Back From The Vet

Poor little squint eyed Morgan back from the vet and recovering from the drugs she was given. First to knock her out so they could probe the wound and stitch it up and then the drugs they gave her to recover. Tom took Morgan to the vets this morning and they were gone from around 10:00 to 1:30. That was a pretty quick turn around. In the past she has had to stay overnight for treatments that involve stitching. The gauze is pink with little purple hearts. There is tape over the gauze to make the bandage more secure. She doesn't have to wear a collar unless she starts trying to take the bandage off, but so far she is not messing with it. She has to take pills twice a day and will need to return to the vets for bandage changing and eventually stitch removal. Morgan is sleeping now.

Since the chickens have to stay in their pen while Morgan recovers, I worried about the chickens getting too much sun. I remembered there was an old tarp out in the woods covering a pile of leaves. (my idea of composting) I snatched it and used some bungie cords to hook it over the fence to give the girls some shade in the afternoon. The trees shade the pen earlier in the day. This isn't pretty, but it does the job and keeps the hens cool. I don't know how long I can stand to look at this old tarp. I think I will ask Tom to pick up a green one.

See. Happy chickens.

Well, not really, they want out!

I finished painting this back wall and hung the chicken plaque that my brother and sister-in-law gave me when they were here for a visit. I spent today painting the ceiling and another wall in the kitchen. Then I cut sheet rock to finish a doorway. I found a container of multi-purpose joint compound, but it was thin and watery. I'm letting it sit out open tonight and I'm hoping it will thicken up. If not, I'll ask Tom to go pick up some more tomorrow. I need some metal strips too for the corners.

[11 eggs today]

plus one broken egg = 12

I picked it up and it broke.

Smiles

~:>

Dog Coop

There was a comment yesterday from Wilmoth Farms here that stated their chicken coop had been a dog pen. Well, I do wish I could spruce up my chicken coop a bit, but it was a dog pen also. My brother built two dog pens (see the two gates) and then turned the left side into a place for the chickens to hang out. Over the years, I changed things around. The nest boxes were along the back wall. I moved them into the middle and added the doors and windows. It works as a coop, but it is not beautiful. I would like beautiful.

The bears and skunks can walk around up there, but they haven't been able to get through the anchor fencing on the top or sides. Yet. The coop is very close to the house and so far someone has always been around to hear the noise and investigate before the critter has done any damage. Except for the times we forgot to lock the door.

I have laid the corrugated metal down around the perimeter of the pen to slow down a critter from digging into the pen. And I have dug down along the perimeter on the inside and buried pieces of metal ducting for the same purpose. I cut open the ducting and pressed it flat and nailed the top to the bottom of the fence. And then covered it all with dirt. I suppose a snake could come up in the middle of the pen, but it would take them a lot of tunneling.

I don't open the gate anymore as it is stuck in the dirt. I would like to take it off and rehang it so it opens out instead of into the pen. Then I could get the wheelbarrow in there and that would make my life easier. Here you can see the windows and doors I added. Amazing what you can find at garage sales and flea markets. I first got the idea to change the coop around when I found a metal door for ten dollars. Then I found the windows for fifty cents each. Kristine and I would like to expand the coop by covering the roof on the right side pen and adding a door so the chickens can use both sides.

This is the back of the chicken coop/dog pen. And what you see are a bunch of heating ducts that I am using as a noise trap. My neighbor did the same. When the bear knocks this stuff over it makes a terrific racket. If a bear ever got right up to the wall they could knock it down easily. The round thing is a dog house standing on its door. I was going to get rid of it, but then thought that if we do ever get some ducks or geese they might like it for a house? I could put straw in it for bedding. They might like it. Or, knowing my goofy chickens they would probably lay eggs in it.

My poor chickens don't have a lovely chicken coop, but they don't seem to mind. Mostly they are out in the woods with Morgan. I am the one who would like a beautiful chicken coop. I have seen some super chickens coops. One of the neatest coops I ever saw was decorated with stained glass windows all the way around. Wouldn't the bears like that! If I can find the link I'll put it here. Who knows, maybe I'll be able to beautify this coop someday? Or build another one? I do like that stained glass coop, but I think I would have to make a place inside it for the chickens to stay warm when it snows. Anyway, we have to do what we can and if we have to use a dog pen makeover, and scrap wood and stuff... it's OK!

I've posted about this dog coop before, but this is the first time I think I got most of the info in one post. Now I want to go out and remodel the chicken coop again. Paint? Stain? It needs a new roof for sure!

[8 eggs today]

Smiles

~:>