Category Archives: chickens

It’s All About the Nest – Chicken Update

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Most times you can find the girls in a line either waiting on a nesting box or trying to chose which one they want to lay those precious eggs in.  We have 4 nesting containers for the 8 hens but they usually will lay all the eggs for the day in one nesting box.

I found out that a nest that has eggs in it already looks like a safe nest to lay their egg in so that is why they line up to use the same nesting box.

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Buffy says “Ahhh, that’s the right nest, now give me some privacy”!

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On another note, they may not chose a nesting box at all and find a quite corner to lay in.  🙂 Like Goldie here.  She’s a bit different.  Russ has nicknamed her Wack-a-doodle.  But he says it with affection.

Have a super wonderful weekend!

Until my next post. . . . . . .  .

Huge Hugs!
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Place a $50 merchandise order between September 1, 2014 and September 30, 2014 and receive the entire month of tutorials (at least 12) free of charge via e-mail.
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Have a smaller order?  The complete tutorial for today’s project along with all of the card tutorials I create from September 16, 2014 through September 30, 2014 (at least 6 tutorials) will be e-mailed to my customers who place a minimum  $20 merchandise order anytime between September 16, 2014 through September 30, 2014 free of charge.
Note:  Please do not select the option for no contact when placing your order or I will not be able to send you the tutorials.  Also, please make sure that my e-mail address, [email protected] is approved in your e-mail account so your e-mail does not reject my e-mails which contain the tutorials.  🙂

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Holiday Catalog PDF

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Holiday Catalog Stampin’ Supplies List for projects in catalog

The moment we have been so excited for is finally here.  The Stampin’ Up! 2014 Holiday Catalog is live and ordering begins today.  Click on the catalog image or link above for the online version of the catalog.

 

Little Chicks in a Big Run

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Hello There,

I’ve got a little chick update for you today.  These two are a little over 3 weeks old now and getting lots of feathers.

It’s been super warm out so I took them out of their indoor brooder for their first outing in the chicken run.

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We put a little run inside of the big chicken run in order to keep them safe.  The minute I put then out there they started chirping and their momma Goldie ran over to say hello.  I was surprised she was so excited to see them.

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She was so excited, she puffed up and started clucking up a storm.  This got the attention of the other girls.

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Next thing I know, Goldie is holding court showing off her chicks.

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It will be 5 weeks at least before the chicks will be big enough to be added to the flock.  They look so tiny inside their little chicken run.

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Also, we have had Sadie now for 1 week.  She now has us wrapped around her little paw.  🙂

I will be taking tomorrow off from blogging in order to do some celebrating for my birthday.

Have a super weekend!

Until my next post. . . . . . .  .

Huge Hugs!

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tomorrow is the last day to GET THIS MONTHS TUTORIALS FREE!

Want the entire month worth of tutorials free?

Place a $50 merchandise order before August 31, 2014 and receive the entire month of tutorials (at least 12) free of charge via e-mail.
You will receive all of these, plus, they will keep coming until August 31, 2014.  You will also receive 1 virtual token from me for each $50 in merchandise purchased with your order.  Collect 10 tokens and receive a free stamp set of your choice up to a $30 value.  Now, that’s the way to get some bang for your buck!
Free tutorials are an exclusive perk for my valued Stampin’ Up! customers and down line.

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Have a smaller order?  The complete tutorial for today’s project along with all of the card tutorials I create from August 16, 2014 through August 31, 2014 (at least 6 tutorials) will be e-mailed to my customers who place a minimum  $20 merchandise order anytime between August 16, 2014 and August 31, 2014 free of charge.
Note:  Please do not select the option for no contact when placing your order or I will not be able to send you the tutorials.  Also, please make sure that my e-mail address, [email protected] is approved in your e-mail account so your e-mail does not reject my e-mails which contain the tutorials.  🙂

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Check out the latest batch of Stampin’ Up! Weekly Deals in my on-line store.  Discounted prices on this week’s deals end September 1st.

