There are some days, too few for my liking, where a lot of stuff just gets done. This was one of those days, the the pictures I have to share it.
The lavender wasn't quite ready to cut and had been planted (more on the lavender blog, eventually) so this Sunday had a focus on the chickens. We got new gravel for the driveway and it had been a few years since we had re graveled the chicken pen.
Gravel helps with drainage, keeps the mud down, provides small pieces of grit the hens can swallow for their crop (to help digest food) and to help them dust their feathers (to kill parasites.)
This year, the gravel was a larger grade than usual. Perfect for the driveway and a real investment that will last a lot of years.
We were a little worried about this larger grade for the pen and that's why you see the board down to give them a place to rest their feet but turns out they are just fine on this gravel. If you look closely, you will see the bare patches on the hen's back. She recently came from a farm with a few too many roosters and her feathers were being always pulled out by the aggressive boys. Here at the homestead, there are no roosters so the hens can relax and grow out their feathers like the ladies below.
These two hens are about 4 years old. I lost two last fall from old age but overwintered these two. They still aren't fast friends with the new five, and have been ranging on their own as the other hens have stayed in the pen.
The new 5 have stayed in the pen to get used to the new home and really imprint on what and where their home is. But also, without a full coat of feathers they just don't have confidence to roam far. On this day though, I left it an open choice and for the first time they felt comfortable to take on the larger world.
I'm pleased they can take advantage of all the fun and food ranging around the backyard has to offer. Their weeks in the pen have enabled me to condition them to the expensive chicken treat to bribe them back into the bed as needed.
Despite not having feathers, the hens are laying. A real unexpected treat, these black australorps are laying colored eggs like easter eggers! I have one laying a light green and light blue egg.
These are the things that excite me.
The eggs are almost always clean now as long as a collect once a day, a sure sign that the hens are committed to laying.
As Tutu was outside with me, Moxie enjoyed lounging on the bed, oblivious to my labors outside.
After re graveling the chicken pen and cleaning out the coop, I planted peppermint in pots, and planted some other things in the garden. After a late lunch and a shower, Tutu and I went for a ride and then enjoyed a lovely evening resting.
This year, the gravel was a larger grade than usual. Perfect for the driveway and a real investment that will last a lot of years.
We were a little worried about this larger grade for the pen and that's why you see the board down to give them a place to rest their feet but turns out they are just fine on this gravel. If you look closely, you will see the bare patches on the hen's back. She recently came from a farm with a few too many roosters and her feathers were being always pulled out by the aggressive boys. Here at the homestead, there are no roosters so the hens can relax and grow out their feathers like the ladies below.
These two hens are about 4 years old. I lost two last fall from old age but overwintered these two. They still aren't fast friends with the new five, and have been ranging on their own as the other hens have stayed in the pen.
The new 5 have stayed in the pen to get used to the new home and really imprint on what and where their home is. But also, without a full coat of feathers they just don't have confidence to roam far. On this day though, I left it an open choice and for the first time they felt comfortable to take on the larger world.
I'm pleased they can take advantage of all the fun and food ranging around the backyard has to offer. Their weeks in the pen have enabled me to condition them to the expensive chicken treat to bribe them back into the bed as needed.
Despite not having feathers, the hens are laying. A real unexpected treat, these black australorps are laying colored eggs like easter eggers! I have one laying a light green and light blue egg.
These are the things that excite me.
The eggs are almost always clean now as long as a collect once a day, a sure sign that the hens are committed to laying.
As Tutu was outside with me, Moxie enjoyed lounging on the bed, oblivious to my labors outside.
After re graveling the chicken pen and cleaning out the coop, I planted peppermint in pots, and planted some other things in the garden. After a late lunch and a shower, Tutu and I went for a ride and then enjoyed a lovely evening resting.
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