The leghorns have been liberated from their warm basement home and are now out in the small pen in the corner of the big chook house. The small pen is called Fort Knox because it is absolutely predator proof, one year rats killed about 6 of our little chickens, since I made Fort Knox I have not lost one though after selling the old grain bins and introducing roosters and cats I don’t have rats either. I do have hawks though but that is another story) and speaking of hawks,
as soon as it warms up (if I had a dollar for every time I have said that lately!) I am going to make a run to the outside chook- run for the little ones attached to Fort Knox. I am making no sense, I will explain that better when I make it. Here they are in their washing basket transport.
Also a little run within the big run will help the big mean chickens get used to having the little ones around before they are released into the grown ups side and enter that particularly treacherous pecking order.
For now they have a lovely two storied cage with room to roost and a big window
that will soon morph into a door.
When it warms up (scoff).
This uwieldy and slightly odd photo is of LouLou and Sheila’s leg. Hmm. Why? I hear you say? You may well ask. The pig and the cat were cuddled up together sound asleep and I tried to sneak up on them to get a picture, something I have tried countless times before and always failed. Sheila hears me and leaps to her feet before I can get the photo for you. But she never steps on the wee cat with her scissor hooves.
So this really is very meagre evidence. I will keep trying!
Good morning. It was wet yesterday, in fact we had a good rain. Chilly but good for the fields. Maybe TonTon and I will clear this lawn later today and I will MOW! Outrageous. Ton is good for doing the bending over and picking up for me. I point and say gimme and he grabs whatever it is and puts it up into my open hand. Very useful for people with recovering backs.
There is a rumour that tomorrow the men will come to begin the roofing on The Coupe. The underfloor radiant heating is going to do a test run today. And the dry waller man is coming on Monday. So we are very close to some big changes in the progression of the Tiny House called The Coupe.
Since my back is getting better and the tide in the basement is rising again, I shall do more scooping and mopping today, we were at the fan stage but last nights rain has sent a new wave of water through. Osmosis wins again. Ah well. The fields are wet and the garden is well watered and that is good. In a few days I will be able to garden again. I am looking forward to that.
You all have a lovely day.
your friend celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
50 responses to “Leghorns Liberated”
Good morning Celi; the run inside the run is totally understandable keeps the leghorns from being mugged. take care with your back. have a blessed day mike
I get what you’re getting at…does that mean we’ve been hanging out together too long? 😉
Cold and rainy, but it’s a Babysitter Day, so I’m headed out to the gardens!
Thank goodness for babysitter day! c
Has there been flooding anywhere near you? I’ve seen some pretty awful news coverage of flooding in Illinois. Rain forecast here for today, too, after the six inches of snow on Monday. Then temps in the 60s, maybe even 70s, this weekend. Crazy weather. But I want spring, oh, yes, I do.
You will truly deserve those days in the 70’s when they finally come, hope we don;t just zoom up to 90 before we can take a breath.. Around here is not too bad as far as flooding but you don’t have to drive far to run across closed roads etc.. c
Hung the laundry out yesterday, after I shoveled snow. Morning temp was around 30. But with the warm sun and a south exposure on the clothing, all were dry by late afternoon. Oh, glorious sun.
Good news for the leghorns… I can see you are feeling better, that’s great!
Good morning Celi 🙂
morning giovanna! c
At the zoo we call it “howdy contact.” The animals can see, smell, and even touch one another a little bit and get familiar with one another before official introductions are made. It took a year and a half to introduce some female lions to their new mate.
I hope you get control of that rising tide soon!
howdy contact, that is an excellent term, thank you.. c
Oh. I remember when we had rats! They were killing my 3 month old baby guineas. Michael sat out at night with a borrowed BB gun to get them because we didn’t want to use poison. We didn’t buy chicks this year but I have my 1st broody banty setting on 8 eggs! Have a great day Celi.
my dad said that in the old days his mum would buy chicks every year and they would go down to the train to collect them. Out would come a hexagonal box of chicks and a square box with a very surprised clucky hen in it. In the night they would pop the chicks under the hen and she would raise them.. isn’t that a sweet story! you have a lovely day too! c
that pic of blue checking out the leghorns is so cute! this is the second pig/cat relationship i’ve seen this week! who would have known?
