Summertime and the living is easy

So far the summer is moving along beautifully here on the farm. This year is one of the calmest I can remember. Like most people, I love summer, lots of lemonade and a little reading on the porch . Animals are happy with the long lazy days. The best are farm days when I can work all day around here and enjoy everyone.  My kind of heaven,  the farm critters roaming around while I read or do chores. The goats love to come up on the porch and hang out with me. They are characters, goats are fun and easy.

I have been working on the to do list. ugh...it never seems to get finished , at least I have made lots of progress this year. I have only had to scrap a couple of projects, most projects turn out well but not all. You tube and DIY blogs have made a big difference.  To save my sanity , I instituted the policy " if you didn't help build it , you don't get an opinion." This keeps irritation levels low, when Mike , Dave or my neighbors decide to critique my work. I am after all not a carpenter not do I have a big budget to complete projects. As long as it's clean, keeps the animals safe but isn't an eye sore,
I'm good to go. I'm not against advice , if it's reasonable or you are willing to help build. My son is eternally frustrated with my projects, he is usually my ride to Home Depot. Dave, has lots of advice, I rarely listen. You know, it's hard to take your children's advice seriously, unless it's about computers then I listen.  On our last trip to Home Depot, he asked  "Mom are you rebuilding the house? What are you doing with all the wood?" I just laughed.

 Chickens got new nesting areas, made from some cast off dressers. They have stopped squabbling over nesting boxes. It's much quieter in the chicken house now. Everyone seems to have claimed a favorite. I'm getting a record number of eggs. My neighbors get peace and free fresh eggs.  A new fence and some pasture grass seed , have given Andy the miniature horse and goats more grazing area. Buddha and Gandhi (goats) were bored,  now they can cause trouble in a new place.   I love being able to open the back gates and just let everyone wander around. Since we live on a busy road it does cause a little slow down every now and again. People from other areas , aren't used to seeing animals roaming around the front yard. Several passersby have stopped to take photos. A couple from Brooklyn asked to take pictures of Andy with their reluctant toddler.  I'm not sure why anyone wants a picture of a crying child on a horse but Andy cooperated despite the noise.

Since it is safe , the chickens roam out front , they have cleared up the gnat problems. I hate gnats don't you? Sadly,  I didn't get the front yard garden finished in time to plant, there was just too much to do. I was really disappointed in myself. Looks like it will only grow pumpkins this year and then a slew of veggies next. It seemed like a perfectly feasible idea ,in February. I forgot all the work it takes to get the farm back into shape after a hard winter. The backyard and preschool playground look good finally. Now I just have to refinish the deck,  one area will actually be finished for now. I finally built an outdoor sink and potting bench from some old pieces of furniture.  It's working out well. I really needed it to wash hands and eggs. It will get a coat of paint once the torrential rain storms stop.

We have a couple of new residents a pig named Rapunzel and a cat named Oscar. Rapunzel had her ear chewed off by a sibling. She needed a new home and some understanding.  She's a tiny 7lb terror. I guess losing an ear makes you edgy. She likes my son Dave the best. When he visits she calms down.  Whenever I try and get her to do anything, she responds with ear piercing screams.  Time and patience will make a big difference. Good thing she is adorable. Oscar had issues at home but he seems to be working out well here. Hopefully he will only need a few weeks rehabilitation and training then he can return to his family. Rapunzel loves him which is good because they share a spare bedroom. Once Rapunzel is older she will move into the pig apartment Dave built , out back. Hopefully she will like Pablo and keep him company during the daytime For now she's inside with  daily outdoor rooting play time. Pigs are so easy to house train. House training is literally the only easy thing with a pig,  everything else takes work. Please don't run out and get one until you do your homework. They have lots of bad habits. I get calls several times a year about a pig that needs a new home.

I hope you are all having a wonderful summer. Thanks for reading my stuff,  I truly appreciate you.

