We’ve been having fairly nice weather on the homestead for the past week or so, but yesterday and today have been absolutely beautiful. It got up to around 95 degrees yesterday, and today is looking about the same. Bernie built three more benches for me to put around the creeks so I can sit in the shade while the puppies splash around and play.
One rainy day last week, Bernie decided to make a bed side holster. We certainly don’t worry much about anyone messing around here at night, but we have been startled awake by the occasional bear looking for a midnight snack in our yard. The bed side holster allows his gun to be readily accessible – and it’s always a good idea to be prepared for things you may or may not expect. Bernie’s bed side holster is really nothing more than an old license plate and a defunct ankle holster that he riveted to it.
It only took him a few minutes to make, and it works like a charm.
Friday night I came up one short on the head count when I went to tuck the chickens in for the night. I looked around through the woods and could not find her. We eventually found her in the garage. She had apparently sneaked in there sometime during the day, and managed to knock over a lawn chair we had sitting against the wall. She was trapped between the folded legs and looking pretty puny when we found her. I freed her and put her in the little infirmary I built in the coop. She was very thirsty and spent quite a while drinking water. Both of her wings were hanging limply by her side, dragging the ground. I was a little concerned, but the next morning when I checked on her, she had laid an egg and was fussing to get out with the others. I released her and she spent the day free ranging with the rest of the flock. Both of her wings still hang down a little, one more than the other, but they seem to be getting better. This morning they aren’t hanging quite as low as yesterday, and I am hopeful she will be back to normal in a few days.
I’ve still got one Silver Leghorn laying soft shelled eggs. Of the 19 laying pullets, she’s the only one that continues to have this issue. I leave crushed oyster shell down for them 24/7 and feed them back egg shells each day. They free range, and have a good quality layer feed available at all times. I hope this girl’s little egg making parts get it together soon. Here’s a picture of the egg she layed yesterday afternoon. I’m squeezing it a little so you can see how soft shelled it really is.
It’s Sunday morning and the day is warming up nicely. Time to get outside and get busy. Diesel and Dolly love yard work, but we’re having a hard time getting them to understand that the pile of twigs and branches we are gathering needs to remain a pile. Each time we put something in that pile, one of the pups will grab it and deposit it right back on the lawn – tail wagging the whole time. It takes longer to clean up the yard this way, but it sure makes it much more entertaining.
Hey – do you “tweet”? I’ve finally given in and joined the Twitter community. Great way to see at a glance what’s going on with friends. If you are interested in following my tweets, just go to Twitter, search for miss1cent, and then click “follow” – or click on the “follow me on Twitter” link in the sidebar on my blog page. Twitter is free, easy, and kind of fun! I tweet when the blog is updated too.
Bee Free,
Penny
