Little over the halfway mark. And chickens.

I have been working on my journal, and exercise and such for about half the month now.  I can't say I have managed to exercise every day, but I have done most of them.  Marking it in my journal does make me much more conscious of  of it, though, so that's good.  And I record what I've done and how long, so it can give me a record of improvement.  (I have lost a teeny bit of weight, and that's good, too!)

I am just writing general events of the day, which might not be the most exciting, "washed clothes, cleaned hen house, mopped floor", but I do have a bit of a record of what I do, and I am actually surprised at all the house stuff that I do.  Not good or bad, just hmm, didn't realize it before.  So, I think this goal will probably be extended for another month.  I might make a tick box for some things, instead of writing it out. 

Then again, it's working, so maybe I won't.

Monday, I went into the hen house to feed.  There was an egg. So, we have the first egg of the season!  I was cleaning, and the chickens were having a grand old time, following me around and trying to get into the wheelbarrow, whereupon they would dump the litter I had just scooped in, back out.

A handful of feed out the door gave me a nice flood of chickens leaving, so I shut it, and was able to finish cleaning without incident, except for Marshmallow, who stayed inside, and kept looking to see if I was going to drop anything for her.  She was not pleased when I started dumping fresh cedar chips, and she ran up and took a big bite.  Note, chickens don't spit, but they can make disgusted gagging noises.  She is a good bird, but not bright.  She did this TWICE.  Finally, I was finished, threw another handful on the clumpy cedar, and called all the chickens back in to spread it for me.  Hey, why should I do it, if I have several little rototillers?  :)

I have two of the hens, Lucy, and Blondie, that I wish I could figure out some way to help them.  In the mornings when I feed, they always roost up on the top rung.  This wouldn't be so bad, if they could get down as easily as they go up.  Sure as always, I look, and one, or both, are watching everyone else eat, and they are figuring out a way to get down.  This ends up being nearly painful to watch.  Blondie tries flying down, and glides gracefully... Into a wall, or crashing into the nest boxes.   Lucy, on the other hand, she doesn't want to fly, she tries to slide down the roost.   Which doesn't work, because the roost is hung on a hook, which she always gets hung up with.  Then she stares at the hook, like it is the most amazing thing, and walks back up to the top.  Then she will either jump, not flapping, just like dropping a bowling ball, WHAM, she hits the floor, and looks bedraggled, as she gets up and goes to eat, or conversely, she will jump, mostly well, down each rung of the roost to the floor.  Which means she doesn't get much to eat, as this takes her well over five minutes to get her confidence... But she usually doesn't take that long, because she misses at least one rung, plows her head into it, and rolls to a stop on her back.  I keep wondering if chickens can get concussions, or if she is evidence that she HAS a concussion! 

I keep thinking I need to get a child's slide, and put it on one side, so they can get down, preferably without damage to their respective bodies.  I might have to have a chat with Husband, he is the guy that comes up with all sorts of things for solving problems...