This is War

This was Goldie, my beautiful Brahma hen. 

She was one of the pair I was bringing to the new house to live with us in the yard. 

We even bought them a little coop at Orscheln's Farm and Home a week ago. 

Sorry to hit you with that as the first picture of the post, but I should have 

known better. 

You see, I saw them. 

It couldn't be just one. 

I knew they had been in the hen house, too, because I found all the feed gone one night, and 

the waterer dirty. 

Everyone was present and accounted for that morning. 

It was so hot, I left the popholes open, but no more. 

Even with the fan on, they are going to have to bear the heat. 

Talk about barring the barn door after the cows got out. 

(They couldn't get in, but the ramp dropped) 

Each pophole still hooks shut on one side, but 

raccoons are dexterous. 

I dumped both of the water containers, and 

also, I took the feed bowls inside so that 

they couldn't get any.  I did worry about them 

going through the screen door, but they did not. 

I even considered moving everyone over to the new hen house, but this yard 

is just so much better. 

Like I said, closing the barn door too late. 

Someone said to me 

"Why do you feed the wild birds, you draw every thing in"... 

well, the fact of the matter is I have NOT been feeding the wild birds at the old house for months. 

Yes, they come down and eat the chicken's feed... but I can't help that, and have never been able to help it.  I do put suet out for them, but it is 150 feet away from this chicken yard, where 

I used to hang it on the pole in the garden. 

I never, ever left the pophole open in this chicken house at night, 

unless it was 100 degrees still in the evening (heat index) so

very, very few times.  

Recently though, I would leave it open so the chickens could put themselves to bed at night, since I did not go out late in the evening.   Now I am having to go at 7, and chasing the birds inside so I can lock them up. 

It's a quandary. 

Here are the two brahmas on a happier day.  Goldie was a beautiful golden-penciled Brahma. 

I will bring another hen over here with Silver when she comes...but we 

need to build a small yard for her, as this coop is way too small to keep two 

hens in.  It will be okay for them to sleep and lay in. 

I will try to get back to more regular posting this week... 

I'm sorry to have been gone so much.  I need to catch up on everyone's blogs, too, I hate being behind! 

Bits and Pieces of Stories

First, I need to tell you that the hurt horse I saw will be okay. 

She had become cast in a fence, and had skinned her leg from 

hoof to shoulder, but the owner was able to load her and 

get her to the vet hospital, where she was stitched up. 

She is home now, on stall rest.  He was very pleased with the job 

that was done at Strain Equine Services, in Bonner Springs, Kansas. 

I told him that I looked forward to seeing his horses, pony and little goats daily, and was so glad to hear this news. 

We have not seen many turkeys lately, but we did see this group in good health yesterday morning in a field on our way to the old house. 

This is the little black rooster that came with the red hens last Saturday.  He was a cute little guy. 

Yesterday morning, when I went out to do chores before going to the Ag Hall, he was crowing away, and in fact, had crowed and crowed and crowed non-stop since we got him last week. 

Yesterday afternoon, I was rushing to get home so we could go to the first T Bones official game of the year... last week's were exhibition games, and we only saw one. 

I thought it was strange that I did not hear the little guy, but, as you can see, the yard is so full of foliage that I did not question it too much. 

He was enclosed in the little red henhouse yard by himself because he was fighting with Blooey, the 

big blue cochin rooster. 

This morning I got there early, because my friend Diane had contacted me and wanted to take her cochins home (that I had taken care of the last 5 months or so). 

The little rooster was gone.  G.O.N.E. gone. 

I looked under the foliage, thinking maybe he had dropped dead for some reason... no rooster. 

The fences are six feet high. 

I pressed the fences to see if I could find a place where they are loose, torn away from the wood, but I have not found any as yet.  Outside one part, I found dog prints... but I am sure they were Lilly's.  However... they were on the pasture side, and the foliage was all beaten down there. 

No feathers.  The only one I found was a long feather in the water dish. 

I had left the little henhouse open for shelter, and there was another shelter in there, too... so... I am just not sure. 

I recounted the red hens... 

There were still nine.  I know they have been going in at night to roost.  You have to remember that when I lived there, I ALWAYS locked the birds up at night unless it was steaming hot summertime. 

Right now... I leave one pophole open, so they can come and go as they please. 

