Continuing high paced spring, eagerly anticipating new kits and planting our seedlings.

As seems to be the normal now that we are in to spring, a lot has been happening since the last post on Thursday. Babies growing, starting a new hutch, and plants growing, and 4 new litters within the next week and a half. It's the time of  year where everything happens at once.

Spring is coming!

I can tell because the driveway is almost clear of ice on the actual driving surface, and the average level of snow is a little below knee deep rather than a little above knee deep. It is warm and pleasant outside by comparison, and the mist is epic. Obviously with the indicators of spring's impending arrival we are excited about a whole bunch of things, and our minds are whirling with how to most efficiently handle everything we need to do while still both working full time plus.

Coop planning part 3, cost cutting

In day to day life it is somewhat difficult to think how soon the coop will need to be built and go into action, but there are reminders. Up where we live there is still plenty of snow actually on the ground, and seeing the dirt below it is unusual. When we come down to the valley though I am reminded that while winter isn't over for sure, spring is around the corner. Snow is gone less than 10 miles from our house, and soon it will be mud season.

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.

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.