National Chicken & Egg Day .......................

Forget Groundhog's Day ........

Because yes ........ today was actually the day to celebrate our chickens and the eggs they provide for us. My hens have just started laying again after their fall molting process. January started out good , but their egg laying has been slack this week. I'm not sure why , but it's probably the crazy weather pattern we're having. It's been very spring like , but we've had a couple of really cold nights. Pictured above is Ms. Rose , she provided me with an egg today and I'm mighty thankful to her. Ms. Rose is my aggressive hen , she'll chase you down for a snack , jump up and grab it if she gets the chance. She also pecks you if you don't get her feed in the pan fast enough , but it's a gentle peck (LOL ).

This is Iris , she lays white eggs with beautiful school bus yellow yolks.
She's the shy hen , I'm really surprised that she allowed me to capture this pic.


Jenny and Violet were hiding in the bushes today , guess they didn't want their picture taken ............ bad feather day , perhaps (LOL).

It was almost 70 degrees today , so this trio was seeking shade under the old truck. I'm thankful for my chickens and the eggs they provide us.

Happy Chicken and Egg Day !!

Blessings

JoyceAnn

Looks Like ............................

the perfect spot to soak up some sunrays !

Farm Blessings

JoyceAnn

Check-out Farm Photos at ~ http://farmchickskitchen.blogspot.com/ !

Saying Goodbye .................

Last night I went out to shut the coop door and found Ms. Arlene had passed. She was one of my first hens , I originally named her Jolene. But Curious J started calling her Arlene and it soon became her new name.

Good-Bye Ms. Arlene , Have a Safe Crossover !

Many Blessings

JoyceAnn

T'was a Few Days Before Christmas ..................

Around the Farmette .......... but it wasn't very quiet ...... except for the mouse.

The roosters were crowing .........................

The hens were cackling and pacing .........


The rabbits snorted and hopped about ..... those crazy guineas were mighty skittish & loud.

They were all wondering why JoyceAnn ........was cleaning and decorating their house.


But she kept on raking , scooping and shoveling until it was clean.
Then she hung up some bows and beautiful greens.

She hung a small red bow on the rabbit hutch ........ but didn't add greens ...... was afraid they would nibble on them before Christmas Eve.



But they heard her exclaim as she was finishing up ......



It's almost Christmas and Santa will soon be here ........

so lay him some eggs .



Ho ! Ho ! Ho !




~ Be Blessed ~
JoyceAnn

Ms. Red Fern ..........................

passed away yesterday. I'm going to miss her , she was the hen that followed me and was so nosy , she always got in my way each time I was working outside. She would jump up on whatever I was working with , be it the wheelbarrow , wagon or boards we have stacked under the shed ...... she had also been known to jump on my shoulder to check things out. She was very friendly and didn't mind being handled or petted. She was sick about a month ago , but had gotten better and had been free ranging and acting normal. But late yesterday afternoon I found her lying dead in the hen house , she's definitely going to be missed.

~ Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

There's been ..........................

lots of gossip around the water bucket this week about our spring like weather. Today it was in the 70's and this weekend is suppose to be nice too , I'm looking forward to it. How's your weather ?

~ Many Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

Around the Farmette .................................

it was very peaceful , after ............

everyone had their breakfast.

The goats were enjoying their hay ............

the keets are now adults. Their heads have turn white and they've developed their calls/voices.

This chicken has decided that it wants to be a guinea , it hangs out with the guinea.

We cleaned out the goat pens the other day , I threw the straw in the garden. The chickens have been wonderful helpers , they've been busy looking for bits of sweet feed and spreading it all over the garden.

~ Many Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

We went to a Garden Party ...................................

Nana took us for a hike Sunday evening , the woodland floor was covered

with yummy yellow leaves.

The ferns were lush and green , but not very tasty.


We did a little climbing and jumping as we were trying to get down to the creek.


The creek was mostly dry , but made for an interesting trail.


We did find a small hole of water , it didn't look to refreshing though.

When we got back from our hike , the chickens and guineas were having a garden party.

We decided to crash the party , the guinea weren't
to happy with us , they started to leave ................

but the buggy appetizers changed their minds.

The chickens enjoyed a dust bathe in the sun.

I found a low hanging limb along the edge of the garden , those sweet gum leaves tasted um , um ........ good !

There was a sweet gum ball hanging from the branch , I tried to knock it off with my horns. Nana said it look like I was trying to bust a pinata , whatever that is. Sorry the picture is blurry , I was moving around to much.

It was a fun day , hope there's another party soon !

~ Garden Blessings ~

Jazz , Jo and Goatee

This Past Week Around the Farmette ..........................

We've been busy again this week, Dh and I trimmed the goats hooves on Monday.

Dh has been getting the garden ready for planting the garlic , we'll be planting in the next week or so.


I've been cleaning up this years harvest of garlic , getting it ready for storage and saving the biggest cloves for planting. I want to make some garlic jelly this week and I may pickle some too.

Remember the heirloom blueberry bush , I decided to move it again. This is the third time I've moved it. I didn't feel like it was getting enough sun , so I moved it to the edge of the garden. I know it will get full sun there. Hopefully the third time will be a charm and it will grow huge and provide us with plenty of blueberries.

The hens are happy with their clean , fresh hay filled nest.

Well , everyone except for her , she's moulting and looks so pitiful.

I've also canned 13 quarts of potatoes this week. I've been canning all the small potatoes and the ones that have bad spots , that can't be stored. I hope to can at least 2 more batches. We're going to have to add another shelf to the pantry (LOL).

I gathered the last of the red clover I saw in the field, although it's not much. I want to make a little red clover salve to have on hand.

So as you can see , it's been busy around here. That's why I've haven't been blogging or visiting much. Hope everyone is well and having a great weekend.

~ Happy Autumn Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

~ Reckon Farming's .......................................

My daughter bought me this plaque a few months ago. Lately , especially with the heat this week , I've been thinking that very thought (LOL).

This morning Lame Lucy was in the nest box and Ms. Arlene was trying to rush her along. The other guinea on the roost was apparently waiting for her friend to lay her egg.


When I went to get hay , Ms. Fern was busy looking for a place to lay. She was under the shed , trying to nestle down in the hay. I had the black pipe laying on top of the hay bale to keep the chickens off the hay . But as the hay has dwindled down , it' s become the perfect place to nest.


As I was trying to put hay in the rack , Jazz decided my shorts might be good fiber (LOL).


Wednesday I cleaned the goat shed and rearranged their living space.

I replaced their small bowl with a bigger pan , they weren't to excited about the new pan. They kept looking at it , like I was trying to trick them or something. But after a few minutes , hunger won out and they started nibbling.

Jazz likes to pose for the camera , I think she may have a future as a model (LOL).

Dh and I trimmed their hooves this morning , it was the second time we've did this and it went much better this time (Yay)!

As I was leaving the goat pen I noticed all the guineas hanging out to the side of the pen , they kept watching me and making strange calls , upon closer inspection I found out way. There's a new guinea nest started next to fence , if you enlarge the photo , you may be able to see her better.

As I sum up the week after cleaning the chicken coop , mucking out the goat pen , trimming hooves , feeding and hauling water each day in this mucky , yucky , humid heat ............................

I Reckon Farming is for Us !

Hope you have a Wonderful weekend !!

~ Blessings ~

JoyceAnn