The Belief Project

Okay, so the title of this post is a bit strange, and probably not fitting.  It's what popped into my head.  You see, I have my cell phone service through U.S. Cellular.  And they have been doing all these changes....new plans, new rules for phone trade-ins, new this, new that.  They call it the Belief Project.  I know very little about the details of these changes, really.  But having a sister-in-law that works for U.S. Cellular, I have been informed that these changes, in an essence, do offer better service to customers, but also increase opportunities for the company to generate a great deal more revenue.  The company advertised changes, but kept the details a bit hush-hush till the beginning of this month when the changes went into effect. 

Well, I said all that to say this.  My big changes are coming.  I start my new position on Monday.  Actually, I got a phone call this morning from my new boss.  I have to drive to Charlotte Sunday night.  I will have some training Monday and part of Tuesday.  It's about a six hour drive, so I will have to get a motel room for a couple of nights.  Of course, all this comes out of my pocket till I submit an expense report.  Yeah!!  Cough! Cough!  I must say, I am a bit nervous.  I haven't had a lot of details about this job, and I will be starting in a couple of days.  I just got the call this morning about going to Charlotte first of next week.  But I won't even have the details to where I need to go or what time till later this afternoon.  I'm anxious, to say the least, but excited all the same.  What if I hate this job?  It's not like I can just walk back and take my old job back.  There have already been 50+ applications.  Oddly enough, many of them came through my office, so I've seen who some of the candidates for my replacement are.  Some were impressive, over-qualified in my opinion, and some were, shall we say, completely unexperienced.  But people need a job.  And I'm sure there are ones out there desperate enough they will apply for any job.  I'd probably do the same.

That's that.  The chickens are doing great.  I had three loosies.  There were three Black Austrolorps that hatched out early this summer.  I just let them free range from the time they hatched under their mama.  I decided that it's time to wrangle them up since a neighbor complained about them scratching in his garden.  I managed to catch two, but the third got wise and wouldn't come near me.  I'll have to give it another shot this evening.  I should have tried last night after the thing roosted, but I was too tired.

Not sure what the plans are for the weekend yet.  Mike mentioned going out to Applebee's for dinner Friday night.  My sister said she was taking her kids to the county fair Friday evening.  She said Tony won't ride certain rides with her, and since she had her baby in July she wants to do all the stuff she couldn't do when she was pregnant.  So, that's something else to consider.  Other than that, that's the latest in a nut shell! 

The Rain In Spain Falls Mainly On The Plain

Is it really quitting today?  This morning the weatherman said the rain was gone, except for a couple of pop-up showers along the Pitt County/Beaufort County lines.  I promptly looked out the window to see it was raining still.  I do NOT live along the Pitt/Beaufort county line.  There's still a light mist outside.  We really needed the rain, but this much rain was insane!  I don't know the exact amount, but last I heard it was about 15 and a half inches over the last two days.  I can't help but wonder if any of the cotton crops have been, or will be, ruined by this much rain.  Jacksonville got several inches more, and I heard that Wilmington got well over 22 inches!  My chickens weren't in standing water.  The land is fairly high back there, but the poor things were certainly standing in mud.  One of my roosters, a white silkie, died.  No clue why, except I assume between the cool temps and the rain he may have gotten pneumonia or something to that effect.  I'll have to check them again this evening.  Mike will check them today.

I tried to get rid of a few of them.  I put an ad in the Carolina Bargain Trader, but I only got one phone call.  A lady called, who said her husband told her to call.  She wanted to discuss it with him and call back.  She never called back.  I may have to feed them through the winter, then take them to auction.  C'est la vie.  Oh, and I just sent in another ad to find homes for these kittens.  I have five that need homes.  Otherwise, I'll have to take them to the pound and hope Saving Graces For Felines will pick them up.

Well, I start my new job on Monday, October 13th.  At least I think I do.  My new boss called me last Friday and offered me the job then went on vacation.  To my knowledge he'll be returning to work on Monday.  My current boss didn't give a counter offer.  I really didn't think he would.  It was just too big of a difference.  My current position was posted in the company, and on the company web site (http://www.airgas.com/) and within two days I've heard that they've received over 40 applications.  The position is posted for 10 days, so I can only imagine how many apps there will be! 

So I will be working for Airgas National Carbonation.

I'm sort of looking forward to the change.  Thanks for all the well-wishes.  And thanks for the offer of a good meal, Jim.  How can I get in touch?  It's strange to think I will be driving a truck, especially for what they offered.  No, I will NOT be getting rich.  I don't even buy enough lottery tickets to get rich.  In fact, playing the lottery for me is a rare occasion.  But I digress.  But the difference in pay was worth moving out of the office.  At least, I think....I hope.  (I'm gritting my teeth!) 

