Fall is Truly Here

Oh my goodness, your blogger is so glad fall is truly here. 

The verges grow more brown and yellow by the day. 

The light is changing almost daily. 

My compost heap is blooming!  The milo on the right hand side of the picture is beginning to mature and turn yellow and bronze. 

That space in the middle is the chicken dust bath, and all those flowers were volunteers from dumped pots. 

The poison ivy growing up the trees is turning bright red! 

Since my last post, the buff Orpington I put in with Doug decided to vote with her wings, and flew out.  Doug was all alone, and had actually stopped crowing.  Last week, I went to Leavenworth and met a wonderful young woman who is breeding in her backyard.  I bought a mixed pullet from her, and a young Silkie pullet, like Doug.  

He is crowing again!  

Ummmm we are having a problem with this guy, Rocky. 

Rocky was a this-year's baby, and was weaned a month or so ago. 

He has been eating cat food and chicken feed here.  

He eats with the chickens and cats all around him on the deck of the big hen house, where he is here... but we know that will not go on long.  He is maturing. 

He comes on the porch, where he pays no attention when my son is out there, just eats the cat food. 

Last week, I heard screaming from the big hen house in the evening.  I went out there, and Rocky had made himself at home in a nest box.  I shoo-ed him out the door. 

Fifteen minutes later, I heard screaming again, and he had gone in the little henhouse next door to try to lay down in a nest box there. 

I removed him. 

This is him the other morning, he was waiting in the huge maple for me to come out and feed the cats and put all the bird seed out. 

I have the big trap out, and am afraid I am going to have to catch and remove him... he will have to go out to the Leavenworth County Fishing Lake.  The thing is, I know that catching him and removing him to a strange place will likely kill him.... but... I may not have an alternative, because it won't be long until he wants chicken dinner for himself.  

I am in a quandary, because you know I cannot kill a living being. 

Two weeks ago, I had the tree eaters here to trim the huge maple by my house.  They told me they estimated it had probably four or so years to go, because the center is rotting. 

This is the limb I initially called about, because I felt it was on its way down. 

THEY LEFT IT. 

The guy told me it would "heal itself". 

This was the partial eclipse of the moon as seen from here last week. 

At 1:30 in the morning two mornings ago, I got up to let one of the cats out 

the back door. 

This is what I saw: 

That's all I've got for today! 

Those of you in the hurricane's path, please take care of yourselves as best you can. 

 

Almost Fall

And.... it's been a month again! 

Honestly, I THINK about posting, I just don't get to it! 

Two weeks ago, I took a bunch of pictures! 

I was trying to make a record of the birds I had bought this spring.  (The ones that I am running myself ragged for).

This is Igor, the low man on the totem pole in the Brooder house, but I am keeping him over Hekyll and Jekyll, his two brothers who are better specimens BUT... Igor is steadier and takes great care of the six hens. 

The breeder, Rare Treasures Hatchery in Oskaloosa, Kansas, was kind enough to take back the two Putih Ayam Cemani roosters.  I took the two hens with me, but he did not want them... I brought them back and was glad to, because they were the first of the babies to lay. 

Their eggs are small now, but will soon catch up, he showed me some full size eggs while I was there. 

Hekyll and Jekyll, the other two LaFleche roosters, look better and more to standard, but I do not need ten extra roosters and honestly, they are making me crazy. 

I planned on keeping Big Bird, the biggest Indio Gigante. 

I was going to keep Little Bird, too, who was attacked by a snake at six weeks... the one I pulled the snake from.  Little Bird has a difficult time walking, but CAN walk. 

Big Bird attacked one of the pullets and wounded her badly, so... he is going to the auction. 

So are these two, and a third who looks similar. 

The breeder told me they will bring nearly 100.00 at auction... but I have asked a local friend's son to please just take them and keep any money he gets for them for the trouble. 

He has to build cages, make sure they have food and water, and go check them in. 

Little Bird. 

The other night, Sam came over to check on the sheep and the pasture.  He put electric fence up and divided the pasture in two, because they have overgrazed the north side again. 

