The joys of June. Haying. Ellie’s first trip to Canada’s Wonderland. The birds, Cedar and Cigo. Bathroom progress. The end of school. Our solstice campout. A cottage weekend. Strawberries. Fireworks and a fair.
Here are some other things I’ve enjoyed this month.
In case it’s not clear, I fully embrace JOMO (Joy of Missing Out). Turns out, JOMO can help your finances as well.
I read two books this month that had me looking at everyday activities differently: Revenge of the Tipping Pointby Malcolm Gladwell and Breath by James Nestor.
As we mark Canada Day (and Independence Day), I encourage you to reflect on what kind of person you are, what kind of country you want and what you can do to make that happen.
Another PSA. If you smoke, don’t throw a lit cigarette out your car window. A neighbour had a grass fire very similar to ours last week.
“Slow go the days. Fast go the years… Someday turns to right now. Right now turns to way back when. Man you better live ’em. Cause you won’t get ’em back again.”
The chickens and turkeys turned two months old over the weekend. They are doing really well. Today, I’m going back to review our brooder set up and how we got from day-old birds to here.
We decided to brood in the house, and I would definitely do that again. Having the birds close made it easy to check on them frequently and manage their food, water and temperature.
The brooders
We built two large plywood boxes. Each box was 4 feet wide by 4 feet long by 2 feet high (a sheet and a half of plywood). We used 2x2s to reinforce each vertical corner and screwed the plywood to the 2x2s. The bottom of the box is nailed on.
This is my little chick testing out the box before we attached the base. Thanks to Matt’s Dad for the mask.
And here she is describing the decorations she added to the boxes. Many of the drawings are instructional. The birds received directions about eating ticks and learning the alphabet. Cigo got repeated lessons that birds are boring (and he absorbed those lessons so, so well).
We filled each box with wood shavings bought at the feed mill and added our waterers and food dishes (more details on food and water below).
At three weeks, we cleaned out the brooders and changed the shavings. The boxes were pretty stinky by that point, so to keep things pleasant in the house, a cleanout was needed.
For warmth in the brooder we used some heat lamps we found in the barn. Growing up, I remember my Dad using basic lightbulbs. I bought a couple of utility lights and gave it a try, but I couldn’t get the temperature warm enough, so I went with the proper heat lamps.
I set the lamps up on chains hanging from the ceiling. I started with the lights right at the top of the box. This allowed me to achieve the recommended temperatures for the chicks (33ºC) and poults (35ºC).
As the birds grew and I was able to decrease the temperature, I raised the lights higher above the brooders. At the beginning, I had thermometers in both boxes to keep an eye on the temperature. The birds ended up kicking the thermometers around, and I found they weren’t necessary. I watched the birds and adjusted the lights accordingly. If everyone was huddled along the edge of the brooder away from the light, I figured the temperature was too high. If they were hanging out comfortably in the middle, I left the light alone.
Regardless I raised the lights a few inches every week, as the birds needed less and less warmth (about 2ºC per week). At week 5, I began turning the lamps off during the day, and then I turned them off entirely to give the birds a few days to acclimatize before they went outside at week 6.
The temperature in the house was still significantly warmer than outside, so the move was still an adjustment, but the birds didn’t seem to have any issues (more on this below).
Food and water
For the turkeys I started with a basic bowl for their food. An information sheet I got from the feed mill recommended spreading a cloth over the shavings, I believe to help with traction. They also recommended sprinkling some feed on the cloth, so we did all of that.
The chicks got an official chick feeder that was left in the barn by past owners. I’ve never used a chick feeder before, and it worked very well. They were able to access their food easily, they didn’t spill a lot, and the food stayed relatively clean. As the chicks grew, they kicked more and more shavings into the feeder. I think raising it up on a board once they’re bigger would be helpful.
The turkeys graduated from their bowl (and the cloth covering) very quickly. Our turkeys are the Large White breed, and they are living up to their name. They eat constantly and grow so quickly. They stepped in their bowl, sat in it, pooped in it, tipped it over, emptied it.
I moved to another bowl that was in a little box to help stabilize it, and it only worked for a few days before they were too big again. I ended up with a small rectangular cement plant pot. It held more food and was a bit heavier so they couldn’t tip it as easily.