Now this is not my truck.  But I will have one similar to it.  I know a couple of the guys I will be working with, and they're pretty cool.  But for now, the suspense is killing me!!

A Nest Box Giveaway And A Job

Well, I had a nice little visit with my aunt.  Last time I saw her she was in the hospital.  She just had surgery and was a bit out of it.  She just celebrated her 80th birthday!  She looks great for 80, too!  She left Monday to fly to New York to visit friends.

I rounded up the little chicks yesterday evening and put them in cages.  Man, that was hard!  Those things can move!  And they kept running into a little grove of trees half grown with shrubbery.  It took about 45 minutes to catch seven of the buggers.  I caught them because there were nearly 15 or so of them, but they kept disappearing one by one.  I figured predators have had enough of my chickens.  Altogether I have 16 little ones wating to find a home.  NO, make that 19 of them.  I forgot the Black Austrolorps.  Got three of them.  Got an ad in the Bargain Trader coming out tomorrow.  We will see how it goes, I guess.

I've heard nothing on the job.  A friend who works in the CO2 department said they should be contacting me by week's end for an interview.  As of Friday, there were 10 applicants, but my boss sent in another application today.  And I don't know how many more may have applied on line.  I will ceratainly keep you all posted.

AND NOW..... for all you chicken keepers out there!  Pam over at Life On A Southern Farm is giving away a 3-HOLE CHICKEN NEST BOX!!

Ain't she a beaut!!  And she can be yours!  All you have to do is go over to her blog Nest Box Giveaway and post a comment!  You also get extra entries for blogging and tweeting and all that jazz!!  Good luck to all who enter!!

Much Ado About Nothing

That's pretty much what I have to share.  I've been my normal busy person, but nothing really worth mentioning.  I'm still camera-less.  But there really hasn't been much to photograph lately.  I did go play a round of golf the other day with my cousin.  It was only the second round of golf I've ever played in my  life.  I shot a 119.  If you know nothing of golf, then know that that is one horrible score.  If you are familiar with the sport, however, then that's quite an improvement from my original score of 135!  I have an outdated Game Cube that I play Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2006 on.  I LOVE that game.  I have played it so much that I am now a better golfer than Tiger Woods, and I have more money than him!  What a fantasy!

It was an uneventful Labor Day weekend.  We did nothing special.  Spent time around the house.  Messed with the chickens.  I have some half grown pullets that I want to put in with the egg layers.  Mike has been buthering some of the older hens, so I am trying to replace them.  But I know I can't just throw them in, as the other hens will peck them half to death.  So I have a small coop set us adjacent to the larger one.  That way they become familiar with each other.  It worked before, so I'm giving it another go.  I also have some small bitties that were getting too big for the little coop I had them in, so I moved them to a bigger one.  My cousin, who works on the fishing boats, has been staying with us, as well.  They haven't been fishing the last two weeks, so he's been staying with us, just chilling out.  It's just been a weekend of visiting and resting.

No news on the job.  They advertise jobs for 10 days, and September 10th will be the last day.  So I may know by the end of the week, or it may be the first of next week.  I will certainly let you know, though.

I made my blog rounds.  I didn't comment of everyone, but I did read.  What a conglomeration of posts!  When you think of each post as a whole, it's quite funny to think of it all.  I read of hair, illness, loneliness, luggage, regrets, hibiscus flowers, getting back to artsy-ness, regrets, home buying, and so much more.  Altogether I think it would make a fabulous book!  Have a great week everyone!

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.

Back To Mormalcy?

I love summer.  I think summer is the most wonderful time of the year.  Even from a kid I always enjoyed summer.  I was very close to my great aunt.  My great uncle passed away when I was four years old from cancer.  My aunt remarried and moved from New Jersey to Texas.  So from the ages of 8 to 18 I flew to Texas every summer to stay with her and her husband.  I've also spent summers working on fishing boats, playing football in the fields, building forts in the woods...you know, all that boy stuff boys do when they are young.  From the time I can remember, my summers have always been busy.  This summer, really, has been no exception.  It's been one thing after another. 

Of course, I was a pall bearer at my cousin's funeral last weekend.  That's not an activity anyone wants to attend during the summer, or any other time of the year for that matter.  My poor aunt told me that she was holding up okay, but the hard part was going to be after all the people were gone.  She has a 21 year old son with Down Syndrome.  Her son was her support line.  I told her that her other sons would help look after her, but she said it was different with Charley.  She said they looked after each other.  She's still gonna be in need of good thoughts and prayers.

