The End of a Long Week

Life goes on, doesn't it? 

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Boots, the Mille Fleur rooster, was actually laying on the eggs when I walked into the old henhouse this morning to start cleaning it.  That's Speedy, the OEG rooster, our smallest rooster, guarding him.  Some things defy explanation. 

I had to shovel AROUND Abby, who was helping me.  Remember, there is a nest of pinkies under this nest box, and Abby heard them squeaking.  

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It seemed like a long, long way to the compost heap.  I think I did about ten loads. 

I haven't touched the feed room side of the coop yet, either... where Butch has lived all winter, and where about six of the hens congregate with him daily.  The nursing cage/laying box is on that side, so I had everyone upset. 

We are going to use these eggs in the pasture, and maybe feed them back to the chickens for a while. (scrambled, not raw) 

I was still putting in new straw when I took this picture and gosh, the hens were having a ball scooting around in it. 

Finally, I changed clothes and ran down to Orschelns to get a couple of things... and took a picture of these cute chicken coops while I was there.  There was a gentleman there looking at them, and we had a nice conversation about turkeys, and I'm always glad to meet a fellow turkey enthusiast. 

This was another of the little coops... but it sure doesn't have much pen space, does it, for 350.00?  They would sure make a good coop for a breeding trio, though, wouldn't they? 

The only chicks at Orschelns thus far are Cornish X's... meat birds.  They had six little pekin ducklings in another pen. 

And these guys. 

Here's Jackson displaying through the side pophole as I shoveled this afternoon.  

And here's why he's displaying! 

Next week I'll cut that old tarp off the 4 x 4 pen, which has literally sunken into the dirt of the big henyard. 

Here's our big boy Ranger this evening... doesn't he look sweet? 

Keith brought my seed starting table in tonight, so tomorrow... we get going on Garden 2013. 

That it for tonight from Calamity Acres!