Neighbor dog

I finally start getting eggs from the chickens and the neighbor's dog comes in and pulls feathers from one of the two birds that slipped the coup.  He also bloodied some through the wire of the coup.

Saw him again today but Rob chased him off the property before I could get the gun.  He went to the neighbor while I phoned the sheriff.  Rob says the lady will chain the dog now.

I hope so.  I don't want to kill anyone's pet, but I will to defend my livestock.

Holidays

Holidays were good.  Parents came up to visit, and Dad helped install the new pressure tank for the well.  Also put in a new elbow for the chimney since it had rusted through.  We didn't know it had till Dad touched it and the bottom kind of fell out.

Goats are still limping, but I did find some chicken eggs!!  I am going to leave them in the wagon for a few days and see if they get the hint about the nest boxes.

MIA

I haven't been writing lately, I know.

So latest developments and then hopefully back to writing at least once a week again.

I put some styrofoam insulation around the chicken wagon.  That only lasted 24 hours until a wind storm blew all three sides off last night.  I have a plan B ... ok plan C.  Plan A was the cardboard Rob put on it while I was sick and most of that fell off as well.  I don't know why I am having such a problem keeping this one covered, the old tractor kept the cardboard all winter without a hitch.  Plan C is covering it with feed sacks.  I think the light weight will keep the cover from being ripped off.  I hope.

Still no eggs.  But the hens look lovely and the rooster is a handsome devil.

Goats, ahhh goats...
Camo came up lame Sunday, took him to the vet Monday, got some shots (and wormer for both).
Tuesday, Miss came up lame as well, just the opposite leg.  It's too much of a coincidence.  I wonder if the grain I fed or something caused the lameness.  Have another call into the vet.

I think Miss is pregnant.  I really don't want her hobbling around on three legs if she is.

Pretty discouraging, but I think I can fix the chicken problems.  I just hope the goat problems sort themselves out without too much money thrown at them.

Can't Sleep

I can't sleep.  I am still getting over the last bits of sickness and had a long nap this afternoon and now I am awake at 1 AM.  I need sleep so I will have energy to process the turkeys tomorrow (today - whatever).  I need to get all five of them done because the temperature is going to take a severe drop after tomorrow.  I also need to get more chicken feed and a scalpel and such from the store before I start on the turkeys.

I have an idea to cut a hole in the bottom of a five gallon bucket to make a killing "cone" for the turkeys.  I need to buy a scalpel to make clean cuts since I don't have any more left and paring knives just aren't to my liking.

My other problem is going to be defeathering the birds.  The bucket I used for the chickens probably isn't big enough.  I have a galvanized tub I could use but heating the water becomes tricky.  I could start a bonfire in the pit outside but I am not sure I can tend that while getting the butchering done.  I may just need to make several batches of hot water on the stove and bring them out to the tub.

In other news I gave the chickens some cayenne pepper in their feed.  I hope that will convince them to start laying.

I am also going to get some hay for the goats soon.  I think 20 bales should last the winter since that seemed to work last year.

I feel terribly behind in my winter prep because of the week of rain, being sick, and sadly - basic laziness.

On top of all this, I have cookies and rolls to bake before Wednesday.

sick

I was sick through the week of halloween.  We had to cancel our halloween party.  The bunnies have moved on from their nest under the house.  My voice is nearly gone.  Will write more when feeling better.

Ms. Bunn

Ms. Bunn, the name Rob has given the female rabbit I had bought to breed and got only one litter from before our goat let her loose on the world, had another litter of kits.  She has been living under the front porch for more than a month so I am not sure if she bred with a wild rabbit or in the last hoorahs of his life, Big Poppa got her pregnant during on of his freedom flings (thanks again to Camo).

There are five babies that we have been able to see. They are just small puffballs, taking their first explorations out side of the porch nest.  There are two cinnamon colored, like their mom, two white and black ones (which makes me think of Big Pappa), but there is also a darker colored one, a solid brown.  So maybe she did breed with a wild rabbit and the white and black is just the other colors in her gene pool.  I am not sure.

But I will say I am proud of Ms. Bunn.  She is a scrapper and she is making a life for herself under our front porch.  I wouldn't mind getting a few of her babies a little tamer, but they are quick and know to hide.  Which I am glad they are like that right now; it will keep them safer.

Maybe I should go read Watership down again.

A Bookcase

I was asked by a friend's daughter to come to her school for Grandparent/Special friend day.  M (what I will call the daughter), is in second grade and her grandparents live several states away.  It would be the third time I would go to M's school for the Special friend day.

