The Chicken and the Cat, and other stuff

Tweet

Cat (Pepsi) likes laying by the chicken run.  (I'm sure she's secretly dreaming of being IN the chicken run but . . .)

Martha is quite interested in cat too.

I always know where I can find her now!

I have lots of apples on my two trees, however, I don't spray them so they won't be very good.  I figure, the deer and the horses like them and now, I have some for the chickens.

See that nice long roosting pole that I found for the corner of their run?

Well, they're getting a little heavier now, and tonight I found it broken in half!  

So I'm on the hunt for another!

Yesterday I finally got the second half of the tarp on the top of my pen.  It won't keep all the rain out as it blows in from the left but it'll help.

Now, I've got to figure out how to make them a chicken tractor so they can venture out in the yard sometimes.

Be good, have fun and I'll talk to you tomorrow!

I'm linking up with Outdoor Wednesday.
http://asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.com/

Shirley

I've Got Beans

Tweet

Well, a couple anyway!

I don't think I have enough for a good helping.

Well, I planted them mostly for shade up the side of the chicken run.  

I threw one to the chickens and they don't seem to like the beans??

Picky chickens.

Shirley

A Couple Days in My Life

Tweet

The last couple days I've gone to the barn and ridden Preacher and Echo.  Also my daughter, Michele, came out and we rode together.  Yesterday after riding with a woman from the barn, 3 of my new barn  friends from the new barn went out for a late lunch.  Then Sarah came back and did a training session with Echo.  She worked with him on the ground going over poles and in a maze of those swim noodles.  He is still very frightened at times of things around his legs.  At one point a storm went over including hard rain, thunder and lightning and hale!  I don't think Echo even heard that, he was too concentrated on the stuff on the ground.  Sorry I didn't take photos.

Today I stayed home and did things around here.

It rained a little this morning but then got nice, sunny and cooler.

The little barn cat is making herself very much at home here.  The dogs are interested in her but not to the point of chasing her away.

Here's Rocky pointing her in the garage.

Monk gets yelled at when he goes in the garage because he keeps knocking everything over!!  (Not that he's clumsy!!!) So he's watching from the safety of the deck!

Here's little Pepsi, just lounging around.

I got this suet basket and put some veggies and fruit in there inside the chicken's run.

The cat sits back by the chickens and watches them and they watch her.

This is Dottie, my silver laced wyandotte.  I'm so hoping she isn't a cockerel since her comb seems to be a little redder than the others!

A few of my girls.

Have a nice day!!
Shirley

New Home for Barn Kitty

Tweet

When we moved to our last barn we took two barn kitties with us.

Pepsi and her mother (we just called her Gray Kitty)

Pepsi is friendly for an outside barn cat but the mother is almost feral.  We had them both spade before moving them.

Now they are losing their home so I went up and caught Pepsi and brought her to my house.  I doubt if we will ever catch Gray Kitty.  Last time we had to use live traps and the barn owner won't go to that much trouble I'm sure.  If any, that cat will do OK, fending for itself.

I put Pepsi in a large wire dog cage in my garage for a couple days.  By this morning she wanted out of there.  I made an attempt to transfer her to my basement for a few days but she got away.  Not far, she is staying close and knows where the food is.  

This is Monk inspecting the new arrival.

This is after the escape!

Meeting Miss Ellie.  Ellie wasn't at all nice; just growled at her and wanted to go in.  It was good she didn't chase Pepsi either time I had them together.  Ellie's "nose is out of joint"!

She's knows where the food and water is and has gone back in the garage several times.

I'm sure she is scratching fleas!  She will certainly not be allowed inside until we get some flea medicine on her!!

She seems very content on my property.  She shouldn't be bored; she has chickens to watch, a hummingbird feeder to watch, good food and two dogs and a grouchy cat to contend with!  

Shirley

Had To Call The Police!

Tweet

Well, I had an interesting morning

!

I went out to let my chickens out in the run which I did but when I went to open the man door to the coop, the key would not go into the padlock and I couldn't get into the coop.  Heaven knows I can't climb through the pop door everyday to clean!!

I ate some breakfast and hunted for some silicon spray thinking that may help.  I know I must have some but of course I couldn't find any.  So it was off to TSC to get some and another type of lock.

I squirted the silicon into the padlock but the key would only go halfway in no matter how I jiggled it.