When I first put it in the brooder, I set it on a block of wood. The turkeys were so tall I thought it would help them to have their food a bit higher. A turkey climbed up to stand on the food dish, and he could see right over to the top of the box. It seemed like I’d given him an escape ladder. So the food dish went back down in the shavings. I’d like to find a better feeder solution if we do turkeys again.
At week 4, the chicks transitioned to a 50-50 mix of starter and grower food. I also started to mix the turkeys’ food. By week 6, everyone was fully eating grower. (The chicks will transition to a layer feed around week 18.)
In total, 10 chicks ate 20 pounds of starter. Four turkeys ate 40 pounds (!) of starter (they are monsters).
The waterers worked pretty well. When we first put the birds in the brooders, we dipped each of their beaks in the water. After this, they had no trouble finding the water themselves.
As the birds grew, I put the waterers up on wooden blocks so they could reach a bit easier and hopefully kick fewer shavings into the water.
The chicks came to like to perch on top of their waterer. They didn’t use it as an escape ladder (though they easily could have), so the perching was not a problem.
The problem was the turkeys (again) who knocked their waterer over repeatedly. Wet shavings are not a good thing. Propping the waterer in the corner helped a bit, but they still managed to tip it from there.
Transition to the coop
When we first ordered the birds, I asked the staff at the feed mill when they could move outside. The answer was, “It depends.” Not helpful. Now that I’ve gone through one cycle, I understand that answer a little better. The forums at www.backyardchickens.com have also been helpful.
Birds can be outside without supplemental heat when they are fully feathered and the temperature is around 10-15ºC consistently day and night.
Our spring was a bit slow here this year, so getting to that consistent temperature took awhile. The birds ended up staying inside for nearly 6 weeks. By the end, that felt long.
Things were pretty stinky and dusty. Between poop, feather fluff and sawdust, I felt like I was living in a barn. The photo below shows the amount of dust on the heat lamp when I finally took everything down. This dust went everywhere.
Everyone was big enough to hop out of the brooders. The turkeys have no coordination, so they were always surprised when it happened. The chicks had more control, so they mostly perched on the edge of the box or tight roped along the top. A couple did fall into the turkey box, which they turkeys did not appreciate. Fortunately, I was always nearby to rescue.
Then the turkeys started to fight. That was my sign they were over-crowded and had outgrown the brooder. On a warm Friday morning, I very quickly transferred some cantankerous turkeys to the run outside. Then I spent the day debating whether they could stay out. The weekend forecast was quite cold. What was worse? Fighting in the house? Or freezing in the barn?
We decided to keep them outside, and they did just fine. For the first weekend, we kept them locked in the barn where it was warmer, but when it finally warmed up the next week, they were thrilled to be out in the run.
The chickens joined them in the coop at officially 6 weeks and everyone transitioned without issue.
Final thoughts
Overall, our brooder set up worked very well. Everyone was safe and comfortable for a long time. I liked having day-olds. I feel like it’s a fun way to for everyone to get used to each other. Brooding the birds in the house was easy, albeit smelly and dusty by the end.
If we do birds again, I might try to move them outside around 3 or 4 weeks. Getting them a bit later in the spring would hopefully mean more favourable temperatures. I would also like to work on the wiring in the barn so we can have some heat out there safely if we need to.
So far, the birds have been a really fun experience. We’re definitely learning as we go, but the preparation we put into the coop and the brooders have worked out well. Two months in, I feel like we’re off to a good start.
I love a bulletin board. I collect pictures, sayings, mementos–things that inspire me. There are also reminders that I jot down and Ellie’s many art creations. They all need a place to live, and my preferred home is a bulletin board.
In my new office, I debated where that bulletin board should go. Matt had one on the wall above his computer. I could do the same and even reuse the same board. But I really liked the idea of hanging some nice art above my computer instead.
Then I thought of the cabinets on the other side of the room. What if I made the “backsplash” a giant, long bulletin board?
I had used cork shelf liner at our first house to make a bulletin board over my desk and it worked pretty well (a couple of layers were needed as this cork is very, very thin).
