Category Archives: On The Farm

Tour of the Coop de Ville

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I enjoy walking out to my chicken house this time of year, a few years ago I planted honeysuckle along the north fence of the chicken run.  The varieties blooming now are  Mandarin and Goldflame honeysuckle.  The Halls Japanese variety hasn’t started blooming yet, but it’s loaded with buds.  It is my favorite, as it’s the most fragrant.

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Welcome to the coop de ville!

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This is my feed room.  The plastic trash cans hold plenty of layer and scratch grain, also keeps any critters from getting into the feed.

I especially love my galvanized bucket chandelier.  When I asked Mr. Farmer to help me put it up his reply was, “you want me to what with this bucket?”

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Some photos of the pictures in the feed room of the girls and boys. DSC01175

left to right –  Earl, Orville and Wilt

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Mr. Farmer also made this horseshoe paper towel holder!

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I made the grit dispenser out of a small cake pan and PVC pipe.  The girls enjoy looking at themselves in the mirror.

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The little pink chicken door is great.  It’s on a timer so I don’t have to go out and open it early in the morning, of course it shuts at night, keeping them safe from any varmits.  I found it on the internet and no it didn’t come pink, I painted it!

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I’ll post pictures of their outdoor run when it’s not so muddy and all the plants (that they don’t eat) are blooming.

 

 

 

Still Winter

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Someone heard what the forecast for today was and didn't want to get up.

Someone heard what the forecast for today was and didn’t want to get up.

William and Bill are warm and dry waiting for breakfast.

William and Bill are warm and dry waiting for breakfast.

Champ is always first in line for a meal.

Champ is always first in line for a meal.

The chickens won't go outside until the snow stops. Hilda is in detention again, little broody girl! I let her out daily for a little while. Put her out in the garden for a dust bath when it was so nice Tuesday.

The chickens won’t go outside until it stops snowing. Hilda is in detention again, little broody girl! I let her out daily for a little while. Put her out in the garden for a dust bath when it was so nice Tuesday.

Wylie did finally get up. He likes doing chores in the Ranger.

Wylie did finally get up. He likes doing chores in the Ranger.

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The snowflakes are so big and beautiful, but it is awful windy. This is the view I like-inside looking out.

The snowflakes are so big and beautiful, but it is awful windy. This is the view I like-inside looking out.

Dog Days of Winter?

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Kansas sunrise with double sundogs. I would much rather have the "dog days of summer" than winter! I guess it's mother nature's way of showing us the beauty in the 12 inches of snow.

Kansas sunrise with double sundogs. I would much rather have the “dog days of summer” than winter! I guess it’s mother nature’s way of showing us the beauty in the 12 inches of snow.

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It was an adventure doing chores. The horses, goats and chickens tolerated the heavy snow, blowing winds and sub zero temperatures, well maybe with the exception of....

It was an adventure doing chores. Everyone –  horses, goats and chickens tolerated the heavy snow, blowing winds and sub-zero temperatures, well maybe with the exception of….

Wylie, the snow was deeper than he is and if there wasn't a path to follow he had to be carried. His little feet get so cold that he will just stop, sit and raise his paw, that's a sign for me to come back and carry him.

Wylie, the snow was deeper than he is and if there wasn’t a path to follow he had to be carried. His little feet get so cold that he will just stop, sit and raise his paw, that’s a sign for me to come back and carry him.

Around the Farm January 5

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I’m going to use my Farmers’ Almanac to start a fire. How could they be right in predicting this cold snowy weather?!? I don’t know how much snow we received as it’s blowing and drifting. Wylie and I went out this morning at 4:30 ( his idea not mine) and was surprised that the paper had been delivered. We didn’t go back out until 9 to do our chores, that way the hens would be done laying their eggs. They are still keeping us supplied with plenty of eggs! I didn’t let them outside today, it’s way to windy and cold, we would have to shovel their run again, as they don’t like their feet in the snow. They are very comfortable and content in their coop. Always glad to see me because I’m giving them lots of extra healthy and nutritious treats, meal worms, homemade flock block, and some milo heads that we gathered after they harvested the field.