Here were the cochin babies and the two brahmas in the yard last night, their 

last night on the beautiful green grass. 

They are back in a pen now with no shelter other than a tarp, and no green grass, ever, their owner does not believe in babying her stock. 

Yes, I'm sad. 

I bought the two brahmas. 

Notice I say "bought", even though I fed them for the last five months. 

I'll miss Rooster Cogburn, who was so brave and good. 

Here are Silver and Goldie, the lone occupants of the henspa now. 

They were traumatized all day long.  

Even this evening, they fled to the corner, and they had always been friendly. 

They are going to be moved over to the old henhouse with the other girls once I have satisfied myself that nothing is going after the girls there.  The reason I am not moving those nine over to the henspa? 

First, they are so traumatized after their move, it will throw them into another tizzy. 

Second... there is lots of room in those two yards  and they have room to stretch out.  The birds in the henspa yard were allowed in the regular yard because of what you see above... bare ground. 

I am trying to find a rooster, large or small... old or sort-of young. 

Diane, who usually has many "dumped" roosters at her place... told me she has none to give me. 

So, I'm searching.  I would feel better with a rooster. 

I look up every time I pull into the gate. 

You see how overcast our weather was today. 

See the wind tonight?  I saw something so phenomenal... this hawk 

drifted down, kiting from at least 40 feet above the tower into a landing right there.  It was so neat to watch, like a helicopter... but we were just leaving and the camera was in the car while I opened the gate. 

Same hawk as this morning, I believe. 

This was our evening: 

We had another game tonight... but, as you see.... 

the rains had come back, and are expected to last all week. 

We have flood warnings again... 

and... 

our side yard is worse than this: 

I took this a week ago, and it is like a deeper pool tonight. 

I have the window cracked... and frogs are singing away from the direction of 

our patio and "pond".  We love this little natural pond, by the way. 

A year ago yesterday, we lost our little Abby to diabetic shock. 

We wouldn't wish this disease on any dog owner we know. 

How we miss her sweet little face. 

Chicken Mama

I have a friend who has a daughter who has been very ill for several years, with a bad episode this 

winter.  Recently, I ran by there one day to help her with chores.  While we were working, it struck me that I have a perfectly good henspa at the old house sitting empty... and I suggested that if she wanted to put some hens in it to lighten her load, she could. (and my dear spouse agreed!) 

Voila! 

We had to stack everything in the car to fill it full of carriers. 

The biggest one had to sit sideways in the back. 

Everyone was freaked out when I set the carriers down and opened the doors. 

This flock is a breeding flock of blue cochins, and the blacks are necessary to create the beautiful 

penciling you see on the hen in the foreground. I'll try to get a better picture today. 

Here is the beautiful rooster.  His feathers shine green in the sunlight (but we have none today). 

They ate and ate and ate... and then ate some more. 

There are two "extra" birds... a light brahma hen, and a gold penciled brahma hen, shown here. 

The brahmas are also big girls.  

The cochins do not know these two girls, and the gold 

is very meek.  

The silver... hahahaha... not so much. 

I am hoping that when I go out there shortly I won't find any bloody birds.  I suspect, though, 

that everyone settled down after I left. 

Stinker

They are beautiful hens. 

Even from the keel side. 

My companions had been out there earlier with me... but it was 77 degrees, and my big doll wore herself out. 

Jes got pretty hot, too. 

They have not seen the birds yet... I took them home, and then went to pick the chickens up. 

Oh.... we did see some birds in the sky, too....

And Split-wing watched from the com tower.  Let's hope he doesn't come any closer!  

We are leaving to go out there in a few minutes.  I am going to let the birds out today, but 

of course, winter is returning tomorrow... and we dip down into cold temps at night.  I have no 

heater base for the water fountain any more... but... I have a heat lamp still in the house, and it should keep the water warm enough. 

It will be interesting to see if the birds went to roost... they were in a pen on the ground... and they are heavy birds.  My guess is.... they spent the night nestled in the straw. 

Keith and I have both been a little under the weather these last few days... 

so after I make our trip this morning, I'm going to stay in the rest of the day 

and try not to do too much, and GET BETTER! 

We are thinking of all those suffering in the NE today... what 

a terrible ordeal they are undergoing.