Muddy run - chickens and ducks

I have been spending quite a lot of time recently in coffee shops. Whilst I would love to use independents, the choice is very limited for me, so I tend to avoid those that don't pay the correct tax and plump for coffee that is apparently "the best this side of Milan".

I find it relaxing and I seem to be able to waffle on and compose my entries for my blog despite the hustle and bustle, banging of coffee baskets, grinding of beans and occasional chink of china in the back ground.

I find it is one of only a few activities that truly relaxes the mind and body, giving you that moment to your self and opportunity to listen and observe others.
I get the same satisfaction out of the allotment and looking after the animals.  The daily morning dash outside in this recent torrential rain and, this morning, hail, has been made in lounge wear (pyjamas to you and me) and in full wet weather gear.  Not because of the rain, but just due to the sheer volume of mud in my garden at present.
My wellies are permenantly caked in mud, as are the waterproof trousers, jacket and the poor chickens and ducks.

So I have a plan.  Over the years I have used sand as a base in my run area with a good layer of wood chip on top.  It's works well for 3-4 hens.   Now the collection is bigger and includes a couple of ducks, I need a system that means the wood chip does not dissapear into the sand and mud, as the hens start to dig like Steve McQueen in the great escape.

This is the plan.
Level the ground, easier typed than done, but isnt it the same with everything.
Using a few slabs I will cover part of the run area, leaving a gap for some plastic guttering to run the length of the run.
Disinfect with stalosan f, then peg down a layer of plastic mesh that is manufactured and designed to stabilise grass.
Surround with raised beds or wooden boards (this will stop the wood chip being flicked all over the grass, when it grows back).
Top with wood chip.

Simple, but I'm sure it will be effective.
The plan with the guttering and slabs, is so that I can hose down the wood chip (or even better the rain will help) and wash any mess and poo into the gutter.
I have a sloping garden, so this may not work for everyone.  The gutter will run into a border with bushes, so they will benefit from the water and manure, and any excess can be shovelled out.

I concocted this plan whilst in a coffee shop, scribbling on a note pad, so who knows how it will go.  I will post photos of progress and the finished job.

Thanks for reading.

A busy month so far...

Give us a cwtch

February has been busy for me so far.  Lots of change and decisions to make.  The first being to move jobs for the first time in 13 years.  Secondly and in my opinion much more importantly, I realised that I can not keep the ducks in the environment they deserve in my back garden.  I love their characters and the early morning quacking as that charge out of the house like the start of the wacky races.
Their eggs are a lot smaller than I expected, but then that could just be age and I genuinely love their markings, on both the ducks and the drakes.  
Sadly they must go. I had planned to keep them on my plot, but the theft of all my chickens, put paid to that.  On the other hand, I will be hatching quail and hopefully Silverlace wyandottes going forward.

On top of all the decisions, I have been busy writing and reviewing contributions for some fantastic magazines, Country Smallholding, Home Farmer and Practical goats, sheep and alpacas.

I'm hoping to get some links to the articles on line soon and will post them on the blog.

On top of that, I am brewing banana beer and orange wine.  Both smell amazing and I will post the recipes on the blog soon, although if you buy the Feb edition of Home Farmer you will fine the Pineapple wine recipe I will be starting towards the end of this month.

I'm also looking forward to receiving some pork soon from Hillside Freerange to make some of my own sausages and cure some more of my own bacon and ham.  I have never made my own sausage, but want to give it a go with some basic equipment before taking the plunge and signing up to a day course.

All in all, I guess I sound like an alcoholic writing foodie.  
Happy days.

The ducks start to lay!

It took a few weeks longer than expected, and I was starting to get impatient and wonder if I had a set of duff ducks.  Thankfully on Wednesday this week one of the ducks started to lay.  My first ever home reared duck egg from ducks I had hatched.
I've said it before, but you can't beat that feeling, seeing the egg (not so white unfortunately as it had been layed in a pile of poo) and knowing the birds are doing what they do best and are comfortable and happy to start laying.
I've been toying with the idea of selling all the ducks, simply due to space now that I am no longer keeping birds on my plot.  The problem is, now they have started laying I'm even more reluctant.  I'm still going to sell one male and at least one female, so that I have a trio left.  But the whole bunch going is now highly unlikely.
I'm sure it's the time of year but I have not had many enquiries for the ducks or the silver lace Wyandotte I am trying to sell. So I have a plan, connected to the Spring fair at The Royal Welsh Show Ground in May. I will be entering the show with a couple of the ducks and my silver lace  on the Saturday, and there is usually a sale section. Lest hope there are lots of buyers.

This time last year I had the incubator fired up, but I'm delaying this year.  Firstly because of the poor weather and secondly because of space.  The plan is however, to hatch some more silver lace wyandottes to produce a male to go with my existing group. Then I will start hatching my own eggs.  I'm learning patience.  I'm also planning on hatching some quail when they start laying.  I have some nice colours, silver and white, so I'm hoping to create some interesting colours.

Poultry lice

Whilst I have seen lice on chickens before, I can honestly say I have been very luck and none of my hens have ever suffered from them......until last Friday.

I was monitoring my little gold lace Wyandotte as I could see she was loosing some feathers from her back end.  She has always been a tricky one to catch. Her sister is a lot easier to get hold of, so unfortunately she hand not had a good health check for a l little while other than from a distance.

She was eating, drinking, seemed happy enough other than the loss of feathers. I put it down to an unusual late moult.

Today as she bent down to feed, putting what should be a fluffy backside in the air, I noticed a very bare and red patch of skin.  So with wellies on, I decided today was the day to catch her.

It did not take long, perhaps because she knew she needed help.

First place I check whenever I check my hens over is the vent, and it was clear mites were active, eggs had been laid at he base of the remaining feathers and I could see two or there lice roaming around.  I could not get a photo, but have found a particularly good photo on the Internet, so you can see what I discovered.

I decided to gave her a bath to clean off as many of the eggs as possible, and bought an anti mite spray from the local pet shop.  It's the one used for small birds and rabbits. Lower strength than what is normally recommended (1% invecticim).  Chicken vet is a great website to get info on this product and recommended you talk to your vet before using as there is an egg withdrawal period.

I'm going to treat her for 3 weeks, and not use any eggs from the wyandottes for a month.