Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Chicken News and More

Mind + Body = Drained. But hey, Life is Good!! There has been much going on here, and I’m sure the same is true with all of you as well.

The chickens are moved into their big Happy Home and big run  (Thank you, my Dear Mr. W for all your hard work!!)

Flight netting is in place over the run. Take that, Mr. Hawk! :)

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Girls chillin’.

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Shotgun Red makin’ trouble
(the rooster formerly known as “Reba” – this was the “extra” chick who turned out to be a HE). Hmmm… two roosters… let’s just say it’s been interesting so far!

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Sappo, #1 Rooster, mid-crow.

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There are a few loose ends to tie up on the chicken project – finish painting the coop, finish the interior, *decorate* the interior :), and fix up this vintage nest box before the girls begin laying their colorful eggs. IMG_1267

 

Oh yes, there have been other happenings besides chicken activities.

Flowers to enjoy.

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Garden produce to pick every few days.

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2+ gallons of Garden Pickles made using Linda @ Prairie Flower Farm's recipe. Delish!

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Gracie & Ruby… waiting to be tucked in for the night. Each night, they are locked up in their stall (with “screen” door) -- with background music from their radio, hay and tiny bit of grain and water.

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Now to get some rest to make it through the remainder of the week. Hope all is well with my friends!

Nighty night!

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45 comments:

Osage Bluff Quilter said...

First things first Girl friend . . GOOD to see you back.
2nd . . love the Lowe's chicken waterer.
3rd shotgun Red needs to learn to play in his food.
4th love the flowers and are those cucumbers?
And last Ruby and Gracie . . so adorable.

Jayme Goffin, The Coop Keeper said...

Oh how I love me some chicken bloggin. Aren't they wonderful! Lucky you getting an old nesting box - I've been looking for one for a while. Those donkeys - they make me hurt they are so cute! Great to have you back.

Dandy said...

I just feed off of these posts! I am so in love with those donkeys, they just look so smooth, I want to rub my face on them.

That sounds werid. the chickens are adorable and I am so jealous you have home grown veggies!

Rural Rambler said...

Tammy great pictures as always! I always know I am going to see me some pictures when I visit. I am so happy to see you have befuddled and stopped Mr. Hawk! We had a very sad incident with a hawk that wouldn't go away late July, won't go there but I just wanted to yell YES!!! when I saw that you had blocked those hawks from your Girls! Nice to see Ruby and Gracie, those soft kind eyes :) Those chickens bein' all busy lookin' out their window cracks me up! Love the happy flower faces on the chair.

Unknown said...

Things are looking mighty fine at Flat Creek Farm! Love the vintage nesting box, that my friend is pretty cool!

~Andrea~

Jackie said...

Glad you're back Tammy! I adore that old chair with the flowers. Gracie and Ruby are the cutest. It's a busy time isn't it? Hope you're enjoying this cool weather we're having this week.

Talk to you soon.
Jackie

Diana Ferguson said...

Oh, I loved all your pics!!!!! Come see me.

Anonymous said...

Oh, thank you for the picture of Gracie and Ruby!!! They're so beautiful. Just look at those eyes... :D Please give them lots and lots of hugs from us!

Down On The Farm said...

Good to hear a Flat Creek update. Busy, busy, busy! Your chickens look great, as do Gracie and Ruby. I am LOVING this cooler weather. Too bad today is the last day of it. Oh well, fall is ALMOST HERE!!!!

Unknown said...

Tammy, I'm so impressed!!! I love how your husband put up that netting. I'm remembering that for chicks. And the vintage nesting boxes!! What a find! Those are going to look awesome! Be sure to show us how they look in place. I'm going to have to keep my eye out for something like that - I might need more, right?

Leslie @ Farm Fresh Fun said...

Love it all! Soooo pretty!

McVal said...

wow! You're going to have chicken fights! Or rooster fights...
You need to publish a book with all your beautiful photos! Would make a wonderful coffee table book!

Jenny said...

Good morning! What a fun update! Do you make relish with those armenian cukes? I use them in salad but never thought about canning them.

The chickens are looking mighty spunky. When will they start laying?

The Chicken Keepers said...

You have beautiful chickens! Love your blog. We want to find nesting boxes like those. Hope you have a great day.

Kilauea Poetry said...

Ya, this looks like life as it should be when things are running smooth! It's truly motivating (no joke) - the flowers are lovely as well as the images of all the sweet animals.. delightful-they look so content! I love those baby pumpkins (a favorite) and glad you included the recipe (I'll check that out). Japanese cucumbers are better here in the tropics cause they have tougher skins- I'm sure the recipe would work well! I was having difficulty trying to get the baby pumpkins going one year..then I walked out back and discovered a beautiful little vine full of them growing straight out of the manure! I'm getting so I appreciate it more than perfume (lol)! Wow, that flight netting looks impressive-now that is cool Tammy! Anyway, hope you have a wonderful weekend-

Nezzy (Cow Patty Surprise) said...

Thanks for prayin' for Angel. Can you tell me if you see the four pics I have on the post or not. I'm havin' some problems with blogger and sometimes they'll come up and sometimes they don't.

Thanks and God bless

Anonymous said...

With a small puppy in the yard we have been keeping a watchful eye for buzzards and hawks too.... Too big of a yard to net it all... LOL

Di

Barbara said...

Lovely, and your hens look so restful, mine are too, but then I do not have a Rooster either. They are laying good, and such wonderful eggs.
I love your flowers, I have the red Cana Lilies too, love them, have an abundance of them, and Cocks Combs, and Pine Combs plants too, all unique, hugs and the pear is great girl, not real sweet at all only 1 1/2 cups of sugar in it, freezer jam is different than preserved jam. it is real good too, Hugs Barbara

Debbie said...

