Buff Ducks

A few weeks ago I purchased Buff ducks and Buff Orpington chickens at a local bird and small animal auction. The day of the auction, I saw what I liked and bid on it. It wasn’t until I got them home and did a little research, that I found out that the ducks are actually called Buff Orpington also. 

A famous poultry breeder, William Cook, introduced the Buff Orpington duck to the US in 1908 at the Madison Square Garden Show in NYC. The BO duck is a blended breed from Cayuga, Runner, Aylesbury and Roen ducks. He did this to cash in on the early 20th century English fad for buff-colored plumage.

The Buff duck is a good dual purpose bird, which can lay up to 220 eggs per year, and gains weight rapidly.

This week I got my first duck egg. I didn’t quite know what to do with it. It appeared the ducks hadn’t known either, as it looked as if it had been rolled all over the barn in an attempt to figure it out.

I knew it wouldn’t be fertile. Ducks have to have water to breed. I am of the mind that this means more than the 3” in their dishes. One of my daughters is big on eating eggs right now. I thought I would slip it in with the chicken eggs and see if she would eat it. Then I felt like that might be mean.

I couldn’t figure out where this aversion to duck eggs was coming from. What was I afraid of? It wasn’t a goose egg – which is way too much egg for me. It wasn’t an emu egg, which is nearly all yolk. It was simply a duck egg, only somewhat larger than the jumbo chicken eggs we can purchase by the carton.

I decided research a little more and compare a duck egg and a chicken egg. Maybe that would ease my mind about eating it. Well – great news! Duck eggs are even more nutritious than chicken eggs. Here’s the proof. These results are based on 100 g. samples of both types of eggs.

                    Chicken Egg            Duck Egg

Water (g)                        75.33                           70.83                 Less water is better

Energy (KCal)                149                             185                    More energy, dense food

Protein (g)                       12.49                          12.81                 Better protein

Fat (g)                             10.02                           13.77                Better Fats

Carbohydrate (g)             1.22                            1.45                   Packed with nutrients

Minerals (mg)                 486.58                         674.36               Lots of extras

Vitamin B6 (mg)             0.139                          0.25                   2x as much

Amino acids (g)              12.49                          12.99                  more complex aminos

Pantothenic acid (mg)     1.255                          1.862                  2x as much

Riboflavin (mg)               0.508                          0.404                 only one lower!

Thiamin (mg)                  0.062                           0.156                2x as much

Vitamin A (IU)                635                             1328                 2x as much

Niacin (mg)                     0.073                           0.20                  3x as much

Vitamin B12 (mcg)         1.00                             5.40                  5x as much

Being that the ducks are eating a coffee can full of feed every other day and I am required to haul buckets of water to them until I get hoses hooked up, I really was looking for a way that they could earn their keep. I think I will step out of my comfort zone and find a use for their eggs; especially if I end up with 200 400 of those gems.

I would love to hear your thoughts on duck eggs.

Now, you didn't think you were going to get away without another goat video did you?

Have a great weekend everyone.

And be sure to check out all the Farm Friend Friday meets Farmgirl Friday posts over at Verde Farm

Seed to Seed

Every year I start tomato plants from seeds indoors.

And every year, it seems, they are weak and slow growing.

Despite hardening them off outdoors, they just can't compete

with what I can pick up at a greenhouse.

I end up buying tomato plants and letting my seedings

fall by the wayside and if they make it they do,

if not - I am covered.

This year, I am trying to avoid that.

I have started four varieties of heirloom tomatoes.

The kind I can't get a green house

(or maybe I can?)

Anyway, I am determined to work with these babies

from seed to seed.  And do it all over again next year.

That's the whole point.

They started nicely in their little pods.

But when the roots start coming out the bottom,

I think it is time to give them more room.

               The baby goats drink a gallon of whole milk every day.

So guess what I have a lot of,

besides bottlewashing and bedding clean up?

Milk jugs.

I thought I would try this,

but my gut feeling is that it might not be a good idea.

Has anyone tried this?  I am thinking the roots may become

tangled, and when planting time comes,

pulling them apart may damage

the plant.

Nonetheless, I am giving it a go.

But I also have some of the same plants

replanted singly, just in case.

Brandywine

Beefsteak

Bison

and Big Month.

The Big Month are supposed to all ripen at the same time.

So I will have a big month of canning : )

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Goat Mountain

For all the good it did me,

I cleaned the garage.

If you have been following my blog,

you might remember I "store" goats and chicks

in said garage.

In one area I sorted and re-boxed

Christmas decorations, canning jars, Sara's boxes

and other misc.  There was also some furniture.

I covered this area with a tarp

to keep it a little cleaner and to

look just a little better.

Next thing we knew the weather turned cold

and it snowed, and rained, and snowed some more.

I felt bad for the baby goats

not getting let out of their pen

to play in the yard once in awhile

or make a trip to the farm

So I let them out in the garage.

Little did I know that I had created the perfect

goat mountain.



They particularly enjoyed the noise the tarp made as they

romped on it and chewed on it.

No amount of scolding them and removing them

deterred their climbing.

I gave up and let them have their fun.

Please hurry Spring.

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March Snow

Such a nice spring snowfall.

Light, fluffy, wet, silent and pretty.

The chickens were not as impressed.

They didn't even want to put both feet on the ground.

You wouldn't know it, but they do  have a nice dry coop to go into.

I think the greens I gave them cheered them up some.

Tomorrow we are expecting a high of 48

then it just gets better from there.

We should see 60 by Saturday.

Woohoo.

