How My Morning Went and A Cool New Resource

This morning I came across a great chicken resource I perused while I drank my morning coffee snuggled up with my four- year- old little man. A great start to beautiful spring morning, right? Once my coffee was all gone, I put on my boots to start some morning chores. What I found in my boots should have been a clue that this morning wasn't going to be without its excitement. My nice warm feet were welcomed by a cold wet puddle that my preschooler had lovingly dumped in my boots the night before.  I just moved on with Lake Superior around my toes and let out the flock of layers that were gifted to us. 
Then I headed up to the rabbit colony to see how the kits fared in last night's storm, and my oldest daughter joined me on the way.  We opened the nest box to find that two kits were missing.  We started to look around the area and sadly found one dead far from the nest box.  Then we prepared ourselves to find another lost little one. The missing one was black, and blended in with the cold wet ground, but we found it cold and still moving.  Quickly we covered up the others, removed the dead kit, and carried the cold little life inside to get it warm. It was so wet and cold from the storm, but it was still very strong. 

Thankfully, we were able to get it all dry, warm and returned to the nest.  While my daughter worked on saving the kit, I moved on to the other chickens.  My second daughter and I worked on feeding and watering the 41 chicks in the brooder. The meat birds needed a little adjustment made to the brooder, but thankfully all went well.  I moved on to our original egg layer flock to get feed for them and flock #2.  While dividing up the feed, I heard a chicken calling very closely.  I looked around and found her...

Can you tell she has been enjoying this hidey-hole for awhile?

I carried the feed, 10 eggs, and chicken wire back to the house to feed the other flock, make the brooder adjustments and check the age on this egg stash.  Returning to the original flock, I needed to clean and fill the waterer.  I lost a battle with the "snake hose" as my kids call it. Don't worry I just was completing the total wet feeling to go with my boots!

I lugged the 7- gallon waterer back to the coop pondering how did I get so weak!  My chores were done! My oldest was finishing up the rabbits, and I went inside to that cute little man standing at the baby gate saying. "Mom can you make me breakfast!"  Sure, I know it is 10:00 am by now. I sat down with my kids around the table and ate some grits and eggs, and my mind went back to that great chicken resource I watched earlier.  As crazy as it can be sometimes,  I wouldn't have it any other way!  I love to see the chickens scratching through the green grass! I love seeing the rabbits happily jumping around.  This feels right to me. It's not perfect. It's not cheap. It's not easy, but it is doable and what I feel called to do!  There is so much peace in knowing where the food on my table comes from and how it got there.  If you are just getting started or if you have had chickens for awhile I recommend taking a look at this resource, because we all have something to learn!

Seriously, check this link out!
Permaculture Chickens

Keep on keepin' on!
Jill