Monday, November 15, 2021

Time Flies!

It's been a while, friends. 

I have good intentions, I do, but ... life. 


The last time I posted, Big Red, one of my favorite chickens had just died. 

I have lost four more old ones, including this girl. 


I wanted to show you something with this old girl.  She was an anonymous 
black hen, of the kind designated by hatcheries as 
"Black Stars", or some other all-encompassing word to indicate a hybrid egg layer. 
Her days of laying were LONG past.  She was five, maybe more, because she may 
have been one I bought from a local flock owner when I moved back here four 
years ago. 
See how washed out her face is?  She was aged.  If she were a younger girl, 
she would still have healthy color in her face and comb and wattles. 

Having said all that, everyday when I let them into the house side of the yard, 
she would make her way onto the porch and stand at the front door, staring at it. 


Like this. 

Like this. 

I would see her and put some treats out for just her, and she would 
grab them fast and eat before anyone else noticed. 
I'll miss that. 
I think I took this picture Wednesday or Thursday. 

She faded, and died Friday night, and I found her body under the nest box of the 
big hen house. 

RIP, Little Black Hen. 

There are only nine big hens left in there, and one does not sound well. 

The oldest rooster, Ferdy, is not roosting, but making a little place on the floor. I hate to say it, but 
he may be next. 


This is sweet little Zoe, a ten year old Shih Tzu I have had 
for two weeks from Bonner Animal Rescue as a foster. 
She is a doll. 

However... she will eat anything she can find on the floor except for dry cat food. 
Consequently, today she has diarrhea. 

Jester is a shy eater, and will wait all day to eat if he feels intimidated.  It's easy to say 
"feed them separately" but he will not eat a bite if he is locked in the bathroom and feels like 
he is being punished.  So... she will probably go on to an owner as a single pet. 

She is a really cute little girl with good recall... walks pretty well on a leash. 
Anyone local, she would make a wonderful pet. 


This is my view looking down the pasture towards my neighbor's ponds. 
See the little red tree? 

There is a huge tree that always turns red this time of year, and I am 
afraid I have missed it.  When I walk out to get the mail shortly, I'll look for it. 


We have had some glorious fall weather, but we also had snow flurries on Saturday!


Molly looks so innocent.  In truth, she lays UNDER that swinging planter, the 
last one I will ever use.... (because of all the waste last year) and grab birds as they land to eat.  I caught her as she did it yesterday, and the bird was able to get loose and fly away. 

So... the feeder is going to go on a shepherds hook.  I like this arrangement better, because it cannot swing wildly and spill.  You see, those sunflower hearts are THE most expensive of the feeds I buy. 
I am being very careful this year to not overfill any feeders, especially my flat feeder.... I just cannot continue to buy as much feed as I have in the past, it has gone sky-high.  I don't want the birds as dependent on it as they were in the last few years... so I put out a double scoop in the morning, and that's it. 

 

Meet Bullseye!
This kitten was a wilding down at the lake where my oldest son and family have a trailer. They spend weekends there for half the year.  This kitten came up to them repeatedly, and they began feeding it... and finally, one Sunday, Jim called and asked if I could take it. 

I said yes. 

He has had all shots and been neutered.  My vet's office fell in love with him. 


Here he is in action... and yes, I was warned about the Peace Lily and it is being removed. 
He is a stinker.... he and Jester LOVE each other and play together often. 

He and Molly play together after a standoff of a couple of weeks. 
He has sure livened up the place. 

The vet and I both think he is 4 to 5 months old. 

He may be a little attached to me. 



This is Cleo, one of the Kitty Cat Connection beauties. 
She was one of the wildest. 
She comes every morning and evening (well, most) and watches for me.
When I see her, I stop and go in and get her a can of food.  She has me well-trained. 
I also put the food dish out very early, so that all the ferals can come on deck and have some. 


This is Coal, one of the two newest ferals from KCC. 

She and Diamond Lil spent ten days in a big cage in my shop. 
They are both still around and eating regularly.  They know where the outside and the inside food is. 


Diamond Lil is a tortie, and here she is coming out of the cage on her day of Liberation. 

They are both still around, let's face it, they have it made here. 

My beautiful Rusty, the cat in my header, has disappeared. 

Wanda and Yeller are still here. 


Dawn this morning was beautiful. 

I am one of those weird people, I LOVE early nights. 
I love that the chickens are in by five, and I have the whole evening to relax. 


I found these eggs yesterday.  Let me say here that 
my old girls are almost finished laying, I get an egg from one of them once in a while.  
I am getting NO green eggs any more. 

The seven pullets I got this year are coming through, and three of the silkies. 
One pullet, however, is hiding her eggs, and not in the planter.  Someday I am going to find a huge stash. 

I will have enough for Christmas baking, though. 


Outtake of my helper. 



Wanda waiting on the big hen house porch for me last week one morning. 

Wanda was the spitfire who tired to nail me every time I stuck my hand in the Little Red Hen House to feed her.  Now she meows as soon as she sees me. 


Almost time to get Christmas out, but I am loving fall this year. 

I am going very, very spare with Christmas this year. 

Honestly, I will TRY to post more often so people don't think I fell off the ends of the earth. 




















 

8 comments:

  1. It's good to read your update, Mary Ann!

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  2. all of your animals have it made! i go to bed really early too. i love being up for hours before the sun comes up. i am going very very light on xmas decorating this year too. we are still in the basement with willie recovering from his surgery.

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  3. I hate cold weather. Always have. I could not live where it snowed more than it does here. We get ice or snow every once in a while and that is enough for me.

    Good to hear from you as usual Mary Ann. Everything is getting ridiculously expensive.

    I called in my order for horse feed yesterday. I almost fainted. I get 1500 lbs. 30 50 lb. bags. last time (about 1 1/2 months ago) it was $14.50 a bag. This time it's $17 a bag. He said do you still want it. I said we still have horses.

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  4. Hari OM
    And the circle of life continues at the Acres!!! Bullseye is looking like a proper fixture... and I hope you are able to relocate Zoe successfully. YAM xx

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  5. It's always nice to see your posts and alll the critters too. You have quite a variety for sure. Nice you have those fresh eggs for baking. Enjoy them while you can. Happy Thanksgiving from my house to yours!

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  6. Too bad about your little black hen, though it seems like she had a nice life, and long life for hen.
    I'm sorry that you've lost some sweet fluffy butt hens.

    I do hope that the little rescue dog find a forever home.

    There are plenty of folks around here that are in full blown Christmas mode...Christmas tree, lights, yard décor, etc..
    I'm pretty sure that should we decorate for Christmas this early, by Christmas time I'd be burnt out...LOL!

    Have a lovely rest of your week.
    Happy to know that we'll enjoy more posts from you.

    ~K.

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  8. I loved this post. I feel such peace when I read your posts and look forward to them so much. I am sorry so many of your hens have passed away. I hope Ferdy the rooster will pull through, too. Their lives seem so short! But you make it a very nice life for them. And for the ferals! And especially Bullseye, who evidently does NOT want the feral lifestyle and I don't blame him. What a cutie. I am sorry Rusty is missing. I will pray for all of your pets. I know exactly what you mean about the high price of the bird feed. The thistle seed I feed is outrageous and I am limiting it to a cup a day. I did manage to get some blocks of seed, for pheasant hunters, for very cheap! I am putting out the blocks and they take longer to be eaten than the loose seeds. But I do have a cat who loves to hunt and he is a problem when I feed the blocks down low.

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