Wood Ash In The Chicken Pen

   There are two old screen doors that are kept around the place in case I need to cannibalize a piece of screening or for use as covers for small enclosures I make for chicks or to isolate chickens.

   Instead of building a frame and attaching screening I thought why not just plunk the screen down on top of the container. It all worked out great... the ash went through the screen with a bit of smooshing around and I put all the wood coals, nails and debris in the blue bucket and dumped them nails and all in my little green garden.

   I thought this would be a rather boring photo so I sprinkled some corn on the leaves and called the chickens and Morgan to come decorate the picture. Morgan wants to be up and moving instead of on a down stay.

   I'm not sure what the original use was that the container was made for... water trough? I dug a shallow hole for the tub so it fits snugly and won't tip over when the chickens roost on the edge. Kristine doesn't think the chickens will hop in there and dust bathe. Maybe, yes, no? 

   The wooden frame I nailed together to hold more wood ash is located so the chickens have to step in it on the way to the nest boxes and the roosts. Of course, they may just hop over the ashes. Or maybe use it for more dust bathing? Next time Tom empties the wood stove I will add more ashes.

   

   Everything takes more time than I think it will. I still have to cut the partitions for the nest boxes. I found some roosts that I had stored away and decided to attach them to an old wooden ladder. I got the idea from a photo at, Garden With Chickens, here. I'll cut them shorter to fit the ladder. It would be neat if I got the partitions and the ladder fixed up tomorrow. I hope I get at least one project finished.

Peek at the Past

(February 16, 2009)

The quilt is haunting me...

[5 eggs today]

Morgan ate chicken feed and got a tummy ache last night.

~:>

Smiles

Chickens Dusting Under The Flatbed Trailer

   Morgan and I found the chickens under the trailer bed again dusting in the relatively dry dirt. Well, at least it was dryer than the surrounding ground. Some chickens tried laying out in the sun which didn't work out all that well because of the clouds passing in front of the sun blocking the rays. (That Dark Brahma really doesn't look happy.) The hens are not happy staying inside because things are finally getting wet and messy. The pine I put down in the pen is muddy and needs changing as soon as it stops raining for a long spell. Maybe Saturday I can rake it out?

   Some of the hens are sleeping in the nest boxes and leaving chicken poo presents. I read that you should cover the boxes after they lay and you shouldn't let your chickens sleep in the nest boxes because then they poo and it can get on the eggs. Well, I wanted the chickens to sleep in the nest boxes when it got cold and snowy so they could keep warm. So, what to do? Well, I could get myself together in the morning and out to the coop and clean out the nest boxes before they lay. Yep! I think that's what I'm going to need to do.

   While looking around for information about nest boxes, instead I found chicken and feed housing information here (Range Poultry Housing - pdf) and here (Pastured Poultry - pdf.)

   Ah, Ha! Nest Box info Here I finally found some good information about nest boxes. I'm going to have to remodel the inside of the coop and move and rebuild the communal nest boxes I built last year. This all sounds much better. Then maybe the hens will not poo in the boxes anymore?

   Morgan went to the groomer this week and still looks white and clean even though she has been running around in the muddy leaves. I think she licks herself clean like a cat at night. I know she licks her paws.

   Missy at Little Messy Missy has passed on an award to Chickens On The Porch. Thank you Missy and I really  appreciate you thinking of my blog. Instead of me picking out blogs that I read to pass the award to, what I would like to do is ask those bloggers who would like to accept the award to hop on over to Missy's blog here and pick up the award. All the blogs I read are certainly worthy!

[6 eggs today]

The hens laid 5 early and 1 in the afternoon.

Peek at the Past

(February 12, 2009)
Wow! I remember those trees where sooo pretty.

~:>

Smiles

Voting and Rolling in the Dirt

This was the view out the car window on  the way to vote this morning. Trees, lotsa trees. We were the only people voting at the polls. California is in trouble, I wonder if the props will pass? People are mad at the legislature. They might take it out at the polls by voting no? 

This is what I saw when I was walking up the driveway after voting. I had my camera! Maybe I could catch them dusting? Morgan was barking at the dreaded squirrels. I think that was her squirrel bark. Her dangerous critter bark is much more excited.

Oops! The Australorp jumped up! Gee, what does she think I'm going to do. Silly hen. So, I stood there for a long time and finally the Light Brahma went back to dusting and some of the other hens came over to lay down and sun bath. Looks like fun!

There was an egg bounty today.

[14 eggs today!]

And they were all laid in the closed in nest boxes!

And it was cool in them.

Cooler than in the house.

Smart Girls!

Smiles

~:>