Chicken celebrities!!!

It's happened!!!  Our chickens are totally legit now!

I opened up the May/June issue of Chicken Magazine today to find our photo published!!

Hokey Toe is a STAR!! (she's the brown hen on the right and the only hen still living from when this photo was taken. The three barred rocks at the top we gave away because they were mean bullies, the black hen in the center disappeared one day [we so miss her...the only hen we've had that hatched multiple groups of chicks], hokey toe is on the right...note she has short toes because just after we got her from a neighboring farm she had frostbite on her toes and Amelia is in the front...who unfortunately also disappeared one day)

THANK YOU Chicken Magazine!

Although the image of our girls wasn't selected as the winner to receive one of those super COOL nite-guard devices...still fabulous to see our birds published nonetheless!

I probably should write the nite-guard company and explain to them that only one of the six birds shown in this photo is still living...therefore...we NEED your device.

Anyhow, what FUN to enter and be one of this months' 7 finalists!

Next up....to enter the "rooster of the year" and "hen of the year" photo contest!

Free rent! Tenants wanted.

   

   

   

 

 

 

I've been inspired by the season.  The SONGBIRDS are back!!!

Red-Winged black birds, Robins (of course), blue birds, blue jays (these guys stuck around all winter) and the vultures to name a few.  Haven't seen the little wrens yet....but we're ready for their arrival!

So....I decided to make preparations for their baby hatching needs...and build birdhouses.  And what FUN it is to build birdhouses.

First I started with tweaking the birdhouses we already had that were in various forms of dis-array.  And now I'm started to design and build my own from scratch.

I absolutely love designing new things with re-purposed and various found objects.  Currently my rainproof roofing material comes from re-purposing colorful beer and energy drink and tea cans. 

Have many many more ideas in the works.  Eventually these birdhouses will be for sale...but for now...they are being put through my outdoor birdhouse lab tests for user friendliness and functionality and such.

Unfortunately, I don't have any tenants at present.  Excited to see just who might come to roost!

Stay tuned as I'll be posting updates as to if any of these houses prove to assist any bird birthings.

free rent

I've recently been bitten by the bug to build my own little bird houses.  I've traced out a ton of ideas...and have lots of old barn wood to work with. 

But I started first with re-working some old bird houses we already had laying around in need of repair or a face-lift.  Who knew how fun it is to build bird houses!!  Definitely have many many more in my future to create...so far I've completed four. Free rent for any songbird seeking a place to raise their young!

The photo of this bird house here shows my attempt at a graffiti type look...not really sure if birds will mind sharing the same space like this...but time will tell.

And....furthermore....I NOW have an excellent reason to buy some of those bright crazy-colored spray paints that Lowe's offers.  I think bird houses are supposed to be brightly colored...but...my jury is still out on that.

Yeah!!

TWO years in a row! Way to go Bell!

Super proud of Isabella (Bell)! She is Chris' 16 year old who recently created these two paintings.

Second year in a row now Bell received an award for her art entry into the annual Black Swamp Art Association's high school art competition!  Last year it was for a 3d ceramic piece. (click here if you want to see last year's entry) This year it was for her two abstracted acrylic paintings on vinyl records for which she received the award for "Outstanding entry in mixed media.".

Congratulations Bell!! We are proud of you! and We think you're pretty outstanding too!