Today

Enjoying what surrounds me . . . 
It appears there is to be a sudden change of scenery along our path very soon.


Outside . . .

Inside . . .

Closing the door to the end of a beautiful era . . .
Words cannot express my thoughts today, 
Bittersweet perhaps . . .
I'll be back soon to let you know of a new adventure awaiting the Gooseberries.

Angry Chickens

Chicken soup for breakfast, lunch and dinner at our place this week, we're all in bed with the flu!

Apparently chicken soup does more than just soothe the soul. 

Some researchers are now agreeing with your old gran and saying that chicken soup does actually help fight of those sniffles. When mixed with a good dose of veggies it helps reduce the inflammation and mucus production caused by the common cold and flu. You can read more about this here. 

I'm off to the coop to find me a nice big boiler!

(No, I'm not really, My head hurts too much!!)

I'M OFF TO REST UP FOR A FEW DAYS, BE BACK ON TRACK AGAIN SOON

Stage 1

1st January 2011
The boys have started work on the new coop...
I have always wanted to extend the coop into my garden and now that hubby has finished all his special little projects he is happy to work on one of mine.

It  was getting a little overcrowded with all the new chicks that have arrived the past couple of months. So just like our house, we thought we'd add on a few extra rooms to accommodate this other ever growing Family of mine...



The design was approved, The holes were dug, The posts are in place.

What a great productive start to the New Year.

Hanging out to Dry...

Welcome Sunshine...We are ALL happy to have you back...

 

 The warmth of the sun has been missed this last week with bucket loads of rain falling day and night....however I must add that the rain and cool air has certainly brought with it a different feel to the Christmas break this year, it makes a nice change from our usual hot and sticky December. Everything around here is  wet and slushy, parts of my garden are waterlogged other areas flourishing...We are lucky to live on a steady slope so we have no major water problem areas, our biggest disaster would have to be the chook coop...My girls are drenched and it will take weeks for their coop to dry out...and the smell...just like a muddy ol pig pen! Pew!  They are extremely happy today to be out in the sun for a bit of drying time...

Weather for ducks....

 

 

But not for chooks ....

My poor little chookies......all wet and soggy...not a patch of dry ground left to stand on, even the new straw is soaked. 


Hubby has decided to extend the chook coop so If we can can that done in a few days time then we might get some higher, dryer ground ready for the rain predicted again next week...

Two more hungry mouths to feed

I found these two on the weekend at the Markets, I just had to have them!  They are PekinX and have the most adorable little fluffy feet. Don't know yet if they are rooster or hen but am hoping to breed a few more little fluffy feet's around here...

When I first bought them home I put them in a closed off area of the coop I keep for mummy's and chicks

'The Maternity Ward'

. 

My Speckled Hen was not impressed! They immediately identified her as mum and started nuzzling in to get a little bit cosy. 

 Mum had other ideas about this though...

She already had 7 chicks to take care of and the thought of an extra two must have really freaked her out...She got a little upset with the fluffy feet's treading on her turf...Not a Happy Mama.

Not that you could tell by these photos...

Just like the best of  us mums she’s really trying to LOOK like she’s got it together!!!

Poor little dears,  I quickly moved them...

They now have a new temporary home with the Quails,

just until they are old enough to hold their own in the coop.

Look who popped out to say hello this morning...

My speckled hen has babies....I've only seen this one so far. She is sitting on about 6 - 8 eggs so I can't wait to meet the others, it's just like having your own bub, its so exciting to see what they all look like, especially as these eggs would be quite a mixture from several of my hens.

Look at dad, eagerly pacing the coop.....waiting for the next arrival....