January 2nd 2015 I started this thread. Several weeks prior to that was my first non-introduction post.
and was greeted with help from a great byc member . @Miss Lydia
It's been a long short year and I can't say I would have looked like anything more than a crazy rambling old chicken fool if it wasn't for all of you who have followed and posted over this course of time. A great big thanks to all of you and in roughly the order you've chosen to step in.
@nayeli @darina @aart @CrazyTalk @skye727 @BIRDGIRL408 @Mary Courtney @Frazars Farm @sidhe13 @birdman55 @lindab220 @WashingtonWino @dan26552 @Massey @chickmommy1985 @Rocky64 @saltandpepper2 @BessieMae @ctfd85157 @lindalouly @Bessetti @Chipper Chicken @shodack @Angie16hearts @Pjthecomic
Not sure if I missed anyone or not. And for those I know still certainly lurk in the shadows, a big thanks as well, and feel free to jump right in
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Ive spent a few days going over the thread to reflect a bit on what I've managed to do and re-instill what needs to be done, and by golly there's quite a bit. With a little hard work and some can do attitude(and alot of patience from the Misses) and with practically no carpentry or masonry experience, I've got this micro farm up and on its feet. Managed to get 3 permanent enclosures up with several solid coops and a handful of broody pens, concreted a pond and set posts for that. Expanded a compost pile big enough to handle refuse from two restrauants, and am still working on both gardens in the front of the house and out by the pond. *pictures*
The original coop and run that was built mostly from recycled material needs some work
its got a bit of a lean to it now. Some leaks in the patchwork roof need to go as well, tarps are fun and all but not permanent. Rosco and the 20+ free rangers don't seem to mind tho and of the layers the majority always argue over the same nest box
would like to incorporate some more boxes in this year as well as some new roosts. And maybe update their feed station.
The kelso pen was given a huge amount of focus when piecing it all together, however at the time I thought using some old closet doors for the roof was a great idea, it now leaks too. This shouldn't be to hard to finish up however and is about the only thing that needs to be done with it aside from some superficial stuff around the door. Apollo and Athena or good and comfy in here on their own with Medusa and the rest in the grow out pen.
What was originally intended to be a growout pen for production birds turned into a secondary kelso pen when we hatched out a bunch this summer. This pen is essentially just a large cage at this point and still requires a good coop, preferably one I can walk into, and a better set up for roosts than pallets. This pen is also tarped and I'd like something more permanent as well.
The pond, a work in continual progress, has come a long way from its plastic lined roots but still presents similar problems now that it is concreted. The ducks couldn't be happier with the space tho considering they had a couple kiddie pools for most of summer.
*pictures* its also a little quieter around the house in the wee a.m. hours as they never leave the water regardless of how cold it is.
I started a single panel hoop coop that has yet to be finished but requires so little to do just that. Some welded wire across the front and bottom, a latch, and reinforcement of frame to wire panel. With all that done I just need to level the ground where its going to go.
The scrapper hoop coop that came as a gift with the Swedish flower hen x doesn't need much but weather proofing. This is currently housing one of the kelso cockerals that didn't happen to come out on top when the two finally went at it in the grow out pen, only serious damage from that fight was to his ego.
As far as the brooders go, the condo served a bit of purpose after there were no hens to hatch eggs. By housing the bantams we got from @SilkiesForEver while they adjusted to life here. By the way they now freerange daily with the rest of the large flock, although they do still sleep separately at night. I'll use the condo again this spring, hopefully a few times.
The smaller brooder that housed qbert prior to one of her many assaults is still in need of another lid on the end. It will be used again for broodies and has been relocated inside the front garden.
Qbert really does have more lives than a cat and has made a real journey. Coming into the world abandoned on a city street to living in the woods with everything bigger trying to eat her. I was in the process of building a small pen for her that has yet to be finished, after everything she's been through I think the porch is her home, even watching her fly around on the porch I couldn't imagine keeping her in something more constricting.
I've had some other small projects that filled the time, varying types of gravity feeders with pvc and wood.
5gal bucket waterers. An earthworm farm that didn't last the heat of summer with little attention. A mealworm farm that despite a few humidity issues is running strong, I can see why people have a colony for each day of the week.
Also started a bench to go around my fireplace to keep the kid safe as she started walking, it now exists as part of the porch with a kid proof fence around the fire.
The compost pile is resorted and ready to go. I've already added the first dozen or so buckets to start next years dirt. *picture* I'll have at least a few cubic yards of rich earthy compost to add to the boxes this year. A friend suggested recently I start bagging it up for sale. Don't think I'm quite there yet.
Yet.
This year's dirt soaking wet from the rain
Next years dirt
It took alot of toys to start or finish most of these projects *pictures* and some where more friendly than others. As those of you who've follow for long enough know I had a minor setback when I nipped the tips of two fingers off with my table saw. The amount of time I couldn't use my dominant hand at all was fairly infuriating. I'm still healing up back to work. I had my last visit with my doctor and he was happy with how well they healed. I also had my last physical therapy appt and was encouraged to continue the exercises at home as often as I remember. They look about as normal as they are going to and now is as good a time as any to share the damage and the after math. Fair warning as you read this my bloody fingers are going to be posted several lines past this sentence, in fact I am just running on right now so you have time to process what's about to happen and make your own choice to look or not.
Cheers
That's about all healed up.
About halfway between
And the bloody mess.
Over the course of the year the volume of fowl has changed. I've made several trips around the state to pick up new birds, we've lost some to predators and my own dog even scattered some ducks to the wilderness. Several successful hatches of chicks and one of ducklings, looking forward to many more broody hens this year, I might just be crazy enough to appease all of them.
As long as I free range any of my birds I realize the threat of predators is ever lurking and there will always be the possibility of loss. I will continue to be ever diligent in their protection. I am also always keeping my eye out for anything new and fun and adding fresh blood to the flock once in a while is a good thing.
I spent some time over this last year posting specials from work both dinner and brunch as well. Food has always been important to me and now with brunch specifically there's an egg special every weekend. Lol. The chefs specials we run at dinner are in the upscale with items like grilled quail and duck and paired with wine and a salad, there are many others but I've tried to keep it fowl related.
Scattered and all over the place as per usual it seems about time to wrap things up and move forward into the new year, and with a great gift, the news of our second child
couldn't be more ecstatic! We also got a new cat to torment everyone *picture* I'm a sucker for abandoned animals. Planning on rasing our own turkeys this year, a 16# organic turkey isn't cheap and we never have leftovers. There will most likely be 3, one for us one for my grandmas place and one for my buddy who's been helping out, although the thought has occurred to rent out the space for another turkey or two
goats are still on my mind as well, got an old shed/barn out past both houses intended to fix up. *pictures* It's a bit far and the work will be substantial to predator proof it, and will be ready before I invest in the goats themselves. I also plan on returning to as many of my old projects as I can, maintenance and upkeep along with all the things I mentioned prior are going to be a large part of this coming year.
Look for new projects and ask about ones past. Or bring up something of your own.
Thanks again to everyone that's helped make this possible.
Always onwards and upwards.
Attimus.
*side note* this post was imported from a separate program as 2 days I lost most of it while typing in the little box. With that I'll import the pictures in the morning.
*Side side note*
Mom I know your watching. Love you and thanks for everything
few she's 33 weeks and her egg is bigger then the other 4 already ! I wonder if I mixed her with my BR or Aussie.
