Kristen’s Chickens and Farming Ventures

[rjohns39]

My plan was simple... Buy the place, move in and hire work done that I didn't know how to do. I was a work at home kind of a job... 3 years and the farm would be up and running and no debt. Everything paid for...

We were here receiving our first shipment of household goods... Boss called to tell me I'd be laid off in a month. Well, it turned out to be four months... but I still had a house in VA with a huge mortgage and a house in TN with a small mortgage and half my stuff in both places. I got the rest of our stuff moved to TN except my tools and focused on selling the house in VA.

That approach worked, but no funds to hire work done in TN. Went 3 years unemployed and finally landed a job for $12/hour. Just enough to keep us from going under. Then the day came where a friend called and asked if I'd like to go back to work in the real world for a measly $70K/yr job. I was like, sign me up. I'm ready... In my interview I was asked three questions: 1) Do I have a private office? 2) Am I flexible and willing to work off shift. 3) What are my Excel skills? I was hired.

Now I struggle with day to day chores... working full time and tending to the farm are a challenge. My only hope is that I can stay afloat until I can really retire. It's just a work in progress. I still don't have adequate pasture for my birds. But there is hope that it will happen soon.

 

[BlueBaby]

My plan was simple... Buy the place, move in and hire work done that I didn't know how to do. I was a work at home kind of a job... 3 years and the farm would be up and running and no debt. Everything paid for...

We were here receiving our first shipment of household goods... Boss called to tell me I'd be laid off in a month. Well, it turned out to be four months... but I still had a house in VA with a huge mortgage and a house in TN with a small mortgage and half my stuff in both places. I got the rest of our stuff moved to TN except my tools and focused on selling the house in VA.

That approach worked, but no funds to hire work done in TN. Went 3 years unemployed and finally landed a job for $12/hour. Just enough to keep us from going under. Then the day came where a friend called and asked if I'd like to go back to work in the real world for a measly $70K/yr job. I was like, sign me up. I'm ready... In my interview I was asked three questions: 1) Do I have a private office? 2) Am I flexible and willing to work off shift. 3) What are my Excel skills? I was hired.

Now I struggle with day to day chores... working full time and tending to the farm are a challenge. My only hope is that I can stay afloat until I can really retire. It's just a work in progress. I still don't have adequate pasture for my birds. But there is hope that it will happen soon.

Do you have your mortgage's paid off? Thing's should ease up a bit for you if you do.

 

[aart]

focused on selling the house in VA.

Any luck there?
Was in that position, 2 mortgages, for a very short time....mind bending!

 

[Kris5902]

My plan was simple... Buy the place, move in and hire work done that I didn't know how to do. I was a work at home kind of a job... 3 years and the farm would be up and running and no debt. Everything paid for...

We were here receiving our first shipment of household goods... Boss called to tell me I'd be laid off in a month. Well, it turned out to be four months... but I still had a house in VA with a huge mortgage and a house in TN with a small mortgage and half my stuff in both places. I got the rest of our stuff moved to TN except my tools and focused on selling the house in VA.

That approach worked, but no funds to hire work done in TN. Went 3 years unemployed and finally landed a job for $12/hour. Just enough to keep us from going under. Then the day came where a friend called and asked if I'd like to go back to work in the real world for a measly $70K/yr job. I was like, sign me up. I'm ready... In my interview I was asked three questions: 1) Do I have a private office? 2) Am I flexible and willing to work off shift. 3) What are my Excel skills? I was hired.

Now I struggle with day to day chores... working full time and tending to the farm are a challenge. My only hope is that I can stay afloat until I can really retire. It's just a work in progress. I still don't have adequate pasture for my birds. But there is hope that it will happen soon.

full time and farming... I don’t know how you manage it. But when you do retire, just think of all that free time to allocate to your passions and projects!

Do you have your mortgage's paid off? Thing's should ease up a bit for you if you do.

Any luck there?
Was in that position, 2 mortgages, for a very short time....mind bending!

I find it amazing how much we really all have in common sometimes, it can be quite eerie! We were lucky in that the market was up when we sold, and we only had the one mortgage... I can’t imagine juggling two! The car loan, single mortgage, bills and living expenses was almost too much for us at times.

