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.