Wyandotte Dirt Nest And Job Almost Done

When I went out this afternoon to take a photo of the shed and the empty area (except for the roofing stuff,) there was a Wyandotte all snuggled down in a little nest in the dirt she had made for herself.

Of course, she hopped out when I walked by before I could get a photo.

The other Wyandotte that was sick yesterday died today and I had the unpleasant duty of digging a very deep hole for her.

Being responsible and caring for sick, dying and dead chickens is the part of having them that I could really do without.

I try very hard not to make pets of the hens, not to give them names and to treat them all the same. But it is still hard to deal with the death of a hen I raised from a chick.

The other chickens are all healthy and are going about their chicken business. The broody hen has stopped her broodyness and there are some chickens that are starting their molt.

I never did get to putting on any trim boards on the shed. Kristine made me promise to take the day off and rest after I finished moving the plywood. So I did.

Surprise... when I walked back from taking the photo of the shed the Wyandotte was back in her warm dirt nest in the last rays from the sun.

I think I am going to make some hot cocoa, get a good book and curl up in my nest and rest. And try and go to sleep. I was up all night last night. When I get too tired that's what happens. I either crash or I'm awake and can't sleep. I would like to sleep tonight.

And from now on I won't work so much and get too tired.

Yeah, right...

Peek at the Past

Rain and Clearing Paths

I haven't even started clearing branches

and paths this year.

I'm waiting for some rain.

(September 14, 2009)

[3 eggs today]

~:>

Smiles

Storage Shed Clean UP and Roof?

Remember this?

All this stuff is what I started clearing away this morning.

(The chickens are there because that is where I throw the scratch. Morgan is there because the chickens are there.)

Today I got smart and rummaged around in the garage and found a dolly to help me move the heavy things and the car repair stuff.

Lots of things went to the Goodwill pile and other stuff to the dump pile. Not much made it back inside the shed. There were things that had been buried in the shed for ten years. Didn't even know they were there... like a lawn mower and large tubs of laundry detergent. Who knew?

I was having such a good time getting rid of things that I just kept working and I didn't even stop for a rest or something to eat or drink. (I know... very bad.)

I was having a great time! Strange how much fun it can be putting things I actually want back in the shed so they are easy to find and use.

The chicken feed and things are on the right side, the kindling things are on the left, the straw is behind the wagon and the tools are on the wall.

I kept moving things away until all that was left was the roofing stuff and the plywood sides that fit the flat bed trailer. I'll move the plywood tomorrow.

Then I need to put up some trim boards around the bottom of the walls where the plywood has been damaged by rain and snow.

The roofing things can stay there until they get put on the shed roof.

Roof?

Me?

Yes! I really do think it will be me up on the roof nailing down the sheets of roofing. I don't want to mess with the black tar stuff, so nails will have to do. I am going to have to get some help getting the rolls up on the roof.

Putting a covering on the shed roof should be an adventure.

I'm really rather excited.

But, a little scared too.

I don't even know the correct names for the stuff. Rolls of roofing material? I've got a ladder, a hammer, a box cutter, and lots and lots of roofing nails, so I should be good to go.

I think I'll get up on the shed roof tomorrow

and give it a good look over

and see what I can do.

Is there anybody reading this post

who has put on a roof?

Roofing suggestions welcome!

Sorry about the fishy chicken post yesterday, but I was so tired I couldn't think. I'm tired tonight but I have the opposite problem... I just keep thinking of stuff.

One of the Wyandottes is not doing very well again and just sat around in the sun. She did eat and drink a little when I put some food and water next to her. Hope she is better tomorrow.

Kristine went out and got us hamburgers and fries for dinner!

Thank you, Kristine!

Peek at the Past

Wood Shed Video

We are ahead this year.

And we have more wood!

(September 13, 2009)

[4 eggs today]

~:>

Smiles

Chicken Fish?

I finished the floor in the shed!

Hooray!

And then Kristine came home with

Pizza!

I have a twinge in my back.

I'm hot and tired.

The Pizza smells great.

So, I quit work for the day.

I didn't take any photos.

