Guys here we go, day two of committing to this publication of Dirt Hippie happenings!
I figure at this point we can just jump right in and where better than with a current on going project? THE LAYER. Wait what? Why did I just answer a rhetorical question? More importantly why did I answer it with the phrase “the layer”? Welllll because the current project is the new fancy chicken mansion! clears throat Did I say mansion out loud? I mean chicken coop! Don’t let my Dad or Garrett know I recognize the grand gesture of this chicken coop we have been building the past few weekends. Any how I think I’m wildly hilarious and punny, when in fact I AM a big fat nerd to the core. So you see what I did their the layer, as in egg layer not lair like the evil villains lair. Okay let’s move on quickly and pretend I didn’t just go there.
Do you remember in my intro when I vaguely mention Garrett’s admirable ability to handle and support all of my spontaneous decisions? Yeah about that…. One of THOSE decisions are what lead to the building of a luxurious chicken abode.
Story time! One weekend morning around 9:30am my sweet crazy mother (Tracy) called me asking if I’d accompany her to North 40. Of course I said yes! Not only can I not resist a trip to the feed store, but a chance to get out during this Covid-19 crisis and buy some much needed garden supplies, heck yes count me in! Me “Hey they have chicks…” Mom “Yeah I’m going to grab some to free range”. In hind sight I knew in this exact moment I was definitely coming home with some chicks. However in the moment I was trying to convince myself (quiet poorly might I add) that “I might possibly commit to getting some chicks but only if it feels right in the moment, you never know maybe you won’t want them.” Hahahaha Then I left with 5 brand new baby chicks. THE END.
Okay not the end I guess. Technically more like THE BEGINNING! Lets fast forward through the first four weeks of their life and talk about what happened next. Lets call this chapter two, well I suppose part two is more fitting. BABY CHICKS PART TWO. Okay here we go. So referring to my mama again here, she is the sweetest. She had this romantic idea that I would let her keep giving me some of her chick starter. Her words “just give me free eggs when they grow up to pay me back, you don’t need to buy a whole bag of feed for only five chicks”. So me being the self sufficient, self supporting hard headed daughter she raised I went back to North 40. Yup you heard me right. I willingly returned to my kryptonite. Do you guys know what the keep next to the bags of chick starter? The chick starter I was going to “get in and get out” with? You guessed it, MORE new shipments of baby chicks. You know what I found in those wood stackers that I (cough cough) accidently looked in? FIVE of the SIX remaining breeds I was hoping to someday acquire! I’m a big fan of the universe and this, wow was this not a sign? This felt right. This was a sign from the universe. Let me tell you how flattered I am that she took the time out of her packed schedule to personally serenade me with these five new feathered treasures!
So fast forward to PART THREE. That’s now, we are in part three right now. Baby chicks round one are around 5 almost 6 weeks and we are getting full feather now. We are moving from chicks to teenagers haha the kids are growing up and don’t want to share their small (brooder) bedroom for much longer. Commence the building of the chicken mansion (face palm) CHICKEN COOP, I really need to stop with the mansion thing before it’s a habit and slips to my free labor. So more about this coop. We are going with a 10×6 for the structural part of their grand setup. They have some nest boxes built, they have debatably nicer flooring inside their COOP (caught myself that time) than I do in my house. The door is made the windows are in and the roofing is installed. What’s left? A roost is a must and a fan favorite of any chicken in the history of coop and free range history. I’ve personally took on this aspect of the project. The roost will be made from old dried and bark stripped cedar branches from the farm.
When you hear me reference “The Farm” I’m implying my childhood home. We used to call it March Ranch but post divorce of Tracy (mother) Lonnie (step dad, DAD) it has since been renamed Mt. Top Havanese. Which makes perfect sense to anyone half reasonable, as my mom raises and breeds Havanese. My sisters still have few goats but at no professional or competitive nature like previously. The cattle comes and goes. Two llamas remain and the occasional hog resides by the orchard. You are probably wondering where I’m going with this. So ill appease the curiosity, it doesn’t feel the same to call it March Ranch considering nearly everything has changed, yet it also doesn’t quiet feel right to call it Mt. Top Havanese. I mean how can it be Mt. Top it is March Ranch. No it was March Ranch now it IS Mt. Top Havanese BUT to ME it is the farm. The farm is partly at the top of my family’s personal mountain as well as partly a flat field. Oddly enough in the most fitting way ever (the universe at it again) the property is split by two county lines matching the topographic changes.
Back on task here. Actually just really fast before we are back on task let me just mention in these early blog posts ill do my best to accentuate moments that may delve deeper into who I am and what makes my life up. Like the little snip bit on “The Farm” above. Any who back on task for real now! To wrap up this chicken coop scoop, I am painting it this weekend. We’re going for a fun modern farmhouse look. White with black carriage style hardware. I’ll hopefully have our adolescent group in there by Sunday night just in time for the new week to begin our new normal schedule. The younger 5 will stay inside under the heat lamp in their brooder. Then all that will be left from there is making the outer run and a nice sturdy yet mobile chicken tractor they can enjoy on the weekends. Upon some research I’ve made my decision to purchase the $265 Chicken Guard automated chicken door not only to protect their sweet little feathery existence but also to protect my weekends and freedom!
Have the best clucking day! (see I told you I’m puny)
Be present, be mindful and enjoy EVERYTHING.
Goodbye until next time guys.
Xxx Miriah
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