Finally Big Enough to Come Outside

Finally the Cornish Rock X birds are big enough to come outside.  Until now we have kept the doorway covered with a wire mesh to protect the boys.  They may be big but inside they are still only 6 weeks old.  They are just big for their age.  After a bit of hesitancy they came out to the fresh air and sunshine.

A little bit of cracked corn and fresh water and they are so happy.

Every time we go near their pen they come running expecting a treat.  That is usually cracked corn. 

They may not be able to free range with the other chickens but they have plenty of room.  No one can pick on them.  They rule their roost.  We will keep them for about 3 more weeks.  While they are here they will be happy. I went out last evening to shoo the stragglers inside and close the door for the evening. I was wearing flip flops.  I heard a yell from across the pen and they all came running to eat the 10 little worms. Ouch.  Darn chickens. Barn boots from now on.

Much Love and Prayers from Mainely Ewes Farm

Incubator Surprise

About two weeks ago this incubator arrived.  It is the GQF 1502 complete with thermostat, humidity and egg turning capability.  The funny thing is, I didn't order it. SURPRISE!

 The incubator accompanied this crate of egg trays. SURPRISE!

Evidently Ted and my Mom had a phone conversation.  When those two get together on the phone there is no telling what will happen next.  Mom now has internet and has discovered shopping online.  Years ago she had an incubator and hatched off chickens and guineas.  She loves hearing the guineas while we are on the phone.  I was so excited to get everything set up in the craft room.  Perfect temperature and humidity was reached in about 12 hrs.  Now we needed eggs.

We noticed that the guineas had stopped laying eggs in the hen house.  They are able to fly and free range all over our farm.  Well, to be honest, the neighbors farm, down the road, in the woods, in the road.  Truthfully, guineas are not the brightest of the fowl world.  We have lost a few to cars.  Once in a while we will hear beeps and have to go call the birds out of the road.  So if you see a guinea in the road, please don't assume that they will fly away. Nope, they will try to stare you down.  Hence, guinea loss.

Ted found this nest in the hayfield.  There were 32 eggs being set on by 3 guineas. 

These guineas were very angry that we were robbing their nest.  They aren't aggressive birds but very vocal. It broke my heart to take the eggs away.  If we didn't then Emma and Lucy would find the nest and have a feast.  Yes, they are egg lovers.

All set up and ready to go into the incubator.

Okay little keets. Do your thing.

Temp 100deg, humidity 55%, turning on.

Now we wait and watch up to 28 days.  We don't know how long the guineas had been setting on the nest so we aren't sure of a hatch date.  The excitement builds. 

Thanks Mom!

Much Love and Prayers from Mainely Ewes Farm

Guinea Egg Update

Ted was in the upper pasture and noticed guineas acting strange.  "I'm not doing anything.  Who me?"

He found another 40 guinea eggs.

Now we have a whopping 72 eggs in our new incubator.

And some very, very angry and yelling guineas on our farm.

Help, I think there is a plot underfoot to take us out.

Sum Sum Sum Sum Summertime!

SUMMERTIME

A little of this and that.

Days of sunshine

SUMMERTIME!



Lambert being a lamb





Oreo prowling




Emma enjoying a day at Pushaw Lake




Lucy being an otter




Lambert enjoying a good scratch




Yeah, right there




Kale chips




Barn spider




Blogging in the sunshine




Lambert forgetting he is not a dog




Susan bringing some sunshine with her



Our garden blooming

A little of this and that. Memories.
Much Love and Prayers from Mainely Ewes Farm. 

Hay Mow

Oh boy! Little by little we have been picking up our very own hay equipment.  The fast approaching hay season has had us scouring Uncle Henry's, Ebay and local ads for a baler, rake, mower, tedder and an elevator.  Well, now we have the elevator.  We store our hay in the second floor hay mow. There was no way to get it there without this piece of equipment. Our neighbor, Cheata, has been searching for us too. We got a call from her that this John Deere elevator with a two horse power motor was for sale in Corinth, ME.   For our needs, this was over kill but what fun.

Our neighbor Fred has been helping/teaching us this year.  We hope to have big news soon.  Big, Big News.

Emma and Lucy enjoyed the afternoon in the field chasing mice.

