Ugliest Chicken Coop (EVER)!

If you have been reading my blog, you know I am a city girl gone country (AND LOVING IT).  Herein lies my problem.  I don't have the construction knowledge or know-how to many things done.  Mind you, this does not stop me.

My daughter wanted to try a new adventure and my local Co-Op was doing a 1st annual (which means I had a chance at not being the only "don't know what I am doing" person) jackpot broiler.  In case you don't know this means a meat chick raise (in this case) 90 days to show date.  All chicks had to be purchased from the Co-Op.  The Co-Op provided them all at the ripe old age of 10 days old.

So we go to get these babies...

Unfortuneately for my poor baby chicks, I am not much of a builder and know nothing about what a chicken coop is supposed to look like.  Fortuneately, the chicks didn't care what their home looked like, just that it was warm, they were fed and watered AND they had protection from the cats and dogs.

Feel free to laugh at my idea of a home for these babies...

Let me see if I can do justice to what I have done here...in the background is a dog "igloo".  There is large tarp that covers a section of their "pasture and a sort of t-post holding the tarp up.  Again, it is ok to laugh...I am laughing as I write this.  The chicken wire that you see, well, it is in a sort of triangle shape.  No kidding this is the CRAZIEST, UGLIEST thing I have ever seen used as housing for a chicken.

My daughter was very happy, she took 4th place in her age division (she would have done better if I had know that it is ok to get chickens wet and/or give them a bath).

This year, she decided that she would like laying chickens.  We went out and bought a used coop.  I am in the process of fixing it up and refuse to get any chicks until I am done.  Our layers will be around a lot longer and will have a much nicer house.

In case you are interested, Murray McMurray Hatchery has been the best source of information for me.  It has helped with bird selection, feed and shelter.  I even ordered a book about chickens so I could learn how to keep them the healthiest and make certain they had enough in their diet so the egg laying would not deplete their systems.

Hope you enjoyed my ugly coop!  Have a great day and God Bless.



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Update

With multiple jobs and no time to spare, I find myself missing the blog world more and more.  I wish I had the time to comment on all the great blogs I read (in a few spare minutes that I should be doing something else...like cleaning my house).

I thought I would take the time to do a quick update...

Tabby Bar Leo (my favorite horse in the whole world) is sick.  Still running tests, but she has dropped so much weight that I hardly recognize her.  The vet has been out repeatedly.  Obviously we are going to keep working on this until she is feeling better and gains back her weight (this is a must before we get a full blast of winter).

My husband and I are still working off the farm and on the farm.  This is frustrating for me as there is still never enough money to go around.  The kids are back in school...my youngest is in the 2nd grade, my middle child is a senior and my oldest graduated 6 years ago.  I don't understand how so many moms out there can be so happy when their children are gone.  I still miss my son so very much and am already missing my daughter as she is always so busy with work and school.

For the first time we raised some chickens (for meat) and just brought them home from the butcher.  I am looking forward to baking one in the near future.  Now we have three little pigs that we are raising.  This is also a first for me.

Well, it is time to head back out...hope all is well with all of you out there.  Feel free to leave how you are doing in the comment section.

Miss you all!

Manitowoc County Culver's Futurity 2010

This year has been so hectic for us that we did not bring our usual numbers to our county fair.  We did, however, participate in the futurity show.

Our futurity show is for 3 year old cows that have hopefully calved for the second time.  For those of you who have never been involved in a dairy futurity we will be registering our babies, born this year, to show in three years time.  The thing that seemed the most different for me is that all the people leading the cows are dressed in formal wear.  At our farm, we usually sign up as many of our babies as possible, so that when they are 3 we have choices.  You are not required to send every animal that is signed up, however, you can not take a 3 year old that wasn't signed up as a baby and now looks great.

One nice thing is that we sold 2 cows to a young couple that are just starting out.  Since they are just starting out, they would normally not be able to show until they have babies that are registered and have grown for three years.  In this case, both cows we sold them were entered in our county as babies and will be eligible to show for them next year.

My sister-in-law, Brenda, is just starting her third trimester so we were all a little concerned about her leading a cow, but as usual, she did a GREAT job!  Our cow, Cava-Lanes Durham Mary stood third this year in a group of 26.  Below are a couple of pictures from our futurity and county fair.

Brenda leading Cava-Lanes Durham Mary

Luke with Cava-Lanes Durham Marika

Our youngest child with Cava-Lanes Pronto Shantel

Tribute to Kenai

This is a hard one to write…

My tribute to Kenai

Kenai was our beloved King Charles Cavalier. He loved life, chasing Koda and warming my feet. Kenai was my faithful companion and always shared whatever space I was in. My mom always said that he had all knowing “old soul” eyes. Those eyes were always following the action throughout the house as he laid on the couch. Kenai did not think that playing “fetch” was a thing to do…he left that for his friend Koda. Kenai felt his place was on the end of the couch until I came home, when it was time to sit on my feet or lay his head in my lap. My true and faithful friend.

We will (and do) miss him forevermore…

Staying with my youngest when she was sick

Kenai with Koda

Waiting for me to come home

Time Off

I took Saturday off from the farm to clean the house for my daughters' Junior Prom.  She invited her friends over for a dish-to-pass dinner and then they were off to prom.  I am so blessed to have such wonderful children.  My only sorrow is that they grow up so fast.

I will hopefully find time to update everyone on all the changes on the farm, for now...have a great weekend!

Hectic, Hectic, Hectic!

So many changes and so little time.  For the winter we had to drop from milking over 60 cows back to the low 40's as we do not have enough space in the barn for everyone.  This was done by drying a few off and sending them to another facility to winter and selling a few.  Over the winter we had so many calves born that we had them everywhere.  I even put a few upstairs in the hay/straw mow.  We have now moved back all the dry cows and have three bred heifers left to bring back home.

Eric (our milker that took over for me) has decided to move on to a larger farm and we have had to find a replacement.  Our first replacement was just not for us and thankfully Eric gave us enough notice that I had time to try out another person.  Jason is our newest member, and so far a GREAT fit for us.  He has a great attitude and loves the farm!  We wish Eric all the best in his new endeavors.

Our favorite farm dog, Koda, has had some allergy issues and this spring has gotten to the point that I can no longer think that Benedryl is going to help.  I have taken him to the vet for a very expensive allergy test and am waiting for the results on pins an needles.  After his allergies are identified, they (a lab in Colorado) will develop a program of shots especially for him.  I hope this gives him the relief that he needs as this year he is putting holes in his skin.  Until all this is done, we have put him on an anti-biotic and steroids for quick relief.

Hubby is settling into his new position and I am still enjoying my job at the Co-Op.  It gets hectic with the jobs off the farm and then trying to catch up on the farm every chance you get.  The house seems to be the last on the list, oh well as my mother always says...the work will still be there when I get home.

Easter

May you, one and all, have a Blessed Easter!  I will try to come back and catch up soon...

Don't just count your blessings...share them!

Love and Peace to everyone,

Cava-Lanes Holsteins