Tres Colinas-On the road less graveled: Eggs and Calves

The Chickens Have Been Busy

We are full into fall in Texas which means it can be 90 or 40 degrees on any given day (and it has been both). Mostly, its been very pleasant and we've had rain so nothing to complain about. Pam's been encouraging the chickens to be productive and we've seen them take that to heart. We started getting 1-2 eggs per day at first and now are up to 12 per day. The Leghorns are the most productive but as you can see in the photo below, we are getting brown, chocolate and green eggs too. Initially, we had a problem with the hens laying eggs all over the coop instead of the nesting boxes. They also scratched out the nesting bedding as fast as I added it. I tried putting some golf balls in the nesting boxes to mimic eggs (supposed to encourage them to use the nesting boxes) but they removed those too. Pam had the idea to add some curtains and it worked beautifully. They made it harder for the chickens to scratch out the straw bedding and the hens seem to like having some privacy as all are now laying their eggs in the nesting boxes. I have no idea how much egg production will drop during the winter months. We still have some hens that haven't started laying nor are any of the Guineas so that should only add to eggs produced. However, reduced daylight slows egg laying. We don't plan to use a light to encourage production during the lower daylight months, so we will see what nature has in store for us.

Pam encouraging a Black Sex-Linked
hen to lay more eggs.

Cora helping gather eggs (looks to me like she
wants to eat or throw it).

A nice variety of egg colors.

A little privacy please?

As a reward for their getting down to egg laying business, I built the chickens a dust bath. Actually, they had already built their own but I hope the amenities of this one will encourage them to use it instead. Chickens take dust baths to stay clean (if only I'd had that information at bath time when I was a kid). Adding a little wood ash and the occasional dried herbs helps. Typically, several bathe at once so it's a social event of sorts. In addition to removing the grass and loosening the soil I placed and partially buried rocks around the area. This gives the chickens a place to perch and watch those bathing and wait their turn. I call it Chickenhenge.

Bath time at the 'henge.

So Have the Cows

We finally saw our first calf born a couple of weeks ago. I wasn't able to round up the mother so she had it on her own under a Yaupon bush in the fence row. That wasn't desirable as first time mothers can have problems with delivery. So, I built a "pre-natal pen" near the house and rounded up the four heifers I believed will calve next. Cows are herd animals and don't like to be alone. A few days later the second calf was born and I was there to keep watch (no assistance was needed). I'll admit I was something of a "nervous father" and thought about jumping in a couple of times. It's pretty amazing to watch the calf stand up (albeit with some difficulty) shortly after birth and start nursing. It was a learning experience for the calf and the mother as she kept moving every time he got close to her. Eventually, they figured it out and he took care of business. It's important that the calf nurse within the first few hours to get the colostrum that provides necessary nutrition, antibodies and immunoglobulins they are unable to produce until they are a little older. I'll keep the calf and mother in the pen for a week or so until I'm sure the calf can fend for itself.

Second calf. Is that the state
of Texas on his forehead?

First calf born on Tres Colinas

I have attended a couple of seminars on cattle management held by the local county agriculture extension office in concert with Texas A&M. I've learned a lot about cows, calves, pasture, hay production, fertilizer, weed control, pest control, cattle economics, etc. One of the physicians I worked for was worried I wouldn't have enough mental challenges during my retirement. I don't think that's going to be a problem. I still plan to be as "organic" as possible, especially with fertilizer. It may take a year or two of chemical weed control to get my pastures where I want them. Once they are better established, fertilizer alone may keep the weeds out.

The spring/summer garden wrapped up with a bang. We got a last batch of cantaloupes, a good crop of peanuts and a decent number of sweet potatoes. I will spend most of the winter adding more compost and manure to the garden. The cows and chickens are certainly doing their part to help in this area. I did plant a small fall/winter garden of beets, carrots, radishes and various greens. It seems to be off to a slow start.

A second crop of cantaloupes

Despite the Aggies epic meltdown this football season, everyone dressed as some aspect of college football for Halloween with an Aggie theme. Ava and Cora were cheerleaders, Nicole was a fan, Holly was a referee and Pam was a player (I handed out candy).