Confinement Issues
Ending out April with seventeen new flufferbutts was a great. Not five days after they cracked their way into the world, it was clearly evident the cardboard box was not gonna work. They were already confined for space.
Needing something small enough to stay inside the Work Box yet easy enough to transport outside, large enough for accommodations until the outside quarters are built, easy enough to clean regularly, and the difficult part: all the supplies had to be on hand as there was not going to the hardware store for goods as goods are limited right now. Plans were going good until needing chicken wire. Luckily, the local hardware store had a roll stuck in the back corner. It was bent and kinda rusty and only two feet in length but it worked.
Other items outgrowing their confinements quickly was the produce department. Most of the foods were fine growing outside their boundaries as the chickens did not eat them but ants were issue.
Two weeks after the removal from the cardboard box and placement into the wire cage, it was clearly evident once again the little peepers needed a more permanent bigger confinement fixture outside.
Feeling confined was not limited to producers. Having spent weeks upon weeks inside the Work Box with summer heat bearing down, it was evident a south window was needed. From start to finish a new window was installed in less than ten days. Hole cut, frame welded in, window installed.
With a window installed as a honey-do item, the Planner knocked off one of his own honey-do items. Modification to the brush mower. Using a riding mower deck from Not the Doubter, a riding subframe was built, and the new better to cut grass mower was created. Need the brush deck again, just easily switch between two with a few bolts.
By months end, the gardens were big and beautiful and overgrowing their containers. Our very first cantaloupe was harvested and the Kid said it was the best he’d ever eaten.
A month from cracked egg, the little chicks were released to the final growing confinement. They has spent several hours scratching and doing chicken things in the sand but never once were they placed in grass. Grass was an amazing experience.
Their excitement for freedom was uncontained. For them, for the Kid, for me.
To keep chickens contained from unwanted critter attacks, a temporary coop was built using an off the shelf 10×10 dog kennel. A shade cloth was used to cover the top against critters and sun damage. With chickens in their new home, the doggo was doing her duties ensuring their confinement was secure. If there was a way in, she would find it.
These chickens are being raised for food and should take 12-16 weeks to fill out to butcher size. If they make it to size, the chickens should dress out around 2-3 pounds. Decent size meat birds and better than the factory raised chickens available at the store. Which is none, by the way.
Everything at Boxes in Fields is feeling confined, including the two legged residences. We may be Boxes in Fields but our life is not meant to be confined to these boxes. Last month the Planner had eye issues, this month the Kid. Guess home schooling will do that.
Me on the other hand am on roller coaster of emotions and need a break from life. We need to free ourselves from this rut.