Backyard Chicken Coop
Posted on Mar 27, 2009 under Keeping chickens | 13 Comments
Here is my chicken coop in fort collins colorado.
Duration : 0:1:48
Archives for March, 2009
Watch Out For Those Buzzards!
Posted on Mar 27, 2009 under Keeping chickens | 7 Comments
Once upon a time there was a farmer down in south Georgia who
kept chickens. He didn’t keep very many, in fact, he only kept
four or five hens and one very lucky rooster. They were a very
happy little family of chickens, they lived in a nice coup that
many envied, they had more than enough to eat and drink, and
they all enjoyed each other’s company immensely. And so it was
for many, many years.
One day the hens and rooster were standing about talking, and
one of the hens noted just how fortunate they were to live in
such splendid conditions. She also noted that a very lonely old
buzzard had recently spoken to her, and that she felt very sorry
for her.
“Why would you feel sorry for a withered, craggy old
she-buzzard?” one of the other hens asked.
“Because,” the caring hen noted, “she’s a dried-up dismal old
thing, even her feathers and beak look like they’re dyed, and
she loves our coup more than anything in the world. She talks
about it all the time, in fact, I can just see in her eyes the
immense love she possesses for our home here. In fact, because
of that, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking. We have more than
enough to eat and drink, we have plenty of living space,
therefore I think we should invite the lonely old buzzard to
live amongst us. She’ll be happy and we’ll have done a good
thing.” Without giving it so much as a second thought, the hens
and the rooster happily agreed to invite the buzzard to live
amongst them.
Problems began the moment the shrewish old buzzard entered the
pen. She immediately took a liking to the rooster, and he,
abandoning all logic and reason, took a casual liking to her.
They could be seen clucking and squawking away at almost all
hours of the day or night, and they appeared to be becoming
quite close. Naturally, this concerned all of the hens, but they
were never ones to interfere in each other’s lives, so they left
the mismatched two to coo and wink at each other. This did not
turn out to be the best way of handling the situation. Soon, the
old buzzard began wanting more and more of the rooster’s time.
He quickly started backing away, as he loved time with his hens
and had no intention of giving up his friendships with any of
them. He also disliked the fact that the old buzzard would
squawk about him and their personal business to anyone that
would listen, especially the unusual bird that flew overhead
from time to time, the mysterious left-winged Macaw. Finally,
the rooster got so tired of her squawking that he totally lost
interest in the dyed up old buzzard, first he grew silent when
in her company, then he finally bid her to leave the pen.
The wicked old buzzard got very upset at this, and immediately
flew about the gilded coup, destroying everything that she
possibly could. She fouled the water so that none of the
chickens could drink it, and she destroyed every nest that she
possibly could. Finally, with their patience at a collective
end, the hens took charge and deposited the cranky old
she-buzzard outside of the coup, and sealed it so that she could
never return. The chickens had a very hard time restoring their
coup to its former status. Some things had to be tossed away,
some were restored, and some are still being attended to as I
scribe the words of this story. And what happened to the
miserable old buzzard? Well, she finally started up a little
nest of her own way down in the deep, dark woods, far, far away
from everyone. She never found another rooster, no hens would
play with her, and she found herself spending most all of her
time with two aged parrots and one puffed-up goonie bird. They
now spend their lives squawking away endlessly in the deep woods
where no one ever hears them, no one wants to hear them, and the
most important item of discussion they endeavor each day is what
the rooster and hens might be up to.
The morals of this story? Really, they’re quite simple. If you
want happy, contented chickens, keep misery-ridden old buzzards
out of the hen house. If you want to stay a happy rooster, keep
away from old buzzards altogether. Just remember that the very
worst crap from the coup will always be far, far sweeter than
anything a moldy old buzzard can lay before you…
Ed Williams
http://www.articlesbase.com/advice-articles/watch-out-for-those-buzzards-159.html
How To Make The Most Of A Small Garden Or Yard
Posted on Mar 27, 2009 under Chicks | 4 Comments
The fact that you only have a small yard does not mean that it has to be devoid of landscaping elements. There are plenty of things that can be done with a small yard to help it look nice, whilst at the same time not encroaching too much onto the usable space.
The key is to plan well, and to choose plants and designs that are not too overpowering. Even though you may not be able to have large boulders or a sweeping flower garden, or indeed a large pond, it is still possible to have a beautiful landscape that surrounds your home. Making it both attractive and an area in which you can enjoy relaxing and entertaining.