What to Post?

Then I remembered this...

Chicken of the Sea?

Last night Kristine said I had to see something

and she showed me a YouTube video of, a fish?

Fish?

ChickenFish?

FishChicken?

ChickenFishChick?

It's yellow!

Ick

Well, I thought it looked kinda scary?

Warning... this video comes with a warning. You may want to think twice before you have this chicken fish thing stuck in your memory. It even comes with its own worm. And four feet things.

Oh...
yes, it is a frog fish.
I asked Kristine to please not show me anymore fishy things.

Peek at the Past

Video, Feed & Rain

(September 12, 2009)

[3 eggs today]

~:>

Smiles

New Floor In the Shed

Well, it is a new floor of sorts. Really, the new floor is made up of old deck planking that I have cut to fit as though it was all some great big puzzle.

I'm not nailing the planks down... just cutting them to fit tightly and making sure they lay fairly level.

Level? Well, there is a plywood floor under the planks that is falling apart in a few places and not level in others.

Tomorrow, I only have four or five more cuts to make and then I can start putting the things I want to keep back in the shed. I had to put the feed barrels back in the shed before I locked it up for the night.

I don't expect the plywood and whatever it is resting on to last much longer, but it is still too well hooked together for me to pull out. So, I'll just wait until it falls apart and then I can pick up the planks, pull out the plywood and ?, and then put in something to put the planks back on. Well, that's the plan. Who knows, maybe the floor will last as long as the shed?

The only thing I didn't take out of the shed was that large box of nails. I'm afraid if I move the box the old cardboard will fall apart and there will be nails all over.

Morgan is checking out the area of the shed where the smell is coming from. Something died under there or there is some horribly smelly critter living under the floor?

I'm going to have to nail some boards up on the outside of the back of the shed where some small critters have made some holes, or maybe the holes were made by falling branches?

I let the Buff Brahma hen out of the pen because she isn't broody anymore. So neat! I'm so glad I found out the trick of breaking the broody hens from sitting. Locking the hen out in the pen where she can't get to the nest boxes but has lots of food and water seems to give her time to reset her hormones.

Peek at the Past

Some of my favorite things!

(September 11, 2009)

[3 eggs today]

~:>

Smiles

Run Away Clutter

I wish the clutter would all run away!


In the top photo, down in the myrtle (that I watered last year) near the gate is a tire.

I chased that tire down the drive and finally gave up about where I took the photo.

I was rolling some old tires to the "going away" pile and only managed to lose control of this one.





Too bad there was no candid camera around because I'm sure a video of me trying to catch the tire would have made for a laugh.

I have been spending my time emptying and repairing the right side of the shed.

I only have heavy paint cans and roofing material to take out tomorrow and then I have a few more holes to patch in the back wall.

The bad smell is almost gone and I didn't find any dead critters, so whatever it was is under the floor. I am not planning on pulling up the floor. Please!

Then I will have to make some decisions on how to fix the floor and what I will use to finish the walls. Plywood? Scrap wood? Or leave them alone?


Yep. That is the stuff in the bottom photo that I'm taking out of the shed. Really, really heavy metal car repair stuff. No wonder the floor in the shed is coming apart.

And the deal is that the only things that go back in the shed are garden tools, things I am actually using or will use, and chicken feed and chicken stuff.

Most of the stuff in that pile is not going back in the shed. It will go to the dump or Goodwill. Or somewhere... just not here.

P.S.

Kristine said she found a quilt store today!

She said she will take me shopping!

Someday

Soon?

!

Peek at the Past

I haven't watered that myrtle this year.

It really hasn't been a hot Summer.

I'm still using the rack!

(September 10, 2009)

[4 eggs today]

The broody Wyandotte

has almost stopped her broody clucking.

Maybe I can let her out tomorrow?

~:>

Smiles

Strung Up (Guest Post)

Mom's fine, I'm just filling in tonight. :)

Lonely looks a bit down today.  Perhaps the correct word would be "subdued". You can probably chalk this up to still missing her friend, but I suspect it has something to do with the cold weather front that has been sitting on us for several days. 

