Another Quiet Day

First off, I want to apologize to all of you for not getting around to read your posts in the last few days... I have had flu-like symptoms for over a week... was tested for strep and found negative, but still couldn't seem to get over the hump.  I'm feeling much better today.  I know many of you have had it, too, as I've seen it on your blogs. 

It snowed today about one inch here at Calamity Acres.  Chores went on, however. 

This is not a dead bird, just one staying warm.  She doesn't see very well anymore, and she likes to hide in the bottom row of the old wood nest box that is sitting on the feed room side of the big henhouse.  The heat lamp hangs here, you see, and I think it keeps her toasty... she'll need that, as it is going down to the very low single digits tonight. 

This was taken in very, very low light, all we could see of the chicken (Buffy, our Polish girl) was the end of her tail sticking out.  I switched the camera to low light, and crouched down to take it. 

This, however, IS a dead chicken, one of our home-bred silkie/cochin crosses, about 4 years old.  She lived all her life in the little henhouse, until November, when I moved those little hens into the new henspa.  I knew something was going on the last three days, she got "stiller and stiller".  I don't think it was a blocked oviduct, I think it was just "Chicken disease".  Sometimes things happen. 

She did not have upper respiratory. 

In the annals of Strange Eggs... here is an entrant from today. 

A regular sized egg is above it. 

Despite the cold and wind and blowing snow today, I got 17 eggs, including this tiny one. 

I got 17 yesterday, and 18 the day before.  Way to go Girls!!!!

Even the Intrepid Lil wanted to be inside... and was ensconced on our bed with a toy to lay on.  I found her sleeping with the toy between her paws just before I took this. 

For those of you who are planning to have treats for the Super Bowl on Sunday, one of my favorite cooking blogs sent a big ole list into my email yesterday and you can find that here, and it has TONS of good recipes. 

Thanks, Brown Eyed Baker! 

I ran out and drained all the waterers tonight, and we'll have to carry warm water in the morning.  Brrrrr..... but we're used to it.  Granddog Jester the Boston Terrier is sick, too, and I may have to make a run tomorrow in the cold morning to pick him up and run him to our vet, who happens to be HIS vet... so very convenient.  I'm glad to be able to do these things for our kids who work so hard to take care of their families. 

And last, I've been poring over the seed catalogues these last few days... we are very close to ordering the polypropolene inserts for our greenhouse... if I haven't managed to lose the sheet Keith figured everything up on.  He told me he would re-do it tonight if he needed to... but we'll have to wait til it gets a little warmer again before starting the actual work.