My great aunt that moved to Texas is coming to visit next month.  They are on their was to visit friends in New York, but they are stopping by here in Greenville to give my mom a break.  She has been living with my other great aunt (sisters) who is 91 years old.  She has broken her hip twice and is not mentally or physically able to care for herself any longer.  I'm gonna try to take a day off to visit her for the weekend while she is here.

We are once again in possession of too many chickens.  We've had a good hatch or two this year, and we have lots of young chicks.  Since I am completely unable to sex a chicken at hatch I often wait to see if it's gonna be a cockrel or hen before getting rid of it.  I try to keep some of the hens to replace to older hens that are no longer laying.  The older hens end up in chicken and pastry like the one we had last night.  In fact, I'm having leftovers for lunch today.  My two biggest daddies are Perogi and Bucky.

That's Bucky on top.  He's my mixed bantam and Perogi on bottom.  He's RI Red, but I'm sure he's got something else in him because he's got a pea comb.  But I've got other daddies, too.  I've got a couple of silkie roosters that mated with white bantam hens.  So I've got some bantam chicks running around with feathered feet and five toes.  But I need to get rid of some of them, so I will be putting an ad in the Carolina Bargain Trader to sell some of them off.

Oh, I also got another pigeon chick born!  My white pair has laid on eggs three times this year to no avail.  Finally, yesterday, a single white chick hatched!  I'm so hoping it lives.  My black pair has hatched two chicks this year.  Four actually, but only one gets the needed attention, I guess.  So only two have survived.  She is now sitting on another egg or two.  Here's to hoping!

The Final Countdown

My feelings are hurt.  Was it something I said?  Did I do something wrong?  I lost a follower over the weekend.  I had 62 on Friday, and today I am at 61 followers.  Okay, I know I haven't been posting as frequently as I should.  And certainly not as frequently as a good reader would like.  And I apologize for that.  I don't always post about chickens, but my life isn't just chickens.  I love my chickens.  I enjoy raising them.  They are a lot of fun.  In fact, two of my hens hatched out their littles broods yesterday.  And lately, I haven't had any good pics.  I, too, apologize for that.  I've been without camera for a few weeks.  I should have that remedied in another week or two.  With all that being said, I can see how my blog may have become boring.  I am sorry, and I hope you will come back.

Now, I have questions about being followed and following protocall.  Sixty-one blogs is a lot to keep up with.  I do try, however hard it may be.  No, I don't just read the chicken blogs.  Okay, I'd be lying if I said that I didn't have favs to read, but I still enjoy all of the blogs I read.  Really, truly, and honestly, I do.  I don't just read other chicken blogs.  I read plant blogs, life blogs, garden blogs, local blogs, national blogs, international blogs.  In fact, I have tried to follow every blog that follows me.  It seems like the right thing to do.  Wouldn't it be rude otherwise?  Are you required to follow everyone who follows you?  But I have seen blogs with 200, 300, or even over 1,000 followers!  Not that I expect to have that many followers, but if I did, there's no way I could keep up with all of them.  I did make a list over at dobbies.com .  I am on the list of More Chicken Keeping Blogs We Love.  Some of my followers and ones I follow are on that list, too!  I think that is sooo cool!  Congrats to you if you made the list!  But I am sorry if I cause any of you to lose interest, get bored, or just tired of my ramblings.  I hope that over the next weeks or so that may change.

Work has kept me busy, as usual.  Sure there are good days and bad days.  Anyone who never has a bad day at work is disillusioned.  Even people who land dream jobs, like pro athletes, singing and movie stars, and CEO's still have bad days at work.  You think the CEO of BP isn't having any bad days lately?  But overall, I do enjoy my job.  And I am aspiring to upper management.  Yeah, I have goals.  I'd be a fool not to have them.  But starting today, I got my first raise in three years.  Between getting bought out and facing a bad economy we just got passed by.  No, it's not like my salary doubled or anything.  But these days you take what you can get!  I'm sure most of you know what I mean!

The weather has been AWFUL!!  I do love my summertime.  Our temps have been in the upper 90's F. (98F today) And that I can deal with....at least until I get older.  But we haven't gotten any rain.  And we really need it bad.  My squash is all gone.  I'm trying to save my butternut squash, but it's an up hill battle.  So far so good with my watermelons and tomatoes.  The corn is curled and the canteloupes and cucumbers and wilted.  I try to keep water on the maters and melons, hoping I can at least have a melon or two to take to the beach next week.  My Impatiens, Zinnias, and Morning Glories are well watered, but still wilt in the day with it being so hot.  Just send me some rain.  Poor Farmer.  He's hurt his back and is laid out flat.  His grandson and wife have been working the field and taking all the veggies to market.  But Dustin says they will probably have to till in most of what's left.  RAIN!!!!

