Kristen’s Chickens and Farming Ventures

[Ribh]

Yesterday was pretty big for me on the chicken front. I drained Puffy’s waterbelly and Hoppy has decided she likes the other chickens and wants to join Sammy’s girls. She still isn’t up to it, as Bossy and Puffy are much larger than her, not particularly nice to other girls, and Sammy is a boy after all... but she now spends most of the day outside the hospital tractor trying to be social with them.

One of my Red Ranger chicks weighed in at 1lb 10oz, and I left their heat off last night to no ill effects. It’s time for them to move out of the barn! So today I’m going to be concentrating on building the meat tractors (I’ve been saying that a lot for the last week!) slapping together some decent nest boxes, and that’s about it.

I’m happy to say that some of the vertical rebar is finally going into the forms on our house... I would do the work if there were clear instructions given, so hopefully at some point FIL explains to Andrew what exactly is supposed to be done, then I can work on that in the mornings as well (before FIL comes up to work on things in the afternoon).

I thought you were supposed to get up earlier when you got older, but for some reason he won’t work on anything until about 1 in the afternoon when it starts to get hot out. It’s not too bad now, but last summer it was a major point of contention... no hat is going to be enough sun/heat protection for our pasty complexions/city constitutions in 38-40 degree afternoon sun. Remember, we picked our build site to maximize our solar collection capabilities... yay, full sun, no shade!

Speaking of solar, I’ve worked out the kinks, replaced my charge controller, and now that the babes are off heat I’m off the generator! Saving $$$ big time there! And it’s a whole lot quieter at night for watching our TV shows. We’re watching Magnum P.I. , Star Trek Enterprise, and Andromeda right now, in Season 2 of each.

Getting up earlier doesn't equate to the engine revving up! It generally takes me several hours & multiple cups of coffee after my feet have hit the floor before I can honestly say I'm awake. Glad the house is going ahead, however slowly.

 

[BY Bob]

Yesterday was pretty big for me on the chicken front. I drained Puffy’s waterbelly and Hoppy has decided she likes the other chickens and wants to join Sammy’s girls. She still isn’t up to it, as Bossy and Puffy are much larger than her, not particularly nice to other girls, and Sammy is a boy after all... but she now spends most of the day outside the hospital tractor trying to be social with them.

One of my Red Ranger chicks weighed in at 1lb 10oz, and I left their heat off last night to no ill effects. It’s time for them to move out of the barn! So today I’m going to be concentrating on building the meat tractors (I’ve been saying that a lot for the last week!) slapping together some decent nest boxes, and that’s about it.

I’m happy to say that some of the vertical rebar is finally going into the forms on our house... I would do the work if there were clear instructions given, so hopefully at some point FIL explains to Andrew what exactly is supposed to be done, then I can work on that in the mornings as well (before FIL comes up to work on things in the afternoon).

I thought you were supposed to get up earlier when you got older, but for some reason he won’t work on anything until about 1 in the afternoon when it starts to get hot out. It’s not too bad now, but last summer it was a major point of contention... no hat is going to be enough sun/heat protection for our pasty complexions/city constitutions in 38-40 degree afternoon sun. Remember, we picked our build site to maximize our solar collection capabilities... yay, full sun, no shade!

Speaking of solar, I’ve worked out the kinks, replaced my charge controller, and now that the babes are off heat I’m off the generator! Saving $$$ big time there! And it’s a whole lot quieter at night for watching our TV shows. We’re watching Magnum P.I. , Star Trek Enterprise, and Andromeda right now, in Season 2 of each.

That's so funny. I just downloaded Andromeda to my tablet. It had been so long since I watched it, I thought I'd try it again.

 

[Kris5902]

Here’s the fruit of today’s labor... well the visible ones at least - fresh warm chicken egg, still tacky when I collected it, and the meat tractor mostly done. Tomorrow is hardware cloth, hinges and a latch, then chick moving day comes as soon as I find an 8x10 tarp

Sammy and his girls enjoying the evening quiet in their new digs

And some pictures from my walk out to the beach to check on those due pregnant cows... still no calves yet but the view was worth it!

The water is clear, but icy cold.

 

[Ribh]

Here’s the fruit of today’s labor... well the visible ones at least - fresh warm chicken egg, still tacky when I collected it, and the meat tractor mostly done. Tomorrow is hardware cloth, hinges and a latch, then chick moving day comes as soon as I find an 8x10 tarp

View attachment 1757528 View attachment 1757529

Sammy and his girls enjoying the evening quiet in their new digs

View attachment 1757535

And some pictures from my walk out to the beach to check on those due pregnant cows... still no calves yet but the view was worth it!

View attachment 1757524 View attachment 1757525 View attachment 1757526 View attachment 1757527

The water is clear, but icy cold.

