the rain has been constant over the last couple of weeks and we have just had to adjust and get over the fact we will be working in the rain. if it were just the rain that would not be bad. But with the ground already drenched with water the rain is starting to pool on the ground and make mud puddles and mud.
so with no end in site we had to attempt to get the chicken coop finished enough to bring home the chickens tomorrow. so far we have enough nesting boxes to accomidate the adult hens but the brooders coming up will need more and we will need more room as well for them.
But for now we have to deal with the space we have and hopefully we will have more room before winter falls. we also will only have left about 10 layers for winter eggs after fall butchering and all the turkeys will be gone too.
but back to the rain :-)...it really has made moving things around and working a real mess, at the end of the day we are all cold wet and mud from head to toes. we get in and all hit the shower or tub to warm up and then cover our aching muscles under a warm blanket and a book or a movie.
we made some head way on the sheep fence and only one section of fence remains to be put up and then we can start looking for and buying sheep for breeding. we have decided to buy katahdin sheep as they are good meat sheep with nor shearing required which is a huge help when we have so much on the go around here.I like the fact they are winter hardy and fairly healthy yet as a breed in general. I wanted the breed due to their ability to become very friendly with their human friends. Having kids makes the choices we make so much harder. We have to make sure no matter what we bring into this farm it will bond and coexist well with young kids. I know my kids are not so excited about the fact we will be getting sheep but they are in fact thrilled with the notion we can have chickens. I am not sure if they will be so thrilled when they realize all the work that is involved with picking eggs keeping the coop clean and moving them around free range in the summer.
I have a lama set up to borrow here for a bit from a good friend this will ensure a protector for the sheep here. As the plan goes I am trying to keep the cost down of this whole plan so I turn to friends for advice support and yep...lamas LOL. I can not thank my dear friend enough for all the support and advice she has given m over the years and all she has done for me. and remind me one day to tell her that :-) but I was talking to her in regards to guardian protection and we both agreed due to me having so many other dogs it would be best suited for a lama or donkey or other animal that will look a t a wild dog and hunt it like death itself. we have so many coyotes and wolves and cougar,s it will be such a feast for them if they were to ever get in to the pen. I thought of the LGD but chose to stay away from yet another dog and have something that is of the same food order at least.
we do have a older dog here that roams during the day but at night he is a senior dog and he comes in to lay in his soft warm bed so he will not be good to use to protect the livestock at night but during the day he will give them a run if he can. but it is the least I can do to offer a warm soft cozy bed for all his years he has spent giving to us with no ask in return...well maybe a few things like a few get out of jail cards for the garbage :-( I am sure his tail (tales) will come into the daily blog as well as he is always around.
so not a very huge day today we got the chickens ordered and the coop painted and now just get onto finishing the fence but I am off all day tomorrow with chicks and lamas LOL. so until then
seeya
so with no end in site we had to attempt to get the chicken coop finished enough to bring home the chickens tomorrow. so far we have enough nesting boxes to accomidate the adult hens but the brooders coming up will need more and we will need more room as well for them.
But for now we have to deal with the space we have and hopefully we will have more room before winter falls. we also will only have left about 10 layers for winter eggs after fall butchering and all the turkeys will be gone too.
but back to the rain :-)...it really has made moving things around and working a real mess, at the end of the day we are all cold wet and mud from head to toes. we get in and all hit the shower or tub to warm up and then cover our aching muscles under a warm blanket and a book or a movie.
we made some head way on the sheep fence and only one section of fence remains to be put up and then we can start looking for and buying sheep for breeding. we have decided to buy katahdin sheep as they are good meat sheep with nor shearing required which is a huge help when we have so much on the go around here.I like the fact they are winter hardy and fairly healthy yet as a breed in general. I wanted the breed due to their ability to become very friendly with their human friends. Having kids makes the choices we make so much harder. We have to make sure no matter what we bring into this farm it will bond and coexist well with young kids. I know my kids are not so excited about the fact we will be getting sheep but they are in fact thrilled with the notion we can have chickens. I am not sure if they will be so thrilled when they realize all the work that is involved with picking eggs keeping the coop clean and moving them around free range in the summer.
I have a lama set up to borrow here for a bit from a good friend this will ensure a protector for the sheep here. As the plan goes I am trying to keep the cost down of this whole plan so I turn to friends for advice support and yep...lamas LOL. I can not thank my dear friend enough for all the support and advice she has given m over the years and all she has done for me. and remind me one day to tell her that :-) but I was talking to her in regards to guardian protection and we both agreed due to me having so many other dogs it would be best suited for a lama or donkey or other animal that will look a t a wild dog and hunt it like death itself. we have so many coyotes and wolves and cougar,s it will be such a feast for them if they were to ever get in to the pen. I thought of the LGD but chose to stay away from yet another dog and have something that is of the same food order at least.
we do have a older dog here that roams during the day but at night he is a senior dog and he comes in to lay in his soft warm bed so he will not be good to use to protect the livestock at night but during the day he will give them a run if he can. but it is the least I can do to offer a warm soft cozy bed for all his years he has spent giving to us with no ask in return...well maybe a few things like a few get out of jail cards for the garbage :-( I am sure his tail (tales) will come into the daily blog as well as he is always around.
so not a very huge day today we got the chickens ordered and the coop painted and now just get onto finishing the fence but I am off all day tomorrow with chicks and lamas LOL. so until then
seeya
the rain is always a problem with farming
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