Hens & Chicks (& The Coop)

So that is THE DOOR!!  Flyboy got it fitted, framed, hinged,  and sealed!!  It looks pretty DAMN GOOD if you ask me!!  (nevermind the painting around it...I'm working on it!)  Doesn't it look amazing?!?!  Thanks Flyboy!  Even with all the cursing and frustration...you ROCKED IT!!

THAT is one of the 2 windows that we scored from an antique dealer who was having a 50% off sale!!  YEP!  We got TWO windows for $15!!  Almost can't beat it!!  (except the AWESOME back windows that I scored from Craigslist for FREE!!)  Look at those hinges and even a pull handle so we can open it and prop it!  (Of course it will have a chicken wire screen on the inside to keep out any uninvited "guests"!)  I am LOVING the way this is all coming out!!  What do you think about the "Garden Room" Green that I picked for the paint??  (Hint: I love it!)

 
Oh my!!  Are those clouds in the window reflection looking suspicious??  Yep, its Hurricane IRENE heading our way....

So, THIS is the INSIDE of the coop so far!!  Lots of painting (shabby chic style) on the walls, beams and even the floor!!  See the FREE back windows that I got from Craigslist??  And the side window that I showed you above...and the door on the FAR right of the photo??  This place is coming along fabulously!!  The mirror and wreath?  Those are touches that I know I want to add in the coming days.  The mirror was my grandparent's back in the day.  It was sitting in my attic for about 5 years.  I pulled it out and spray painted it a gorgeous blue color and then distressed it with fine sandpaper!  Turned out FAB!!  The wreath is something I picked up from Target about 3 years ago that was on CLEARANCE for $6!!

So....for a little more about my Gracie....who passed away less than 48 hours ago....

THIS is the tree that she (and our first chick that passed away, Gwen) is buried under.  Flyboy chose this place because it is close to the chicken coop and we *think* it is a place that "The Girls" will spend a lot of time hanging out during their Free Range time.

I placed some simple flowers for her today.  Just wanted her to know that I love her and think of her constantly still.  XOXO

The flowers from me, an "In Memory of" plaque from Bug, a pretty "bent stick" from Cricket, and a "hug" that you obviously can't see from Gidget lean against the tree for Gracie.

The Loss of a Chick

Baby Grace fell sick 3 days ago.  I found her laying on her side in the chick cage one afternoon.  She had lost the use of one of her legs.  The next day I found her, again, laying on her side in the cage.  Her condition was getting worse.  Before the day was over, she had no use of either leg.  Flyboy and I made her a "hobble brace" but she was just too little and weak to use it.  So, we made her a "Chick Cup" and that is where she spent her final 2 days.  I don't know for sure what caused her to die, but what I am sure of is that she is in a better place now...where she can walk and run, hunt bugs, and is pain free.  She was only on Earth for a short 17 days, but in that time she captured my heart and I will miss her dearly.  She will be in my heart forever!  

Meet the Girls!!

We did it!  We got our flock of chicks!!  Please let me introduce the newest family members!!

 

Meet FLUFFY!  She is about 3 days old.  She is a BLACK Silkie Chicken.

 

Meet GRACE!  She is about 4 days old.  She is a BLUE SPLASH Silkie Chicken.

 Meet FIONA!  She is about 5 days old.  She is a WHITE Silkie Chicken.

 These were our first 3 chicks.  We got them last week.  So, they are each about 2 weeks old now.

 The NEXT 3 chicks were mailed from Poultry Hollow in Tennessee.  Todd, the owner, was AMAZING!  He overnighted these little girls to us within only a couple of days after speaking with him.  Unfortunately, the USPS did NOT do us any favors.  The chicks were LOST for nearly 48 hours.  We made 7,598,000 calls to EVERY POSSIBLE place that we could get a number for trying to find them.  (OK, maybe not quite THAT many phone calls, but it seems like it!)  We are WELL KNOWN in the Jersey USPS system now I assure you!!  FINALLY we got a call that our "package" was found.  With a sad heart...assuming that our chicks had passed away due to dehydration, we went to the USPS Annex and picked it up.  To our surprise and EXTREME RELIEF, 3 out of the 4 chicks were still alive and doing very well!!  YAY!!  I am very happy to introduce you to our "miracle babies".....

 

Meet BETSY!  She is about 3 weeks old.  She is a BARRED ROCK chicken.

 

Meet ABBY!  She is about 2 weeks old.  She is a BUFF ORPINGTON chicken.

