Well, I'm a bit remiss in keeping you all posted on the chickens, but this picture ought to help explain why. The shed on the left side was used for storage of all sorts of miscellaneous things, like ice hockey equipment, mosquito catchers, grills and the odd wading pool. It all came out to start the remodeling project into a chicken coop. Believe it or not, this shed is probably as old as the house (117 years old) and was originally used as a coop. But I made it into a kennel which never got much use, so it ended up being storage.
As all remodeling projects go, one thing led to another and now we are in the throes of stripping and repairing the roof. My son, Will, came home from L.A. just in time!
So what about the chickens? Well, they are about as happy as chickens can get. All day they poke and scratch around the woods and yard. They kept me company for 7 days straight as I hand-weeded the raspberry patch. Everytime I pulled up the weeds, they were right in there looking for whatever insects got stirred up in the process. Sunshine was the most avid of the group, happily chirruping as he helped me weed.
When there not in the berry patch, they're digging holes into the wood chips and taking dust baths. At first, you might not notice there are chickens about, but as you stroll by the bushes, they come running - all 24 of them - with their wings flapping, hoping for a handout. They crowd around so quickly that you have to shuffle your feet to keep from stepping on one of them. One of their favorite treats is watermelon!
So what about the chickens? Well, they are about as happy as chickens can get. All day they poke and scratch around the woods and yard. They kept me company for 7 days straight as I hand-weeded the raspberry patch. Everytime I pulled up the weeds, they were right in there looking for whatever insects got stirred up in the process. Sunshine was the most avid of the group, happily chirruping as he helped me weed.
When there not in the berry patch, they're digging holes into the wood chips and taking dust baths. At first, you might not notice there are chickens about, but as you stroll by the bushes, they come running - all 24 of them - with their wings flapping, hoping for a handout. They crowd around so quickly that you have to shuffle your feet to keep from stepping on one of them. One of their favorite treats is watermelon!