Monday, April 16, 2012

The Chicks Are Here!

We had a warm, sunny Easter and we brought a few chicks outside for some super great photo opportunities. My brother took all of these shots. http://andrewholliday.squarespace.com/ We kept the chicks in a brooder in our house until they were 13 days old. They are now in the greenhouse in a brooder as the nights are quite cold still and they don't have all their adult feathers yet. They have moved from the cute and fuzzy stage into the ugly and awkward stage. Their feathers are growing but you mostly see the quills. They look like porcupines on chicken legs.

Friday, April 13, 2012

The Green House

My daughter and I built this green house together - she sort of helped. It will house our hens in Winter and we'll grow food in the fertilized beds in Spring/Summer. My total cost was around $60. My husband is a carpenter so there was lots of extra wood lying around. I pieced together whatever I could find to make the base 14' x 10'6". This part took the longest because I did not have any pieces that were long enough. The metal frame, which my husband trimmed down for me (it was originally 20' long and 9' tall), is a vehicle shelter frame and was given to us for free. I bought new lumber for the 2x4 front and back construction. Here I am building the front frame. I held it loosely in place with string at the top to help hold the pieces while I attached them.After I pre-drilled the holes, my 19mth old daughter would get the screws and put them in the holes for me. Then, after the pieces were screwed together, she would say "oh wowww, mommy, wow". It was awesome! You can see her here bringing me the other drill.Here the frame is complete. I attached the wood to the metal with all-strap and screws, including the metal legs to the base as well. All-strap is so handy! I used cedar lath and nails to attach the plastic (6mm poly). Ready, Set, Grow!

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

New Beginnings!

I have not posted anything for a couple of years and it is high time for some updates. Here is a quick summation of what has happened since my last post: I had my chickens for an entire year. During that year I became pregnant. In my 3rd trimester it became too much for me to look after the chickens, take care of the garden and prepare for my first child who was due in the middle of harvest time. I gave the chickens away in July, 2010. Present Day: 25 chicks are due to arrive on April 3rd 2012. We are building a greenhouse, a brooder and a super light-weight chicken tractor designed specifically for our raised bed gardens. I am so excited to teach our 18 month old daughter about raising poultry! Photo courtesy of www.aholliday.com