I will post later this week on the chickens!  Have a great day everyone!  I am on the final countdown till vacation! 

This and That and a GIVEAWAY

What a week last week was!  A co-worker's daughter was in a bad car accident a week ago yesterday.  She was driving when she ran off the road.  She over-corrected and rolled the Suburban 4 or 5 times.  She was the only one badly injured.  She's in a neck brace for at least 8 weeks and cannot take it off, even to shower.  She shattered a vertebrae in her neck and was inches from paralysis.  She went home from the hospital on Friday.  She was qutie lucky, to say the least.  But that put her dad out of work for all of last week.  So I was doing my best to handle my job and his.  He is our inside salesman, so I spent quite a bit of time on the phone with customers and outside salesmen.  But we got through it.  It's always rough at work when anyone is out, as we are at our limit with personnel.

I entered a giveaway this morning! Pam and Farm Man over at A Southern Farm are doing another nest box giveaway.  I didn't enter the last couple cause I thought others deserved to get it.  But I am entering this time.  I may not win, but it's still fun, nonetheless.  Maybe you are interested?!  Go check it out!
http://georgiafarmwoman.blogspot.com/2010/06/henpals-3-hole-chicken-nesting-box.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+LifeOnASouthernFarm+%28Life+on+a+Southern+Farm%29

 I spent the weekend doing things around the house.  We had a couple more chicks hatch this weekend.  There were three actually, but  I think the other hens got a hold of one.  It was missing the next morning, and I found just a small tuft of downy feathers.  I gathered the two remaining ones and put them in a brooder box.  We've still got four more hens sitting on eggs.  They should all start hatching soon, I think.  I didn't really keep up when they started sitting.  And sometimes it's hard to tell when they don't sit constantly.  I had a hen hatch some out at nearly four weeks once cause she wouldn't stay on the eggs.  I almost threw them out!

My Garden is looking okay.  My corn is growing cobs now.  I have watermelons I'm hoping will be ready for my vacation in two weeks.  My crookneck squash is all dying, though.  Same thing happened last year.  These stuid little beetles eat holes in the base of the stalk, climb in, and eat my plants from the inside out!  Makes me so mad I could spit! 

Our baby pigeon is out and about now.  He's still a bit ugly with his oversized beak, but I'm sure he will grow into it.  The white pair keep laying eggs, but none ever hatch.  She sits for maybe two weeks, then abandons the egg.  I put a pigeon egg under a chicken yesterday, but I'm not sure how that will work.  She may crush the poor thing. 

Sorry I haven't posted much lately.  It just seems I always have more to do than I really have time for!  I'm going on vacation in a couple of weeks.  My family is driving up from Beeville, Texas.  They have rented a large house out at Rodanthe (Yes, the same place as the movie Nights in Rodanthe) for a week.  So I will probably be out there with them.  They rented the house a couple of years ago, but I didn't go then.  I couldn't get off work.  I hear it has a private in-ground pool, and is only a block from the beach!  It will just be nice to see them all again.

A Number of Things

Okay, so I have a lot to post about.  That seems to happen a lot, but I don't get around to all of it.  Then it becomes old news.  Then I end up not sharing some things because that happened three weeks ago.  Who cares?!  I'm gonna share a few things today, but still not all of it because it would be an insanely long post.  Besides, it can become some boring details anyway. 

Thanks for the thoughts of comfort on my Monday.  I got up at 3:30 this morning to go pee, and it was raining again.  Then at 6:30 this morning it was coming down in buckets, as the morning news anchor, Lynette Taylor,  put it.  I was glad the chicks were in the brooder.  They are still outside, but they are under the shelter.  Wanna see some pics of them?  I got some before I scooped them up and some of them in the brooder box.  The white ones came from this silkie rooster and white hen.  You can see the black chickie in with her in the second pic, but none of the black chicks made it.  I was gravely disappointed.

They were hatched in a nest box I got from Pam, over at Life On A Southern Farm

She and Farm Man make and sell nesting boxes for the hens.  The have a web site called Hen Pals.  Even if you don't have chickens they are certainly worth checking out.  Excellent hand-made craftsmanship!

I also got these!  A friend and co-worker was doing some spring cleaning and getting rid of a bunch of chicken stuff!  I reminded him of my chicken adventures, and last Friday he brought me a big box of chicken stuff!  Look at all the stuff he brought me!

Do you remember the pic of the nest I took with the bird tail sticking out of it?  You can see it here.  Turns out, it was a mama Robin.  When she flew off I grabbed the ladder and my camera and climbed up to see what she had in my Magnolia tree.  Guess what I found?!  This!!

I have a flower that popped up in the middle of the back yard last year.  Does anyone know what it is?  I dug it up and moved it over by the mailbox.

