Just dropped Nat + friends off in Sutton ... first time driving on my own!

One thing I'm not used to doing - waving "Ta" to other drivers. Need Dan to sit and wave at everyone for me :P

Drivin'

Have just been for a drive! :D

Mothers work car insurance changed or something, so she stole my licence + filled the forms in this morning.
Drove to Tamworth, bought some shoes for the funeral on Thurs ... then back home + to Sutton to pick Nat up from work.

Only a little car + the engine is silent so can never hear or feel the bite! May have stalled twice getting onto Bassets Pole! :

Thought I'd have to drive with her in the car for a year or something, and then go out on my own ... but I don't :P

Philosophical

Well, someone posted a deep and meaningful blog post just for me, about religion ... so thought I'd return the favour. Thought it was very apt.

The bible says Jesus is in all of us.

So technically, he's bi...

ily ;)

Results...

A2 results day ... eurgh -_-

Got to school with The Woman at half 8 + went to get them from our old form room. Form tutor of 7 years gave me them, I just started laughing :/
Old head of year (and Biology teacher) asked if I was ok
... obviously I was 'cos they didn't mean anything about getting in to Uni. "Well, it doesn't change what I think of you as a person :)" ... I took it as a compliment.
I thought I'd do better in Biology than I did, but thats the only one I really cared about. Physucks can die.

Well, they were pretty whack tbh, but at least I had an unconditional for Animal Science at Aberystwyth. *rub it in*
They don't mean anything 'till I need to get a job, and hopefully by that time I'll have a degree!

Can't believe some friends are going to Oxford, and some are going to be Doctors!
We got the annual "wave your results in the air at me" photo in the paper though :)

Don't feel old enough to leave home and go to Uni. Then I have to be an adult and everything :/

Went to friends for a BBQ and then to Walkabout on Broad Street :) ... left my phone in the taxi though! :(

*Brum brummmm*

As if I passed my driving test!!
I have a blue certificate to prove it and everything. The licence should be here in 3 weeks, or so she said :)

Was soo nervous at the start + she asked me to do a bay park, I did it and ended up at a ridiculous angle!
I was like Shall I just get out now? :/
... she said try again, so I did, and it was alright *phew*

Was stuck on Boldmere Rd for 5 mins while some idiot did a 100 point turn in the road, so that used up a good few minutes :)

Didn't believe her when she said I passed, had to check again. Got 5 minors which isn't too bad :)

Now it would help if I had a car ... and insurance. Not that I'll need one at Uni.
The parentals cars are work cars, so can't drive them for a year.

Mother bought me cake and everything for passing! 8)

Oxfordshire County and Thame Show - Cotswold Chickens

Another chicken show this weekend! :)
At the Oxfordshire County and Thame Show with Cotswold Chickens.

Left the house at 5am! Got to the showground at half 6, and met Jude, Christine and Anthony.
It was tipping it down with rain .. luckily they'd already set up the marquee yesterday and dropped off the Omlet houses.
We started unloading all the tables out the van then got onto the boxes - there were 1000s of them! I think the whole shop was there, and then more ... was stuff everywhere.

We had a classic, Go and cube so I set those up and put chickens in them - they took a wooden coop with them too.
Sold a load of chicken tonics, gifty items and took a few orders for eglus and cubes too. We even sold the wooden coop, cube and all the chickens we took with us ... had to carry the cube across the showground to a mans car though, heavier than it looks! So it was well worth them having a stand for all that, and raises interest too :)

The show finished at 6 so we started packing everything up, even though we'd sold so much stuff it still took an hour and a half!!
Got home just before 9

CLA Game Fair - Day 2

Left the house just after 7 this morning to make sure we were there on time - which we were early 'cos there was less traffic than yesterday!

Was on the stand with Clare from Omlet again, her OH and son, and then Karen off the forum.

Sold 2 cubes today :)
One man was really nice - made sure he took my name so that he could phone Omlet and mention that he spoke to me! :D
We got 3 eggs from the chickens today, but then someone stole one egg out of the cube!!

Got back at 20 past 8, really tired now!

CLA Game Fair - Omlet

I was working at the Omlet stand again today, this time at the CLA Game Fair in Alcester, nr Warwick. It took soo long to get there - left the house at 20 past 7 and got there just after 9 ... sat-nav said we should be there at 8.15 when we left! It was a stand-still for the last few miles, luckily we left enough time.

Was on with George from Omlet again, and Diane :)
George has pretty much put up the eglus and cubes, so I just put the shades on, took the chickens out the crates into the Cube and Classic, fed and watered them and put out the leaflets.

We sold 3 cubes and a beehaus - I didn't take the orders but pretty much sold a cube and a half, then there were 2 couples that said they will book later in the year.

There was another chicken stand next to us - Smith Sectional - they had some really good coops and were really nice people ... met Sheila off the forum too :)

Chicks are 9 weeks!

All the chicks are 9 weeks old and huuge!
Managed to get a picture of them all in the WIR

Grumpy Little Miss Meaty:

Half a CLB, half an Araucana, Barred Wyandotte and half a sock ;)

Quigley!!! Think he might be a little boy? ;)

Barred Wyandotte looking a bit more girly! *hopes so*

Gardeners World day 2....