However, there is another possibility.

You see. ... There was a hanging. 

You can spot spectators leaving the event grounds towards the back of the picture.

Mr Bear hung for two days and two nights. His crime?

He was rather grimey.

He also wouldn't dry, thus the ear pins were applied without regrets. He held up well in to the torture of the washing machine, after being stripped of his ribbon bow-tie. Never screamed or cried, although there were several instances of him pressing his face pleadingly to the glass front of the washer.

Neither Mom nor I held any sympathy as he went round and round.

"Is this really a good idea?" I asked, wondering if his stitching was up for this.

Mom nodded,"The tag said this would be fine."

Later that day we strung him up before a maddened crowd (because the bear wasn't edible) of chickens, and possibly traumatized Lonely.

P.S.
Thank you, Kristine!
He's sweet!
And dry!

We Stacked Both The Wood Piles

This is a photo of Morgan saying hello to Hen Roo. Well, it is more than a hello, it is really more like, "Are you holding that chicken because you want to give it to me?"

I think that not too far under the surface Morgan would really like to do a little chicken hunting and would love for us to give her permission. Yep!

Tom and I stacked all the wood in the wood shed. No photo. Too tired. Tomorrow I'll take some pictures. Tom filled the wheel barrow and while he unloaded and stacked I filled the wagon and then unloaded and stacked while he filled the wheel barrow. I think I have that right.

We were almost finished and picking up the last loads when all of a sudden something moved on the log I picked up. So, naturally I screamed. Silly, I know, but I was startled. All it was was an alligator lizard, but the scream brought Kristine out of the house to find out what was the matter.

She was not feeling well and was trying to rest. Ha... I fixed that because I screamed a few more times because there must have been a lizard family living under the logs and they were showing up under my boots. Fast little guys. I was worried they might run up my leg. But they didn't. They ran off under the log splitter and in the woods. The chickens missed their chance at a lizard snack.

Then...
I didn't see this, but while I was bagging up kindling, Morgan found a kitten (eyes still closed,) (the woods around here are full of cats and kittens) and before Tom could get to it she gave it a few shakes. Tom and Kristine took the kitten to the vets and they had to have it put down because it had too much damage.

Not a pleasant end to the day.
Morgan's guard duty doesn't extend to kittens.

I'm sure I could teach her to leave them alone

if I trained her, but there are very seldom any cats

on the property that she can reach.

And I don't have any cats or kittens to work with.

No thanks. No cats.

We have had cats and they don't last very long

(unless they stay near the house,

Morgan didn't bother our cats)

because of the predators.

No house cats because of allergies.

  Peek at the Past

Broody Buff Brahma last year too.

The pigs are still doing guard duty.

[3 eggs today]

~:>

Smiles

Day To Stack Wood

Today was my day to move wood and stuff around. First step was to put on my boots. 

In the photo you can see the tops of the plastic bags sticking out at the top of the boot.

I always put on two pairs of socks then put my foot in a large plastic bag and then put on the boot.

The plastic bags make it very easy to take the boots off. I'm too old to wrestle with getting boots off and the plastic bags solve the problem. They do make for sweaty feet, but if you put lotion on your feet you get your feet moisturized.

There are two piles of wood that have been drying in the sun all summer and are ready to be put in the wood shed before they get rained on... not good.

I made a start on this cut wood and stacked some next to the house ready for use when we run out of wood in the wheel barrow or when it is very cold and it's night time.

I also moved and stacked a lot of cut lumber and some metal fence poles. 

Tomorrow I'll stack wood in the wood shed. At least I hope I will if I'm not too tired out from today's fun.

I slacked off and didn't lock

the broody Buff Brahma hen out in the pen tonight.

I did push her out of the nest

so she would go get something

to eat and drink.

Tomorrow, I'll lock her out tomorrow.

Sigh, goofy hen.

P.S.
Kristine has more fishy adventures to report.

Peek at the Past

Henny Penny and Duct Tape

Click on the these
Peek at the Past photos

and they enlarge.

