Chickens

​I finally finished the new chicken run and it looks almost professional. It was a lot of work but I wanted to get it right being my first fencing job on the property. I still may add some more metal stakes in the old part of the fence, but for now it is at least secure and they won’t stray. One of the good things about it is that you can see the entire area from the windows upstairs, so no need to go out to check them. I moved the small coop in as well as their expensive shade/rain shelter so it would be familiar for them. They seem to like having so much room to wander around and scratch, and they can see Patrick’s flock on the other side of the fence, their old friends. The one hen is still laying OK, 3 eggs so far in the new place, and the irregular hen laid two eggs yesterday morning, and then a double yolker this morning. I looked it up and this can happen. I have attached a photo of the big egg. We are thinking about another couple of hens, I may talk to Patrick or buy from someone else. I have been closing them up in the coop at night, there is a slight risk that they could be attacked by quolls. I’m going to build a bigger coop using one of the apple crates, and have smaller wire mesh around the outside to keep critters out at night, and then maybe get one of those automatic doors that open and close at sunrise and sunset. Then maybe a couple more hens.

We had a cold morning here but no rain, and I was able to mow the top area of the back paddock this morning. We are expecting frost in the morning, then another few dry days so I may be able to get some more mowing done. It’s getting to the stage where the grass is growing faster than the wallabies can keep it down, even in the front and around the house. I suppose you could say we are back in the mowing season. I have started cleaning up the vegetable garden area ready for some planting. The chickens worked it over pretty good but there is still some grass around. I’m not going to worry about any expensive raised beds, just put most of the old boards back and shovel in the dirt that got spread around. I’m guessing more of the usual that we always eat, lettuce, spinach, tomato, zucchini, carrot, radish, etc. I may even try some more okra in a different spot. We still have raspberries, Brother John didn’t get around to taking them so I will just let them grow again this year. I will work away at that for a bit, there are so many projects that need doing now that the weather is improving. 

​We have had over 50 days with no cases of Covid-19 in Tasmania, and 55% of the over 16’s locally are fully vaccinated now, 78% with at least one shot. Over on the mainland they still have it in Victoria and NSW, over 1,200 total deaths in Australia, 300 in the last month because of the outbreak. It feels a bit like we are in lockdown here since we can’t really travel interstate or overseas, not that we really want to at the moment. Happy enough just to stay here on the property and continue with various projects.