I guess those pigs are warm, and careful too.. cats are much slower to wake than pigs!! c
I love Blue with the chicks! He won’t get so close when they grow and give him a good PECK!!!
Christine
I have taken him into the chook house at feeding time so the big ones can scare him half to death, dogs can get a little too interested in chickens sometimes! c
Mostly excellent news, though I go Hmmm! about that back being used for mopping etc. Had you thought of having the cellar “tanked” is what they call it in UK – ie made completely waterproof like a tank?
Sun is shining its heart out and it is warm – 21 centigrade. I hope it does the same for you.
Vx
Oh if I had the money to do all the things that need doing.. just imagine.. I am happy to mop once every few years.. I am glad you are having a sunny day.. c
It looks like the chicks have a good new friend 🙂
morning mad!! c
Look at those beautiful leghorns! Let’s hope for an easy introduction to the flock. They announced this morning that this was the rainiest April on record. I don’t know if this includes your area but our 2 locales cannot be too different. Hope your back is doing better. TonTon to the rescue! What a good dog!
rainy again today too, there goes the mowing idea! The grain farmers are moaning about too much water now.. can’t please them.. c
Sounds and looks like you’ve had more rain in your part of the country than we have…and we’ve had a lot more than usual. We’ve bloomed, faded and leafed out here already. What a great dog Ton is…and so good to help you while your back heals. The Leghorns are adorable, and the LuLu and Sheila pic reminds me so of trying to take photos of my cats…they move so quickly and usually while the shutter is snapping. Have a great day! 🙂
Animal photography is all about stealth! morning betsy! c
Glad you are starting to mend. We have a similar system with our little chickies and gradually introduce them to the rest of the flock. Good luck!
My friend deb goes to the beach house for the summer and packs up her chickens and takes them with her, maybe yours can shuttle to and fro with the dogs! imagine.. c
Would be interesting when we go through customs and they all have to have their microchips scanned!
(loud laughter!) fantastic!! You must move them about in a wicker cage too.. absolutely! c
Please, please, oh please, rest your back as you mop and lift today! As a former massage therapist I have been wondering if what you did was pull a muscle and are now experiencing muscle spasms. If so, it is imperative your protect that muscle. You can put ice (an ICE CUBE wrapped in a wash cloth) on the spot that hurts…have John do it for you…rub the cube (never let is set) in a circle for 8 minutes NOT MORE THAN 8 Minutes. Then follow it with a LOW set heat pad for 10 minutes. You will need to do this several times a day and try NOT to over stress that muscle/tenden/ tissue until well. You should see improvement the next day.
Just a thought.
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com
I have been resting, i promise and yes I agree that it is a muscle spasming, (is that a word – spasming?) anyway, I will only lift the mop and not the bucket, is this a good compromise? john can empty them when he comes home from work.. but it is starting to smell down there! c
It is…but if you start to hurt you must stop. Now I sound Like Your Mother…please don’t take it as nagging just love and concern.
Linda
As you know my mother has been gone for decades so I am always grateful for a little mothering.. thank you linda.. c
My Momma died in 2000, Daddy in 1999, I miss them both all the time… constantly! So I do understand!
I hadn’t really thought about pecking order in that vicious way. It’s not a good life being a chicken. Do you think that’s why the name chicken is used as an insult. On second thoughts, chickens have to be quite brave just to get through to the moment when we eat them.
Chickens are mean Roger, if they were much bigger they would be starting world wars!.. c
Oh, Ci. Just to repeat. Chickens are mean – and vicious….they have not qualms about attacking from the rear when you are busy doing something else (My mom had scars on the back of her legs from when she was little and had to gather eggs) – and their social behavior! At least free range chickens aren’t as brutal as the mega farm ones (lack of dark periods to sleep and hormones in their food may increase their irritability and anger?)
It’s good they aren’t bigger!