Sunshine Meadow Farm

11/06/2023

They could easily pass for pigs as much as they love the mud. When I let them free range for the day, they head straight for the call duck pens. Which of course is where all the mud is at 😆 along with the bugs.

11/06/2023

So, we thought our ducks were done laying for the winter. Found about a dozen eggs this morning. Oops! 😬 So guess we will be diligently checking for eggs a little longer. Definitely don't want to deal with ducklings in the winter.

11/05/2023

11/01/2023

10/31/2023

We got the predicted hard freeze last night 😔 Our garden has been done for awhile now and all the pumpkin fields have been plowed. So we really just have to worry about the animals with the cold. All the chicken water buckets were froze, so we will have to break out the heater's for their water. A few of the doors on the duck house was froze but that is normal for this time of year. Even though it's technically still fall, winter is just around the corner.

10/30/2023

It's supposed to be a low of 23 tonight and calling for a light dusting of snow the next two days. So, the ducks pools have been stored for the winter and out comes the rubber buckets. Its getting to be that time of year! 🥶

10/27/2023

I was outside this morning moving some of the ducks around and decided to take pictures.

10/25/2023

Pet quality silver appleyard hens from spring hatch looking for a new pond to swim in. Located in North Manchester. Please contact us via messenger for inquiries.

10/24/2023

We cleaned the duck house out this morning before winter sets in. The ducks are never big on change. We do a totally clean out of the duck house in the spring and fall. It's always the same routine with the ducks. They line up close to the door to see what we are doing. Once we are all done and new bedding has been layed down. They will go in and you have never heard so much quacking.

10/22/2023

Our Wheaten Marans from spring hatch. They are still pretty young but are improving.

10/09/2023

We tend to cook from scratch in our house and our girls can definitely can tell a difference when they have to eat somewhere else. They went away to camp for the weekend for FFA. I get the report back when they got home.

"Yeah, the food wasn't too bad. The mashed potatoes didn't taste right and the eggs were just gross." 😆

10/05/2023

Even the little Orpingtons love pumpkin!

10/01/2023

All spoken for - thanks everyone!

We have three saxony drakes. Two are pet quality and the other can be used for breeding. Two blue swedish drakes. They were hatched from duck hollow farm stock. So they come from good breeding line. We just have more than we can use. Two pet quality saxony hens. All looking for new ponds to swim in. Please send a message if interested. Located in North Manchester.

09/28/2023

Jersey Giants from this year's hatch.

09/26/2023

New adds to the farm this year is the orpington chicken and blue bibbed call duck. We have two daughters and both of these varieties are their projects. We have one kid who loves her call ducks. This is the third type of call duck that she has. Our other daughter loves chickens. So, she chose the orpington to raise for next year.

09/24/2023

Our group of saxony hen growouts!

09/23/2023

Two blue swedish drakes looking for a new pond to swim in. They are from this spring hatch. Located in North Manchester.

09/23/2023

We have decided to sell our pumpkins wholesale by the bin this year. We have already started taking them to auction. However, we still have some bins left. So, if you are local to the area and need some bulk large to extra large pumpkins. Please send us a message. Located in North Manchester.

09/21/2023

Each of our kids have an animal or group of animals that they raise. They are solely responsible for feeding, watering, changing bedding etc. We are here to help if they have questions on breeding or sickness but otherwise it's their responsibility. These silver appleyard call ducks are one of our daughter's waterfowl.

09/19/2023

These are our blue swedish that will be used for 2024 breeding season. We just acquired them this year, so 2024 will be our first season for breeding. The hens are about the quietest ones we have ever had. Typically you can't get the females to hush but I don't hear too much from these girls.

09/17/2023

Took some pictures of some of the chickens today. They were early summer hatches and just now starting to show their potential.

09/16/2023

Starting to put together what we will be using for breeding in 2024. This is a good start for the silver appleyard's.

09/15/2023

The girls enjoying the morning!

09/14/2023

Blue Swedish drake

09/10/2023

Several black ameraucana chicks 6-12 weeks old looking for a new coop. Located in North Manchester.

09/10/2023

Pet quality white call duck pair ( male and female) ready for a new pond to swim in. Located in North Manchester.

09/10/2023

Pet quality silver appleyard drakes ready for a new pond to swim in. They are from this spring hatch. Located in North Manchester.

09/06/2023

Rookie numbers! 🤣

09/03/2023

The beginning of the harvest.

09/01/2023

They love canning day!

08/31/2023

Our 14-year-old daughter grew a great patch of sunflowers this year. She planted them, weeded them, watered them, all by herself.

She thought everyone else would enjoy a little ray of sunshine on a stem like she does. So she is selling some of her sunflowers (smart kid is cutting them from the back of the patch so she still has the front ones to look at).

If you are local and would like a bit of sunshine, stop on by and get some. She keeps them in a bucket on the front porch. It is a self-serve honor system. Drop money in the orange drop box in the yard.

12701 S. State Rd 13
North Manchester

08/30/2023

We have some white broad breasted turkeys that is looking for a new coop. They are approximately a 1 1/2 months old. They do really well in the tractor. Located in North Manchester. Send us a message with questions.

08/26/2023

Laying hens looking for a new coop to roost in. Please message us with questions. Located in North Manchester

Olive eggers almost laying - 5
4 month black ameraucana - 6
6-12 week black ameraucana - several

08/26/2023

Pet quality saxony hens looking for a new pond to swim. Please send us a message with questions. Located in North Manchester

08/23/2023

We moved the Wheaten Marans hens along with the Rhode Island Red's and Big Jersey Giants to the big coop until next year. The roosters we house separately for the winter in order not to stress the hens.

08/19/2023

Living the ant life - no grasshoppers allowed.

08/18/2023

Look what I found this afternoon 😍 The saxony hens are officially mama's.

08/15/2023

We got a great picture showing the eclipse/nuptial contrast. The two drakes in the front that look like they have leperosy are perfectly healthy. The year after the hatch, the ducks moult into their eclipse plumage phase toward the end of breeding season (mid summer). They lose much of their color and can look like hens. But mostly, they just look bad. But don't worry, this fall they will moult back to their nuptial phase and be all pretty for the ladies again in time for breeding season.

This picture shows a great contrast between the nuptial of the young drakes in the rear and eclipse of the old drakes in the front.

08/14/2023

Mama's laying on their eggs

06/06/2023

Here's hoping and praying it is true. That would be almost an inch of much needed rain.