I have more, but I will share later.  I got two awards!  One from Amy and one from Tracey.  Actually, the one I got from Tracey I got a month or two ago and never posted about it.  I'm a bad, bad boy and in need of a good spanking.  I thank them dearly from the heart of my bottom, and I will share about that tomorrow, time willing. 

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.

What A Week

I am so ready for the entire week to be over with.  Of course, we look for the weekend to escape from the problems of the week, but they don't go away.  They sit right there and wait for you to return to them on Monday.  I had some unpleasant news this week that has put me in a bit of a predicament, and I am left having to make a decision I really would rather avoid.  I don't want to share any details right now, but I'd appreciate any thoughts and prayers I can get.

With that said, my weekend plans changed today.  My sister had asked Mike and I to go to the Dogwood Festival with them in Farmville, NC on Saturday.  There will be street vendors, live music, rides for the kids, and such.  That was the plan for Saturday.  But my mom didn't see my truck at work this morning when she drove by and thought I was out sick or something.  She called Mike and said that all my brothers and sisters were taking their kids to the festival and it was gonna be pretty quiet at home (for a change).  She asked if we'd like to come out for dinner, and maybe help her plant some flowers or something in the yard on Saturday.  So that's what the plan may be after all. 

The circle is the area where my parents live.  That's the Pamlico River that empties into the Pamlico Sound, which in turn, empties into the Atlantic Ocean.  We live an hour and a half west of them on the same river.  But it changes names to the Tar River half way in.

 Lost a chicken a few weeks ago.  Mike and I left Saturday morning and return Sunday evening.  I fed and watered the chickens well before we left, and when we returned we found our splash silkie dead.  She only had one eye.  The guy we got her from said she had Merek's as a chick, but had recovered well except for her eye.  She was with a blue rooster named Blueberry.

They were camera shy.  In fact, they were handled very little and any other type of living thing shy.  But now he seems severely depressed.  He only sits and refused to walk.  He eats and drinks very little.  I'm not sure if he will last through the weekend.  I tried putting another hen with him, but she does her thing, and he ignores her.  I've given him some antibiotics, but it all seems hopeless. 

SKY WATCH FRIDAY

I got this rainbow out our back door one evening with my cell phone. That was before my sister gave us a nice camera.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

P.S. Found out where Stripey Cat was for three days.  Farmer set out live traps to catch varmints around his chickens.  Nosey little Stripey Cat wandered over to his place and got himself into a mess.  But Farmer and his grandson realized he was a pet (but didn't know he was ours) and let him go.  He's home safe and sound now.

Chicken Out!

I haven't done a chicken post in a while.  Shame on me for that.  So, I am going to try and make up for it today.  It was such a lovely weekend.  Saturday was a bit cool, but great weather.  Sunday, I was wearing a t-shirt and chillin' in the sun!  Of course, when we have days like this Mike and I spend it outdoors.  Even if there is nothing to do, we still go outside and find little projects to do.  This past weekend was no exception.  The chickens got to spend a bit of time out of the coop, as well.  I only took a few pics when they were still inside, though.  But they were getting a good bit of sun there, too.

Mike's been buying crumbles instead of pellets because we get a better price.  I throw out a few handfuls for them to scratch for, but I put the bulk of it in this feeding trough someone gave us.  It works great, but they climb on top of each other to get to the feed.

This is Little Chicken, the first chicken we ever hatched.  He's come of age and has been in with the hens.  But he's gotten mean since we took those four other young roosters out.  And since these eggs are for eating only, he got removed this weekend.

The big breasted gal in the box is one of my first.  She was full grown when we got her last February, so I don't know how old she is.  She's really a broiler, so we're not getting any eggs from these girls as of yet.  They may get the chop-chop this year.  The red headed girl is from one of the broilers and the RI Red rooster.  She was hatched early last summer, so she should start laying soon.  These girls don't have names yet.  The white stuff is lime powder.  We cleaned the "stuff" off the next boxes and sprinkled the lime to cut down on the smell.  It ain't bad, but we don't want it to get that way, either.

Dana is our sorta pet chicken.  She's got an enlarged left foot, and as far as I know, she's not layed an egg for us.  She walks with a limp and always gives me a laugh when she tries to run.  It's the funniest sight!

This was Stripey Cat's first encounter with a chicken.  He plays out back behind the coop in the small grove of pines, but he rarely pays any attention to the birds.  He just sniffed a few times then sprinted across the yard.  His attention span is still about 15 seconds cause he's so young still.  Heading out to my parent's this weekend.  Haven't been out there since the new year.  I'm sure I'll get scolded.

