Quail_Antwerp: Words from the Barnyard...

[Quail_Antwerp]

Did you make the potato-garlic-carrot soup?

No, I made pizza It was quicker and easier, because we did a lot of outside projects today in order to get ready for winter.

Few days ago E had made a new woodbox (the old one became a coop remember? lol) and this time it is on a trailer that we can move around the yard. We filled it with wood, and parked it next to the back porch.

Then we went to work on the woodburner. We made sure all the piping was clean and that the woodburner itself was cleaned out. Then we hooked the pipe up through the window as always.

Then, and keljonma and Becca I'm sure will appreciate this - we winterized the bantam coop! The door to the run of the bantam coop was is such disrepair, that I could not shut it...not at all! I'm really blessed that no predators came over the run (or through it) while that door was there.

Today, we took that nasty door off and replaced it with a sturdier, although again homemade, door.

This door is narrower than the old door, so we had to build a bit of wall to the right of it to make it frame in. AND it only opens from the inside....and it locks on the inside. We covered the window with rabbit wire (hardware cloth) so it's more protective than chicken wire. They also still get air flow this way, but the smaller area for door blocks more wind and cold air from entering the coop.

The other chicken related project that we started is.............

THE FLOOR TO THE COOP ADDITION!!!

Doesn't look like much, yet, but give us a few weeks! I've got the OSB for the floor just waiting to go on, and we've enough 2x4's to do one wall for now!

I plan to pick up a few more 2x4's when I can. I hope to have this most of the way done by the end of October, and the roof on in November. We'll see, though. Depends on how $ goes and if we can get everything we need to do it all in a month.

We plan to run electric to this coop, which will be the most expensive part of the build. But, it will be much easier to plug heat lamps and/or lights into outlets IN the coop rather than running extension cords to the coops!

My BLRW seemed to have given up on her remaining 5 eggs, and I know I detected movement in a couple of them, so I gave the remaining eggs to my determined silkie. She's still sitting on her remaining eggs (plus some now) even though she already had five babies One of the bantam mutt eggs she has under her was pipped this morning. We should see yet another new baby in the morning!

 

[keljonma]

Looking good, QA! Now is the perfect weather for starting to get ready for winter. I love hardware cloth!

I have a question though...you said the bantam house door only locks and opens from the inside? Are you planning on adding a door handle and lock for the outside as well?

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Looking good, QA! Now is the perfect weather for starting to get ready for winter. I love hardware cloth!

I have a question though...you said the bantam house door only locks and opens from the inside? Are you planning on adding a door handle and lock for the outside as well?

Probably not. That door will be opened and left opened during the day for free access to the run. It's only going to be closed at night. I chose to have it locking on the inside only, as a few years ago we had some two legged theives climb over the run, and because my door didn't lock, they were able to use the outside handle to pull the run door open and took everything that they didn't kill.

If we get the run finished all the way around with 4x4's and 2x4's and the top covered with the aviary netting, then I may add on a handle to the outside.

 

[keljonma]

Have you seen any CL listings for lumber lately? In our area there were a number of them just last week. They aren't on the listing any more, so I'm sure the lumber was scarfed up immediately.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Tiko, my little rescue ferret from earlier this year, is crossing the bridge. He had come from very bad circumstances, being nearly starved to death, and he sure came a long way in the few months I've had him. I figured he wouldn't be with us long, so this morning I am going to be digging him a little grave.

My yorkie, Autumn, crossed the bridge in her sleep last night. That was unexpected, as she'd been doing just fine. Was her normal yappy self. She hadn't had anymore seizures, that I'm aware of, but last night she went to her crate herself, which is not normal for her. So I get to dig her a little grave this morning, too.

Silkie hen hatched another baby over night, looks like another Mille Fleur mix, but I don't think he's going to make it, as his intestines are hanging out.

After I deal with the deaths of this morning, I'm going to work more on the coop addition floor.

 

[punkin]

That's alot of sadness to deal with QA. Sorry about your furry and feathered friends

 

[BeccaOH]

Wow, what a morning! I'm really sorry about Autumn the yappster. How old was she?

 

[Farmfresh]

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Autumn was only five. Usually these little dogs live up to 20 years.

When I first had got Autumn, I didn't know much about researching breeders before you buy. The breeder I purchased Autumn from has high mortality rates in his dogs, plus he practices a lot of inbreeding.

I laid her in by my blueberry bushes out back. Oldest son wanted to help.

Gracie accompanied us, too, although I don't think her little puppy mind comprehended what was going on. She needs a bath. That's on the to do list right now. E said he doesn't like long haired dogs, because of the grooming they need. Gracie is a pathetic, matted mess. She's sitting well for the scissors, though, and I've snipped most of the mats out. Once I'm done trimming-uh butchering- her hair she's getting a bath.

 

[Farmfresh]

We have a cat named Zinnia ... actually she lives with my son now. She is a long haired calico. We also have her twin sister Gabby, who lives with my daughter now.

Way back when she was a kitten our elderly male cat that "adopted" her was hit by a car.
When we dug the little grave for him both cats checked it out Gabby then just wandered off to play, but Zinnia stayed and watched the burial. Then she either sat by or on that grave for three days! It was weird. I really think SHE understood. I have never had any animal do that before or since. She is an exceptionally smart cat.