And we finally have nest boxes

We still have another two months before our birds start to lay, but I'm about a month late getting nest boxes installed in the coop. I decided to go with the bucket idea this time.  They are right above the chicken door so if I ever install an automatic opener, I hope these aren't in the way.

Where have we been

Two years ago we decided that we wanted to move to Iowa. I had done a lot of research on cost of living and teacher salaries and came up for a weekend visit.

We had to downsize everything. Our chicken flock had gotten really small due to predators and we sold the rest. We sold nearly all possessions that weren't family memories and heirlooms. Then we listed the house for sale.

The house sold and in June of 2017 we drove to Iowa with a uhaul.  We planned to rent for a year while we found a town and house that we loved but it was only 5 months later that we found my dream home.

We have a lot of things to do in our new home but we've started on some.

We have 16 chickies they are set up in a new chicken coop. We have fruit trees that are ready to be planted when the weather gets a little warmer. And we are in the planning stages of a small garden with the plans of having a huge one next year.

So weve been quiet for awhile, but the adventure continues.

The Dog was where?!?!

I've known that Cash was getting up on the table to eat scraps or pull things down to destroy.  But today I learned that he's also getting up on the table, without the use of any chairs, to look out the front windows.

Feel free to click below to watch the video.

Garden 2016

I decided that we will try a garden again this year, on a much smaller scale.  At this point I'm only sure that we will grow tomatoes, however I'm also leaning towards lettuce and squash as well.  I guess it will depend on what organic and non-gmo seeds and plants I can find.

I'm moving everything over to the half of the garden that we didn't use as much 2 years ago in the hopes of preventing blight by re-planting in the same area.

Playing Possum

This morning the oldest was helping me in the garden and he dragged a trash can over for us to load with dead weeds and grass.  He quickly freaked out saying there was something in the trash can.  I was a safe distance away, so I told him to figure out what it was.  He knocked it down and there laid the possum.

While he did look fierce with those teeth, he wasn't moving at all and the longer I stood there staring into his face, the more pity I took on him.  I told the oldest that he couldn't kill him, as I thought for sure it would go running away as soon as the coast was clear and our chickens would be fine since we were around.

An hour later we had to leave, but I still thought the thing would run away when our noise was gone.

Chickens in a Car

Apparently if you leave the back of the car open too long, Dolly and one of her friends will decide to check things out.

She was in the middle row before I got my camera out.  Luckily no one left us any surprises.

New predator

We have lost about 1 chicken a week for the past couple weeks to a predator. I thought it was a fox again, but was surprised that the birds were being left behind.

We pulled up to the house a couple days ago and even from across the yard I knew that Norma Jean was gone. I saw the mix of her colored feathers in a pile and knew it was her. And that's when I saw a hawk flutter away from her body and rest on a nearby tree.

I had no idea that a hawk would kill our full-sized chickens but now we know that is who the culprit is.

In order to keep the birds safe they have not been able to free range since then, they aren't happy, but they're alive. Hopefully when the leaves come back on the trees that will provide enough cover for safety and they can have their freedom again.

An update, a year late

I know I haven't written in a very long time.  I've thought about it many times but things just changed so much since Faith passed away and my heart hasn't been in things.  I think that was clear in the decrease of my posts and the shortness of them.

We still have Cash and Paisley.  Cash is healed from his accident, although his back has never looked the same since then and the vets think he will have arthritis and possibly hip dysplasia later in life.

We still have guinea and chickens, although we have lost a couple in the last year.

The county has completely torn up the front of the property, moved the drainage ditch closer to our home where the trees used to be, and ripped up our driveway.  They haven't started laying the asphalt closer, but that's due to the weather.

We survived the snow storm, and that is probably the only interesting thing I have to share pictures of.

Don't let them fool you, they barely shoveled at all

I am thinking we will do the garden again this year and so we cut up the fallen tree and hauled it out of the garden area before the storm hit.  Hopefully I'll get motivated enough to finish weeding and getting the area ready once the weather gets a little warmer.

An Unfortunate Accident

Thursday evening, our renter accidentally left the door open when he took out the trash.  Cash and Paisley were in my room with me but then Cash walked out.  He must have seen the door open and decided to go explore because the next thing we heard was yelling, tire screeching and a honk honking.

The oldest and I took off running through the house, my initial thought was that there was a fox outside, but when we heard the car noises I realized Cash was missing.  When we got outside, the oldest reached Cash before me and yelled out that he'd been hit.  He had a big gash on his hind leg, was obviously in a lot of pain and limping and very scared.  I scooped him up in my arms and ran to the car with him.

More Snow Days

Yes, for those family members and friends on the West Coast, it's snowing here...