Well I think spring is finally on it's way, it's been consistently decent for the last two weeks, not anything over the top, but decent. The problem is, every time it gets warm, it rains. Now if it would get warm, I mean nice and warm and sunny for a few days, we would begin to see our spring flowers pop. I think it will be a bit before we see any consistent warm temps.

I'm going to make this bog short and sweet, I've got so much to do today, I really don't have time to sit and write this one but I feel guilty I haven't updated for so long:)

Starting with the family, were all great, the kids are healthy and rambunctious(nothing new there) we are ready for spring break that will give us some time to catch up on our sleep and do some leisure activities. We are already gearing up for Haley's graduation, renting the tent, tables and chairs, ordering the cake and napkins, should be a ton of fun, I just have to get the work involved first.

The birds are doing great, I've finally got fertile eggs from my blue-splash pen, the cold weather apparently hurt the males in the fertility dept, but were all systems go now. All the babies hatched over the last few months are growing and filling out nicely both cochins and silkies. I'm already looking forward to a few falls shows when they will look their best.

As far as the pygmy goats go, Lanna is due anytime, she is big as a barn as miserable, I've been babying her for a few weeks now, she really enjoys the extra attention she gets. I'm still hoping for those triplets:) Most importantly we want nice healthy babies. I'll keep you posted.

I'm not going to rant this time:) Those of you that know me best know how I feel about people taking advantage of others, and how I feel about scum bags that treat other human beings this way. Just remember, what goes around comes around!!

My mission is to update my blog at least every other day, I live such a interesting life I really need to share it......NOT!......ha ha.

Tootles for now!

Shari

Hello!

Above is my daughter Kinsey with our REW lionhead cutie, born January 18th. We ended up with two others that are solid black. They are very and cuddly and soft. These will be 4-H project for the kids, and maybe a few open shows......who knows.

Well, old man winter has a way of over staying his welcome. I'm not a fan of winter anyway and to be honest......I've had enough! It's now March, our average temp is in the 40's and we just can't seem to hit the mark. If we do, it's 20 the next morning. Now their calling for a possiblity of 6 inches of snow on Friday and Saturday with winds gusting over 40mph......UGH! Sounds depressing to me. Somehow I've managed to keep it positive and look forward to some beautiful weather that's to come. We usually have leaves budding by the end of the month and leaves on the trees in April, so I know it's coming soon:)

The latest fun news in the Pygmy dept. is Josie had a single doeling Sun (3-2) I knew she was getting close, her bag was really full, but not really big......I figured she was having a single. I had just moved her to a clean kidding stall that morning, I walked in the barn to do chores Sunday night and there she was!! Dried off and standing! She's a beauiful dark gray agouti. She's really cute and a little chunk. I will get some pics up on the website by this weekend. Josie, for a first timer has been amazing! Kidding without assistance, and she's naturally a very good mother, very caring and loving to her kid, who I still have to name:) Lanna is due next, her first possible kidding date is the 16th of March, she is already in her own stall so I can care for her, she is VERY large, I'm guessing triplets. I felt her belly last night and they are jumping all over the place in there, it was neat to feel it and brought me back to feeling my own children moving in my belly when I was pregnant......I loved that feeling:) I just hope all those little ones make it out OK. I'll keep you posted:)

So far, I have 68 chicks various ages hatched. Many of them cochins, blue, splash and black. I still have no white cochins but that should pick up when it warms up. I do have several blue silkies and a handful of splash and black. I have several whites and buffs so I won't be hatching those colors for awhile. Although I am tempted to set up that buff pen I've been talking about:) The birds are doing well, the cold doesn't bother them like it does me. My white silkies are a mess, each and everyone needs a bath, mostly the crests are dirty, but they'll clean up nice when the weather turns nice and I can bathe them. Our first show is in April, so the birds are now being conditioned, I really like this show and look forward to seeing my chicken friends:)

We are still remodeling the house....UGH, it's getting old too, I've never painted so much in my life!! I ended up painting my dining room twice! I didn't like the first color I picked so I painted it again. I still have to do the ceiling. We are now deciding what kind of floor will go in the dining room. I like tile, it's easy to clean and lasts a life time, but its'very expensive, we will have to settle on something that fits the budget:) So far we've done the living room, one bathroom, dining room and the big girls room, except for the floor in the dining room. We still have the kitchen, 2nd bath and the boys room. I will also be painting the hall way and sun room on the back porch. My goal is to have everything completed when Haley graduates from highschool the end of May. I think we can do it!!

Before I close I would like to share my thoughts on a the world of silkies. The longer I'm in this the more I see people for who they really are. Please watch out for the money grubbers. Their are a few out there that will tell you what ever it takes to sell a bird. Talk is cheap and will eventually catch up with these money grubbers. Watch out for those who brag about how great their birds are and in the same breath feel the need to cut down anothers line. Trust me, they are not in it for the good of the breed. Honest breeders who are in it for good of the breed don't find the need to trash others and find fault in everyone but themselves. Trust me, everyone has culls. These who spend countless hours pointing the finger at others for everything under the sun, need to turn that finger around and point it straight at themselves. It's Buyer Beware. Get to know who your buying from personally! Ask other breeders for references, that will give you a great idea who your dealing with. You can go to the American Silkie Breeders Association and look up breeders on the website. Don't be afraid to ask tough questions, especailly if your spending tons of $$$$ with this person!! On the bright side their are good, honest, knowledgeable breeders out there that truly care. Seek out the one's that have experience and can be trusted. Fortunatley the good out weigh the bad. Do your homework!

Tootles...

