Duck, Duck, Chicken

Duck Pond Damage from Winter 2023-2024 (complete collapse)

Chicken Coop Damage from Winter 2023-2024.

This is the back half of the chicken run.  

We were able to get this pen repaired and usable pretty quickly the Spring of 2024.  This Spring we added the Raspberry and Blueberry planters.  We ordered the planters online in pieces and put them together one afternoon. 

The duck pond area needed a lot more work to be ready for our ducks.  We didn't get to it all last year but made it a priority this Spring 2025.  The ducks were blocked off on the other side of this little passageway under their "Pond House".  You can see the walls are back up straight (with more support now) and the netting above is back up.

This is the space between the duck pond on the left and their double decker house on the right.  We are adding flowering plants from the front yard to this space to add a little color and life.  

We drained the guck in the pond ("we" being Justin) and then put in a retaining wall around the rim of the pond, some hardward cloth for support and then a lot of pond pebbles for a nice look around the pond (hopefully the ducks will let it stay looking nice). 

You can see that with the rocks in place, it's looking quite spiffy.  Once the water is in, the water filter with the little waterfall is running and the ducks are all splashing around, it's going to be one cool pond.

We did have some issues with algae two years ago, so part of the plan to combat this is prevent erosion/drainage into the pond from up the hill, keep the netting in good shape to prevent leaves and acorns from entering and clogging the filter and we have gotten some natural barley straw extract.  We have plans to put in some water plants- caged in to protect them from our ravenous ducks and helpful bacteria. (Pro-biotics for the duck pond)!

This section will be the duck entryway into their pond.  Behind this wall we have already planted some flowering bushes and plants last Spring, which means we will have some pretty colors throughout the summer. 

The rest of the rocks are in place.  The water was filled enough to get the filter running and the waterfall!!! We are expecting a lot of rain tonight and tomorrow, so we will see how high the level gets afterwards.

RELEASE THE QUACKERS!

“Puddles” is the chocolate brown Khaki Campbell in this picture.

"Raisin" the beauty of the flock is half Harlequin and half Appleyard.  She was born here at our TNT farm after incubation with two Khaki Campbells last Spring.  

"Raisin" in front with her tan Khaki sister "Vinny" and her darker colored brother "Bro”.  Naming the animals is one of our favorite parts.

Not everyone jumped right in the water, some were busy scavenging for bugs.  It was fun to see them explore the space and we'll see what happens tomorrow in the rain. Appleyard Father up front named “Pops”, and “Eggbert” (the only one khaki Campbell left from our original flock) to the right looking down into the pond. Three Harlequin girls are: “Harley”, “Oneida”, and “Sunny”.

We replanted a few front yard blueberry bushes last year to this area in front of the duck pond and this Spring turned it into a little garden from the bricks we pulled from inside the pond area.  The brick patio is cleaned off and easier to check for duck eggs in the coop. 

The eggs are for sale $6/ half dozen contact me if interested at CastonguayTNTfarm@gmail.com. Or pick them up at Garden Spot Market in Leeds open 6 days/week now.

We made this archway pen with cattle panel and tarp in the back section for roof and walls; we also used some scrap metal from our broken shed to make the back wall.  Up front we have scraps of hardwire cloth finishing the front walls aside from the door.  This was quick construction and done in one day.  It made it through the winter in great condition, but we did add chicken wire and rubber netting along the front section so that the smaller birds can't fit through and escape, which did happen on turkey day last year. 

This year the Pekin Ducks are spending their time in this pen, instead of soaking our indoor pen with their Shenanigans. We will keep one female to join our laying flock and the rest are freezer bound. 

They have a nice dry section in the back, and plenty of wet in the front. 

Meet our newest addition, "Whaley" an 8-week-old Gotland ewe lamb from Wells.  Although she has beautifully soft black wool right now, as she ages it should all turn gray, which is what I really wanted.  Now we have a nice variety of natural color fibers to work with on the farm.

Bahh bye for now.