When he left, he forgot to close the big gate... that was partially my fault because I went in through the walk gate to talk to him and we walked out that way.  At ten pm, I left the house to walk Chico on his leash in the yard one more time... to find the sheep in the driveway. 

I made sure the latch was on the gate to the road, and left them.  They put themselves away Monday morning. 

I got a bag of sheep feed... just in case... and last night, let them in the yard again because they are eating the vines on the north and west fences, which is really helping me!  

That feed got them back in lickity split this morning.  

Yes, there is poop all over the driveway and in the yard, but... they are only here another week or so, and then will go home.  I am enjoying watching them and I did not garden this year, so.... 

I will have to pressure wash the patio, I admit it. 

I noticed last night they all bedded down under the light. 

Last week the heat was terrible, in fact, a week ago today, the 27th, it was 100 degrees here. 

It is 81 right now, and I have to admit that last week's heat nearly did me in.  I was not as bothered by our hot spell in July, I  don't know what the heck happened. 

I am so glad we are back to more temperate temperatures. 

I made this wonderful apple cake (apple pie filling cake) yesterday, 

my gosh... I am going to make another for my friends at the commissary next week... it's easy and does not take long to make, and is so delicious.  The recipe was on Facebook on Kristin's Friends, it was easy and excellent and I used two cans of the filling, in case you look it up. 

It does not need any frosting, trust me! 

The pullets are starting to lay, and I am getting eggs of all sizes and colors. 

Oh yes, Mr. Floofy Ears is still here.  I am just astounded how much I fell in love with this little guy. 

I swore no more after I lost my beloved Jester. 

Here's Wanda on the front porch of the big hen house the other night.  I think she is going to live in there this winter, she does not want to come back inside the house, she has made that very plain.  She is doing okay, and the vet asks after her every time I go to the office.  

There's Rocket, Shuler and Lady on the front porch of the big hen house. 

Lady is the oldest hen here now.  

Shuler is not far behind her, and no, all the chickens do not have names.  

That doggone Rocket has done GREAT since he lost his little mate and has begun to run with the big flock.  I mean great. 

That's Buster, the Lavender Orpington rooster, on the left.  He has become a GREAT rooster, very steady and protective of his hens and the Wyandottes.  However... he is in the little hen house, which was Doug's domain.  He has begun battering little Doug, the silkie rooster, who is dear to my heart.  I am now keeping Doug in a brooder pen at night in the big hen house, and he and Buffy, who was attacked by the Indio, are in a separate little house in the yard with a small enclosure, and are safe there.  Buffy actually will wander with the rest, but Doug is staying in his new little house.  I bring them in at night. 

He was guarding her as she laid an egg when I checked on them an hour ago. 

It is not ideal, but... he's safe. 

I contacted the rescue where Archie is living last week, but have not heard from them yet.  I will send a reminder to see if I can come visit him, and bring another donation. 

I miss him, I admit it. 

Something had to give around here. 

Today is my beloved mother's 110th birthday.  She has been gone sixteen years, and how I miss her still! 

I know she would be glad I am so happy out here. 

I notice that the verges of the road are beginning to turn brown and yellow. 

Winter is coming. 

Almost a Month

I cannot believe I have done it again... almost a month since the last post! 

Let's catch up. 

I'm starting to get eggs from the new birds. 

 

One of these beautiful little Wyandotte girls is laying now.  I found four pullet eggs hidden behind a box in the big henhouse this morning. 

Hallelujah! 

I was  getting only one egg every two days from the old girls, and have not been able to give away any eggs for a month or so. 

 

Like Sammy, the Salmon Faverolle.  I don't think she has laid in months. 

I also had to move her and the last little red hen out of the old coop, the one with the Rhode Island Reds and the Indio Gigantes, the babies were just too hard on the old girls. 

These are the birds from the old hen house, where I had the pen built this spring. 

That bird in the forefront is Little Bird, only the Indios and a couple of others have names. 

Big Bird and Little Bird look much the same, only Little Bird is an inch or so smaller.  The snake attacked Little Bird, who does not walk right, but gets around okay. 

