Five Years Ago ...

Spring Flowers & Chicks I wanted to share with you a little walk down "memory lane" of what was going on this week 5 years ago! While it's photos of "the log home" where we lived for 11 years, it's still very appropriate as these experiences help build who I am today and what has now become "Paradise in Disguise Hobby Farm". The first group of photos is our beautiful spring garden - 5 years ago, I believe the first year after we'd totally redone the "Ladybug" garden. What I was surprised about was that these flower photos were taken April 21, 2010, and there's fresh green grass clippings that we'd put on the garden as mulch. The trees had started to leaf out and blossom, as well. It was a sharp contrast to this year when all the trees are still bare and brown, the grass is has just recently greened up and is just getting started growing. The next group of photos is of the first batch of Cornish Rock cross meat chickens I raised, plus the "chicken tractor" we built for them. Only it didn't work so well, as it was too big, heavy and cumbersome to move, not to mention, the Cornish didn't know how to forage at all. While they did produce some wonderful meat, after this first experience I doubted I'd try them again. That was, until Daisy the broody hen came along and raised my 2nd attempt at Cornish cross 2 years later. But, that's a whole other story. If you click the "View Photos" link, there are even more photos that are very memorable and important in the beginning stages of this "Hobby Farm." When I started raising chickens in 2008, I started with 5 started Red Star pullets which were almost ready to lay. It wasn't until April 2010 that I raised my first chicks, starting with the Cornish Cross. Since I only wanted a few hens, I shared an order with another local farm when they ordered their chicks. I was just beginning to discover the different chicken breeds, and wanted a variety this time. That first batch of chicks included more Red Stars, Easter Eggers, Golden-Laced Wyandottes and Silver-Laced Wyandottes. Months later, when we started laying and we had more eggs than our family of four could eat, I shared some with my uncle. He loved them, and soon the word spread that "I had eggs!". Soon, the demand for eggs was greater than my flock could handle. That's when I decided I "needed" to order more chick the following spring - the beginning stages of "morehens" disease (BYC term). I'll end right there, as I'm sure they'll be other times to write  and share more stories & photos.  But, thanks for joining me on the journey down "memory lane"!  Click the link to view the other photos of the 1st batch of chicks I raised in 2010, and the beginning stages of building an addition on the chicken coop - the first sign that "chicken math" is about to take over!   ThisLife by Shutterfly All your photos and videos, intelligently organized, ready to rediscover ©2014 Shutterfly Inc. If you would like to not receive share emails from anyone, click here.