Saturday, February 11, 2012

You can take the boy out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the boy!!

I may live in town, but I like my critters   I have had chickens for 50 years  and I missed them.  I have a nice garden shed, with windows, new roof,  cement floor, nicest chicken coop I ever had!


Pigeons are not cuddly and prefer to be left alone. So I sold them and got some chickens. Hens greet me as they come running for scraps and treats.....so I could say I got them for my granddaughter Nessie, but I got them for me too.  I use 9 raw eggs a day in my feeding tube slurries, so I have 12 Buff Orpington 3 month old pullets
I know better, but they have a heat lamp= our crazy winter...35 degree days and now -9, they are more comfortable and less feed goes to staying warm.  They still peep a bit and lay under the heat lamp. They haven't discovered the roost yet.

But by Spring they will look like this and fill the basket with big brown eggs!

My city allows 3 hens by permit. So I asked my neighbor if he would be OK with chickens...they will be confined.  he said fine by him. So I am unpermitted and have slightly more than 3 hens! No loud roosters though, The soiled bedding makes excellent mulch and fertilizer, last year my roses bloomed all summer!

We have about 2 inches of snow on the ground, most days its been warm, most of the winter has been one big "Spring is coming" tease.  I have a busy Spring planned, I will bring in a pickup load of shrubs/perrennials from the farm, my white board fence to put up around the back yard, garden arbors to make, some trees to plant...plans and more plans...and 7 nursery catalogues with pages marked!

Warm winter days I have walked down town, got a few items in my back pack,,,its a 2 mile round trip  so I am staying fit.  Family is close. My mom lives 6 blocks south of me, and my street is the way down town. So she comes by, picks me up and we go shopping, rummage sales and to the Y to exercise.  My mom is 76 and she started going to the Y at age 50 she is a very young and healthy 76!

So life is good.  I miss the country and sheep some, but the change was for the better. My limited vision won't allow me to drive, so  I felt isolated out on the farm. Living on the edge of town suits me.

Appreciate what you have

Till next time
Jerry

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