Happy Daze Ranch

06/03/2026

What's sweeter than a 3 week old who's never seen grass?
The rest of the Big Littles went to the ranch last night, so it's up to the Medium Littles to teach the Little Littles.

06/02/2026

After thoughts, discussions, and observations:
EGG SALES ARE NOW CLOSED

1. Not seeing a lot of mating activity
2. An unusual number of the few eggs laid are under 145grams, and even fairy eggs.
3. Haven't candled any new eggs for 3 weeks, so fertility is anyone's guess.
4. Even if we sold at a discount, July babies will be questionable for mating in spring.

Thanks for your support this year!!

06/02/2026

Set 11 is coming and we're ready - but it looks like the window may be closing for our remote families. So we're opening the waiting list for local pickups.
If you are on the list already, we'll do everything we can, but we're not into risking lives any worse than already.
If you are concerned about your spot in the Manifest please send us a message - we won't get into it here.
If you live in Michigan/Ohio/Indiana or are a road dawg, hit us up. We have just a few reservations to fill but if the heat comes, well they just can't go on the road unsupervised.

Are you ready for summer? The "normal" high is 79 degrees this time of the year, but the entire forecast after Tuesday is between 80 and 87 for highs. Most of the US is expected to have near normal temperatures to hotter than normal conditions this weekend into next week.

05/31/2026

It's pandemonium at the Ranch as we took ten of the "babies" over last night. Took until 3am to get all the blood samples, but it's done! Some parents aren't parenting very good in our opinion, and others that won't even give the juvenile breathing room, and then there are nosey neighbors that just won't shut up about it.

05/31/2026

The "baby gang" overgrown juveniles took over a different part of the back yard while we fenced in the garden. Naturally they have to hang around as close to the back door as they can, and p**p up the walks real good.

05/30/2026

Lenny has recovered well from his head trauma 2 years ago. He still holds himself differently but he's back to his same hikinks. You're still the King of the Ranch, big boy!

05/30/2026

How do you like my "babies"?

05/28/2026

While we're prepping another brooder, here's a little PSA on hatching prep and sanitation.

Being a homebrewer for 15 years I know not to mess with sanitation. We always say beer making is 1 part brewing, 4 parts cleaning and sanitizing.

F***s is the primary route of disease transfer, so hatching day includes cleaning day. We joke a lot but we're serious about the possibility of disease transfer. We empty the brooder and then scrape all surfaces with a paint scraper, then wipe with water, then a soak of Tektrol - a virucidal/bactericidal/tuberculocidal. Finally another wipedown with water.
Feeders, waterers, and toys are soaked in bleach solution before returning to service.
We use an inch of shavings for insulation and absorption, then cover completely with non-skid drawer liners, and place the plate heaters, feeders, waterers, and toys.
Before adding those little marshmallow fluff balls, we close it up and let it get cozy warm.

What's your regimen, hot tips on this?

A word on pine shavings: We can't count how many posts showing goslings with shavings stuck in their throats, or what turned out to be an impacted crop. We don't let babies under 3wks near them.

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05/28/2026

It's Thursday, so it must be hatching day!! Full house in Brooder #1!

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