BeccaOH: Update of just STUFF

[Farmfresh]

I'm feeling tired and dejected. I felt very agitated when I got in the car today to leave for work. All I want to do is spend time at home on my multiple projects, but with a demanding job and other commitments, I'm not getting home now until around dark. I do my basic poultry chores in the dark, then go inside to eat and perhaps run a load of laundry and I'm pretty much done for the day. :/

I'll never by SS at this rate.

Man - oh man! How many times have I heard myself saying this stuff. Almost the EXACT words! There are certainly lots of times like this in everyone's life. Especially with WINTER around the corner!

Get chimney cleaned. Get wood supply in. Get last harvest in. Get plumbing fixed. Clean house. Finish canning. Work on lower kitchen cabinets. Make jelly. .... The list goes on and on - AND many of those things involve money that I don't have to spend or hard physical work and I am broke down!

I have to remind myself (and you too) that there ARE times that I (we) get a LOT accomplished in very little time. Yesterday I went to work, got my truck licensed for another two years and bought bulk supplies for winter from the wholesale club ... for example. That was two MAJOR worries off of my list in only 2 hours of time.

You will have another go-getum day very soon. I think part of the whole SS thing is MAKING lists like the one's we have. If that is the case you are SS already!!

 

[BeccaOH]

Thanks, Farmfresh.

 

[keljonma]

How was the retreat, Becca? That talk you mentioned in my journal that was given by Miss MI of 2002 sounded interesting. How did the rest of your week-end go?

ETA: I cannot do lists - I never feel like I get anything accomplished.

 

[BeccaOH]

Saturday I did take some time to do a few things like pick the peppers and beets, mow the side yard and move the hoop coop.

Moving my mobile hoop coop is harder than I thought it would be. It wouldn't budge with me pushing and pulling, so I hooked up the large lawn mower to it using a tow rope. Moved it about 8 feet to fresh grass, which bent the cattle panels in the process, but not too bad. The bad thing was I didn't move out a pallet I had in the coop, so a cochin got caught between it and the coop frame. I hurt its foot pretty badly. A toe appears broken. It can't put weight on that leg. Pretty stupid of me.

I do enjoy just hanging out with my poultry, talking to them and observing them.

Got 2 call duck eggs this weekend. Man I'd love to try incubating, but I know I shouldn't this time of year. Aly says the one she got wasn't fertile.

 

[keljonma]

How is your cochin chick doing? Healing well, I hope.

We have 39 in the forecast for Oct 1. Brrrr to chilly to be a featherless chick.

 

[Farmfresh]

It is extremely difficult to design a pen that is sturdy enough to withstand predators and yet light enough to be easily mobile. I hope you chicky heals well.

 

[BeccaOH]

How was the retreat, Becca? That talk you mentioned in my journal that was given by Miss MI of 2002 sounded interesting. How did the rest of your week-end go? big_smile

It was good. She spoke for each of the 3 main sessions. Food was awesome (Amish style).

How is your cochin chick doing? Healing well, I hope.

He/she still isn't putting weight on the foot/leg. Seems content in its dog crate, though, and appears to be eating. I put some molasses in its water. I may add liquid baby vitamins next.

It is extremely difficult to design a pen that is sturdy enough to withstand predators and yet light enough to be easily mobile.

I'd like to make another hoop house for turkeys. They don't have a lot of room in the coop and run where they are now. I have 3 turkey in there where I could be housing 9-10 chickens. I'm trying to decide if I go with a couple 4x4s on the hoop house again or use all 2x4s as originally recommended.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

I would go with 2x4's

 

[BeccaOH]

We got our first frost last night, and it was a pretty hard one. My fingers about froze this morning while going around and doing the few morning chores.

Last night I started a frame for a small hoop house. I used screws and got so frustrated trying to get them in. While laying the frame on the ground, I can't get enough leverage and push to get the screw in tight, but the frame is too bulky to try to prop it up and drill without getting the alignment off. When I needed a bigger drill bit than I had on hand, I gave up.

I was in the mood to bake some pumpkin cookies, but tiredness won out and I watched a movie instead.

Made a list of all the chickens I plan to keep over winter. Needed the count so I could figure out the housing. It is a long list. The thing I worry most about is their water freezing. Last year I had one outside dog, two garage cats, and one chicken coop. I had heated waterers for all 3. But this year I have too many coop areas, not enough heated waters, and no way to run that many electric cords to heat them all. I think it is going to be a long winter.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

I know this won't be much help since you work all day, but I rotate out waterers all day long. I don't have any heated waterers, so I am usually out there every 3-4 hours on the coldest days rotating frozen waters for thawed ones.

Would you like some help on the hoop house this evening? If not this evening, tomorrow?

Do you have the drill bit you need or not? If you don't have it, I'll ask E to bring his drill and bits. He has several different sizes, so he may have one you need.