February 12, 2015 - National Plum Pudding Day

"It is not failure that stops most people, but rather the belief that failure is permanent. Failure is nothing more than a storm in the weather forecast for the week—it comes and it goes, and it waters next season’s yield because it teaches us where we can improve" - Jake Ducey

Chicken Chronicles - Day 2

Last Night I checked on the flock right before it got dark and they were still on the ground walking around, after it got dark I went out and found that two of the hens were in the loft and the other five were packed like sardines on the flat platform just outside the entrance to the loft. I was going to leave them there so I went back in and watched some more TV. A couple of hours later I decided that I wanted them inside the loft so I could protect them from any night time predators. I went out to move them inside the loft and I entered the coop closed the door too far and it latched from the outside, WHAT THE @@@@! Oh man I felt so stupid… I had thought about this happening and had stuck sticks in the latch before but this time I didn't give it a thought, well first things first, I got the chickens into the loft, and couldn't close that door from inside so I needed to get out of the coop. Well I'll just kick the door open and fix what ever damage I cause. Kick, kick, kick, kick, kick, WHO made this coop so strong! Think, Think, Think…. I figured since I can't kick the door open and Herc won't help maybe I can punch through the wire, punch, ouch, punch, ouch, punch, ouch, punch, through the wire and I could reach one latch. WHO put two latches on this door? Punch, ouch, punch, ouch, punch, ouch, punch, through the wire and I could reach other latch. I'm Free! Closed the loft door and the flock is safe, now this door needs some help but I have wire left over so all I have to do is fix it. Did I mention that it's 9:30, Dark and COLD! Took the door off at the hinges and went up to the porch where there is light, made the repairs and rehung the door. 

This morning I woke up and looked at the phone, 20 degrees! It was just starting to get light so I crawled out of my nice warm bed, got dressed and took Herc out to made his deposits, I went to let the chickens out of the loft and saw the waterer was frozen, I guess you need to plug in the heated waterer for it work. I busted the ice out and rehung the waterer and plugged it in. WHO wanted chickens? 

Herc was more than ready to go back into the house so I took him in and went back out to let the chickens out, they were in no hurry to come out of their loft so I went in and got warm myself. A half hour later more or less the flock was out and about so I went back out and checked them out, all of them looked fine so I took a look in the loft and nest boxes.

After the day they had I didn't expect any eggs, but I found three, alright, I WANTED chickens!