I was now old hat at the whole affair.  Go to the cafeteria, do a work page with M, have some milk and cookies, and go to the book fair.  At which I buy her a book.  This time was only slightly different in that M's mom was with me in case some other child needed a special friend.  So she got more than one book.

M took us back to her classroom after the book fair and proceeded showing me around the 200 square foot room (guessing the size here).  Her desk, the chore assignments, the lockers, the chalkboard, and the bookcase.

The bookcase that M and her class would hide behind as her "safe place".

I was nearly physically ill.

A bookcase.

In case of an intruder.  A violent intruder that we see on the news too many times.  M, her classmates, and her teacher were going to hide behind the bookcase in front of the lockers.

I kept it together though, because the last thing you want to do is come apart in a second grade classroom on Special friend day.

And there is nothing I can do about it.

So I buy her a book, for her bookcase.

Welcome Fall

The weather has turned.  The recent storms brought in a cold wind that has drawn a blanket of leaves across the ground.  The golden fade of the leaves still on the trees speaks to the cold and the deadly advance of winter.  As deadly as the predators that took the last two hens from the original flock.  I found the barred hen near the driveway, and the black hen was taken into the woods.  I will keep a closer eye on the rest of my chickens from now on.  Predators never go away, they just change coats.  Even the cold of winter may claim some livestock.  The persimmon seed I opened showed a spoon, heavy snows in the future.

It is crunch time for winter.  I had the chain for the electric chainsaw sharpened as that is my only reliable cutter at the moment.  I rebuilt the goats' movable shelter in time to keep them dry from the rains.  My next project is their winter quarters behind the garage.

I also need to get the nest boxes on the egg wagon.  I hope the hens will start laying soon.

In good news, a turkey is laying eggs.  I was very tickled to see those giant speckled eggs in the ivy garden.

Free doors

Also managed to catch the last rabbit that had gotten away.  His freezer camp appointment will be Tuesday, because Wednesday is trash day.  I could compost the offal in the woods but I don't want to attract predators, especially after losing my first flock of chickens.

Rob has started selling apple bread to the people at his work.  It is surprising how much business he is getting every week.  I think it started three weeks ago, and this week he needs to deliver 35 loaves.  I have been cutting up a lot of apples.

Out of the rabbit buisiness

The baby rabbits had their cage broken into Sunday and we didn't discover it until we got home.  We only found two out of the three.  Today was their last day and the dogs had cornered the last bunny that had gotten loose under the deck but before I could get into position he took off.  So we were still down to two younger ones.  Miss Bun is still living under the front deck, basically wild now.  I can't seem to find a way to catch her, and I have pretty much given up on the thought.

So today was freezer camp day for the last two young bunnies and Mr. Bun.

You never appreciate how exhausting it is to do that sort of work until you do it.  It isn't pleasant, and it is a little sad, but at the same time it is something I needed to do, much like other distasteful chores.

The rabbit business never really took off, no one was really looking for the meat and I didn't try very hard.  They're easy to raise and not hard to clean, in comparison with defeathering birds, but without an easy market it isn't worth the time.

It will make it a little easier in the winter since I won't have the rabbits to worry about.  I am now down to laying hens, the turkeys and the two goats.  The turkeys will go to freezer camp in November.  If Miss and Camo don't produce kids then they will be sold.  If Miss gets pregnant and produces then Camo will be sold and we will go from there.

I need to start concentrating on clearing more land but even with the work my dad put into the chainsaws that don't run that great.  But you do what you can with what you have.

The Summer is over.  Winter is coming.

So I've been bad.

I kept meaning to post more here and I just kept putting it off.  Really not much to report.  Miss Bun is out living in the yard because Camo knocked her feeder off her cage to get at the rabbit food and released her.  I can't remember how many times that had happened, but this time she isn't going to let herself be caught.  Any time we get near her she takes off.  So its been about two weeks and she isn't suffering.  I would like to catch her, but I am not putting much effort into it.  I think I will end the bunny experiment.

The baby chickens are about a month away from laying (I hope) while the older two birds seemed to have slacked off in their egg production.  Also Old Dog has been caught eating eggs, so that isn't helping.

I am ready for the turkeys to go to freezer camp.  They were cute and fun, then they grew up and are sloppy.  I will probably raise some again next year but may get them later in the year.  I am curious to see how much these monsters weigh.

I need to get on the ball and chop up some wood for the winter.  I hope it won't be as bad as last year but a lot of folks and the farmer's almanac is calling for a hard winter.  Dad brought up another chainsaw he fixed so hopefully between the two I can get rolling on the wood.