Oh! That view is glorious! Not to be stalkerish or anything but your pictures have been so lovely I did a google maps tour of the island. If I ever get cashed up I am heading your way to see it in person. So very, very lovely.

 

[Kris5902]

We are on the south side, east of the vinyard that was once a part of the farm as well, if you wait until the house is built, we will have guest rooms but then you’ll have to let me return the favor. I have always wanted to visit your country, since I was about 6-8 years old. You can thank Steve Irwin and “Crocodile Dundee” for that!

 

[Ribh]

We are on the south side, east of the vinyard that was once a part of the farm as well, if you wait until the house is built, we will have guest rooms but then you’ll have to let me return the favor. I have always wanted to visit your country, since I was about 6-8 years old. You can thank Steve Irwin and “Crocodile Dundee” for that!

It's so funny, that, because Steve was always more popular in N America than here. Here we thought he was a bit over the top... Our place is a nightmare [working on that @ present] but we can always find a cubby~hole to stash a friend. And @ least I won't have to explain what happens if you miss the boat...

 

[BY Bob]

Here’s the fruit of today’s labor... well the visible ones at least - fresh warm chicken egg, still tacky when I collected it, and the meat tractor mostly done. Tomorrow is hardware cloth, hinges and a latch, then chick moving day comes as soon as I find an 8x10 tarp

View attachment 1757528 View attachment 1757529

Sammy and his girls enjoying the evening quiet in their new digs

View attachment 1757535

And some pictures from my walk out to the beach to check on those due pregnant cows... still no calves yet but the view was worth it!

View attachment 1757524 View attachment 1757525 View attachment 1757526 View attachment 1757527

The water is clear, but icy cold.

Such a beautiful place. Congratulations on the egg! It sure is fun to get that first one!

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Hi Kris. So glad to hear there's some progress being made on the house. Camping out can be fun when you first start out but it does lose it's luster after awhile. Take care.

 

[Kris5902]

Such a beautiful place. Congratulations on the egg! It sure is fun to get that first one!

Yes... and this one is from the sister of the very first girl to start laying... it was still sticky and warm when I collected it... I’m about 10 dozen in or so but I still sometimes take random pictures of my eggs. Imagine how bad I’m going to be when I start hatching my own farm bred chickens!

Hi Kris. So glad to hear there's some progress being made on the house. Camping out can be fun when you first start out but it does lose it's luster after awhile. Take care.

Oh yeah, I was completely over the “Camping Experience” after the first 6 months and the first Canadian Winter when the furnace broke in the RV! I’m just thankful I’m a BC girl and don’t live somewhere really cold!

It's so funny, that, because Steve was always more popular in N America than here. Here we thought he was a bit over the top... Our place is a nightmare [working on that @ present] but we can always find a cubby~hole to stash a friend. And @ least I won't have to explain what happens if you miss the boat...

See above comment on winter camping? Don’t worry, I’m ok with any relatively spider free environment! And there’s also the “I’ve been Hauling and hand filling my water for so long” you don’t need to worry about me wasting it... or missing the boat! Well, there was that one time... but that’s because the sailings were delayed due to weather, so we missed the last of the second connection ferries by minutes. (Same company, same terminal, but you have to leave and drive a 5 km loop and wait in line again to make the transfer ) I still stand by my suggestion of sleeping at the terminal in our truck, in line for the morning ferry to express our displeasure, but sometimes Andrew is the more reasonable of us, and he’s the driver... so the motel bed was comfy, but we had to pay twice for the second leg of the trip.

 

[Ribh]

Yes... and this one is from the sister of the very first girl to start laying... it was still sticky and warm when I collected it... I’m about 10 dozen in or so but I still sometimes take random pictures of my eggs. Imagine how bad I’m going to be when I start hatching my own farm bred chickens!



Oh yeah, I was completely over the “Camping Experience” after the first 6 months and the first Canadian Winter when the furnace broke in the RV! I’m just thankful I’m a BC girl and don’t live somewhere really cold!



See above comment on winter camping? Don’t worry, I’m ok with any relatively spider free environment! And there’s also the “I’ve been Hauling and hand filling my water for so long” you don’t need to worry about me wasting it... or missing the boat! Well, there was that one time... but that’s because the sailings were delayed due to weather, so we missed the last of the second connection ferries by minutes. (Same company, same terminal, but you have to leave and drive a 5 km loop and wait in line again to make the transfer ) I still stand by my suggestion of sleeping at the terminal in our truck, in line for the morning ferry to express our displeasure, but sometimes Andrew is the more reasonable of us, and he’s the driver... so the motel bed was comfy, but we had to pay twice for the second leg of the trip.

Picked up Chilean daughter from the Gold Coast airport, whose flight times are always the worst, in a dodgy car & missed the last boat of the day. Three of us & all her luggage *slept* in the car. A experience NEVER to be repeated! Andrew was smart.