Chicks!

A couple weeks ago I wrote a blog and mentioned there was a lot more cheeping going on downstairs....I didn't mean to wait this long before I explained myself!

Here are our newest additions to the chicken flock.

We ordered 13 chicks, for a new total of 15 (I hatched 2 myself, 2 weeks prior to getting these babies).

We have the original 2 silkies: Marcelline (after the character on Adventure Time) and Lady Edith (Downton Abbey fans anyone?!?)

These two are about 5 weeks old. 

All the "new" chicks are about 3 weeks old. They are all currently in that weird teenager stage of feathering.

3 Buff Orpingtons: Still in need of names. I would like 3 old timey names names that rhyme. Or maybe sweet garden names...like ButterCup, Daisy, and Rose......

4 Speckled Sussex's: No names yet.....suggestions welcomed. I have a hard time telling the difference between the Ameracaunas and SS.

3 Ameracauna: One is chipmunk, because of her coloring on her head and back. The other two don't have names yet either....These chicks can come in all different kinds of coloring....I can't tell who is who yet with some....

and 3 Cuckoo Marans: K-man has names one Pelican, because of her large beak. The other two still need naming.

We have a bunch of naming to do!! I love old timey names, but have let K-man do the naming in the past, so we have a random assortment of names going on with our big girls.

The BIG girls:

Francine (a Barred Rock) was named after the farmer (Frank) from whom we got her. She is queen of the roost.

Patricia (a white leghorn): One of the first two chickens from our first go at chicken keeping...so she is at least 4 years old. Kman said this was the most beautiful name he had ever heard....=) I felt as though we rescued her from her previous owner. It was a terribly kept farm with sick and dying animals everywhere!! Very traumatic to visit.

Red (white leghorn?) stumbled into our lives randomly one day by just showing up in our yard. Seriously. We tried to find her owners but no one claimed her. She was named Red because her comb was so vibrant!

Goldie (a Golden Phoenix Bantam), was named for her breed and because she is "golden" when it comes to being around people. I used to rock her to sleep on the porch last summer!

And lastly, Jersey Girl (White Jersey Giant), is a big but gentle spirited chicken.

Isn't it funny how these girls have personalities all their own?!? I can't wait to see what the babies personalities will turn out to be. We are going to have to start selling eggs once they all start laying!!


K-man snapped a pic of me while handling chicks last week. Not the best quality, but I wanted to share my ever growing belly with those of you that read my blog=). I always feel like I have to put my hand there for viewers of the pic to get the full effect. lol.

Please don't pay attention to my gross basement=). 

There is snow in the forecast! Perhaps one last snow day!??! I'd be totally ok with that. 

Random Photo Update

Hello All! Here is a "snapshot" of what has been going on at Brown Acre!!

New woodstove!

We finally got the new stove installed! After a couple leaks and revisits from the contractor, it is working so wonderful!! We have really enjoyed sitting in front of the fire in the evenings....so relaxing.

 I hatched some chicks!!! 

These are two silkies that made it through the hatch. One other hatched, a black copper maran, but she died due to a weird leg ailment (not splayed leg, more like walking on her knees and scooting on her belly). It was very sad that she died, but I figured it was survival of the fittest. Still, not a fun moment. 

The two silkies are thriving! They are already so big! 2 weeks old and getting to that weird adolescent stage with funky half feathers and down. 

 Here is a quilt project that I was working on. A friend requested a baby quilt with her son's name embroidered on it. Sorry about the bad lighting! 

Here is 27 weeks! I am currently 28 weeks along, but I wanted to share this picture anyways. I swear, if my butt or thighs get any bigger, I might lose my mind. Seriously. 

 Big Girls! Just wanted to show off the girls since I haven't posted a picture of them in a while. 

 Tulips are coming up!! How exciting!!! I'm ready for spring.

I actually worked in the garden for several hours the other day because it was so beautiful outside. 

I fixed a raised bed that was falling apart (yes, i used a shovel, rake, and hammer thingy all while being hugely gigantic.)

Check out the birdhouse gourd that climb my pear tree and I left to dry! Looks kinda funny.

Planting okra this year!! 

Garlic is coming up! 

Here is the raised bed that I fixed. I was super proud of myself for being so physical with my SPD ailment=). 

KMan with the chicks.

If we get a snow day tomorrow....I'm posting again!! I have a ton more photos to share.....and just as a sneak peak, there is a lot more cheeping going on downstairs right now!! 

Growth

Happy Weekend!

There is some growth going on at Brown Acre, and I wanted to share it!! 

