Duel Purpose Heritage Breeds Archives - A Country Girl's Heart -Beats that Matter

April 24, 2018April 29, 2018

Roots and Wings: New Life ~ Chickens

0 Shares

Have you ever reached a point in the journey of your life, stopped for a moment and wondered, How did I get here? That describes how I have felt these last few weeks as I wrote about my memories of new life and how it pertained to goats and horses.

I turned down the opportunity to foal out mares this year. A difficult decision for me to reach, largely due to my health. Staying up all hours of the night disrupts the body’s circadian rhythm. This negatively impacts the adrenals. Since I am working to create an environment for mine to heal, I believe it would be counter productive. A smaller percentage of the picture is the fact that I have a limited amount of energy and I have chosen to direct it to my current goals of breeding chickens and a homestead lifestyle. I am hopeful that I will discover a way to add foaling mares back into my life in the future. If that doesn’t happen, I will simply relish the memories of that season. To read my blog on seasons click here.

Swedish Flower Hen chicks hatched at CG Heartbeats Farm

I adore babies of almost any species. Spring time brings new life in plant and animal form. I like to see the tiny plants pushing their way up through the soil, but not quit as much as seeing new life appear when a mother gives birth or an egg hatches.

How did I go from foaling out horse to hatching chicks? I see some humor in the fact that an egg or newly hatched chick is about the size of a foals hoof. Now that is quite a big difference, going from one to the other. My health goals have played a part in directing my current path. It is a simple truth that when making room for change in one’s life certain activities must be let go of to make room for new. An area I struggle with at times, letting go. Some days, I actively choose to stay focused on the new adventures.

Silver Gray Dorking and Swedish Flower Hen chicks hatched at CG Heartbeats Farm

Hatching chicks

Hens make hatching chicks easy. They do the work of an incubator and brooder after the hatch. One of the Swedish Flower Hens went broody last fall. Click here to read the story. The relationship a chick has with a broody hen seems like it would provide an education. However, the incubated chicks seem to know instinctively to peck at food and drink water. Again the power of new life is amazing.

Today, as I write, new life abounds around me in the form of hatching chicks. Yesterday, the little chirps greeted me before I even seen a pip. Today I have been privileged to watch them pop out of their shells. Some times I need to work hard to pop out of my shell. It is tempting to stay where it is safe, comfortable, and truthfully, easy. Working to get out of a shell takes effort, and then just when I accomplish breaking out, I find myself faced with changes. Like a chick who suddenly finds space to stretch and learn to walk and balance. Freedom to move is one of those changes. I mean what chick would want to stay cooped up in a shell. In reality, a chick dies if they don’t break out in time. Similarly, we risk a different kind of death( I am not referring to an eternal death here) if we too stay in our comfort zone.

Last year incubating chicks became a new challenge for me. I have used 3 different incubators to hatch chicks in the last year and a half. The Little Giant, Incuview and Janoel12 produced chicks, but offer different features that seem to influence hatch rates. The Little Giant, a styrofoam, I used only once when I borrowed from a friend. I hatched only 2 chicks. Perhaps with time and experience I may have improved the %. I like the plastic incubators best for the easier clean up after a hatch. Both the Incuview and Janoel12 are constructed of hard plastic. They clean up nicely. And oh those newly hatched chicks make a mess.

They are adorable though once they dry off and the fluffiness appears.

A discussion on different incubators would provide enough material for its own blog post. In the hatching course, I am preparing, I include info on different incubators and a worksheet to help you decide which one suites your financial need and personal preferences.

Consider joining the wait list while I finish up the e course on hatching chicken eggs. If you are not needing this type of information, perhaps you know someone to pass this opportunity onto? There are going to be a few bonuses for signing up early.

0 Shares

October 27, 2017February 28, 2020

New Chicks

0 Shares

NOTE: This page or post contains affiliate links. When you click and make a purchase I earn a portion of the money you spend at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for your support.

This week was filled with new life in the form of hatching eggs. The Swedish Flower Hen broody had 6 SFH eggs to hatch out and the IncuView Incubator held 13 fertile Silver Gray Dorking eggs.

Broody SFH hen: 6 Swedish Flower Hen eggs

Monday night October 23, 2017: Broody hen 1, Incubator 0.

Tuesday morning she was hiding whatever she had. I decided to leave her alone. I could faintly hear at least one chick chirping above the multiple rooster crows. Another part of a shell appeared in front of her part way through the day

She stayed on the nest all day Tuesday. But one chick appeared in the evening.

On Wednesday morning she was off of the nest.

Oh the fluffy cuteness of newly hatched Swedish Flower Hen chicks.

