With 2 lambs coming this weekend (we think) and a third batch of chickens running in the brooder, and another batch due June 13, I figured it was time to start working on where to put all these animals. Also needed to figure out what to do with the wood for the winter. You know, the wood I cut over a year ago that I am slowly bringing home(driving would really help)on days that I don't have too many seizures, or back problems. Wow, sounds like I am complaining, and that was not the intent of this blog. I was writing about how things are progressing, so let's get to it.
I took today off to get a couple things done, but none of them actually got done, because we had to see the chiropractor, get milk and produce in town, and didn't get home til lunch time. Soooo, when we actually got home and ate lunch, I decided (Sara's idea, good one too) to use the currently empty wood shed for the sheep for the summer, and deal with wood storage later. Since the little lambs are coming really soon, I decided that they needed to be taken care of first.
I retrieved a few windows from a remodel job at work yesterday and installed 2 of them in the wood shed/lamb shed for ventilation and light. Previously, there were no windows, not even a door as it is just some place to stack wood. The boarded walls shrunk pretty well, so that let air in OK, but probably wasn't really bright(like me!)So now we have 2 windows, a door...well a door opening, but no door yet. I put hay down on the floor and partitioned off an area for the lambs about 8'x8' with the other half needing to be cleaned out sometime. This can wait, but needs to be done in the next month or so before I have chickens in there too.
So, we have one less chicken today as yesterday, but he was asking for it. Zebulin, our Buff Cornish rooster, about 14 months old, was getting a little territorial, which is fine to protect his ladies, but wouldn't let me out there to water, feed, or care for the chicks in the brooder. He jumped on me a few times, and I would knock him out with a bat or whatever was handy. I am not one to be mean to an animal, but I was protecting myself. I was really hoping to keep him, but I will not put up with a mean animal, as the kids do most of the chores out that way. After the third time ol' Zeb came after me, he got taken up by the throat and was soon in the dinner pot.
Note to self: skinning chickens is not my thing, leave it to the professionals or anyone besides me as I do not have the patience to do it right.
So, I guess that is it for now. I will write later about the rest of the day, gardening, and the like. Hope all is well for all of you.
Mark
