Dreaming What Ifs...

How to be Frugal with Fencing

My grandfather used to tell his kids this:

Use it up, use it out

Make it do or do without

Well, my father-in-law, Al, lived by this decree.  As I've said before, one of the downsides to buying this farm has been the loads of STUFF we've had to deal with. 

Some of it makes for great blogging posts.  I think the most intriguing to me is fence repair.

We life on almost 5 acres.  There is a lot of fencing around the place.  Dave's parents owned goats and they were tricky and smart.  If there was a hole, they'd find it.  However, instead of buying new fencing, Dave's dad would just make-do.

 

 

 

 

Got a hole?  Repair it with a random oven rack that just happens to be laying around.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have a larger hole?  Just use an old bedframe that happens to be laying unused in the garage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Need something tall and slender?  Well, there might just be a random food cart stored in one of the sheds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Running out of household items to use?  Well, then snag one of those old cigarette carton dispensors.  It makes for dandy and extremely attractive fence repair.

 

Yup.  There is always something new and exciting to find along the fenceline.  Most of it just causes me to shake my head and wonder....why. 

Incubation Part 4 or Complete Failure

Now I know that hatching chickens is NOT an easy task.  Out of 27 eggs, only 14 made it to week 2 and then NONE of my eggs hatched.  I think my humidity was off.  According to all the experts, chicken eggs need 70-80% humidity the last 3 days of the hatch, so I need to add extra water to my incubator.

I am already collecting eggs to try again.

I know, I'm crazy.  I autopsied my un-hatched eggs.  The chickens were almost completely formed but the inner membrane was VERY thick and tough.  Obviously, they needed more humidity.

I am a Biologist - I LOVE this stuff.  My little inner scientist totally exploded when I started looking at the un-hatched chicks.  I examined their little beaks, wings, and feet.  I explored how the yolk was attached and how the little egg-tooth on it's beak should have been used to crack through the egg.

Although I was excited to autopsy, I was also crushed at the loss of the little things.  Also, when my children's faces fell to devastation at the news, there was only one thing I could do for them.

Run to Wilco Feed Store and let them pick out some new baby pullets! 

I'm not ready to give up.  I will try incubating again and soon - this time with a better way to monitor humidity AND to be sure I keep it high towards the end of their hatch.

 

 

Incubation Part 3 or Day 12 Development

After candling our eggs a 2nd time and seeing baby chicken embryo movement, we have 14 eggs left that are still developing.  That is a 50% mortality rate, but one that I was expecting.  Before I began this process, I researched and found that most "chicken-hobbyists" who incubated at home see half their eggs fail.

We started with 27 eggs, after 2 weeks we still have 14 growing.  I am hoping that by Monday we will still have that many hatch, but I suspect not.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that 5 baby chicks make the hatch process.

Here is a video of some chick movement.  I'm holding the egg, my son is holding the camera.

 

 

Here is a video of an egg that did NOT make it to day 12.