Lollypop's Chicks

So after losing a bunch of ready to hatch eggs a couple weeks ago when our breaker got thrown, YESTERDAY storms hit and we lost power JUST as another small batch of chicks were hatching.  What is it with me losing power! Gack! 

Anyway, I left the eggs alone but as time went on the two chicks that managed to hatch were just laying there and the pipped eggs had stopped.  It was clear we were losing them.  So I went outside, picked up my daughter’s BARELY thinking about setting hen, put her in a rabbit hutch and closed the lid.  Ran in the house, scooped up the two chilled chicks and the eggs, ran back and put them ALL under this poor bewildered FIRST time broody – and closed the lid.  This morning I opened the lid and YAY!!!!  Here’s what I found!

  

You Tube Channel

My little YouTube channel

https://www.youtube.com/user/Chickens4Lu  

has been growing. It is seriously tiny, but – it’s growing. We are currently at 7,138 subscribers. Lately it has been growing more than usual. I am guessing for some it may be an escape to a bit of peace, calm, and quietness in the midst of all the daily insanity. I truly don’t know. I do know that every like and comment, every subscription and share – helps. It takes only seconds to do. Really. It grows my channel and it gives me (literally) a few pennies. The pennies add up at the end of the month to maybe a couple bags of feed, or pizza for the family. Last time was a new Silkie for Rebekah. Said all that to say please do consider visiting my channel – and sharing it with others. And for those of you who already do – I see you – I appreciate you taking the time to help. And I thank you SO MUCH. 

https://www.youtube.com/user/Chickens4Lu 

Varmint Attack!

We lost five babies today to a raccoon.  Four chicks and a keet.  Babies were in my safest pen, but because it was warm last night roosted out on the wire instead of their wooden hutch.  This is rat wire.  The opening is about as big as your little finger nail.  Not even a snake can get through.  Still, their toes poke through enough for a racoon to grab hold and PULL.  And pull it did.  Three are missing most of their toes with other injuries. One is missing their entire leg.  One was basically skinned.  All were dead or beyond hope of survival and had to be put down.  I am so sad and absolutely disgusted.  So tired of fighting off these varmints.  They kill my chickens and rabbits, and also pull down and destroy my bird feeders AND my hummingbird feeder.  UGH.  I have caught them numerous times in the act of trying to get into my pens.  Next time - there will not be a next time.  

Helen and her Turkey Lurkies

Helen hatched another clutch of eggs, and this time she hatched - TURKEYS!  She of course took it all in stride and is happily now raising seven baby turkeys.

I will post video updates as they grow.  I plan to let her raise them as long as she cares to.  Right now she can still fluff herself up enough to fit them under her wings. I'm unsure how much longer that will last.

The Runny Babbits

Almost ready to go to their new homes!  

Grumpy Crow vs. Determined Buzzard

I can't believe how this crow WHACKS this buzzard on the back in retaliation.  LOL!  Too funny.  This was in my back yard. 

Baby Lion Head Bunnies

Baby Lion Head Bunnies. 4 1/2 weeks old. <3  Available 31 May.

Just Published My Website

I have finally republished my website.  It is still a work in progress, but at least it is UP.   https://bucabucfarm.godaddysites.com/

Varmints

This is all that is left of three blue Ameraucana hens and a guinea fowl.  This happened sometime last night.  They were drug from their coop, killed, and eaten.  My pens are very secure but I found one small spot that could be an entry/exit point.  It is so small I am fearful this is the work of a weasel.  Weasels are extremely bad as they can get into the smallest space and kill everything.  I have moved the remaining hens and rooster into another coop.  Hopefully we will be able to catch the culprit. :(  Thankfully my sweet BlueBelle was unharmed as well as one of my old lady lavender Ameraucana hens I've had for years.  But losing three barely year old hens (and a guinea) to a predator is a hard pill to swallow. 

On a HAPPIER note:  Helen is setting again!  She doesn't know it yet, but she will be raising TURKEYS! :)

Updates from Buc~A~Buc

Well, here we are in MAY.  The virus is still ... the virus.  But here at Buc~A~Buc life goes on in our little spec of the world.

Update on my Buff Orpington.  Unfortunately, the latest eggs once again turned out NOT fertile.  I have all but given up getting a fertile egg from my rooster.  It is a pity as he is a very pretty boy and a wonderful example of the breed standard.  But - if he is not fertile, he is of no use, no matter how perfectly pretty he is. He developed an abscess over a year ago, and this appears to be when his fertility tanked.  SO, this past weekend, after a long search, I found another rooster.  He belonged to an elderly fellow who sure was proud of him.  I did not have the heart to disagree.  I bought him and brought him home.  Unfortunately, he is not something I want to use for my breeding program.  He IS pretty, but not a good (enough) representation of the breed.  So.  The search continues.  In the mean time I am using him simply for chicks to be sold as layers and not for breeding.