Second day at the Omlet stand at BBC Gardeners world and Good Food Show today :)
Up early and got to the NEC for about half 8 - I already had my ID pass so could just walk in.

Was on with George from Omlet, Sarah (who I already know) and Karen from the forum.

Between us we sold 2 cubes, a classic and a Go - mine were the pink classic and green Go :)

Saw some other friends off the forum there too! DebC, Emma and Cheryl. Then Louise from the turkey farm's sister came and asked about fitting turkeys in an eglu - I think George was a bit shocked but then realised I knew them :P

Omlet Stand - Gardeners World and Good Food Show

First day at the Omlet stand today!
We were at BBC Gardeners World and the Good Food Show, at the NEC in Birmingham. Got there at half 8 and met Clare from Omlet to collect my ID pass to get in.
Diane was there too, who I already 'know' from the forum, so was good to finally meet her - met someone else off the forum called Redbug, who just came to have a look at the stand :)

We were on a big astroturfed pitch, with the products set up on it: an eglu classic, eglu Go, a cube and a beehaus.
Was good to have a proper look at the beehaus too - I'd seen it before when we went to Grand Designs last year and James (from Omlet) demo'd it to me so if anyone knows about it its him!
I knew enough about it that I managed to talk people through it all, hopefully picked up a few bits from reading the website and the forum, and we have brochures to hand out with all the info in too.

Adam Henson from Adam's farm on Countryfile was there! He walked past the stand and said Hi! :)


Andi Peters off the telly was there too presenting the Good Food Show bits, Quin off the stand had his photo taken with him yesterday! lol
Was a good day - we sold 5 cubes between us - I took the orders for 2 and practically sold another but didn't take the order.
Had to convince 2 little girls' parents that a Go with 2 ducks would be a good idea :P - I think a did a good job and they ended up getting them!

Brooder chicks are 4 weeks old....

All are still doing well at 4 weeks old....
Cream legbars, looking more adulty

Lav araucana looking really red and adulty :(

All 4 running around the garden

Hilarys chicks - 3 week update

They're all fine and flying about everywhere :) ... all boys though! :(

Lav frizzle cockerel, Quigley:

Welsummer crosses:

3 week old brooder chicks

The cream legbar boys still look completely different! They seem to have grown loads in a week too...

Barred wyandotte

Lav araucana:

Hilarys chicks - 2 weeks old

Hilary's chicks are 2 weeks old now and getting on fine!!

Cheeky lav frizzle:

Brooder chicks - 2 weeks old

The chicks hatched in the incubator and under the electric hen are all doing fine - 3 weeks old now! :)
All 4 of them:

Lavender araucana and Barred wyandotte:

Pale cream legbar boy:

Brooder chicks:

Cream Legbars:

Lavender araucana:

Barred Wyandotte:

Tiiny wings - little boy? :/

We have chicks!

We have 7 chicks!!
In the brooder:
Barred Wyandotte

Lavender Araucana

2 Cream Legbars (though not sure if one on the right is a CLB)

...and under Hilary the broody:

at the back, Welsummer x Commercial meat bird

at the front, Welsummer x Maran

Lavender Pekin

CLB hatched!

I was just about to go out to school Leavers ball and the Cream Legbar has hatched!!
Not sure if its a girl/boy but the other has hatched (under broody) and they both look different but have the pale male dots

The Araucana has pipped pretty much all the way but isn't out yet, and nothing from the Barred Dotte yet, but it wobbled at me .. not due until today anyway

Will get photos later :)

Cream Legbars

The 2 Cream legbars ... I think they are 2 boys 'cos of the autosexing dots in top of their heads ... but not sure if the one on the right is a CLB ?!

2 have pipped!!

2 of the eggs in the incubator have pipped! xD

The Cream Legbar and Araucana
They're not due until tomorrow, so could take a long time to hatch, but its a start! :D

Day 18

Tis day 18 so stopped turning the eggs today :P

3 eggs left in the incy (Cream Legbar, Araucana and Barred Wyandotte) and 4 under Hilary the broody (Welsummer x Maran, Welsummer X, Cream Legbar and a Pekin)

Have set up a broody cam on Hilary - it was in the nest earlier and she pulled it under her and tried to hatch it?!
Its up high now out the way.

They're due on Wednesday :) :)

Day 18

Tis day 18 for the eggs!

Hilary's 4 are fertile and developing.

Of the others in the incy, 3 are developing - Cream Legbar, Araucana and Barred Wyandotte!

Have turned the auto-turner off in the incy and now ... we wait

Omlet Hen Parties

Just realised I haven't blogged about it yet! :P

I've booked my first 'Hen Party' on 30th May.

Basically people come round and have a mini chicken keeping course, have a look at the eglus etc

Looking forward to it :)

Not made it

None of the chicks have hatched :(

I got rid of the eggs today - they're 3 days overdue + weren't alive.