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Holiday Catalog PDF

Spanish Flyer

Holiday Catalog Stampin’ Supplies List for projects in catalog

The moment we have been so excited for is finally here.  The Stampin’ Up! 2014 Holiday Catalog is live and ordering begins today.  Click on the catalog image or link above for the online version of the catalog.

Chick Update. . .

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Work it Chickie!  This chick seems to be working it for the camera, don’t you think?  LOL  She was very curious about what I was doing and seemed to go from side to side so I could get all of her angles.  🙂  A real natural.

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Our next chick was a bit more reluctant to have it’s picture taken.  What this chick lacks in shyness it sure makes up for in sweetness and heart.  This is the chick that we put the little boot on to try to straighten out it’s little foot to no avail.  Sadly, it will not straighten out.  But this chickie doesn’t seem to mind.  It does everything the other chick does, like run, hop, flap it’s wings and tries to fly, etc. just a little differently is all.

Russ, the good chicken daddy said, and I quote, “I guess I will have to build handy cap ramps in the coop.”  I know we will do everything we can for it.

The two chicks are now a week old and getting feathers now.  We don’t know if they are girls or boys so we haven’t named them yet.

I’m hoping both of them are not roosters because we would only be able to keep one of them.  I’m told you should only have one rooster to 10 hens or they will fight.  So let’s keep our fingers crossed that they are both female or just one of them is male.

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As for the rest of the fertile eggs, well they didn’t hatch.  Goldie is now back out with the rest of the flock and quite happy to be so.  Since she was away from the flock for a while she will have to re-estabilish her spot in the pecking order.  She was at the bottom before so there is no place to go but up for her.  Go Goldie!

I have the two chicks in a brooder in my office and they are living a life of luxury with chick feed, water, heat lamp etc.  While I get to enjoy hearing them peep all day as I stamp, win, win.

Well there you have the chick update in an eggshell, lol.

Have a super Friday!

Until my next post. . . . . . .  .

Huge Hugs!

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Want the entire month worth of tutorials free?

Place a $50 merchandise order before August 31, 2014 and receive the entire month of tutorials (at least 12) free of charge via e-mail.
You will receive all of these, plus, they will keep coming until August 31, 2014.  You will also receive 1 virtual token from me for each $50 in merchandise purchased with your order.  Collect 10 tokens and receive a free stamp set of your choice up to a $30 value.  Now, that’s the way to get some bang for your buck!
Free tutorials are an exclusive perk for my valued Stampin’ Up! customers and down line.
(7 more tutorials to come for the month of August)
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Have a smaller order?  The complete tutorial for today’s project along with all of the card tutorials I create from August 1, 2014 through August 15, 2014 (at least 6 tutorials) will be e-mailed to my customers who place a minimum  $20 merchandise order anytime between August 1, 2014 and August 15, 2014 free of charge.
Note:  Please do not select the option for no contact when placing your order or I will not be able to send you the tutorials.  Also, please make sure that my e-mail address, [email protected] is approved in your e-mail account so your e-mail does not reject my e-mails which contain the tutorials.  🙂

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Just released stamp set.

Yee-Haw! Dust off those boots, shine up your spurs, and figure out where you left your ten-gallon hat because with the new 25-piece Yee-Haw photopolymer stamp set you can really let your cowboy (or girl) flag fly!

 Click here to view the flyer info for this fun new set.

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Sneak Peek Stamp Set Now Available


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Brand new deals start today!

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Chick Update

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Hello There,

Yesterday was exciting indeed.  Two new chicks hatched!

As I reported in an earlier post, Goldie went broody and wanted to hatch some eggs.  She would sit on all the other girls eggs.  Since we don’t have a rooster we mail ordered some fertile eggs for her to sit on.  This is a new experience for us so we were excited to see if any of them would hatch.

After 20 days one Silver Laced Wyandotte and one Barred Pymouth Rock hatched.  They were a day early so that was a surprise.  They are so stinking cute.

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The Barred Pymouth Rock chick had a hard time hatching and she came out with one foot all curled up.   So it didn’t stay that way permanently we made a little cardboard and vet wrap shoe for her to wear to flatten her foot out while the bones are still soft.  Should only have to wear it for 48 hours.   I chalked this up to another learning experience for me.  It’s amazing what you can learn from the internet!  I hope it works. . . .

