New Chicken Coop

So, the newest project at the at the farmette is a new chicken coop.  We decided to move the coop into the tree line for shade and to keep it cooler.  We will than build a run-in in front of the coop that will go out into the yard for more sun light.  More to come soon.

8x8 Platform.

8x8x8 building.

Rafters installed.

Chickens and Ducks, Ducks and Chickens

Chickens are interesting creatures.  They are curious and they strut around in a jerky, pigeon like way that is fun to watch.

Last Easter, My Husband, bought me three baby chickens.  My daughter and I raised them.  We named them according to their personalities.

We have a fox or two living in the woods behind our house.

We built the chicken coop.  We put the teenage chickens out in the coop.

Then we bought two ducklings for my daughter.  We raised them.  Named them.  Realized they were both boys and adjusted the names accordingly.

The most gentle chicken hen was taken by a fox.

My neighbor gifted me two more baby chickens.  Adorable chickens.  We raised them.  Named them.

The boy ducks hit puberty and one of them decided the red feathered chicken hens were absolutely the most gorgeous things he had ever laid eyes on and the only women for him.  We went and got two more ducks.  Hoping, in our (MY) naivete that they were both girls.  I didn't know anything about ducks and duck gender.  SOO, they were both boys.  We took one back and traded for a girl.  A wonderful girl who is itty bitty and so adorable and we love her and we named her.

The gifted chickens grew large enough to live with the bigger hens outside.  One ended up being a rooster.  Ok, I can live with three hens and a rooster.

Then the fox took another hen.  Then another.

I went and bought two replacement chicks.  We raised them.  We named them.  One was sweet and the other didn't really like people all that much but she loved that rooster.

Then the fox got a hold of her.  Bit holes in her.  My daughter saw it happen and chased the fox away and grabbed the hen.  We doctored her for a month and a half but ended up having to put her down because of a broken bone and infection.

Then the fox got her sister.   So we had one hen and one rooster.  One of my original three red hens my husband got me for Easter a year ago.  She stuck to that stupid rooster like glue.

In the mean time.  The rooster got mean.  I got two more female ducks as ducklings and we raised them and named them.  The rooster beat on the male ducks.  Attacked me and my daughter.  Tried to protect some of the girls some of the times the fox came.

Then the fox got my last girl.  Then the rooster met his end.
All my original chickens are gone.

I was raising babies in the house.  So they got to go out into the coop.  Guess what?  Two boys and a girl.  Not a good ratio for my poor girl.  So I need 3 or 4 more girls at least.

Then my neighbor gifted me two bantam polish babies.  !!! Such cute little chicks.  Wow.  They are still in the house because they can't be with the teenaged heavy chickens.  One boy and one girl and at least half brother/sister.  They are precious and friendly and we love them.  We've named them and I wish they could live in the house in a parrot cage like a Cockatoo.

Today, the fox got one of my girl ducks.  The chickens haven't been allowed to free range because the fox really likes chicken and seems to see my yard as a kind of McDonalds drive thru.  It comes by to see if there's anything easy to pick up for dinner.  It hasn't been interested in the ducks.  I thought because they don't move the way chickens do.  Or maybe because the fox had never had duck before and wasn't sure if he'd like it.  Now he knows and now my ducks aren't safe.

It's really hard when you have a flock of poultry that is really a flock of pet birds and any of them get taken by a predator.

We are in the process of building a large, completely secure coop and run for the new chickens.  Then we will do the same for the ducks.  I know I will loose more birds eventually.  It's the worst feeling.  But they are farm animals and you can't keep them in the house like a cat or dog.  They don't really like being inside anyway.  They are made for outside.

Chicken Coop and Duck House

So when you have a Log Cabin and name your property A Piece of the Eastfold, what kind of Chicken Coop and Duck house would you expect to see?

Late Evening Sunset against the House

Tuesday Evening Sunset against the house.

Can't wait to get the rest of the house washed.

Power Washing the Deck

This Memorial Day weekend we spent some time washing the front porch and back deck.  I do not think this has been done since the house was build.

The front looks great.

We still have a lot of work to do on the back deck.  The back deck smelled like algae from a pier.



The little brush contraption on the end of the power washer work like a champ.  I would highly recommend one if you have decks to wash.

Raised Garden Bed

So, we build and installed our first raised garden bed.  This was a Mother's Day gift to Marty.

First, Jordan (son) and I dug out a small flat area into the side of the hill that comes up to the back of our deck.  Than we build a 2x6 foot box with 6" footers for stability into the ground.

Once in place, we filled it in with planting soil so Marty could start planting veggies.

It turned out rather nice and we plan to make another one a few feet in front of this one.

Zucchini

I started some seeds in order to plant a small garden.  These are two of my very quickly growing zucchini.