Our "to-do list" for the month includes building a new pig house for the piglets that are arriving in a week. The pen is almost done, just a few finishing touches and the pighouse and we'll be ready for them. We're also getting firewood for the winter (wood heat only for the house!), we need to expand the henhouse for the winter and the chicken yard needs some repair work, the two barns need cleaning and one of them will be designated as the maternity pen, so we will need to do some work to get that ready. Thankfully we are not expecting any babies until December, but it pays to be prepared. We also have three new breeding ewes arriving next weekend and another six in a months time. Oh, and fencing - always fencing. We are going to fence a new section to use for winter feeding. So lots to do this month.
The hens (and a couple roosters) are having a blast free ranging. We'll be fixing their yard up for them for the winter, but for the summer they've been making themselves at home everywhere. Makes collecting eggs interesting and I am sure we are missing some spots, but still, we get 4-5 dozen a day so I'm not complaining too much.
I love taking snacks out for the chickens and calling them and having them come running from wherever they are to see what treat we have for them. It always makes me feel like a scene from a movie - all these chickens running over and then happily checking the ground for whatever treats have been spread out for them.
Eggs are one of those great farm products - we could have twice as many as we do and still sell all of them. During the summer we sell the eggs at the farmers market, and during the winter we organize weekly deliveries/pick ups.
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