BOX FORT! Strange weather, and design fatigue.

 So over the weekend, we gave the babies some new toys. You can see one of them in the background, and the other is the box. So far 5 days later the nice new chew toy we get them is un-touched, and the box has been so thoroughly used and destroyed it is now on its way to being compost.

Chicks have been ordered, and yet more ice.

Today has been a bit of a difficult morning, so today's post may be a little less than usual. The babies are doing well and we are approaching the next theoretical butchering date, though I'm not looking forward to trying to deal with doing killing in the depth of snow we have. Especially after the ice storm last night.

Today is very cold. The babies were cold, thirsty, and hungry when I came out this morning. Unfortunately when we go out at 8:00 AM and it is -8 degrees the water doesn't stay un frozen for long. All we can do is re fill their water when ever we can, and try to make sure they get sufficient food, and lots of hay for both food and something to help them keep warm.

Coop planning Part 3, our dream coop in detail.

So there it is, the complete coop sketch up for what we would ideally like to do for the coop. Of course in the process I found some things we could probably do better with, but here's the planning process continued. I will also include the estimate for how much this monstrosity will cost, and discuss some options when it comes to the construction. Above is the South face including the storage shed, and the low level windows which I'd probably want to move up a couple feet for better lighting.

Hurt Rabbit? Also chicken coop planning pt 2

We start today's post with a bit of concern, one of our babies is either hurt or has some cerebral problem. His back legs seem to almost be lagging and not moving correctly most of the time. Sometimes he can hop just fine and make a rapid movement, sometimes he can't even sit properly and his back end twists to the side. He is eating and drinking fine, isn't concerned with being picked up and held beyond the normal. He actually just sat there and kept eating his hay as I had him upside down to check his feet. He doesn't seem to be in pain either. Our best guess is an injured back, but we are going to be keeping our eye on him. We don't have a video of him moving or photos since we were a bit busy this morning sadly. Right now our plan is to take care of him, and watch to make sure it isn't something catchy and that he isn't in pain.

Below the cut I'll discuss the next phase of chicken coop design, brainstorming an ideal structure that's at least somewhat reasonable.

Checking in with the rabbits

There are some very comforting norms for us when coming out to greet the day and our rabbits. One of them is this, Twilight informing us that she has never once in her life been fed. Just like yesterday before we gave her food, and the day before. The Lady of the House wasn't able to quite get the degree of athletic desperation that she displays, but it at least gives an idea. She will regularly cling to the side of the hutch, and do flips off the roof. She is convinced that her mostly hay diet is killing her, positively killing her. She is of course on this diet for her own good since she has something of a sensitive gut to the very nutrient rich diet that is an all pellet diet. She doesn't see it the same way.

Chicken coop design process Pt. 1

As we sit through winter and prepare for the arrival of spring, and the changes that will bring. The Lady of the House has her focus settled on the garden, and I am trying to have a design for the chicken coop nailed down as much as possible before mud season begins. Below is my first draft considerations for the requirements for the coop, with information that is informing this and my next steps of the design process.

Developing personality in the growing out hutch

Life has been continuing with only slight changes for us. We moved the babies to the growing out hutch finally, which they definitely seem to enjoy. It is a really joyful thing for the Lady of the House and I to watch the babies realize I can run, and jump, and do all of these fun things.

New goals on a frigid morning

On this incredibly cold -10F morning, we have no new photos because we didn't want to be outside that long to get said photos! This morning the rabbits all had silvering around their mouths, and the Lady of the House realized that all of them had their breath freezing on their whiskers making them look like they'd gone white around their muzzles. It was a bit of a "Oh wow" moment, and we are going to be looking in to what they can survive safely.

Happy New Year!

 And a beautiful snowy new year it is. My apologies for not posting on the Thursday after Christmas, the Lady of the House and I both acquired a wonderful 36 hour stomach bug at Christmas Eve that manifested midnight ish on the 27th. We achieved exactly two things on the 27th, and those were feeding and watering the rabbits, and calling out a friend to bring us more snow blower fuel.