I'm Not Dead! I Feel Fine!

I'm not posting much these days, and I'm certainly not reading much, either.  I'm sorry to those of you that think I should be doing other wise.  It's just that I can't seem to find a moment to breathe.  Work has been intense lately.  I'm still trying to figure out how to do twice the work with half the workers.  That seems to be common in today's economy.  Of course, there's been plenty to do at home, as well.  This past weekend we moved Bucky and China to a larger coop.  Our nieghbor Dustin tried grabbing Bucky first.  Then I gave it a shot.  Finally Mike managed to grab the little bugger.  He is the absolute meanest rooster I have ever seen!  And the smallest!  I guess he tried to make up for his size!  He's put marks on both Mike and I before, and has even drawn blood!  He's a pretty rooster. (see his pic in my last post) But I just assume not go near him if I can help it.  Our swimming pool has been green for a month now.  We've attempted to clean it, but each time we get close we get more rain, or get busy and skip a few days.  So out of frustration, Mike has emptied it out.  I guess it will go unused till next summer. 

I still haven't put those chickens in the Bargain Trader.  I don't think they are going to be so easy to sell this time of year, really.  And all these little ones are certainly too small to eat. 

 Okay, so this pic is a couple of weeks old.  But really, they aren't much bigger than that.  It's funny, when I go out to feed them in the evening time, I always feed the chickens under the lean-to first.  But all these little chicks are running around, so they come running to me to get some dinner.  They are quite skiddish, though.  For every time I take a step towards them they turn and run like I was a fox.  It's the funniest thing, really.  I have to let out a giggle when I see them do it, even when I am alone. 

I am thinking of going back to school.  Really, I'd like to go to nursing school.  When I first went off to college I was a biology pre-med major.  I wanted to be a doctor.  But I thought it was more important to play volleyball in the sand pits than attend boring labs and lectures on microbiology and cellular morphology.  They even sound boring!  My grades starting slipping, so I ran off to Texas, finished my degree in ministry, then ran off into the army to pay off the sacks of loans I had taken out to pay for six years of college.  Now, nursing school would be too hard to pull off, methinks.  I'd have to attend labs and clinicals during the day time, and I'm not sure how I could work a job to pay my bills and go to classes like that at the same time.  But lately, I have been thinking, maybe I should persue a Masters in Business Management.  I like my current job, it pays fairly well, especially for this area, and a Masters degree could potentially open doors for major advancements.  But of course, I've not really done any research.  It's such an ambitious goal.  Most of the time it seems unobtainable.  Sometimes I think I really just need to simplify my life.  But I can't think of too many things that I'd want to go. 

Well, there's no rhyme or reason to today's post.  I'm just typing as I think.  Hope everyone is doing well.  I apologize for not visiting much lately.  I will be back to normal soon.

An Unpleasant Chicken Day

Yesterday was NOT cool.  We went about two months without a dcent amount of rain.  Jim Howard and Greg Armbrect said we were getting some, but we didn't.  I'll bet Greg Fischal said we were, too.  But very little rain came if any.  Friday we were slated for a 60% chance on Monday, but by Sunday night it had jumped to 90%.  And the rains came.  My garden needed the rain, too.  I was carrying 5 gallon buckets out to water my veggies one at a time.  It's about a quarter acre, so my arms were a bit sore. 

As most of you know I had chicks hatch last week.  Some came Tuesday or Wednesday with more to follow Friday.  I never got an exact number, but I believe it was around 18 or so.  The bantam with the silkie rooster kept losing hers.  She hatched out 8 in total, but they were dying one at a time.  She still had 6 when we left on Friday.  Dustin, our neighbor fed and watered for us.  He's farmer's grandson. We got home late Sunday so the birds were left to sleep.  I didn't have time to check them before work yesterday, but when I got home I changed and went out to see.  It was still raining and all the birds were soaking wet.  The two hens were huddled over their chicks.  But the bantam/silkie only had 3 doing well with one squished in the mud!  It was the last black one.  I had to put it out of it's misery, and I was at the very brink of tears.  I didn't make Mike do it.  And I felt just awful!  Mike did tell me he pulled one dead chick from her that morning, and two from Bucky and China.  So I wrangled up the remaining chicks...three silkie/bantams and six from Bucky and China....nine in total.  I put them in the brooder box with feed, water, and some wheat straw for warmth.  Both hens clucked on calling their chicks, and the chicks peeped quite loudly from the box.  I felt awful for that, as well.  But I felt they would be safer that way.  I do have a heat lamp for them, as well. 

