Chicken Poop

That was the story of our Saturday-but I would gladly scoop poop for a rare 60 degree (yes we got to 60 out here) day in the middle of February. The grain elevator was closed, so the birds will have to wait till Monday for fresh bedding unless I can come across some on Sunday. I may try to at least get some pine shavings, then add hay later. They looked rather happy out about in the yard again-I know they are as antsy for spring as we are. I am hoping maybe the fresh bedding and day out will jumpstart their laying again. I ended up with Asher on my back for most of the work, as he was not too fond of the giant mud mess that moving the wheel barrow back and forth from the coop to the gardens was making. And NO MICE. Thank goodness. I think we killed more than 200 last year during our mid winter cleaning. But there was not one. I am guessing that the wood shavings must have served as a bit of a deterrent. I was able to get one of hte large bins I use to start babies out, which is good because I am going to have quite a few going at once. My big goal for the birds this year is to get a permanent transitional run built on the coop to keep the teenagers in when they are too big for the bins but still getting used to the older birds. It won't take much, but it will take some cooperation and help from Andrew, which can be tricky.
So, anyway, we've got the pizza dough in the bread maker, the cottage bacon from the pig we picked up yesterday (very nice to meet you Ethan, if you read this)thawed and ready to go on the pizza and themud ball kids have been bathed. I am looking forward to an evening of movies and crocheting knowing I accomplished something today, and glad to be spent after getting the privilege (and I do consider it a privilege this time of year) of working outdoors most the day.