The Coop

Well, after much discussion, Chuck & I decided we (as in he) want to use 2 matching - or close to matching - sheds and convert them into 2 chicken coops. Coop #1 will be our layers and Jake. Coop #2 will belong to the Polish and also have a tac room to keep all the chicken supplies.
Here's the shed-to-become-a-coop being delivered by Menard's...

Here's Chuck reading directions... Impressed? LOL!

Chuck & Dustin carrying the front of the shed-to-become-a-coop to the driveway for a flat surface to work on...

Chuck & Dustin raising the front wall into place...

Wendy helping me dig out the pavers to use both for leveling the shed-to-become-a-coop and for a less 'muddy' entrance into the coops...

The shed-to-become-a-coop framed...

Here's Jake & his ladies, patiently waiting and being content with their current living situation - even if we aren't...

This was all done on the 1st day. We are hoping to get it completed this weekend - fingers crossed for decent weather!

Rhode Island Red Hens

I purchased 4 new ladies - Rhode Island Red's - 1 year old. They have been horribly mistreated. They were originally 3 to a cage & used strictly for egg production. Somehow they ended up being sold, along with about 196 others to a lady who was trying to slaughter as many as possible before winter came. Technically I rescued these four by buying them from her. Considering everything they've been through, they are incredibly sweet!! I feel awful about their beaks, though. I definitely do not believe in de-beaking!! Grr.

Now I'm trying to get their health back up to par. I'm feeding layer pellets, oyster shells, fresh fruits & veggies and scrambled eggs with the eggshells crushed. I was thinking about purchasing some poultry vitamins. Anyone have a brand they prefer? Or any other advice on how I can help them recover faster?

I just know they are going to be so beautiful in a couple weeks!! And even though I do not support de-beaking, I do think their little under bites are kinda cute...in an ugly sorta way. LOL!

I'll get some more pic's this weekend - as well as before, during & after pic's of my shed converted to coop. =) For now, I need to get some sleep! 3 concussions in less than 45 days... I think I could use some RnR.

Night!

New babies have arrived!

Marley, my little Polish roo. Yes, he's under our dining room table. LOL! He's such a sweetie...a little quirky, but sweet as all get out!

These are my newest babies. 1 Golden Polish Hen, 1 White Silkie Bantam Hen, 1 Black Sumatra Hen, 2 Silver Bantam Cochin's & 1 Black Bantam Cochin's - I don't know whether the Cochin's are hens or roo's yet. Hoping for hens, though! LOL!

This is one my new babies, a Silver Bantam Cochin. Hoping it's a hen!! LOL!

My Black Bantam Cochin. Such a doll baby. Again, hoping it's a hen!! LOL!

Elvis, my Golden Polish Hen. I'm already head-over-heels in love with her!! My baby sister named her...I have to admit, she does look a little Elvisy flashy. LOL!

Sammy, our Black Sumatra Hen. She's a real sweetie!!

My beautiful white Silkie Bantam Hen. She's another one that has already stole my heart! I can't wait until she gets all white & fluffy! LOL!

Well, once again I am going to try to quit smoking. Tomorrow. Yuk. I know I really need to quit - when I wake up in the morning's, I can literally feel how tight my chest is. Screw that! Plus, $100/week for what?? Geesh. Enough is enough already!!

Anyhoo, I'm hoping to be able to put the new chickies in with the elders (who are only 6 weeks) in a month. Hopefully everything goes well. Fingers crossed!

Most of a nighter...

Cole & Marley...so cute! He was a little concerned about being poo'd on, but it was definitely a Kodak moment!! LOL!

I'm being tested, tested, tested lately. I'm sincerely trying to be tolerant & patient...but there are times I can honestly say I truly understand why some animals in the wild eat their own kind. :)

The chicks are growing up so fast!! Here are a few more pictures...

Baloo at 33 days old. Isn't she adorable??

The sandbox hubby & I made for the chicks...they LOVE it!

Ginger - 33 days old. She's my 'baby'. LOL!

One of the Buff Silkie's...no name yet. But, she's happy anyway. LOL!

Ginger going night-night for the night. Such a cute little chicky butt! ;o)

Angel - 33 days old. Her name is Angel because of her gorgeous silver-laced feathers - which will become more & more beautiful as she grows.

My baby & one of our Golden Laced Wyandotte's (33 days old).

The Crib with my $6 "The Hen House" outdoor thermometer & cute little stars. Awww!

Kita, our pretty little Mini Rex bunny...I call her Puppy. =)

Last, but definitely notleast...my baby... He's SO gorgeous!!