I brought the two chicks inside and they are now housed in a brooder box equipped with a heat lamp to keep them at the right temperature.  I decided to hand raise them so they would be friendlier chickens.

I dipped their little beaks in the water and tapped on the food container to teach them to eat and drink.  I’m happy to report that both of are geniuses and eat and drink on their own, lol.

Goldie is sitting on five eggs still so we will see what happens today.  Hopefully we will have more cute chicks.  If  they don’t hatch today they probably won’t be hatching at all.  Fingers still crossed, lol.

May your day be filled with the wonder of life!

Until my next post. . . . . . .  .

Huge Hugs!

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Want the entire month worth of tutorials free?

Place a $50 merchandise order before August 31, 2014 and receive the entire month of tutorials (at least 12) free of charge via e-mail.
You will receive all of these, plus, they will keep coming until August 31, 2014.  You will also receive 1 virtual token from me for each $50 in merchandise purchased with your order.  Collect 10 tokens and receive a free stamp set of your choice up to a $30 value.  Now, that’s the way to get some bang for your buck!
Free tutorials are an exclusive perk for my valued Stampin’ Up! customers and down line.
(9 more tutorials to come for the month of August)

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Have a smaller order?  The complete tutorial for today’s project along with all of the card tutorials I create from August 1, 2014 through August 15, 2014 (at least 6 tutorials) will be e-mailed to my customers who place a minimum  $20 merchandise order anytime between August 1, 2014 and August 15, 2014 free of charge.
Note:  Please do not select the option for no contact when placing your order or I will not be able to send you the tutorials.  Also, please make sure that my e-mail address, [email protected] is approved in your e-mail account so your e-mail does not reject my e-mails which contain the tutorials.  🙂

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Chicken Update – Goldie

Hello there,

I’ve been doing my chores this morning and thought I would share a little experiment we have going right now.

Goldie has gone broody again and since she is so determined to hatch some eggs and we don’t have a rooster to have fertile eggs I mailed ordered some.  That’s right you can mail order fertile eggs and baby chicks.

Above is my girl, Goldie.  She wanted to sit on any egg she could find.  So when the 8 fertile eggs arrived she fluffed out those super soft feathers and settled in.  Only problem was the other girls wanted to lay their eggs on top of fertile eggs and shove Goldie out of the nesting box all the time.  In the process they also knocked a couple of the fertile eggs out too.  We put the fertile eggs back in the nest.  Bad Chickens!

So Goldie and the fertile eggs have been moved to a luxury dog crate where she has her very own nesting box, food and water.  As you see she doesn’t like to get off the nest for anything so she reaches out and eats and drinks.

I’m hoping after all the ruckess the eggs still hatch.   Keeping fingers, toes, legs, arms and eyes crossed.  We are hoping to hear peeps around August 8th.  Here’s hoping for some baby girl chicks.  🙂

I will be back later today with the last project/tutorial of the month.

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Want the entire month worth of tutorials free?

Place a $50 merchandise order before July 31, 2014 and receive the entire month of tutorials (at least 12) free of charge via e-mail.
You will receive all of these, plus, they will keep coming until July 31, 2014.  You will also receive 1 virtual token from me for each $50 in merchandise purchased with your order.  Collect 10 tokens and receive a free stamp set of your choice up to a $30 value.  Now, that’s the way to get some bang for your buck!
Free tutorials are an exclusive perk for my valued Stampin’ Up! customers and down line.
This month’s tutorials include the following plus 1 more to come.

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Have a smaller order?  The complete tutorial for today’s project along with all of the card tutorials I create from July 16, 2014 through July 31, 2014 (at least 6 tutorials) will be e-mailed to my customers who place a minimum  $20 merchandise order anytime between July 16, 2014 and July 31, 2014 free of charge.

Note:  Please do not select the option for no contact when placing your order or I will not be able to send you the tutorials.  Also, please make sure that my e-mail address, [email protected] is approved in your e-mail account so your e-mail does not reject my e-mails which contain the tutorials.  🙂

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May your day be filled with wonder!