I think she did good for a first time broody hen less than a year old. This hen sat on eggs for 5 weeks at least. She is being a good momma to her 3 chicks.

IncuView Incubator: 13 Silver Gray Dorking eggs

I found the first pip Monday afternoon shortly after 3 pm. Oh, I felt excitement. I always do when an egg pips! Now this rainy, dreary day had new life written into it.

It was Tue morning about 8:30 am before the piped egg hatched. There were 3 more eggs piped by this time.

The anticipation and excitement continued for the next day and a half.

As one or two would hatch a couple more would pip.

I kept a close watch and if one was not making progress and it had been several hours, then I helped out a little. Deciding to help has its benefits and heart aches. I have helped chicks out finding them perfectly normal. Some times there is a reason the chick is not making it out on its own. Those reasons are unpleasant. More on that in a future post.

Thursday morning I moved the chicks to their brooder pen in the house. This particular group of chicks will be going to a new home in a few days.

Hatching chicks keeps me young at heart. I never seem to tire of the beauty of new life in babies.

0 Shares

October 26, 2017October 27, 2017

Using what I Had

Pin1

1 Shares

2014 found me feeling frustrated and defeated with my present circumstances….

I knew I was not going back to previous jobs(for a long term solution) working as an equine trainer and manager. My current health would not allow it. Recovering from a tough onset of Mono while dealing with other chronic illness left me floundering. I found some encouragement in 2015 as I participated in the 2015 TCA Thoroughbred Makeover with Navajo Bo. As 2016 rolled around I was giving serious thought and prayer to what was next. I strongly desired to raise my own food. I had a few ideas rolling around in my head. Chickens for eggs and meat, my own milk, butter and cheese via a cow, a garden, canning, a green house, perhaps a spring house, and a hydroponic system were some of my farming/homesteading ideas. Somewhere in all that I should be able to find a way to earn an income was my thought.

Using what I had….

I looked around at what buildings were currently standing on the almost 12 acres. One was a large chicken barn. The design did not leave room for creating stalls for horses or cattle. It was however double walled and even had some insulation were it looked like a previous owner had started to make a shop out of it.

Chickens became the first project to pursue. With 3 heritage breeds, they are all a developing work in progress. I like many qualities of Scottish Highland Cattle for milk, butter, cheese and meat. I do not have them yet and have strongly considered the American Milking Devon. Truth is, until I actually own them, there is that possibility I will change my mind.

Chicken Project

Thirteen Swedish Flower Hen chicks were my first purchase in May of 2016.

I have since added Swedish Flower Hens from 3 additional farms to create diversity in the breeding stock. In the fall of 2016 two more breeds caught my eye, Silver Gray Dorking and Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiner. Both are rather rare and hard to find I discovered but by mid November 2016 I had chicks from each breed.

Fruits and Vegatables

I planted garlic for the first time in the fall of 2016. I also grew Sweet Potatos in buckets during 2016. I transplanted wild Black Raspberries to create a row of black raspberries. I started some grapes plants from vine cuttings and will be producing concord grapes in the future. Did you know that in 1849 Ephraim Wales Bull planted 22,000 seeds before deciding on the what we now call the concord grape? Amazing! Has me wondering what variety I could develop.

The spring of 2017 found me foaling out mares for an Arab training barn.

The additional work left no time for me to plant and garden in 2017. The exception being a harvest of garlic in August.

I am always on the look out for ways to accomplish my goals with what I have, be it material possessions or personal skills, and building on that to achieve other dreams I have.

One way I helped to finance my chicken project and this website was through Swagbucks. In 2017 I earned over $225.00. While not a huge amount, it all adds up.

What ways have you accomplished goals and seen dreams come true using what you had available?

Pin1

1 Shares

October 6, 2017April 10, 2018

A Broody Swedish Flower Hen

Pin5

5 Shares

Fact: 20% of Swedish Flower Hens go broody. Not a high number really considering 50% of my Silver Gray Dorking Hens went broody at under a year. (3 out of 6) My first group of 8 hens(SFH) are well over a year old and no broody among them. Out of 18 (SFH) hens this is the first to go broody. I was trilled to realize that one of the Swedish Flower Hens was indeed broody and at 6 months old. Hatched on March 9, 2017, she had only started laying the beginning of August. I have not even placed a rooster in that pen of hens yet. Her efforts are in vain. There is no way she has fertile eggs.

If you have read any of my September posts, I was having a rough time loosing my horse McCoy, struggling with my own health challenges while attempting to keep up caring for the animals. “There is nothing new under the sun.” The truth of Ecclesiastes 1:9 has been a source of comfort to me, knowing others have indeed experienced these trials and lived to see another day. I chose to see an opportunity for growth.