With a little help from my ...

Goats...

ALSwaterbucket

The hens

The two hens from the original flock are both laying eggs.  The black hen had been laying fairly consisting for the past month.  But she will occasionally break an egg because she lays it from where she is roosting and it might hit a 2x4 at the bottom of the chicken tractor.
The past week I found an egg behind the rabbit cages under the deck.  I was pretty sure it is from the scarred back chicken (who escaped the last attack).  But this morning I confirmed it, as they had both laid eggs in the tractor last night.  I am so glad she started laying again.  I didn't want to cull her since she had survived the attack and she had healed up.
I also moved the broken legged chick back to the egg wagon.  It seems she is at the bottom of the pecking order but I like her out with the other chickens and in the fresh air with bugs and grass to eat.  I can tell she is smaller than the others even with just a little over a week inside to heal.

My back is well on its way to a full mend, finally.  I am pleased to say I have almost completely taken over the care of the critters again.  The past few days I only made Rob move the goat pen.

Robin Williams

Everyone is posting about him, and I don't have much to add.

People are talking about the loss of such an incredible person, his acting and support of the troops were just a small part of his personality and life.  His battles with addiction and depression were well documented.  The sorrow and anger over him taking his own life is raw.

Lets move on to something else.  Remember the man, perhaps learn something from it, but move on with life.  Don't let the death of one man, unrelated to you, consume your thoughts.

What new things can we learn today?  What is one thing we can share with others that will make them laugh, or maybe cry.  Can that laugh be turned into a snort and a flashing moment of humiliation.

Why is a snort from laughing so funny, so embarrassing.  One sharp intake of breath through the nostrils that makes a loud noise can change your whole thought process for the next five seconds, and perhaps those around you.

Let us explore the science of the snort, dissect it, and examine its pieces.

Let us just enjoy the sound of a snort, the humor that induces it, and the abashed face of the one who made it.

Perhaps you enjoy the snort.  I do.  I enjoy being made to laugh so hard that I momentarily forget how to breath and produce this funny little sound that adds to the humor of the moment.

May you snort sometime soon in your future.

Mr. B

Mr. B's actual name is Buster.  And he went home today.  I finally got some information via facebook that led me to his owners and he recognized his family right away.  They were very happy to see him and he was ecstatic to see them.  It was a great reunion and I was glad to be a part of it.

Sometimes it's the simple things in life that can brighten it up.

Pain in my

Back.

For the last week my back has been out of sorts.  It makes it difficult to walk, move, sit, lie down.  Pretty much everything.  Walking Mr. B (what the found beagle is being called until we turn him over to the humane society) can be a terrible chore if he pulls.  Thankfully he isn't too big and doesn't do it a lot.

Rob has had to take over critter chores, and when Camo gets out during the day he gets to stay out unless he comes to me to be put back in where the water is.

Basically it sucks.

This isn't the first time my back has gone out, but it had been awhile since it had.  This is only the second time it is in the lower back though, usually it is higher up, just below my shoulder blades.

So I am having trouble sleeping, because there is no comfortable position to be in, and I stay up late watching youtube on my phone.

I wanted to watch chill out be ZeFrank, but instead cruised through a lot of his videos that I hadn't watched in the last year or so.  He has a wonderful way of thinking and it makes my creative juices flow with existential questions and observations.

Maybe I should have wrote last night while it was in my head because it is gone now.  But pain has a way of making you just want to sit and be not in pain.

Time to take some asprin.

Rain!

Praise to Mother Nature!  She finally decided to let it rain here.  I think we went almost a month without rain.  And with the low humidity it dried everything up to a pasty yellow.  I watered the garden consistently enough that the tomatoes and new plants are still coming in, but the yard it close to a dessert.  I haven't had to mow in three weeks.
With the goats help that is...

I found a lost dog yesterday.  A beagle.  Someone owned him, he has a collar, but no tags.  I wish people would at least invest in tags.  But it does look like he might have had a name plate riveted on but there is nothing there now.  I hope I hear from someone soon.  I will be taking him to the humane society Saturday.  If he is lucky he will have a chip.  I posted on craigslist and a few lost and found facebook pages about him.  My printer is broken and hand-made signs would have come apart with the rain today.

He is a really nice dog, didn't bother with the birds or the cats.  He just needs to be neutered.  From his teeth he looks pretty young, maybe a year or two old.

Freezer Flock

The meat birds were dispatched this weekend and are on their way to their new freezer homes.  They came out 4 lbs up to 5 lbs, pretty nice birds really.  I may do it again when things get settled.

