Keep an eye on your girls!

 One of the best things about having animals, is the time that you take to sit back and enjoy them having fun.  It brings a smile to your face, lowers your blood pressure, and calms you right down.  You also learn about their personalities.  Each chicken I have is completely different from each other in personality, and yet they all get along.  Birds of a feather, right?!?

I have six girls right now, all egg layers.  Moth is appropriately named, because she is drawn to trouble like a moth to a flame.  Penny is my little sweetheart.  She is named after the copper coin because of the color of her feather.  She loves to be held and will trip you up if you try to walk past her without giving her a hug or a pet on the back.  Fig is similar in colors, although a bit more independent.  The hugs, she can take it or leave it.  Shadow is the leader of the pack and usually the first to lay an egg. My chubbiest girl is Thistle and her buddy is Moth. Moth hates to be touched.  She looks at me like I'm a complete stranger.  Fern is another sweetheart.  She used to lay brown eggs until this past winter.  Then it appeared that she was molting, but she wasn't recovering very well.  She grew very thin and would sway when she walk, which gave the appearance of being drunk.  I tried everything for her.  Nothing seemed to work, until I tried Gatoraide.  I would give her a cup of it everyday.  Until this point she wasn't eating or drinking, but the Gatoraide she would drink.  Then I started giving her freeze dried grubs.  She loved it!  She never gained her full weight back, but she is the most regular in laying eggs.  The funny thing is...her eggs are now white.

That's the thing.  If I hadn't learned their personalities and had some time to watch them, I might have lost Fern.  I saw there was a problem, tried a few things, and finally it worked.  So, I guess the moral to the story is by watching your chickens, you give to them and in return, they give so much more to you.

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Free ranging your chickens

 So many people this year have decided to start raising chickens.  They give you a bounty of eggs, which of course taste a million times better than store bought.  Plus you have the added benefit of one less thing to leave the house for.  

You bring the chickens home from the store, but what should you do with them?  Where do you put them once they are old enough to be out in the yard?

Of course they are going to need a little home to come to for safety and warmth at night.  They need a place to lay their eggs.  They also need a run so they can come out in the day.  Putting a fence around a small area next to their home is a great solution.  You can keep an eye on them.  Your assured that they will lay their eggs in a spot where you can find them, and for the most part, they are safe.  But after a while, and it will happen fast, the grass will all disappear.  They eat everything. Now, it's not as fun for them.  If it rains, it starts to become miserable.  Who wants to spend their day walking around in the mud?

Let them out!  During the day, they can get the sun that they desperately need.  Running through the yard and spreading their wings gives them a wonderful chance for exercise.  And when this happens, your chickens will be happy.  Don't worry.  Your chickens will come back to lay their eggs in the nesting boxes, and they will come home to sleep in the house you built.  Just make sure there is plenty of food and water near their house, so they always associate this area with home.  

When the chickens have a chance to run around, they can scratch around for delicious bugs to eat as well as the grass.  This will cut down on food costs.  They will also have a chance to take dirt naps.  They make a hole, climb in and shake that dirt right into their feathers.  This isn't just for fun, although I do think it's the best part of their day.  The dirt helps to control any lice or mites that they might get, as well as minimize the oils in their feathers.  

You see, their are so many benefits to letting the girls out, but here's another one:  it's so much fun to sit and watch them play.  It's better than television.  

Lets switch sides!

YouTube Episode 69 I'm changing sides!

Ep. 69 is now up on YouTube and includes the finished watercolor painting that I shared on Instagram. Please hit the “like” and “subscribe buttons to help me share my videos with others.

Show notes:

Habitation Throw by Helen Stewart

Hermione’s Half Blood Prince Socks by Tracy Hollis

Cottage Garden Cabbage by Jen Hayes

Lemon amigurumi by Emma Gallimore-Martin

Baby Turtle Toy by Sarah Shiny Kelly

Kimono Slippers by Joy Morgan

Ravelry Groups mentioned:
Yarn Theory, k1, p2 and hdc with host:studiovondesign

Crocheting Whovianwith host: CrochetingWhovian

Comforting Crafts with host: Beewing

Pen Hook & Needles with hosts ladyfernaco and franciscangypsy

Movie: The biggest little farm on Amazon Prime.

Ep. 53 Knitcromaynia Recap

If you watched episode 52, I explained my thoughts for the month of May.  This is the results and my thoughts of my little project.  Episode 53 "knitcromaynia recap"  is now up on YouTube!

Shownotes:

Shownotes:

As one fairy to another cowl by Dine Mashlenko

Brioche Star by Lynette Meek

Spiraloof by : Sarah Bawden

Tulip Time by Sheila Stokes

Wilmot By Victoria Crum

Kimono Slippers By Joy Morgan

AfterThought Heel Socks by Laura Linneman

I’m sure I mentioned a few more, but for now this is what I can remember, lol. To see all of the projects worked on, you can check my Instagram as “Packyknits”.