Getting Ready to Live with Chickens for 24 hours

Weird. Okay, beauty is vacuuming in her new kitchen. Randolph is done. What do you lack?

I'm going to—

before the big reveal—

vacuum all the stuff. All the drawers out.

Yep.

And I need to treat the countertops and I need to like, put the light bulbs in the new things and I need to finish painting the—

More painting. We gotta change into your—

Yeah, but it's not time yet.

Okay, you're pretty dedicated to that.

Are we going to paint this before we reveal it, or?

I didn't think so. Okay. What do you think?

Yeah, I just feel like there's more that has to— I still have to like paint the toe kicks and—

because we're gonna take all that off, dry it. I just don't want this to get worn at all before we show it. Good news, not one Icelandic chicken got out of this setup. Moving it every day, bringing it taut at the corners, giving it support posts. It's working. Let's move them out. Today is the day I get ready to live with the chickens for 24 hours. That happens for me Tomorrow, beginning the last 2 days of 100 days of growing food. Jonah, tomorrow's the big day. I'm gonna live with the chickens for 24 hours. You're gonna support me? You're gonna be my support? Bring me supplies? I can go— people can come in the chicken But I can't go out of the chickens for 24 hours.

Then I have to get the cow in the fence for you.

Uh, Ben, uh, no, no, Ben's coming to help. He's gonna milk that one day. He's gonna milk, uh, Thursday, and then I'll milk Friday when I come out. Jonah, we could try to pick up those support posts in the net. You want to try it? If you don't think it'll work, just go around and get them. Okay, can you go around You want to get them, please? That's right, the hollers are coming to heckle me while I'm in there, I'm sure, but also help me. Uh, Ben will milk. Ben is also bringing an outdoor cooking stove, and we're gonna cook fresh eggs together. So I guess he's bringing me breakfast. I mean, the chickens will give me breakfast, but he's, uh, giving me a way to cook it.

Oh, Papa, you can eat lunch, but with one of our roosters.

Do you want to carry the net, or do you want to carry the chick Huh? Or do you want to put the net on the Chickshaw and you spot it? Yeah, let's find out. We tried to put these— we tried to pick up the fiber tufts with the net. It's not really working out. Are you ready to pull, Mark? Sure. He's gonna walk along holding this down while I pull it. Oh snap, where'd you come from, little one? New location. Jonah's gonna get the grain. Let's put this net up pretty quick. That's pretty fast, especially when we're we're just using one net. Get back up here, guys. You think that's too close? Do we need to move that up? All right, I think it needs to fit. Josiah, let's support it with the fiber tubs. Actually, let's get them out. Go ahead, bro. That was super fast. One net, but we only got maybe 3 patties. 3 nets is much bigger, but you got to keep these little guys in. They got a better chance in this little net. Will you guys stay in? If they would just get a little bit bigger, they wouldn't go through. Just, I think we're gonna have to move this further away from the fence because the rooster gets on it and jumps. All right, there they are. We see any ices out, they go to the chicken tractor, okay? This is my home right here tomorrow for 24 hours. What am I gonna do? What in the world am I gonna do? Well, I'm going to help them spread that compost. I'm going to move this A-frame. There's some repairs to be done on the Chickshaw. I'm going to read the book How the Chicken Crossed the World, and I guess I'm going to absorb— observe— observe— observe. You know what, I'll be on guard of who might actually be getting out and how. And who might be eating tomatoes. Although we haven't had a tomato attack in a while, just so you know, so we're doing good. Papa? Yes?

One problem: how do you get the chicken back in?

Oh, I won't. I'll just have to report to you guys. So to make this happen tomorrow, I will not be able to edit, obviously, I'll be in with the chicken. So I'm gonna have to edit what you're seeing now today. I usually edit the next day. I'm gonna have to edit yesterday's vlog today, so we got to do the computer hustle today.

Me and Jonah won't collect the eggs. Yeah, don't collect them so you can eat them.

That's right, I need some eggs for in the morning. Hopefully my cot gets here, hopefully today. I think we'll set up the tent. Oh, I gotta get the compost toilet in there. Hey Jonah, yeah, I'm gonna have to go start milking. Can you go to the forest with pigs?

Yeah.

