@walt maybe you have some insight onto duck brooding behavior. This is a first for me, with drakes in the flock now. I was hoping my ducks would raise a nest to introduce fresh blood/new layers. This last batch of ducklings I vowed never to brood them ourselves ever again, it is such trouble and mess. So for the last week to 10 days, I left all the eggs and nests alone to encourage brooding behavior. I think I went in and peeked maybe twice during this time. Lo and behold, suddenly 2 girls went broody at the same time today. And it looks like they want to sit on the same nest. I have 2 nest boxes which are made from 50gal totes on their sides with entry holes cut in the lids. I can see one girl on the nest and another girl right outside the door hole in a hunkered down nesting stance. If I remove eggs from the ignored nest box, will the 2 ducks likely remain broody? Will they take turns sitting? Will one hog the nest and break the other broody? Will they both raise the babies? There are way too many eggs out there between the 2 nests; even with culling males and selling a few, we are looking at lots of babies. I think 1 nest will do, especially for a first attempt at this.
Anyone familiar with pressure washers? I don't need anything high end, mainly something that can reach the siding and to the eaves on the second floor of my house to without me needing to climb up and down a ladder. Otherwise, anything else I can think of that I'd use it for the electric one will more than suffice for cleaning out the bed of my truck, washing mildew off basement steps, patio pavers, etc. I'm looking at these two, I am not familiar with Greenworks, but I like that when in use the washer sits horizontal and isn't as likely to get yanked over and it seems to come with more options. https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-2...e-Electric-Pressure-Washer-RY142300/300405751 https://www.lowes.com/pd/Greenworks...old-Water-Electric-Pressure-Washer/1001029294
I have a 4k PSI gas one that I use all the time, but really for those prices, even though I know nothing about either of those brands, I can't see anything wrong with them. I'd be tempted to go with the one that's got the longest, and easiest-to-use warranty. All the components are standard sizes at that PSI. You can easily get longer hoses, replacement tips, and specialty wands for those from Amazon. I highly recommend getting the surface cleaner for things like driveways and patios: The worst that will probably happen is that it's a cheap hose that will disintegrate in the first few years (usually from the inside out) and will need replacing. Odds are the fittings will be shit too, but oh well... it's not like you'll be using it all day every day. The one feature that you REALLY want to ensure works well is the soap injector. Usually on the lowest pressure it can activate a vacuum/venturi powered hose with one end in a cleaner fluid of some sort and spray out soap almost like a foam... very, very handy, but can be very finicky or problematic on some cheaper models.
The one thing I would suggest is that if you're going to clean a painted surface, like your truck, start on a VERY low pressure and don't go too nuts on it. First time I tried my "super fancy super high powered pressure washer" to wash the truck, it cost me a repaint of the front quarter panel as I stripped all the paint off it. It was damn good at it too... right down to bare metal.
I have a greenworks, either really close to that one or the exact same, not sure. I've had it for a few years and had exactly zero issues. Mainly just use it to clean the concrete patio and rock sidewalks, rock house, general cleanup stuff. Nothing super heavy but it's great for what it does.
That's pretty much all I need it for. Summers are so humid in my area that green mildew accumulates on any surface that doesn't dry almost immediately. After scrubbing the basement steps last summer, I decided a pressure washer is the better option. Nett, that's my fear, I don't want to strip paint, or cut the vinyl siding on my house with it. I could see myself turning it up to get under the eaves above the second floor, then forgetting to dial it down as I get lower. Also, for what I need it for, an electric should remove the hassles of storing a gas one. Plus they're smaller...between the lawn mower, snow blower, tool boxes, bench, shop vac, bicycles, etc. I'm running out of room in my garage. Both of those weigh under 50lbs, so I should be able to hoist it up into my overhead garage storage for the winter without killing myself.
I hear you. I'm totally switching all my shit over to Stihl's battery powered tools. Got rid of the gas lawnmower, trimmer, leaf blower last year and replaced them all that use the same batteries. Once a battery pressure washer is available, I'll do the same. I have 4 big batteries and a fast charger, and that is a shit-ton of electrical energy... should be more than enough for what I need to do with the washer.
