Denim Deb Hay, hay, hay. Thank the Lord!

[savingdogs]

I hope you get to go canoeing and fishing!

 

[Denim Deb]

I got 2 more fence posts in today. I was going to get all 4 in, but I forgot to take something w/me to drink. So, I decided to run over to the local convenience store and get some iced tea. And, since it's right next to TSC, I figured I could go in there first, and get the last couple of things I need B4 my eggs hatch. Tomorrow, I'll get the last 2 posts in, then stick up the next section of fence!

B4 cutting up the wood, I first needed to move it all, and put up the log holder RU gave me for Christmas. And, there were so many weeds growing right there, I decided to week the area too. I had just one small problem-CL's horses. The area that I was working on is right next to her field. And, her horses are a pain. My tack shed is just a couple of feet from the fence. Between the shed and the fence, my hubby started making me a little privacy shelter. (AKA outhouse) I have a port a pot in there. But, it still needs the regular roof on it, as well as the door. Right now, there's just a shower curtain for a door. So, I can't go to the bathroom in peace. More often than not, I'll have a horse trying to stick it's head in to see what I' doing. And since I was working right next to the fence, they of course had to keep coming up and sticking their heads over the fence to see what I was doing. So tomorrow, I'm going to take a short piece of fence wire, and run it along the fence in that area. Then, I'll hook it to my electric fence. Hopefully, that will be enough to keep them from bothering me!

I had another lesson on Misty today. I'm becoming a better rider all the time, and it's paying off in how she responds to me. That's the one thing about quitting my job, once I do, I don't know if I'll be able to afford to keep taking lessons. If I stick w/group lessons, I may be able to, just not every week. But, if I go w/private lessons, no way. The main problem I have is breaking old habits. I was taught so many wrong things B4, that it's hard at times to do things the correct way. But, when I get it right, I can tell. It makes a big difference.

Today, my eggs went into lock down! I candled them all B4 I put them in. I see a mass in all of them, but in some, it's a much bigger mass. I may not get all of them to hatch, but I'm hoping for better than half. I can hardly wait!

I stopped in to see my parents today. My dad is still not doing the greatest, so I'd appreciate more prayers for him. And, my hubby could also use some prayers. He's having a minor (I hope) operation in a week. Apparently, he doesn't even have to take off much time. He's having it at 3:00 PM, and thinks that he'll only be off that afternoon and Friday. I hope he's right!

 

[savingdogs]

I'll add your dad to my prayers. I hope you get a good hatch on the incubator.
And I'm sorry, I had to laugh at the mental picture you create with the shower curtain door on the portapotty and the horse sticking the head in! :

 

[Denim Deb]

Gee, thanks. The horse that mainly does that is a real PITB!!! The other day, I had to leave work because he pushed thru a gate that was shut, but not latched. We all have left this gate like that, and never been a problem-until then. So, he got out, minis that were in that field got out, and KN couldn't find all of them. He's gotten into fields he doesn't belong in, then broken the fence, and gotten out-along w/the horses that were in that field.

As for the hatch, I keep going down, and putting my ear against the incubator, hoping I hear some peeping. If I don't get anything, I'm going to be so disappointed.

I miss having my chickens at home. I thought whatever had killed Henrietta had scaled the fence. Nope, I found where it had dug a hole. And, it wasn't a real big hole either. So, when we get something made, at least along the edges, there'll be something to keep animals from doing that again.

 

[Denim Deb]

Poor Roxi! I felt so bad for her that I decided to let her out of the cage. She was quite grateful to get out of there. And, since my other 3 were all in the pen, I figured it might be a good time to let them get introduced. But, since it was so hot out, but shady in the pen w/a nice breeze blowing, I figured it would be a good idea to sit in there for awhile, and make sure the others didn't beat up on her.

She walked around a bit, then discovered the feeder. Penny and Ralph were both there. Penny had no problem w/her. At first, I thought Ralph was trying to pick her up, but instead, he pecked at her! She went scurrying for the safety of her cage. Ralph followed her there. She ducked into the cat carrier. He went back to the feeder. In a little bit, she came back out. He went for her a couple of other times, but didn't draw blood, so I left her out, and got some work done. I had been going to work on the fence. In fact, I had gotten the last 2 fence posts in this morning so I'd be ready. But, I was the only one there. It was hot out and I just didn't feel like it. So, instead, I did some more cleaning up (weeding, etc) in front of my tack shed. And, since I had strung up the electric wire along the side, I wasn't being bothered by a horse! He needs electric around his whole field.

I was getting ready to leave when I heard the tractor start up. I went running. Just as I thought, RU was on the tractor. She's not supposed to be on there yet. But, she insisted on putting out a RB for the main herd. Then, she got one more off of the trailer, and did the smart thing, got off the tractor. I put that one out for LF's horses, and went and got another one for the mares.

I went back to my tack shed and decided to check on Roxi one last time B4 I left. She had come out of her cage again. Ralph is one mixed up rooster. First, he chased her, and pecked at her again. Then, he seem to realize that she was a hen! So, then he chased her, grabbed her, and had his way w/her. She got up after that, and shook herself! Poor girl was just violated! But, Ralph is no longer going for her, so I think she'll be fine. I'll be out early in the morning, so I'll check on her then. Right now, it's hot out. So, I'm thinking of sneaking over to FC's and jumping in her pool.