A quick tour of Home Depot showed me that I would need many, many packages of cork and it wasn’t the dimensions I needed. Then I thought about cork flooring underlayment. I had put a strip on the cold cellar door where we have our dart board. Maybe it would work for the office?
I decided to give it a try.
The underlayment comes in a roll 40 inches wide by 30 feet long. Plenty for what I needed.
I did a quick test. I put a couple of layers together and stuck a pin in it. It was nice and squishy and seemed to hold well.
I decided to go for it.
I rolled out the cork. My first step was to cut off the plastic “fringe” that’s along the one edge. Then I measured the space between my cabinets. There were a few ups and downs as a couple of the cupboards are fitted for under cabinet lights. I very carefully plotted everything out with a marker and cut along the lines with my scissors. The cork cut super cleanly and easily.
Then I took my first layer for a test fit. I had a few gaps that were bigger than I wanted, but overall it was a pretty good fit. I was ready to put it on the wall.
I removed cover plates from the outlets and covered the plugs with tape. I taped off the edge of my counter and covered the whole surface with paper to protect it from the adhesive. Then I laid the cork facedown on the counter and coated the back of it with Contact Cement. I also put a layer of CC on the wall. (Cheap chip brushes are good for this, as you will be throwing them out after gluing.)
Warning about Contact Cement. The fumes are super strong. I had the window wide open (in January) and the door closed.
I recommend following the application directions for CC exactly. Put on a generous, even layer. Let it dry for 30 minutes. Have an extra can of CC to make sure you can fully cover your wall and cork.
The issue I ran into in this project (more on that in a moment) was all because of the Contact Cement. I went through CC much faster than I expected, so some areas didn’t get that “generous” coating. (A 946mL can covers 25-33 square feet. My backsplash was about 20 square feet, so ideally I would have had two cans for each layer of cork.) I also was impatient (and it felt wrong to let glue dry), so I only let it set for about 20 minutes before putting the cork on the wall (still within the guidelines, but on the low side).
So after that foreshadowing, let’s proceed with the install.
Once the Contact Cement had dried (kind of), it was time to put up the underlayment. I started at one end, got everything lined up as best I could and worked my way down to the other end. Depending on the size of your bulletin board, having an extra person would be helpful for this step. The Contact Cement on the cork sticks as soon as it touches the CC on the wall. You don’t have any wiggle room. With a long, floppy piece of cork, getting it smooth and aligned on my own was a bit awkward.
Once the underlayment was in place, I went over the whole length of cork and pushed it firmly into the wall. I went back and forth, up and down several times.
Then, I did it all again for a second layer. I was able to make some adjustments to my measurements to compensate for the little gaps I had in the first layer. I also cut out the plugs between each layer, just a rough cut around the outlets for now.
Two layers likely would have been enough, but I could still feel the wall when I pushed in a pin, so I decided to add a third layer of cork. However, I was out of Contact Cement, so the third layer had to wait until a trip to the hardware store.
When I came back the next day, I was dismayed to discover a huge bubble at the end of the bulletin board where I’d done a thinner coat of CC. This was also the spot that had cured for the shortest amount of time. The other end was smooth, flat and securely adhered.
I decided to slit the cork with my utility knife, peel it back and repaste it on the wall with my fresh Contact Cement. Then I proceeded with my third layer of cork, which I knew would cover the repair.
The next day, though, was deja vu. There was another bubble at the same end, and this one seemed even larger. My initial reaction was, “Well, I guess I know where I’m hanging the calendar.” But as I looked at the bubble, it seemed too large to leave. It was a significant bulge and would have been noticeable even behind a calendar.
So I came up with a plan. I would cut a small slit in the cork. Then I would fill the bubble with construction adhesive. I would brace a 2×4 against the cork to push it into the wall while the adhesive set.
So I went to work. My small slit became quite large, as I cut open the whole bubble. But I was able to squirt construction adhesive into the whole area. Then I put my brace in place and not so patiently waited the prescribed 24 hours.
When I took the brace out, the bubble was gone. The cork was perfectly flat and securely stuck to the wall. The cut wasn’t super noticeable, and I hoped it would disappear even more with a coat of paint. Worst case, it was still a spot to hang my calendar. (Spoiler alert: the calendar ended up elsewhere.)
