429.post-7687700205281837982009-07-26T23:57:00.007-04:002009-07-27T00:10:45.465-04:00Some FavoritesMy favorite native American wildflower is the purple coneflower. They are so beautiful and so easy to grow, no garden should be without at least one clump of them. I always grow mine from seed and have never had to buy a single plant. They do really well in Ohio clay and just glow despite the heat and sun of late summer.I only grow the species, Echinacea purpurea, and none of the frou-frou Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12534106679136054532noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8094100868459032429.post-38966912569296154972009-07-17T18:57:00.004-04:002009-07-17T19:04:05.695-04:00Lofty Hope & DreamDerek took his first instructional flight today in a Cessna 172 with Rex Damschroder as his instructor. He'll be 15 in November and his goal is to earn his student pilot's license by his 16th birthday. He can then earn his private pilot's license at 17. Rex reported that Derek has a natural ability and did above average in some of the skills!I didn't get a photo, but there are two DC3s at the Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12534106679136054532noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8094100868459032429.post-78116828826251230912009-06-29T00:15:00.006-04:002009-06-29T00:26:12.838-04:00My How They've Grown! This bright orange lily bloomed today. It's so bright that I can even see it from a distance. My lavender plants are so lush and beautiful right now. I planted a dozen more this year I love them so much. The bees love them too.Macaroni's babies are three weeks old and so fun to watch. I got a video of them eating coon tail in the pond today. Murphy and Macaroni are keeping watch over them, Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12534106679136054532noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8094100868459032429.post-74412866770231545872009-06-25T00:54:00.004-04:002009-06-25T01:04:23.507-04:00Summer Rolls AlongI had my back surgery June 18. Everything went really well. The surgeon removed some arthritic bone from my spine that was putting pressure on my left sciatic nerve. The first few days were rough but I'm feeling better now. I am taking it easy and Jim has been very good (too good) at doing things for me. I nicknamed him Nurse Ratchet. The boys are away on vacations of their own and it's been justAmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12534106679136054532noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8094100868459032429.post-58698232883796282612009-06-16T10:13:00.004-04:002009-06-16T10:40:17.253-04:00Violet's BabiesViolet's babies hatched Sunday. She brought them out to meet everyone today. The little white one is a Silkie, the red one is a Rhode Island Red. The largest black/cream one is an Australorp. The remaining two are Australorp/Barred Rock mixes.There are no more hens sitting on eggs now. I may let a broody hatch some eggs later this fall, but we're done for now. My back surgery is the 18th and I Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12534106679136054532noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8094100868459032429.post-2185154554671635382009-06-09T23:21:00.003-04:002009-06-09T23:45:50.280-04:00Lunch TimeLunch time for the kids while mom rests by the irises. The drakes watch from the water.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12534106679136054532noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8094100868459032429.post-45331979773388969772009-06-08T14:32:00.004-04:002009-06-08T15:05:55.016-04:00Macaroni's BabiesThey were out when I got up this morning. Fourteen little fuzzballs so cute I can hardly stand it. Enjoy! Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12534106679136054532noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8094100868459032429.post-54835595597841793742009-06-07T17:33:00.006-04:002009-06-07T18:55:02.041-04:00Twelve Acres Maternity WardWe've got more babies than you can shake a stick at right now. Ollie's been scratching up a storm all day today showing her babies how to forage. I watched her catch a big worm that was obviously too big for the babies and she ate it herself. The little red chick managed to poke through the fencing then poked right back through! They scoot around like little water bugs. In fact, I'm thinking of Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12534106679136054532noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8094100868459032429.post-17628062665757846032009-06-06T11:55:00.007-04:002009-06-06T12:14:41.780-04:00Greeting the WorldOllie got her babies out to meet the big wide world today. She's being a very protective mother. She's teaching the babies what to eat and I've seen the black one drink.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12534106679136054532noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8094100868459032429.post-34878740465577975842009-06-05T11:49:00.004-04:002009-06-05T12:02:22.032-04:00Ollie's FirstbornWhile we're waiting for Daisy's babies to hatch, here's a video of Ollie and her first chick. Her mama was obviously a barred rock and you can see the telltale spot on top of its head. Are you thinkin' what I'm thinkin'? Girl! I put some feed in the corners of the nest box to make sure the little cutie got some food in her belly.Ollie's got another baby under her too that hatched this morning. Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12534106679136054532noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8094100868459032429.post-77385893987027346872009-06-04T14:48:00.012-04:002009-06-04T15:07:55.464-04:00Ollie Has Babies!I woke up at 6 this morning, very early for this night owl. The first thought on my mind was that I had to check on my hens. I put on my bathrobe and slippers and headed straight to the chicken coop. I let all the hens out to forage then checked on Ollie. I listened for the sound of peeping and I heard it! Faint peeps were coming from under her! I lifted carefully and found a dark chick, just Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12534106679136054532noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8094100868459032429.post-64467272466357527062009-06-03T17:29:00.008-04:002009-06-03T21:44:22.895-04:00Waiting for PeepsI don't know which is worse - waiting nine months for a baby to be born or waiting 28 days for ducklings to hatch. Tomorrow is Daisy's hatch date, Saturday is Ollie's and Macaroni's. I'm on pins and needles waiting, something I'm terrible at doing.I've read that if you listen closely you can hear the chicks peep to their mama's through the egg shells when they're getting ready to hatch. I'm Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12534106679136054532noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8094100868459032429.post-78210646992334873542009-05-29T21:37:00.005-04:002009-05-29T21:55:24.095-04:00Final CountdownPhoto: My chooks last April when they were a day old. Ollie's in there somewhere!In less than one week the first batch of Twelve Acres chicks and ducklings will be either hatched or hatching! I can't think of anything more exciting than the impending arrival of babies. I've been raising animals of one kind or another since I was old enough to hold a puppy (thanks Mom) and nothing beats babies Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12534106679136054532noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8094100868459032429.post-66580086382265278282009-05-26T15:34:00.003-04:002009-05-26T15:42:04.892-04:00Candling Results - Day 12I took this photo of my ducks last July when they were 3 days old. This is what's in store for us!We're almost to the mid-point of egg incubation here at Twelve Acres. I was fortunate to be able to candle Ollie's and Macaroni's eggs today. I had no luck at all getting pictures though. Try as we might, we just couldn't get a decent photo. I'm no pro at egg candling but at this stage of the game Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12534106679136054532noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8094100868459032429.post-6878806021391490162009-05-25T20:19:00.012-04:002009-05-25T21:18:07.782-04:00Violet's SettingThis is Violet* and she's been acting broody for about a week now. She seemed to hem and haw about it at first, which is normal. She developed a 'tude and the characteristic "poofing" that only a broody hen (or a tom turkey) will do. A hen won't get serious about incubating eggs until she's laid a clutch worth her effort. Unfortunately with layers you take the broody's eggs each day when you Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12534106679136054532noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8094100868459032429.post-20660751537539790682009-05-25T01:07:00.002-04:002009-05-25T01:39:34.299-04:00Candled Daisy's EggsLast week while I was out working in the yard I noticed our little Cayuga hen Daisy carrying an egg shell in her bill away from her nest under the front porch. It was obviously one of her eggs and she had broken it and dropped it in the lawn. She then quickly went back to her nest and I didn't see her again until evening when she took her incubation break for the day. While she was off her nest IAmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12534106679136054532noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8094100868459032429.post-23990283231331065022009-05-19T15:17:00.015-04:002009-05-19T15:54:17.822-04:00Pigeon Finds a HomeI love a happy ending. Our wayward pigeon found a home today. I called a local pigeon racer and he came out to take the little gal home. His name is Bob Holman and he calls his pigeon loft "Holman's Homers". He picked up the pigeon and told us it was most likely a juvenile hen. He also noted that she is very strong. He put her in this transportation crate and she quickly settled down and seemed Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12534106679136054532noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8094100868459032429.post-13086829056073421332009-05-16T19:43:00.003-04:002009-05-16T19:55:40.611-04:00Goodies in the MailI have had a busy day taking care of my chickens, ducks and wayward pigeon (at least we think it's a pigeon). During a break between the rain showers I went out to the mailbox. I was pleasantly surprised to find a package from Jess, over at The Beneficial Bee, containing the two lip balms I won in her giveaway last week. It's always nice to find a nice surprise like this in the mail!I received a Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12534106679136054532noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8094100868459032429.post-17632895589094176372009-05-15T16:29:00.009-04:002009-05-15T16:49:28.734-04:00Ollie's Setting!The nice lady who was going to send me 6 eggs for Ollie sent me an email today saying she was reluctant to do so because she thinks her flock had a virus this spring. She didn't want to take the chance of sending it to me and infecting my flock. I was grateful she informed me of this and thanked her for her offer. I told her I would look locally for a flock with fertile eggs. Well as luck would Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12534106679136054532noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8094100868459032429.post-19084730691836893602009-05-14T21:33:00.013-04:002009-05-14T22:02:57.044-04:00Wayward DoveThere must be a sign painted on our roof: "House Full of Suckers - Land Here" We were out in the yard this evening and saw this dove in the lawn. He was wearing a bright orange leg band and was obviously domesticated.He wasn't injured, just seemed to be stopping by for a break. I know nothing about doves so one of you is going to have to help me with identification. I held him for a bit and he Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12534106679136054532noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8094100868459032429.post-43815343297252622582009-05-13T19:12:00.019-04:002009-05-13T19:33:50.381-04:00Ollie's BroodyOllie finally decided to get seriously broody yesterday. So she sat all day in the nest box on...nothing. I felt sorry for her today and put two golf balls under her. She seems happy to have something to fidget and fuss with. I gave them to her at the edge of the nest box and she clucked happily as she tucked them underneath her warm bottom.So in about 21 days I should have a lovely pair of Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12534106679136054532noreply@blogger.com13