Imagine my surprise when BOTH of these birds started crowing last week... I was sure they were pullets. 

I now have FIVE Indio Gigante cockerels and two pullets.  As these birds don't fight amongst themselves and there are six other pullets with them, I am not going to do anything about it right now. 

This is what happens when you buy straight run, folks. 

This is the problem pen, the Brooder House. 

Those are two Bielefelder and one LaFleche pullets hiding in the covered pen because the roosters in there are HORRIBLE. 

That's a LaFleche rooster behind them. 

Yes, they are beauties... but... psychotic.  Out of five LaFleche chicks, I got three cockerels and two pullets. 

Out of four Putih Ayam Cemanis, I got two cockerels and two pullets. 

I am not breeding friends, I was in this for the eggs and just wanted some exotics. 

I love the little LaFleche pullets. 

This pen is still too young to start laying. 

Someone in the little hen house is laying.  The Lavender Orps and the Cuckoo Marans are the same age, and I have to say something here.  I got a rooster with the Orps... that is Buster, in the middle on the fence.  He is shaping up to be the best rooster EVER.... he takes care of his girls well and is not combative with the other birds or me.  I really like him. 

Our first rooster when we moved here was a Buff Orpington, and we loved him. 

Yes, Buddy is still here and still taking care of the big girls. 

Doug the Silkie rooster is still in the little hen house. 

We also have Sammy in there, and a red hen who lived in the old hen house. 

And Flopsy, the red hen on the right in the picture above this, is back in there after defecting to Buddy for a while. 

Rocket, the Mille Fleur rooster, is still with me... but ten days ago, I came home from doing errands one afternoon, and went out to check on everyone.  In the pen (I made with exercise pens) in the big hen house yard, were Rocket, Mary, the little Mille Fleur hen, and the young four month old Cochin pullet with the deformed foot.  As I walked into the yard, a Coopers Hawk flew up from the pen.  It had killed and eaten both Mary and the pullet, and Rocket was in the dog house screaming (the dog house in the pen was for shelter).  These birds were all carried in at night. 

My heart broke, but that is life. 

Both hens were beheaded and I carried what was left of them down to the pasture. 

Rocket is now no longer kept in the pen... he is free to roam with everyone else, so he has a chance to hide with them, and I am happy to say he is getting along very well.  He and Mary had always roosted in the big hen house anyway, I carried them in and out. 

Mr. Floofy Ears comin' at ya! 

I made a decision about Archie... and this hurt my heart, too. 

He was the gentlest of goats. 

 He now lives at Shy 38 Farm Sanctuary at the other end of the county.  

I hope to go see him this week. 

We were not there long when another goat wandered up to say hello to him. 

He was due to be neutered that week.  

There is no cell phone coverage on my phone there, so I was texted directions, and I am going to follow those directions backwards to get back there. 

I am so grateful to them for taking him in... with a donation, but still... I am just grateful that he will have a good home. 

My little Wanda is still here and still healthy.  We had such a battle last year keeping her in good health... she spent the winter inside and then went feral on me again. 

She lets me pet her and play with her, but it would be hard to get her back in a carrier. 

Lest you think I don't do ANYTHING but take care of the animals, I love progressive rock and Jon Anderson (from YES) was here last week with The Band Geeks, and the opening act was another favorite, Carl Palmer with ELP Legacy, and I was in the fourth row center.  I had such a good time, and I am so glad I heard my favorite songs again... because Jon (and I) are getting on in years and you just never know.  It was a magical night for me. 

The Long, Hot Summer

I bet there's a lot of people who won't get that title reference, but some will. 

It's still hot, unseasonably so, but we are coming into the hottest time for Kansas summers. The next three days are supposed to be brutal, but... we can be so thankful that we have not had out of control fires or a hurricane hit us.  I'll take the heat. 

Red Winged Blackbird

I am sitting here at the kitchen table and looking out the window right now at a red-winged blackbird eating on the yard platform feeder.  I just filled the finch feeders before starting this story. 

This finch was waiting for the oriole to move its fanny so the finch could get at the oranges and jelly. 

