But it's not all fun and games. What? You didn't know there was an unglamorous side? Oh yes, most of the time I scrub down multiple times upon entering the house, and my outside clothes never get past the mud room.
Just the other day I did my annual cleaning of the chicken coop. Ok, it's more than annual, but I don't want to scare you off (yet). In the warm weather months, the chickens spend the majority of their time wandering the ranch looking for goodies. The goodies consist of bugs, grain the cows missed, or grass. Should I mention their favorite past time is digging in the cow plops for maggots and undigested grain......Mmmmmmmmmm!
First I need a nice calm day, that way the poo dust is kept to the minimum.
I dress for the occasion.
This pile is not all from the chickens, the goats and cows contributed to it. Most of the pile I picked up pitchfork by pitchfork....ok, fine, my hubby helped out a little (lot) with his tractor. After a while, it will turn into compost for our garden and we'll spread some around the pasture to fertilize the soil.
Ahhhh, a nice clean coop with fresh bedding!
This is the same way I manage my chickens. They love scratchin around in the poop. In fact, by the horses in the paddock near the barn, we don't even have to pick up the poop the chickens scratch it all down. The picture of you in a mask...that was me last Saturday. I know what you mean about the dust...my husband said it looked like the chicken coop was on fire with all the dust coming out. I had white eyebrows and lashes. When you live in a cold climate - and things get frozen - and the chickens are penned up - it is impossible to clean regularily. I'm glad another blogger is "real" enough to say it! Blessings from Wisconsin
ReplyDeleteIf I don't get out to the cow barn early enough in the morning, the chickens make a huge mess scratching around. It's added motivation for getting up early in the a.m.!
ReplyDeleteOh, I love the ones who look like they have an afro!
ReplyDeleteI've wanted chickens for a long time, but am too chicken to go out and get started! I'm also afraid that the idiot neighbor dogs will scare them to death.