Until my next post. . . . . . .  .

Huge Hugs!

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Check out the latest batch of Stampin’ Up! Weekly Deals in my on-line store.  Discounted prices on this week’s deals end August 4th.

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The Mission – Chicken Update and How to Boil Fresh Eggs

It seems that the girls only have one mission this summer.  It’s to get on the decks and eat my herbs that I have been painstakingly growing there.   To aid in the survival of the herbs and to keep me from having to clean chicken pop off of the deck every time I turn around, I have fenced them out with construction fencing.  That’s right we are just that classy, lol.  So far it has worked keeping them at bay but I know it is only a matter of time.

Really, if there is a place you don’t want the girls to be, well that is exactly where they wish to be 24/7.

Here is the cast of characters for their mission:

Sophie the General.  She may look very sweet, but she is crafty.  If her minions get out of line, the least little bit, she pecks them on the head so they shape up.  She is the mastermind.   Don’t let that sweet face and her sweet bip, bip, bip sound that she makes fool you.

This is Sophie and Lily casing the place.  I know they look all innocent, but they are really up to something.

Buffy, second in command.  She is checking to see if I am watching.  Yep, I’m  still here drinking my coffee.  Doesn’t Shultz from Hogan’s Hero’s come to mind some how?  I know NOTHING. . . .   Oh, now I’m telling my age a bit.

Buffy calls one of the minions, Red, over to preen and try to distract me.  Yeah, that’s not going to work.

I see Goldie and Fern whispering to each other in secret. Oops, she caught us.

They try to throw me off and send the bearded girl in to see if I’m still watching.  This is Bunny, she has a muff which looks like a beard, lol.  Yep, I’m still here drinking my coffee.. . . .

They give up for now.  I just know they will figure a way in.  It’s just a matter of time.

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Now, I bet you are wondering why on earth does a person go through all this trouble of raising chickens.  Well it’s for the yummy fresh eggs.

I did have a problem though.  I couldn’t figure out how to boil fresh eggs and peel the shell off without the egg tearing up.  I would put my fresh eggs in the back of the frig for a couple of weeks to let them get old so they would peel correctly.  Well that just defeats the purpose of having fresh eggs so I went on my own mission to search the internet to find a better solution.  This is what I found.  YOU STEAM THEM!

Times will vary depending on your steamer.  I steam mine in my steamer for 30 minutes.  The clock starts ticking the minute I put them in the steamer.

When they are done steaming I plunge them into ice water and then peel them.

The shell comes right off and they are cooked to perfection.  🙂

Well I hope all of this made you smile a bit.  I’m off to check for tunnels.

Until my next post. . . . . . .  .

Huge Hugs!

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FREE TUTORIALS – only 3 more days to get this months tutorials free.

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Want the entire month worth of tutorials free?

Place a $50 merchandise order before June 30, 2014 and receive the entire month of tutorials (at least 12) free of charge via e-mail.
You will receive all of these, plus, they will keep coming until June 30, 2014.  You will also receive 1 virtual token from me for each $50 in merchandise purchased with your order.  Collect 10 tokens and receive a free stamp set of your choice up to a $30 value.  Now, that’s the way to get some bang for your buck!
Free tutorials are an exclusive perk for my valued Stampin’ Up! customers and down line.
This month’s tutorials include the following, plus at least 1 more to come this month.
************************************************
Have a smaller order?  The complete tutorial for today’s project along with all of the card tutorials I create from June 16, 2014 through June 30, 2014 (at least 6 tutorials) will be e-mailed to my customers who place a minimum  $20 merchandise order anytime between June 16, 2014 and June 30, 2014 free of charge.

Note:  Please do not select the option for no contact when placing your order or I will not be able to send you the tutorials.  Also, please make sure that my e-mail address, [email protected] is approved in your e-mail account so your e-mail does not reject my e-mails which contain the tutorials.  :)

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Only while supplies last!

Check out the latest batch of Stampin’ Up! Weekly Deals in my on-line store.  Discounted prices on this week’s deals end June 30th.

