Pullets on the loose

We like to sleep a little later on the weekends, have a good cup of coffee, read a devotion, and then go change into our work clothes and get the morning chores done.  Once we come back in, we have a big breakfast of homemade hashbrowns, scrambled eggs with whatever is fresh in the garden and bacon. 

This was a hot, humid, mosquito filled morning.  As I walked across the pasture to feed the pullets, something seemed out of place - a bunch of them (about 15) were running toward me.  When I got to the chicken tractor, I could see the problem.  The cows like to gather around the tractor and rub against the chicken wire to scratch themselves.  I guess they scratched so hard that they popped the staples out, allowing the pullets to have a taste of freedom.  Fortunately, I got them all herded back in the tractor before a hawk got a taste of them.  I went back and got the staple gun and quickly mended things.


Fixing the spot of the jail break

 The pullets are really growing - so much so that I've got to be careful when I open the top to feed and water them as they try to fly out.  You ought to see them as I push the tractor one length forward each day.  They quickly eat all the bugs and grass seed in the new 12 X 6 area.


Escape from Alcatraz

 As you can see, they aren't exactly little chicks anymore.  They are eating more everyday and drinking more too.  The one gallon waterer you see three of the girls drinking from below is really too small now for 31 birds and I have to constantly walk back and forth to keep it full.

So I bought what they call a Poultry Bell Waterer.  It has a 5 gallon capacity and will save countless trips across the pasture trying to keep them watered.  Here it is below.  The paper to the left of the contraption is the instruction "manual" and was not much help at all.  After much trial and error and help from a buddy, I finally got the thing put together and the valve setting adjusted.

I brought it out to the chicken tractor and installed it.  The picture shows the bell waterer hanging at a good level to drink from, but also keeping it off the ground.  I can adjust the height as they grow.  If you follow the black tubing to the right, you can see the 5 gallon bucket that serves as the reservoir.  I drilled a small hole in the bottom of the bucket and worked the rubber tubing in.  Once in, it sealed perfectly and the head pressure and the valve keeps the waterer filled at exactly the right level. 

The bucket is situated perfectly in the middle of the roof of the tractor.  This is the most important thing.  You see, cows are not very smart.  I'm just being honest.  But one thing they do know is that a bucket equals feed.  They are so nosy and gluttonous that they will do anything to get to it.  I think the bucket is out of reach.  I guess we'll see in the morning.  You can see Daisy and Blackberry conspiring a plan to get to the bucket already.  Another thing the picture shows is how much grass the chickens eat.  Look at the spot where the tractor was yesterday.  They've picked the grass clean.  They've also fertilized that spot and in a couple of weeks, there will be green grass growing there.

You probably see the water standing in the pasture.  That's because we got another inch and a half rain today.  My driveway below is now accepting boat traffic, but please observe the No Wake Zone signs when visiting and slow that Evinrude down.

I was hoping to start getting the fall garden in today, but that'll have to wait until the ground dries up.  That may take a while if this 40 days and 40 nights of rain keeps up.