Daddy`s fix everything....

So after the funfilled day of chasing the piggy, and creating the piles of junk to fortify the pen, Hubby comes home, laughs at my handiwork, but says he`s proud of me for keeping up with the pig. He zipped up the road and came home with hog panels and posts, said he would fix piggy a more siutable home, one he shouldn`t be able to get loose from. Im rejoicing.

I haven`t been feeling good the past two days, so the munchkins have been helping with chores. I think the little one got into it a little too much. :)

The baby chickens are growing fast, and we have started the incubator back up for another batch of chicks.

All in all a good week, although maybe a bit tiring to some.

What was I thinking.......

We were sitting at the table last night looking at the latest ads for animals and such, when one in particular caught my eye. I show it to hubby, he thinks about it for a minute, then yep, we decide its time for a baby piggie. I call the man, and he`s still got them, so I tell him what time I`ll be there. I run and tell the girls to get in the car we going to get a baby piggie. So here goes the little one hollering and singing all the way to the car about cute little baby piggy wiggy. The man lives in Newberry so its going to be a long hour of hearing the awwws.

We get there right on time, and go to the backyard to see them, and he`s also got baby goats, so the awws start from everybody, but I have to say no to the very adorable baby goat that willow is already chasing around. He just wont fit in the little car since we already are putting the pig in. We get to the pig area, and willow sees them and goes eww, that's what we getting? I tell her yes ma`m, she looks back at the baby goat, looks at me and says "mom your nuts " .   Maybe she was right, but I really thought the pig was a good deal.

I had brought a dog crate with me, because I figured a two month old pig couldn't`t be very big, and he should fit nicely inside. We tried to put him in it and immediately he busted out. So theres hubby and the man running after the pig .... After a few minutes , we finally get him settled into the car, and away we go. The pig is now voicing how mad he is, and the girls are complaining about the smell, and its going to be a long ride home.

We  get home, and get the piggy settled into a pen, feed him, and go in for the evening thinking we did a good job.

I had to take the oldest child to school this morning, and was headed out to the car, when we see the piggy.....in the flowers.....not in his cage. Somehow I lure him back into the pen, and reinforce where he got out, and still made it to school on time.

I get just a half a mile from the house on the way back home, when guess what runs out in front of the car.....piggy. I slam on the brakes, look back , back the car up, and start calling out 'here piggy'. I'm sure the neighbors got a good laugh at watching me drive by hollering here piggy, with a baby pig running behind the car. So we get home, and lure him back into the pen.  I go in with intentions to clean and have some coffee, when I look out the window and piggy is in the garden.

To make it shorter, I finally after 5 total escapes and reinforcing the pen with whatever I could find, have gotten the pig to stay in the pen for a bit. I ran through poison oak, twisted my ankle, got attacked by said piggy, got covered in ticks and unmentionable mess from the pen, but I did it, all by myself. I handled it . :)   I just hope hubby isn`t mad at how I had to reinforce it.........

HOMEMADE CHICKEN TRACTOR

We needed a new home for our little speckled Sussex chickens, so we decided to build them one. Hubby got some 2x4`s , chicken wire, and 2 sheets of tin. He wanted it to measure 4ft by 8ft when he was finished. So after spending a bit of time on it for a couple of evenings we now have a nice, although a bit heavy chicken pen. Here's how we did it :

first we built a 4x8 frame ( take two 2x4`s and cut to size)

then make another one just like that, then trim 2x4`s to height of wire (in our case that was 38 inches) then attach them at corners.......

Ok now, put the other piece we put together first on top and secure, then we put two boards to brace the roof and bottom on (just measure across inside of frame for length) and hubby went ahead and put a board across for a roost.....

next we put a door on one side with a latch  and two hinges so it will open down like an oven door

then wrap the chicken wire around and secure to the other 3 sides we used some staples we had in the shed for this part, make sure you pull the wire tight as you go, then hubby screwed the tin to the top of the pen......

and that's it, now we have a whole new chicken pen that cost about $80 to build, just make sure you have an assistant to help with the building if you want to try.....