In happier news I just hatched a pile of Blue/Black/Splash, White, and Lavender Ameraucana chicks,  Guinea keets, and a handful of Heritage Bronze turkey poults.  All the keets and poults are spoken for.  I still have over a dozen blue and black Ameraucana still available.

Lately I've been spending a lot of time working on my website.  It is going SLOWLY, but I am getting there.  I will be including a section on the many coops my son has designed and built and offers for sale.  Below are some of his recent creations. 

Fertile Buffos??? Could it BE?!

Okay, boys and girls!  I am not 100% sure because it is early for candling – but I THINK I have a handful of FERTILE Buff Orpington eggs.  FINALLY!  I’ll keep you up to date on this much anticipated hatch – if there IS a hatch.  But it looks like at this moment in time – I can see in at least two eggs and possibly more, a good air cell, a slight bit of what might be veining, AND a tiny little speck floating around.  It is EARLY for candling but I could not wait.  I will candle again on day ten for a better answer.

Meanwhile, my blue/black/splash Ameraucana are fertile as turtles and nearly every egg I set is viable.

I am still working on bringing back my Lavender Ameraucana.  There appear to POSSIBLY be two in the last hatch – but they could be light blue instead of lavender.  Time will tell.  These are Lavender black splits bred back to lavender black splits.  So possibly I’ll get a percentage of lavenders.  But there were also blue/black/splash eggs mixed in with this hatch so I will have to wait for chick fluff to be gone to be sure.    I have one full Lavender hen that I’m breeding back to a split that should produce lavender.  If I ever get another egg from her. She is OLD.

In other news the turkeys and guineas have begun to lay.  I will be setting every egg from them.

Sales from the farm are all but stopped because of the virus. I have many customers but am challenged by a way to get paid and trade off the animals while keeping a good ways apart.  We have to be extremely careful here.  For ourselves of course, but especially for Rebekah.  She is special needs and suffers from a long-term illness, so really can’t afford to take any hits.

I am considering having customers pay via paypal the day before and pick up from a cage in my driveway.  That way no contact for either party. 

Chicks are Hatching!

I have a handful of chicks hatching tonight.  I thought it would be a nice reprieve from the stress of the virus.  Pictures soon.  The great news is - I HAVE AT LEAST ONE LAVENDER.  Woot!

15 minutes of cute fluffy bunnies to calm everyone's nerves.

15 minutes of cute fluffy bunnies to calm everyone's nerves.

Total Recall - another story in an effort for a slight reprieve from all things virus

This was several years ago. Don't have the date, but it's been a good while. I do remember it very well, and Gregg still jokes about it.

I forgot my name the other day. I did. I mean, I know many of us joke about being so addled we forget our names, but really, have you ever actually done it? I introduced myself to someone the other night who was interested in their children joining our 4-H club. To be fair, I was at an event with my younger 4-Her’s AND their dogs - along with a building full of other people and their dogs, most of which were not trained. (Dogs either. Arr arr.) Anyway, I was spending most of my time trying to keep everyone alive. This lady approached me in the middle of it all. Here follows the conversation:

Me: Hello. I don't think we've met...

New Person: Hi! My name is Linda!

Me: Hi, Linda, my name is Rebekah!

My friend Patti, standing beside me, looks at me as if I need medical attention.

Me: Oh! I'm sorry! What was I thinking? That's not my NAME! My name is...

Cindy's Brain: Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Patti: CIIINNDEE.

Me: Cindy! Oh my! Yes! Cindy! Rebekah is my DAUGHTER'S name...

Then I try to explain why I couldn't remember my own name, but when you've just met someone new and introduced yourself as your daughter, then needed second party assistance to come up with your OWN name… well… it's fairly unsalvageable at that point.

New Person: Ummmm.....I think someone's calling me.... ~ New person's dust trail exits across arena ~

I never saw her or her children again.

Please note all stories and everything else posted here on this blog is copyrighted material and may not be shared.  Instead, please provide a link back to my blog if you'd like.  Thank you!

We are PAUSING from all the virus fears and instead offering some chuckles. Here's another.

I'm just going to keep putting these things out here until things are better.

From 2011:

As you may have figured out by now, life is pretty crazy around here on any given day. So when I had to return the call of an important cu$tomer, it required some preparation. First, I alerted the fam to tell them they MUST BE QUIET and at least feign sanity for the next few minutes. Everyone is given a hairy eyeball Mama glare. I then head for the bedroom, close the door, head for the bathroom, close the door. I listen. Silence. SANCTUARY! I dial the number and stand at the window gazing out over my flocks. I am in my happy place.

