Baths, Puddles, and a Baby Meat n' Eggs Rematch

Did I mention that I was not sure how I felt about the stability of the bird bath on top of the post? Well I wasn't sure, and after playing with it a bit I decided to make a modification. I added a floor flange (about $4 at Home Depot) to sit atop the pipe clamp.

Above is what the flange looks like when it's not upside down under a pot on a chunk of EMT. It's attached to the terra cotta pot, which is then attached to the basin containing the water and a rock (for sunbathing!). 

See? Flange! It adds tremendous stability to the whole shootin' match. Really, I just like saying flange. Flaaannggge! FLANGE!

I also moved some rocks today. Slate really. Most of those pieces are pretty big. That pile used to be in the middle of the yard around what I believe used to be a rose garden of sorts. I am not moving the roses, and actually have added to them and mulched them while I try to decide what to do with the area, but the slate was so badly overgrown and I needed it for my mud puddle. I need to figure out how to cut it or break it though. When I say big, I am talking an inch and three quarters thick, and 3 feet long! Lot of work, but I saved a fortune.

Speaking of - the puddle looks ever so slightly more pond-ish today. It still needs a lot of work - more backfilling, now that I've watered the heck out of what was there, then mulching, laying of slate edging, etc. But the solar pump came today and worked brilliantly. So brilliantly that I had to submerge it lest the sprayer send all of the water out of the pond! I really expected much less flow from the little thing. At some point I will get some kind of a spitter, or I will make one, but for now this keeps the water moving. 

I have another project coming up - some of the pieces are featured above. More will be revealed! I am hoping to have that one done by tomorrow. Hint: the folks who use the new bath in the back yard will appreciate this new project, maybe even more!

And... CHICKS! Because I can.

These little brown guys (girls?) are Cochins. They are very forward and friendly, the first to run over when I put my hand in the tank. They climb onto my hand and sit, trying to be taller than all the other chickens. The fluffly yellow chick I believe is a Delaware. The bigger chick to the left, with the chipmunk stripe on it's head... I am just not sure, but I can't wait to find out!

I love this - the little Silver Laced Polish laying down? That is totally a grown-up chicken thing. It's practicing adult chicken dust bathing in a pile of shavings! I really love it when they act all grown up! Another Delaware is hanging out, and a White Crested Black Polish behind. The other two, the smallish kind-of chipmunk-ish-y things? I am unsure, but leaning Silver Penciled Hamburg.

Last, meat v. eggs - a week 1.5 rematch. They arrived a week ago today. One week ago. And this is where we are now - this egg bird is actually bigger than the bird I used for the last match up. I couldn't catch her, the slippery bug!