Chicken Prison Exercise Yard...

...is what my dad calls our chicken run. Puts a nice image in my head of chickens in bandanas running around lifting weights and smoking. But hopefully that's not the way the chickens think about it. We needed a place to protect our girls from predators and wayward zombies so we decided to build one!

 Earlier this year, we decided the left corner of our yard would be the perfect place for our chickens to live. But right in the middle of that area, there was a HUGE ground cover bush thingy surrounded by rocks. We dug it up and moved all the rocks a couple of months ago (which was a beeeeeeeyoch to say the least) to make room for the new construction. Curtis drew up the plans, we dug some holes and put in some posts and were off!

Curtis was in charge of all the power tool work and I stood around and held things. He claims I was a big help, but I think he was just being nice. There was a lot of measuring and leveling and stuff I didn't understand but I was in charge of the pencil and tape measurer. Though I forgot where I put them most of the time. Thanks again to my dad and Curtis' mom for the sweet drill and circular saw. I'm ever so pleased no one lost a finger.

Here's the almost finished product. We still needed to put chicken wire on the top portion and frame it. My favorite part of the whole thing is the door. I think it gives it a little class. Well, as much class as you can give to a chicken run. I plan on painting it and sprucing the whole thing up some more.

We've done a lot more work and finished it since these pictures were done, I just haven't had time to take some good pics. So much work to do before winter comes! AHHHH!

He is the hotness.

Wisconsin/Minnesota in pictures

Curtis, my sister-in-law Elaine, her husband Mike and I ventured to Wisconsin and Minnesota a couple of weeks ago to visit their family. I've never been to that part of the country and it was beautiful! Much fun and family merriment was had.

We visited the Paul Bunyan Museum where I got to ride Babe, the big blue ox.

Finally got a cheesehead (modeled by the lovely Elaine).

Visited the Leinenkugel Brewing Company in Chippewa Falls...

...where we filled up on samplers before we took a tour. Summer Shandy is delicious!

Played dice games at Uncle Jim's bar, the Lake Hallie Sportsmans Club,
where Curtis won a free 6 pack...

...and then we won two frozen chickens in a game called the Chicken Shake.
I'm more proud of this than I should be.

Elaine and Mike brought this wiener roaster for Grandpa.
We all got a giggle, but didn't get to try it out.

As always, I did my best to make pictures awkward.

We high tailed it to Red Wing, Minnesota to see Grandma
and I got to see the Mississippi for the first time.

All around awesome trip. Great to see family and eat some squeaky cheese. Go Packers!

Tales from a wannabe racer

Just one tale, I guess. Yesterday, I rode my first mountain bike race at the New Belgium Short Track Races. First race ever actually, unless you count all the times I beat Curtis to the end of the block when I didn't tell him we were racing. Curtis has been killing in in the Men's Intermediate the last couple of weeks, so I thought I should give it a go. My friend Sarah rode with me and was amazing! I just rode her line tills she completely vanished from my sight. I never really ride for speed and haven't competed in anything since my third grade spelling bee, so I was completely intimidated by the course and my fellow riders. Add some rain early in the day making the course muddy and you have one dirty, angry Sara. I think around the second lap I cheered up and started to have fun. Curtis and my sister-in-law Elaine were there cheering me on and whenever anyone cheered for my friend Sarah, I just pretended they were my cheering section too. I felt quite popular. It was a blast to compete and I think I might not have gotten last. Hopefully my participant ribbon is in the mail!

Self Portrait

4 Life.

Adventures in Raising Chickens

What I've learned from raising chickens:

1. Chickens are not affectionate. No matter how sweetly you talk to them or how much food you give them., they don't like to be held and they definitely don't like being cuddled.

2. Chickens do not enjoy photoshoots. One of our Rhode Island Reds wouldn't stop squawking till I put her back with her sisters. At least I had fun.

3. Chicken poop smells awful, but not as bad as cat poop.

4. I find it much easier to get up earlier in the morning when something so small depends on me.

5. I appreciate all the good farmish smells so much more now. All the poop related smells are still as gross though.

 

We've moved the chickadees from a cardboard box to their coop. They are already jumping around the roosts and such, so I think it's safe to say they like it.

 

 

Now to tackle the chicken run. 

The Heideman Farm

We got our chicks on Sunday! Three Rhode Island Reds and two Welsummers and they are so adorable I can't even stand it. We got them a little late in the game so their feathers are already starting to come in. They should be all grown and laying eggs by October. We haven't given them any names yet. I'm hoping I can tell them apart better as they get bigger. If not, I'll just paint their toenails different colors and name them accordingly.

This little gal is obviously over me. But just makes me love her more. 

They aren't too keen on being held right now. Some chirp non-stop till I put them down and some just mad dog me. I asked Curtis if I should sleep by them the first night to make sure they were okay. I have fond childhood memories of my mom sleeping with her head in the kennel so our new puppy wouldn't be upset. Curtis gave me the side eye and gently reminded me that they were farm animals and they would be fine.

For now, we are keeping them in the garage in their makeshift home, a cardboard box with some sawdust shavings. The weird glow is from the heating lamp which makes them look radioactive. Perhaps with the next batch of chicks, I can experiment with actual radioactivity and create a race of super chickens that will follow my every command as we strike terror into the hearts of the citizens of Colorado.

 

Nothing like celebrating after a long day of chicken pickin'.

Bar Double S

 There is nothing better than having a bar 2 miles away from your house. Except living in a bar. But some dreams aren't meant to come true and you play with the cards you are dealt.

But I digress.....

Bar Double S is most definitely our favorite bar. They have an amazing patio, awesome music and you get discounts on your drinks if you ride your bike. The sun is up later and the weather is fine. Spring in Colorado!

I love this baby so much...

...I could eat her braaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnsssssss! Frannie's a pretty good sport about it though.

Uh oh, I think she's going through the change. Watch out, Mom. She'll bite you next....

Back from the dead....

...with big news. WE'RE GETTING CHICKENS! Though hopefully not the zombie variety.

Got our coop on Sat and shopping for some cute chicks this weekend. Shit's getting real now!