A Very Chilly Bedtime For Chickens

The garden looks very uninviting, the snow from five days ago is all dirty and icy.  More snow has been predicted and tonight we have had frozen rain which crackles as it falls.  When the light gets to this stage in the evening, three chicken girls waddle their way reluctantly to bed.  Kids do not like bedtime and neither do chickens.  They have supper each night, if they eat before bed it is supposed to keep them warmer for the night.  Tonight they had a can of sweetcorn.  They also like 'Chicken Candy':

Mixed Corn

Tonight I thought I would photograph their bedroom for you.

These are not supposed to be their bedroom, these are the nest boxes.  I have naughty chickens and they do not all roost on their perches, they use one nest box for laying, always the box on the right and they like to sleep in the other nest box.  If more than one chicken needs the nest box at any one time they form an orderly queue rather than lay in the left nest box.  I think it is very cute if they are running around the garden and one  needs to lay they will run back to the nest box.  It is very convenient for me as I do not have to hunt for eggs. They keep the laying side very clean.  Even at this very cold, dark time of year they are still laying one egg each a day.  I expected them to stop for the winter, I think maybe next year they will stop, because it is their first year and they are young and fit they have just kept going this year.  We love our eggs.  I don't usually pack the nests with so much straw but it adds insulation for the below zero nights.  Chickens can cope with the cold as long as there sleep area is dry.  Damp is more harmful to chickens than cold.  I use a thick layer of eco-friendly, wood pellet Cat litter to line the indoor part of their coop.  It is highly absorbent and goes in the compost bins when it is spent.  Organic Chicken Poo is sold by the 5kg and is very expensive at our local, upmarket Garden Centre as it is excellent fertiliser.  I point this out to my other half when he moans about the Crapitty Crap everywhere!

When you have more than one chicken you have a pecking order.  Poppy is the top of the pecking order with my trio.  I am lucky they are all sweet natured but Poppy is definitely the boss.  She was the first to come and see what I was messing about at.

Poppy is closely followed everywhere by Daisy.  These two spend nearly all of their time together and they they like to sleep huddled together.

Finally Rosie wonders where the other two have gone and comes to investigate.  Rosie is like Winnie The Pooh, the bear with very little brain, she acts daft and is the bottom of the pecking order but I think she is actually the cleverest in her own way.  She quite literally thinks outside of the box.  She seems more interested in people than chickens.  She doesn't seem to mind sleeping by herself and I have checked when it is very cold all three sleep together.  

It all gets quite cosy at bedtime in the coop.  There is no light in there the light is from the flash of my camera.  I can tell the chickens apart easily by the coloured rings on their legs.  You can see in this photograph Daisy's Nictitating Membrane, chickens have three eyelids on each eye, the Nictitating membrane is translucent and can be drawn across they eye for protection without the chicken losing vision.  Chickens are very vocal, I don't mean noisy, I mean they chat a lot and use a wide range of vocalisations.  They were very intrigued with my camera at their bedtime and had a little sing about it.  I shut them in at night and there is usually a fair bit of shuffling going on before they settle for the night.  I have seen a fox pass by my house a couple of times in the last month or two so I like to make sure they are safely tucked up and locked in for the night.  I am always pleased to see them in the morning and they are always pleased to see me ( or breakfast). I open their door and they nearly fall over each other tumbling out in such a hurry.  They get their breakfast before the rest of us.  If it is cold they like a bit of warm porridge for brekkie, nice life if you can get it!  

Getting Down and Dirty with Alpaca Fleece

Now I know to you that does not look much, to me it is a big deal.  It is the sum total of at least six hours spinning, probably nearer eight hours.  It is a good job I am not spinning to make a living because we would be on bread and water at the rate I spin.  I have not weighed the skein but I would estimate it is about 80g.  It is Navajo plied, so that makes it a three ply yarn.  It is better than my previous attempts with alpaca in that it is finer.  My previous attempts made a chunky yarn and the dog loved that skein and pinched it twice.  The bag I am spinning from looks exactly the same as when I started.  I am spinning straight from the bag and picking out small amounts of vegetable matter and dirt as I spin.  I am saving any fleece that is not for spinning and I will put it out for the birds.  There will be chicks in the spring in the most snuggly of nests, they won't want to leave home.  My Ashford Kiwi spinning wheel is getting rather mucky and so are my bobbins.  It is quite common to spin raw alpaca though as the fleece tends to be dusty rather than filthy.  I have to keep washing and scrubbing my hands and using lots of hand cream and olive oil on them.  I will wash the skeins to set the twist and clean the yarn.