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Why I Like Chickens

1. They don’t have to be bottle fed when you take them from their moms.


2. They don’t have horns.


3. It doesn’t hurt if they step on your foot.


4. You don’t have to be there to “help” them lay their eggs.


5. They don’t “cry” when they want something.


6. They don’t lick you.


7. They don’t pee.


8. Their food is bought by the pound, not the ton.


Feel free to add to this list  :  )

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Schedules

This is the girls schedule for the next two months.

They are 15, freshmen in High School and don't drive.

This is their schedule for Tennis, Band, Dance and Junior Optimist Club.

As you can see  (e.g. April 21) sometimes there are three things in one day.

Please note - that this is also (supposed to be) Spring Break.

I tossed a few of my own scheduled events (in red)

like the days I will be out of town for work and (gasp) jury duty.

How that fits into the schedule of where they have to be when

is still to be seen.  Writing it down is as far as I have gotten.

These are only the days I know about.  Working for the state,

I could be called on to do anything, at any time, in almost any part of the state.

I literally begged and lied my way out of a 4 day conference in 

Chadron, NE clear on the other side of the state at the end of April.

Sorry - but there is just NO WAY.  Man, do I owe my supervisor on this one.

I vowed to myself I would never speak ill of him again - and I meant it.

If you will recall, I have bottle baby goats that need fed 4x a day.

Chickens, chicks and ducks that depend on me.

(can't forget the two dogs and three cats)

A large garden to be planted.

50 tree and shrub seedlings coming in April.

An acre of mowing to keep up with.

Goat fencing and pens to put up.

Carpet to lay.

And our home-based Sisters Five Soap and Lotion Works

business to maintain.

Just for icing on the cake of life,

I have a for sale sign in front of my house.

I have to maintain the house, shop, garage and yard

to where I can get it into show shape in as little 

as 2 hours notice - by myself (see calendar above).

I don't sleep much and dating is always the first thing

I take off my already overloaded plate.

By the grace of God we manage to get it all done.

Our lives are full and we are well and happy.

The girls grades are A's and B's, they have time for friends

and sleepovers and are just GOOD girls all around.

Still....

would I trade this for living full-time on the farm and

slowing things down a little in all of our lives?

In a heart beat.

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I Don't Feel Like Dancin' Video

I just have to get that awful breakfast post from yesterday off of my
most recent post.

How about a dance video from last summer?
Note the green everywhere. Makes me feel good.
Dancing in Summer.

Stick-To-Your-Ribs Breakfast

I am so delighted to be getting fresh eggs again.

Perfect for my chore-day weekend breakfast.

Eggs,

Oatmeal

and Wheat Germ.

Cook up the oatmeal

(more than you need because your dog loves it too).

Add to bowl and top with butter, salt and pepper.

p.s. don't use quick cooking oats - those are gross.

Pour on the wheat germ,

and I do mean pour.

Wheat germ gives it a great nutty taste and

is sooooo good for you.

(I like the toasted kind)

Stir.

(I like to add a little garlic power also)

Top with fresh eggs.

Now, I know this isn't a mouth watering, 

butter and sugar slathered cinnamon roll,

that you can hardly wait to get your teeth into.

But I will guarantee you 

you can work all morning on this breakfast

and not even think about your stomach

until well into the lunch hour.

Happy weekend everyone!!

(yes - we have snow on the ground and no - I don't want to talk about it).

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Coming Along Nicely

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First Day At The Farm

Linking up with Farm Friend Friday at Verde Farm.  Check out all
the great farm posts and add yours!

Just Gotta Share

I just have to share a couple of the blogs I follow, with you.
If you are interested in adding - yet another - blog to your already long lists,
check out Jayme Goffin's blog at Tales From The Coop Keeper.
This woman is open, sincere, truly interesting and FUNNY!
I told her today she is like the best friend I always wished I had.

Also, most of you already are followers of TexWisGirl
over at The Run*A*Round Ranch but in case you didn't see her
post yesterday on Living In Bloggerville, she had some excellent
tips on blogging that I was very thankful for.
I quickly made some of the changes she
suggested and I was glad for the information.
She is such a great blogger!!

Well - I just wanted to share things that make my day.
Maybe they will make yours too.

See you tomorrow over at Verde Farm for Farm Friend Friday.

luv
Michaele

Chicken Delima

This is the delima;

my chickens are deathly afraid of me.

They all run to the corner

and make it look like I have a lot of chickens

confined in a small area.

I try to teach them to come to "chick-chick"

called in a high voice like "kitty-kitty".

These are the looks I get.

 I try to be still and just watch them,

hoping they will get used to it 

and go about their chicken business, 

but they don't buy it for a minute.

I wanted to name them so we could get to know each other on a 

more personal basis.

But short of painting their toenails different colors.

I have no way of telling them apart.

So it looks like I am going to have to resort to treats.

That's okay.  Love me for what I bring you.

I got my first egg today.

They deserve treats.

And a little more patients on my part.

Aren't they pretty though?

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What Am I?

Can you guess?








Need another hint?

Now do you know?









How about now?

Have you got it?









Did you guess this?

Good for you.

You're one smart duck.

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Zen Cat

Don’t seek, don’t search, don’t ask, don’t knock, don’t demand – relax. If you relax, it comes. If you relax, it is there. If you relax, you start vibrating with it.”  Osho


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A Girl And Her Goat

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Kiran's Birthday

Kiran came with her mommy to our house in town

to visit the goats and chickens for her birthday.

She was so excited!

She fed the goats

and petted the chicks.

She opened her presents

and played with her presents.

And cried when it was time to go home.

Good bye hugs for Kiran

and for Tiffany.

Thanks for coming!

Come back soon!

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