Separated the Flocks

Bits of info today.  I've sliced my hands up so much now that this morning when the tomato stake I was carrying broke and split open the skin between my fingers, I didn't really even notice that the blood was oozing all over my hand until I was in the car and halfway to the hardware store.

Got hinges for the coop door (the one the chickens will use).

We separated the flocks last night.  Her chickens are in the tub (she has four).  And mine are in the coop I made.  They don't seem to object to the wire mesh floor.  I finally managed to look it up.  (You know how, when you google something, you don't necessarily find any information pertaining to your topic?)  So, people say it's okay.  The birds won't mind.  Awesome.

So, they should be ready to live outside permanently in about a week.  I can't wait.  Of course, the coop's not done yet.  I wouldn't call it a defensible structure just yet, and I wouldn't want them outside in it until it reaches that point.

I started work on the run yesterday.  In fact, that's all I worked on yesterday.  I wove the wire mesh for the roof together.  Then, since I didn't have wood to complete the frame, I went out into the woodsy area behind the garage and found some fallen limbs which I then sawed down to the appropriate lengths.  I'm using those to support the over-all frame, which has been going relatively smoothly so far.  (Knock on wood.)

I should be getting back to work any minute, but I wanted to burn some time just sitting and doing nothing.  I've been working like crazy to get this coop done.  Once it is done, I realized I'm probably gonna have to sit around for a week and wait for the birds to get big and strong enough to handle being outside.

I also need to take some time today just sit with them and let them grow accustomed to my scent.  They scratched me up pretty good last night when I started carrying them from the pen we had them in outside.  They're getting big enough that they can do some damage if they want to.  Must remember to look up the best way to pick up and hold them so that they'll stay calm.

So much do to.  Will post pictures of the run once it's up and running (no pun intended).  Wish me luck.

P.S.  Received a renewal notice for my stripper license.  Tore it up.  So that's the end of that part of my life.  Now I just hope I make a satisfactory housewife.