I decided to paint the bulletin board because I didn’t love the colour of the underlayment. It’s a bit yellow and not a true brown cork. Plus I liked the idea of the bulletin board blending in with the rest of the walls a bit more.
Before painting, I did my final cut around the two outlets. I traced the coverplates and very carefully cut the cork back. The outlets are recessed now into bulletin board.
I primed the cork with my go-to Stix primer and then did two coats of green paint. The cork took the paint really well, and I really like how it matches the walls.
After painting, I took all the masking off the outlets and countertop. That’s when I found the gap between the bulletin board and the counter was more noticeable than I liked. I decided to caulk the edge of the cork where it meets the counter. Then I went over the caulk with another coat of paint. This made a really clean edge.
My third layer of cork was a bit more “wrinkly” than the earlier layers. This layer was closer to the centre of the roll of underlayment, so it was wrapped more tightly and had some creases in it. The creases were a bit visible on the wall, but they mostly smoothed out as the cork relaxed.
Once I started to load up the bulletin board, all of the flaws disappeared. I love how this project turned out. The wall is full of things that make me feel inspired, happy and loved. And I have plenty of room to grow.
I also love the trial and error–and ultimate success–with this project. I felt like I was returning to some of my old DIY days. I’m still that scrappy, creative, hard-working, cheap, make-it-happen person, and I like tapping into that.
Who else likes a bulletin board? Do you have a place to display creations and inspiration? Has anyone else had to adjust mid-project when things aren’t working out as you planned?
The birds moved into the coop about a week ago, and I am proud to say this project is done.
Today I’m going to share all the finishing touches that went into completing this space.
When we last visited the inside, the walls and doors were done, but the pens were not fully secure. I added mesh, boards, whatever worked around the perimeter of the coop along the ceiling. This will hopefully ensure that no climbing crawling predators can sneak over the top of a wall. It was fiddly work to make everything fit.
I also added a motion activated solar light on the back of the barn as an extra deterrent to anyone who comes creeping up through the field.
Then I needed to fit out the interior of the pens.
For the turkeys, this was simple: a feeder and a waterer. I found an old metal hopper feeder in the barn, so we washed it out, covered the top with mesh (to hopefully dissuade rodents) and hung it from the ceiling. It’s working very well for the turkeys. For their water, I went with a simple bucket. I built a little box to hold the bucket so the turkeys can’t tip it over (something they loved to do in the brooder). Right now the box is sitting on the floor, but I can attach it to the wall if I want to raise it up.
The chicken fit out took a little more work… and a relocation. The hens needed a few more things in their stall. Water and food, of course. But also nesting boxes and roosts. As I was planning the roosts, I realized everything wasn’t going to fit in the centre stall, which I had assigned to the chicks. But the end stall was a few inches bigger… just big enough for everything they needed. So they moved next door.
The nesting boxes are simple plastic bins that screw to the wall. They lift off the screws easily so I can dump out the straw or even rinse them out if I need to.
For the roost, I spent some time researching to figure out the best approach. Here’s what I found. Build your roost as the highest option in the pen. Chickens like to be high to sleep, so if your nesting boxes are the highest thing, that’s where they’ll sleep. Since I want them to sleep on the roost, I made sure the roosts were higher than the nesting boxes.
I also found that chickens like a sturdier perch. They are not songbirds who will wrap their toes around a branch (although watching them walk along the edge of the brooder box, I think they do pretty well). So I went with 2x4s laid flat for a nice wide perch.
The other topic was optimal spacing. The recommendation was 12 inches per bird. Since our order was for 15 birds, that meant 15 feet of roost. Our pens are 8 feet long, so this worked out easily to 2 roosts along one side of the pen.
A feature I added courtesy of my Dad is a poop board under the roosts. Roosts tend to be a messy area. Chickens poop in their sleep and sometimes even lay an egg. The board under the roosts will hopefully catch the mess and then I can easily scrape it off, rather than changing all of their bedding.
