NOW THAT'S NOT FAIR!!
I had my order all made up. It took forever. I finally got just the right number of this kind and tha kind. Now you've blown it all to #@!!. Not kind. Mean, in fact.
musthavebarneveldersmusthavebarneveldersmusthavebernevelders
Yaaaawn. Why am I feeling soo sleepy......
musthavebarneveldersmusthavebarneveldersmusthavebarnevelders
barnevelder pullets
Very interesting thread.
I have only a tiny herd, Two roos from last springs hatch, can't find anyone to give one to. Have a very old 8 or 9 years part aracuna (sp), too old to lay eggs anymore, a pet now. And 2 small all black banties (gift from a friend) and my pair of Guinea fowl. They are all very tired of having to stay in the hen house, I do if the weather is warm enough let them out into the wire enclosed 8 x 8 chicken yard.
IN the summer I let them free range , they mostly stay in the back half of my yard. I have 2+ acres of garden, enclosed with redwood fence to keep deer out. They are pretty good at bug prevention, especially the two guineas. The chickens do more scratching than I like in my flowers but I have to consider how much good they do.
Donna
Okay, troops! Had Monday off and took Friday off, and am now prepared to show what I did.
Put up some twisted willow branches...
Then pulled them together into an arch.
Threw together a dowel-and-twig gate and enclosed it in chicken wire...
Closeup of the gate...
Went to visit my best friend Mik...
Played the pennywhistle for her horses...
And brought back the Chick-N-Hutch! Mik's boyfriend picked it up for me at Randall Burkey's in Boerne.
Though the instructions are apparently from an earlier version, I only had to disassemble and reassemble a couple of bits. It was pretty easy to put together!
Not bad! One of the things that made me think it was not the version in the instructions was the "wind guards" which I think should have gone all the way across the sides. I snugged them to the back since they didn't indicate where I should put them. They're just bolted with washers to the hardware cloth.
And there it sits!
Fully furnished.
This means I have to get chickens, doesn't it?
Im thinking you do. Very good job you did there. I have one almost like that I picked up at an auction for 5 bucks. I use it to put my chicks in that are ready to go outside but still need a light.
Yup! I've got one of those too and it looks almost identical! I am using it for my rabbit now though.
I love your creative gate design - how perfect!
Oh yea the gate, when you posted the 1st picture and you said you had monday off and took friday off and with just the willow branchs I was like OK all that over a weekend. The thought there has to be a progression here. Waited and I was right. Great job. Can NOT wait to see all that in bloom and happy chickens in that soon.
They say it's big enough for three hens or you can use it as an isolation hutch. Until I get the Farm, this is for my whole flock.
I'm thinking of naming it Thornfield Hall, and naming them Charlotte, Jane, and Mrs. Poole.
Oh I love it. Is all you can have is 3 birds?
It's perfect!! And the gate is wonderful! And the pennywhistle concert!! Ooon myy caayoose let me wonder over yonder
'Til I see the mountains riise
I'm goin' to Riide to the ridge where the west commences!!
Gaze at the moon until I lose my senses
Caint look at hobbles and I caint stand fences....
Oh, I'll post pictures. I hope the purslane comes up before the hens get in there. Very nutritious, but if it's just sprouts they'll pull it up. I also got a sprouter for the kitchen and I'll keep them well supplied with sprouts from that.
grownut, I play that on the banjo almost every morning! Haven't tried it on the pennywhistle, though!
Thanks for all compliments on the gate, too!
And catmad, I only did this to you because They did it to me!!! Blame Claire!!!
This message was edited Feb 17, 2009 11:21 AM
I was almost positive you'd know that!!! That priceless pic with the horses ears forward, whiskers probably buzzing!! One thing I miss since moving back east (from Guthrie OK) is the skies!!
Woah....wait a second here....blame me? All I did was gently encourage you. And even that is only because I know how much you're going to LOVE having your own hens, and I'm just spreading the chicken joy around for everyone. But you did make the ultimate decision (albeit a very good one!)
I think instead of saying "Blame Claire" we should say "Thank you Claire, for encouraging me into the delightful world of chicken ownership. I never knew what I was missing...."
See, doesn't that feel better?
LOL....
The horses were pretty intrigued with the pennywhistle -- I was laughing more than I was playing.
Ah, yes, the Texas sky. Nothing like it, and you don't have to look UP to see it, just forward.
grow, shall we rephrase it?
Oh, give me hens, lots of hens under starry skies above
And fence them in...
Claire, I have a VIDEO of you doing that dance and casting Barn Fairy spells and making me do all this!!!!!
I just can't let you see it.
Claire-y-poo---sometimes just being you is all it takes!! A joy, a treat, a total enabler!!
there was a pic somewhere....
Dang....caught on camera again. Grumble...
Maybe I was dancing for the pethuds!
I've been sitting here searching for that pic!! pink and chartreuse, fairy, P&L...can't find the sucker!!!! Did you delete it?!
No.
That's the one!! How could I have missed such a priceless piccy!!
It was in one of the blather stick threads.
How did I never suspect the blather stick! LOL. Here I was checking up on all those serious threads....duuuhhh...
lol! omgosh Y'all just crack me up. I miss this when I'm off for a couple of days-Owen thinks Auntie is crazy as she laughs her you-know-what-off!
Love what you made brigidlily. All the choices of pullets out there! If I was only allowed three I'd be breaking the rules and there'd be several more added. :-) I'm not very strong.....as the chicken fairy is depositing more on my doorstep this week.
I think it's 3 per type...
Ahh... that's better!
... gulp... just called feed store... and after answering "WHAT kind of chicken?" about 3 times... he's going to order me 3 pullets from Ideal...
I don't know whether I'm scared or excited!!!
Claire, would you please desert your animals, classes, and fella for a month and come stay with me? Just a month? Maybe six...?
...please...?
Chicken!! Get some oatmeal, a big lightbulb, and a nice lined box. And a little red pigeon waterer for 2-3 bucks at TSC. What's a brave yard builder like you....?!
Awesome!! Oh I'm so excited for you. When are they going to be arriving? Are you choosing names yet?
I would love to desert my classes, and could certainly handle deserting my animals and Kelly, especially to visit Texas in February. Somehow, I think my grades might be adversely affected, likewise my job. Hmmm...
I am totally available for moral support, question-and-answer sessions, and pom pom waving!
After a day or two of panic and worry, you will realize they practically take care of themselves, and then you will wonder at least some of the following:
a) what were you so nervous about?
b) why did you only get three?
c) how can you expand your coop and get more?
d) how did you ever live without chickens?
e) what breed you should try next?
f) which of your friends and/or neighbors you can bring into the chicken ownership fold.
Congrats!
lol. {{{what she said!}}}