We also had a couple of pigeon squab hatch last week.  I think one of them is dead, too.  Mama was sitting on them and wouldn't let me check.  But I know one is still living.  I could see it moving.  Got another pigeon sitting on two eggs.  Baby pigeons are so UGLY!  Their beaks are way to big!  Glad they are pretty when they grow up. 

I haven't been commenting as much lately.  I've been busy as a bee in a clover field.  But I still pop in to check on each of you.  Just cause I don't say anything doesn't mean I'm not reading!  I'll try to get some pics up in the next day or two.  I have some, but they are still on the camera.  Have a pleasant day, all.

All Gone Wrong

My computer went dead. I mean, I got the blue screen of death!! I couldn't even log on in safe mode. So I had to ship it off the Charlotte for fixin'. Turns out I had a bad memory chip that had to be replaced. That left me without a computer for five days. It was fixed and shipped same day, but you have to give time to get it there and back!! Anyway, it's sorta fixed now. My screen is jumpy like it has had too much coffee, but everything else works. I will call Babs tomorrow to see what I can do to get that fixed.

I missed the auction this weekend. I thought it was next weekend!! Not that serious, cause I really wasn't prepared anyway. However, the next auction is September 12th and 13th! I have drill that weekend, so I won't be able to make it then, either. That really stinks. That means that I have to wait till September 26th before I can go to auction. I might have to put a few hens in the freezer. I just don't wanna be the one to do it. I truly don't mind the chickens being readied for a good meal, but I don't wanna see it happen. I've been feeding them morning and evening and talking to them. I go out and sit and watch them in the evenings! They almost like pets! Kill them if you must, just keep it from my eyesite!!

My grass is entirely too high. I started to mow my grass this weekend. I got about half the back yard done when the mower just died!! I'm not sure what could the matter be, but I will have to get it checked out soon. My sister popped in for a short visit, and my five year old nephew politely reminded me that I need to mow my front yard. What a growing list of things I need to do, eh?!

China has started laying again. I still have seven of her babies left. Les is supposed to get them, but I'm not sure when. Then are about eight weeks old now, me thinks. But she chases them away quite frequently, and now has four eggs in her nest. If I can get rid of the bantams fairly quickly, I don't mind her brooding again. But otherwise is just adding fuel to the fire.

I now have some silkies!! And my white hen has started laying. I am sure I can do well with her chicks! Of course, the rooster is blue. I have a white rooster, but it's her daddy. But I was told that the bitties will be either blue or white. I am learning something new all the time with these magnificent creatures.

I suppose I have blogged on quite enough. I'll give your eyes a rest for now. I'm working on a camera to get pics up. But in the mean time, thanks for noticin' me. :)

TGIF!!

I am so glad that it's Friday. Work has been insane, and I am so ready for a couple of days off. This credit crunch has left us hurting for help because we cannot hire. That means that I am having to extra work for no extra pay. We are not allowed overtime, either. My mom wanted me to come for a visit before I go to Florida, but I have so much to do at home, not to mention gettting ready to go. I spoke with her today, and she assured me that she knows I still love her even if I don't visit when she wants. We we gonna meet half way for dinner tonight, but my dad has to work. So we agreed to wait till I get back.
My brother is staying with us. He moved back from Texas a few weeks ago, and is now job hunting. Till he can get himself settled he will stay with us for a while. He just called me a few minutes ago to tell me that Bojangles, the Dominique rooster has escaped and has gone missing. I'm not home, so there's nothing can do about it. I'll have search when I get home this evening.
I got to count the bantam babies yesterday afternoon. There was 11 of them. A short while later I found one dead in their little coop. I'm not sure if Bucky killed it or not. He's a little bit of a hyped up one. Just to be on the safe side, He got put by himself for a few weeks. He is close by, so hopefully he will get used to them.