All of my research and planning complete, I went to work and built the roost. Along the way I also decreased our chicken order. The pen was starting to look a bit tight, and I was worried the birds would be too crowded. So I dropped our order to 9 birds. We ended up with 10, as the hatchery seems to have a practice of giving 1 extra chick. We have lots of room for everyone to be comfortable… and we’ll still have lots of eggs.
The roost turned out well… nice and sturdy. (From my attire, you can tell when I was working on this.)
Then I added a little ramp that we had from the old coop in case any birds needed help getting up. It’s on a hinge so we can easily lift it out of the way when we need to clean out the stall.
The final touch was, once again, feed and water. The chicks have another bucket in a box, just like the turkeys for their water. For their feeder, I went with a wall mounted version to save space. This was another souvenir from the old coop that happened to fit perfectly in the remaining wall space.
After the first week, I made a couple of adjustments to decrease the size of the opening where the food comes out, because the chicks were spilling a lot of food, but otherwise it seems to be working well.
Each flock also has water in the run with two large metal waterers that we had stashed in the barn. (Yes, that is 2 chicks standing on top of the waterer.)
Ellie made some signs for each pen. The turkeys live in Turkey Town. The centre stall is Where the Waddles (will) Live. The hens are The Cluckers.
The final detail came from my Mom who bought me a coop warming present of a happy red geranium. This hangs by the door on a chicken plant hanger that used to be on the side of the house. I kept it during the garage demo and have been saving it for exactly this spot.
Since the turkeys and chicks moved in everything has been working really well. They seem comfortable in their pens and in the runs. We lock them in every evening, and it’s an easy task to move through the run, herd them inside, drop their little doors and latch them shut.
In the morning we open the little doors and they pop right out flapping and stretching. They’re eating down the grass and weeds that had grown pretty high in the runs.
I opened the gate between the Waddles and the Cluckers runs, so the chickens have double outdoor space. I had wanted this option during the run construction, which is why I had our contractor add extra gates. I’m pleased that it’s working as I envisioned. It’s nice to give the chickens some extra space and this way the grass doesn’t get overgrown. Win-win.
As a whole, the coop is working as I planned. I’m so proud of this project. It was a big build for me. I had help along the way on demo with my cousins, clean up with our landscapers, fencing with our contractors, walls and more fencing with Matt’s Dad, which I’m very grateful for. But the design and most of the work is mine.
It took figuring and muscle and time and energy and skill. I had what it took and I made it happen. It’s a really good feeling to see the birds in there, chirping (no clucks or gobbles yet), scratching, eating, drinking, snoozing, flapping… birding as they’re supposed to.
Thanks so much for following along with this project and cheering me on throughout it.
I shared the final video updates of the coop construction on Instagram. Follow me at juliaon129acres. If you want to relive the whole construction process, check out the coop highlights (part 1, part 2, part 3).
(If you want to check out some before photos, check out this post or this one. If you want a refresher on what my plans are for this space, this post has a moodboard, floorplan and more details.)
I started taking the bathroom apart at the end of April. I took down the tile and panelling. I pulled out the tubs (there were two, one layered over the other), vanity, floor and linen closet. Everything came out fairly easily, and I am really proud that I was able to do it myself.
Demo is where you find all of the dirty secrets–dirty being both a literal and figurative term. I confirmed that some water had been leaking at the edge of the tub. I had expected that and the damage fortunately was very minor (one moldy stud). I discovered squirrels or other critters had set up a clubhouse under the tub at some point. There were walnut shells, bones, candies, a cigarette pack and all kinds of disgustingness under there.
Everything cleaned up and I had a blank canvas to begin to put it all back together.
I put in new insulation and vapour barrier on the exterior wall. I adjusted the framing around the tub, as I’m adding a ledge for shampoo and soap all the way along the wall.
The plumber came and roughed in all the pipes and drains. He had to shift the taps and drain for the tub slightly, as the ledge pushes everything out a few inches. The plumbing under the sink was very tangled. Now it’s tidy and tucked between the studs. We installed the tub and removed the toilet.
I chose the deepest alcove tub I could find. I wasn’t able to make space for a longer tub, but baths should be a bit more comfortable with the new tub.