Now, this was getting serious!  My husband was a cop so I knew I probably needed a pair of bolt cutters!  No, I didn't have them either.  So I did what any good cop's wife (widow) would do.  I called my township police department!  I told the dispatcher my problem which she was very nice about and sent a two man police car right over and along with them was someone from the building dept. with the bolt cutters!

The nice police man couldn't open it with the keys either but when the fellow from the building dept. tried he got it open without having to cut it.  We all had a good laugh and they couldn't believe how big my chickens were at 8 weeks!  The one cop couldn't believe I had to lock out the predators, namely raccoons.  The other guy said oh yes, they are the smartest creatures!

Yes they are!

Sorry no pictures, I didn't think the cops would appreciate their photos on my blog  : ))

Shirley

The Decorated Coop

Tweet

I'm linking this post with "Show & Tell Saturday"

http://www.bedifferentactnormal.com/


I have been slowly doing little things to decorate my chicken coop.  The other day before the 97 degree weather hit us again, I went out in the morning and stenciled the outside.  I used to stencil for people in their homes so I have a lot of stencil patterns.  I had forgotten how fun and really quite quick it is to do.

I just did some ivy vines on the outside.  I plan on stenciling around the ceiling on the inside too (after it gets a little cooler.)  I don't know what stencil I'll use for there.

My brother-in-law made me the cute window and little window box.

I just have to say here that I LOVE my power drill/screwdriver!!  I don't know what I'd do without it.  I have a chop saw too but I'm too "chicken" to use it!

I didn't know what to put in the window so I just got a piece of plexiglass and some cute chicken photos and put them on some matt board.

OK, now you've got to help me.  I have an old piece of board that I want to letter the name of my coop on.  Trouble is, I don't know what to name it.

Please tell me any ideas you have.

I've thought of these so far:

The Breakfast Club

Twelve Yolks  (after Twelve Oaks from Gone With the Wind)

Fluffy Butt Inn

Cluck Med

Motel Chix

You get the idea . . .

Please help!

Look how big they're getting.  They're 11 weeks old.

They are past that goofy looking stage now and have a lot of their beautiful feathers.

Just chillin' here with the girls.

P.S.  My sister just came up with some:
Corwin's Cluckers
Hen Den
Cackle Shack (a play off "Caddie Shack")
Egg-a-day Chalet
The Egg Plant
Hen's Rule Ranch


I'm liking Cackle Shack since I'm surrounded by a golf course, my late husband golfed, my son golfs and most importantly my coop builder, Steve, is a avid golfer!!!!


Shirley

Favorite Blog Sites: BNOTP

Tweet

I have to list this blog at the top of my favorites.  It's the blog that got me started blogging about 3 years ago.  I'm sure most of the bloggers out there that look at decorating type blogs knows about Susan's blog:  Between Naps On The Porch.

http://betweennapsontheporch.net/my-nest/

I chose this photo because shortly after I saw it, I copied it!  I went to some garage sales, bought a couple old chairs painted them white, distressed them and got my geranium plants.  I was impressed!

I think one of my very first blogs has my rendition of it pictured!!

The inside of Susan's home is so beautiful and her decorating talent is amazing.

She's also the one who started me tablescaping!!!!

So take a look, bookmark her, but come on back to me!

Shirley

Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

Tweet

I found these cute bird dishes last year at Good Will.  Unfortunately there were only 3 sets but I got them anyway.  I've been wanting to fix a meal on the deck or in the yard with them but it's either been, too hot, too windy or too buggy!

Today I fixed Chicken and Dumplings in the Crock Pot.  Easy Peasy!

I used 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts. (I cut them in serving size pieces.)

I diced up one onion and put it on top next.

Then I used two cans of creamed chicken or celery (or whatever you have), then I poured a can of low sodium chicken broth over the top.

I let that cook on high for about 4-5 hours. 

Near the end I added some already steamed peas and carrots.

I used Grand Biscuits, cut them in fourths and put them onto the bubbling gravy.

I left them in there about half an hour till I was sure they were cooked on the inside.

They swelled and covered the top.

That's it, all done.

This is an easy filling meal.

(And it made lots of freezable leftovers for me  : ))

Have a great weekend.  Enjoy the summer!

Shirley

I'm linking this post with: 

http://www.flourmewithlove.com/

http://www.blessedwithgrace.net/

http://mizhelenscountrycottage.blogspot.com/

http://designsbygollum.blogspot.com/