This is China. She has finally come out into the sunshine! Well, what she could find. We had some nasty thunderstorms yesterday. But the babies were all running about. I had to pick one up. They are so incredibly tiny!! And adorable. Of course one of my bantam pullets is all white, and one of Henry's friends wanted a white one. So, I guess if I get a white hen out of the three white ones, I will have to give it to him. Unless I give him my white pullet. Then I could breed one of my white ones to the cockrel (full grown rooster by then) that I now have. Whatever. I'm digressing just now.

I have so many jalapenos! Mike makes those jalapeno things with the shrimp, cream cheese, and bacon. I love those things. But I have never made jelly. (at least not on my own...I have helped others when Iwas a kid.) So I was searching for some recipes on the internet today for jalapeno jelly. I have four recipes...one for hot jelly, one for mild jelly, one for mint jalapeno jelly, and one for raspberry jalapeno jelly. If any of you have any recipes you'd like to share, please feel free to e-mail them to me. mikenran@gmail.com .

Y'all have a most wonderful weekend. I'll blog at ya later!!

One Moving Day

I got home from work yesterday and went out to feed the birds. I have five bitties (not quite old enough to be cockrels or pullets yet) that have been in a bitty box. But they were getting a bit big for the box. So I had to move them. But I had to divide the coop for the three bantam teens first. So while I was doing all that I decided to let the ladies run around the yard to eat grass, bugs, and whatever else they thought would make a great snack. Those buffs are something else. They are quite sneaky like John Gray's little ducks. I turned my head for a moment and they were gone. Of course, they haven't found a favorite place yet. Sometimes they slip past the short pines into the garden. Occasionally they go around the side of the house to the front yard. Yesterday, they went behind Henry's shed into his back yard. And they do not like to go back into the coop for the evening, either. But I finally got the new coop set up for the bitties, and they loved it. They discovered dirt and went straight to fluffing their feathers in it. The bantams didn't like having to share a coop, but they sure were interested in checking out the new neighbors!! And, yes, China did have her babies. She's not letting them out, yet, though. She barely lets them out from under her wings! I have a pic here, but it's not a clear one. I had a half lid on it to keep the

wheat straw in, so I took it off yesterday to encourage them to come out. She will get hungry soon, and they will follow her out, I guess.

I suppose I better get some work done. I'll be back later. Y'all have a good one!!

New Borns?

I think I have some new born Bantams. Bucky's woman, China, has been sitting in her little 5 gallon bucket for the last three weeks (I think it's been that long) on about 10 to 12 eggs. This morning when I was feeding them I thought I heard some peeping from under her. But she was not going to get up for me to see. And Bucky is one mean little bloke (I used that word for you Brits :) I am anxious to see them. He's black with a light tan neck collar and so is she. I have a couple of bantam cockrels and one small hen that are about 4 months old. I thought one of the cockrels was a hen because of a small comb at the time. I am getting another hen, but Henry won't take the cockrel back. Grrr!! Maybe I can give him away. Little Chicken, who now needs a good rooster name, has finally starting trying to crow. He is so funny!! He sounds like an extremely hoarse rooster with larengitis!!

I finally got a picture of Minnie! She's camera shy. It's probably because of her weight. She loves to eat.....and it shows. She should be about 15 pounds. She did weigh 26 pounds, but has lost down to about 20 pounds. We're working on it. Now that we have moved out of that apartment she gets a little more exercise. And you have to feel bad for her when she gets in trouble, because she runs and hides. And if you yell at her (which is a very rare occasion for all the activists) she wets herself. She's my baby girl, even though I sometimes call her pork chop. LOL

I didn't really have a lot to say today, but I wanted to post anyway. Maybe China will have her chicks out this afternoon, and I can get some pics of them for tomorrow (if I wasn't imagining things ;-P) I want a catchy saying to end with, but whilst I chew on that cud, y'all have a good one!!