The barred rock hen's feathers are coming back.  She still isn't laying eggs though so I will probably cull her once the other laying hens are big enough to socialize with the black hen.  I don't want to leave the black hen without another chicken.  Although she seems ok with hanging out with the turkeys.

Unfortunately I broke one of the laying hen chick's legs.  I was moving the egg wagon and she got caught under the back board.  I got it off of her but the damage was done.  Usually they walk away from the movement but she was just to dumb to get out of the way.  She isn't the first to get caught under it, but she is the first to break her leg.  So she gets two weeks in the house, kept in the cat carrier.  I splinted and taped up her leg.  It has been close to a week already and she is using it a little more to get around already.

And finally a cute picture of Spot with her dog Khain.

Remade the garage

The garage had been a bit of a barn for the past several months.  In fact I had termed it the "barage".  But today I made room for Rob's car again (only 3 months after I kicked his car out so I could get to the lawn tractor).  I cleaned out most of what had been the goats' winter quarters and moved several large items into that area and gave back Rob's parking space.

We think the predator is gone, for now at least.  Not sure if our tricks to get rid of it worked or not, but there haven't been any disturbances lately.

Getting close to butcher time, for the three remaining rabbits and the meat birds.  I am trying to decide home much longer I want to let them go.  I may slaughter one of each, weigh what I get and decide from there.  I am thinking of keeping one of the female bunnies and line breeding.  I am hoping to get a little market of people wanting meat rabbits.  I will have to advertise the next batch though as no one at Rob's work wants to eat rabbit.  Or rather the two men that are willing to cook it aren't allowed to bring rabbit home because their wives don't want it.

I may seem strange to some, but when did we become so distanced from our food that we can't accept that killing an animal is where our meat comes from?

I understand domestic dogs, cats, and horses aren't something many Americans will eat (or myself unless the apocalypse happens) but even chickens are things that people can't accept having to kill.  So long as it is wrapped in plastic and doesn't have eyes people are ok with cooking it.  But where do they think it came from?

Off Days

Sometimes I still have "off days", even with my happy medicine.  Usually it has to do with hormones and that time of the month.  I hadn't known a good way to describe the emotions that shut me down.  I just knew I was sad and kind of lonely.  I knew I kept repeating that I wanted to go home, in my head, even though I was home.  It finally dawned on me that it is like extreme homesickness.

I don't know why that particular sadness is triggered this time of the month (and some months are worse than others).  It used to be far worse, and nearly everyday before I finally found the right doctor and medicine (and a trip to the hospital but that is a story for another day).  I used to be suicidal, but not anymore.  At least not to the point where I don't know that the emotions overwhelming me will pass.

Before I had this, I used to think people with depression and other mental illnesses like it just needed to buck up and get over it.  We all feel a little down from time to time.  Even grieving for loved ones is a natural emotion that needs to be experienced and lived through.

But this is different.  There is no reasonable explanation for this terrible homesick feeling.  I have my wonderful house with five acres, and my critters.  Life is pretty good.  But the brain occasionally hiccups and I have my off days.  And those days I don't want to do much of anything.  I will care for my critters, but going to the grocery store is not a good option for me.

I brought myself to putting this on the blog because I thought maybe this will help explain myself to some people, and maybe, if I am lucky, reach someone who needs to hear that off days happen, and that they too will pass.

still in the egg buisiness

The black hen has started laying again.  The barred rock that had her back ripped open hasn't, but I don't think she ever did lay eggs.  I just could never figure out who wasn't laying in the group.  But it figures that the fox left the black hen that occasionally breaks her egg because she doesn't lay it in the nest boxes but drops it from the roost in front of them.  I will take what I can get though.  I eventually might cull the barred rock but I will let her out Sunday and see if she decides to lay.

The turkeys and the black hen are checking out the new laying chicks.  I hope the once this fox is taken care of and a few weeks in the wagon to let them range a little, but probably behind a portable fence to begin.

Dad came up with a huge load of wood on the trailer.  So we have even more supplies to build new shelters.  A lot of it is straight twelve foot long boards from a deck that was taken down.  I see a horse shelter in my future!

Buying eggs

I accomplished a lot today.  Finished the egg wagon, put a new door on the meat bird tractor, and made sure everyone was fed, watered and safe.  But there was one thing I had hoped never to do again, that I had to do.

I asked Rob to pick up some eggs from the store on his way home today.

