Hens On Strike!

 Alhough it's been three weeks since last we spoke, news around the teeny tiny farm is sparse.  I've been sick for two of the three weeks making news even more sparse.  Add the fact the hens have been on strike for quite some time and that makes even less news.

In the 10 years hens have been in our lives, this is the first we've had to buy eggs.  What?!  The cause of the egg shortage has to be molting season, although it's never struck so hard before.  And as you know I'll not do the ole trick of adding light to the coop to force production.  Nope, if you need a rest, then take it.  We've gotten two eggs in the past week and it was cause for celebration.

Here are the slackards at play.

Donks are chill as always.  They've pretty much lost interest in the pasture and demand more hay.  We loaded up the trailer with the first half of winter's hay allotment and will get more around Christmas which should take us to first cutting.

Let's hope the next time we chat I'll have shaken this bug completely and will have lots to tell.

Rainy Day Tuesday

 Sometimes there are mornings when you just don't want to go out and take care of animals.  Like yesterday morning.  A rainy fall day, the first in a cool spell.  We needed the rain, but why oh why did I have to go out in it.

Rain hat on.  Rain boots on.  Non-rain jacket on.

Three donkeys said they had no interest in leaving the barn, thank you very much.  Fine by me.

But then there were the two knucklehead hens, frolicking in the rain.  

I finally got Peggy Sue in but Roxie refused.  So she stayed out until I returned about three hours later.  She was sitting happily under the donkey gazebo.  Same problem with the same stinker later in the day.  Perhaps she's part duck.

Let me tell you how utterly goofy blogger is now.  When I check my viewer/reader stats from time to time, the numbers are ridiculously high.  Over 10x what they normally were.  Of course it can't be accurate but I don't understand how it happened and it's minorly annoying.  I'd like some real numbers. 

 

Scenes From a Teeny Tiny Farm

 

Gabby shows off her munching skills

The nose close-up certainly stands as a bonus

Some of the hens felt compelled to re-arrange hay flakes

I'm pretty sure they adhered to feng shui principles 

Our resident sandhill crane couple taking an afternoon stroll

It is concerning the kids weren't there...

Easiest soup ever and oh so good

Just made this a few nights ago.  A veg soup (not vegan because of the eggs) so of course use vegetable broth.  So quick and yet I love the flavor.

Ethel Embraced by Flock

 When we last spoke, and I told you of Ethel's attack, I forgot to tell you a fascinating piece of the story.

After her recuperation in the basement, when we returned her to the flock, she immediately went to the juncture of barn and chicken porch, put her head in the corner and just stood there.  All the other girls gathered around her in a circle.   

What did this mean?  Someone with more chicken psychology savvy will have to answer that.
Did they know she was the one who was attacked?  Or was it just she had been gone from the flock for a week.
Long time readers will remember, a few years ago I approached the donkey yard after free range and saw an circle of hens in the pasture.  One of the girls had been attacked, we assumed by a hawk, and was lying dead.  They had gathered around her.

Because we'll be having housesitter over soon, it was time for the "annual-vacuum-all-the-cobwebs- from-the-barn-and-coop" day.

I have to conclude I didn't celebrate this holiday last year, based on the size of the cobwebs.

And sadly this photo doesn't do the whopper justice.

Let me bring you up to the house for a moment.  Yes, I'm trying a hibiscus plant yet again this year -- I've killed two from trying to winter them.
This two-tone beauty likes her current location, which I believe is the key to every houseplant.  And I've lucked out on more than one occasion, as with my orchids.

   

And I'm really stretching the limits of this little blog by introducing television watching.
I've been traveling down memory lane with a couple of shows and loving it.  Did you know you can find Ozzie and Harriet on Prime.  I was too young to see the first many seasons (I think I was born the year the series started)  but it was on the air for 14 years.  So I clearly remember Ricky singing at the end of the show when I was a kid.   

And I've added Magnum P.I. -- the original -- but have to get that from the library on DVD.  Tom  (as a 30-something) can still dazzle me.  Quick story -- Rick and I honeymooned in Hawaii, early 1987 and were sure we saw Tom on the beach of Oahu.   

I never investigated Call the Midwife, until recently.  Of course I had to start at the beginning and it's a current fave.  In addition to Vera and Shetland -- both British murder mysteries.

And there you have the news.  Happy trails to all.  But wait --

Where's Waldo?

The Tale of Ethel's Attack

 If you recall, I received six re-homed girls two(?) years ago when a local family decided life was too hectic to keep birds.  One of those beauties was Ethel.  I've always called her Baby Ethel which makes no sense since she's one of the larger hens.

Two weeks ago the girls had been out for free range time and I approached the gate to bring everyone back in.  At that moment a large bird flew off from the pasture and then I saw Ethel.  As I took in the scene, the two roos were sounding the distress call and most of the hens were in the coop, while two or three were crouched in bushes.  But Ethel had apparently been in the open in the pasture.

I don't know what type of predator bird it was - sure didn't look like a hawk but it happened so quickly.

I carried Ethel to the coop and she made her way to a space under the nesting boxes, breathing heavily and clearly scared to death.  I saw no blood.
We wanted to let her calm down so let her stay sheltered in the coop overnight but in the morning brought her inside to a large dog crate in the basement.  It was clear she had a  mobility issue so Rick pressed legs and feet to test for injury, but she showed no signs of pain.

Although it's a large crate she stayed fairly sedentary.  I offered her treats like bananas and Grubblies and mixed up some aspirin water (one baby aspirin per quart).  After six days we took her outside to test her mobility and she appeared improved but not 100%.  So back to the basement for another three days.

This past Sunday we decided to let her join the flock while keeping an eye on her.  She had a little hitch in her running but walked fine.  Now, several days later we're not noticing any issues.  And, although she seemed content in the crate during her convalescence, she's clearly happy to be back with the gang.

No need for the vet appointment I had made, just in case (of course I cancelled with notice).

I'm not certain, but don't believe she's ventured into the donkey pasture since the incident.

And for your viewing amusement, here's knucklehead Spice using a wheelbarrow handle as a Q-tip.

Stay cool!

 

Tenacious Flies and a Daylily Tour

 We're definitely in the thick of fly season, but it's not all-out hideous -- yet.  The donks get sprayed daily just before pasture time, and, my guess is they enjoy it.  After I arrive at the donkey yard and immediately head to the barn, saying, "let's get sprayed" they follow right behind me and stand cooperatively.

 In the heat of the day, the windshield wipers are on high speed.  And they spend time in the barn in front of the fan, as much for fly control as for cooling.

I know this will be a departure from our normal conversations, but have to show you a stretch of road quite near our little dirt road.  This was taken July 7 and the mass of wild daylilies was spectacular -- for quite a stretch.

The hens say hi and hope to make an appearance next post.

Harmonious Hens

 In addition to our teeny tiny farm I have a teeny tiny (post-retirement) job.  The job summer schedule means  an adjustment in the blog schedule.  I've been consistent with Mondays for quite a while but looks like posts will be published on Wednesdays now after today).

As I look out the window (I always have my computer at a window) it's pouring and it's been hot hot hot.  Fans are whirring in the barn and coop, although I think the barn fan is about to poop out.

Speaking of fans, every summer I put a small one on the floor for the dogs.  I may have started this with Gunner.  Nowadays Faith and Phinny park themselves in front of it often.  Even when it's not on...

So far I've not seen heat distress in the chonkeys, knock on wood.  Donks like their casual amble in the morning when it's (sometimes) cooler.

And here they lined up perfectly for the paparazzi.

Let's end with the morning chorus from the hens.  This is their harmonious (?) song before I open the coop for the morning.