About Me

My photo
I am a 42 year old woman that is about as happy and content as one person can be. My husband of 21 years and our 15 year old daughter live on five and a half acres out in the country. We moved from the city four years ago and never looked back. I homeschool our daughter. We also love our animals. Our daughter has a miniature horse and two rabbits. We also have a border collie, two cats (again), two pot belly pigs, four peafowl, three emus, 2 llamas and an undetermined number of chickens, lets just say ohhh about 200. I have many breeds, from layers to fancy chickens. I love poultry shows, I love fowl in general as I have come to find out through having more than just chickens. Chickens will always be my first love though. I do show some of my birds occasionally.

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

This and That Happenings

So check it out! Here is what I got in the mail from Nelishia! Let me tell you, she is just so thoughtful isn't she? Nelishia, thankyou so much for my beautiful gift. This is hand painted y'all! She ordered this just for me. This breed is one of my favorites. This is a picture of a pair of White Crested Black Polish. Striking breed.

 

Photobucket

Yesterday afternoon I heard thunder rumbling off in the distance so I came in here and checked the radar. Look at this radar image! Not one, but TWO heart shaped little storms on the map. See Rome? See the two hearts? Weird huh. I am right above the heart on the left. We never did get any rain from it.

 

Photobucket

My poor guys and gals are still in chicken prison. They aren't as fussy as they first were, but I know they would much rather be stretching their legs out on the green grass this morning. Maybe soon I can let them out...but not yet. I will tell you why next.

 

Photobucket

It took a week, but guess what...something took that dead chicken stitched up with the goods in it. I had been checking every day up until day before yesterday, I didnt have a chance that day. Yesterday I found it missing because I went running out to stop Mr. Lovells son and his help. Here is what they were doing...

 

Photobucket Photobucket

Yep, it was time, and they were cutting down the wheat! Now that is a good thing, because now the foxes won't have any cover...BUT...

remember who is out in that wheat field setting on eggs?

VELLA!!!! The white guinea!

I ran out and let him know about her and her eggs, possibly babies now. He said he was glad I stopped him and told him to look out for her as he didnt want to accidently grind her up in the machinary.

I wasnt sure if she was still in there. You know since I locked up all the chickens the foxes were probably getting desperate. I told them I didnt know for sure if she was still there, and I feared the foxes had found her if she wasnt found setting in the wheat.

They finished the mowing..and no Vella. :(

Unless she took her babies elsewhere and is just gone, then the foxes found her. Either way, she isnt here anymore. :(

*****************************

Now, even though the wheat is cut down, and the bait was taken...there is still something lurking in the night.

I let Tip out around five a.m. this morning..as soon as she started down the steps she must have caught some movement...she rushed under the stairs and looked through the lattice that lines the pool deck and porch. She started to bark. She wanted something under there. I got her back in the porch and we rushed to the other side and out that door to the patio and through the gate to the back. She went here there and everywhere...under the pool deck. I never saw a thing, but she must have. Even after we went back in she kept going to the door and wanting back out to check, just to see, just to make sure that booger wasnt still around, whatever it had been.

When we went out back to investigate, this is what I found. I took these pictures once it was daylight, but I saw this when it was still dark.

Priscilla and Frisky (the polish hen and the golden phoenix rooster) were both sleeping on the ground. That is very unusual as they always get on the perch to sleep. Then I noticed a lot of Priscillas feathers sticking to the waterer and sticking out of the wire..along with Friskys feathers pulled through the wire and on the ground too...look at the pictures of the close up of the wire, in two places it was actually grabbed probably by teeth and pulled on..

 

Photobucket Photobucket Photobucket

Then I looked across the way to the Sultan girls pen...and saw this...

 

Photobucket

All the chickens were okay, but SOMETHING was trying to get at them through the bars and wire. Trying to get them, but only succeeding in pulling out some feathers.

No free meals here, unless it is their LAST meal. Everyone has to stay safe. I can't take losing any more of my chickens. Its really hard on me.

That old pen that I still havent finished taking apart out there has a couple of sunflower stalks full of sunflowers on them. So heavy they are falling over! Here is a picture of one of the flowers opened up. Its just grown from seed that was left in the pen from me giving black oil sunflower seeds in their feed. Black oil sunflower seeds are very good for chickens.

 

Photobucket

I reckon thats about all I have for today. I did get the bedroom and living room clean top to bottom yesterday. Today I need to finish, so after a couple more cups of coffee I am going to get my rear in gear! Everyone have a great Wednesday!!! :)

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love the sunflower shot.  How awful that something tried to get them through the wire...gosh.  That farmer must be nice to stop and be concerned about Vella.  I'm so sorry she wasn't there. :(  Yeah, Nelishia is a doll and has surprised me with some adorable things too - she's got a heart the size of Texas!  Those storms must have really been isolated for you not to get anything ~ that's good!
xx
Lisa

Anonymous said...

When I first seen that wheat harvester I thought OH NO VELLA!?  DId she forget?  Then I read on...Poor girl I bet the fox got her and thats why he hadn't taken the bait for so long.  I wonder what it was trying to get your other girls.  Man that scares me to death...I'm going to really beef up my run!  I would just die if something got one of my chickens but I'm sure it's something you have to get used to.  

That was a really cute gift!  Yesterday I messaged the man that won those eggs and asked him to ask the women if I could get 1/2 and 1/2 possibly some Polish too...I have been reading about them and they seem SO gentle and nice compared to what I have read about the Sumatra.  

Anonymous said...

Nice of the farmer to be concerned. Your gift from Nelishia is very pretty and so fitting for you. Paula

Anonymous said...

Kelly I am glad that whatever was after your Chicks didn't manage to get any of them ~ I do hope you will be able to let them out soon ~ and hope it was the fox that took your bait ~ What a lovely neighbour you have to be concerned about "Vella" I am so sad she wasn't there ~ (or hopefully she moved her babies somewhere safe) ~
That is a beautiful picture of the Sunflower ~ hope your day is going well ~ Ally x

Anonymous said...

Nelishia is indeed a sweetheart! I'm so glad the chicken are ok and just a few feathers were lost. Perhaps now with the wheat mowed down they won't be willing to be so exposed. Loved the shot of the Sunflower. (Hugs)Indigo

Anonymous said...

Howdy, Kelly and gang, I been so busy with the new job, loving it but it keeps me busy.   I wish I knew you like the white crested black polish, I have 16 young ones,  mostly wcb but a few splashed and some solid blacks.  If you like a trio or quad just let me know and I will most definitely try to bring some.  They are about 5 to six weeks old.  Let me know, and enjoy sharing in your chicken experience.  Hope the secret recipe works beyond your wildest dream.  And I won't be suprise if you see your guinea strutting out with a brood of young ones.  Who knows maybe she nested under the patio.  Sending you lots of cooler thoughts (70 and no lower, for like you I don't like the cold).    By the way you will be a grandmother soon, two of the serama hens I got from you as babies are setting, and hopefully they produce a lot of little seramas.

Anonymous said...

I am sitting on the edge of my chair waiting for the next line to scroll up...you are and amazing story teller.  Can't wait to hear what happens next!
Karen

Anonymous said...

Boy you sure have had a terrible time with the Fox! I sure hope they move on or something. That is a pretty light switch cover.  Really nice.  Hope you have a much better weekend with the chickens. Janie

Followers