how long does it take you to....

[Organics North]

Quote:
Great post!
I can relate, and have always tried to do chores in the same manner. I too, really get a kick out of calling out to the chickens.

ON

 

[2DogsFarm]

My routine 7 days a week:

*Get up at 5A when housecat becomes totally unbearable as she is certain she will starve to death even though her bowl is full of dry food. Spoon out wet food.
Total time elapsed: 5 minutes

*log on to PC and check email while listening to morning news (for the weather mostly)
Total time elapsed 55 minutes

*setup oatmeal for chickens, microwave oatmeal, add yogurt and any veggie/fruit leftovers
Total time elapsed: 3 minutes

*depending on weather, dress in barn clothes. Summer means put on shoes - time: 30 seconds
Winter means several layers - time 5 minutes

*tote fresh water & oatmeal to chicken coop
Pick up poop, clean waterbowl if pooped into, refill feed dish, scatter some scratch, dump poop bucket onto compost pile
Total time elapsed: 10 minutes

*proceed to barn, refill barncat's bowl, present her with some canned food which will be scarfed down if last night's hunt was not good, disdained if she has caught herself some mouse or bunny sushi. Refill her waterbowl.
Total time elapsed: 2 minutes

*give horse morning hay ration, cleanup mess from last night - he's a haydunker - empty, scrub & refill his water bucket, pick stall, add fresh shavings if needed, mix grain w/supplements & feed to him.
In Winter, toss a couple flakes of hay outside for him to "graze" on while I'm at work
Total time elapsed: 20 minutes

*sit down for barncat to have her morning naplap while I listen to NPR news on the radio
Total time elapsed: 15-20 minutes

If it's a weekend I go back to bed for an hour or so, if not get ready for work

Routine is repeated at 5-6P with the addition of gathering eggs and putting chickens to bed (closing up the coop) with a 9P bedcheck for the horse & more laptime for barncat

Total time spent daily: 2+ hours

 

[gryeyes]

Weekdays: In the morning, 15 minutes. Top off the dry cat food feeder, let the dogs out, slog out the back door, put on boots, step off the porch, walk 10 steps to the run, open run gate, fill up feed thingie (empty large cottage cheese tub), open covered pen door, fill up hanging feeder, open coop pop door, pick up auxilary waterer (the gravity waterer has sprung a leak, must fix it this weekend) and carry it out of the run to rinse and fill, carry it back into the run and place it inside the covered pen. Greet each chicken by name, individually. Exit the run, hose off the boots, leave them by the back door. Call the dogs back in and tell THEM individually what good boys they are and not to have any canine parties while I'm at work. Finish dressing for work and leave.

In the evening, it's after dark: Let the dogs out, change into boots, yadda yadda minus topping off the feeder, lift the lid to the coop and count chickens quietly, close the coop lid, close the pop door, reverse the process. Top off the dogs' dry food feeder. 5 minutes.

On the weekends, I do the clean up chores, talk to the chickens a lot, watch them do chicken-y things, and couldn't possibly tally the amount of time it takes to complete chores. Too many breaks in between. ;-)