CompostaBlog

Our First Day Outside

I planted an entire 4′x16′ bed of strawberries I got from my mother’s neighbor who was clearing out his strawberry bed for the winter. They do multiply, “you only have to buy them once”, my grandmother used to say. So while I was out there all afternoon, I thought it would be a good time to get them outside for some sunshine, get them out in the fresh air and let them stretch their wings.

I wish I could have taken a better video, they hop and jump so fast and you never know what is going to get them going… it’s hard to capture the moment. But they had so much fun and I had a blast watching them. I sat down for a break and just laughed my butt off at them. Chirping and hopping, trying to fly, getting up off the ground for seconds only to plop down again and roll into each other. I made me remember how I sat and watched my children play… oh the time flies… I miss them a lot. I’m glad their close by.

This will have to do for a bit. We’re not making really great progress on the chicken coop. Red is still in the chicken run and I don’t trust the dogs to leave him be. The babies are so small, they can escape through the chicken wire. I’m going to have to use smaller wire around the bottom so if we have baby chicks later, they will be safe and sound inside the run.

Still in my small living room. Last time, in the spring, we only had five, this time, there are eleven. This is going to get old really fast. LOL!

The heat makes the smell stronger, faster. At least they are safe from the dogs and cat. Strider (the cat) does like the warmth from the lamp, he sits on top of the crate during the night. He’s SUCH a baby. Sometimes he sits and peeps through the holes. And when the chicks see him, they get really cheepy and run to the four corners. Can you imagine being stuck in a box with two big eyes staring at you? It would creep me out too.

I still haven’t gotten tired of watching them, their cuteness has not warn off… yet.

Our First Home, a box from Subway Deli!

Guess what my mother informed me she found while perusing my favorite ag store today? BABY CHICKENS! in the fall no less… I was really torn. Starting baby chicks in the fall… getting them grown up enough to face a cold surly winter. Should I? Mr. Red is so lonely… he needs some more of his own kind. What is a rooster, without hens?

So, I go home, I research the city statutes that I had left the girls to do last time we bought chicks in the spring. Sure enough, they were right. We are allowed twelve birds. Only one can be a rooster… well, that is accomplished well enough, so I bought eleven chicks. Once again, hoping for the best. If you’ll recall, that’s what we thought we bought last time.

I’m keeping my fingers crossed. The just cheep and talk. They are really adorable. Last time, in the spring, I didn’t have to worry about temps, it was just so warm and a plain old light bulb was perfectly adequate, but with winter coming on, this time, I bought them a red heat lamp. They are warm and toasty in my LIVING ROOM. One more REALLY motivating reason to get the chicken coop finished!