I jumped on the 60v DeWalt trimmer and leaf blower last summer. I had an electric trimmer that was given to me, but found it a pain in the ass dragging enough extension cord around. I went with the DeWalt because they can use the 20v tool batteries I already have and their 60v batteries use the same charger as the 20v. I didn't want to end up with five multiple chargers plugged in. I really wish the battery fit would get standardized regardless of manufacturer. The next mower I buy will be battery, but probably not DeWalt's. Whomever invents an adapter to use any manufacturer's battery in any similar voltage class tool will be my hero. As far as a pressure washer, electric is good enough for me. I don't ever plan on using it farther than where I have outlets and it doesn't move around constantly like the trimmer. Btw, Ryobi makes a 40v battery washer
Buddy of mine bought a little compressor just for doing finish nail type stuff. I can't remember the brand but it came with (bought separately?) an adapter that allowed him to use his DeWalt batteries.
It depends. Last year both my turkey hens sat a monster sized clutch of eggs right next to each other. Then once hatched, the co-parented the little ones. I’d never seen that before in ANY birds and chalked it up to inexperience ( theirs not mine ). Depending on how many ducklings you want, you can cull out some eggs and block access so only one hen can set. The second will likely lay elsewhere and you can just collect them as she does. Or you could split the nest into two and see what they do. My guess is the second hen will get the hint and go there. There’s no telling what they’ll do. Do what suits your needs and eventually they’ll adapt.
Yeah, that's why I went with Stihl. They have the best battery performance for yard tools yet. I use DeWalt (only 20v so far) for tools, and Stihl for the yard. I've got some plans on using the Stihl batteries in some home-printed forms, which can be difficult because they have a battery power signal that acts as a safeguard... if you don't send the right signal to the battery, it doesn't power up. Luckily that shit is all online, and I've got a scope, so it shouldn't be hard to whip up a quick solution and battery connection. I'd love to be able to use that monster Stihl battery for a remote power source for my laptop, camera, even my battery powered fish finder, so that I can use the one simple easy battery charger and form factor. I'm hoping to find time for that sometime later this summer once I get a few of my other projects over and done with.
I can tell you firsthand, don't get an electric power washer. It is a GIANT pain in the ass dragging around not only an extension cord, but also the hose for the power washer. I bought this one and it is powerful enough to do all of the power washing jobs around my house and is easy to use and winterize. https://www.lowes.com/pd/Westinghouse-WPX-2700-PSI-2-3-GPM-Cold-Water-Gas-Pressure-Washer/1002687096
with you on wishing a battery adapter was available or they were standardized. Though at this point, the fact that it hasn’t happened, has made me really think there’s some conspiracy going on to get us all to buy new batteries and more tools I absolutely hate fucking with gas stuff. Our landscaped yard is quite large, about 2 acres or so, so I have to use a riding mower (Deere) and backpack blower (stihl). Everything else though is either corded or battery. I’m black n decker and makita on batteries, greenworks I’ve found to be reliable and prefer to use them for corded but if not that then I go whatever has best specs and review. Generally get what you pay for. Having a corded chain saw and pole saw are a damn godsend.
There is a part of my brain that does occasionally wonder if I should have went the same route with outoor/yard tools on one battery system and power tools on another. Outside of the mower, I can't think of any powered yard tools I'll ever realistically need. Maybe a hedge or pole trimmer, but my trees and bushes have a long way to go before I'll need either. My dad's old Husqvarna chainsaw will more than suffice for any wood cutting I'll do anymore, plus it's a connection to the old man so as long as I can keep it running it will not get replaced. Probably stupid, but I look forward to teaching my son how cut firewood with it in another 10-12yrs.
As much as I hated dragging the extension cord around with the trimmer, I figure if I'm already dragging the hose, the extension cord shouldn't be a big deal. Plus I shouldn't constantly move the washer around like I am with a trimmer.
Those surface cleaner wheels are amazing if you have to clean any amount of flat space. Just make sure you keep the darn thing greased. We power wash about 12 acres of concrete every year and inevitably lose at least one every year because some yahoo forgets to grease the thing.
Anyone have any experience with raising Alpacas? My fiance wants to expand our "farm", but she is very reluctant to get any animals to later slaughter. I have no feelings about this and have suggested often we get either a cow or some hogs because steak and bacon are delicious. Anyway, we have enough land for something and I heard Alpacas are relatively easy to care for and they also make good farm "pets".
A neighbor I grew up with has about a dozen alpacas. I can ask him if you have any specific questions.
It's mostly just general things. Are they actually as easy to care for as people say? Is it better to rescue ones from a sanctuary or should you get younger ones? What's a good setup for their habitat beyond what's on youtube? Things like that.