I only have two laying hens left and neither one seems to be in the mood to lay eggs.  I can't really blame them after the rest of their flock was decimated last week, but I had hoped after a couple of days they would be back in the laying routine.

No such luck.

I had gotten spoiled on free range eggs.  I was recently taken out to breakfast by some friends and it was very good.  But the over-easy egg I ordered looked limp, runny, and pale.  I was shocked.  I hadn't thought I had seen or tasted much of a difference when I had started eating the home raised eggs, but seeing that sad egg on the plate made me appreciate the darker and creamier yolks from my eggs.

It almost think I need to charge more for my eggs!  (once I start getting enough eggs to sell again.)

In that thought:  Still no sighting of the fox.  Which I am thankful for and wary of, no more chickens killed, but the anxiety waiting for the next attack wears on the nerves.  I hope when I move the new hens out to the egg wagon the fox doesn't reappear.

I was going to put the young hens out today, but in a freak weather of low 50s at night, I think I will wait one more day.

The hen that had some skin removed from her back is antsy to get out with her last flock-mate.  I want to make sure she is strong enough to make a run for it if the fox comes again.  But the black hen visits her consistently during the day.  It is kind of cute.

and then there were three ... again

Sold two rabbits to very good friends yesterday (two for the price of one).  We had always planned on selling the runt to them since it would do better as a pet than a meat rabbit, but then it was decided that two would be better.  So I am down to three rabbits and it is great.  These will be enough for me to grow out and try some different recipes, and try and get Rob hooked on rabbit.  So far he doesn't like it.

Ready to go to their new home (the solid colored one is the runt).

The bad new is we are down to two laying hens.  The fox came again last night and took a barred rock.

We found the carcass on the other side of the big tractor with the head missing and only the breast meat eaten.  So either he was interrupted (I had let the dogs out at 10:30 but didn't hear anything) or it is just being wasteful now that it is well fed.

I fed the dogs the rest of the carcass so it wouldn't be a total waste.  Rigor mortis had passed and the flys had already laid eggs so I am thinking it happened early last night.  Rob found the evidence this morning at 7:30.

The last barred rock hen had been attacked as well but had gotten away.  But she has a broken toe and some skin off her backside.  I am hoping I can nurse her back to health and have made a make shift hospital house for her from the old dog house and a crate on the outside.

I can't help feeling that I have failed my hens.  They depended on me for food, shelter, and safety.  I failed at safety in trying to let them free range more.  They were just walking over the plastic fencing for their outside run of their tractor though.  I will need to do better.

The last black hen has decided to stick with the turkeys.  Wise choice as I think the turkeys are too big for the fox to take.

Of course this makes the young laying hens all the more important.  I am keeping them in garage for now, but I need to get them outside soon.  I hope to have the predator situation resolved by then.

The goats could care less about what is happening to the chickens.

And then there were three

Lost another hen to the predator today (going to call it a fox for now).  The black hen's feathers were next to the propane tank and there was a small trail into the woods.  But like before, the trail ended and I was left with nothing.

I have gone from 6 hens and a rooster to 3 hens.

I moved the chicken tractor up and put up the plastic fence again but those hens won't stay in it, and there is no way that will stop a fox.  I don't know what I can do for the turkeys.  So far they haven't been targeted.  I hope they are just too big for the fox.

I will have to move the three hens into the chicken wagon until I can resolve this issue.

My laying chicks are becoming more and more important with the loss of these hens.  They are growing well, but I had wanted to get them into the wagon next week.  But if I have the older birds in there that won't work.  The older birds would tear those chicks up.

Losing the white hen was bad, but at least it had gotten quite since then, but now, losing 3 birds this close together is becoming a crisis.  These birds were a source of income and paying for the feed that had fed them the four months they needed to grow into laying hens.

I will leave my big dog out most of the weekend and hope for the best.  He doesn't know it yet, but he is going to lose the air conditioning and become a working dog.

Rooster down

The rooster did his job today and defended his hens.  Unfortunately he lost the fight with whatever it was that dragged him into the woods.  Me and Rob tried to track him but eventually there were no more feathers to follow or easy tracks in the leaves.  We aren't experienced at tracking.  I was counting on feathers or blood to follow and only had feathers until those ran out.  The naked neck hen is missing too.  I didn't see any feathers from her, so I am hoping she is just hiding.

The attack happened while it was still light out, around 7:30 pm.  I was on the computer and heard a big commotion from the turkeys and saw them running up to the deck, looking rather frantic.  I went out and saw the barred rock feathers, and wasn't sure if it was from a hen or the rooster (later found both barred rock hens).  I followed it for a short time into the woods, but I was in shorts with my ratty yard shoes on and no weapon.

