Friday, August 26, 2011

How's the Flock Hanging?

Well, we have chickens everywhere we look lately.  The new chicks are growing and thriving.  They are already taking over the chicken tractor -

So Paul is hard at work on building a second chicken tractor.  Even though these chicks are destined for the dinner table, we want them to be comfortable and happy during the short time they are with us.  As they get larger, we don't want them to feel overcrowded.  We also move the chicken tractor daily, so that they always have fresh grass and bugs for munching.

Our teenagers are growing up.  We did get a rooster out of the bunch.  This is good since we...uh...ate our last rooster.  He had gotten aggressive (he was always coming after me anytime I walked anywhere in the yard) and one day he charged Pierce.  So that was the end of the rooster.  Hopefully our new guy on the block won't be coming after any people - 

What's this?  This, is Reid chasing chickens around the bush.  Our four teenagers love this bush for cover.  

Foiled again, Reid.  The chicken you seek is already on the other side!
Right now we have our meat bird chicks (74 - we lost one - and we will be splitting those up with 2 friends) plus our mystery chick (which should be a layer and we will keep - thanks to Crow for the wonderful name suggestion of Frida for mystery chick!).  We also have 5 original laying hens that we have had for about a year and a half (we raised them from chicks) plus our 4 teenagers.  So that, for now, is our total flock.

Now I have some shocking news.  I'll be taking this weekend off from blogging.  I haven't taken a day off since I started blogging over a year and a half ago (other than the day Blogger was down this past spring).  Now that Pierce is in school and I don't see him quite as much, I want to make sure I spend as much time with him as possible on the weekends.  Plus, with the hurricane coming through, my internet connection (which is through a MIFI card) is likely to be spotty at best.  I'll still blog on the weekends at times, and I hope to at least pop in on some of my favorite blogs, but I'm going to tone it down and I'll look forward to seeing you all on Mondays!   Have a great weekend!

42 comments:

Cyndy Bush said...

I want chickens! But not roosters - I learned the hard way how mean those little buggars are.
Enjoy your weekend break & stay safe in the storm!

jp@A Green Ridge said...

So hard feelings here that you ate "the rooster"...you know he was NOT my favorite bird! I thought that was a tent you had in the yard, never thought that it was for chickens! Spend time with Pierce & don't worry. Irene will entertain herself!...:)JP

Texan said...

Chickens chickens everywhere! Good for you on taking a couple days off of blogger :O). Its a great thing, but can surely be a time sucker too :O)>

Dianna said...

We're in hurricane prep too! Take care - enjoy your time with your little ones, and be safe.

Jill said...

Reid is so cute hunting down the chickens!

Enjoy your break, Lisa. You will be missed but I sure understand why you need some time away.

Unknown said...

It was fin go see your flock. They are getting bigger.

I hope the storm misses you. We will have sunshine here all weekend.

Kim@stuffcould.... said...

These chickens home is neat! Yes we all need a break from blogging....

Rebecca said...

Enjoy your time with your little ones. My girls are both freshmen this year in college and High School... I can't believe how quickly they have grown up! Have a great (safe) weekend :)

Chatty Crone said...

Enjoy your weekend with Pierce. Be careful with the storm.

I think you are brave being able to kill those chickens - I am a wimp!

Brimful Curiosities said...

You have quite a flock! Do you ever have issues with predators? My grandparents used to have chickens when I was growing up but the coyotes would come out in broad daylight and snatch them.

Gone Country said...

I miss my chickens terribly! I have a funny story about one of our roosters. He didn't like the neighbors who would bring their scraps over for the 'girls' but usually didn't mess with me. Till one day he started to come at me. Well... I wasn't going to have that so I chased him down (which was a sight to see I'm sure!), picked him up, looked him in the eye and gave him the what-fers! Told him he should not mess with the hand that feeds him! He never messed with me again! True story!

Enjoy your time off, enjoy your kids and we'll see ya when we see ya!

Jill said...

One of these days I will have to try keeping chickens. I don't see how you do a daily blog post...I have trouble doing one once a week! Enjoy your weekend!!

Anonymous said...

Mom ordered "peeps" from Sears and Rowbuck's catalog. They came in the mail. They were cheaper if you order "unsorted." That meant you would get one or more roosters in with the others. She didn't mind, because about the time the hens began to lay we ate the roosters for fried chicken dinner.

Did you ever take the tops you cut off of little green onions and toss them in to the chickens? Your eggs will taste like onions for a whole when you eat them.

Melodie said...

I hope the hurricane goes easy on you all! Sounds like your flock is doing well! I just love having my own chickens! Do you freeze or can yours? I usually can mine for soups and casseroles.

Rebecca said...

Lisa--Thanks for stopping by my site also! And.. thanks for pointing out the problem with Google Friend Connect. When I logged out of google I couldn't see the "join this site" button either. I think I have it fixed now--let me know if it's still not working!

TexWisGirl said...

oh, enjoy your weekend, blog-free! :) good luck with the weather!

