Chicken Dip

Camilla takes a dip to cool off in the 90+ degree heat.

When it's hot outside,
don't forget about your feathered friends.
Make sure you offer fresh water,
frozen treats
and if they're showing sizes of being over heated,
dip them in a bucket of cool water.
Most of my girls enjoy the dip!

What's Goin On

We've given up the squash bug fight this year

and just started picking what we had.

Luckily we managed to harvest several small pumpkins

that I hope to cook down and preserve tonight.

I also discovered a cherry tomato volunteer

and possibly a cantaloupe.

A cantaloupe vine would be great

since all of our cantaloupes were over ripe.

While I was extremely disappointed, 

the hens were thrilled at the delicious treat.

Speaking of chickens, we have 3 hens currently laying now.

So they're starting to pay for their keep.

All in all it's been pretty crazy around here and I'm waiting for things to slow down.

Keeping Cool

The temperatures here have been hitting the 90 degree mark for several days now.

Not only is it uncomfortable for me,

but it's also uncomfortable for the chickens.

I came across this idea on Pinterest

(a dangerous place that provides endless projects for my husband me)

The idea is simple and inexpensive.

Take a muffin tin and fill each opening with corn.

Add water then put it in the freezer.

When they're frozen, run some warm water on the back of the tin

and the frozen cornsicles pop right out.

I made a bunch and store them in a freezer bag and grab a couple to toss to the girls.

You can also do something similar with other veggies

or fruit.

And you don't have to just use a muffin tin,

you could choose something much larger

(but I like the ease of storage in the muffin size treats).

The girls love them!

Dehydrated

I've been pretty busy the last few days.

Some referred to it as "Martha Stewart on crack",

but it doesn't matter, because I'm getting crap done.

I picked up some apricots at the local Farmer's Market last weekend

and thought I could dehydrate them in the dehydrator 

I picked up at a yard sale

(brand new still in the box).

I have a big hike coming up in a couple of months and 

I'm hoping to make all my own meals with the new toy.

So I cut up the apricots.

Tossed them with some fruit saver to prevent them from discoloring

and popped them in the dehydrator.

One quart did 2 trays.

They turned out okay.

I've also tried zucchini chips (not a fan)

and banana chips (the husband says they're okay too).

Beef jerky is on the list to try!

In the meantime, 

I'm canning beets, pickles, beans and baking bread while battling squash bugs

and rearranging and organizing the apartment. 

I need a vacation!

Feelin' HOT HOT HOT

Baby, it's hot out there!

While working in the garden one evening,

I noticed several of the chickens were holding their wings away from there body

and "panting".

Having read this was a sign they were getting over heated,

I grabbed a bucket and filled it with cool water.

Then one by one I stuck them in the bucket of water.

None of them were happy about being grabbed, 

but they all seemed to appreciate the cooling affect of the water.

My Jersey Giant Lenore 

.(formerly one of the Heckle and Jeckle pair but since I lost the other JG,

there was no longer a pair, 

so she's named for the woman in the Edgar Allen Poe poem The Raven)

anyway, Lenore wasn't quick to get out the water. 

She stayed in the bucket for a couple of minutes while I splashed water over her back.

Afterwards, they all seemed much happier and began scratching and exploring the grass

in the temporary run.

So remember, when it's hot outside, keep an eye on your chickens

and keep a bucket handy in case they start showing signs of being overheated!

Chickens at Sunset

Life is full of worries right now.

So after I waged battle against the squash bugs in the veggie jungle garden,

I laid down in the grass and watched the chickens.

Chickens are funny 

and that makes them a stress reliever.

Watching a small poodle chicken run carrying a tomato bigger than her upper body

to keep it away from the crazy "crack chicken"

is a good way to end a crappy day.

Because for a little while,

you don't have to think about money, funerals or where you might end up living.

 You just have to sit and watch chickens exploring in the sunset.

Recovered

Thankfully

Yeti kicked the cold or whatever she had

in the butt.

Her eyes are clear and bright,

and I moved her back into the coop.

Good thing since she's my new favorite.

Love her feet,

they remind me of E.T.