The lady picks up and… Just as I say hello I see a FOX walking across the yard towards my chickens. “Hello,” I say, trying not to sound alarmed. “This is Cindy Lou Willson returning your call. Thank you for your interest in our Labrador Retrievers ...” Meanwhile I am throwing toothbrushes and such at Gregg trying to get his attention and mouthing the word FOOOOOXXXX!!!! Gregg blinks and stares at me, no doubt thinking I’m just having some new ... episode. The woman, being a normal person is still chatting away. I am half listening, whispering past my hand… GET THE GUN!!! Gregg is still looking at me blankly because HE CAN’T HEAR ME. The lady on the phone can though.

Lady: Hello? Is something wrong?

Me: Ummm… I’m sorry. We’re having a problem. I’ll have to call you back. CLICK!!!

So... Gregg gets the gun but by now the fox has high tailed it. No doubt to be back later for dessert. So. I sit down on the couch with the phone and redial the lady. Hello, she says…..

It turns out to be an answering machine. I attempt to leave a message but my words are drowned by a baby goat shrieking at the top of it’s lungs. I cannot describe to you how loud this sound really is. Rebekah has brought in a baby goat and it wants it’s bottle. It is SCREAMING. It sounds like someone is being murdered in my living room. Now, remember. I’ve just hung up on this woman after she’s heard me say, GET THE GUN. Now she has on her answering machine what must sound like someone screaming so violently and so loudly it is drowning out my voice. Why the police did not show up on my front door step, I have no idea. In any event, the lady never called back. Go figure.

  

Please note all stories and everything else posted here on this blog is copyrighted material and may not be shared.  Instead, please provide a link back to my blog if you'd like.  Thank you!

And now a PAUSE from all the virus fears...

I figure with all the … everything lately, I’m going to start going back into my old notes and Christmas Letters and post some of my stories.  It might give some a needed chuckle and take our minds off OTHER things.  So.  Here we go.  I hope you enjoy.  This is way back from 2005.  I will post at least one story a day. <3  Everyone HOLD ON.  It's GOING TO BE OKAY.  In the mean time - I hope this brings a chuckle. 

From 2005.
In April, Rebekah accosted the mall Easter Bunny. That was kind of interesting.   We think w/ intense therapy he, our children, and the children in line behind us, should recover.  Maybe.   

Rebekah went up to sit on the Easter Bunny’s lap, and in the process noticed something alarming.  She noticed when she looked inside the Easter Bunnies MOUTH she saw a MAN.  She saw a man who was, at least apparently in her mind, trapped or partially eaten.  Sort of like Jonah, only different.  She then decided this man needed saving and proceeded to extricate him. 

Now once Rebekah gets onto something, especially something of THIS caliber, it is very difficult to redirect her.  She was DETERMINED to remove his head.  And I don’t mean maybe.  I think his feet actually lifted off the ground as she gave one last heroic tug before I (and the fairly horrified helper Bunnies) grabbed her.  

I’m fairly certain we have been banned for life from the Egg Court.   I spent the rest of the car ride home trying to “explain.”  The guy in the rabbit suit is probably in traction.   Hopefully they didn't get our names.

Please note all stories and everything else posted here on this blog is copyrighted material and may not be shared.  Instead, please provide a link back to my blog if you'd like.  Thank you!

I have well and truly crossed the line into chicken insanity.

Since my no account so called rooster is so unsuccessful at breeding his hens, I have in desperation resorted to using AI.  Which involves collecting sperm from him and depositing it to the hens manually.  I can't believe I just typed this much less have attempted.  I'll let you know how it goes.  I may need some type of therapy after this.  I know the rooster will.

A real 'Easter Egg' from our Easter Egger hen!

This egg gives new meaning to the term Easter Egger.  

Our Easter Egger hen just laid this egg this afternoon.  I have not retouched or enhanced the color in any way.  In fact, the lighting is a bit poor.  But check out this two toned egg!  It truly looks like a dyed Easter egg.

  

 Too cool!

Selling Turkeys. Sort of...

The GOAL was to get down to just five pet turkeys. Five is reasonable. And I HAVE been selling them. I have. And I specifically tried to not name these and NOT turn them into pets. But. You know.

Anyway, I’m standing in the yard yesterday evening with customers who want five turkeys – and – sigh. It was like the poultry version of Sophie’s Choice. In the end, the customers reluctantly left with three, with a promise I would call if I changed my mind. Yeah. No. I now have seven pet turkeys. ~cough~