It's not as big as we had originally thought, but the coop is now built and ready for it's new inhabitants. It just needs to be painted and spruced up a little for it's feathered residents, but other than that, it is ready to go. And it didn't take that long to put together. It was nice that we were all able to work outside together to get it done and it solidified the reasoning behind why we are doing things like this (getting chickens, homeschooling). It reminded us that we are a strong family unit, that our time together is precious, and that we can accomplish anything. We are able to come closer together and work hard to achieve a common goal. The Hubs certainly felt a deeper understanding of how people who actually live and work on a farm are able to fill their days with chores and projects that need to be done around a homestead. Although our home is a far cry from large acreage and a working farm, it is still our homestead (now with chickens!), and with our expanded garden (soon to be 24'x24' with bordering containers), it is enough to fill our days and add the goal of simplifying our lives through honest, country living.
You know, when we first invested in chickens, I didn't think that they would be a bother. And, honestly, they aren't. Not really. But they do have attitudes. Especially Roxie and Molly. They both are trying their hardest to be Mother Hen (although Molly is taking the lead in that race). And the chicks are ALL growing so fast. I'm surprised at the rate that they are getting their big girl feathers and losing their fluff. Their wings are almost filled in completely and they have the cutest little tail feathers. The problem with them having big girl wings, however, is that they are learning that they can actually...well, fly. They don't fly like a robin, of course, but they are able to flutter enough to escape their brood box and make their way around the shower and spread their pine shaving every which way. I can only hope that they don't figure out how to open the shower door. Then we are really doomed...
Well, we have picked up the chicks. They are completely adorable and I have to remind myself that we cannot allow ourselves to become too attached, because, as adorable as they are, they will eventually become dinner. I have to confess, though, that holding them and caring for them is amazing. They are so small and fragile and already I can feel my heart strings being tugged. But, the reality of it is, they are for a purpose. They are for eggs and eventually food. I think that is going to be a difficult part of our transition into country living, knowing that we have to butcher something living in order to provide food for the table. I can only hope that when the time comes, both the Monk and I can remain as pragmatic about this process as we have been when we set upon it.
Well, the coop has been ordered and is on its way. We are out to get the chicks this weekend and start them in a brood box in the house until they grow big enough to be set outside in the coop. I have so many ideas running through my mind about how I want to paint and decorate the coop (I know, who thinks about these things? Apparently I do.). Since this is a such a new experience for us, I want our coop to be cool and interesting. I also don't want it to be just another eyesore in our backyard (which, truth be told, is what all of the backyard really is at the moment - one big eyesore), so I want to add some color and fun to what is actually just a big square of dirt. Hopefully, if the coop (and the garden fence) are colorful and cool, then it will help us to be more inspired to fix up the backyard more quickly.
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Family FunHere are the posts that I will keep of all of our family fun moments. We try to have them a lot and really enjoy our time together (esp. since we know that little ones become big so quickly). Archives
July 2015
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