Barb is expecting her new ducklings (Indian Runners) early next week. I surprised her with a collapsible brooder and a heat source for the ducklings. It will accommodate up to 20 chicks, so come my birthday, April 4th, when the first group of chicks (6 each of Black Jersey Giants, Red Stars and Cuckoo Marans) arrive, the ducklings should be out in the yard and the chicks will be in the brooder.
The remaining chicks, Balck Copper Marans, will arrive in August.
I have the design for Coop II almost ready to submit for a permit. Fortunately, the town doesn't require frost-proof footings (48") for separate sheds, so we can use deck blocks. That will save a lot of time. This design will be more "people" friendly, so Barb shouldn't be whacking her head like she did on the first one.
I need to get Coop II done so that I can be ready to work on the raised garden beds. With the "Obama Recovery", gardening and preserving is going to be very important!
I read about your tragedy on last weeks thread. I am glad to hear that you are making a nice recovery with a new Coop and new residents!
Any plans for curtailing your complaining neighbor? Does he dislike your architecture? Animal noise? Smells? Or, is he just a jeolous curmudgeoun who hates the fact that you have pretty birds and he has none?
Sorry about your chicken and duck mini-holocaust. That’s awful. Glad to hear you are re-building and getting more ducks. Will you be giving some of the ducks the axe? For your dinner table and freezer? Duck eggs sound good?
Love the Black Jersey Giants we got last year. And they ARE giant!
Our “spare” roosters (we got straight run) dressed out at 10 pounds, but were still tender & full flavored. So big that our friends that shared them for dinner with us now refer to them as “chirkeys”: “Taste like chicken; big as a turkey.”
They didn’t look that large, since their coop mates were White Cross-Rocks, which also dressed out to between 9+ & 11 pounds each, at 18-24 weeks old.
The two remaining roosters have mellow attitudes, and the girls are friendly, reliable layers. Hoping at least one of them is good & broody this Spring.