Shari

Gosh, where do I start. It's been forever since I blogged. Time is always the issue. The kids certainly keep me hopping, mix that in with all the animals and a house remodel, your talking the day is jam packed with activity. I usually find myself at the grocery store late at night, that's the only time I could fit it in. At least I'm staying healthy so far. The flu has officially hit my home. Kyle and Mason are home from school today:( I had my flu shot and take a daily vitamin along with Emergen-C hoping to ward off any bugs. Every year I end up with some creepin crud, but that was without the flu shot, so far so good.

The weather has been crazy here, we go from the 50's to sub zero in literally hours. The last time it did that several people lost their lives in the southern states, so very sad weather can turn so ugly. I had the kids in the basement that night, the house was cracking and popping and our home is brick, the wind was kicking up to 80 mph wind gusts. Thank GOD the barns and the coop held up to winds like that. I'm sure the animals were wondering what in the world was going on, I bet that barn of ours was making some noise:)

The birds are doing well, I've focused mainly on hatching blue cochins this year, and ended up with a TON of splash cochins from those breeding's. I will definitely have some splash up for sale in the spring. I also hatched a bunch of little blue silkies they came from a black to splash cross and have really nice blue color and type. I also have a few splash I really like. I also managed to squeeze out a few black cochins and a few black silkies. I have tons of white silkies growing and a few buff so I'm set in that dept. I miss my little buff chicks though, I may set up a buff pen soon:)

Other interesting news, were taking the plunge and getting some super quality white call ducks. I did my shopping and researched breeders for weeks, these are ordered from the best of the best, my ducklings will arrive between April and May sometime. I can't wait!!! I think Call ducks are as cute as can be!!

Goat news: So far, Lanna and Josie are bagging up. They should be due the beginning of March sometime. I am so looking forward to kids. Lanna is HUGE hopefully she's got a belly full and not two BIG kids. Maybe this will be my first triplets(big smile). Josie is a first timer, I bred her to Mighty who consistently produces nice healthy small kids. Not weakling small but 3 to 3.5 lb kids, no 5 lb cows. I hope Josie does well. I don't think Trixie took and I'm not sure on Hermione and Sierra, they would not be bagging up yet anyway. Wildfire and Neka are in with the bucks now. I bred a lot more does then I usually do, so will see how it goes. If just the two took and I have kids on the ground I will be happy with that. I'll keep ya posted.

Our Lionhead doe "Hotstuff" gave birth to four little kits, one REW and three blacks, they are so cute and adorable, I will try to get my Lionhead page back up and running, I had to shut the page off, it needed to be up-dated so badly. I will try to get that done sometime this week. You got to see these baby bunnies....A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E!

Other interesting news, TSC better known as Tractor Supply has a quarterly magazine called Out Here, their spring issue did a story on a family that loves poultry, our family was featured in the magazine, it's a nice story about our family and how we got started in our passion for poultry. Check it out if you can. It is at all Tractor Supply Stores and it's free. They will also have it on their website sometime in the future if you don't have access to one. I hope folks enjoy the article as much as we did doing it:)

Well, that's it for now, I will try to get back sooner and blog! Take care all!

Shari

Pictured above newly hatched blue, splash and black cochins. There might be a silkie or two in there as well. Tis the season for hatching chicks!! I've been a hatching fool. I have lots of blue, splash and white silkie babies too. I also hatched out a handful of black cochins. My whites still are not laying. I set up a great pen of silkies in the barn, the male is black and a AWESOME male, I love him! He is in with black and splash girls. I can't wait to get my first blacks out of him. I have several little blues and splash, now I need my blacks. It's always a work in progress. I also have a black cochin pen, a white cochin pen and two blue-splash cross pens set up. My blue cochins are my main project this year. I will hatch out just a few blacks and whites, just enough for us to show.

Well, it's January and 68 degrees, this is record breaking weather for Indiana. The last time is was this warm was 102 years ago! I got so much done over the last two days. All though it won't last long, I took advantage of my window of opportunity. I cleaned all the pens, including the grow and breeding pens in the barn. The birds always love those new shavings. The can't wait to dust bath, it's funny. I also took advantage of the warm up and shipped birds folks had paid for in advance. Both boxes went to PA. It's funny, I found out they only lived about 30 minutes from each other, small world hugh?!

My buddy Sheryl from Washington and I are trading birds, she is sending me cochins, and I am sending her silkies. The birds should be here tomorrow!! Can't wait to see them. I have all their show coops ready for them. These guys will be some key peices in my breeding program this spring.

Well, I finally managed to get all the goats bred. Babies should start rolling in March, then April and June. Neka, Wildfire, Hermione, Jose, Trixie, and Sierra. Hoping for a great kidding season. I carefully choose which buck would compliment each doe. Now I have to wait and see if my desions were good ones. I love the kids we got out of Mighty(the buck) Neka and Wildfire(does) last year. The are truly beautiful animals, and better then their moms. I saw great improvements in that cross. I used three different bucks from three different lines this year. Mighty, Lady's Man and Midnight. I seriously can't wait until March!! I'll keep you posted!

I am currently working on our 2008 show schedule. The first shows start in February around here, then really pick up in March and April. I have one Pygmy goat show we always hit in April. I'm looking forward to that!! We hit at least 4 shows a year for the poultry I may add one more this year. We always stay with in a 3 hour limit, which isn't hard to do with shows in Ohio, Illinois and Kentucky. We are 3 hours in reach of each state.

We are currently remodeling our house, what a JOB!! We started with one of the bathrooms, then will continue on to the other. Then the kitchen and back sun porch. The rest of the house just needs new coats of paint. Our goal is to have everything done by the end of May. My daughter graduates from high school and we plan to have it all done by her graduation party. Shouldn't be a problem:)

Well, I better run, I will try to catch up again soon. It's always finding the time to sit and write.

Happy Chickening!

Shari