I noticed Cheese (our drake Pekin) leg looking a little swollen and after an investigation he has bumblefoot on both feet. (“Bumblefoot is characterized by swelling, sometimes redness and often a characteristic black or brown scab on the bottom of the foot. Left untreated, serious cases of bumble foot can be fatal as the infection can spread to other tissues and bones.” – The Chicken Chick) So Wednesday night he had a little surgery and spent his night on the porch. Today while the hens went out I was able to grab Quackers and check her out (she’s had a limp for about two years now so I’m always hesitant to chase after her but it needed to be done) and she has a small bumble in one foot and now reunited together on the porch as things heal up. Bumblefoot is treated by soaking the infected foot to loosen the large black scab and then remove some of it, exposing healthy tissue underneath (blood is a good sign after cutting) drying and covering it to keep it clean. This procedure is done for however many days it takes until the black scab/bumble to be completely removed.

Over the summer our bantams mated with an average rooster and we had chicks for the first time ever! After some drama and an unfortunate animal attack, we lost one mother hen and chick, but these two survivors are now living in our garage. We had two bantam hens sitting on the eggs and it appears both were successful in mating. So this black one is a day younger than the yellow and it’s beginning to seem like I am the owner of yet another rooster; this one will be called Napoleon. So he, the yellow chick called Sunshine and their mother Bonita are currently living in the garage until we are able to get them a coop away from the old coop where a predator got in.

For our anniversary Ryan and I took a trip to a bee keeper farm and learned about beekeeping! This sourwood tree gives the most amazing honey and we hope to add bees and these trees in the future.

I know spring is just around the corner when my tulips pop up out of nowhere!

Phase one of…who knows how many. We have had overgrown blackberry bushes since we’ve lived here (7/8 years now) and this is the year to get them into shape! Lots of thorns later…

We’re busy preparing for a large season in the Spring and Summer! We’ve just ordered our Barred Plymouth Rock hens and the chicks are expected to arrive April 2nd. Garden planning has also begun and I expect a large garden and harvest with taking off last year to care for a baby. We hope to also have some landscaping done to include some large shade trees.

 

 

A few weeks ago we welcomed a few new members to our flock. Three Bantams and three Black Sex Link chicks. What I think we’ve ended up with is B.B. Red Old English Game Bantams – it appears two roosters and a hen. She is smaller and very different pattern from the other two so it’s honestly just process of elimination. The Black Sex Link chicks are a combination between Wyandotta and Rhode Island Red (according to TSC). They all appear to be hens (based on information I read about identifying white marks on their bodies). They are currently stinking up my laundry room and extremely skiddish. Like seriously, maybe it’s because we haven’t handeled them as much as our ISA Browns (hello three month old baby) or the breed? It was a spur of the moment decision to get Bantams because I didn’t know they laid small eggs or were small hens until I texted my husband what I got and he replied with “do Bantams lay eggs?” Oops. Next year we’ll just make sure to get more egg laying hens.

Our first batch of hens are a year old now and all are doing well. Gertie lives alone due to the fact she was attacked by our hound rescue Randy and nearly died. I spent a month tending to her in the CICU (aka our laundry room) and was unable to reintroduce her to the flock. She will (hopefully) be mama to our newcomers. Our Roo, D’artagnan (think three musketeers) is a real rooster – a jerk. We’re working on him. Last year he was given to us as a rescue because a co-worker had two roos and he was on the loosing end. He was so sweet and wanted to stay constantly on my arm but then he grew up. As soon as possible there will be updated pictures and pictures of the newcomers.

 

Catterson Farms!

A small family run farm nestled in the hills of eastern Tennessee. Here we will share about our ladies and roos; breeds, feeding, health, photos and what we’ve learned along the way.