Daily chores are why we are only PT for Andrew and I am not actively seeking too much outside work. I struggle to get everything done before noon when it’s just me... and there is always something more that needs fixing or doing. Our budget was ample in the beginning, with healthy safety margins and everything figured out. Then life went and happened, Family Drama ensued, and here we are now scraping by and making do... I like to console myself with the thought that the making do and scraping by are very traditional for farming life... and by trying to adjust my standards of living a bit; but I’ll be damned before I give up coffee and beer completely (I’ve basically cut out my very good taste in scotch though, except on special occasions and only then in the under $200 range )

The temptation to try to get a town job to help out is strong, but I just don’t think the schedule managing and commute would be feasible if I take the plunge too. That was the nice thing about doing the work exchange for the propane. I could do 2-10 or even later... I don’t have a clue how I’m going to manage the work DH lined up for me on a couple Saturday’s in March... 10-4??? Can I even get the chickens done that early? Sigh...

 

[BlueBaby]

full time and farming... I don’t know how you manage it. But when you do retire, just think of all that free time to allocate to your passions and projects!


I find it amazing how much we really all have in common sometimes, it can be quite eerie! We were lucky in that the market was up when we sold, and we only had the one mortgage... I can’t imagine juggling two! The car loan, single mortgage, bills and living expenses was almost too much for us at times.

Daily chores are why we are only PT for Andrew and I am not actively seeking too much outside work. I struggle to get everything done before noon when it’s just me... and there is always something more that needs fixing or doing. Our budget was ample in the beginning, with healthy safety margins and everything figured out. Then life went and happened, Family Drama ensued, and here we are now scraping by and making do... I like to console myself with the thought that the making do and scraping by are very traditional for farming life... and by trying to adjust my standards of living a bit; but I’ll be damned before I give up coffee and beer completely (I’ve basically cut out my very good taste in scotch though, except on special occasions and only then in the under $200 range )

The temptation to try to get a town job to help out is strong, but I just don’t think the schedule managing and commute would be feasible if I take the plunge too. That was the nice thing about doing the work exchange for the propane. I could do 2-10 or even later... I don’t have a clue how I’m going to manage the work DH lined up for me on a couple Saturday’s in March... 10-4??? Can I even get the chickens done that early? Sigh...

Is there a way that you could put more out for the chicken's on Friday that would get them through those 2 Saturday's to make it easier on you?

 

[drumstick diva]

Can't believe how HIGH UP chickens will decide to roost. Guess they have no fear of heights.
I sure do. Even looking UP that high, I'd probably faint or get nosebleeds (ugh)

 

[BlueBaby]

Can't believe how HIGH UP chickens will decide to roost. Guess they have no fear of heights.
I sure do. Even looking UP that high, I'd probably faint or get nosebleeds (ugh)

They are just trying to have a good night's sleep a safe distance away from the jaw's of four legged predator's.

 

[Cwestlake]

He’s just stunning absolutely beautiful

 

[pspatbyc]

Can't believe how HIGH UP chickens will decide to roost. Guess they have no fear of heights.
I sure do. Even looking UP that high, I'd probably faint or get nosebleeds (ugh)

Now how high would YOU go LOL

 

[pspatbyc]

In other events, it has rained here... regularly, so we are behind in tarring the foundation, haven’t raided the FIL cabin for our plans yet and will be focusing onthe drainrock for our perimeter drain today. DH has been picking up some extra shifts at the pub, and the Cafe is now buying my eggs at 2 dozen a week.

Last night I nearly had a heart attack when I picked my mom up for dinner, and I did it again. I looked in on the farm chickens (no one had gotten the eggs, but at least there was water... no feed) but the fully lit up coop had the outside door standing wide open inviting any raccoons to come in and play. There’s another inner door with some giant (1’) holes in the chicken wire,bwhich would totally stop a coon, I’m sure. It had been left open by whoever dropped the feed bags in, and no chickens! I heard one coo but couldn’t find anyone. I ran out to get my phone to call the owner and my mother asked what was wrong. I told her the door was open and all the chickens were missing... and she asked “did you look up?”
View attachment 2036934
Turns out they dislike their flimsy roosts with shiny slick bark as much as I do... and roost on this 2x4 support for one of the lights (it was sparky and got removed). It’s a good 10’ straight up and I have no idea how they fly up with such limited space. Happily though, they were all safe and sound and ignoring their artificial lighting for the most part, and ready for nap time...
View attachment 2036940

LOL - Okay I found a solution to everyone's Raccoon problem

Per the recipies author "Grilled raccoon is excellent! With a flavor and texture very reminiscent of pulled pork ".
Happy hunting makes safe Chickens !!