We thought the hardware cloth was going to be the easy part. Ha! If we had a third person to take a photo, you would see me laying in the dirt beneath the coop awkwardly hammering u-nails to tack down the hardware cloth while Bookman sits in the dirt on the other side trying to hold the hardware cloth in place while I hammer. I suppose it isn’t so very hard really, just uncomfortable angles to have to work, not like trying to piece together walls and insulation and then wondering why the door you just cut out doesn’t fit back in the hole you cut it from. I should mention, in case you have no idea what hardware cloth is, it is not actually cloth. It is wire mesh with very small openings so critters like raccoons and possums can’t get their hands inside the run and grab a chicken. We are not using what is traditionally called chicken wire because the openings are much too large, large enough for a chicken head to get pulled through and that would not be good.
There was also the moment when the roost pole we cut ended up being just a little too short because we measured from wall to wall across the floor and not from wall to wall where the roost was going to sit. The coop is nowhere near square, but the chickens aren’t going to care. The humans made do and bought lots of caulk to fill gaps and will be putting up some trim around the windows and other edges. It will pass animal control’s inspection for the chickens, but don’t invite us over to help you build a house or even a barn, at least not if we are the ones in charge. We are, however, creative problem-solvers so that’s something. Because I was outdoors building all weekend, I did not get a chance to make a Dashwood video so the photos will just have to do. Today I gave them dandelion flowers. At first they didn’t give a tail feather about the flower but the stem got them all excited. Eventually I pulled off some petals and offered that and then they decided it was pretty tasty. After they got the hang of pulling flower petals from my fingers, then I offered an entire flower again and they had a grand time shredding it and then chasing whoever managed to claim the middle around the brooder. Squealing and flapping galore! And looking up at me, more please?
Tuesday evening Margaret went “over the top.” I was bringing them dandelion greens and was turned away leaning the screen from on top of the brooder against the wall when Margaret flapped her way up and over the top of the brooder and onto the floor next to me. “Oh shit!” I yelled, expecting Margaret to make a run for it. But she simply stood there, very likely surprised at where she ended up. So I bent over, put my hands on either side of her, holding her wings in while I also scooped my fingers under her, and picked her up. She did not struggle but she complained mightily until I released her back in the brooder. As soon as I let her go she stopped complaining, shuffled her feathers a bit, and acted as though absolutely nothing out of the ordinary had just happened. The rest of the Dashwoods looked at her in a “oh there you are” sort of way and went about their chicken business. It appears in terms of weather we should be able to move them in to Barton Cottage next weekend. The cottage itself will not be painted but it will be warm and dry and that will have to do for now.
Friday Bookman and I were up early for the big plant sale we go to every year. The weather was lovely and the turn out for the sale was even larger than usual because of it. We got in line a little before 7 a.m. to get our wristbands with our group entry number on them. We were in group five and the woman said we would probably get in about 9:20. So off we went to have a hearty breakfast at our favorite cafe. Appetites sated and fully caffeinated, we returned at 9:30 and walked right in.
We’ve been going to the sale for thirteen or fourteen years so we have it down to a science. Zigging and zagging through the crowd, darting in and out to grab plants from the tables, we had everything we wanted, paid, and were heading for the car about 40 minutes later.
Our largest purchase was a North Star cherry tree for the chicken garden. It is a self-fertile tart cherry that is semi-dwarf. It’s just a sapling but unlike apples I don’t think we will have to wait 5-7 years before we get fruit. It was done blossoming so hopefully at the end of July we will get at least a few cherries from it. We’ll see.
Most of the plants we bought are for the green roof of the chicken coop and I will tell you what they are once I get the roof planted, hopefully next weekend. Other plants include a couple of hardy kiwis, another gooseberry — this one without nasty spines and supposedly sweet enough to eat right off the bush — a few herbs — curry plant, shiso, French tarragon — and some shade plants that I hope will multiply beneath the apple trees in my front yard — foamflower, columbine, bleeding heart, wild geranium. Then there were a few other random plants like liatris and an orange phlox. I have only gotten some of these planted, I will be working on getting most of them out through the week as weather permits.
