Finding Contentment

Spring has sprung

The coop is just about finished, and I can't wait to put the new chicks in there. A few days ago they went from the house to the unfinished basement because I couldn't stand the smell anymore!

Baby chicks are so cute but when they start getting big they're not so cute anymore! Okay, so they're still cute, but the smell kind of knocks you down - no matter how often you clean.

Our established flock is only five hens, and the new one will be seven. But because the pecking order is already established in the first flock, we decided to keep the flocks seperate. That required totally rebuilding the coop. The hen house (in the middle) will be split down the middle with a wall. Each flock will have half of the hen house and has their own run coming out of their side of the house.

You can't really tell in the picture, but there is chicken wire on both runs and windows from floor to ceiling to keep predators out. Hubby is finishing up the inside now, and making new nesting boxes. Hopefully he can finish with the inside in the next few days and we can put the new flock out. We allowed the babies to run around the coop for about 20 minutes the other day to stretch their wings while the adult chickens were foraging for bugs in the yard.

On the left is Cinco, the 5-toed Salmon Favorelle. She is supposed to be a hen, but her coloring looks more like a rooster to me. We'll have to wait and see, but I'm really hoping she is a hen! Next to her is Lucy, a New Hampshire Red - so named because her red feathers and mischievous personality reminded my husband of Lucille Ball.

Here's Della, as named by my DS, 12. She is a Delaware chicken, hence the name.

This is Doe, so named because she is either a John Doe or a Jane Doe. She was the freebie the hatchery sent with the others. We can't decide if she is an araucana or a Silver Laced Wyandotte. What do you think?

This guy with the dirty mouth is my DS, 5, with one of the Buff Orpingtons. He named one Pickachu and one Ash (two Pokemon characters).

And this is my favorite, the beautiful Simone, a Buff Polish. She is the smallest of the chicks and the most docile and sweetest. I had also ordered another Polish, a Golden-laced, which would have been beautiful. Unfortunately she died within hours of arriving home. I guess the transit via the U.S. Postal Service was too much for her. The chicks were actually delayed a day in the post office of another city and were a day late arriving. We ended up with three dead ones, but I've heard of people who received entire boxes of 25 chicks where nearly all were dead, so I'm counting my blessings.

By the way, in the photo of the chicken coop you will notice the garden. It has been plowed and is ready to go, but hasn't been planted yet. Not only have we been short on time, but our weather has been really weird lately. One day we will have freezing temperatures and the next it will be in the 70s. I can't wait to get the garden planted!

As the post office employee said when we picked the babies up a month ago, "I know spring is arriving when the baby chicks start arriving!"

Goodness!

04:43 PM, Tuesday, April 22, 2008 .. Posted by beccasue1029

That's a wonderful coop! I'm so thankful for the spring temps....but not for the allergies LOL

~*Becca*~

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05:00 PM, Tuesday, April 22, 2008 .. Posted by Anonymous

Hey Barb!

Your coop is fantastic! I would love to have chickens...I'll live vicariously through you! ;o) Your Buff Polish is so striking - my 21 month old daughter is clucking at the screen, LOL! I look forward to more posts of your flocks...and garden ones, too!

Have a wonderful evening!

Kelly
www.thebarefootmama.com

This looks great

09:27 PM, Wednesday, April 23, 2008 .. Posted by blessingsbaound

I love your coop and your chickens look like they will love their new home too!! Congratulations!!! Love, Mrs. Joseph Wood

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12:37 PM, Thursday, April 24, 2008 .. Posted by Tammy ~@~

I am so impressed by your chicken coop as it is so awesome. I had to scroll down to see where you found the plan and design only to see that it was created by your husband! You are very blessed :-) Every year we say we are going to get a chicken coop built and then my husband gets busy in spring and it doesn't get done, but I've been encouraged just looking at yours!

Anyway, I stopped by to thank you for entering my bloggy giveaway and have found myself blessed!

Blessings,
Tammy ~@~

Off Topic

10:09 PM, Saturday, May 10, 2008 .. Posted by 50s Housewife

Sorry this is off topic, but I just have to say that I ALWAYS love the songs you have playing. :) You and I seem to have much the same taste in music.