I went back to the house and told Rob about the attack and changed into jeans, better shoes and loaded the gun.  He grabbed the hoe and we trekked into the woods.  After a half hour of searching we couldn't find a trail to follow.  Our best guess is a fox.

I had thought the birds would be safe in the backyard with so much dog scent around, but obviously that isn't the case.  I will have to find more ways of keeping the birds safe, especially with this second attack and moving out the chicks tomorrow.  My best idea for the immediate future is to leave the dogs outside more.

Independence Day

Weeded the garden today to prepare for putting in the next batch of vegetables for the late season.  Hoping to see some fireworks tonight from the deck, but I am willing to wait until my cousin's party tomorrow.

The weather has been fantastic this week.  Most of the week was in the 70s, with the low 80s being the high.  Of course that means I get sick and sleep away one of those perfect days.  Color me upset.
I am almost done with the chicken wagon, just trying to figure out the best way to put on a door without buying hinges and attaching the old cat litter boxes for nest boxes.

The turkeys inspected the egg wagon and gave it their approval.

This is with the cover on, I cinched down the back but I will need to put something sturdier back there to keep the chicks in and predators out.

I have been reading a book about the constitution the past few days.  Not really conscious of the time of year I was doing it.  Mom had given it to me, she had gotten it from a constitution class she had taken.  I really enjoyed the first few chapters that detailed some of the revolutionary war.  I never realized that the war had been so poorly funded because the states had simply decided not to pay for the army.  I thought the constitution had been drawn up the same time as the Declaration of Independence.
Reading through the language the founders used is difficult at times, but it is interesting to see what exactly they said.  I hope it doesn't become too boring and I finish it.  It being the size of a text book makes it tough to snuggle onto the couch and read though.  I suppose there are worse problems in life.

guard dogs

I wish my dogs were better at keeping the turkeys off the deck.  But they just don't care.

Getting closer to the time to put the chickens out in their tractors.  The bunnies are weaned, and two are going to leave to be pets.  The runt is going to friends.  I think he will be a better pet than a meal.

I ran the rain barrel out of water today (at least to the point where the spigot is), even though the weatherman kept promising rain.  There hasn't been hardly any here.  Five miles away ... sure, but not here.

Wagon HO!

I call it the egg wagon.

It will be the new chicken tractor since the old one didn't turn into that great of an egg tractor.  I will cover the top with 6 mil. plastic and the lower section (the pallets) with chicken wire.  The back I will have to old cat litter boxes which I hope will be more tempting for the chickens to lay in.  I will probably need to add more nest boxes once the other chicks start laying but for my 5 remaining hens it should be fine (if they will agree to lay in the boxes).
It started clouding up and there was threatening thunder in the distance so I figured packing up my tools early was better than them getting all wet (since a majority are battery operated).

I got in 5 zucchinis which Rob is attempting to sell at work.  If not, we will have some for supper soon.  I also sent a bag of lettuce with him.
The tomatoes are just starting to form.  Which is what everyone has been asking for.

water

This place runs on water, it grows the grass and gives the animals (and us) something to drink.  I also hoses off the deck when the turkeys roost on it overnight.....

The chicks are getting bigger, and the cornish crosses are twice as big as the laying hens.  I worry about their hearts and legs keeping up with the growth rate but that is what I bought them for.

The bunnies are doing great.  They are eating pellets and grass and are learning to drink from the waterer.  I will probably ween them off their mom soon.

And it is thanks to water that a lot of this happens.  Last week Dad installed the line for the rain barrel and in the two nights of rain we had over the weekend it filled up.

Loss

Why do people die when they haven't finished living the life we think is still so full and ready for them?  Is it true that the good die young?  It seems like it lately.

Chris lost his wife Sara this weekend in a freak diving accident at Table Rock Lake.  I had met her a couple of times and she seemed like such a tiny girl to put up with Chris.  I mostly was friends with Chris, knowing him as Dien in our games.  The fact that she would marry him made me think she was made of iron cable, whip cord strong and narrow as a needle.

It is so tragic to lose one so young.  They were only married 4 years, but I know they packed a lot of living into that time.

Anything can kill you, that bite of steak that you didn't chew fully, the steps to the basement, a car accident, but doing something on vacation, something you had to train to do, at least that was something you chose.

Like when the trail guide died from being kicked in the chest at the barn I had worked at.

These are the things people choose to be around, they chose to do them even with some inherent danger.  Because the fun and the people we are with are worth it.  It is worth those memories. It is worth that time.  And maybe, sadly, it is worth dying to have that time, those memories, with them.

