I had a request to fill y’all in on the farm critters next. AKA the petting zoo we are accumulating haha. It’s crazy to think the last time I updated y’all on the animals, the 4 big hens were living in the dollhouse coop, the new chicks from Atwood’s were in a brooder in the mudroom and none of these other critters existed yet! Have I got some cuteness for y’all!

I finished the chicken coop and run wiring mid March and the 8 chicks we had in the brooder moved into the coop. It was still getting chilly at night so the heat lamp went with them and I blocked their access to the run. The big girls stayed in the dollhouse coop that we moved them to the house in. I wanted the chicks to get at least half the size the big girls were before they started living together and pecking order rituals began. About 2 weeks later, I let everyone start free ranging at the same time. The big girls definitely chased the little ones from time to time but at least they had somewhere to run away to.

During this time, the woman that hatched the Easter Egger chicks said they were almost ready to be sexed and come home, so we set up a day after the Easter holiday.

Sometimes animals just have the darndest way of multiplying, ya know? Like you go to the pet store to buy a goldfish and figure what harm 3 would do. Or you go to adopt a cat and can’t leave it’s best buddy behind at the shelter. Or you meet a lady to buy four chickens and come home with 2 bunnies in addition. Ya Know? It happens! The lady was nice, her chickens were pretty, the bunnies were sweet and PRECIOUS and my 3 doe-eyed children could see right through me. Did I mention they were free?? Bonus bunnies! So we head home with 4 chickens in a tub in the back of the Expedition and 2 bunnies in a cardboard box on the seat between the boys. I had an hour drive back home to figure out how to bear the brunt of Nathan’s annoyance and where to put the cute little stinkers.

And I totally pulled it all off! 😁 The 4 Easter Eggers moved right in with the 8 from Atwood’s with very little drama. I gave the little guys plenty of hideaway corners using hog wire that they could fit through but the others could not and everyone adjusted.

Then I got to work on a rabbit hutch IN the chicken run. I had read plenty about rabbits living with chickens and how many people didn’t bother with a hutch. But I couldn’t stand the thought of a bunnie being crapped on trying to sleep in the coop, so they got their own house. It was done in 2 days and Thumper and Carrots moved in. 

Freeranging between the big girls and the 12 little ones was getting better and better, so I went ahead and moved them into the new coop and run after the bunnies had been in there for about a week. There had been ALOT of animal shuffling going on and it was time to bring it all together. I put plastic Easter eggs in each of the nesting boxes and the big girls caught on! It was crazy for a few days with the big girls’ confusion and being crappy to the little ones, we even had some laying issues, but it smoothed out quickly. The interesting thing is the Easter Eggers and the big girls roost out in the run while the other 8 roost in the coop where they technically should. I’m not going to stress too much about it until it starts getting cold again.

The bunnies began “freeranging” when the chickens did which was risky, but they stayed around the barn and came up to us when we called to them to be picked up. Until one started not doing that. Thumper (the solid white one, go figure) stopped coming to us and began acting more feral. As of a week ago, she has unfortunately completely disappeared. Carrots remains and seems to be fine with the solitude and continued arrangement. I even go out some evenings to find she has put herself up with the chickens for the night!

Finally, to round out our springtime animal additions, we have Jethro and Red (II). The barn kitties. I had been wanting to get a couple of boys to raise outside with Star (our original outdoor cat whose age has been showing) to give her some back up. One of Nathan’s coworker’s cats had kittens and we decided the timing was right to claim the boys from the litter. The last month with them has been so much fun! They are a perfect addition. Star likes them, they are super affectionate and are already digging up mole tunnels. 👍🏻 But really, most of time, they’re just being toted around by one of the kids haha!

I feel this will be it for animals this year. The other TWELVE chickens aren’t even laying yet, the missing bunny is sad and the new kittens are keeping us on our toes and entertained. Goats are still on the list. And I added guineas for about a day before marking them off after some more research. Who knows anymore?! Just no pigs. Not ever. Hold me to that.

-Lindsay