Thunder Birds and Henry

A crisp morning turned into a hot humid afternoon. I just finished fixing hinges in the horse stall. The goats have been using their heads to butt open locked doors. Goats are always doing something to get into trouble. My phone rang, it was a driver named Bill . Bill informed me "I have your baby chicks ". After explaining" I don't drive" making it impossible for me to get to the post office in the next 10 minutes, before they closed,  Bill decided to bring them to me.  Bill is not supposed to deliver them to me. He was just a nice guy.  Right then, a storm came rushing in, sky turned vicious black, rain pelted the tin barn roof. I hustled to get all my critters and tools inside. I looked up to see a huge all white semi trailer truck blocking the busy road out front. It was too big to turn into the driveway and there is no shoulder. I ran out to greet it. Cars honking, as Bill handed me a tiny box. He explained he kept the box up front with him all the way from Iowa." They are too little to be in the back ." "They like the Beatles,Yesterday is their favorite it calms em down". I smiled looks like this flock, the Thunder birds,  is off to a good start. Thanks Bill.

Over the years I have learned that if chickens get plenty of socialization with humans early on they are better farm citizens. They listen, can be picked up easily and don't try to leave the yard. I have a system, hold each one repeating their name to them while rubbing their ears(chickens love to have their ears rubbed). They eventually will all know their own name and come to it. Days are spent outside in a protected pen with interesting things to climb on and small tubes to play in. I get them this time of year, once its warm, so they can be brooded in the barn with their future family. Fingers crossed this is going to be a wonderful flock providing lots of healthy nutritious eggs and entertainment. I love chickens.

The girls aren't the only new comers. They join two ducklings and a tiny Serama rooster called Henry. Harry and Rory my grandchildren's ducklings were named by Harrison and Rory .  There's a pattern here, my little horse is named Andy named by my nephew Andrew. I have assorted chickens bearing the names of some of my former students. Kids are funny.  

Henry is an amazing little guy weighing in at less than 1 lB. Henry was raised with four children in
a house. He likes people. He doesn't know how
to perch like a normal rooster and never crows. I
do take Henry on visits to Mikes house. He's an excellent guest and seems to enjoy the outing. Memorial Day was extra special because Henry came to the BBQ. I am tempted to treat henry like a parakeet. Keep him in a bird cage in the house. Good for me, bad for Henry. A chicken deserves to live like chicken, happily scratching the earth for bugs and hanging out with a flock. Henry comes when called and enjoys being held. He will even jump into my lap for a cuddle. I'm over the moon for him. 

Henry is getting used to being a chicken. He heads for the barn now as the day comes to a close. He was petrified of outside at first, he wouldn't even leave my side for a second. He sort of froze when ever I set him down. Now he runs all over. scratching away. He's gone after the Peacock on several occasions making me belly laugh . He put himself in charge of the new baby girls. He protects them against anyone coming close. Jumps at all intruders except me . It's created a few scuffles with Hercules my chihuahua who considers himself the guardian of all baby chicks.


All of the new babies chirping attracted a fox .We get lots of fox usually at night. I haven't lost a chicken to a fox in 2 years. They keep trying but better fencing coupled with diligent husbandry has kept them safe so far, fingers crossed. I call this one swiper after the fox in Dora the Explorer. We were introduced in broad daylight as she was locking her jaws onto a chicken named Oreo. Oreo flew over the fence into the horse pasture.  Luckily my shouts accompanied by chasing, while waving a rake , caused swiper, to lose her grip.  Oreo ran down the hill to safety.  A little blood stop and some antibiotics are helping Oreo recover from her near death experience.


Since swipers first visit she has been by many times. I decided to start  feeding her. I am employing, a successful strategy , suggested by a fox loving neighbor, several years ago. The fox in question,  was particularly brazen , killing an entire flock of guinea fowl one sunny afternoon.  They are opportunistic hunters, full tummy keeps them from snacking on my feathered kids while helping little kits survive.   Swiper must have kits to be out during the daylight. It's not her fault, I hold no malice for her. I am hoping to get a glance at her kits one day.

Now the search is on
for tiny Serama chicks for Henry's flock. The girls he's watching now will be 7 times his size when grown. He could easily be hurt or killed. chickens can be very aggressive with each other.  Henry needs a covered yard and can't be around the other roosters, he's just too small. So it looks like were going to have a tiny little flock soon. I'll take lots of pictures and post for my animal loving followers. I am so excited to see what a tiny Serama egg looks like. Thanks for reading , you are awesome, I appreciate my readers. I am hoping to get enough followers to help support some of the rescued farm animals,  I call family. Making way for more unwanted animals to join our little menagerie.