So make those memories with the people you care for, make the experiences you want to live happen.  Without those, there is no point in living.  Without putting forth the effort to create the life you want, there is no point to anything.

live

Live

LIVE

the things that happened

Mom and Dad came in town and I immediately put Dad to work.  He helped chop up the large section of tree that fell a few weeks ago. We had to get out the tractor to try and pull it all the way down since it was still partially attached to the tree but had no luck.  So the tree will just have to hang into it until it finally drys and gives up.  But we got most of it cut off and stacked to dry for a fire.

The chicks came in Monday.  Just as I was getting ready to go get them from the post office I found a black snake in the garage where they were to be kept.  I managed to catch the snake but I had it by its tail because it had been trying to get away.  I went to grab its head but he did manage to bite me.  Luckily he wasn't poisonous.  I had to do away with the snake though because I didn't want to run a chance of him getting any of the chicks.

All of the chicks survived the trip but one, so with the free exotic I have 20 chicks.  10 are meat birds and already showing a faster growth rate than the other 10 laying hens.

The rabbits are doing well.  I tipped over the nest box because the babies were starting to jump out.  They are starting to eat grass and pellets.  Turns out I miscounted and I have 7 babies, not 6, so yay!  The runt is still growing and staying fat.

And the turkeys wanted a picture as well.  They are growing really well.  I think they will  be great eating birds this fall.

stuff happened

I am exhausted but a lot of stuff happened and I will get to it.  And there will be pictures.  The chicks came in and the garage was cleared of a snake.  The fallen tree was cleared away and most of it cut up and put away to dry for winter.

More to come later.

To Dads

Don't call him father, unless in jest.  Call him Dad or Pop or even Daddo.  Something that automatically assigns affection.  Call him the man who fixes things.  Call him the man who plays catch with you.  Call him the man who taught you how to change your car's oil.  Just call him with love.

To the Dad who changed diapers without complaint, walked a colicky baby that would only liked being held facing forward, and when defecated on, simply shrugged and stepped into the shower with the baby in arms.

To the Dad who put a crib in the garage to be near his little girl.  Who when asked what the letters on the tailgate of the truck spelled, didn't correct his daughter when she said, "truck" and not "ford".

To the Dad who didn't lose his patience when trying to teach her how to drive and stick, and knew when it was time to let someone else teach her.

And to the Dad who loves his daughter like she was the little girl in pigtails still.

Love you Dad!

bunnies

The bunnies are growing bigger and fatter and a few are opening their eyes today.  The runt is starting to get bigger too so I think he will survive.  Maybe I will sell him for a pet to one of the people from Rob's work since they asked about one.

Working on the new chicken tractors, and I will hopefully have them done soon.

I cleaned out the brooder in the garage, now I just need to add the fresh chipped wood.

Been thinking about writing again, fixing the first school story, and it always makes me think of Ter.  He helped me come up with an idea to make the main character more interesting and I have yet to write it.  I know I will eventually, but even 2 months after his death I find myself hesitating.

pee and the hand that feeds

So everyday I check on the baby rabbits, sometimes several times a day, because I am thrilled to have them.  Today Mama rabbit didn't want to get out of the way of the door of her cage and made her displeasure known, all over my hand with her urine.
Ok...
After wiping off my hand in the dewy grass I gathered a peace offering for the new mother.  She seemed satisfied with the paltry offering of weeds and grasses and chewed on them while I pulled the nest box to the opening of her cage.

Inside all six babies are fat and squirming with abuse from the removal of their mother's plucked fur.  They appear to be well fed and happy in the nest until I disturb them.  Also they are getting louder with their protests.  In the few days they have been alive they have gone from small grunts to higher pitched grunts that are louder.  I think these will be great, strong babies.

And yes I washed my hands before I blogged.

RIP White Hen

I went to check on the white hen this morning where she was brooding the two eggs and there was nothing left of her but a bunch of feathers.  I'm not sure what got her.  There wasn't much of a trail.  I just know no to let the chickens and turkeys stay outside of where the dogs are anymore.

Because she liked that spot in the front yard she was away from the rooster and the scent of the dogs.  I can only hope the rest of them will be safe in the backyard.

Also this morning I had to chase down the male rabbit.  Somehow he had gotten out.  So I put him in one of the full metal cages until I figure out how to fix up the larger tractor cage so that he can't get out.  Or I might put the young rabbits in it once they are weaned.

so much, so little.

