Rain (AGAIN!) and COLD (AGAIN)!!

Last Friday was a really nice day, 73 degrees and sunny! I was able to get a few pallets broke down. The new tool is so amazing! The best part is it doesn't do a lot of damage to the wood or bend the nails. Makes it easy to recycle them!

But Saturday a front moved in and the rain started and the temps took a dive into the 30's! Here it is Tuesday and we have not seen the Sun in 4 days! And they are calling for more rain tomorrow! Did not get a lot done outside and will have to wait for the swimming holes to dry up and the ground to stop being MUD!

So, I though I would show you some pictures of the new Babies. They will be 3 weeks old this Friday!

All 12 seem to be doing great!

Starting to put on some feathers and color

Some more so then others. The one in the lower center, doesn't have much color yet.

But tail feathers are coming in too!

I'm not sure what breed they are, Just that they are RED PULLETS. And when I move them into the Hen House, I will have 20 layers!
The older girls are still locked up in the Hen House, But seem to be alright with that for right now. I get 5 - 6 Eggs a day and the totals for the year are 342! When I have 20 layers, last years totals should be blown out of the water! And I hope to get a regular customer list that will buy Eggs from me!
I have been thinking about getting a Rooster and turning him loose on the Girls and see if they will hatch out some babies for me next year.
So that is the update on the weather and the new Kids.
I will close by saying, SPRING IS COMING!! At least I hope so!!
TOM

New Tool (toy?) and The BIG SCORE!

Hey everyone,
If you are a regular reader of this Blog, You know that I love working with recycled wood. I pick it up where ever I can and use it for projects around the homestead. I have been trying to find a place that has a overabundance of pallets, But due to the fact that I live where I do makes it a long drive to get a truck load. But I have gotten a few and have started to break them down using a hammer and crow bar. What a pain in the neck! It takes so long to get them a part and I can really tear up some good wood.
So, I have been a fan of IZZY SWAN over at his You Tube channel  for quite some time. He is a great talent and has so much to show those of you that may want to do some woodworking! He has designed and built many a JIG that is used with his table saw (from turning tool handles, to turning logs into lumber!).

And this is where I got the idea to start to use pallets! He designed and built a tool that will break down a pallet in under 10 minuets! And I ordered one from him and it arrived yesterday!

This box was delivered yesterday about 3 o'clock. I have to admit I felt like a kid on Christmas morning!

This is what was inside! The two wooden parts are 100 year old RED OAK salvaged from an old building! Some Assembly was required, But Izzy had a video at his web site that walked me thou it and it came together !

And this is the new TOOL/TOY!

Leigh, If you are reading this, I think Dan will appreciate this. A Tool yes, But also a piece of art! IZZY ,You did a great job ! It is only about 8 pounds and the metal forks have no problem with the pallets I have tried it on!

And this is the Name that Izzy chose to bestow upon his new Tool. The Red OAK is so beautifully  worked and the green forks make it stand out! I love the feel of this handle and the step has not had a problem with anything I have used it on!

The first pallet to be taken down by the "Pallet Pal"! Oak with twist nails. The Pallet Pal pulls the nails straight out with very little bending. So I can recycle them  too!

Less then 10 Min's later!

I sent IZZY an e-mail and told him that I would do a review of my new toy here on the Blog.
 IZZY, As I said you did a great job on this and I will be using the P.P. a lot over the next few months. On a scale of 5 stars, you get a 100!! As you can tell, I love this tool and your videos! I will return again and again to see what new things you will come up with next!

As far as the BIG SCORE.....
I said that I have been trying to find a place that will let me pick up pallets and last Monday I found it! And it is only 15 MIN"S away. There is a plastic plant just outside of town and I went by there to see if they had any pallets I could ask about. All they could tell me was no, Right?
But they said YES!!! I talked with the shipping manager and he said the because the pallets they had are smaller then the standard, (30 X 30) They could not give them away until now. They are a one time use pallet for the company and last year it cost them $5000.00 to have them removed and taken to a land fill. He was so happy that I wanted them, He offered me his own trailer to use to make a pick up

The first truck load that I got. There must be over 300 pallets that I can have!

And what do you think I will be using them for?

One of the first things will be a fence around the Hen House! After the predator attacks of two weeks ago where I lost two of my layers, the rest of the girls have been locked up in the new Hen House. As the weather gets warmer, I know that they want to be outside. So a new fence will be worked on over the next few days, If the weather cooperates! The above picture is my idea of a fence panel that is 30" X 30" and I will bolt two of them together to give me a 60" tall fence. I will also be putting a cover over the whole thing to keep my girls safe!

I want to stain all of this wood and will water proof it too. And if the wood does rot, It will be easy to replace it with something new!

IZZY, if you read this, YOU ARE THE MAN!! And I hope to some come see you and get you to sign my P.P. It really is an amazing tool and I'm glad I was able to get one before you sold out!

Leigh, I think Dan will love this!

And for all you others, go by IZZY's web site WWW.THINKWOODWORKS.NET. And check out his videos!

TOM

Ice Storm

I know I said that I would not be posting about the weather, But THIS IS NUTS!
Yesterday the high was 72 degrees and the Sun was shining. Terri even put wash out on the line to dry.

When I left for work last night it was still in the 60's! But when leaving work this morning, It was over cast and the temps were dropping. After getting a few hours sleep, I woke up to this!

Drivers side window on the truck!

Watch how you step here! Bottom of the steps.

Terri just got home from school and was telling me that the roads are already iced over and  there are a couple of cars already in the ditch on our road. Looks like this will be another night of work missed! The truck does not handle ice and snow well and I do not want to rick it!
All I keep telling myself is SPRING IS COMING! But you sure can't tell it from looking out side.

Went out to check on the older girls and collected 6 more Eggs. Total for the year is now up to 248!
And the new kids seem to be doing fine. I lowered the heat lamp down and the thermometer is reading 110, But the brooder is big enough that they can move away from the heat if they have to.

So another day in the wonderful winter of 2014! It has to get better, RIGHT?
Tom