But first......

We had a great v-day and hope everyone else did too! 

Kole and I made our traditional heart cake and we all decided that we did not like strawberry icing. 

Next year, we will just dye the vanilla stuff pink=).

Kole and I worked on his valentines for school. This is what we came up with.....

 I had them printed at wal-fart. I hate that place. And they screwed them up by cutting off the tops! Grrrrr at you wal-fart. 

Even so, I think they turned out super cute and everyone commented on them. So overall, even with a wal-fart mess up, they were still worth it. 

Today (saturday) I have been crafting a little, cleaning a little, and waiting on my boys to leave and go to the BBall game at WVU so I can go shopping=). 

I have plans for tractor supply (you'll see why in a moment), kohls, joanns, and perhaps motherhood (have I ever told you how pushy they can be there?!?).

Here are a few things I accomplished today in preparation for the big craft show in March. 

My famous fabric earrings=)

Sneak peak of some baby items that I will be featuring at the show. These are pacifier leashes (or whatever they are called). Trying to make gender specific as well as gender neutral ones to please everyone. And you better believe I will be making a few for BB.=)

So that is the first growth...growth of the business. 

Next on growth, I have always wanted french copper maran chickens. They lay the darkest eggs EVER!! I did some research and my favorite company does sell chicks, but for $10 a piece! Thats alot considering other breeds are only a few dollars. Couple that with the fact that they wont be able to ship them until july, I decided to take matters into my own hands. 

I purchased an incubator with a gift card we got for christmas. 

And ordered some eggs! 

I not only got a few kinds of Maran eggs, I also got some silkie batams! I can't wait till they hatch. 

Which should be on Monday!!!!! WOOT WOOT!! So exciting. 

I just took them off the automatic turner as this is 3 days out from hatching. This is my first time trying anything like this, so it should be interesting. I hope some of them hatch. I will be so sad if I screwed up somehow and get no chicks on monday=(. 

Here they are....just chilling. I haven't candled any so its a crap shoot for which are actually growing...

Because I want to be prepared (well as prepared as possible) I made up the little chick home today. I wanted to use as much of the stuff we already had laying around and so far so good!!

Hopefully, this is going to work for them. 

I used an old tote container, wood shavings left over from a previous project over newspaper, and the old reptile light stand from when we had turtles....I'll just put a new heat lamp in. 

I am running to tractor supply today to purchase some feed, a waterer, and a feed dispenser. 

Once the chicks go in, I'll cover the top with left over chicken wire to protect them from the cats. 

Should be a fun experiment!

 Next area of growth.....

Seedlings!!!

This is my set up for now. I moved a table to an unused corner of the basement and set up my awesome grow lights. So far, I only have two flats under here, but its still early in the game. I have a feeling this table will be full come march. 

I just planted some lettuces and chives today. 

These are tomato plants! A little early, I know. But I wanted to try out the greenhouse this spring so its all an experiment. 

Broccoli Raab. Delish? We shall find out!!

And last but not least, BB is growing too!! 

This is 26 weeks. 

(Did you notice the metal thingy in the bottom corner? Another post on what that is soon....)

So much growth. So many changes. 

Lovely Long Weekend

It's been a wintery long weekend! A snow day on friday, and more snow on the way...we may get another this week....fingers crossed=). 

Here are parts of my weekend in photos.

The chicken water keeps freezing, so every morning, I have whipped up some 

warm, fresh water (with a splash of organic apple cider vinegar) for the "girls".

I also whipped up some oatmeal for the girls and took it to them while it was steaming....they loved this treat!

I was rewarded with some delish eggs that we used in breakfasts this weekend!

K-man and I decided to make some "ninja" bread cookies...totally from a box. 

Here we are getting a mini lesson in rolling dough and using cookie cutters...

...meanwhile, I made some awesome muffins!! (sorry, also from a box. But they were really good=)

Here are some of the finished ninjabread men. It was so fun to decorate them! 

We made the best of this one whose head fell clean off. 

My personal fav. The ninjabread backpacker.

I went shopping during a weather break with my bff and we found this! Twice the size of my head. And I thought mine were getting large.....lol

We attended KB's bday party during a snow storm...such troopers! We ever help decorate a little=). 

Happy Birthday sweet girl!

Having some fun jumping in the bouncy house. 

Looks like more snow is in the forecast, but I wanted to share what our lovely long weekend has held so far. Today has been super lazy and will continue to be as well casually watch the SuperBowl (commercials...). 

Peace out girl scouts.