Love this post. Love the pictures. Love Gracie and Ruby. Love pickles....that is next up in my canning adventure.

And my brother did the same thing with his chicken run, covered it with chicken wire and netting to keep the hawk and the owl and the raccoon out. They had a chicken armageddon one time when the raccoon got into the hen house. It wasn't pretty.

Chris at Red Gate Farm said...

Those nesting boxes are so cool... I've never seen any like that before. Mine are just the plain old wood variety.

Chris
PS The chicken on the watering "jug" is great! Love that pic!

V.L. Locey said...

Those chicks are looking good, and so are the roosters as well!

The Urban Cowboy said...

Your chickens are living better than me! You all did an awesome job.

Staci@LifeAtCobbleHillFarm said...

Tammy - I can't believe how big the chickens have gotten! And TWO roosters!! Oh boy, you're in for some fun. :) Gracie and Ruby are just the cutest.
Thanks for sharing.
-Staci

Cheryl said...

Wow your peeps are getting big, nice looking too! The nesting box is cool!
The flowers are lovely, especially the sunflower, my favorite.
The girls look great, so clean when they are all shed, soon they will be wearing winter woolies!
Great photos!!

Carol............. said...

I really like the nesting box and enjoyed the flowers!

Thanks for the link. I have all the veggies needed for that great looking recipe....I already copied the recipe to my desktop and will get started tomorrow but I'll just make my own dill mixture since I have the ingredients handy.

Verde Farm said...

Your chickens are beautiful and I LOVE the vintage nesting boxes. What a great find!

Ellen said...

HI!!
Love the pictures of life on the farm!! Gracie and Ruby just look so content and actually seem to have a pleasant smile. I love that! Can I come stay on your farm for awhile and help? ;) Hope all is well, see you soon. Thanks for the update in such a fun post!

xoxo,
Ellen

Sue said...

Enjoyed the update on your chickens, they are beautiful, Enjoyed the flowers too!! It does look like you have had a busy summer, as it has been busy here too. I need to check this pickle recipe out, the one I used this summer didn't work out.
Enjoy your late summer days.
Sue

Karen said...

I love the last photo of the 'the girls'. Beautiful produce, too! I'm so wishing I had planted a garden this year. Going to Farmer's Markets is fun, but makes me wish I had all that good produce in my backyard.

Callie Brady said...

Love the anti hawk netting and the cool old nesting box. Neat find. Love to see the veggies and the pickles. mmm... love those home canned pickles.

Catherine said...

hello Tammy! i can see that you are busy on the farm! i miss the little chicken house youi've built!! but they are growing so quickly! hugs catherine

Haddock said...

Lovely farm life, and wonderful pictures.

Unknown said...

i wanna live on your beautiful farm. would your animals be kind enough to scoot over for me? i'm glad your chickens are protected from those nasty, mean hawks!

Teresa said...

Such pretty farm pictures - love the sunflower...I have none this year and love, love the pickle jar. Are your tomatoes heirlooms? I have no luck with heirlooms but have heard the taste is out of this world.

elvira pajarola said...

GORGEOUS::::This is a real luxury home for your funny chicken!!

Oh, I see, the "net" for sure is a great protection!!!!!!

I do love your looong eared four legged friends; how sweet!!!!!
I wish you a great weekend!!!!
ciao ciao elvira

Dog Trot Farm said...

WOW, what a find that great old nesting box is. How is life with two roosters? Beautiful flower photos, I love the sun flower. No jam made- nor pickles, it has been so hot and humid the berries withered on the bush. Love those beautiful faces of Ruby and Gracie!

Gwenieann said...

I L-O-V-E your "new" nest box. It will make a wonderful spot for those Jr. Miss Chicks to begin the fine art of *nesting*. The pics are fantastic and I think Ruby and Gracie are looking fantastic! They would make wonderful candidates for Blue Ribbon's at the State Fair. :-) Thanks for sharing with us!

Nezzy (Cow Patty Surprise) said...

I just wanted to pop in and wish ya'll a wonderful Labor Day!

God bless ya :o)

Annesphamily said...

Those chicks are having the time of their lives! HeeHee! Awesome new digs for the girls! A chick turned rooster! I think that is the best I have heard! Happy Labor day! Anne

Melinda said...

Somehow I missed this one totally.
Busy, busy, busy you are!

Hope to see you soon.

Melinda

Maura @ Kisiwa Creek Photography said...

Hi Tammy!
Goodness it's taken me long enough to comment but we've been busy around the farm cleaning up the mess from the barn fire and then catching up from our vacation. Your chickens are looking good! Our 'excotic' gift from the hatchery was a beautiful little silver leghorn rooster I named Cornelius. Unfortunately while we were gone to Canada he and a buddy who we had put in with the geese to keep peace while we were gone flew over the fence and our Shep caught him and ate him! He caught his buddy too but 'Lucky Boy' as I call him now managed to escape without his tail feathers and part of his tail. Now we're down to two roosters and 23 hens. Love your pictures especially the flowers on the chair...BEAUTIFUL! I hope your life slows down soon so you can enjoy the coming of the new season. Have a wonderful week! Maura :)

Q said...

It has been so fun catching up with you this evening. Your chicks are just so wonderful...wish I had some. I think there is some sort of city law against chickens in the backyard....
Your chair garden in your previous post is wonderful...an up-cycle for sure. Your garden produce looks really good!
Hope you also are enjoying the end of summer cooler temps.
Sherry

Karen said...

Your pictures are always such a treat. It's like a mini vaca! Love seeing the chicks.

Lynn said...

You HAVE been busy! Love all those cukes. I'll have to go check out that recipe :)

Anonymous said...

Thanks so much for stopping by. I just love your pictures. I keep seeing these great pictures of donkeys, and it really makes me want one!

Teresa

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