Catching up on pen cleaning and farm maintenance needed to come first, in my opinion, before giving thought to hatching eggs. Happy when I received an order for Silver Gray Dorking chicks, I decided to use the IncuView Incubator.

Thursday(yesterday) proved to be a beautiful October fall day. I did not move quickly for that is not in the best interest of my health, but rather I slowed down, accomplishing needed tasks in a relaxed fashion. For one who once sported the nickname “energizer bunny” slowing down is an accomplishment in itself. That, readers, is my sense of humor showing, for the simple truth, presently, I am not physically capable of working as I have in the past.

Feeling confident that I can, once again, care for the animals to meet my standards, (Clean! Clean! Clean!) I decided to attempt to give the broody hen eggs to hatch. After consideration of different options, I brought in a 100 gallon tank and set her up in there. Bedding and Swedish Flower Hen eggs from a different pen went in first. I removed her from the eggs she was sitting on, totally changing her environment. It was a bit of an experiment for me. I felt hopeful but not sure what to expect. I chased away the believe that I required a perfect outcome of my choice. It was going to be okay if this didn’t work. I would learn from this. I was going to get feed back from my results.

She was drawn to the eggs but was anxious about her new house. She became occupied with pecking at the hardware cloth top. I added feed and water after seeing her sit on the eggs. Oh, but then when I came back she was off them. I lifted the lid, a quick intent look from her and suddenly she flew out. I caught her after what felt like several minutes, but did not take me that long at all. Well, “I will give you 24 hours”, I decided silently. I told myself I was going to stay away from her to give her time to settle. NO peeking at her for one hour and I looked at my watch. In my excitement, I had not realized she was receiving constant checks, like every few minute checks. Silly of me really, but I so badly wanted this to work.

I reduced my checks to periodically throughout the evening. Before going in for the night she was indeed setting on the eggs. This morning found her still flattened like a pancake covering all 11 eggs. Excitement!!

Both, the eggs in incubator and the broody hen should be hatching near the date of October 26th, fulfilling the 21 day incubation period. Did you know the exact temperature will shorten or lengthen the time it takes for chicks to develop? Stay connected on social media for up to date reports on the hatches.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Thank you for your support.

Pin5

5 Shares

September 22, 2017September 23, 2017

Scottish Highland Cattle Show 2016 St Joseph County Fair

0 Shares

I discovered Scottish Highland Cattle(SHC) online, while searching for miniature cattle. I came across an article describing SHC’s dual purpose as a producer of both meat and milk. Intrigued, I read that this gentle breed was known to originally inhabit the houses of Scottish families. Conveniently located in a gated section of human residence, one did not have to exit into the cold to obtain milk. I am sure to some the smell may have negated the option to avoid the cold. Their long hair provides protection from extreme cold and promotes a less fatty, healthier meat. A large horn spread provided a strong defense against predators. Bulls too were known to be on the gentle side. Of course, like any animal, how they are raised, handled and selective breeding plays an important role in developing attitudes. SHC milk is high in butter fat, while meat is high in iron and protein, but lower in cholesterol. If need be, the breed ha been known to survive on brush. Survive, but not thrive. Cows often produce calves until the age of 20 or longer. All of these details were positives as I desire to produce my own food.

I researched online, looking at sale posts and breeders websites, FB pages, ect. Excited, I attended the 2016 SHC show at the St Joseph County Fair in Centreville, MI. I learned more about the breed as it presents now in the United States and met breeders from different areas in Michigan.

Scottish Highland Cattle in the United States today are less likely to be used for a family milk cow. While some do, the primary goal for most breeders is to raise SHC for beef (meat) and to excel in the show ring. A SHC that produces too much milk presents a problem for the breeder that does not desire to milk a cow out. If she produces too much milk for a new born calf, mastitis can set in and create illness and or death. Damage to a quarter of a cows bag would create a cow that is no longer desirable in the show ring.

The breeders I met were kind in sharing knowledge and even allowed me to show in a couple classes. Not only was I privileged to pick their brains as I begin developing my eye, but I actually was allowed to lead and show the cattle. Skyler Anderson of Skye High Farms gave me a crash course in showing cattle. Pat White allowed me to show cattle she raises and owns with her husband on LEA-White Farms. Eddie of Dundonald Highlands provided a Scottish Highland for me to show as well and shared stories of raising Highlands depicting his dedication and love for the breed. All contributed to my wonderful experience and learning about this fantastic breed. Click on the links to any of their farm pages to learn more about Scottish Highland Cattle.

LEA-White Farms earned the titles of 2016 Reserve Grand Champion Scottish Highland….

and 2016 Grand Champion Scottish Highland….Congratulations!

0 Shares