Chicken count: 56 + 5

   Well, we lost another meat chicken.  She was the smallest.  For the last three days she was really slow, and when she would sit, the others would literally walk on her instead of around.  Poor girl.  She was eating and drinking, though, so we let her be, but in the morning she was gone.  I don't like losing animals, even when I know they're going to end up in my freezer.  She didn't have any obvious injuries, and no discharge or any other sign of illness.  Just sort of slowed down and died.  I suppose I should have cut her open to see what I could find, something like Justin Rhodes did with his fat chicken.  A chicken autopsy.  Okay, that just sounds funny, and it's sad to lose a chicken.  Moving on.

   So, my meat chicken count is down to 56.  On the other hand.... I got my egg layer chicks! Five blackie mixes.  I don't know what - I think Black Austrolorp?  The fertilized eggs went to a friend who incubated them (in her machine, not herself, of course, that would be really funny) and gave me 5 chicks.  They are so cute. 

   Yesterday I spent the rainy morning sewing up some blankets, and the somewhat sunny afternoon finishing my tree cutting adventure from the other day.  Now I have four limbs to make posts and some cross pieces to attempt a "rustic" arbor by the road to grow my clematis on, and a bunch of Y branches for a shelf project.  I don't do well with cold, so having something to do inside and outside is almost a necessity for me in the spring and fall.  Not that I don't have plenty to do already, but these are things that have been floating around in my head, and as long as I have to cut trees down, I better get my materials while the gettin's good!

   I've got two recipes to share from last week, and all the pictures of the meat broiler coop.  Speaking of which, I hope the sun comes out sometime today.  I have to fix the roof since the wind blew it off the hinges. It's currently tied down in the front, like normal, and permanently screwed in at the back.  And it is super windy right now.  That is going to bear trying to hold it and get the food in, let alone hold it up to fix it.  Fixing it might be a wait till Hubby gets home so I have 4 hands project.  I'll have 4 and 2 half hands if I get Handsome Boy involved.  Plus it's chilly and sprinkly/rainy outside - not my kind of weather.

   Guess it's a day for more sewing, staining, and organizing my hiking pack, at least until the wind dies down.  Glad I can still get something done!

Joyfully yours,
K