The goats are doing fine. They have their hay hut, which Bill uses to get over the fence into the horses hay.

Enjoy the pictures, I’m staying inside the rest of the day (maybe) cooking comfort food, old fashion pot roast with potatoes, carrots and onions and butterscotch pudding.

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Wylie is 3

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It doesn’t seem possible that Wylie is 3. He is such a wonderful companion and has added so much to our family. He enjoyed is lamb and rice “cake” with mashed potato “frosting”.

Happy Birthday Wylie

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Farmer Days December

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The beautiful Christmas season is over and we are gradually returning to everyday day winter life on the farm. It was so wonderful spending the holiday with family. May God bless us and keep us safe, healthy and happy in the days to come.

Here are a few photos from a very cold and wintery Kansas.

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Thursday August 8, 2013

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” Happy Birthday” to my Brother.  Have a wonderful day.

Inside Tour

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My day starts out at 5:30 am when Wylie and I go out and get the newspaper. We then walk over to the coop and wake up the rooster when we open the door to the run. We go back to the house, Wylie goes back to bed, but I stay up. It's around 7:30 when I head back out to feed and clean up the coop.

My day starts out at 5:30 am when Wylie and I go out and get the newspaper. We then walk over to the coop and wake up the rooster when we open the door to the run. We go back to the house, Wylie goes back to bed, but I stay up. It’s around 7:30 when I head back out to feed and clean up the coop.

 

The feed room is the first room you walk into when entering the coop. I store the layer and scratch grain in the large blue containers. The small green containers hold the grit and oyster shell. The chicken treats of mealworms are in the little pink bag. In the far pink bucket are my cleaning supplies.

The feed room is the first room you walk into when entering the coop. I store the layer and scratch grain in the large blue containers. The small green containers hold the grit and oyster shell. The chicken treats of mealworms are in the little pink bag. In the far pink bucket are my cleaning supplies.

 

Another view of the feed room. I use pine and cedar chip for the coop floor. It's easier than raking up straw and of course the pine and cedar smell so good.

Another view of the feed room. I use pine and cedar chip for the coop floor. It’s easier than raking up straw and of course the pine and cedar smell so good.

 

One of my favorite products is Nesting Box Blend. I add it to the nesting boxes and sprinkle some on the floor. It contains lavender, chamomile, bay leaves, eucalyptus leaves, oregano, peppermint, tansy, wormwood, marigold petals, spearmint and catnip. It repells pest and is an anti-mite preventive. It wards off bugs, is also antifungal, antiseptic, soothing and healing. It's no wonder I am relaxed and calm after I clean the coop! I get the nesting box blend from a company called "Treats for Chickens". They have a lot of other products that the girls love such as Chicken Crack and Worms and Harvest Flakes.

One of my favorite products is Nesting Box Blend. I add it to the nesting boxes and sprinkle some on the floor. It contains lavender, chamomile, bay leaves, eucalyptus leaves, oregano, peppermint, tansy, wormwood, marigold petals, spearmint and catnip. It repells pest and is an anti-mite preventive. It wards off bugs, is also antifungal, antiseptic, soothing and healing. It’s no wonder I am relaxed and calm after I clean the coop! I get the nesting box blend from a company called “Treats for Chickens”. They have a lot of other products that the girls love such as Chicken Crack and Worms and Harvest Flakes.

 

These are some of the products that I use daily. For fly control, I use a mixture of Melaleuca products, 1 tsp of Tough and Tender, 1 tsp of Renew Bath Oil, and 10 drops of T36-C5 Melaleuca Oil (tea tree oil). I disinfect the walls and roost daily with Sol-U-Guard, another Melaleuca product. Anti-Icky-Poo is a great odor control. It is a live bacteria to eliminate any organic bacteria. Anti-Icky-Poo's friendly microbes eats away the source of odor and eliminates the problem from returning. I also put apple cider vinegar in their water. ACV causes an alkaline effect which reduces the likelihood of illness and helps to support the immune system. I enjoy using these products and they are all safe for the environment and pets, and they really, really work! If you are interested in Melaleuca, let me know as I can get you in touch with some wonderful people who would be more than happy to help you get starting with Melaleuca.

