Why Not.

I mean we are already busy as it is, so why not add hatching eggs to the mix?! Right? I am probably a little insane, but when it comes to animals I just want them all! I am not even kidding. I have said before that once Sam’s new barn gets finished completely and he has time to make an area for me to get more animals I will 100% be all over that! Goats, mini donkey/horse, you name it and I will try to get myself one!

We just got the new puppy, Rylee got the new bunny, and now we have 22 chicken eggs in the incubator that are set to hatch in a week, oh and I will be getting ducklings here pretty soon! Waiting on the message that they have hatched! BIG ol’ heart eyes! Except we need to get the mink killed that’s hanging around our house. I have been iffy about letting the chickens out because Sam told me that we had one hanging around, and they will just go after our chickens and clear them out. Well I haven’t ever ran into it, and it was a nice day today that I told Rylee to go ahead and let the chickens out. She let them out, and I was finishing up my landscape by my address sign in the front yard. I called Sam to see where the spade was so I could get my holes made for the plants. He told me it is over by the cattle chute, so I walk over there and grab it. Once I get off the phone with him I turn back around and I see the freaking mink RIGHT BY my chickens. It went under the shed right by our chicken coop and I couldn’t get to it fast enough to put a spade through it. Lucky son of a gun! I immediately holler at Rylee to get over here and help me get all 22 birds in the coop. Let me tell you I am not a fan of grabbing the birds I would rather herd them in, but they hadn’t been out free ranging in awhile they were not wanting to get back in. Rylee and I get half of them in and close the door. We still have half to grab and get in the coop. Let me tell you, if you haven’t tried gathering chickens or catching chickens that are free ranging before, you should really give it a try. Heck, it’s harder than a greased up pig at the county fair! I told Rylee I don’t care how you get them you just get them! Here is a picture for you, Rylee and I running all over the place grabbing chickens. I am in the heifer lot lunging for them, cattle crap all over me, finally get one walk it over to the coop freaking craps all over me! Thankfully we gathered all the birds and they are home safe where the dang mink can’t get them. Now, to figure out a way to get rid of the dang thing!

Alright, got off track….the chicken eggs. They are a mix between Black Copper Marans and some that are bred with Black Copper Marans and Americana or Easter Eggers! My whole reasoning for purchasing eggs to hatch is because who doesn’t want to raise their own chicks from the egg!? If I get roosters I will most likely keep them in a different coop, and try to breed for certain egg colors! I am really wanting those chocolate eggs and some dark olive layers! I candled the eggs a few days ago, and I wasn’t really sure on many of them. I knew one looked for sure healthy as I could see it moving around in the egg. There was a handful of eggs I was about ready to throw out, but thought…I would share a picture of one in a group I am in of olive layers, they encouraged me to keep them. I did an candled them just a little while ago and guess what! I HAVE chickens in those eggs! I can see them much better today! Fingers crossed in a week I will be seeing their faces and having an even more crazier life! Nothing I can’t handle right? Except, I need to get this mink thing figured out, because once the chicks get too big for their starter nest I will need to move them to the shed the mink was just seen at! Hopefully I can get it caught! Wish me luck on both! I can’t wait! The Lord knew I needed to be on a farm, and I am forever grateful for that!