loofa shade and chickens

SOOOOOO, the chickens again, I really need to revamp my chicken yard etc, but at least thanx to the loofa vines. They take away some of the ugly and create some Great shade for the hens. I don't even plant the seeds anymore, since I don't harvest like I should , seeds scatter and they come up on their own. and TAKE OVER if your not careful,,, The Loofas themselves have the netting/fake shade sagging really badly. but I enjoy looking at them and the shade. Soon as a frost hits, I'll have to yank them all down. I love stuff I don't have to plant or tend very much. I really should get motivated and make my own loofa sponges for cleaning and bathing.

Tomorrow is another day!

 

oh and the elephant ears,,, LOVE THEM... I split and plant in other spots and some are way taller than me.

FORGOT to take a picture of the first Spider Lily yesterday, ITS UP... Can it mean, Fall soon to be???

Chickens 2016

So, I still have five chickens, a couple are older, so not as many eggs, but I normally give most a way, forgive the thrown together pen, its mostly homemade using anything and everything, old lattice. PVC and wire for gates. A good buddy did get me started with the coop parts. Although with my never ending not so great ideas at times, the chicken house is a bit leaky. I will have to try to fix that before this winter. for now, every leak might be helping it to be cooler. the egg count is down due to the heat I think, One chicken was feeling poorly, but seems to be doing better with a bit of handfeeding and lots of chicken probiotics , electrolytes and vitamins.   the black one is the last surviving one of my original five starting 4 years ago I think. She is boss chick. DON"T TELL anyone, but her name is a spin off someone I work with that is about the rudest, hatefulist person I have ever met or worked with.  Most of the people I work with feel the same from what I can tell.

I actually have someone coming from miles away, meeting me at work to get a couple dozen eggs, I think her husband made her though. He know longer works with me, but swears by homegrown" eggs.

Missing in action!!!

SOOOOOOOO, who knew a person could get attached to CHICKENS??? I've added three more, still have them separted from the older ones. I made the mistake of letting the three older ones escape a week or so ago, Between my yellling at the cats, trying to catch them, one hitting the electric fence, what a crazy few days, CAUGHT One, by the time i started looking for the other two, no where in site, THE cats were hiding under the truck with all the squawking and yelling. FOR hours i kept calling and walking and looking for my biddies, I heard the birds fussing at something down by the grownup greenhouses next door and i went looking, sure enough there was GG hid under a tree in the bushes. I couldn't catch her but she followed me to the tree line , finally at dusk she came to me and i put her back in the chicken run, NO WHERE could i find Shabar,,, until 2 days later, I surely thought some critter had ET her. HOW many times do you suppose I walked past her and she ignored me. WAS she hungry or thirsty? NOT sure, but 2 days later she was down behind the runoff hiding , when i walked past calling again, she answered me. Still not ready to be caught or cross the open to the chick house. I filled her up with watermelon and bread. WENT back to check on her an hour or so later, she was so full i guess she laid up in the shade and let me ease up and pick her up. SHE is the ringleader and the shyest but NOW she is back home where she belongs. sheeessshhhhhh, i was so relieved.

AT LONG LAST after much heartache and bone aches

SOOOOO, the chicken venture has not been the easiest challenge i have ever taken on. WHO knew how silly and delicate the critters can be? NOT ME!!! I so fall in love with any critter i attempt to take on and so it goes with the chickens, I probably should not have named them??? SO, i started with five and now i am down to three due to some illness, maybe coccidiosis, and beginning to wonder if they would ever lay an egg.  BUT AT LONG LAST YESTERDAY was the day. I think i intturppeted the process since i was in the chicken house doing weekend chores and remaking the roost poo catcher. MISS Shay-bar came indoors, not a normal thing, sat on the roost watching me, i should have left. and I did finally take the hint, but was still working outside the house. maybe that is why she chose to lay that FIRST wonderful brown egg in the outdoor 2nd space of three in the sand???? Maybe today will bring a second or third surprise? ONE can only dream. by the way, HOW long will an egg last in the fridge???? LOL
PS, i should have chosen a smaller bowl, this one makes it look way tiny so a friend told me.

THE HEN HOUSE that Knows NO END.

Yes, its been a while, apparently i just can't quit working on the hen house, I keep adding windows, rain barrel , loofas for natural shade, and now I am adding on to the outdoor pen. Stay tuned, OH, im still working on getting the critters to be my friend. they greet me, and love me to feed them thru the fencing, but just can't get happy with me getting any closer. WHEN THE HOT HOT days are over, I'll spend a few hours in the larger yard tempting them with treats, BLUEBERRYS are their favorites. too bad the season is over for me, they aint so cheap at the store.

They are here!!!!

Six weeks old and they look like baby buzzards in my opinon but I have been assured they will be pretty Gold and Black and lay around 300 plus eggs each a year. ONLY time will tell, and so far the pen appears to be critter proofed. I've had fun watching them and helping them learn to use the door to the hen house and learn how to roost. I've not had them but about 6 days and even if they are ugly I'm liking them for the most part!  I've posted the six week picture and a picture of what they BETTER look like in a few months.

The Chicken House that is,,,,, ALMOST !

At long last, the chicken house is ready, well except it has no chickens, but that is soon to be rectified. I still have to finish painting , trimming etc but I do believe it will hold them and I don't think predators will be able to enter. HOPEFULLY this weekend, it will be annointed with chicken aura!! PS, the kitties have supervised all the way, although Bogy managed to miss out on the photos, this round. Mila Monster will be introduced SLOWLY.

The Nest box that wasn't

At long last , i have started my Chicken house and yard, my imaginary friend built the Nesting box for me, but for now Banita kitty seems to have claimed it. I hope to get it installed in the house this weekend, more pictures to follow.