Monkey Lobster

Invasion!

I found a big hole in the chicken run the other morning. I thought that filling the hole back in, and covering it with a cinder block would take care of it, but apparently it did not. The animal just dug right under the cinder block.

The side of the run, that shares a wall with the shed is the weak point. All the other sides have four feet of wire on the outside to prevent digging, but I could not get the wire under the shed.

So I dug 4 feet on the inside of the run and lay down some wire, covered it back up and put the cinder blocks back down.

So far so good. It helps me sleep at night.

Here is a peek at the inside of the coop, which is just a 4 ft by 4 ft corner of our garden shed shared by seven layers (although I like to call it the barn).

Celebrating Spring

Let's just begin here. The chickens are laying like crazy. We're getting so many eggs that one day we decided to decorate and hide them in the yard. We made egg salad, smoked a ham and had some friends over to share in the excitement. 

For my birthday this year I received a chain saw from my in-laws. Bob gave me a safety lesson. I dragged downed trees out from the woods and chopped them up to make coals for the smoker.

Sarah (the stuffed monkey), is the new Meow(who went missing about a year ago). He has every meal with us. He never finishes what's on his plate, and yes, Sarah is a boy.

6 hens a layin

Most of our girls have started laying, and I remember how eggs just never get old. When they beggin to build up on the fridge and on the counter souffles, frittatas, challah and fresh pasta make thier way onto our table.

I used to have have a pasta roller, but I've found that with a little practice, a rolling pin (actually a sanded and waxed dowel) is much more efficient and satisfying. Instructions found here.

Nothing beats fresh pasta with this summers oven roasted cherry tomatoes.

meet the girls

We really are liking getting to know them.

good egg, bad chicken

Those eggs are pretty special.  I've never seen hollandaise sauce quite so yellow before. Maybe it's because those chickens have been eating my baby broccoli, cabbage and overwintered spinach!!!!

They have a pretty big spot out back with lots of greens to eat and bugs to catch so I don't understand why they insist on my garden.  I have RE-PLANTED pea not twice but three times because they think it's fun to dig them up and snack on them.

The fence is pretty high and I have learned to cover the coop with bird netting so that they cannot launch themselves off the top and over the fence, but I have a very clever escape artist and then the others just follow. 

So I clipped their wings. One wing of every chicken so they are lopsided and fly crooked. I wish I had done it years ago, it was much easier than I expected. I used these directions.

So far.........................peas are finally coming up.

the art of chicken catching

Melts my heart.

preparing for pysanky

I totally get the welcoming spring with eggs thing.  Having had very few all winter long, our chickens suddenly started to lay eggs again.  We have made frittata's, pancakes, egg salad, fresh pasta, we might as well dye some.  And look at the size of those eggs!!!!! Beat that Spidey.  

For many years I have wanted to try pysanky.  This is my year, and I am ready to go.
Eggs have been blown out.
Colours are ready, and the fun part comes next.
 

new coop

So here is their new coop (a family gift from my mother, thanks mom).  And here they are at night trying to roost on top of their coop instead of in their coop where it's safe.  So far we have had to pry them off, squawking bloody murderer and place them on their roosting bar.  But they are happy in the early morn to have the outdoor space to scratch at before we get out there to let them out.

Now if I can just remember not to break the eggs in my pockets.

fox on the coop

So far we have been lucky.  Our chickens have roamed free, but the other morning we woke up to a fox standing on top of the coop.  I yelled at it through the window but it just ignored me, so I had to go outside to chase it away.  I have heard that once a fox finds them it will keep coming back.......I've read Fantastic Mr. Fox.

So they have been in their coop since, what am I to do?

broody hens and potatoes with balls

They just sit in their nests all day.  We are constantly kicking them out but they desperatly want to be mothers.  I am a little sad about it, they lay infertile eggs but they don't know that.  Some instinct has kicked in and they are tacking that job very seriously.  Maybe next year I will get a couple fertile eggs and let them give it a go.This is the first time I have grown potatoes.  A few weeks ago they had beautiful little flowers, and now they they have balls!!!!Although I have been away for most of the summer and my garden is not what I would like it to be, there are still new treasures to find every day.  Mama Amethyst left a comment on many post back about the satisfaction growing food on my own little piece of earth.  I have always thought that it was important for me, and after investing three years of my time (and compost) into this garden I am feeding my family from it. 

I still have goats, a root cellar and more fruit trees in my plans, but for now I am enjoying the fruits of my labour.