(Taken as I stepped outside the henspa two nights ago!)
VERY windy outside today, gusting to the thirties and forties, according to our
forecaster. I can tell you it's pushng me to go out in it.
Keith and I are both down with colds. He managed to struggle out of here
to a meeting in Topeka this morning, but I had to call off
lunch plans with a friend. Just.Too.Beat.
Taking lots of cold medicine, and making a chicken/noodle casserole for dinner, I hope.
The skirts on the hens are blowing in the wind today, too.
Despite the wind, the chickens were glad to get out of the old henhouse this morning. It's quite "warm" out... up to 48, according to the thermometer... but the winds make it feel much colder.
We are supposed to drop tonight and Friday, and then warm up this weekend.
The weatherman said last night that we are still below the moisture needed for our trees and plants to
thrive this year, and suggested that Sunday, with temps in the 60's, might be a good day to
do some watering. I think I'm going to hitch the Express up and carry some buckets of
water to the apple and pear trees.
IF I can stand up for a while by then!
I notice that the Pinterest boards are now exploding with wonderful gardening hints and advice, so
they are a pleasure to peruse. I am not pinning as much as I used to... but I enjoy sitting and reading
the gardening information when I have a few minutes.
My helper was on the job this morning, and located a big green duck egg for me.
And then waited for me while I filled the duck's pool for them.
Lilly Ann had just seen her mortal enemy, a red squirrel, go up and over the fence into the pasture. Unfortunately, I was about to let the goats loose, and could not let her go down there. She looks a little piqued.
The baby girl goats torment her terribly... and I just don't let them near her anymore.
Abby continues to improve daily from her tooth extraction. She was chasing leaves in the wind around the patio, when I stopped her to try to get a picture... she did not have this pep before the procedure. We are so glad we had it done!
You can see that it's getting cloudier out now.
I wonder if any of you have had experience using mint to keep mice out of your chicken house? Did it work?
Did you plant it around the perimeters?
I know mint is invasive, but I have a bed of spearmint near our front steps and I would love to move it nearer the henhouses. I just would like to talk to someone who has actually used it, in next boxes or
near their coops.
And speaking of coops... I am going to ask Keith if he would help me with this:
(from Pinterest)
I would like to have a lightweight box that I can use to brood about five replacement chicks this spring in the
henspa. It would need to be about this size, but made lighter, with hardware cloth walls and one by ones for corners. I can see Keith laughing at me now.
I think there are too many chicks in the above box, but I am thinking maybe five pullets.
It would need to be easy to get in and out of, so I can water and feed easily... oh, and keep snakes out. We don't have much of a snake problem in there, but the peeps of chicks would bring them running.
I'm going to have to stop now and rest... I need more Nyquil!
Everyone stay HEALTHY out there!
