We have had one busy spring. Garden-Soccer-Baseball-Scouts.

Baseball is over. Sad for Kris. It had to end so that it would warm up around here. I went through four packs of handwarmer thingies to keep warm this season. It rained, and it snowed and it was not warm in any way. In the end, Kris was invited to play on a tournament team for a weekend. They didn't win but they all got to play four more games. It was a good experience.

Now..... On to the chickens-

The littlest chicks are about 5 weeks old. There are six of them in the batch- 3 barred rocks, 2 leghorns and a really odd white easter egger. The easter egger is a true ugly duckling (chick) It's head is still yellowish like a chick, it's body is white, it's legs are green. Very distinctive (or just odd). They have survived their first week in the outside run. This group is much more skitish than the first group. They run from anything. The dog would like to "make friends" but the chicks run for cover from the dog, sheep and barn cats.
The "older" hens are checking out their new roosts in the old shed. They are about 12 weeks old but it's hard to tell exactly. It will be about 2 more months before we see the first egg from these birds. The younger ones will start laying maybe by Thanksgiving. David has to finish the nest boxes before he leaves for Logan.

Here are the pics of the chicken shed in it's new version. The building itself is at least 80 years old. Probably closer to 90. We put on a new roof and then provided roosts and a partition wall. The chicks are happy. It is the best chicken shed on the block. There are other chicken sheds on our block by the way, ours just happens to be the newest (or maybe the oldest is a better descriptor).

Have an awesome week and I can't wait to see everyone for the family vacation.

Almost done.

The new edition of the chicken shed is almost done. The roof is on. The wall is up. The pine shavings are waiting to be put on the floor. The older chicks have listened to the construction noises and are awaiting new accommodations. The ewes and lambs are decidedly jealous and want inside the new coop to check it out. This is not an option. The oldest ewe has tried to push her way in and needs a gentle (or not) reminder that the building is not for sheep. The older chicks have been carried (by David) to check out the construction process and have proclaimed the new chicken shed as progressing slowly, but it seems adequate. The younger chicks are outgrowing their inside space and have no idea that there is an outside space for them. I just want chickens out of the house. There are no pictures yet of this massive chicken shed. I can't seem to remember to charge the battery. Oh well. You can come visit and check it out yourself sometime. The younger set at the hardware store seem to think it is a chicken mansion. More reviews are needed.

Just us chickens...

I forget what movie/cartoon that comes from. The old roof is completely off. A new roof is mostly on. The rafters and stringers are in place. We have agreed (shockingly) on a floor plan and the placement of roosts, nest boxes and doors. The metal roofing is ordered and should be here by Wednesday. I am hopeful that by the weekend, there will be a true chicken shed in our back pasture. I am hopeful because there are six chickens in a rubbermaid tub that are getting awfully crowded. The big chicks need a bigger home. The little chicks need a bigger home. Can we all live peacefully in one home? Segregation is not a good thing even for chickens. Is one very large chicken shed big enough for 12 birds? Who knows? I hope these chicks lay good eggs because the time investment is even larger than for a nice garden. Certainly the money investment equals a nice garden.

On another note, it is 45 degrees outside and raining. It feels like it could snow. If it snows, all that gardening work is for nothing. Right now the garden is pretty weed free and everything is germinated and growing properly. A freeze would wipe all of that out. The raspberries look especially promising. They are loaded with berries that I hope to get before the birds do. The corn is up. The pumpkins have sprouted. No bugs have created an infestation. The compost pile is even composting. Yeah, garden! After 25 years in the same house, we have a garden and animal set-up we all like. Is that amazing or what?

Renovations are afoot!

There are no pictures for this. The camera was dead when I went to take "before" pictures. Just use your imagination. If you are a family member, you have a clear picture of the old chicken coop. The old chicken coop has been used as a lambing pen, a wood shed and a home for many a creepy crawly. Most of you probably forgot we had a chicken coop at all. It has never housed a poultry type animal. Possibly the ducks lived there when hiding from sheep, but I think they preferred the barn.

It will have a new life and purpose soon. David says this should take a week. I will say it will be done before we go on vacation. It has to be. There are twelve chickens that need a place to live and a chicken coop seems to be what they need. This one will have new walls, a new perch, new nest boxes and proper feeding pans. I hope it becomes a place to gather eggs soon. October would be nice. November may be here before the younger ones start laying. It also needs a name. A creative name would be good. Wait for pictures and news of the grand opening around July 4th. What a way to celebrate!