If you make that picture big, it looks like the finch is pretty perturbed... and... now that I look closely, that is probably a female Baltimore Oriole. 

The peanuts I get by the big bag at Menards are pretty popular here. 

Yep, the cardinals are still here, too. 

I am so happy with the Columbian Wyandottes.  They are the most vigorous chicks every, and run all around the yard all day long.  They know how to put themselves to bed, finally, too.  The big hens bully them... they have to wait for those hens to go to roost to be able to go in the door. 

Big Bird, eating a treat.  Gosh, I'm happy with the Indios, too.  There are two cockerels and four pullets.  Big Bird is a pullet. 

On Wednesday morning, Isaiah, my yard helper, had returned from vacation and came over to weed eat.  He helped me (okay, he did most of the work, pounding the poles in....) and I tie-wrapped the thing to the poles.  I had some poly chicken wire in the barn, and I tie wrapped IT to the inside of the panels to keep the birds from going through.  The doorway (at the other end) is made with an exercise pen.  

I opened the big door of the brooder house, and it was hours before one bird ventured out.  By yesterday morning, they could not WAIT to get out on the grass, they had only ever been in that enclosed pen connected to the building.  

The temperature in this building has been going to 100 or 102 on hot days, and the birds stayed outside all day with water and food.  Yesterday, it never got above 80 in there.  My nephew came and looked at it, because a roofing company told me yesterday that they could not put a roof turbine on a metal building, it won't seal... a metal roofed building... but my nephew told me to buy a vent exhaust fan, and he will mount it to the side of the building to blow hot air out in bad weather.  After yesterday, I may not need to do that... just the big door being open all day seemed to work.   I did have two fans running. 

Tomorrow will be the test, we are going to close in on 100 for two days. 

These LaFleche cockerels are inside the building. 

The barn cats know how to stay cool, too.  That's Cleo. 

Jurassic Park is being scooped out this afternoon when I finish this post.  Then the tree eaters are coming to give me an estimate on removing a huge dead limb in the maple tree. 

The stains on that wall are 20 years old, from starlings getting in there during winter.  

Mr. Floofy Ears has been inside a lot lately, because it's so hot out.  

We walk down the road in the evening, after the sun has begun to go down.  

We will try it if it does not get too hot out during the day, but I have carried him in twice. 

He doesn't act it, but he IS over 9 years old. 

A sunflower that volunteered on the deck in one of the planters! 

The maple tree behind it has the huge dead branch, and I am praying I don't lose the tree.  The same tree service looked at it three years ago and thought it had some time left. 

Wednesday night, I got together with about 20 of my high school (and five grade school!) classmates at a local eating establishment.  

Not everyone is pictured here. 

It was so good to see everyone, I had worked hard outside all day, showered, drove 25 miles to the place and was greeted by three of my cousins when I got there, so I had a good visit with them. 

I was only able to stay about 90 minutes... I had to get the birds in... but oh gosh, what a wonderful time seeing all my old friends and catching up.  We try to do it a few times a year... it has been 57 years since we graduated. 

To save you from calculating that in your head... class of 1968. 

My great grandson, Wyatt, on the Fourth. 

I was here, cowering from the explosions that went on until midnight.  I will have to say, though, that they were not too close, and the cats and dog did not seem that bothered. 

Archie, whom I have become very attached to... is going to be going to a farm sanctuary in the next county on Sunday afternoon.  Doodle, his friend on the left, will go back to her sheep herd. 

I have come to the realization that I cannot do it all anymore at my age, and I am afraid carrying all that water in the winter is already going to get me.  The Brooder house is far from the pumps, and don't think I have not considered selling the Putihs and the LaFleche, and then putting the Bielefelders and one cochin girl in one of the other houses... cleaning it out, and closing it up.  

I will really miss Archie, he is the gentlest of billy goats, and I have enjoyed having him here.  My time has passed, I think. 

My beautiful boy for a short time. 

I am the little pink blob sitting at the left rear :-)

If you are in the Houston area... I pray your lights are back on soon. 

Everyone else, take care out in the hot summer weather. 

Let me just go start raking that hen house.