Our chickens

We have had chickens for years.  They lay eggs for us to eat and the best part is they eat ticks and other yard insects.  When we first moved over to the new place we didn't bring the chickens immediately.  Talk about tick infestation.  It was a nightly ritual to de-tick the kids before bed.  Finally the pen was built and the chickens brought over.  we left 5 hens and two roosters out to be our tick clean up crew and the rest were penned.  It became clear that we were not going to keep the chickens in the new pen so we gave up and they all got out.  This area was completely undeveloped so  we lost all the chickens besides the 5 hen and 2 roosters that stay here in the yard.

We needed to start again so this spring we came across 30 biddies really cheap.  We couldn't pass that deal up. We bought them and then the question was where to put them. They were not old enough to be outside without a momma.  The cat had already got 2 of the other 6 we bought.  In the past we have kept them in a box in the house, But 30 would start to smell bad in no time.

 I had a few totes around so I put the biddies inside with food, water, and a heat lamp. They were still needing cleaned constantly and when they spilt water they were getting wet.  We lost two because of this.  Then my husband went outside and brought in leaves. We just keep piling new leaves in there until we clean it out about once a week. The biddies are happy and as soon as nice weather moves in they will be moved to cages outside.

The older 4 were moved already to the new and improved Biddie pen.  They have free access to food and water and a roost.  The hens will be let out but the roosters will be kept for dinner. 

Here is the nest box we have mounted on the back of the shed next to the Biddie pen. I get about 4 eggs a day. One red hen thinks she is sitting.  she lost her first nest to the dogs. Then she lost her second to her getting confused and sitting on the wrong one. The other eggs could not be saved.  Now I think she might hatch this 3rd nest. We will see.  I am not even sure how many eggs she has. 

She don't seem to mind having her picture taken. In fact she is the most mild hen I have ever had sit. You can reach under her and she won't even flog you.

Mother's day weekend

Friday started off nice. I mowed the part of the garden that is not planted with anything yet. It has some wild strawberries that we are finding a few strawberries from. We eat these as soon as we find them so I could tell you how many. My green peppers have blooms. I have never had much luck with green peppers at the other house. We always had ducks and ducks love to eat green peppers.

After mowing I got the loppers and started down the side field. My plan was to burn brush piles after I picked up the kids from school. By the time I got the kids and got back home it was to windy to burn anything. After my husband got home we continued clearing the field and piling the brush. He brought me a new camera home for mother's day. It takes really nice pictures. I am proud to have it.

Saturday my husband and his daddy went to Race bros and bought a sprayer that runs off of the four wheeler. They hooked the whole thing up and started filling it. It started leaking, so they boxed it back up and took it back. I am not sure how the store fixed it but they did. Said they had had that same problem before.After he got home they sprayed 2 sprayers full on the bottom field. He left the field on the right for wild blackberries this year and the side field for me and the goats to clear.

We missed the court of honor for the Boy Scouts. We thought it was that evening but it was at 11am. That is when they were returning a sprayer. That evening we when out and started weeding the corn. My husband trying to get all the Bermuda grass ended up digging up the corn we just planted. I said something and I think it made him mad because he left. But then he came back with the camera and started taking pictures of the kids and me working in the garden. I think he likes the camera as much as I do. We got in late but had turkey, that I had in the oven because the house was cool, mac'n'cheese, stuffing, cranberry sauce and poke salat for supper.

Sunday we went to church, to Shoney's for mother day dinner, and then grocery shopping. We got home, put up the groceries, and went down to his daddy's. I gave Angela the corsage I got for mother's day and we ate ice cream crunch bars. I lead song service at church the had his daddy and Angela over for left over turkey sandwiches for supper.

Here is the new biddy and rooster fattening pen we just finished. It is a lot more convenient than the one we had. And here is our cow hop-a-long. He decided to check out the throw blanket I put on the fence so I could take a picture of it.

Animals

Here are a few of the chickens and a rooster that help keep the insects under control on the farm. They aren't caged at all, they are allowed to range free all over the farm except in the garden.

The smaller ones are kept pinned for their own protection. In these cages are three chickens and one rooster. The roosters name is Sunday. when they get larger the chickens will be turned out with the other chickens but the Rooster will be kept caged to fatten him out for the dinner that bears his name. Sunday Dinner.

This pony is one of the three organic lawn mowers. Her name is Ginger and she does a nice Job of keeping the lawn mowed.

This little lawn mower has horns and keeps getting her head caught in the fence. Sometimes she needs assistance in getting out.