The electricians came and roughed in all our new wiring. One vanity light became two, one plug became two. They wired the floor for heat. We also got a new circuit panel, as our old one was maxed out.
Then the project came back to me for a few days. I installed tile backer and drywall.
The tilers came and they brought our beautiful new tile with them. It was exciting to see the first pretty things go in the bathroom. They installed the heated floor membrane, tiled the tub walls and then the floor.
I chose a very large tile (32 inches by 32 inches) to minimize the amount of grout I have to clean. Just two tiles covered the full length of the tub. Nine tiles did the whole floor.
Then the project came back to me again for the wall paneling. I’m installing pine V-groove paneling. It’s similar to what we used in the mudroom and a big step up from the fake 1970s era paneling that was in the bathroom before.
And that’s where the project is at currently. I’m slowly working my way around the room putting up the walls.
For the past month, I’ve been trying to stay ahead of my trades and have everything they need ready to go. Now the pressure has eased a bit, and I’m working at my own pace. Though I definitely want to keep moving and complete most of the work before Ellie finishes school for the summer.
Despite the pressure–and a few disgusting moments–I’ve been having fun with the renovation. I’ve waited a long time for this project, so to finally be underway is very satisfying. It’s also fun to see the elements I’ve chosen (tile, tub, taps, vanity) arrive and (slowly) be installed. So far, I’m loving my choices and it’s so exciting to see this project coming together.
I’m documenting the bathroom reno and sharing it in a series of videos on Instagram. Follow me at juliaon129acres, and catch up on all the construction in the bathroom highlight.
I feel like May disappeared. When our days are full, time flies, and our days are very full right now.
Turkeys, chickens, cats, birthdays, celebrations, family, friends, a new term of teaching, renovations, mowing the grass… again. There’s a lot going on. I achieved a very high level of productivity this month.
There were also special moments that can only happen here on the farm.
Ellie and I walked out to the trillium grove and took our annual pictures with the flowers. Flipping back over our years of photos brings up so many memories. She launched her kayak on the pond for the first time. I love seeing her confidence and capability–and being able to have such a cool experience at our own property.
On the weekend, I took a moment to look around me as Ellie swung on her swing set. I’m so proud of what we’ve created and grateful that we get to experience this special place.
In between the busy-ness, here are some of the things that caught my attention this month.
“She, an autonomous human being, made a choice. My apology would, in a way, accuse her of making the wrong one. In that moment, I chose to thank her instead.” 11 powerful phrases to stop over apologizing.
The cats are here to help manage rodents in the barn (and they’re fulfilling their end of the deal already). I’d like to protect the swallows and other birds. I’m trying to figure out if one of these bibs or collars would help.
On the topic of cats, anyone have experience with compostable kitty litter? I found some at the pet store but it is expen$ive. I hate adding kitty litter to my garbage every week.
We’re going to end the month as we went through the rest of it–full speed ahead. Temperatures are supposed to warm up, and hopefully this means the birds can move to the coop. This also means coop construction will finally be done. The cats got free range of the barn last week, so we have officially moved them out of the coop (although Maple was missing yesterday and we’re pretty worried). I’m also planning to be back in our bathroom, where the renovation is well underway (I’m so excited to share an update soon).
What special moments has May held for you? Anyone else achieving high productivity levels these days? What places shaped you and how you see the world?
When we last visited the coop, the interior was in good shape. As the weather warmed this spring, I shifted my attention back outside to finish the run. You may recall I had a contractor install fencing for three outdoor pens back in the fall. I was very glad to hire that job out. But there were still things for me to do.
In my quest to make the coop as secure as possible, I wanted to cover the top of the run so no hawks, possums or other predators can get in.
I still had chainlink left over from the pen construction, so I planned to stretch that over the top. I added top rails over each of the gates to attach the fencing to and then I started to lay out the roof.
I quickly discovered it was not a one-woman job. Attaching the roof to the barn or the existing fence while pulling it tight was not fun. So I called Matt’s Dad, and he came and helped.
We laid strips of fencing over the top of the runs, stapling it to the barn wall, attaching it to each vertical section and then wiring each strip to the one beside it. Unless a predator brings plyers I don’t think they’re getting in.