Technically it is rather 'thick and thin' although I tried my best to get a consistent, even yarn.  I am wondering if preparing it before spinning would be a better idea.  I am not too smitten with the idea of putting 'dirty' alpaca through my drum carder though.  I would be really interested to hear what other spinners do with their alpaca fleece.  It is a lovely soft yarn, I will squish it and love it more when it is washed.  I am feeling rather daunted by the amount of fleece I have.  I am a bit like Gollum with the 'ring' I don't want to part with it.  I have fancy notions of large Alpaca cardigans and swishy shawls, winter hats, scarves and gloves, bed socks, tea cosies, you name it I have fancy notions of Alpacaring it!   Either my stashing skills are great or my Other half has noticed the nine bags stacked in the shed but is too worried to ask....  Now I can imagine you having a chuckle at my expense when I say, I am not sure if it is my imagination or if spinning this fleece is actually giving me a mild case of hives!  It would be just my luck to find I am allergic to it. 

Thank My Lucky Stars

I have now mastered the art of making Origami Chinese Lucky Stars.

I say mastered the 'Art' with my tongue firmly in my cheek because although I found them pretty tricky at first children can make them with ease.  They are not tricky at all once you know how.

These cute little puffed up stars can be used threaded on to cotton to make pretty garlands or they can be given as symbolic gifts of love, luck, or wishes.  All you need to do to gift them is find a jar and fill it with lucky stars, the jar needs to be full though.  Partially full just does not 'cut the mustard'!  Decorated with a pretty jar cover I think they would be well received.

This is my only cheat, I found it much easier to make them with prepared 'Lucky Star Paper Strips'.  You can buy a wide selection of these on Ebay quite cheaply.  Now I have them as a size template I could use magazines or wrapping paper to make my own paper strips.  I have tried to take step by step photographs, in true 'That will do', 'In The Sky' Style the photographs are soooo amateurish Darling!  There are some great Lucky Star tutorials out there on the internet, if  following this one confuses you!  We all need luck, love and wishes though don't we?

First you create a 'knot' right at the end of your paper strip.  I learned not to crease the folds too much or you have trouble puffing the stars when they are finished.

You should have a little sticky out bit.

Everyone knows little sticky out bits are not desirable, so just neatly tuck it in.

Once you are all neatly tucked in, turn over, not you!  Turn over the 'star' so it looks like this.

You ARE going to make a little flat pentagon.  (I am beginning to realise writing 'Origami Tutorials' are not my cup of tea!)  Fold your strip up and across to align to the left of the pentagon.  If this makes no sense look at the picture, or start searching other tutorials about now!

Turn your 'little pentagon' over and now fold it up and across to align with the right side of the pentagon (remember no sharp creases).

Repeat this to the left, turn it over, to the right, turn it over, to the left, turn it over, to the right, turn it over malarkey, all the way the to the end of your paper strip.  What you should be left with is a neat little pentagon with another little sticky out bit.

Tuck it in!

Once you are all neatly tucked in, you need to start tweaking, squeezing and pinching the sides (nails help) to make the points of your star.

Ta dah!  You have one cute little puffed up star.

Make him a few hundred friends and you can have a Jar Full or a garland!  These are very quick to make once you have practiced a few.  Honest Guv!   Next week it is 'Half Term Week' and the kids are off school, this might buy you a quiet few moments and I can recommend it as a cheap and cheerful craft for children.  If all else fails it is quite relaxing for grown ups and I entered a 'Meditative' state making my 'billion' stars.  "To the left, turn it over, to the right, turn it over, to the left, turn it over, to the right, turn it over, tuck your little bit in!  And Squeeze, squeeze, squeeze, squeeze, squeeze!"  Next!

Edit:'Folding Trees' has a good tutorial with three different sizes of stars.  It gives you all the measurements for the paper strips.  I am lazy and prefer to buy ready made 'lucky star strips' my own versions did not work well.

  

Chickens in the snow

Yeah we had some snow!  At last!  I have been worrying about chickens in the snow.  Chickens are not supposed to like the rain but my three don't care and will happily run around bedraggled in a downpour.  Chickens really aren't supposed to like the snow, many won't come out in the snow but again mine don't care.
They ran around almost as normal, they did notice it coming down and had a little look, they just shook it off when too much built up on their backs.

   The snow did get a lot deeper than this but they ladies were not deterred, they like their freedom.  Their coop is clean and dry and packed with straw.  They did think their water freezing was strange and me bashing it with a stick even stranger.

The garden is covered in the pretty patterns of chicken tracks.

Lacey likes the snow too and was perplexed by her frozen tennis ball.

She didn't want to come in!

Somebody else didn't want to come in and had a bit of a 'tamprum' when I called time shortly after this photograph.  He did have a woolly hat on but it ended up cold and soggy like the rest of him.  Straight in and in a warm bath where the 'tamprum' was soon forgot.  He is lucky I let him out in the first place as playing in the cold and wet goes against my better judgement, but what sort of Mom doesn't let her kids play in the snow?   He went out in the snow again the following morning with his friends.  I looked out of the window to see him making a pair of snowball 'boobies' and dancing on the front lawn!  Boys!  What will the neighbours think?