So much can happen in so little time.  It was a good thing I had fixed the goat shelter yesterday cause there was a big storm this morning.  I woke at 6am to find the power was out and the goat shelter had blown over and the goats trying to find a place to hide from the driving rain.  In the time it took me to go out and right the shelter and come back in, I was completely drenched.  Like I had jumped into a swimming pool drenched.  I dripped my way to the bathroom and shed the soaking clothes and then went about getting dressed.


In the backyard an oak split off half of its top and it landed across the clothes line, thankfully nothing landed on the turkey or chicken shelters.

Even the chicken tractor was pushed back several feet from the wind.  The fence is where the edge of the tractor was yesterday.

The rain was slacking off and so I went out to look around and called my parents to let them know we were all ok.  And then I saw my female rabbit loose in the yard.  Thankfully I have good dogs that herded her back behind a piece of plywood and I got her caught (on the second try as she left the cage the first time before I could latch it.

Then the neighbor's dog came over and so I caught her and the boy came and got her fairly quickly.  Good deed for the day done.

I got to check the baby bunnies and she had six.  They look great.  I am very pleased.

So other than the storm things are going great.  It is 12 pm now and the power came back on.

destructive goats

So this morning I discovered the goats had completely dismantled their shelter.  Not entirely sure how they pulled it all down (not a single piece was upright).  But I had to reassemble it today for them.

While mowing the grass I ran over an egg one of the hens decided to lay in the middle of the yard

And when I put a second egg in with the white hen for her to hatch she got up and left to go dust bathe.

Ugh.

In other news I think my new female rabbit might actually kindle.  I put in the nest box with her.  I hope something on this farm reproduces.

Broodiness

So they white hen is in a brood faze, unfortunately I only had one egg available to put under her since she stopped laying.  The other chickens' combs are pink and not red so I think they are going through their molt and not laying as much.  The one egg I saw today had fallen from the nest box and was broken.  I wish I had been more aware and gathered more of the white hens eggs and didn't put them in the fridge so she could try and hatch them.  As it is I am not sure the one egg I have her is fertile.  I will try and collect more in the next few days to give her but I don't want to spread out their hatching time too much.

The chickens and turkeys have slacked off on eating the fallen mulberries but I am not sure if that is a blessing or a curse.  Their poop turns black because of the berries and it is everywhere.  I need to take the time to collect some berries and attempt making jelly.

So about them eggs

I think my problem with the lower number of eggs is I haven't been consistent with giving the chickens oyster shells to bolster their calcium intake.  This morning when I went to collect one it was so fragile it crumbled in my hand and the chickens gobbled up the remains.  The least I can say is at least they aren't actively destroying their own eggs.  So now the search is one for bulk oyster shells.

Also got the last of my garden planted and the trees set.  I did bungle one thing when planting the weeping willow.  I wanted outside my computer room window and when I went to dig the hole I picked the one 6 inch area that the invisible dog fence wire went through.  So I moved over several feet and planted the tree and then went about fixing the dog fence.

When I told Dad, he teased me that I didn't call dig-rite.

Odd egg

So I got an odd egg this morning.  Basically a runt.  I ate it.
Some pictures for size comparisons.

 The chickens seem to be slowing down in their egg production.  I was happy with 4 - 6 eggs a day but they are down to 3 -4 now.  Not sure why.  At least the white hen is consistent.  She always flaps here way out of the pen - goes to the bush in the front yard - and lays her egg almost everyday.  Then she comes back for me to pick her up and put her back with the others.  She amuses me and it isn't hurting anything to let her do her thing to be happy.

The garden had a visitor.  Lucky it didn't look like the turtle had done much damage.  Will see when the tomatoes start coming up.

The broccoli is prolific.  I hope it heads soon so I can harvest.

I got my nut trees in the mail and spent some time this afternoon planting them.  It started raining before I could finish so only half of them have chicken wire around them.

The mulberry are starting to come in.  My photography skills are lacking on the phone-camera but those green blobs are the fruit.

Pictures

Oh yeah. Forgot to post about the veteran award my dad got for the Lt. Governor of Missouri.  Mom nominated him but he really deserved it!  Congrats Dad!

And pictures of the new turkeys.

The garden is coming along.  I just planted the rest of the beds today but the colder weather stuff is coming up like the lettuce and spinach.

I didn't kill the grape vines!  (that is a leaf if you can't tell)

I have requests for eggs and chickens so I need to bite the bullet and order some more.  The big part is building a shelter for them that I can move easily.  The nice thing about the broilers is they don't need as much room so no need for more fencing like with the turkeys.