These are some of the products that I use daily. For fly control, I use a mixture of Melaleuca products, 1 tsp of Tough and Tender, 1 tsp of Renew Bath Oil, and 10 drops of T36-C5 Melaleuca Oil (tea tree oil). I disinfect the walls and roost daily with Sol-U-Guard, another Melaleuca product. Anti-Icky-Poo is a great odor control. It is a live bacteria to eliminate any organic bacteria. Anti-Icky-Poo’s friendly microbes eats away the source of odor and eliminates the problem from returning. I also put apple cider vinegar in their water. ACV causes an alkaline effect which reduces the likelihood of illness and helps to support the immune system.
I enjoy using these products and they are all safe for the environment and pets, and they really, really work!
If you are interested in Melaleuca, let me know as I can get you in touch with some wonderful people who would be more than happy to help you get starting with Melaleuca.

 

I have a lot of help, or maybe they are inspecting the coop to see that I am doing a good job. I love the pine roost that Jack, my interior coop designer built for them.

I have a lot of help, or maybe they are inspecting the coop to see that I am doing a good job. I love the pine roost that Jack, my interior coop designer built for them.

 

Another pine roost and the nesting boxes. I have a whole wall full of boxes, but we only have 3 open as you only need 1 box per 5 birds. Blocking them off keeps the chickens out of them, so I don't have to clean them up!

Another pine roost and the nesting boxes. I have a whole wall full of boxes, but we only have 3 open as you only need 1 box per 5 birds. Blocking them off keeps the chickens out of them, so I don’t have to clean them up!

Ramblings

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There is always something beautiful in nature. I love being able to see the sun rise, the moon, storms in the distance and this year I've seen so many rainbows. Sights like these make you slow down and let you reconnect with the beauty that surrounds you.

There is always something beautiful in nature. I love being able to see the sun rise, the moon, storms in the distance and this year I’ve seen so many rainbows. Sights like these make you slow down and let you reconnect with the beauty that surrounds you.

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I'm really enjoying the garden this year. The tomatoes are slow in setting on, but when we get some they are so delicious. The cucumbers are doing well, and we are enjoying them with vinegar,sugar and some oil. The basil is really doing great, I put in 7 plants and I have made a lot of pesto. The other night I combined basil, parsley, garlic, Dijon mustard, lemon juice and oil as a marinade for shrimp and grilled them. The beets are almost gone, have pulled all the onions, the peas were wonderful, that season doesn't last long enough, and we are just waiting on the okra. See the dill right behind Wylie, that was where the rescued caterpillar was relocated. I was so disappointed that I missed seeing it come out of its cocoon.

I’m really enjoying the garden this year. The tomatoes are slow in setting on, but when we get some they are so delicious. The cucumbers are doing well, and we are enjoying them with vinegar,sugar and some oil. The basil is really doing great, I put in 7 plants and I have made a lot of pesto. The other night I used basil, parsley, garlic, Dijon mustard, lemon juice and oil as a marinade for shrimp and grilled them. The beets are almost gone, have pulled all the onions, the peas were wonderful, that season doesn’t last long enough, and we are just waiting on the okra.
See the dill right behind Wylie, that was where the rescued caterpillar was relocated. I was so disappointed that I missed seeing it come out of its cocoon.

This is one of the windy day dust storms. Thankfully we've been getting some moisture and now the soybeans are up and he field is no longer blowing.

This is one of the windy day dust storms. Thankfully we’ve been getting some moisture and now the soybeans are up and the field is no longer blowing.