Okay, thank you. Bossy gave a good gallon and three-quarter. Let's get around just one second, but just show you this real quick. See these soil blocks? We had quite the rain event last night and it's not destroying them. So I'm thinking, well, you know, once the plants get established a little bit, roots in there Uh, we're thinking it's gonna be okay. This video is coming out— Casey Ostwich has put a video in the Do-It-Yourself Abundance Crash Course that's there now, guys. You can get that. Inside the crash course, he talks about how to germinate seeds in the heat, cold-hardy crops in the seeds. That's probably the biggest challenge to the winter harvest garden. Otherwise, once you get it going and good, especially when the sunlight is 10 hours or less, and like middle of November-ish, winter harvest garden becomes the easiest garden. No bugs, no weeds, just go out and harvest all winter. Just keep it covered and go harvest all winter. All right, he's going to help you get a start with that. Check it out, link in description. Come on, Mustang. I think she thinks I'm going to give her some alfalfa if I'm standing here. So I think the trick to getting her out is going behind her. Let's see if that works. Look. No. So that's the last I'm going to promote of the crash course. Next week, guys, get in that crash course, get a sample. That's a sample of the hundreds of videos that are in my Do-It-Yourself Abundance member area. More to come from those guys, from Casey, Jason, and The Hollers each are doing a series that I'm very excited about that'll run through January. How am I gonna get her out? Wait, she, she's like into the medicine. You know, you fight me when I try to put that, drench you with that, but then— What's her fascination with the stanchion? So anyway, stay tuned. Next week we're gonna launch the fall registration for the member area. It's gonna be on sale. It's gonna be open for a week. And the spots are limited at the premium level, so you guys want to stay tuned for that. Be among the first to get in. Come on, Miss Thing. No lanes up, she's going straight across. What a great cow. We've got 30 minutes till breakfast. Shall we get ready for this weekend adventure with the chickens? I think so. A broad fork, something to do. Pitchfork. Pitchfork for slinging compost. While we're out here, let's let out the chicks. Oh, it's a muddy mess. So we'll be putting down a bit of mulch tomorrow to combat this mud. You guys my roommates tomorrow? This house is well overdue for a move. We'll do that tomorrow. While we're in here though, this needs some repair. The wire has come down way back from when the guinea hawks got in here once and crashed the floor. That perch is sagging. It's a 1-inch by 2-inch perch. They roost on that. Uh, that's just a jump bar to get them up into the crates. So maybe let's see if we can't make that a 2x2. All right, I think I should probably get one of the harder things to do over with. I'm gonna need a loo for number 2, you know what I'm saying? So how about the poop dolly? Got shavings. Toilet paper, hand sanitizer. Moves like a dolly. Now to get in, I'm gonna have to put this down a bit. Josiah, will you spot me so the chickens don't get out? Okay, I bet you guys are dying to have a tour of this poop dolly. Designed to move like a dolly. Everything must have wheels on this farm. Everything must be movable by one person without a tractor or equipment. Inside we got the rules, uh, one cent We got a bucket of sawdust. One scoop for number one, two scoops for number two. Empty bucket. It's misaligned right now. There we go, line that up. It's ready to go. This is the level below this build. This is just—

take some toilet paper. That stuff is wet.

Oh, is it? It's dry. It was wet at one time. I wonder why. Plenty of toilet paper, eco-friendly, compostable, uh, wood shavings in there. This is a level blue. This is a wood frame that pivots up with the toilet seat on top. That just is just right for a bucket. Fill that bucket up, go put it in the compost pile for at least 6 months, and the compost pile better be, uh, at least 3 cubic yards to break it down properly. There you go. Vents, vents at the bottom and at the top, and it's a clear— clearish roof for natural solar lights. Lock's broken. You guys won't try to barge in on me while I'm doing my business, will you? Okay, let's put it in the corner. Put it over here, huh?

Yeah.

You are? Okay, I think you get the better end. I think I got the short stick on that one. It's time for breakfast. My cot, I hope it comes today. We're in big trouble if it doesn't come today. I lack the 2x4 to replace that with, and then I lack, uh, maybe a 10x10 shelter for shade during the day. Oh my gosh, he's already passed out at 10:30. Grandma's here to help the beautiful one. Hey, I'll give them a glimpse of the counter, right? Like, if you putting on the oil, can I do that? Is that giving away too much? Oh, she won't let me do it, but she's working diligent on this and it's going to be ready very soon. Grandma's helping. Nice. And they're brand new sliders, so they actually work. Are you applying tung oil to these butcher block countertops? Okay, it smells delicious. I would love to smell that every week. Is that how often you have to apply it?

No, about a month.

Every month. Guys, I can't wait for you guys to see this. It's so much more— it's so much brighter in here, and there's only one light bulb of three. Are we gonna get more light bulbs in there? This light isn't even on. I just can't wait for you guys to see this. We'll do a video just on it, and it will— it'll be called, uh, Farmhouse Kitchen Reno Reveal. How's that for a title, Rebecca? Okay, since my cot has a tent on it, am I still gonna put a 10x10 down there? Probably get out of the sun during the day.

Chair down there.

Yes, a chair. I'm gonna want to sit. Are you gonna take a phone so you can call us? Nope, no phone. We should find our walkie-talkies. Oh, that'd be good. That would work.

They're somewhere.

That's part of the rule. I gotta focus on the chickens, power them up, not the phone. Typical once a week breakfast. I'm gonna miss eating with you guys. I'm gonna miss 3 meals with you.

I know.

Yeah, you guys gonna bring me some good food?

Yeah, okay, good.

Then you're gonna have to fight those chickens for it.

Typical, but one of our favorite breakfasts is eggs, Swiss chard. I am gonna have to fight the chickens for it, aren't I? And I just thought about it, I'm taking a shade out there, but they're gonna like the shade too. Oh, they're gonna be with you all the time. Papa? Yes?

