January

We had a fun, quick trip to Grace, Idaho thanks to our neighbor. Their family owns many acres and we were invited to come snowmobiling and play in the snow. It was COLD, a degree or two below zero in the mornings but amazingly we were usually warm enough when the sun was shining. This sledding hill was serious and the boys loved getting rides back up the hill via snowmobile.

 The area has a lot of pheasant (a relative of our neighbor actually raises them there) and wild turkeys. We saw a big group just off the side of the road. There was also a large herd of elk that regularly moves through the area which we were able to see one night.

There is a woman called the Chicken Chick who has a blog about raising backyard chickens and she tells of "chicken math". What she means is that chicken keeping is addictive. This is my explanation for the "need" of a new, larger coop. Jared's parents, always so generous to give of their time, gasoline, and expertise, came to help us make this bigger, better hen home.
Most of the build went smoothly and quickly and I was totally impressed.  How we get it out of the garage may be tricky. The coop is more complete than this last picture shows, and we've primed it. Tomorrow - the first coat of paint - a bit of a mystery color due to the discount store I bought it from and the fact that I'll be mixing three cans. Right now it makes a great playhouse.

Bennett strikes a pose for most photos these days. Paxton was proud of his Lincoln log building...I especially like the suspended corners. If I could I'd build a house like that.

Here are the puffballs that will occupy the coop along with our current flock. Four of the 12 are breeds we have but the rest are new. They do lay eggs but not as many as "standard" breeds.





Jared is holding an Americauna, left, and Speckled Sussex on the right. Our other newest are Silver Laced Wyandotte and Cuckoo Marans. Bennett laughs at that last name. We're already figuring out which Star Wars characters will be their namesakes.