Spring . . . Chickens

Raise your hand if you're tired of reading posts about our chickens . . . haha, I can't see you, so I'll post some more :) Knowing that we have several out -of-town jaunts coming up this year, and that currently the chickens need four visits each day to tend to their needs--we decided to streamline, economize, increase our efficiency. Maybe that way our neighbors won't mind helping out with the farm while we're away ;)

This morning Buck and Graysen were literally *up with the chickens,* (though I believe they did not release them immediately) . . . sprucing up the coop. They pulled the former watering system (a rubber bowl we can't scrub clean anymore) and installed a clean water dispenser that holds, IDK how many gallons at a time. They also put in a Little Giant galvanized-steel food dispenser that holds about 30 lbs. of feed (regular feed, not galvanized-steel feed :). We're hoping these two items cut the necessity of feeding and watering to weekly, rather than twice daily.

So far, the food box is a hit. The water . . .  well, chickens aren't the brightest birds in the flock. We stood up there for quite awhile and watched them as the sun peeked over the back hill. So much for, "Your birds will find their water in minutes." Eventually, the chickens were willing to stand underneath the newly secured bucket. They scratched through the fresh layer of cut "hay" (wild grasses from our hill that Buck cut down for me in the fall) under the new water dispensing bucket. Honey Chicken was even brave enough to peck at one of the little spickets that make the water come out (she was the only one who actually hit the target--and then she ran away :) Hopefully the feathered ladies won't dehydrate before they get the system figured out. We put it right where their old water dish used to be, and we let the water drops stand out so they could find them . . . I guess if they get thirsty enough . . .

Oh, and one of Caelan's plans to completely cover our property with flowers is poking through the grass! See the darling little crocuses she planted last fall? Yay for spring flowers! There's a yellow one too, but it was keeping its petals closed against the cold, so I didn't take its picture. We are ready for some warmth and a dash of sunshine around here, but we'll take flowers--tiny, sweet, little flowers--as evidence spring is nearing.