 

[moolie]

Ralph does sound like a confused boy! Hopefully Roxi quickly got over her "initiation" to her new space and is fitting in just fine now.

 

[savingdogs]

Doesn't the roo kinda show the hen who is boss? That is how Charlie used to be. When I put a new hen in with him he would pick on her for an hour and then "have his way" and then left them alone and protected them. I thought that was the rooster way.

 

[Denim Deb]

Doesn't the roo kinda show the hen who is boss? That is how Charlie used to be. When I put a new hen in with him he would pick on her for an hour and then "have his way" and then left them alone and protected them. I thought that was the rooster way.

Not sure. I haven't noticed it any time any other hen was introduced on the farm, just w/new roos. But then again, maybe some do, some don't.

 

[Denim Deb]

Another messed up day.

Today started off quite well. It was a beautiful morning out, in the 60s, low humidity and a pleasant breeze. It was the kind of morning I'd love to have when I have nothing to do but ride. I would have loved to have saddled up Misty, and gone for a ride. Instead, I did my normal morning chores-fed the horses and picked up manure. I've started to clean out the old manure from the stalls so that I can finally get them done. It might be awhile B4 I can do anything, so my goal is 1 bucket in the morning, and 1 in the afternoon.

And I've also started trying to get rid of some of the weeds. Of course, the horses don't help much. They're sure I'm putting SOMETHING good in this bucket, not the nasty buttercups that they won't eat. So, I had to keep chasing them away, and repicking up the weeds they were pulling out. I finally gave up and dumped the bucket. Then, I fed the chickens, looked for eggs and went home.

Once home, I started working in the garden. I didn't get as far as I wanted. I was beat. I hadn't slept well last night, so I went in and took a nap. Then, I went back out and worked some more. The goats were loving it. I was giving them a ton of the weeds. And while I wasn't as far along as I wanted to be, I was getting stuff done.

Then I go in the house, and that's when everything fell apart. KN called both my cell and my house. She only does that if something is majorly wrong. I didn't have my cell on me cuz I didn't want to be bothered. (Sometimes she calls 3, 4 times in a day in a short period of time!) I answer the phone. CL's horses had broken a fence post so they and the minis were out. RU and her hubby are away for the weekend, her hubby has the car so she can't go out, and CL wouldn't have a clue as to how to put in a new post. So, even though I hadn't eaten any lunch, and I hadn't planned on going out until later, I had to go to the farm. I had a pretty good idea as to which fence post it was, and I was right. I knew this post was going to go soon, but had hoped it would be longer B4 it went. So, I got all my tools and a new post, and put in yet another fence post. CL was shocked. She couldn't believe how quickly I got the new post in.

The fence post was easy. But I had to put out hay. RU's been getting RBs from a neighbor. She had just gotten a wagon load the other day, and we had put out 3 bales. She wanted me to put out 3 more today. Well, the neighbor had come and unloaded the RBs so he could take his wagon back. And, basically, he just dumped them wherever. I was not happy. I'm having a hard enough time picking up his RBs w/out having them dumped. Plus, the tractor has no brakes or power steering, and the hydraulics don't work that well. There was a ton of other stuff around. I was finally able to get out 2 RBs, but it wasn't easy. I went to put out the 3rd. I was able to pick it up, then I don't know what happened, but it came off the spear. And the center of the bale pulled out! I could not pick it back up, no matter what I did. And I could not get to the other 2 bales. So, I gave up. This bale was supposed to go in w/her goats. I'm kind of glad I wasn't able to get it in there! I pulled out the loose stuff to give them, and it was hot! So, he must have baled them wet. Now I'm wondering if that's why I have so much trouble picking them up, because he's not letting them dry properly.

W/the hay out, I head home. By the time I got there, it's after 3:15 PM. I still hadn't had lunch, and I needed to run to the feed store. Plus, I had promised an older gentleman in my church a couple of bales of straw. So, I loaded up the straw in the back of my truck, and head out. As much as I hated to do it, I stopped at McDs to get a bite to eat. From there, I go to the feed store, then drop off the straw. I'm coming home, and it starts to rain! And I have 150 lbs of feed in the back of my truck. So, I pull over, take the feed out of the back of my truck, and put it inside. Of course, as soon as I get back in, it stops raining.

Now I'm back home and relaxing a bit. I'm still not seeing or hearing anything from my eggs. I'm checking them several times a day. I want them to start hatching! I want chicks. And, if I don't get any, I'm going to be devastated.

 

[savingdogs]

I bought chicks from the feed store at that point because I wanted to make sure I had some new chickens, and it was a good thing I did because I only had four hatch. I had bought 10 so 14 is a great number for my new flock. I have 11 in the other group so that gives me exactly 25, which is capacity for my coop when they are adults, or perhaps one or two over capacity, and I'm sure something will happen to someone before they are all grown up. If not, I'll cull that RIR that never seems to grow her feathers back, I'm tired of looking at her naked butt. I think she is like that because my roo really liked her too well and perhaps with him gone she will do better.

I really have to name my chickens now because I have all different breeds and can tell them apart now. When I had mostly buff orpingtons, they were all twins.