Lorihadams-- hi guys...been busy!

[TanksHill]

I am sorry for your loss Lori. I know the feeling, last weekend I forgot to close my run and lost 7 birds. Unfortunately it happens. I like the chicken tractor. I often wondered how to get a door on one. You dh did the hard work for us. Tell him I said thanks.

I hope you are feeling better. Have a nice day.

 

[lorihadams]

Well, we just got home from the Pauwau. We ate dinner and wrangled all the birds into the coop and locked them up for the night, got the ducks squared away too and got everyone bathed and fed so we are hanging out before bedtime.

I have some wonderful pictures from the pauwau, the dancers were beautiful. There was an injury while we were there, though. The head female dancer did something to her ankle. We got to see some local fiber and soap makers. We got to know some of the people from 2 farms in our area, both with alpacas and cashmere goats. We bought some felted olive oil soap in eucalyptus for Chad and I and got some glycerin soap with a toy in it for the kids.

Tyler got in the dancing ring with me and went out for a bit with the kids, then got scared when one of the heavily clad men spoke to him. Spooked him, he was a big guy and had lots of feathers and bells. He went running back to daddy saying that he wanted to go see the animals again. We will post some of the pics later.

I'm feeling better, I think getting out of the house for a while helped clear my head a bit. I sent an email to the breeders that I got the brahmas from in August and will see if they have 3-4 more I can purchase to replace the ones I lost.

Thanks everyone for caring, it helps to have people to talk to that understand.

 

[Beekissed]

Sorry. Stories like this make me want to go out and hug my dogs.

 

[Dace]

Lori I am so sorry about the birds! That is so sad but I am glad to hear that you are not being so hard on yourself anymore. Accidents happen.

Hugs to you

Let us know if you catch something in those traps!

 

[justusnak]

Wow, Lori. I am so sorry for your loss. To me it sounds like a coon, mink, or weasle. YUK! Either one is hard to catch. I hope you can get rid of that varmet soon.
Glad you all got to get out for a bit. Yes, it helps to just have fun. I have been busier than a one armed paper hanger here....company for the weekends for the last month. Seems I just get things back in order from the last guest, when another shows up, luggage in hand. :/ I love haveing friends and family...but really NEED a weekend, without. Hubby and I need a day like you and your family had. Sounds like great fun!

 

[lorihadams]

Caught a baby possum in the small trap this morning....doubt that's our culprit

 

[lorihadams]

Took a couple of pics this morning. I have mentioned before that my Dh put a drain in the duck pond so I thought I would take a pic so you could see how we did it.

Here's my babies this morning enjoying a clean pool

Here's the coop, finally done, with the door on

Here's the new sign for the coop

Lost a broiler last night, I think the others suffocated it. I found it when I was getting everyone ready for bed. It had been so warm, in the 70s the last couple of nights, that I had raised the heat lamp a bit and then last night it dipped down into the lower 50s. I think in huddling together they just smothered one, it was a smaller bird. I lowered the lamp back down and kicked myself for forgetting to watch the weather. I think I still have 30 birds though, I would count them but they won't stop moving!

 

[lorihadams]

Well, life goes on. Got everyone on a pretty good schedule now the birds are getting better about going into the run in the evenings. Glad I don't have to wrangle the birds anymore. Caught another possum this morning (actually it looks like the same one we caught yesterday, I found out that dh let it go).

My BF came over last night and brought pizza for dinner, along with 6 patches for me to sew onto her dh's boy scout leader uniform and 2 pairs of pants for me to hem... She know's I'll work for food!

I made some mint tea and some oatmeal chocolate chip cookies to go with it and we had a nice visit while I sewed.

I have to go into town to get the oil changed in the durango and then I am going to swing by TSC and get another bag of food for the ducks and the broilers and then meet hubby over at his dad's property to hang a tree stand. He wants to go hunting tomorrow evening before we are set to get a few days of rain.

I got in touch with the people I got the brahmas from and they don't have anymore so maybe I will go to the chicken swap this saturday and see what else is out there. I don't have a roo anymore and I think the ladies need a protector.....call me old fashioned I really would like to get 3-4 more hens. I bought the brahmas in the first place to replace my laying flock and now I am down to 4 birds that are laying and they are slowing down. Hubby had 2 people that wanted eggs at work and I had to turn them down. Since the massacre I am down to 1-2 eggs a day. I need more hens!!! I sound like QA, huh? I, personally, think that's a good thing, I wish I lived closer to her so I could share in her antics! I can't believe she got an alpaca............

 

[keljonma]

I can't believe how big your runners are getting! They are beautiful.

Good luck with getting more hens. Have you tried the craigslist in your area? Around here I have seen 1 year old hens for free and for under $10 for a group of hens. One person down the road from me has 1 year old Barred Rock hens for $8 each.

 

[lorihadams]

I look on craigslist every day, , there just doesn't seem to be much around here. I have a friend down the road that has welsummers but I think I may hold out for Saturday and see what's at the chicken swap.