One of the things to remember when you have a small space is that you can build up rather than building out. You can do this by building raised beds for your plants. This can be done yourself, allowing you to save money. In fact, if you have a small yard, your landscaping costs should be fewer anyway. Building a raised bed allows you to create an attractive feature for your small yard without having to worry about taking up too much space. Some beds, if built on planks of wood, can be designed with wheels. Then you can move your landscape wherever you want; you have a moveable landscape!
Another method of maximizing small landscape space is to use containers for planting. Instead of marking out large sections of your yard for flowerbeds or vegetable patches, do a little container gardening. These types of gardens allow you to choose to plant various items in containers. Plants in containers take up less space, and you can move them around as you need to. This also creates a moveable landscape that can be very convenient depending upon your use of the space for a certain day. The containers can be placed for ornamental effect while you are entertaining, or they can be moved out of the way for a rousing family party or game.
Take into account the colors in your landscape. Cool colors (like blue) actually make a space look larger. Therefore, if you would like your yard to feel and look larger, choose the colors that make it look that way. Plants like silver king and evergreens can give your yard a feeling of largeness. Blue spruce and Alberta pine are good examples of plants that add a decorative tough while helping your property look bigger. In fact, Alberta pines are rather small trees, so they do not take up very much space while at the same time conferring a feeling of maximum space.
Another idea for the smaller landscape spaces is a small rock garden. A well-designed rock garden always makes an attractive feature. Make sure that it is in a place that will not be in the way when you mow the lawn assuming you have one of course. A little nook or corner of the property, or even up against the house on a raised bed, will do for a small rock garden. Choose your rocks carefully to complement each other, and choose plants that go with the rocks and that will not spread too much. Hens and Chicks are great plants for use in a small rock garden. The rock garden draws the eye, but does not need to be sprawling.
Finally, if you want a water feature, it is possible to use a small one for limited landscape space. Small features similar to serenity fountains can be purchased for outdoor use. You can put them among your rock garden or even place one on the wall of your garden or house. Even a small birdbath can add a feeling of elegance to the yard. And the great thing about buying a small water feature is that it costs much, much less than putting in a big pond or even a medium size waterfall. Water features come in a variety of types and designs, and it very likely that you can find one to fit the size and the look of your yard.
Even if your garden is small, it is possible to design a landscape that enlarges the space in an attractive manner. By carefully considering your design, using small features and cool colors, and by thinking about what would help give your yard a touch of elegance, you can have a very nicely landscaped and cosy surrounding for your home.
Paul P. Duxbury
http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/how-to-make-the-most-of-a-small-garden-or-yard-95209.html
Domestic turkeys–an old breed–and chickens
Posted on Mar 23, 2009 under Keeping chickens | 3 Comments
Short clip of my brother with his poultry
Duration : 0:0:50
Rare Breed Cubalaya Chicken
Posted on Mar 22, 2009 under Breeding Chickens | No Comment
Here is a shot of our Cubalaya chickens
Duration : 0:2:44
Hawk proof roof for backyard chicken run
Posted on Mar 21, 2009 under Breeding Chickens | 2 Comments
Bamboo, zip ties and deer netting provide shelter from aerial attack for poor backyard fowl.
Duration : 0:1:58
Backyard Chicken Coop in Ft. Collins
Posted on Mar 21, 2009 under Breeding Chickens | 3 Comments
This is an update on the Coop and the Backyard
Duration : 0:3:33
Hens keeping the peace
Posted on Mar 21, 2009 under Breeding Chickens | 25 Comments
Hens breaking up a rabbit fight. There is true beauty in this. Maybe we can all learn a lesson… I just got word from EliteBishop who filmed this clip. Thanks for the treat buddy! This is his channel link. Enjoy http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=oolaliz
Duration : 0:0:28
All About Chickens : South American Blue-Egg Chickens
Posted on Mar 21, 2009 under Breeding Chickens | 6 Comments
Watch a naturalist from the Massachusetts Audubon Society’s Drumlin Farm provide information about South American Blue-Egg Chickens in this free online video.
Duration : 0:1:15
backyard chicken fun
Posted on Mar 19, 2009 under Breeding Chickens | No Comment
Here is a clip about our family enjoying out newest additions to our household…Mary and Clara, the chickens. If they survive the dogs, the cats and the children, these chickens will be very lucky.
Duration : 0:2:16