Chris said...

Have a relaxing weekend (blog free), Lisa.

What are you going to do with the birds if the hurricane hits? (I can imagine a chicken tractor flying through the air of the Blue Ridge Mountains...)

Eileen Astels Watson said...

May you survive the weather!!

Enjoy your time with the family. You deserve it!

Jen said...

Well, I'd say you deserve a day off! Hope that hurricane stays away...so scary!
Have a great weekend :)

Desperate Housemommy said...

Teenagers?!? How old does a chicken get, anyway?

Enjoy your weekend...I stopped posting on weekends a while back and am happier for it.

Eat To Live said...

Sometimes you just need a break from blogging. Good for you!!

Have a great week off and enjoy!

GardenOfDaisies said...

Those sweet babies are way more important than we are. Take as much time off as you need to. (And I think i'm doing great to get 2 or 3 posts done in a week. I can't even imagine doing one every day. )
I love your chicken tractor!! My daughter spent some time at a sustainable farm in WV last summer and that is what they used.

The Princess said...

I love seeing your posts on the chickens. We hopefully will be getting some next spring. I think we are going to get some Orpington variety...but I am sure someone's mind may change before then. Be safe.

Tiffany said...

I love raising chickens! It was fun while we had ours, but we had to find them homes.
I would have killed that rooster too, mean old bird!
Stay safe during the storm. It passed us in Florida and made the weather here bearable.See you next week!

Anonymous said...

My friends have chickens and we love to visit.

Have a nice weekend off.

Luisa Rodríguez said...

Enjoy your time off!
You rock!

_____________________________________________
http://mustbeliberating.blogspot.com/

Unknown said...

awww- I want some chickens! I'll have to hide them- but I think it can work- :)
wishin you well for the "cane" and your chicks too!

not sure why you didn't see GFC - maybe it was down? It's on the right side close to the top under the "about me" pic - thanks for your sweet comments on my blog!

Sonya @ Under the Desert Sky said...

I love the chicken photos, of course! And the silly boy chasing the chickens!

Have a fun weekend with your boys!

Sandra Orchard said...

Your rooster story reminded me of the one and only time we raised chicks for meat. They were all males. All 50 of them. My sister came for an overnight visit once they'd grown quite a bit, and was awakened at, oh, about 4 in the morning, by a litany of cockledoodledoos She said she wouldn't come back until we got rid of those birds! Now we have nice quiet laying hens :)

Have a great weekend!

Nancy said...

Honestly, I don't know how you managed to do the every-day blogging with all that you have going. I think taking weekends off is a great idea. I may start scheduling posts for the weekend, but keep the computer off, to spend more time with the hubby.

Have a wonderful weekend! :)

Ginny Hartzler said...

I love these pictures, especially Reid chasing the chicken! Why do they call it a tractor? Is the second picture the tractor with the covering off so we can see inside? So it has no floor, or just wire on the bottom so they can eat grass and things? You really take good care of your animals! Hey, remember at the drive through Safari zoo that really frizzy white hen? Well, they told me what it is but I didn't write it down, do you remember? Good for you taking off! Too many bloggers don't, then they get burned out! I recently started taking Mondays off and love it because I can get things done on that day and it is the only day Ella is here. Lots and lots of bloggers take weekends off. I hope Pierce is continuing to do well and has made some friends.

warren said...

Happy hurricaning...keep your head down!

Meredith said...

Stay safe.
We are here in Maine, talking over our list of things to get from the store before they run out... Gallons of water... LOTS....

Leontien said...

Whoohoo here a chick there a chick!

they look great!
I hope you are safe and sound!
Leontien

Angela said...

If it gets windy you should anchor those chicken tractors down some way.

Our internet was spotty this morning. Probably from the Hurricane. I was surprised I could get on this evening.

Have a Wonderful Blogging Break and Weekend!
Angela

Sweet Virginia Breeze said...

When I was little we had a rooster that attacked us whenever we went outside. I hated that rooster!
Enjoy your time off from blogging with Pierce.

camp and cottage living said...

Lisa
I think that whole chicken trailer is a great idea. It will fertilize your ground too.
That is a very good idea-having a blogfree weekend to spend with your boys (DH included)!

Liz Mays said...

So funny that he chases them around. I like that you move your container around every day.

Nothing wrong with taking weekends off! I think it's great that you're allowing yourself some extra family time!!

Kim said...

Love the chicken tractors. I had to think twice and realized you were referring to the little shed thing. And that's how I feel now that I'm back to work. Weekends need to be about the kids.

LinRN said...

Good mama - spending time with your babies, they grow up so fast.'Hope that the storm takes it easy on you. A little rain but not too much!

Grumpy Grateful Mom said...

That's quite the flock. My husband also had a mean rooster when he was growing up named Peebert. Enjoy your break! Stay safe.

Tina L. Hook said...

I am intrigued by farm life. We all know what happens to naughty roosters...