Back at it...

Well it's been a long time since the blog has been updated. We lost our webmaster and she's moved on to bigger and better things, and I haven't had much time to be online and update anything. Now that it's cold out (19 degrees Fahrenheit as I write this), I can spend some time getting everything up to date. :)

There have been a lot of changes and upgrades to the property and animals since the last post. The old barn has been completely dismantled and the area cleaned up. I saved a lot of the wood from the barn to be used on other projects.

We acquired several new to us (used) pieces of equipment to help around the farm. The largest is a MASSIVE Ford 750 Tractor Loader Backhoe. This machine is big. If I can't get a job done with this machine, then I shouldn't be doing it. It is the excavator of backhoes weighing in around 18,000 lbs with a max digging depth of around 17 1/2 feet. The four cylinder turbo diesel still has a ton of power.

We also acquired a dump truck, which has proven to be priceless. From mulch to firewood to topsoil to debris, the truck has hauled it all and then some. Even though I've had to do quite a bit of work to the truck, it is well worth it. I recently rebuilt the entire plow (controls, motor frame, hydraulics) and have been making repair panels by hand for the bed and welding them in place.

The chicken coop area has changed dramatically. We've had quite a few chickens arrive and leave the farm since we started. Right now, we have a nice assortment of chickens and guinea hens. The chickens are producing eggs at a high rate. I've fenced off the entire chicken coop area and installed netting over the top to keep them in. Tartan used to love to herd the chickens, but I grew tired of chasing hens every day to get them back in the coop. I used as many materials as possible from the property to create the coop area. I cut down several cedar trees and used them to create a one of kind chicken enclosure. The main expense was the netting for the top.

I am forever indebted to the people that have helped me accomplish so much this year. As I get time, I will elaborate on everything that's been accomplished and future goals including a new champion disc dog in training. :)

Take care..

McAuliffe Park Competition

Ian and Nessie competed last Thursday at MacAuliffe Park in East Hartford. Years ago this was the first disc competition that Ian competed in with Tartan! Nessie still remains the only competitor while Tartan is resting his paw. Caber and Sporran are enjoying frisbee practice on the farm.

Even More Additions!

Picked up some new, 5 week old chicks yesterday, and two Roosters! Undecided on which rooster is going to stay for now.

The chicks are all females (yay!) and are 1 Production Red (lots of eggs!) and 2 White Leghorns or White Rocks. They are very docile.


The roosters are Phoenix mixes....the white one is a Columbian Wyandotte mix and the red/brown one is a Brown Leghorn mix. They were hatched and raised together.

Eggs

Yesterday we got 5 eggs! 2 Plymouth Rock eggs, 1 blue Ameraucana egg, and 2 Guinea eggs!

The first guinea egg is on the left, and is more "pointy" and triangular shaped than a chicken egg.

Frisbee Dogs

Caber (possibly the new name for Puppy) had fun leash walking and playing last night!

Nessie will be competing on Thursday at the Skyhoundz Distance & Accuracy and Freestyle competition at McAuliffe Park!

...and for our other frisbee dog please send healing thoughts to Tartan!

Sunday News

It's a beautiful, warm, 90 degree spring day to do farm chores! Time is moving so fast, it won't be long until these blossoms are replaced with apples!

Three new chicks are going to make their way onto the farm sometime this week, and they are supposedly (and hopefully!) all pullets (girls)...2 Leghorns and 1 Rhode Island Red.

Puppy still doesn't have a new Scottish name, but it won't be much longer now (how much longer could it take?).

Lots of garden planning going on right now too...we have all the seeds, just to decide where to put them!

Dog Days

...have officially begun!

Today the BC Farms paws and people went to the FDDO Yankee Flyer's Spring Invitational!

Ian and Nessie at the obstacles event

Puppy had fun going for a walk during the event and meeting new people and dogs!

Chicks

The five chicks are very active and seem to be growing bigger everyday. Because they are still light and aren't full grown, they are good at flying and like to perch on top of the dog houses! I think I finally figured out that they are....3 Gold Laced Wyandottes and 2 Easter Eggers/Americaunas. At least two of the Wyandottes are roosters, and the two Easter Eggers are pullets (girls). Hopefully they will grow up and lay blue/green eggs like Violet!

Puppy Gets a Bath

Puppy got a bath today!

Guinea Hens

The guinea hens are currently making the aviary in the small barn their home before they are released to free range around the farm. They are pretty funny looking, cause a racket whenever they hear or see something strange (i.e. Megan, a squirrel, Mama the barn cat), but they are pretty fun to watch. They have been in the aviary for almost 3 weeks, according to "Gardening with Guineas", adults (these guys are 6 months old) should be kept "hostage" for 6 weeks so they know where "home" is and don't fly away somewhere else.

So far they like dandelions, apples, meal worms, and stripping the branches of any needles or leaves that I put in for cover. There is one female and the other three are male, which I know by the sounds they make, but have no idea looking at the picture who is who. Because they are pretty wild birds, they lay in odd places, so chances are we won't be hatching or finding guinea eggs any time soon (especially with only one female), unless we get really lucky and can find her nest.

For now, they're having a fine time looking out the window (the other "wall" that you can't see is all chicken wire so it's plenty ventilated), hopping on the ladders, and making a ruckus.