The chickens are gonna lay eggs for you, for you can eat them.

That's right, I'm gonna do that. Ben's bringing the stove, and we're gonna eat together out there fresh. Casey says that's savage. Is that savage? It's pretty hilarious. Eat your eggs right in front of them. Oh, that's true. It's only savage in the sense that they would, they would, uh, be jealous and want to eat those eggs. Who's savage? They are. That's why we like the chickens so much. They're gentle yet savage. All right, let's edit what we shot yesterday. Well, looking out that window, this is from our bedroom. That's where I'm gonna be this time tomorrow. Probably bored out of my mind. I just finished editing what I shot yesterday for today. Now let's go finish prepping for this 24-hour challenge. And capture the rest of this vlog, come back and edit it. You want to go with? No. Hey, I'm looking for a cot. Did that come in the mail?

No, this is Grandma's.

Any cots?

Um, there was something that just got delivered. I don't know if the cot is in it.

Okay. Oh, I guarantee that's it. Jonah said he's gonna go out there and sleep with me. Only if this cot is big enough, buddy. Great. And if no kids got— other kids got jealous. Nobody's jealous.

No, just not sleeping with Mom.

Okay. Here, this is nothing.

This is for the cool room.

It's paint. Cool. Nope, not it. But Mom will be excited about this. This is for her while she's working in the garden. All right, I gotta find like a Rubbermaid for my book and my gallon waterer. I'm thinking this cooler inside my tent. Not that it's going to keep it cool or anything, but the gallon jug does fit in here. Here's my book. Lily got me some water.

A chocolate.

We've got the book. She gave me a chocolate bar. I think that's right. Honey sweetened organic chocolate. Whoa! Okay, let's go get the tent. What else do we need? The tent and the chair, and I think we're ready.

Yeah.

Oh no, and a 2x2. Here, let's get the measuring tape. Get—

you should get some wood chips and put it on the bottom.

Yeah, I need some deep bedding in my tent. I think that's something Ben can do when he's got the tractor. Ben can, uh, get our tractor and drop me some wood chips for that whole area and for my, my tent, some deep bedding. So tractors, hit or miss starting these days. No, we're having a kind of a hiccup tomorrow. We do get our feed delivery. I'm trying to coordinate with them, Reedy Fork Farm, make sure they're coming in the morning when Ben's here and can help them unload it with our tractor. What? No, I don't want that kind of chair. How about a camping chair? Put that back in the— there. Thank you though. Pretty sure my camping chair is in here. Yep, grab that camping chair, Lily, please. And I will grab our 10 by 10. All right, I got that under the pig port for now. I'm not going to set it up. I'm going to need some stuff to do tomorrow, so I'm going to set that up tomorrow. Lily, thank you for my chair. I got a way to loo. I've got shade, cots coming, got my water and my book packed. You really don't need much when you're going to live with chickens. They really don't need much. Shelter, water, food, something to do. They got it. Do you think I'm crazy? No, because you grew up like this, huh? You grew up with this, huh? No. Do you don't think it's crazy that your dad's gonna live with the chickens for 24 hours?

No.

When I left a message with Reedy Fork Farm is like, uh, yeah, you can come, but I'll be with the chickens. I can't come out. Just like any other normal person, right? Right? Get in. Huh? You think I'm crazy? You think I'm crazy? Another thing I'm gonna do, guys, is develop a killer chicken dance. And anybody that— anybody that comes in with me People can come in, but I can't go out. Gets to do the chicken dance with me. Lily, I know what we're forgetting.

The costume.

Yes, get the costume. I'm also forgetting to measure and go get a piece to replace this landing bar. Don't come in, Lily, you're barefoot. You want a roommate? Bunch of broody hens. Extra strength. It's a little taller, it's not quite a 2x4, um, it's maybe 2.5 inches. But putting it like that's gonna have some mega strength. We don't need to— we don't need to swivel the perches anymore. The perches don't need to swivel up. The only reason they were swiveling up is so you could train birds not to go in there. But my friend Mike had a good idea— just turn the nesting box sideways if you're trying to train birds not to go in there to like perch. Like turn them sideways before they perch at night and then just turn them around in the morning. All right, let's go drop this and then we'll get my costume and we'll be ready. All right, if you're going to live with the chickens, you might as well dress up like a chicken at least once. I got both edits done. Yes! And it looks like my cot is here. Boom! Boom!

Is it big enough for me to sleep with you?

I don't know. Should we try it out, Mom, or just try it out tomorrow? Why don't we try it out tomorrow, and if it's big enough, then you can. But I need something to do in there. Right? Setting up camp was one thing. Yeah. Okay. Can we see it? That means next video y'all see will be my 24-hour experience with the chickens. Hopefully I come out alive. Hopefully I come out alive. No, hopefully not.

The vicious dinos don't attack.

Hopefully they don't get me. Hopefully they don't get you when you come visit me. I ain't gonna get you.

They're gonna be surrounding you with their chin.

I know. It's gonna be weird.