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My Morning with the Girls

Hello there,

Do you ever just take the time to sit and say to yourself “I’m so very fortunate.”  Well that’s exactly how I feel this morning.  It has nothing to do with money or possessions.  Believe me, Russ and I live a very modest life.  It’s just a sense of being.  🙂

This morning I got to have girl time with my favorite chicks.  That’s probably what contributed to my inner peace.  I went outside to find these ladies waiting at the gate for me.

I always think, look they love me so much.  They cannot wait to have time with me so they are waiting at the gate.

Then this happens. . . . . . . . . .

They stampede right by me to get to their favorite place.  The bird feeders.  🙂  This is were they find wonderful sunflower seeds that the birds have tossed out to them.

That’s okay, they eventually notice I am there in the background, quietly having my coffee and enjoying my morning.

One by one they come to say “good morning, when did you arrive here?”

This is my favorite girl Sugar.  She likes to show off her big red comb from all sides, apparently.  I think I would too if I had that on my head.

There was one girl missing this morning and I knew exactly where she could be found.  This is Goldie and she has gone Broody.  That means she is trying to hatch some eggs and relentlessly stays on the nest.  Poor girl, I keep taking the eggs from under her.  They are not fertile, we don’t have a Rooster in our flock and they will never hatch, but try telling her that.

Okay, I’m getting the look from Red.  This is her “go get me some Kale” look.  I am their slave so let’s go to the garden.

On the way to the garden I passed the bleeding hearts in bloom and the heavenly smell of the Lilac in bloom.  To bad this isn’t smell a vision.

We arrive at the little front garden where many of my Spring veggies are growing.

There is the Kale.  “Got it Red.”  “Be right there!”

After giving Red her Kale, I get to kick back with my coffee once again to enjoy the views and soak up the morning sun before the task of the day start.  There is tilling and tomato planting on the agenda.

If you are in the area, come by and sit a spell.  🙂

Well I hope you have enjoyed seeing a little piece of my world.  Thank you all for being part of it.

Have a wonderful day.   Mine is off to a great start!
Until my next post. . . . . . .  .

Huge Hugs!

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That’s right! Stampin’ Up! is currently offering a 25%-50% discount on many of the retiring products, not including those products that are no longer available. The sale starts today May 22, 2014, but you have to act fast, as this special offer is only available until June 4, 2014. If you missed out on a product the first time, this is your last chance to get it before it’s gone for good!

CLICK HERE TO SHOP THE RETIRED LIST NOW!

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The New Stampin’ Up! Annual Catalog will be out June 2nd, Woohoo!
If you would like to pre-order your Stampin’ Up! 2014-2015 annual catalog here is a paypal button for quick payment of $6 for the cost of the shipping. 

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FREE TUTORIALS

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Want the entire month worth of tutorials free?

**********************************************************************
Place a $50 merchandise order before May 31, 2014 and receive the entire month of tutorials (at least 12) free of charge via e-mail.
You will receive all of these, plus, they will keep coming until May 31, 2014.  You will also receive 1 virtual token from me for each $50 in merchandise purchased with your order.  Collect 10 tokens and receive a free stamp set of your choice up to a $30 value.  Now, that’s the way to get some bang for your buck!
Free tutorials are an exclusive perk for my valued Stampin’ Up! customers and down line.
This month’s tutorials include the following, plus at least 4 more to come this month
************************************************
Have a smaller order?  The complete tutorial for today’s project along with all of the card tutorials I create from May 16, 2014 through May 31, 2014 (at least 6 tutorials) will be e-mailed to my customers who place a minimum  $20 merchandise order anytime between May 16, 2014 through May 31, 2014 free of charge.

Note:  Please do not select the option for no contact when placing your order or I will not be able to send you the tutorials.  Also, please make sure that my e-mail address, [email protected] is approved in your e-mail account so your e-mail does not reject my e-mails which contain the tutorials.  🙂

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If you wish to purchase the tutorial for this project or check out the monthly subscription option. CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS.
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Check out this week’s deals.  CLICK HERE

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