Chicks and Ducklings and Turklets, Oh My!

Day-old Red Ranger Chicks

In our efforts to expand our operations this year, we have been absolutely overrun with chicks, ducklings, and turklets (note: this is not the technical name for baby turkeys, but our own personal moniker). And this is just the beginning. Right now we have 25 red ranger chicks, 15 laying chicks, 18 ducks of various varieties, and 18 turklets.

Several brooders in our brooding room.

On top of that, we are expecting a hatch on Monday of laying hens. Needless to say, we are running out of space for baby poultry. Luckily, these little guys grow up fast. At this age, they still need to stay inside with heat lamps 24 hours a day, but by the time they reach 4 to 6 weeks of age they are ready to go out into the big wide world and start eating bugs, grass, and all the other things they love. This year we are expanding our turkey flock to meet growing demand as well as growing meat birds for the first time. We are very excited to be able to grow a larger variety

This little turklet is exhausted.

of animals this year and will even be testing a small flock of guinea hens starting this June. If you are interested in free-range, pastured chicken, duck, or turkey, feel free to check out our "items for sale" tab later this Spring.

To the Market We Go

We're all ready for market season to start!
Cache Valley Garner's Market opens THIS Saturday, 11 May 9:00a.

We've got at least 17 1/2 doz chicken and 8 doz duck eggs ready for sale. Get to the market early to be sure you get your pack.

Baby Animal Days at Brym's Backyard

Shish, Kabab, Gyro, and 24.

It's spring once again and that means baby animals for the Bryms. We have acquired 4 adorable black belly and painted lambs this year and they are growing in leaps and bounds (not to mention leaping and bounding everywhere). Keeping with tradition I got to name three of them and Zack named one. Mine are Shish, Kabob, and Gyro. Zack's is 24 because that is the number on it's ear tag. He's so practical. This is

Zack's "24".

our first year raising lambs long term (we "raised" one for a a month or so last year) and so we are learning all of the ins and outs of raising sheep. As it turns out, it's not too different from raising goats and so luckily we have almost everything we need. This weekend I get to play amateur veterinarian and administer tetanus shots all around. Poor Zack gets to play amateur assistant, which generally involves holding disgruntled animals while I do the easy parts. He also gets to be our amateur livestock wrangler. Han Solo (our border collie mix) is not quite up to the task of corralling all the sheep and goats yet, but he is learning.


In other news, the goats are pregnant and due in May/June.

Pregnant Millie.

"How do you know they are pregnant?" you might ask. Well, first of all, just look at 'em. They are rotund. Second, if you know where to feel, you can feel those little kids moving around inside of them. No ultrasounds for these ladies, just good old fashioned stethoscopes and know-how. Stay tuned, other baby animal news coming soon!