We also laid more mesh around the ground. This will hopefully stop anyone from digging in. All of the mesh is wired to the fence along the bottom and then buried in dirt.
I adjusted all of the gates to make sure they swung easily and latched securely. Between installing the roof and frost this winter, some of the posts had shifted slightly.
Then I blocked any little gaps around gates or corners that looked big enough for a creature to crawl through. This involved an old fence post and stepping stones as thresholds, metal posts, rocks, wood corner blocks… whatever worked.
I also cut little doors in the wall of the barn. This will allow the birds (and currently the cats) access to the runs. Hatches can swing down to close the doors.
(Cedar figured out how to unlock the little button that kept the door closed, so for now the cats are enjoying going outside whenever they want. I’m hoping the birds aren’t quite as dexterous.)
Then I built ramps to make it easy for everyone to get in and out. I expect the hens will be able to hop or flap, but a full grown turkey may not be so acrobatic.
And with that, the runs are done.
The birds are hopping and flapping in their brooders. While they’re not full grown, they are definitely growing.
It is time for them to move out. As soon as the temperatures are consistently warm (and they have all their feathers), they will be moving into the coop.
Yay!
It’s exciting to be so close to having birds in the barn, as I’ve dreamed of and been working towards for so long.
I’ve still been sharing video updates of the coop construction on Instagram. Follow me at juliaon129acres, and catch up on all the construction in the coop highlights (part 1, part 2, part 3).
Our little family of 3 has grown a lot recently. As you saw last week, we added 4 turkeys and 10 chicks. We also added 2 cats. Yep. We are now a family of 19.
Meet Maple and Cedar, our new barn cats.
I knew we’d have another barn cat someday. While I’m not a cat person, I do like a barn cat. We had fun with Ralph and I’ve missed having a cat at the farm. Plus, with the birds, I knew we’d need some help with rodents and pests.
So I mentioned to a few people I was looking for a barn cat. One person knew of a litter at her brothers’ dairy farm that had been born in September. She had brought 3 of the kittens to her barn and there were 2 left. Did I want them?
I said yes and quickly began planning how we would handle them.
Another friend recently adopted a barn cat from the SPCA. They had recommended she keep the cat contained in a section of the barn for a few weeks until it got used to her and her farm. That sounded like a good strategy to me, but our barn is pretty open. Where could I keep the cats?
Then I had a brainwave. Cedar and Maple could stay in the coop. I’ve worked very hard to make it secure. They would be contained and safe. The birds would be in the house for a few weeks, so the cats could acclimatize in the meantime.
So Ellie and I got kibble and litter, we set up one of the pens in the coop with beds and food dishes, we dug out the cat carrier and made an appointment with the vet. And the kittens came home with us.
At first Cedar and Maple were pretty shy. We gave them time to settle in, visited with them every day, fed them lots (and lots) of treats.
Now they’re super affectionate. They come running when we come into the barn, looking for pets and treats. For now, they are still in the coop. They go to be neutered this week, so we’re keeping them contained for the next while. Once they’re recovered they’ll move into the rest of the barn and the birds will take over the coop.
This time has actually been a good test of the security of the coop. The cats have climbed all over, so if there was a way to escape, they would have found it. I’m hoping that means predators won’t be able to find a way in.
Cedar is the brave one (also a bit of the pushy one) who is always exploring and loves treats and toys. Maple is more cautious, though he’s better at catching the toy, so he may be the better hunter of the pair. They’ve both become super affectionate and love to be pet.
They already caught their first mouse. I’m not sure who gets the credit. (This is Cedar with it after I threw it outside.)
Cigo has been extremely excited that there are cats in the barn. He’s been sniffing around the coop everyday since Cedar and Maple arrived. We finally introduced everyone this weekend, using the run to separate dog and cats. Cedar is pretty unconcerned. Maple is, as expected, more hesitant. Cigo did very well, but he was very excited. We’re going to keep working on making cats boring, and we’ve made inside the barn a dog-free zone.
This getting to know you time has been really fun. It’s been neat to learn Cedar’s and Maple’s personalities and see their trust in us grow. It’s been special to add them to our family.