Today is the last day to get in on the give away!  Leave a comment, make sure I have a way to get up with you!  I'll announce tomorrow who the winner is!  Stay tuned in!

Are You Kidding Me?!

This is what I woke up to this morning!  That stupid weather man said rain yesterday, turning to snow last night, then back to rain by this morning!  Well, we got plenty of wind and rain yesterday, and there were a few tiny flurries when I went to bed.  WITN-TV here in Greenville said we would get a trace to one inch.  We got about three inches!  Everything is covered in white!  (This pic is from the last snow, but it pretty much looks the same).  I thought I'd wake up to a few slushy spots, as the rain would have melted most of it, but no way!  Roads to work weren't too bad as temps are hovering above freezing and rising.  Slush in most places.  But I am done with the snow!  We are expecting temps to be up to 66F by Sunday.  That's what I'm talking about.  PLEASE!  I'm begging now!

I didn't eat dinner last night.  It wasn't because of what Mike cooked.  I wasn't surprised when he told me.  He's been talking about it for a week now.  I had just gotten quite nauseous.  I felt like vomiting...but I didn't.  Mike killed and cleaned those four RI Red/Buff mixed roosters.  They were only doing some minor sparring (no blood) and never messed with Little Chicken, who is twice their size.  They were only six months old.  They were, however, tormenting the hens with their raging hormones.  And without any eggs, fertile or unfertile, they were just using up valuable food.  So they got cleaned and put on the grill last night for dinner.  I will have to try them for leftovers this evening.  I've never eaten any of my own chickens.  So I'll see how they taste.  I still have a white silkie rooster that needs a new home.  Maybe I'll put him in the Bragain Trader to see if I can find a good home for him.  I actually have two white silkie roosters to go, but I haven't decided on one yet.  He's with a mixed bantam hen.  I'm trying to get her to sit on eggs.  She's got 8 or 9 now, so we will see.

I still haven't figured out the giveaway yet.  Not feeling well last night, I was just laying on the couch all evening.  But I promise that it's coming this week.

Better Day

Today has been a bit better day.  Last night was rough, though.  I fell asleep around 9 p.m. with the tv on.  Woke back up, clicked it off and went right back to sleep.  But I woke again around midnight.  I laid in bed (with Mike and three dogs, we were baby sitting my nieghbor's dog cause he had to go somewhere).  I just couldn't go back to sleep.  It was nearly 2 a.m., so I got up and watched Animal Planet.  About 3 a.m. I went back to bed, but couldn't sleep still.  It was around 4:30 a.m. when I finally dozed off, and had to get up at 6 a.m. for work.  So I got very little sleep last night.

Got a call from SFC Cook today before lunch.  I was gonna call her if she hadn't called after lunch.  She had bad news and good news.  The bad news is that there were too many people worried about rules and regs than good soldiers.  So I am getting outprocessed from the Army Reserves.  I was considering going back to my old part time job at a local gas station.  Last time I worked there they got robbed, and one of my co-workers was shot in the back of the head point blank.  (He lived)  Plus, I'd be getting home around 1 a.m. and having to get up at 6 a.m.  I'd certainly be able to make more money, but I'd be working every week as opposed to one weekend a month.  There was good news, however.  She said that once the paper work was processed (2-4 weeks) I could take that same paperwork right down to a recruiter and get right back in, and even got back to the same unit I was in.  Of course, you know I argued the stupidity of that.  It is a complete waste of time, money, personnel, and paperwork.  But then again, we are talking about the government.  So, I probably will not be participating in March's drill, which is okay, because it is a field experience with boring classes and running another range at Fort Bragg.  I really was not looking foreward to it.

As far as my civilian job, it is quite a headache right now.  We are doing a full annual inventory this weekend, which means late night Friday and all day Saturday at work.  That should help because it means overtime.  But it also means that I have to have everything I do for the whole district, including end-of-month reports done right away, and right.  I'm finding crazy mistakes that are not necessarily ours, that date back as far as last August!  That's part of why I was cranky yesterday.  I know this will all spill into next week as well.  I just want it to hurry and get over all ready!

AND......I was excited about my hens that we raised from last spring and summer starting to lay this year.  But I got a huge disappointment this week!  Four of the five RI/Buff hens are squaring off now and trying to become fathers!  I now have four red-headed cockrels that I have no use for!  Unless I can find them new homes, they will probably end up in the freezer.  I just won't be the one to do the ugly deed.  I simply cannot kill any animal that I have been feeding and taking care of in captivity.  I'll probably give one of the chickens to a neighbor if they do the deed for me.  I want February to just be over now!!

Good Weekend, Bad Monday

We had a very nice weekend.  It was sunny and fairly warm!  Saturday, Mike made another little chicken coop.  And I spent a good part of the day cleaning out the storage shed.  It was so full that you could barely get inside the door.  I cleared out tons of junk!  There is so much space in there now! 