Garlic Tea - Home remedy for Coughs, colds and Flu

I have got to share this recipe with you:
Garlic Tea
I think the 'Forest' claimed a victim.  Since last Wednesday I have had a painful throat and chest.  I also have a cough, just a good old winter something or other!  I came across the notion of 'Garlic Tea' on a discussion board on Ravelry.  I know Garlic is very powerful for home remedies.  Garlic Tea sounds pretty terrible but you have to trust me on this one, I actually rather like it.  I could almost go as far as to say it is almost delicious!  It seems to be keeping whatever it is at bay and really is the only thing making me feel better.  Euan has rather unceremoniously pointed out I stink but I am definitely staying home as it is freezing outside and we have had snow, so I should not be causing offence to anyone.  Good job we are cyber friends and not meeting in person.  We have been overdosing on garlic anyway in this house,  in our food, soups, mushrooms, pasta sauce.  I bought some excellent plumptdelicicious garlic last week.  The cloves are super-sized.
   In true 'In The Sky' style I have adapted this 'Garlic Tea' recipe from researching several recipes.  So here is my version.  It is traditional in Spain and Mexico to serve Garlic Tea for Coughs, colds and Flu.  Keep this recipe  in mind, you may thank me!  Besides they say 'What doesn't kill you makes you stronger!'

Ingredients:
Four of five cloves of garlic peeled and halved.
The juice of one lemon
2tsp of Honey (local to you if you can)
1 tsp of ground ginger (or fresh root ginger, a lump as big as your thumb peeled and sliced)
Boiling Water

Method
I put all the ingredients straight into my trusty little Thermos flask and top up with boiling water.  When it runs low I just top it up with more water, honey and lemon juice.
This still remains a popular post of mine How to make Hot Port for Medicinal Purposes, however 'Hot Port' is great for bedtimes, when you have to function 'Garlic Tea' is the home remedy for me.

Ten 'Top Facts' about Alpaca - 'Mystery Bag' Reveal

I love the colour of this fibre and you can see the natural crimp

1)    The Ancient Peruvians used Alpaca fleece to make clothes for royalty, it was known as 'The Fibre of the Gods'.  It was a status symbol and a prized trade item.  Textiles were the highest form of tribute and more highly valued than gold and silver.

2)    Alpacas were domesticated in Ancient South America as much as 6000 years ago.  Milenia of selective  breeding produced the finest fibre.  Alpaca were said to be on loan from the Gods for as long as the human race could treat them with kindness.  They were highly prized, providing fibre, food and fuel.  The Spanish Invaders failed to recognise the 'Treasure of the people' they were blinded by the Gold and Silver.   90% of Alpaca were slaughtered almost to extinction.

3)    In 1989 there were only about 150 Alpaca in the UK, now there are more than 20 000.

4)    Alpaca is as soft as cashmere yet lighter in weight, stronger and warmer than wool.

5)    Alpaca is warmer than wool and is said to be 30% warmer than Merino.

6)    Alpaca comes in 22 natural colours, reducing the need for dye.  However white Alpaca is in demand and takes dye particularly well.   British Alpaca Society 'Alpaca Fibre Colour Chart'

7)    Alpacas are sheared annually and each fleece will weigh between 2 and 5 kg.

8)    There is no lanolin in Alpaca fibre so this makes it hypoallergenic and more suitable for people with wool allergies.

9)     Alpaca fibre is naturally fire retardant.

10)   Alpaca is second only to silk for strength and durability.

Reveal!  A very guilty secret.  Nine large bags of 'Raw' Alpaca.  My friend is a Dog Groomer and one of her clients has 'Pet' Alpaca.  This fleece has been in her shed for a while.  It has been given to me on the understanding I make something for the Alpaca Owner from the fleece.  I spun for about three hours yesterday and have about a third of a bobbin full.  It did make me think of our friend 'Rumpelstiltskin' again.  This is going to be a labour intensive journey into the heart of darkness!  I wonder how long I can get away with keeping the fleece mountain a secret.  I am sure to get quite a reaction when it gets discovered.  Euan stood aghast looking at it.  He said "Mom, what?  What the?  You need to learn to say no!  If anybody asks you again just say no!  You have enough for years here!"  From the mouths of babes eh?  Could you resist such a treasure hoard?  Fibre of the Gods and all that.  It could be worse I could have got a real live Alpaca, Lord knows I am tempted.   I am hoping to go to The Premier Event for British Alpaca - in March, who knows what I could come back with?