Two weeks ago, our family expanded by 14 fluffballs–and we’ve been having a lot of fun ever since.
After years of imagining, planning and working (I owe you an update on the coop), the birds arrived. We have 10 chicks and 4 turkeys. For breeds, we have 3 barred rocks (brown eggs), 2 azure blues (blue eggs) and 5 olives (green eggs). I had ordered three of each breed, but numbers apparently shifted at the hatchery. The turkeys are large white and wow are they living up to their name. They empty their food bowl every day and are growing so fast. With their little combs, they look like turkey-corns.
The brooders are set up in the house, so it’s easy to keep an eye on them and take care of them. Ellie and I built big plywood boxes, which have been working really well. I found some heat lamps in the barn, so I hung them from the ceiling and have been slowly raising them as the birds grow.
We didn’t put a lid on the boxes, but we may need to. Everyone is testing their wings and the turkeys have had some impressive vertical leaps.
Cigo is tolerating being a bird brother. He is interested in the birds–loud peeps attract his attention. But he’s not been a problem so far. We’re working on making the birds very boring.
The best part of it all is seeing how much Ellie likes the birds. The turkeys are her favourite. When she unloaded them from the hatchery box for the first time, they all crawled right into her lap. They’ve gotten a little more independent, but they’re still the ones she spends the most time with. (She is still very committed to these birds being dinner this fall.)
Everyone seems to be healthy and growing. Their adult feathers are coming in and they’re approaching the awkward dinosaur stage. My plan is to keep them inside for another few weeks hopefully until temperatures warm up enough for them to go to the coop.
This little flock is a long-held dream. I am so happy we’re making this happen finally.
Today is election day in Canada. Please vote. Please do it with kindness and consideration for our planet and for the people who most need help.
This month, I’ve been collecting quotes and links about humanity and the earth. Here are some that touched me the most.
“The plain fact is that the planet does not need more successful people. But it does desperately need more peacemakers, healers, restorers, storytellers, and lovers of every kind. It needs people who live well in their places. It needs people of moral courage willing to join the fight to make the world habitable and humane. And these qualities have little to do with success as we have defined it.”
Ecological Literacy: Educating Our Children for a Sustainable World by David W. Orr
A couple of these links include powerful examples of humanity’s “temporal range,” the amount of time humans have existed. The Overstory by Richard Powers (one of the best books I’ve read), includes another, which I’ve copied below. I hope you’ll read this passage and think about our place in the world and the impact we have.
“Say the planet is born at midnight and it runs for one day.
First there is nothing. Two hours are lost to lava and meteors. Life doesn’t show up until three or four a.m. Even then, it’s just the barest self-copying bits and pieces. From dawn to late morning–a million million years of branching–nothing more exists than lean simple cells.
Then there is everything. Something wild happens, not long after noon. One kind of simple cell enslaves a couple of others. Nuclei get membrances. Cells evolve organelles. What was once a solo campsite grows into a town.
The day is two-thirds done when animals and plants part ways. And still life is only single cells. Dusk falls before compound life takes hold. Every large living thing is a latecomer, showing up after dark. Nine p.m. brings jellyfish and worms. Later that hour comes the breakout–backbones, cartilage, an explosion of body forms. From one instant to the next, countless new stems and twigs in the spreading crown burst open and run.
Plants make it up on land just before ten. Then insects, who instantly take to the air. Moments later, tetrapods crawl up from the tidal muck, carrying around on their skin and in their guts whole worlds of earlier creatures. By eleven, dinosaurs have shot their bolt, leaving the mammals and birds in charge for an hour.
Somewhere in that last sixty minutes, high up in the phylogenetic canopy, life grows aware. Creatures start to speculate. Animals start teaching their children about the past and the future. Animals learn to hold rituals.
Anatomically modern man shows up four seconds before midnight. The first cave paintings appear three seconds later. And in a thousandth of a click of the second hand, life solves the mystery of DNA and starts to map the tree of life itself.
By midnight, most of the globe is converted to row crops for the care and feeding of one species. And that’s when the tree of life becomes something else again. That’s when the giant trunk starts to teeter.”
Home on 129 Acres 