We REALLY didn't need more chickens!

But MAMA maran gifted us with 5 new babies. Yes, Mama. One of the marans reappeared with 5 chipmunk chicks and one black sex-link girl. Maybe the other maran is also hiding out? We can only hope, eh?

I spotted a Maran

No joke. I mentioned before that both the marans are missing. Well, I was working from home yesterday, and happened to look out the window, and there was one of the marans guzzling water. She was acting very broody, puffed up, clucking away to herself, and pecking at the other chickens when they crowded her. She went over and started eating, and next time I looked up, she was gone again. So, my guess is that she's got a nest out under the brush pile (where we have no way of reaching her). I hope the other maran is out there with her. We are reasonably certain that the Wyandotte is gone, as I found a pile of breast feathers about 50' from the chicken yard, out in the woods. :(

Maybe the maran ladies will turn up with a mess of chicks someday soon (like we need more chickens).

Parked in front of the fan

Henry, parked in front of the fan this weekend, watching the Olympics.... Yes, my dog will watch tv. For hours. :) The funny thing is that he can tell if there is a dog on the screen, and knows the difference between canines and "other" critters (cats, bears, deer, etc...)  Only dogs/wolves/etc get a real reaction from him. Crazy pup.

Totally bummed

I totally intended to post this last weekend, and even have a half-finished post on the garden... But, I'm totally bummed and not motivated due to a couple critter deaths and some missing over the last week.

We had to put Betty barred rock down. She was the sole survivor of the Henry Massacre last year. A good hen that layed well and never got out. Opened the nest box this weekend to see a prolapsed bottom facing me. I think she'd been like that for a few days. Would never have seen it if she hadn't had her butt facing me. When standing, it couldn't be seen. In any case, I'm not going to go into gross detail. I'll just say that it wasn't something we could fix.

Then, Monday afternoon, we realized we were missing guinea girl. We looked everywhere and found no sign that she'd been attacked/eaten/dragged off. Then I looked in the coop and found her dead on the floor. Don't know what happened. She was a little scuffed up, but that may have just been from being kicked around by the chickens jumping down from perches. I don't get it. She was alert and fine the night before when I closed the coop, staring down at me from a perch. Maybe something grabbed her and she got away mortally wounded... maybe one of the chickens landed on her just right when jumping down from the perch and broke her neck?  No idea.

To top it off, we realized today that the wyandotte and both the marans are missing... Miss wyandotte was last seen day before yesterday when I caught her and put her back in the chicken yard (she's been escaping a LOT lately).  Neither of us can remember when we last saw either of the marans... perhaps last weekend?  Dunno.  I think the coyote is back. 

Goal this weekend: move the chicken yard, make sure the fence is supported to where there are no low spots (where the ladies jump over), and electrify it for a while.  The blackberries and weeds have grown INTO the fence along the side furthest from the house... we need to remedy that problem so that Dunder can see problems coming and warn the gals.  As for me... I've got the rifle loaded, and I'll hang out on the porch tomorrow morning.  I can watch some netflix on the iphone and keep and eye out for that damn coyote.  We'll see how it goes, eh? Wish me luck!

Anyhow, I'll have another go at an update on farm progress this coming weekend. Just not up to it right now, ya know?

Quick update... Birds, bees, and busy

Still crazy around here! Between my off-farm job, chores, post wedding stuff (almost done with thank you notes!), and general summer stuff, I just haven't had the time to blog. So, a quick update, and I'm determined to get some real posts (with pics no less) done this weekend. Maybe by actually posting an intended deadline, I'll actually do it? We'll see.

This year's chicks are getting huge, yet are still able to squeeze through the fence, and they have discovered the blueberries and huckleberries. $@%#!

Both Jeffrey and MiniMeatGoose developed angel wing, and I fixed them! Woot!

We caught a bee swarm. It was in a tree at a coworker's house. I have a friend that really wants one (her bees bailed this spring), but in my rush to run LJ his bee stuff, I left my phone at home. With time running short to go grab them and get them installed, the decision was made to get them home. Sorry Paula! :( I don't know if there's enough time left this season for them to build up for winter. From what I've read, "a swarm in July isn't worth a fly". We'll see. They've started drawing out two frames already, but I don't know enough yet about bees to hazard a guess at survival. More on the swarm in a future post.

Busy busy... Moved 3 project cars from old house to new (come-along, a tilt trailer, and a 49 4dr... Not fun), moving bird yards, the garden of weeds, prepping the old house to go on the market, my new piano, double whammy dead AC (in the house AND my car!), and more. I need a nap. :)

Our rooster is an @$&@#%!, but my turkey toms are MY HEROES!!!

Ok, no posting for a while then bam bam, two in a row! Was out throwing scratch to the ladies, and was hand feeding a couple of our toms. Out of nowhere, Dunderhead jumps in and spurs me through the fence. $&@%!! Well, the toms didn't take too kindly to Dunder attacking me, and two of them cornered and WHALLOPED him! Atta boys! I laughed til I cried, then gave the toms a bit more scratch and went in to scrub my new battle scars.

Recently married, and back soon

Been super busy around here! Got lots done around the house and farm in prep for family in town for the wedding, and we're getting SOME stuff done during our "rest" week after Sunday's wedding (especially weeding the garden... On day 3... SCARY!!). Be back very soon, and looking forward to getting caught up on everyone's blogs!