We did plant seeds: peas, peas and more peas, cauliflower, Swiss chard, kale, and chicory (aka Italian dandelion). As the week progresses I hope to get more seeds in the ground. So much to do still!
Which means between the coop and the planting, I will very likely be quiet this week. Unless it turns out to be stormy like the forecast is threatening. Sometimes you just never know.
A very happy Mother’s Day to moms everywhere whether your children be human or furred or feathered.
If your life keeps leading you back to U-tacks, a staple gun is a good investment. Some years back we actually recovered dining chairs with them.
LikeLike
Sue, thanks for the tip! Hopefully after this my life will be u-tack free for a really really long time!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m exhausted after reading about your weekend! I think I need a nap!
My cousin just got twelve chicks and has invited us up to her farm to see them before they get too big. She’s a veterinarian, so her chickens, like yours, always live long, happy lives and never end up as fried chicken. I’m looking forward to meeting the new bunch, and talking to the older ladies in the coop. I also get to play with her sheep, cats, and Bernese Mountain dog, and to sit on the deck and watch the birds.
LikeLike
Joan, I was tired too and since the nights are comfortably cool yet, I slept really well! What fun! Four chicks are so entertaining I can’t imagine how much more amusing 12 will be! Have fun playing with all the animals and watching the birds!
LikeLike
My traditional mother’s day gift is hanging pots of flowers to put out on our deck. This year Ron got me “gray” petunias from Eleanor (old joke–they’re really pale purple and the tag says “silver”), some yellow flowers from Walker, and some red ones from him, because I like red the best. Then I got to go and pick out some geraniums and a hibiscus for the other pots I put out on our deck. I also bought some dill and potted it for Walker as a surprise for when he gets home from Russia on June 6. Evidently he’s become very fond of the flavor of it over there.
LikeLike
Jeanne, what a lovely tradition! Dill huh? I have a love/hate thing with it. I had no idea it was such a popular flavor in Russia!
LikeLike
Oh look at that lovely floor in Barton Cottage!
I am really impressed. I can’t wait until they move in. And you can build me a house any time! 🙂
LikeLike
Helen, heh, I know, pretty fancy. It was a scrap piece of vinyl flooring we had from a long ago that finally got put to use!
LikeLike
Is the chicory you bought the same stuff they put in coffee? And if I may, a follow-up: Will you be putting it in your coffee?
LikeLike
Jenny, no, it is not the same kind of chicory that is used as a coffee substitute. This variety is grown for the greens. I’ve had chicory coffee before and while it is tasty it is definitely no substitute for the real thing!
LikeLike
You guys got so much done! And the Dashwoods look like they’ve grown more. Love it!
LikeLike
Iliana, we were so tired but so happy to have gotten so much done. We are now halfway done with the wire around the run. So close to moving the Dashwoods into their home!
LikeLike
How exciting–a roof garden! I can’t wait to see it. I admire your gardening work–and it takes all my efforts to imagine one planter these days. I think it could be scary if I caught the gardening bug as I tend to obsess over new hobbies, but so far my porch is pretty darn plain. I was thinking how nice a line of herb pots would be on the porch rail–you never know. The coop is looking terrific! If you ever decide to give up your day job, you and Bookman could make chicken coops! 😉
LikeLike
Danielle, it will be a mix of perennials and annuals for a little while until I figure out what works and what doesn’t, but I am very excited about it. I think some herbs on your porch would be lovely and I believe you have a few to help you get started 😉 I hope I never have to build another coop!
LikeLike
I love and I mean LOVE the flooring! 😉
LikeLike
cirtnecce, heh, it is scrap vinyl flooring. There will be straw on top of it but it will make things so much easier to clean. 🙂
LikeLike