Fiber Farm

I'm still quite convinced that the best way to work with animals around here would be to do a fiber farm. Sheep, rabbits and Alpacas.
I found this website, and am madly in love, especially because not only is she able to make her farm work on this concept. But she also offers online courses to share her vast range of knowledge. So excited to sign up for the next one.
Herbal Maid Fiber Farm

and thought this was an interesting site too...although I haven't explored it enough to know if I'd be accepted into any of these courses they seemed to be based out of Texas from what I saw. But still worth a look when I have a moment later to pour over the details more carefully
substainable farming course
I believe most of them are free.

Everyone is just so darn funny

So yesterday, I made a flurry of phone calls with one specific question.

"Can you wash a baby chick?"

Everyone laughed at me.

Yeah guys like I have nothing better to do, I just got bored and decided it might be fun to give the chicks a bath?

No.

Actually we have really crappy waterers. The kind that slosh everywhere when you set them down. And leak all over the bottom of the chick pen if they are not completely level. or if they bumped or pretty much for no reason at all.

Anyways they created a little puddle in one corner of the pen.
The chicks then pooped in the puddle.
They then proceeded to play in the poop puddle.
and now?

Now I have 26 very VERY dirty little chicks.

I changed all the hay in the bottom of the pool pen. I washed everything out.
But I still have very dirty little chicks.

and I'm torn.
I have 2 trains of thought on this.

One. washing a chick and getting it wet seems like a really good way to get the chicks sick

but

Two. Any animal should never be covered in its own feces. That in itself could cause it to get sick.

So I made a ton of phone calls asking for advice on washing the chicks. EVERYONE LAUGHED at me. The suggestion is, if I feel like I should clean them probably just do it with a slightly damp paper towel. Don't wash them,
Right guys
Like I was going to stick them in the dish washer or something?!?!

The Chickens little

We finally have chickens (well we have chicks at least)

The arrived yesterday. Nathan is in LOVE with them, and constantly wants to hold one.

I, on the other hand have been totally stressed. Rigging up coat hangers to drop the heat lamp another 6 inches. Putting cardboard over the window entrance/exit to stop the wind. And now were having crappy windy rainy weather and I'm realizing there are a million drafts in that old coop. I'm thinking I have to go out this afternoon and try to cardboard and duct tape??? a bunch of the cracks and spaces around the door frames or I think these little peeps are going to freeze to death.