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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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...

 

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. :(

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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..

 

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

 

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.

 

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!!! :)