Today was a particularly pleasant fall day and Melissa and I resolved to enjoy it by spending some time outdoors. So, we visited our distant lot to check on conditions and enjoy ourselves. We are fortunate to have low-bush cranberries growing wild on our lot. They are ripe at this time of year and, although […]
Moving the hens to their outdoor quarters is one of the spring tasks that always seems to be delayed. This spring, the coop temperatures have been kept reasonably cool by the biomeiler and the outdoor temperatures have been kept unseasonably cool by fate. So, the hens have stayed indoors too long, as usual, and the
Chickens Relocated Read More »
Our order of meat bird chicks will arrive shortly. Proper preparation is vital to the success of raising chicks so I spent some time getting the brooder table and equipment in good working order. I washed the waterer and prepared the special welcoming beverage we give to the chicks when they arrive. It consists mostly
Chick Preparations Read More »
The forecast was for snow and we still had not taken down the mesh tent at the farm site. So, I drove out in the morning to take care of it before a heavy snow fall collapsed it. It wasn’t too difficult except that some water had frozen in the connections of a few pieces.
When I arrived to take care of the birds in the new pen, I discovered the black cockerel patrolling the perimeter. He was in no distress so I let him continue on while I was inside dealing with the food and water. When I saw him approaching the door, I opened it and stepped away.
We moved the first group of birds to the new pen in the afternoon. In this group there were nine of the smallest Big Red Broilers and three accidental roosters from the pullet pen. The broilers are so large, now, that they desperately needed more space. The pen has almost four times the area of
Filling the New Pen Read More »
One of the reasons for our purchase of the farm site is that the land is zoned for agriculture. Currently, our operation is based on land that is zoned for general commercial use or residential use. Keeping chickens on these lots is legal (we checked!), but people live nearby and we don’t want to be
The New Chicken Pen Read More »