Ivys new nest

Candling the new batch

Last night hubby and i candled the 5 eggs we currently have in the  inci and found only 1 of them to be fertile.  We had virtually given up on them being any good when the final one showed us a tiny wriggling embryo surrounded by a spider like networks of veins.

It seems we are destined to only hatch one at a time so we are considering puttin another 2 in today, providing my girls supply them. It will mean that they will be a week apart in age but at least this little one if its makes it will have some company.  Hopefully someday we will get a successful hatch and many little chicks at the same time.

An extra nest?

Yesterday we bought a huge bale of straw for the chickens from Smilers Farm. We found it to be difficult to move around so we used some of it in the run and then left the rest of the bale secured safely in the corner of the run.  Hubby went into the run lunchtime to find this.

Either they fancied a change or one of them was taking too long in the nest box.  So inventive, Chickens

Daisy gets a reprieve

We took our cockerel to our local farm today, loaded our car up with food pellets, straw and other bits and 5 minutes alter as my hubby went to say goodbye to him he noticed that Daisy was bleeding heavily.

They had only put him in a coop with 2 hens and they had attacked him.  We asked them to remove him and promptly brought him back home with us.  He has had the wound treated and we are keping an eye on him to make usre he is okay. It looks like they attacked his comb.  Poor thing now looks very sorry for himself.

It is annoying though as i had just found some gorgeous hens i was going to get to add to Holly & Ivy.

We have put 5 eggs in the incubator this afternoon and now we wait 6-7 days to candle them to see if they are fertile.

incubating eggs – Part 2

Having made the decision that Daisy has to go my sentimental hubby suggested keeping the next lot of eggs hatched before Sunday and trying to hatch them so that we have our own offspring.  So, he has just been up to the loft and got it down and we have been setting it up.  Got to remember all that we did back in March now.

If after a week of incubation we dont see anything happening during candling then we’ll know that fertilisation has not been successful.  But once its on and working well you never know, perhaps we’ll keep on going with some bought eggs instead.

Daisy has to go

On sunday we are going to take our cockerel, Daisy back to the farm he came from as an egg, if they will still have him.  He is becoming a nuisance and quite violent. He is very protective of his hens and the eggs and he will fly at me and kick me with this feet whenever i go near either of them.  I have tried taking a broom with me when i go out the garden but thats not always convenient and certainly when i turn my back to get the eggs he hurtles himself at me.  Frankly, i am not enjoying keeping chickens while he is around so i want to see how i feel once he has been gone for a few weeks.  Plus, with him out of the picture i could if i so want, add to my flock.  More hens = more eggs

St Luke’s Hospice Battle of the Bands competition

My son’s new band, provisionally titled “Undecided” auditioned today for the Battle of the Bands competition here in Basildon, Essex.  They would have played live but with one of the band members unable to appear they had to make do with a demo tape instead.  Sam is lucky enough to have a very good recording studio in the house and he has produced a  good piece of music.

They were the first band to audition and if they get through to the final will be performing on Gateway FM radio on 29th November and then at the final in January 2010.

You can hear his audition tape on Gateway FM from 27th November.

I found a cousin without even trying!

I began the hunt for Pelbrough ancestors this morning using my favourite online resource, Ancestry.co.uk, and after not feeling that i was getting anywhere with that name i decided to follow his wifes name of Jinks (they were obviously not married at this point) i found her easily and then noticed that someone else had searched for her so contacted him with all the details and found that he has a huge tree  and can take his research back to mid 18th century. All we have so far is mid 19th century, so i was well pleased.

We are now going to be swapping info and photos.  If only i was so lucky with my research.

Hunting down Pelbrough ancestors for hubby

Im having a break from searching for my family for a change and looking for my hubby’s side. They lived in Cambs although we are not sure if that is where they originated from. FindMyPast.com has a wealth of records from Cambs, in fact i find it the best county to have come from if you are searching for records. I have found generations of my Gotobeds, who come from Ely there aswell as the Measures from Grantchester.

Max Damage

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