Hot Hot Hot

I have not been working outside as much lately, it is very hot and humid and even though I drink a lot of water, I sweat so much that I have lost 7 pounds in one day...in about three hours time.  I try to go out later in the day when the humidity gets lower too.  The water for my poultry heats up, even in the shade and I worry they aren't drinking enough.  I feed fermented feed which helps keep them hydrated, but is it enough?  I change out the water, it is no longer as cool as it was...but the heat index is around 105 most days lately.  I have to water every other day too, my young trees, bushes and garden start wilting if I don't water.  Today is partly cloudy, so not quite as bad as it has been...but we could use some rain.  This sandy soil dries out a lot and fast, I try and mulch around the plants, but I can only do so much at a time.

I have started on the run to my breeding pens, just one wall erected so far.  I will probably get the perimeter walls done and have to add the dividers later....as I can get supplies to do it.  I had the babies out of the house for a short while, but I hatched chicks for someone and got some eggs replaced and hatched them too.  I have one brooder going in the house now.  I have a few more eggs in the incubator that I took away from broody hens.  I have two broody hens left, that are sitting on eggs...my Dominiques eggs are starting to hatch, I hope she is a good mother...I am going to try and leave them with her.  I may change my mind if any get killed...or hurt.  I have another broody duck sitting on eggs, a goose sitting n eggs...and one turkey.  Hopefully I will get housing built for them soon.

I have put a lot of the young pullets and roosters out into the Big Coop and Sidecar.  I put all the older young turkeys into a pen with an adult turkey hen that was injured, she is showing them the ropes out in the yard.  Some of the Bronze turkeys have gotten pretty large and a couple of them have started strutting...at least two are males.  I have one that looks buff (blond) and a dark brown with very little other color...I think they may be females.  Not sure about the Bourbon Red turkeys, they are still kind of young to tell the sexes.  I still have about five young turkeys in a porch brooder.  Still have a lot of young chicks on the porch in brooders also.

I have put all the young ducks into the yard, I have five starting to get their wing feathers now...and nine that are almost big enough to go into the main yard.   I am tired of cleaning brooders and will be glad when everyone of them are out in the yard!  I have a garden to tend to, veggies to can, weeds to pull and fruits to pick soon.  Lots going on here on the farm, it has been a very busy year for me and I still have a lot to do.