Homestead Update

Recently we bought chickens to replace the ones that were carried off by a bobcat.  They are about 18 weeks old and growing everyday.  We have one black astralorp that for a couple of weeks now I have been telling Trudy that it was a rooster.  She disagreed, she just thought that maybe the chicken was developing faster than the others.  Well this morning were were sitting drinking coffee, talking and checking Facebook and lo an behold the chicken started crowing near our back window.  We were both surprised and Trudy got up and ran to check which one it was and sure enough it was the one... So below is a picture of the rooster.  This is the first rooster we've had, but in the future we'll be able to let the flock replenish itself, which is a nice thought.

There's the rooster with one of the Hens.

While breakfast was in the oven this morning I went out and took pictures of the garden.  We still have plants that we sowed as seeds coming up, but pretty much all of our different plant types have finally come up.  I think we need to replant a couple of items like add more beans, and cucumbers, although we have one cucumber plant growing.   The tomato's are starting to set flowers, and they're starting to grow tall.

In this raised bed are luffa plants.

Strawberries... they're slowly filling in the small bed we have.

Some of the roma's they usually produce pretty well in the desert heat.

Most of the corn is up and a lot of the beans are up, but we will probably have to replant some of the beans.

More tomato's, these are Arkansas Travelers and there are yellow pear tomatos in there too

Strawberry Flower.... we added fertilizer to the strawberries and seem to be getting better fruit.

Cilantro Flower

Garlic Chive flower

Trying something new

We cleaned the shop today, while we were cleaning it I was kind of half way working on rebuilding a failed nest box that I built when we first got chickens.  I was kind of brainstorming how to remake the nest boxes and make it work in the space we have.  Below is what I came up with.

Pockets and Eggs

Today my wife and I were outside taking inventory of fencing material and garden items and discussing what to plant where.  While we were out there we checked and got one egg from the single chicken that is currently laying.  My son came out and since we had more to look at my wife gave the egg to my son, who promptly put it in his front pocket.  About two hours later he found the egg, broken.  I laughed... it was hilarious to see the reaction on his face when he pulled this slimy mess out of his pocket... CLASSIC!!

Two Year Old Chicken Coop Project

The project below is about two years old, but I wanted to post it anyway.  Our chicken coop is a repurposed dog house.  The dog house was sitting in a neighbors yard but I never saw a dog in the yard, so one day when I saw them outside I stopped and asked them if they wanted to get rid of it.  The owner said he doesn't even have a dog and it was given to him by his neighbor, so the dog house went to my yard.  The dog that went in this house must have been large, because it's 4'X6'.

The first thing I did was put the dog house on wheels so I could easily move it.   I eventually also made that door smaller.

My wife did all the priming, painting and touch up while I was at work.

 If you look at the door in this picture you will see there's nothing supporting the sheet of siding.... guess what happened during the first windy day when someone went to collect eggs?  That's right, the door fell off, so I made a frame for both doors for strength and stability. 

The coop has held up pretty well.  Currently there's nesting boxes in right inside the large door, the boxes are removable, so the coop is easily cleaned.   Also in the coop is a light that the original maker of the doghouse installed so in the winter the chickens get some light and heat, and we continue getting eggs through the winter.  We put a tarp over the top of the run and that's where their water and food bin goes.  The repurposed doghouse has held up pretty well and is a good size for about 8 chickens with no rooster.  If your wondering the door to the run is never closed, the chickens pretty much free range the property so they're only in the run and coop to eat and sleep.