 Meet HAZEL!  She is 5 weeks old.  She is an AMERAUCANA chicken.

(In case you are wondering, "Gwynevere" our lost chick, was a SILVER WYANDOTTE chicken.  Flyboy laid her to rest under the big maple tree in the backyard....a place that we think the "girls" will spend a LOT of time once they move outside.  She will forever be in our hearts even though we never got to meet her.)

A Vintage Touch

 So, this is the door that we chose to put up on the outside of the chicken coop!  It is an antique door, SOLID and HEAVY!!  Actually, we bought this door as a set...they were French Doors, but we chose to separate them and use one as an entry into the chicken coop and one as an interior door in the coop!  I will have to show you pictures when they are installed!

 

One of my favorite parts of the door is the old metal lock!  I love the rusted/aged colors and the skeleton key hole!  Very cool!!

 

These hinges are what I took off the door.  We are planning on using something a little more decorative for the outer door, so I got to steal these!  I don't know 100% what I am going to do with them yet, but I think they are really neat!!  

 

 Hahahah!  This is ME caulking one of the antique windows that we are using in the chicken coop!  Remember when I posted about them HERE!!  It was an interesting project pulling out the old, broken window panes and installing new ones!  Then I caulked each one to help weatherproof them.  I can't wait to see how it turns out!

Makeovers!!

It’s definitely time for the little girls to get a haircut!!  Cricket’s hair is ALMOST down to her waist and Gidget’s is just past halfway down her back.  Its HOT and TANGLED and NO ONE (not even me) is enjoying the brushing and upkeep of it this summer!!  They are complaining of it being in their way when they swim and goggles aren’t sealing properly because the hair is just everywhere!  (Kind of reminds me of “Cousin It” from “The Munster’s” tv show….do you remember that?!?!)  So, anyway, we loaded up and headed to “Tantrum Spa” and were determined to make a dent in the crazy rat nests on their heads!!  Here is how it went!!

  Gidget’s first BIG CUT!!

 

It’s Cricket’s TURN!!

Our donation to “Locks of Love”!!!!

The Final Outcome……..

GIDGET!!!

CRICKET!!

Aren’t the adorable?!?!  I don’t see long hair in our future for a LONG LONG LONG TIME!!

OH YEAH, but if you DO have a little girl with long, tangled hair who hates to have her hair brushed…I would HIGHLY recommend the KNOT GENIE!!

Hen House Construction Begins!!

The work starts!!  This building is our old shed.  Its 24′ long by 12′ wide.  We decided that instead of building a separate building for our future hens, that we would just build the chicken coop into part of the shed.  But before we can start building…we have to take apart the things we don’t like first!!  Flyboy gets the majority of the tearing down and building projects.

 

This is where the “run” will be built outside.  It will be a nice big place for “the girls” to find yummy bugs and food, get some sunshine, and dust bathe!

This is one of the antique barn windows that I got off of Craigslist…for FREE!!!  We are going to fix the one panel that is missing and put these across the back of the coop so there will be lots of natural light!!

So, lots of work to go….as you can see!  We have about 4-6 weeks to finish it up before the baby chicks will arrive and be ready to go outside!  Wish us lots of luck!!

A beautiful shopping trip!!

Hi!  My name is Angie and I am the wife of a Naval Aviator, who I refer to as “Flyboy”, and the mother of 3 beautiful, but HIGH MAINTENANCE children!   “Bug” is my oldest, 12, he is UBER smart and detail oriented with the best memory of anyone, he has recently been diagnosed with Aspergers and Depression.  “Cricket” is my middle baby, 6, and she is extremely tough and manipulative.  “Gidget” is my baby, 3, and this girl is definitely my most “strong-willed” child.  I am sure you will get to know each of them as the days go by!

Also, I am the mother of 2 cats, “Lizzie” and “Willow”, both are about 8-9 years old.  Then there is “Chianti”, our 18mos old Cane Corso dog who weighs as much if not more than I do!!  Bug has a couple of pets that he keeps in his room…”Mars”, the albino corn snake, and “Echo” his fish, “Poseidon” & “Neptune” are the snails in the fish tank as well.

Me?  I am just a loving, but overwhelmed mom who is in charge of making sure all 11 of these living beings are well taken care of and fed!  No small task, I assure you!    But, I wouldn’t have it any other way!  I love photography and wine – and will probably post photos often as life passes by!

Anyway, welcome to “From the Top of the Pecking Order” blog!  I am glad you are here and hope to hear from you!!