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in DIY/Crafts

DIY External Nesting Boxes

It’s Corey here again with another long-awaited DIY project for your coop!

We built these exact nesting boxes for each side of our coop. One set of boxes is exposed to the elements and therefore has a pitched roof with shingles for rain run off (this is the version we provide in the plans) and the other set is actually inside our left-side covered run, so it didn’t need any special roofing and we put a flat top on them instead to act as an additional storage shelf.

Our Nesting Box Dilemma

When it came time to add nesting boxes to each side of our existing coop structure, I’ll be honest with ya, I didn’t exactly know how to go about implementing them.  I knew Erin wanted them to be aesthetically pleasing and have good craftsmanship.  I also knew she wanted to be able to open them up from the outside of the coop to gather eggs without having to go inside and kneel down (like our previous chicken coops).  I sat there searching on my computer for days and days trying to find the perfect design for our setup.  I was looking for boxes that would not only fit the style of our coop, but also be functional, easy to access, and not be too complicated to build.  After endless Google and Pinterest searches I was coming up empty and was quite frankly convinced that they didn’t exist.  I wondered if other people were dealing with the same issues when converting a shed-like building into a working chicken coop.

It wasn’t long after that I decided to just build the dang things myself. Which of course meant they had to be designed first. Like most of our projects together, Erin (I call her E) and I collaborate as a team to bring a project to fruition. E usually provides the vision and says basically…here’s what I want them to look like and this is how I want them to function, and then it is up to me to figure out the HOW and then create and build out her vision.

These nesting boxes and the plans to build them are the product of what Erin and I came up with out of necessity for out flock. We hope that these building plans will help you create the chicken coop of your dreams.

The Design

https://tlbacres.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/NBPROMO.mp4

 

The outside view of the nesting boxes

Three Little Blackbirds

The “Inside the coop” view of the nesting boxes

Get the Plans & Create your Own

Give it a try with our step by step building plans available for purchase here: Nesting Box Building Plans

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farmer & baker & designer

From Graphic Designer to Pastry Chef to Chicken Farmer, my career path has been quite the squiggly line. But today, I am able to use all of those crafts and knowledge at Three Little Blackbirds to offer rare breed hatching eggs, artisan bakery recipes, custom graphics and logos, and goods for the home and farm. All designed and packaged beautifully with love and care. Read More...

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Well this is very near and dear to my heart. Tulip Well this is very near and dear to my heart. Tulip the goat has her own plushie! And she’s wearing her wheels. 🥰 I’ve never seen anything cuter. 

This would be such a great Holiday gift for a super hero child that loves goats or rides in their own cool set of wheels. 

Proceeds from this go to the amazing @safeinaustinrescue where she lives. The rescue just recently took in a few litters of puppies that were in emergency situations including a burn victim and had to spend over $30k in their care and rehabilitation, so they need every dollar they can get to continue to care for the animals in their rescue right now. There are two other plushies too, Halo the dog and Patunia the cow. 

Head on over to @safeinaustinrescue page for the link and I will put a link to buy in my story as well! ❤️❤️❤️
Bad as in baaad, like the worst year of gardening Bad as in baaad, like the worst year of gardening I have ever had. First clip is my garden at this time last year. The rest are this year. Between the excessive heat, the grasshoppers and the drought…I have given up and given in. Some of my cherry tomatoes are hanging in there but I said R.I.P and au revoir to the rest. Sometimes you gotta pick your battles for the sake of your mental health because there was just nothing more I could do. I gave myself a pep talk, played Beyoncé’s new song on repeat, started looking at houses I can’t afford, and planning vacations I won’t take and searching for all the new goats I’m “going to buy”…and then I felt better. I mean it was the logical thing to do. #youwontbreakmysoul
My dogs are really introverted My dogs are really introverted
New cedar gates on the back of the barn to be able New cedar gates on the back of the barn to be able to open the big doors for airflow, but keep the animals out (or in) courtesy of @evergreenbuildersco. The big barn doors close right over the gates and when the doors are fully open the gates open all the way out back over the doors allowing us to drive through or move animals through 🙌🏻 We plan on putting a pair of these on the front of the barn as well because they are so functional AND beautiful! But first we still have to finish the tongue and groove on the ceiling(s) and install a herringbone paver floor in the center walkway.
Thanks for always making it weird, Stella. Thanks for always making it weird, Stella.
Pretty little Nutmeg 👑 #miniaturehorse #miniatu Pretty little Nutmeg 👑 #miniaturehorse #miniaturehorsesofinstagram
Move over pizza! THIS is the sexy, grown up way to Move over pizza! THIS is the sexy, grown up way to eat your tomatoes 🔥 🍅 🌿 

You’re gonna want to save this recipe. It comes together quick and easy and is a great way to use up those garden tomatoes coming out of your ears. 

Garden tomato galette: 

2 cups all-purpose flour
2¼ tsp. kosher salt, divided
¾ cup chilled butter, cut into pieces
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup ice water

1½ lb. fresh garden tomatoes, sliced ¼" thick
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
4 oz. firm cheese (such as Asiago, or Gouda), finely grated (about 1½ cups)
1 large egg, beaten 
Flaky sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Fresh basil for garnishing 🌾 Make the crust:

Pulse 2 cups flour and 1¼ tsp. kosher salt in a food processor to combine. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining.