[3 eggs today]

~:>

Smiles

Pinecone Scrubby For The Chicken Water Pans

My solution to getting dirty chicken water pans clean is to find a pine cone that is a bit soft and weathered and use it to scrub out the pan.


It is amazing how dirty the pans can get over night. I leave the pans fairly clean at night and full of water.


In the morning the water is gone and dirt has dried hard in the pan. It won't come out with just rinsing.


Since these pans are outside the chicken pen I think the local wildlife come by at night and make themselves at home.


Some of the animals probably just want a drink, but I'll blame the raccoons for getting the pans all messy. They like to wash their food in water.


Sometimes the pans are knocked over, but most of the time the pans are just empty. Except for the dirt.

This is a neat little video of raccoons eating and washing their food.

My brother and sil used to have an extended family of raccoons that they would feed, but we don't leave feed out and the raccoons are not around in the daytime when Morgan is out and about watching the chickens. But, I'm sure the raccoons are around at night looking for scratch the chickens missed and anything else they can find.

Peek at the Past

Chicken and Morgan video.

(September 6, 2009)

[3 eggs today]

~:>

Smiles

Chicken Waterer Gets A Fix

The chickens manage to turn the top over most days, so I  attached the chain hanging next to the fence to a wire with a dog clip in hopes of keeping the top right side up. If the hens still manage to flip the top I'll try raising the lid up a few inches.


The lid is there to keep the chickens from roosting on the waterer and pooing in the water.


Screamer is the white Brahma and she is telling me off. I think she is the boss hen. At least she acts like she is in charge and she is telling me to buzz off.


The top does keep  a lot of the dust and sticks and stuff the hens scratch up out of the water.

But it still does get some dirt in it that I remove by turning the water all the way on and running the hose  in the waterer.

Here is a photo of how the waterer is hooked up to the water faucet. It is nice not having to carry water around.

Coop and pen cleaning time is coming up again. I'd like to wait until we have a rain to cut down on the amount of dust I'll raise when I start raking and shoveling all the chicken dirt. Well, waiting for the first good rain is my excuse for not working out there now.

The faucet is wrapped with foam and tape to protect the pipe from winter snow and ice. I'm going to have to remember to empty the waterer before the water freezes. I'm sure that water freezing is what cracked the old waterer.

Peek at the Past

Chicken Herding Video

(September 5, 2009)

[3 eggs today]

~:>

Smiles

Chicken Knocking At The Door

I was in the back room sorting through piles of old Christmas cards, letters, keepsakes, thank you and hi cards, business cards, piles of fabric, and lots of other stuff that was in the boxes.

Why do I keep all this stuff? It is so hard to throw away a loving message in a card or letter, sweet drawings the children made for me, a card from a dear friend, etc. I didn't come from a family that read cards and letters and then threw them in the trash. So, I guess I will blame all this stuff on them.

...and then I hear tap, tap, tap,... tap, tap,

so, I hurry up to the front of the house and what do I find.
Yep, Morgan and the big Buff house hen.
(I had to hurry back for the camera but they were still waiting)

The big Buff is the chicken who spent several weeks in the house recovering from a fox attack and decided she liked living in the house just fine.

I thought someone was tapping on the window. Someone was... a chicken who wanted a treat and Morgan has learned that when the chickens get treats she gets to come in the house and get a treat too.

I gave in and chopped up some cabbage for the chickens and gave Morgan some kibble. I just can't believe how well they have me trained.

I went back to work and managed to only keep a hand full of cards and things. Then, Kristine helped me move the large table out of the sewing room. My plan was to set up a smaller table to use as a cutting table and she was supposed to give me an old desk she is using for me to use to hold the sewing machine.

It is a small room and at least with the smaller table there is enough room for me to walk all the way around it which will make it very nice when I am cutting fabric with the rotary cutter.

Well, that's the plan. For now the sewing machine is on the floor. The small table is a drafting table that I can set at level and is ok for cutting fabric, but not strong enough to hold the sewing machine. Kristine said she needs to get some thing to hold the stuff that is in the desk drawers. There is always more stuff.

