I had another Icelandic on top of the netting today. I got home from the store and Michael said "you know you have a bird out, right?" I said "yes and she is going to have to find her way back in the same way she got out." Eventually she found the opening around the tree trunk and got back in.
Miss Polaris laid an egg today so I guess she is over motherhood. I want them out of the layer coop so bad I can't stand it.
The new coop is almost done. I laid the vinyl floor yesterday and hung the roosts. Today I moved one of the four hole nest boxes from the layer coop to the Isbar coop. I bought trash bins for feed and scratch storage. Michael made the door which is awesome! I bought plexiglass for the windows and will make those tomorrow. We have the roof on but not permanently attached. We ordered new flight netting to cover the yard and we are going to wait to secure the roof until we remove the green net. I made nice decks 32 inches deep and the width of the coop doors to put in front of both big coops so I don't have to stand in the mud and the birds don't track so much in. They are made of pressure treated wood and heavier than heck but they will be a huge improvement over the one I made out of a pallet. As soon as we put up the fence between the two yards the Icleandics get moved back to Iceland and the layers and Isbars get split up. My two Ameraucanas will be on the Isbar side because I will eventually be getting some blue egg layers to breed and I don't want confusion. The Isbars lays moss green eggs. That is why Stella has to stay on the layer side. I will end up with about 14 birds on each side until I start hatching.
I am really excited to have a new project. I spent way too much money on the birds and coop but it is my only vice. I don't smoke, drink, or buy shoes.
On a positive note, I candled the 48 Icelandic eggs I have incubating to fill my two chick orders and I have 78% fertility. Last hatch was 55%! I think the 78% may go up because 6 eggs got set late in the day and I can't really tell if they are veining yet. At any rate I am stoked about the possibility of getting done soon and taking the winter off. I got the nicest email today from some people who bought Icelandic chicks from me a year ago for their son for 4-H. They said he has done very well with them and they just love them. Well I am off to watch TV and go to sleep early. I have a lot I want to accomplish tomorrow.
