A Longgggg Post....

I have been seeing Feral Cat Rusty every morning for a week now. 

I have not seen Harlequin (Harley) since Monday, and I am 

worried about her.  These four cats were neutered before they came to me... 

I have not seen the second black and white female, Tippy, in over a month. 

Spooky was running in the yard the other day, so I am pretty confident he is still around. 

I did leave the game camera in the henhouse today and will go out and get it shortly and see who is on it. 

The cat I have begun calling Petey was waiting for me 

this morning when I walked in, and was so hungry he/she jumped 

down immediately to eat.  This cat is the "friendliest" of all the 

ferals, meaning it will approach me, but I can't touch it. 

I am wondering now.... if it is male or female... because I have seen 

it repeatedly going down into my pasture, and I am beginning (thanks, Tammy Potts) to suspect 

kittens. 

I am keeping plenty of food out during the day, in case that's what's happening, and we would 

be trapping Mama and babies, if so. 

Raccoon tracks in the water bowl this morning. 

Petey was so hungry that I emptied the bowl, went out, got water, and came back in to clean and fill it, and he/she never looked up. 

Thursday and Friday, the temps went as high as 81 here in Leavenworth County. 

We actually had a tornado watch Friday night. 

It was so hot that Lilly went under the porch of the henhouse to watch me work. 

I did not work alone, I never do. 

Remember, I have four black sex link babies, and two cochins, whose sex I don't know. 

I also still have the singleton with Biddy, the only egg that hatched. 

Here is an example of what the hens will look like, 

from BackyardChickens.com 

I think I am going to have to take Biddy's baby tomorrow, she wants to go back 

outside badly, and the baby does not need to be out in the big, bad world.  I will put 

it with the other chicks.  

There are the Eggs That Never Hatched.  Several were empty. 

I am going to get a candler so I don't have to go through this again. 

And by the way, I buried them in the compost heap, and covered them with 

an extra load of dirt from one of my push carts. 

(sorry for the blurry picture) 

Jester received a wonderful gift from @Bostondottie on Instagram, 

because we donated to a medical fund for a Boston who needed surgery. 

It is a wonderful blanket, and he earlier won a cool tug toy from 

another Boston owner for the same contest.  

(Thank you, Royal Sir Boops!) 

Four acres to roam, and this is what is on my doorstep numerous times a day. 

This morning, we woke up to this.  This is the third Sunday in a row, and remember, I said we had 81 degree temps on Friday. 

Lilly bravely went out, and the wind chill at the time was about 14 degrees. 

After I put the cat food in the old hen house and fed Petey, I came back in to do something 

before going back out.  When I did, I saw Lil disappear into the pasture.  SHE IS NOT SUPPOSED TO RUN. 

This explains why.  See her track?  She has a torn 

ACL on the right rear, and is not a candidate for surgery.  She hobbles at best, 

steps are becoming harder.  I am medicating her daily now.  She is NOT supposed to take off after anything, and I suspect she saw Petey going back down to the woods.  She made her way back 

up eventually, but has been in all day. 

I would not normally post a picture like this, but I HAD TO GET MY CUDDL DUDS BACK OUT ON APRIL 15.  

Ridiculous!!!  The wind made it feel like 14, and believe me, my bones felt it. 

I have long jeans and a sweatshirt on, and my heavy Carhartt. 

I am a diabetic, and my hands and feet especially suffer in the cold, so I double-gloved, too. 

I also know to do chores in increments in this cold. 

Here is an egg lesson. 

The egg on the left is one from the home flock. 

The egg on the right, from the Ag flock, both my flocks. 

Some of the Ag girls broke out into the feed room this morning. 

I fixed these for the dog's breakfast. 

All together now. 

The darker yolk is caused by the fact that my girls here at home free-range all day long, and can eat bugs, grass, etc. etc. that they find on our acres.  The girls at the Ag are penned 24/7, and are 

eating only their 20% layer pellets and scratch, and whatever little bugs get into their pen. 

What a difference, yolk wise. 

Here is my little friend Braden at the Ag this morning, 

he and his grandpa showed up to get the train out on this cold day for 

a birthday party being held in the barn. 

Here comes Grandpa Wayne out of the tunnel!

Only volunteers would show up to do something like this on such a cold day. 

It turned out I knew the birthday celebrant, so I got to drive the train around for them. 

(no movie of that) 

We were very careful to make sure everyone was hooked in and understood no standing, keeping arms and legs in, etc., and we had a fun ride that turned everyone into popsicles. 

I came home and made a treat for the chickens, 

oatmeal with sunflower seeds mixed in.  The trouble with 

making a big batch is that it takes forever to cool down... but I finally gave it to some of them. 

I'll give them the rest in their hen house when I go out to get eggs. 

I'll try to post again during the week, and not wait so far in between posts. 

Thank you to Ramona, and to Terri, who sent me plans for a 

raccoon-proof feral cat feeder, and Ramona, you actually described the one that 

Terri sent. 

I have actually found someone to make it, too!