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Hi out there. We have been loving these slightly longer days – temperatures floating around the freezing mark – on and off snow flurries. The paddocks are a mess of deep snow, old hay and manure balls. BUT I FINALLY plowed the path over the hillside to the front paddock and manure bin. Always an exciting run – that first go over in the deep snow. I had a cheering squad lined up in our laneway – some hiding their eyes at my slipping and sliding downhill. Never know what you’re going to see when you stop in our laneway.
Now that I’m not fighting against a deep freeze I’m getting all kinds of jobs done. I’ve plowed away some sections of last months ‘Snowmageddon’. There are still sections well past my knees to work at. I’m hoping to get most of that moved before this weekend’s dive into the -20’s.
Looking at that I can see my next job here will be trimming that plexiglass sheet. I’ll save that for the day I take it down in late spring. Such a relief to open that door tonight to check on the Brahmas. Easy peasy! Yesterday I fell arse over tea kettle trying to back out of there with the egg basket. Ha! It would only open about a foot. I’m losing weight … but not enough to squeeze though much smaller a space!
First I needed to separate their outdoor run. This mesh fence line seems to be working for now. It is not plugged in. Works fine not energized. I swear the hens were lining up just out of reach and then laughing at the drakes as they tried to dive through the holes to grab them. Despite the fence line the flock still all hangs together. They track each other when anyone goes up into the snow bank that is the woods.
Inside I have created a drake room right in the centre of their barn. Then hens then have the areas that surround it. The hen’s water bowls are in the ‘porch’ to the right. I’m thinking that will help keep their nesting area dryer. The youngest hens like to hop up onto the shelf. In fact …
They like it so much that is where five of today’s eggs were laid. Knowing where to find their eggs is tricky some days.
Up until about a week ago I thought only Penny was laying … SURPRISE! When I cleaned out their coop I found these thirteen eggs all buried together! Guess I had better not let their bedding build up that deep! I had NO idea they were there. Since then I’ve been checking that spot and finding one buried there a day.
Two of the ducks are laying green eggs … I didn’t expect that either. This hobby farm adventure is full of surprises … and learning curves! 😉
January’s brutal cold has made February’s mud and mess much easier to tolerate. Any time the temperature is above zero I’m crazy happy – despite the mess.
Another two days work was going for this month’s supplies. I used to sit at the Feed Store in our little hatchback and watch the half tons pull in to fill up their entire truck bed. Now that was some serious ‘farming’ in my mind. Now look at our load!!
I knew to save the unloading for the next morning. I’m slowly adapting to my ‘Parliament Back’. That’s my dad’s side of the family – and a buggaboo for many of his siblings. Seems I’m catching up to them. I have a few vertebrae that are calling it quits … so I’m making BIG use of the tractor and our trolley to move heavy bags and bedding bales.
I was about to say ‘what a productive month February has been!’ but then glanced at the date and laughed that it’s only been ten days! You’ve had to put up with pictures of this job and that … but at least the post started with a cute version of Dottie and ended with the jennies. 😉
Stay warm! Cozy with a buddy. xoxo
The Meadow View 