Our friend, Les, had gotten a few roosters from us earlier this year.  He ended up returning some.  He returned two white silkie roosters because he didn't really have room for them.  Then he returned a white mixed bantam rooster.  The white bantam (which is a pretty bird) got put in with another bantam hen that just started laying her first eggs a couple of weeks ago.  One of the silkie roosters also got put in with another bantam hen that just started laying.  I didn't know if that would work, but he's topping her (that's what I call it anyway, to be mild).  So we will see how that goes, eh?!

Then, my younger sister called to just say hi, and Mike told her to bring the kids over to spend the night.  So she did.  And it started out pleasant.  But Saturday night didn't end well.  Cheyanne is eight years old, and did quite well.  Joel, who just celebrated his sixth birthday last month, had a big problem.  First, a little history (in a nutshell).  He's got a very short attention span and was recently diagnosed with ADD.  He's now on medication that has changed him tremendously (mostly in a good way) and has also helped him in school.  But just before dinner he said that his stomach was hurting.  He ate very little dinner and only one bite of his ice cream sandwich.  Then the nastiness began.  It was diahrea all night long.  He was laying in bed with Mike watching tv and fell asleep.  When I went to move him it came from both ends.  I stripped the bed and his clothes and put him in the bath.  Clothes and bed sheets got thrown onto the porch till morning.  It happened again, and we went through the same routine.  I had no medicine for him, and his mom was not answering her cell phone.  So we trudged through the night and he woke feeling better Sunday morning.  He did throw up again late Sunday morning after jumping on the neighbor's trampoline and spent the rest of the time on the couch watching cartoons.  His mom came to pick up JJ and Cheyanne just after lunch. 

Mike and I just piddled around with odd jobs outside.  The weather was just too nice to stay indoors.  He put the wire on the breeding coop he made, and I moved around some chickens.  We've got several roosters that have been alone most of the winter.  No need to have hens getting roughed up if they're not laying.  So, I grabbed a few hens and put them in with roosters.  And Mike put an Omaha Steaks roast on the grill over some oak wood.  It turned out very delicious!  We had au jus that we dipped french fries into, and a spinach and tomato salad.

Then, I came to work this morning.  It was not pleasant.  I think I will spare those details, but I get e-mail updates that tell me about jobs that become available in the area.  Still waiting on a call from SFC Cook about the reserves.  She told me Friday that I'm probably getting the boot out the door.  She was checking so regs for some way around (I don't really believe that) but she would let me know for sure today or tomorrow.  The really stupid part is I can go see a recruiter and get right back in.  That's the U.S. Government (not) hard at work.  Whatever.  I'm in a pissy mood today, and almost didn't post.  I only did because I haven't since last Wednesday.

Born and Raised Right Here

Click To Enlarge

All of these chickens were hatched by us except the bantams in the bottom right and bottom center.  The bottom right were hatched by China, our bantam hen, and the bottom center was hatched by the neighbor's hen.  Bottom left is Little Chicken, our soon-to-be mature rooster.  The top six are all hens from Perogi, our RI Red rooster (pea comb) and/or White Cornish Rock or Buff Orpington.

Guess What Didn't Get Done!

Laugh Out Loud!  I didn't get half of my list done this weekend.  Not by a mile!  Not that it's all that surprising.  It was such a lovely weekend.  Saturday was mid-sixties, bright and sunny.  I spent a good part of the day rearranging some of the chickens.  Our newest buff pair got moved out from under the shed, as we needed the room.  Bojangles got a bigger pen.  Little Chicken and the black star that was with him got moved into the big pen with all the ladies.  And, of course, Mike smoked the butt roast. 

Now, to explain the butt roast.  I can't believe all you pervs and sick-o's!  See, here in the Carolina's we love our barbeque.  It ain't Texas BBQ.  They have brisket and beef ribs with red, tangy suace.  Here in eastern NC we do pork.  Pulled or chopped, on or off a bun, cole slaw, french fries, and the sweetest iced tea!  The best part of the pig to use for such (though other parts can be used is a Boston Butt.  It is a large hunk of meat that comes from the upper part of the shoulder.  I don't know why it is called a butt, but it is perfect for smoking.  We put it on the grill with oak or hickory wood chips (a few weeks ago we used apple wood).  Mike soaked the wood in water to make it burn slowly, but hot.  Our butt roast smoked for nine hours on Saturday!  Then we used a blend of secret herbs and spices mixed in a gallon of apple cider vinegar to barbecue sauce.   Mmmm...mmmm...mmmm...mmmm!  Good stuff!

