PPF Journal Page, Oil Painting and Chick Update

Its Paint Party Friday and I meant to have lots more done but I got in some kind of funk this past week and just didn't want to do anything. I went to blogs and couldn't think of much to say.  Partly because of the weather and partly because we have been trying to figure out how to build a chicken coop to fit in a space we want it to go and when trying to decide on something I know nothing about I shut down. So yesterday I said I need to do something and did a journal page in my old journal I am trying to  finish up by hook or by crook. LOL

I did this for December of the birds that showed up for the suet and have  stayed thru winter.

I love seeing that flash of yellow butt on the Warbler when he flys in mid air trying to get some of the suet.

I love seeing the flash of salmon on the Flicker's tail and wings too.

 The chickens are growing hourly. I took these on Sunday .

This is one of  the barred Rock chicks.

 This is the Rhody Island Red and a barred Rock also taken on Sunday.

 These were taken on Wednesday night.

They are starting to look more like chickens then fluff balls.

We have also thought up names for them. Lexy is the light yellow Sex link. Emma is the Rhode Island Red and the Australorp, hiding in the back, is going to be Suzi Q. and the Barred rocks are going to be hard to tell apart until they get grown but I am partial to Alice and Hattie both are family names. My Mom being Mary Alice and my favorite Aunt Alice who willed me her watercolor Art supply's when she died a few years ago, and Hattie being my Grandmothers name. 

So the Girls have been named. 

:)

 Whats interesting is that these four in back have grown at the same time.. wings and tail feathers all came on at the same time but the Red Sex link, in the close left corner, is just now getting its tail feathers and wings grown out.

This was also taken last night, Wednesday, and  Jill is holding Emma in her hand. She just hunkered down and got cozy. They are still flighty but will eat out of my hand if I have food in it and go in slowly and jump up on my hand and peck my fingers.. OUCH..and are curious and peek up at me on tippy toes, which is so adorable, and are starting to try to fly out of the bin, so its getting about time to put them in the dog cage for more room. We went to a Chicken work shop last night where we got the chicks 2 weeks ago and got  some great information for raising these gals.  Best thing we did. What to feed them, how warm to keep them, How much room they will need in a coop  and how much light and air which helped us to finally make some plans up.

Con did a mock up of what he is going to build and didn't like it so it got torn apart. but it gave us some idea of what we want. We want it over in this corner and it will have some sort of wire pen attached to it  with wire on top too and a gate to get into... double protection for night time, and they will free range in our back yard daily and also field when we are out there. This is a zoomed in photo so it doesn't show how much room for the pen there really is. Its sheltered there and there is some nice shade in the summer and light in the winter because some of the trees lose leaves.

 Quick sketch of  the coop plans.

It will slant towards us with gutters so the roost can go in the back at the highest point.  

It will sit up one foot on blocks to keep it from ever  flooding. It will have a compost roof..

windows and doors and ladder and inside a shelf to hide the food and water underneath and not get pooped on.

Nesting boxs out to the left side with a top that lifts up for the eggs. 

So its only just begun.

Soon this will be me, The Chicken whisperer, I painted years ago because I 

always had a dream of owning chickens. 

If you paint them they will come?

:))

HAPPY PAINT PARTY FRIDAY!