Frühlingskabine is hard to spell

When we move in late August/ early September, what? again?... I know, we will be moving into a 3 bedroom house with enough room (and permission) to keep our chickens, start keeping rabbits for wool, and start a hive of bees. We plan to live there for a few years while we work on buying our own house.

Cool right?! We are so excited! The house is called the "Frühlingskabine" which means "Spring cabin" in German. It was named by my uncle who has recently passed. I love him and miss his quick cynical wit dearly so we are naming our mini-mini-farm in memory of him.
Soon we will be drowning in honey, eggs, and wool. Yay!

So rabbit wise, I have a few options. I would like medium to large sized rabbits in order to get a worthwhile amount of wool. I would hate to spend more in feed than I get in wool. That would be silly.


On the left, the French Angora weighs about 8-10 pounds
The German (or Giant) Angora on the right weighs 9-12 pounds

I would prefer the French Angora because it is of a more manageable weight, but either would be nice. The big challenge will be finding a breeder who is selling a buck and two does relatively close to where I live. A challenge indeed. I may even begin to breed them myself.

September brings new beginnings. Oh, and my birthday.

- Sarah

Batch Two

After the massacre at the chicken ranch, we beefed up security on the chicken run. I also decided I needed a few more chickens to make up for our losses. At the feed store I found these cuties...


The two yellow chicks are Golden Sexlinks named Honey (the darker one) and Butter (the lighter one in the right corner). The two that look like chipmunks are Silver Laced Wyandottes named Agatha (top corner) and Henrietta (in the picture on the left). They won't be ready to go outside for about 3 more weeks.
I decided not to get more Barred Rocks because my brother said I needed to be "racially diverse with my flock". And since I believe in the buddy system, I have two of each. Here ya go Natie!

- Sarah

Batch One

We converted a doghouse from Lowes into a chicken coop. I installed a roost inside (half the roof lifts up for easy cleaning), added nesting boxes on the back, and made a draw bridge door that locks. Everyone pitched in to put up a chicken wire fence and deer netting top for a run.


Early last Friday evening I got a phone call from my mom. One chicken was mangled and one was missing. It looked like a cat squeezed through the wire somehow into the run and cut the chickens off from the safety of their coop.
Myrtle and Pearl ran to safety while (I like to think) Maude distracted the evil cat. Maude was always looking out for the other girls. I'm sure the cat saw through Maude's ploy and swiped her with its claws then grabbed Eleanor in its jaws and retreated through the fence to its lair. Maude took her last few breaths with her two friends standing by her side, holding her wing.
Or at least that's how it went down in my head.

Here are our two survivors, Myrtle and Pearl, chasing crickets and Camsters checking in on them.

- Sarah

Chicken Farmer

For some odd reason I decided I wanted to raise chickens and for some odd reason my parents are letting my keep them at their house. I know, huh?! All I had to do was ask, "Can I keep chickens in your backyard?" Who knew?
My first task was finding an appropriate breed. I wanted Dominiques, but I would have had to order eight or more online. Strike that! So my husband brought home four little Barred Plymouth Rocks. Score!



Of course I gave them "old lady" names because it wouldn't seem right if I didn't. Myrtle, Maude, Eleanor, and Pearl.
Then I let them stink up the bathroom for four weeks while we setup their coop and they worked on feathering out.






- Sarah