What a Weekend!

The weekend was loaded with work, insanity, new stock, did I mention work and insanity? 

Saturday we loaded up the truck and trailer, went to Gable motor sports for parts, and then went out to Waterville to pick up a beautiful trio of extremely large turkeys. From there it was a 2 hour drive back to the husband's grandparents, where we spent several hours fixing the rear wheel bearings on the 4-wheeler. Then the poor beast needed its air filter and oil changed. By the time we got that done, Peggy was tired and cranky and hungry. I was tired and cranky and hungry. And we were all three filthy as could be. We still had to make a trip to Lowes for lumber. See Jade kind of bought these turkeys, with no spare coop available. Taco Bell and KFC became our dinner/lunch choice, as it was "fast". By fast I mean BK was already closed, at 6 pm I might add, and we were all so sick o McD's that the thought made my stomach suddenly not so empty. We waited in the drive thru for over 45 minutes, but our food was fresh and piping hot so all was well. 

After filling our grumbling bellies we drove up the road to see about some screws, wood and such. Husband finally found a back up battery for his new drill. It is kind of a pain in the rear to be knee deep in some project, with only one battery for the drill. We got 2x6's, and 2x4's of multiple lengths, and headed back to the grandfolks to load the trailer, 4-wheeler and new turkeys back up and head home. Which brought us to our conundrum for the night. It was O dark 30, we had an exhausted 1 year old, and 3 birds with no place to sleep. Enter dog kennels. We put the 6 free birds in a big dog crate for the night, and the 3 turkeys in the   turkey tractor for the night. It was a workable short term solution.

Sunday morning I got up at the butt crack of dawn, and started chores. Did I mention I consumed a pot of very strong coffee by myself first? After the husband and kiddo arose, we went out to inspect the situation, and make some decisions. I had already had the brain blast idea, to move the sheep, which were part of the reason we were short a coop, as well the little sneaks have been living in the 3rd big coop since I got them. I had an empty stall, as Sonny was out on pasture for the day. So I ran them across the alley and put a pallet across the opening in the bottom of his stall door. A gap that a 1250 lb horse won't fit through, is not necessarily the same size gap that will keep a 100 lb spring lamb secure. 

Jade and I measured out our new pen. As it is only a temporary sheep pen, and will someday be boarded, reinforced and used for butcher hogs, we went 10.5x12, instead of the 10x10 we had intended. Cutting, placing, wiring, reinforcing, and hanging the gate took us about 2 hours. Then it was off for breakfast/lunch, and a run to the feed store, as I didn't have acceptable turkey feeders, waterers, feed, and was running low on shavings. That accounted for nearly another 2 hours, and we never did find a feeder for hay for the danged sheep. 

Once back at the farm we unloaded again...there was a lot of unloading done this weekend. We moved the sheep into the new pen, and started on the door for the turkeys new coop. The door is a nice big beast, well reinforced to try and keep our new babies as safe as possible. By the time we got that done, did night chores, and got back up to the house, it was dark again, and we were all grubby exhausted and ready to collapse. I ran to town for subs and chips, and we all curled up to watch some tv and relax. Peggy got a treat of cookies and juice for being such a big patient girl and really helping out in the barn. 

Now it is Monday, P has an appointment at 1 for shots. I am dragging, the husband is off delivering goods somewhere in Massachusetts, and now I have to start gearing up to do more pens this weekend, o and there is a poultry swap....what do normal folks do on their breaks?