Hay wagon almost loaded...

Yep, almost there......

Ted in our loaner tractor heading for the barn. Still no news about John Deere Girl.

Fred lining the hay elevator up with the barn door.

Finally, the hay wagon empty.  What a lovely sight.

Soon the hay mow will be full and we will be content. Exhausted, but content. I wish I could blog smells. It smells so fresh and clean up here.

It may have been exhaustion or just plain feeling wonderful, but I got to wondering. What would it be like to ride the hay elevator? You know, like a bale of hay on it's way up. No, I didn't try it myself. But we did the next best thing. I hope you enjoy the ride and maybe have a laugh or two. 



Much Love and Prayers from Mainely Ewes Farm.

Highs and Lows

Summer means green grass, hay fields waving in the breeze and flowers.

Lots and lots of yellow ones........

                                                               Lavender ones......

                                                          white ones........

                                                         purple clover............

                                                      Even the trees flower

                                                                       The hay fields abound with flowers.

                      With the exception of the trees, all of these wonderful flowers along with grasses  go into   making our hay.         

Deep breath in...deep breath out.  The damn tractor starts hemorrhaging.  Well, maybe that is stretching it a bit.  The hydraulic thingy starts leaking.  I have an incontinent tractor. Maybe Atends would help? We had to have John Deere repair out again.  Is this sounding familiar?  Like, maybe, last summer?  Guess what? The seal is made in India.  They are having so many problems with these seals.  Not just our tractor. WELL....that makes me feel sooooooo much better.  I want to kick something.  Really kick it.

This is our loaner........Just kidding. 

 Our neighbor Fred brought his tractor over.  This is a 1970 International .  A tractor that doesn't break down every summer. 

We were able to get 264 bales up in our barn. I will post more pictures tomorrow.  We had to wait a few days to cut more hay due to weather.   Should we trade in our new John Deere tractor in on a used one?  Hmmmm.......

Much Love and Prayers from Mainely Ewes Farm.

If a tree falls in the woods.....

This spring we had some amazing thunderstorms with a lot of wind, thunder and lightening and hay growing rain.  No flooding so we count ourselves blessed. There were many trees down up in our woods.  We found a few hardwood trees that will get sawed and split into firewood.  This tree was caught onto another tree and needed a little coercion in order to fall. Please excuse the dorky woo hoo at the end.

Emma and Lucy were good girls and stayed in the truck till the tree was down.

After the tree came down Ted set to work cutting it into lengths that will fit into our wood stove. I much prefer him cuttin up the logs. I don't like using a chain saw.

The logs were then split and piled into the truck.

The splitting part was my job. I enjoy splitting wood. It is fun. So much easier with this splitter.

                                               Back down the trail to home with a truck bed piled high.

Stacked into a nice pile to dry. I know, I need to work on my stacking skills.

By the way....is this poison ivy?  If so we must not be allergic to it. No rashes. Our woods seem to grow this in abundance. It looks kind of like wild strawberries too. I would much prefer the wild strawberries.

We have more trees to cut and split. We never leave home without the bug spray.  The mosquitoes and black flies are in full swing.  I hate those biting critters. 

Our wood pile keeps growing and will be greatly appreciated when the temps drop and then the snow falls.  We are outside enjoying every warm day we are given. 

Much Love and Prayers from Mainely Ewes Farm.

Music and Happy Birds

Each year we order the Cornish Rock X for meat birds.  They have excellent flavor and size.  They grow at an amazing rate.  Genetically they are made for consumption.  If not butchered they will die before they are 6 months old.  We use a wooden brooder to keep them warm when they first arrive. This is great for keeping out drafts which will kill birds.  However, it doesn't take but a few short weeks and they outgrow their space.

 The have fresh air and the wire mesh provides safety from predators. 

They are moved to the floor with plenty of room to roam. 

 The boys are still getting their adult feathers in.  At this time they are a bit naked in spots.

The boys enjoy having a little music to rock out to. We enjoy music and so do they.  It seems to make them happy.  Music makes me happy, so why not the animals? I know our turkeys love music too. Go ahead boys, rock on.

Happy birds.

Much Love and Prayers from

Mainely Ewes Farm