I spent hours shoveling the heaviest, wettest, smelliest muck you can imagine this morning. A winter of muck. Heavy, wet chicken manure. I cleaned about 2″ of muck – a whole layer of ick – and wheeled unwieldy wheelbarrows full to a dump spot. I nearly landed in the muck after heaving the wheelbarrow to dump it. Then I shoveled five wheelbarrows of wood chips (from trees felled over the summer) into the run. The chickens spread it all out for me. They look SO much happier, and it doesn’t stink anymore. AND – this is HUGE – I was able to walk into the run in my sneakers, not my knee-high muck boots, to deliver food.

Happy hen feet, scratching.

More hen feet. Barred Rock.

Big Gordon giving approval.

More young hen feet – these are the young pullets who are just about starting to lay.