Chez Poulet - Phase Two

Much progress made on La Petite Maison des Poussins Urbaines! I am determined that these chickens are going to have very low budget accommodations. Thanks to the recent snow storm, we have a lovely roost.  

And thanks to a Richardson resident providing a curb side shopping opportunity, we have the beginning of Chicken Condos (a.k.a. nesting boxes). I all ready had the wooden crate and would love a few more if anyone sees some somewhere.   

I have read repeatedly that despite it's name, chicken wire is not the best thing to use for chicken enclosures. Predators can reach through it and small birds and rodents can get inside through it. Hardware cloth (which isn't really cloth but smaller wire mesh) is the thing to have. Someone needs to revisit the names for these things.

For good luck we have a horse shoe donated by the nice horses at Lime Ridge Farm.

And lest the chickens forget the date we have a calendar (on sale for $1 yesterday at Borders)

Farm Photos

I spent an enjoyable sunny morning recently taking photos for the Jacob's Reward Farm Photo Contest. I was only allowed to enter three photos in the contest which was difficult.

With so many charming sights and adorable fluffy critters, how can any photos be left out? So, here are several more:

 

Operation Dog Necklaces

Lucy and Francesca are house dogs who don't venture beyond the backyard very often. The clanking of their tags long ago grew tiresome and wearing collars all the time didn't look so comfortable. However, should they ever get out, they need some sort of identification so I had them microchipped and I made beaded necklaces for them with their names and my phone number.

After trying many different types of wire and clasps that all eventually broke; I have settled on ultra heavy duty steel cable and permanently crimped fasteners. These necklaces aren't going anywhere! 

My household pliers didn't quite do the job so we loaded doggies in the car and set off for our neighborhood Lowe's where Chris and Philip went far above their call of duty to attach the necklaces!   

Ravelympics

Ravelympics start tonight! I am entering the Aerial Unwind event - bravely frogging a huge sweater to do over! Projects must be cast on during the Opening Ceremonies of the Winter Olympic Games this evening and be completed before the flame is extinguished in the Closing Ceremonies on February 28th.

 http://www.ravelry.com/projects/jkstuart/snowbird 

For good measure, I am also entering Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's Knitting Olympics.  http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/