Transfer mixture to a large bowl; drizzle with vinegar and ¼ cup ice water. Mix with a fork, adding more ice water by the tablespoonful as needed, just until a shaggy dough comes together. Turn out onto a work surface and lightly knead until no dry spots remain (be careful not to overwork). Pat into a disk and wrap in plastic. Chill at least 45 min. 🍅

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F
.
Assemble the galette:

Gently toss tomatoes, garlic, and remaining 1 tsp. kosher salt in a large bowl. Let sit 5 minutes (tomatoes will start releasing some liquid). Drain tomato mixture and transfer to paper towels.

Unwrap dough and roll out on a lightly floured surface to a 14" round about ⅛" thick. Transfer on parchment to a baking sheet. Scatter cheese over dough, leaving a 1½" border. Arrange tomatoes and garlic over cheeses. Bring edges of dough up and over filling, overlapping as needed to create about a 1½" border; Sprinkle tomatoes with sea salt and pepper. Brush the crust with egg wash. Chill in freezer 10 minutes.

Bake galette, rotating once, until crust is golden brown and cooked through, 55–65 minutes. Let cool slightly on baking sheet. Finely grate some Parmigiano-Reggiano over the top and sprinkle with fresh basil. 
Enjoy!
Just a little update since I’ve been MIA. Runnin Just a little update since I’ve been MIA. Running two businesses and taking care of our little farm is a full plate and SM has fallen to the back burner, but we’re still here! 

Our garden is growing like crazy, and the wild birds are starting to eat my berries already! Darn it! Gotta figure out a way to keep them out but still allow the pollinators in. We have a water fountain/bird bath in the middle of the garden and they still go after the berries 😡

In other news, Nutmeg turned ONE a week ago. Time really flies. She’s growing into such a sweet little pocket horsie.

Stella is blowing out her coat for the first time and my gosh there is white fluff EVERYWHERE. I have to brush her everyday and it’s still coming out. Anyone need any pillow stuffing!? 😆

Thanks for hanging in there with us! We love you guys 💕
I can’t stop crying… 🌷💖🌷💖 Repost I can’t stop crying… 🌷💖🌷💖

Repost from @safeinaustinrescue
•
Tulip, or Auntie Tu, which We affectionately call her in the morning as she watches the three boy goats go crazy for their morning bottle, is probably the best goat Aunt I have ever met.

She's stepped into a protective role, which can only be compared to one of a caring and protective aunt. She could have been resting on the other end, and the next thing I know, she's at my knee, looking up at me, giving me a look, that seems to say, "You better take care of my boys", and when I return them all fed, she hurries over to check them out, and makes sure they know she didn't go anywhere. 

She pays extra attention to Fred, who is blind, and gently tries to steer him towards the gate. 
Gives Hercules and Orion the "look" when they start trying to jump over the gate in a rush to get fed. 

Since the boys started staying in that stall, Tulip has been a constant presence. She gets out, runs around, but never strays too far from them in the barn, even when she's getting her exercise. It’s like she knows, their mama’s couldn’t take care of them… they were brought to me, to cherish and protect, as if they were my own. 

How many of us have kids that are not our own, and yet we feel responsible and protective over them? Our friends children, children within our family, or children we teach or work with. Tulip gets that. These boys aren't hers, but she loves them in a fierce and protective way that only she can. They don't need to be hers, for her to put them first as if they were. To show them the ropes, to teach them those lessons that if mom could, she would. 

Let's celebrate those who step in to fill the role of mom this Mother's day. The ones who love children so unconditionally, and help to raise them to show that same unconditional love. 

Join us on Saturday morning to celebrate Tullip and mother’s of all types from 10am-12pm with pancakes and love. The link to RSVP is in our bio!
The hens are definitely back to work after a Winte The hens are definitely back to work after a Winter of resting. It’s time to make some quiche and angel food cakes! #springishere
The minis are not so patiently waiting for fresh g The minis are not so patiently waiting for fresh green grass to munch on. Spring has not quite fully sprung here with unseasonably cooler nighttime temps and fluctuating weather that seems just a tad crazier than past years - even for Texas! I did, however get the garden almost fully planted, which might be the earliest yet. Livin on the wild side! 😜🤞🏻🙏🏻🌱
BUSTED! We heard the goats going crazy a couple of BUSTED! We heard the goats going crazy a couple of evenings ago, so we went to investigate and found a stall door open. We know we remembered closing it and we’re so confused so we checked the camera feed and found the culprit 🤣

Rosie the herd queen and food pig was found breaking into the stall next door to steal her friends food! So naughty!! 

We will be changing out these latches now because of her. She made that look wayyyy too easy!!
Hello there lovely. 🤎 Hello there lovely. 🤎
Stella Bella hanging out in a big pile of leaves i Stella Bella hanging out in a big pile of leaves is a whole mood. 🍁🍂

The older she gets the more regal and beautiful she’s becoming 🤩

But swipe to see the video at the end to see her true personality. 100% goofball 🤣 This girl is a gem. #greatpyrenees
Eggs so pretty, you gotta put em on display. @anth Eggs so pretty, you gotta put em on display. @anthropologie
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About the owner

My name is Erin. I am a mother of three, chicken farmer, gardener, pastry enthusiast, and self-proclaimed food snob. I love to dig in the dirt. I love to ride horses. I love the smell of lavender and roses and lilacs and hay. I am a dreamer, but kneading bread dough keeps me Earth bound. Im glad you're here! Read More...

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