Pretty sure its the dodgy incy's fault :|


Roll on the 19th/20th May for the next lot, and hope we have a bit more luck then!

Hatching again

Not totally convinced that the chicks are going to come to anything, I've got another 12 eggs off my friend :)

She went to a breeder to collect something, and got me some green eggs while she was there!
3 Cream Legbars, 1 Araucana, a Welsummer x meat bird and a Welsummer x FCB Maran (both dinner chickens), a Blue laced wyandotte bantam, a Pekin, 3 Barred dotte bantams and a surprise unknown egg! xD
Rather excited again!

Due 19th/20th May!

4 of them (CLB, 2 meat birds + a poland) have gone under Hilary, a broody I've borrowed off my uncle.
Meet Hilary:

New Incy + eggs

Have borrowed schools Covatutto 24 auto incy that we used last time to hatch the chicks, and am getting some more eggs off a friend :)

Its sitting dowstairs warming up and just checking it, but its been perfect temp since its been on, so all good so far :D

Should have the eggs early/middle of next week :P

Electric hen

Have finished making the electric hen :)
Cut the wood up, screwed it together and put i few coats of varnish on so I can wipe it down when it gets covered in chick poo! Stuck the heat mat on with gaffer tape. Screwed in the hook eyes.
Sorted
The top, which will be suspended at an angle by chains and hung in the brooder:

The heat mat which the chicks sit underneath:


They use a lot less energy compared to a heat lamp, so less cost, and they're more natural so the chicks can get used to daylight hours etc.
Apparently chicks feather up faster under them, but don't know as yet :)

Day 11: Candling

We have 7 or 8 developing eggs :D
A neked neck, all 4 polands, dark brahma, SL dotte and the pekin X poland :P

Have tried to take photos but they haven't come out very well!

Day 7: Candling

Have candled the eggs and am a bit disappointed. Looks like a combination of the postman being rough, and my rough incy :P
It looks like 12 are fertile, but not all developing.
A couple have blood rings too, which means they're fertile but the incubator playing up etc, has meant they've died :(

Blood ring:

Eggs set ...

I have set the eggs!!!

I put them in 2 egg trays in the end, so can just tilt the whole tray and they'll all be turned.
They need to be turned 3 times a day - an odd number so that each night they're on a different side.

21 days and counting ......
;)

Banbury

Been to Banbury today :)

Was going to buy a dog crate to use as a brooder for the chicks, but asked on the off chance if anyone had one I could borrow, and they did!

Clare, one of my chicken friends, has an old one so we went and collected that from Banbury.

We went to Bicester Village on the way back, which is a shopping outlet thing.
It was full of yummy mummies and wanna-be posh people - wasn't a fan if I'm honest ;)

Have my eggs!

I have my eggs! :D

I have......
4 Transylvanian Naked Necks
4 Silver laced (frizzle) poland bantams
3 Lavender araucana
Silver Sussex
Lemon Pyle or Dark brahma
Buff X Black Orpington
3 Barred Wyandotte bantams
Silver laced Wyandotte bantam
Pekin X Poland bantam
Welsummer X FCB maran (meat bird)
- Seem to be posting the same list everywhere! xD



They won't all hatch (because of going through the post and not being fertile), and won't all be girls either. I'm planning on raising the boys to be table birds, and the ones that aren't suitable for that will try to re-home :)

Mom really wants a 'zebra chicken', Barred Wyandotte, and dad really wants the Oprington to hatch.
I want a Naked neck, Brahma, Wyandotte and Araucana the most ;)

Incy back up

The incy has been back on overnight with the 40W bulb in it and it seems to be holding the temp ok.
Have been adjusting it with a mat over the top and think its in the right place now :)
It does go up + down a bit as the temp of the room changes, but it should be ok *fingers crossed*
Thought about getting a new thermostat or a reptile one, but it seems to be holding ok.

Eggs are being sent out today, next-day delivery, so should get them before 1pm tomorrow :D

Incy broke!

The incy has died on me! :(
Have been away for the weekend so switched it off and then back on when we got back and it has died.
I tired to find the problem, rewired it and stuff but can't see why :(

Have put a 60W bulb in and it got too hot, so replaced with 40W and it seems to be holding ok

Dove chick

The doves have hatched another dove chick this afternoon :)

There is still 1 more egg to go, so hopefully that hatches too 8)

Jemimas 1st egg!!

Jemima laid her 1st egg today! xD

I found her in the garage yesterday, in the old brooder, so knew it wouldn't be long ... then she laid one in the side passage today :)

They were all FRing in the garden today, Gerald was chasing Nugget, so separated them. The ducks are in the Go in the WIR tonight - still need to get the roof sorted. We went to B&Q earlier but got there too late and they were just shutting :P

WIR roof

Put the roof panels on the WIR today, haven't put the corrugated plastic on yet though.

Got the incy back today (and 2 infra red bulbs 8) ) so its switched on downstairs to check it all still works - getting ready for the eggs in a few weeks :)

WIR assembly

Today:
Finished putting up sides, moved wendy house from old run to new and creosoted it, + put the Go in the WIR :)