It may be coming, sooner than we'd like.
The shootout at the OK Corral.
Pippi is in the full swing of roosterhood now, at six months of age, and Sharone isn't too pleased. The hens aren't thrilled when Pippi decides to exert his manhood and usually squawk. Sharone comes on the fly to check it out and tells Pips to back off. I'm hoping it doesn't come to a real showdown when Pippi reaches a year in the spring.
I've probably said it before, but it stands repeating. Sharone is the perfect roo. Never bothers us, defends the girls, and is just plain handsome.
Sharone in the middle, Pippi on the far left.
Yes, as usual donkey water always has, still is, and will forever taste better than chicken water.
We're still treating the leg mites. Amazingly it's working. Rick holds while I slather on petroleum jelly and then dust with DE. I'm actually seeing areas of nice pink legs. Although some of the girls still have big "knots"; I have to wonder if they'll ever go away.
Here's our process: At 1:00 the girls gather in the porch waiting for free range time (oh yes, they know) so we try to let those who don't need treatment out. Invariably some of the remaining girls wander into the run so then it's a matter of using a towel to herd everyone into the coop, quickly closing doors and shooing those who are left into the porch where its easier to catch them. We do have it down to a science at this point.
We lost Stevie last Thursday. If you remember she was the girl I took to the vet and treated for an infection. I had been so pleased she seemed to make a recovery.
Little Stevie in 2022 when she first arrived with her buds
She was the last of the three white beauties
And then there's Gabby.
When the soaking didn't seem to be working any longer, I checked with Fran at Crossroads Donkey Rescue and she suggested a poultice.
After several days of no change, it was time to call the vet. She's coming tomorrow.
Random farm scenes --
After a hard rain, the girls skirt Lake Luigi
Here's one of the famous wheelbarrow dumps. It was quite full of manure, I walked away and upon my return found it tipped over with half the load on the ground. In years past I could blame Luigi, now I don't know who the culprit was. Balderdash!