Well, it's been over a week since the Great Chick Massacre. The bear did indeed return that next night, and tore down the fence in the same place again (that we had just repaired), though he left the big coop (and the unknowing hens) alone, thank goodness. We put up electric fencing, making two wraps around the outside of the big fence, first at about chest height, the second another 20" or so above that. The controller box we had been given didn't work, so we bought a new, more powerful one. It's capable of fencing up to 3 miles, which obviously is far more than we could ever possibly need here, but we'll certainly take it along with us when we finally get around to selling this place and moving on to larger (and hopefully greener) pastures. Since the hot fence has been up, we haven't seen sign of the bear returning, though that doesn't mean he hasn't been here (he just hasn't tried to break in again, or if he has, he got a nasty zap and moved on). We haven't had a chance to figure out a new brooder box situation yet, though I think any future chicks would be best off being inside the coop, and the hens will just have to deal with the temporary intruders. The problem we now run in to of course is the availability of chicks, particularly of the breeds we want. Buff Orpingtons are common enough, especially around here with our harsher winters, that they're pretty available at local feed stores, but if we want Black Australorps again, our luck may not be so, well, lucky. The feed stores don't carry them, and most hatcheries I've found don't have them available until late June or even July at the earliest (and they're the same hatcheries the feed stores would order from, so there's no better option). Bummer. And frankly, the thought of going through another month of fragile chick stage is just not all that appealing. At least this time the weather is warm enough for them to be out in the coop from the get-go (instead of spending the first week in the house, stinking up the place), but still... Another month of cleaning butts and twice-or-thrice-daily refills of water and food (as we don't have big waterers or feeders for the wee-uns) and constant turning on or off of light bulbs to try to keep a constant temperature (Ok, so the cleaning butts part only usually lasts the first week, maybe two... but still...). I know the end result will be wonderful, and we feel obligated (and rightly so) to make it up to those for whom we were raising the chicks, but it's hard to think about starting over from scratch, and so late in the game.
As a result of the damage and fence work that needed to be dealt with, we haven't had the time to do some much-needed work on garden beds and the A-frame greenhouse, and so are late to plant a number of things. We always buy tomato starts, since we've rarely had luck starting from seed with our short season (even when we start indoors), but it means we'll also have to buy squash starts and maybe even bean starts. We're planning on rebuilding the bed that runs the length of the front of the house, and I was going to plant calendula in it, but it's probably the lowest on our priority list, and so won't happen for several more weeks I'm sure. Calendula will bloom into late fall (we had new blooms opening up even after our first significant snowfall in November), but I was hoping to have improved our curb appeal by the busy part of summer, which officially kicks off this weekend. So unless I get on the ass end of a shovel and do it myself while Red is at work, that probably won't happen for a bit. Not to say I couldn't do it myself, but I'm not so sure just how long my pregnant body would let me work a shovel before it decides enough is enough, and we're left with a half-torn-up front yard... ;) So we'll see.
And in random but fabulous crafting news, our local Walmart has finally gotten its head somewhat dislodged from its you-know-what and re-expanded its fabric department! It is nowhere close to its original glory, but it is a big improvement over what it has been. It really was horrendous timing on their part, when they severely downsized the craft department several years ago, as I think it's pretty evident that during economic downturns, we see a sharp rise in handicrafts and do-it-yourself type stuff. The most ironic part of it all is that the craft department lost out to a massive expansion of the electronics department, which probably saw a considerable decrease in sales in the past few years (or at least I'd think it would have...), but then again the "average American consumer" does some pretty mind-boggling things (at least in my opinion)(um, hello, Black Friday...), so maybe I'm just totally off base. But I know where MY money is far more likely to be spent, so that's gotta count for something, right?!? Anyways, I'm quite pleased that they've expanded their fabric inventory, but it just means I've gotta get my butt in gear and get to work on all the projects I've got lined up already before I can go splurge on some new fabric for my stash ;)
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