Sweet baby chicks

Today is the day!

Its Chick Day!!!

And what better way to wake up than to pretty blue skies and handsome goat boys.

The sun is out and there are pretty daffodils in bloom. Okay, so one daffodil is what I have. How funny is that?

The tulips are just bursting to open up.

The hyacinths are making everyone happy.

A few days ago I began to get the supplies all together for the little, fuzzy chicks that were headed my way.

But the more I looked at the brooder that I had, the more I began to think that it just wasnt going to be big enough.

So, I looked to see what else I had around the farm that I could use.

Bingo. My favorite seat to hang out with the goats. Otherwise known as a stock tank turned upside down.

We got our boots on.

Did some heavy thinking to get a plan in place.

And began to move that big ol stock tank.

J and I got it flipped over and then headed down the hill with it.

The goat boys were very curious about what was going on. And yet they seemed just fine being curious from a distance.

J and G swept off all the mud and dirt.

J and I carried it inside and G poured in the pine shavings.

He got them all spread out just so.


And then we looked at the handiwork the three of us just managed to pull off.

The heat lamp is all aglow...just waiting for those little, fuzzy chick babies....

Were running it!

Building a chicken run, that is.

My sweet little baby chicks are set to arrive on March 25th. I know! Can you even believe it? I am so excited.

In the meantime, we are trying to get as much done on the coop as we can. Just because, well, once the chicks get here...Ill either be sitting and watching them for hours at a time...OR... Ill be napping periodically through out the day trying to catch up on my sleep since I know I am going to be checking on them a bazillion times during the night.

S is confirming with me just where I want it all to go.

Digging post holes is NOT his favorite thing to do in the world.

And while hes digging holes....Im shoveling beans. Llama beans. They seem to multiply overnight.

But look. I got one pile taken care of.

And into the wheelbarrow they go....to be wheeled off to another part of the pasture. Only like, 134 more piles to go...

The great thing about llamas is that they normally choose a place to use as their bathroom place. They tend to keep it neat and tidy...all in one general area. My llamas, however, seem to like to have several general areas....I think Ill talk to them about that.

G, of course, has to have his hand in everything....and since I said that I didnt need his help, he went off to find someone who did. He spotted Brian, a very dear friend of ours who was helping us out, and made it known to him that he thought he could handle digging the holes himself.

So, naturally, he let him have a go at it.

Oh my gosh, he says...this is really harder then it looks.

Hes just really focused right now...please just let me get the post hole digger back out of the hole...

After this picture he looked at us and said...I think I could use a little help, please.

Always good to be able to ask for help if you need it...

That goes for me, too. After I came in for the day, I put in a call to my chicken lady, Penny. I think I finally just realized that my chickens will be here soon!!! I mean, yeah, I knew they would be here soon....but theres a lot to get done between now and then....some important things to purchase and think about....

Thanks for the helpful phone call, Penny. For all of it. :-) What I need to know, tho, is do you have a "secret bat line"....cuz I might need a chicken emergency call....Im just sayin.

Experimentation

This is where we normally feed the llama ladies.

Yep, right there. I have a couple rubbermaid tubs that I fill with hay and then I set them in there. Its quite easy actually.

You see, in the evenings the goats normally get put to bed in their little goat stall in the barn and that leaves the llamas out all night to happily enjoy the pastures on their own. And then they can eat as they please from their little rubbermaid tubs.

Well, as of late, we have been experimenting.

We have been leaving the goat boys out all night along with the llamas.

They seem to love it. I will look out there of an evening and they are all bedded down next to each other....peace...harmony....

Except for one little detail.

These sweet, little goat boys...

Who are clearly starved for attention...

And never get any belly scratches....

Or great big hugs....

Yeah those goats.

They wont let the lovely llama ladies eat in peace. They jump right in those rubbermaid tubs and go to town on that hay. And while Im all about sharing and all that good stuff...I really like to be able to monitor their hay intake. Especially Dollys...who is getting older and needs more food in the winter months.

So what to do?

S came up with a really great idea to make hay feeders just for the llamas.

So those super friendly, in your personal space goats, couldnt reach them.

Only trouble is...they are kinda too high. Toni (and Dolly) have a hard time reaching them.

We could lower them, but as you can see from one of the previous pictures...if we lower them too much more then those goat boys will be able to get to them.

Yeah, those same goat boys I talked about earlier.

The ones that never get scratches till they doze off...

The ones that never get to play the head butt game with dad....



The ones that would certainly never show you their sweet, little goat butts.

Do you guys have any suggestions?