Incubator & hatcher

So...I am waiting. We have several eggs in daryl's new "Hatcher" and tomorrow is hatch day. So far nothing has happened. I am always worried & wondering the day before. And this time the hatcher is brand new so I am just hoping it works out. It looks like all the eggs we put in there were full of chicks. So now we just wait and see!

MARY

My first hatcher

I put together my first hatcher yesterday. Same concept as a incubator. Our incubator is very full and needed room for the eggs to hatch. After we candled the eggs, we put all in there except one that didn't make it.

Daryl

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Free range hens

So this morning we were worried cause 4 of the free range hens were missing. By the afternoon we spotted them all except a young hen that had slept in the tree last night. If you taste like chicken it is not a good idea to sleep in trees, on the ground or anywhere that is not your coop. Sad, but true :( We plan to raise and keep a 2nd flock of Easter Eggers so they will start laying in Spring. I think that they only lay really well for a few years so soon I will need my backup flock. I really need a larger incubator too. I just don't hatch enough at a time. This batch I have now I plan to keep for myself and not post for sale anywhere. It will be fun to raise a new batch of keepers  ;)

MARY

Pigs

The pigs are doing very well. They have gotton pretty friendly. I can pet & scratch their heads and backs now for like 30 seconds before they run off. And they are actually eating corn, veggies and I think (not 100% sure) the pig food! So I am thrilled with the quick progress of them.

We are also getting a 3rd pig. Should get it the 2nd week in November. The guy is actually gonna be driving right by us so I can just meet him off the highway and pick up my piggy! We are getting a unclipped male pig to go with Yum Yum so we can breed pigs later on. The guy is suppose to be sending me pics of the pics and I will just pick the one I want. That is fun! He was a few hours away so this is saving us on gas too, but I was willing to drive to get the 3rd pig! Oh and the pigs name will be Porky. :)

Mary and Swiffer.

Swiffer is a mix between a frizzle and silkie. So he is a sizzle. He is a keeper.

Daryl

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Graceville Auction

Last night we took 7 roosters to the Graceville livestock auction. They were extras that we had. We took polish, frizzles and a black mixed rooster. We learned if you match them up with hens you do much better! Our polish sold for $5.00 each, but the other polish that was there with 2 hens went for $25 each! So all that means is I need to do some more hatching--haha!

MARY

Picky Pigs

So this is not easy, but I am trying to get the pigs to eat the pig food. Daryl had read about wetting it so we are making pig mush with the pig food & corn. Today is day 2 of trying to get them to eat the pig food. They sqush the food around, but not sure if they are eating too much. I do wanta get some good pork from the pigs so I know they need to eat well. Wonder if my pigs will taste ok if I end up feeding them dog food?

MARY

Kits

Sad to report that the kits did not make it. I really tried with many feedings, but they just weren't even trying to take the milk. We even tried to give the kits to the other mama with no luck. At least I feel like we tried.

MARY

PIGS

So they pigs are doing really well. You know... they won't just eat anything. Actually the only things they want are chicken & rib bones, dog food and dog biscuits. They will not eat veggies! No slop either. I saved bags of stuff for them and they sniff it and walk away. Maybe when they get older.

The female pig, Yum Yum, is so friendly! I can pet her nose now! I can hand feed her the dog biscuits too. The boy pig, Bacon, still stands back from me. I bet he will come around though. It is fun to feed them....I do with they'd eat some slop though!

E-lop kits

4 days ago, Tay, our English lop doe gave birth to 8 adorable kits. We were so excited. We have just 3 left now. I am unsure if her milk just didn't come in or she just took no intrest in them. Either way it is just sad. So yesterday I watched a few Youtube videos and decided I was gonna give it a try. I feed them kitten milk a few times a day. It is not easy. They squirm around so much and barely get anything. And now I think it is not going well. They look thinner despite all my feedings. I really gave it my all so if they do not make it I will try and not feel too bad. This was just out 1st litter of E-lop and I was so excited.

MARY

Our baby chicks

Here are three of our baby ee's. We hatched them in our incubator. They are cute and just get prettier.

Daryl

Our 1st farm blog

Hi there! my name is Mary & my husband is Daryl. We own a small family farm in Fountain, Florida. We keep a active facebook account, but we decided a blog would be nice too!

We own a rabbitry, many flocks of chickens & recently brought pigs home! I used to keep a personal blog here years ago and always thought it was pretty fun! So now we will share our farm life...ups & down with anyone interested!

MARY