I'll post another photo when I get this sewing area set up to where I can actually use it, but I already like it better with the long table out of here.

Peek at the Past

Paths and Barrels

One barrel is now full of empty egg cartons

and the other one is full of

straw in the chicken coop.

And I am way behind

on raking paths this year.

[4 eggs today]

~:>

Smiles

1940's Wedding Dress

Look what showed up... this old I. Magnin box from long ago in the '60's that has been packed away and I thought lost during one of the mudslides, moves, earthquake or other minor disasters when everything kept getting boxed up and stored.

There are things that got boxed in the '80's that I still haven't seen and don't even know if we still have. During one mudslide scare when there was fears that the house might be hit the neighbors came and boxed everything or put it in grocery bags.

When I came back the only thing that was left was the refrigerator. I never did get things put back together. Anyway, finding this box was a surprise.


Rather amazing that the dress has survived those mishaps let alone not being made into nests by mice.

This was my mother-in-laws wedding dress in the '40's and then mine in the '60's. I had to have it shortened because she is taller than I am and just a bit taken in at the waist.

Don't know if I could get in the dress today. Maybe, but I'm afraid to handle the material very much because it feels very fragile. That is the box the dress was in when my mil gave it to me. I'm surprised the box is still in one piece.

Kristine said she would take the dress to a cleaners and see what they would advise. I guess I will search around on the internet and see if I can find some good ideas for storing the dress. eHow has some good ideas that would be good for storing things.

Peek at the Past
My favorite tea cozy.

(September 3, 2009)

[6 eggs today]
The chickens are looking very fluffy and fat.
Wonder if that means they are going to start molting.
One of the Wyandotte hens has started.

~:>

Smiles

Hanging Stuff - Spice Rack, Cups And Pictures

Tom pulled the bad molly bolt out and I put another one in that worked. I got the hook attached to the wall and hung the spice rack using a length of sisal rope.

The bottom of the rack is resting on the top of the counter splash guard so there is really very little weight on the rope.

I had the bright idea to put up some cup hooks and hang the large cups off the bottom of the beam. And I changed out the Spring flower basket for the pumpkin front for the napkin holder and hung up the jello mold. The openings at the right end of the counter is where the phone and phone books spend their time.

My Dad framed the decorative tile and I finally decided to hang it in the hall next to the aprons. If I am in great need of a hot plate I can always whip the tile off the wall and put it to use.

This is a little kitchen with lots of stuff in it, but I have tried to just have things that we use all time time and I'm enjoying having things I like around me cheering me up... especially the apricot color on the inside of the cabinets.

I was going to put some knobs on the three kitchen drawers but I'm going to have to figure out how to route out some of the wood because the screws are too short or the drawer front is way too thick. I'll think about this problem tomorrow.

I found these two framed finished needlepoint projects of lovely flowers. Tom's Gr Grandmother Nan made these a long time ago. I sure wish she had written her name and dates on the backs of the pictures.

I'm having fun trying to figure out where to hang all the pictures I found. Hanging them up does make me feel a bit apprehensive because it seems that every time I get a house pretty much the way I like it and get the pictures hung... pow... we would have a mudslide or an earthquake or something would happen.

I really shouldn't worry because there is still lots that needs doing around here before every thing is fixed just so.

The 2009 Peek at the Past posted photos will enlarge when clicked on! The 2010 photos don't enlarge because I found out that if I post thumbnails it will take a lot longer, maybe a year or so, before I fill up my Picasa account and have to start paying or delete photos.

Peek at the Past

Video of noisy hen

and the 2009 photos enlarge when you click on them

(September 2, 2009)

September's Here!

The chickens got cabbage treats.

I tried to hang the spice rack, but the molly bolt just twisted in the wall. Arg! I had to give up. I need help or I'm going to have to leave that screw in the wall and start over higher up.

I went out to take September photos for the blog and sidebar.

I like the shadows the trees make across the road and Morgan kindly picked this time to enter the picture.

Peek at the Past

Things look kinda the same

(September 1, 2009)

[2 eggs today]

~:>

Smiles