Tomorrow I have bunches to do! Chicks & "Puppy" to care for 1st thing in the A.M. Then I have some more painting to do - mostly in Cole's bedroom, but I also want to start taping off & possibly even painting, at least the trim, the laundry room...especially since the hardwood isn't down yet - it's still the laminate. I'm hoping to have the paneling up in the computer room by the end of the week. Wish me luck! LOL!

I'm also getting ready to start doing some of my freehand 'stenciling' on the walls. Jacki's gonna have to help me with quite a bit of it (cuz I am by no means an artist, but I think I can handle some of it on my own. :o)

Aww...almost the weekend!

They always send a free "exotic" chicken with an order...so I'm hoping for either a 2nd white Silkie hen or a 2nd Polish hen. I'm definitely using food color & dying my white Silkie PINK for Easter next year! LOL!

See?? You can do it!! If I get a 2nd white Silkie, I'll dye it green. Definitely!

I haven't taken my roo or Silkies 1 month old pic's yet. I will get around to it something this weekend...I've been extremely tired this past week. I think it's the weather - it's affecting my fibro. Fibro sucks. :/ Seriously.

I have been working on cleaning up the main living area's of our home the past couple of days. Getting the living room, dining room, kitchen, computer room & laundry room back in some remotely respectable, livable space. It's been obnoxious this past month with all the stripping of wallpaper, painting & hardwood flooring going on. Ugh. Exhausting doesn't even begin to describe it! LOL! Chuck & I put the tilt-out in under the sink for our sponges, etc. I'm so happy about that! Gay, I know. But it will make my new stainless sink much more attractive!! Ha ha.

So...my dogs have fleas. Ick. We treated them, flea bathed them...still have flea's. I'm ordering the good stuff from Drs. Foster & Smith 1st thing tomorrow morning. Of course, if Z & R hadn't brought their flea-infested dogs to our home a little over a month ago, this would have never happened. But, what can you expect from idiots? So yeah...

We do finally have a TV back. We had moved ours to the basement during the major renovations in the living room so we didn't have to worry about it getting damaged...hey, when you spend almost $1,000 on a big ol' flat screen, you don't trash it, right? LOL!

This is one of the flowers from my Hibiscus tree. There are 4 trees intertwined - 2 coral & 2 pink. This is one of my favorite flowers! I even have a Hibiscus flower tattoo...with a turtle...because I love both! Ha ha. Guess I'm going to need to find a really cool Polish Rooster tat now! =)

Well, it's going on midnight...time for bed!

Night all! Hope everyone has had a great week so far!!

The rest of my hens - 1 White Silkie, 1 Gold Polish & 1 Black Sumatra are coming the week of August 10th. I'm SO excited!!

I decided to get chickens!

I have always lived in town up until 3 years ago. But, I can remember all the times at my Grandparents farm...the smell of hay & alfalfa, the cows...and the chickens at my Great-Grandmother's. I loved them!! I loved the cows, too...but I need more land for them! LOL!

I found MyPetChicken.com by accident while looking for inexpensive, but aesthetically pleasing, coops. I ordered everything from them. I ordered 4 brown Leghorns, 2 golden laced Wyandotte's, 2 silver laced Wyandotte's, 2 buff Brahma Bantams, 2 Black Stars, 2 Red Stars, 1 Buff Silkie & 1 white-crested blue Polish Roosters. What I received was 4 brown Leghorns, 3 golden laced Wyandotte's, 1 silver laced Wyandotte, 2 buff Brahma Bantams, 1 Black Star, 2 Red Stars, 2 Buff Silkies, 1 Blue Silkie & 1 blue-crested Polish Rooster. Good order! I love my Silkies!! I just put another order in for 1 white Silkie, a gold Polish hen & a Sumatra black hen. Everything but my rooster are hens...don't want any cock fights!! LOL!

The chicks spent the 1st 3 weeks of life in our garage in a large industrial tub. For the 3rd week of life they lived in the coop with a puppy play pen as a yard. This past weekend my husband & son built the Chick Yard...

The cute little bench will ultimately be in the Chick Yard for me to sit & enjoy my chickens. They are SO MUCH FUN!! I really enjoy watching them. They have to be the dumbest animal on earth, but for some reason, they make me smile. Ahhhh...the important things in life, right??

This is my Chick Crib...with my motto sign being hung by hubby & my son. They hung this before we even received the chicks. Such good guys!!

Random photo's of my chicks:

They are 1 day old, 1 week, 2 weeks & 3 weeks here...Silkie's & my Polish Rooster.

I have named my Rooster - Marley. My Blue Silkie is Baloo. My white Silkie, which I don't even have yet, is Daisy. My Polish hen is Elvis. LOL!

My Red's are Ginger & Penny and my Black Star is Ducky. That's all we have so far. LOL!

Here are some of gilrs coming down the pank.