Spring Tonic!

The other day it was time for the chickens annual spring tonic! Pumpkin! I didn't have access to any fresh pumpkin but I read that using canned pumpkin ( not pumpkin pie filling, just regular pumpkin) is ok to use also!

Now there are many conflicting sides to the whole pumpkin and pumpkin seeds etc for chickens.... some people claim it is a natural de-wormer, I'm not sure, but I know they love it and it is healthy for them. In the fall when I have access to pumpkins and squash I just cut them in half and the chickens go crazy for them!!!

 But they love the canned pumpkin too :) I love how the yolks of their eggs look so pretty and bright orange from the pumpkin. They just look happy too :)

  

 

Lola is telling me to step off her pumpkin!!!! She is so funny! They loved it though. So what do you think ? Have you ever used pumpkin as a de-wormer? Do you think it works ? I read a great article from the Chicken Chick ( I LOVE HER!) and she really went in to great detail about the whole pumpkin seed debate... you can read the article HERE

It also has a great recipe for a pumpkin mash type thing... looks great for the chickens!

 

Happy Farming my friends!!

 

Don't forget im on instagram now! @fruittreehill  

Fox and the Hens......

 He's cute isn't he. Wily. Sneaky. Charming. Deadly. The fox. The fantastic fox. Sigh.

A few months ago here in the Midwest, we had a horrible storm... some say a tornado ( me being one of them, the trees on our property twisted...) some say straight line winds. Either way, we lost two huge pine trees that gave us shade. We lost some big old trees in the "forest" behind our home. Our trampoline landed on top of our shed and we had no electricity for nine long days.

During this time, one of the giant trees in the forest fell over, pulling up giant pieces of mud and earth. While the neighborhood worked together to clean up the debris, we all took turns walking down our back hill , covered in black raspberry bushes, and we dumped the branches on top of the massive tree, and the big mounds of dirt and earth.

A few days ago, we learned that we had created the most fabulous fox den. We learned this the hard way. We have now lost four chickens to the fantastic fox. One of them being our sweet little birchin cochin roo Elvis, known for his love of sitting on the eggs and protecting them. He had finally found his love. A brown leghorn named Brownie. They passed away together, we found the trails of feathers, and they led right down to the den. A big pile of feathers sat in front of the hold that leads in. My husband, so sad and hurt for his kids who are madly in love with all of our chickens, took a big branch and poked around in the den. Nothing happened, but for now we are setting live traps. Three hens that laid daily, and a sweet protective roo is quite a loss.

How do you deal with predators?  And why in heavens name is there a fox den in the middle of town. Yes it is a perfect little patch of trees and flowers and berries and a beautiful creek that runs thru.. but we are seriously in the middle of town. Which is why we call our home a "little urban farm".

 

Love you Elvis, Brownie, Rachel, and Rose.
JL~

Animals Spring 2013

Here is some new pics of the animals here at Fruit Tree Hill....

This is the new Banty coop made from vintage window screens from the house at the end of the street.. the neat couple that live there are in their 90's and they save EVERYTHING... including all the vintage window screens from their home! Awesome! Cost us about 12 bucks to do this coop... paint and hardware. It's all screened in and lovely!
That's Lola in their... she is a silver laced Wyandotte.. she has a booboo back from being Hershey's favorite, the hen saddles are in the mail!

This is Porter... he's on loan from a friend's farm, he is our Ameracauna Dolly's new beau... hehehe.

This is Teddy Bear.. he is the proud papa of 27 babies!!!!!!! He is a lionhead.

The white and brown bun in the back is Sebastian, he is a lionhead. The cinnamon/black colored Netherland Dwarf in the front is Little Bear.

This is Kevin.... our crazy polish rooster. He is crazy. Seriously. and he's in time out. so there.

Hello Elvis! He is our little banty roo, the protector of the eggs. He is a Silver Birchen Cochin Bantam.

Hello Hershey! Our protector of all the chickens, he is a Barred Rock Rooster. He's handsome.

There's Dylan, working on his little "pond" for the ducks!

These are the ducks! Chris and Pat... because we don't know if they are boys or girls !! They are playing in a mud puddle under the swingset! :)

Introducing some of the new chickies at the Hill

Dylan's holding the two new baby bantams... and we also have two ameraucana's, a black jersey giant, and a buff orpington, oh and can't forget the golden laced wyandotte :)