A New Chick Pen Built....

This morning the Beast found a chick, dead, that looked like it had been trampled to death.  There are two bully chicks and they seem to create havoc almost constantly and they climb all over the chicks.  Since they are growing almost daily, they are really too big and too active to stay in the small container that worked for them a few days ago.

So the Beast built a bigger containment area in the barn for them and we now have two heating lamps since it's 6 feet long and 36 inches wide.  Tomorrow he is going to find a window (small one) for the door of the barn so it lets in light.  Right now it's just the vents on the peaks of the roof (both sides) that lets in very little light.  He is also going to install one of the heat lamps (we still need the one we have here in the house) to start warming up the area since we are expecting a cold snap here in the next couple of days.  We don't want to move them outside until that passes by.  Then he will move them out there and put in the second heat lamp.  Until he finds the correct size window, he's going to hang a droplight in there so he can see in the meantime.

He bought a runner rug to put on the floor of the little pen and he will cover it with the sawdust.  He will be able to change that by using the shop vac and then put down new stuff.  It needs the rug in it because the barn/shed is up off the ground and air gets underneath it even though it is blocked by wood (so the chickens won't be able to get underneath it).  The Beast wants to check his *Chicken* magazine once I said something about wondering if feeding them some mealy worms would be all right.  I think they would need to be just a bit older before we do that but we can buy those at the Fishing Supply store just down the main drag towards the lake.  I have a feeling that might be a real treat for them but who knows?

The Beast is paying the price for having to get down on his knees to build the pen for the chicks.  His age is really catching up to him besides the problems he already has.  He can't bend over and he can't kneel now without it half crippling him.  *Sigh*  I know he's suffering but there's no way to stop him.  It's not like one of our sons lives nearby and we could ask them for a bit of help.  As it is, I suggested we call the high school to see if we can hire a couple kids to help clean out the garden boxes for this spring.  It's easier done now when everything in it is brittle and dead.  He even wants to shovel out the dirt so we can put in new.  He may even move one or two of them to reconfigure it because of his plans to eventually put up a wire fence and gate to make a kind of coop when the chicks are older.

So, the farm is on it's way...LOL.  He is still talking about building the nesting boxes on his own and he might be able to manage that.  He even has thought about the ramp that will be needed by the chickens so they can get up on the higher shelf.  I like the level those will be on since it won't require me to bend over at all.  I may even make myself an egg gathering apron like one I saw on FB.  I can just sew the pockets on an apron I buy from the store.  Easy, peasy!

I made a beef roast in the slow cooker today.  A real roast, not a pot roast.  I used Ranch dressing, Au Jus gravy and some French onion soup to season it and it came out amazing!  Don't think the Ranch dressing made it taste funky.  The seasoning in it tastes much different than the dressing you make by adding the mayo and buttermilk.  But the taste was really great and the gravy turned out really good and tasty.  I DID have to add more water (I had put two cups of water in after rolling the roast in all the seasonings on all sides).  It needed another two to make it really palatable since it was very strong before I did that.

The Beast decided he wanted his on bread but I had also made some mashed potatoes (real ones) and some green beans and cinnamon apple sauce completed the meal.  It was great and we have enough leftovers (except for the green beans) for another two meals at least.  It would be more except the Beast cut it into thick slices.  He wouldn't wait the few minutes for it to *settle* before he sliced it.  *Sigh*  It was still very good and the Beast made the comment that he felt like we were having a Thanksgiving feast.  I just said that there was no turkey on the table and I didn't make any biscuits.  He said *You know what I mean!*  I did.  

So it's time to put this and myself into bed.  I slept in until the Princess and Gunner showed up.  I got to play a little with him and hold him.  He was a bit whiny so I think he was about ready for a nap.  The Princess went back to the gym for more Crossfit training and she was suffering from the lack of that kind of exercise for so many months.  But she says she is going to continue it to get back into shape.  She'll find she has more energy once her body stops punishing her so it's probably a good thing.

Love you all.  Be good and be kind.  Remember, kindness should start in your own family.  ***Hugs***