Sunday, Mike helped Pat clean and partially paint a trailer he bought to haul his lawn mower and other stuff around.  That took up a good part of the day.  I was working on the double-decker pen.  Little Chicken was in the lower part of the dbl decker.

Isn't it amazing how big he's gotten!  He's the first chicken we hatched in the incubator!  He's RI Red (rooster with pea comb) and White Cornish Rock (meat hen) mixed.  He's a gorgeous bird.  He and the little black sex-link were moved in the all the other hens.  We cut out part of the floor of the dbl decker to make it into a more sturdy pigeon coop.  They need something better than what they are in, really.

It was a productive weekend.  We ended it with my nephew, Joel's birthday part at Pizza Inn.  While we were there a nasty thunderstorm blew in (because it was 72 degrees according to the weatherman).  The wind blew at over 40 miles per hour.  But it was a nice party  Happy 6th Birthday JJ!

Got more pics for later this week.  I got the camera back from Mom at the party. 

Finally, the Weekend

I am so glad it's Friday.  I am really ready for the weekend.  Nothing really major happened this week, but it has dragged out so much.  It's just after 3:30 p.m. on a Friday afternoon, and I am exhausted.  I wish I had a nap today.  I'm guessing an early bed time tonight.  It's gonna be a busy weekend.  I haven't had much time at home the last few weekends.  Three weeks ago was Christmas, two weeks ago was New Years.  Christmas was at my parents', and I had planned to stay home for the new year, but went to take care of gimp Dad and sick Mom.  Last weekend I had drill with the army reserves.  So this weekend will be try-to-catch-up weekend.  My nephew had a birthday last weekend I couldn't make it to because of drill.  I ahve another nephew having a birthday this weekend.  I'll be there because it will be at Pizza Inn just down the road from my house.  But the list is long of things to get done.  Mike is smoking a Boston butt roast for Saturday.  I want to drain and clean the fish tanks.  Max needs a hair cut.  I will probably (try) to move a dresser and rearrange clothes this weekend.  The list is endless.  But next weekend I will be flying to Orlando, Florida for a Yellow Ribbon Campaign for the army.  It's mainly a suicide prevention class, but they also hook up those who have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan with resources for benefits, school, employment assistance, etc.  If I pass this Physical Training test next month (that reminds me, I have to run tonight) I will probably be going to school in South Carolina at the end of next month.  Wow!  My plate is full! 
Mike was talking to farmer last night.  He was over visiting when I got home from work.  They were discussing the up coming planting season and (what else) chickens.  He's got Mike hyped about it all!  He wants to make some sort of business out of it all.  He wants to plant peppers for vinegar sauce, and other veggies to sell at the market.  Not to mention, breeding chickens to sell.  Oh, breathe........I need prayer!  LOL 
Well, got lots to do.  I'll try to get my camera from my mom this weekend at the party.  Everyone have a great weekend!

Lacking the Visual Aids

Well, Mike managed to leave the camera in my mom's car....which is now an hour and a half away.  So I cannot take any new pics or down load the ones already on the camera.  But I didn't want that to keep me from posting.  So I am posting today without any pictures to show you guys.  I have a number of hens that should be laying right now, even with the cold weather.  A friend of mine that works for the same company as I do also has chickens.  He is getting eggs from his, but I have not gotten a single egg since before Thanksgiving.  That's about a month and a half without eggs.  I have been feeding them well a mix of layer pellets and scratch grains.  I know there's not a lot of day light now, but I should be getting something!  Well, someone better start laying soon, or I will have farmer come over and dress a few for the dinner plate! 

So with all that in mind, he (my friend) was asking how many hens I have that should be laying.  I didn't have an accurate count, so I grabbed a note pad and tried to count them.  If I'm not missing anyone I have counted 9 roosters and 35 hens.  But some of the hens are not of laying age quite yet.  I have 22 hens that should be of laying age, including 5 or 6 Black Sex Links (known good layers).  With 22 hens of laying age, shouldn't I be getting a couple of eggs a day? 

Here's about what I have:
Silkies: 1 white rooster; 1 white hen; 1 blue rooster; 1 blue hen (white hen lays, blue hen is one-eyed and may not lay)
Orpingtons: 1 buff rooster, 1 black rooster, 5 buff hens; 1 black hen (all laying age)
Sex Links: 6 black hens (laying age)
White Cornish Rocks: 5 white hens (laying age)
Rhode Island Red: 1 rooster (pea comb)
RI Red/ White Rocks: 5 hens; 1 rooster (Little Chicken)
RI Red/Buff: 5 hens (not laying age)
Dominique (I think): 1 rooster
Cuckoo Maran: 1 rooster (Bojangles)
Mixed Bantams: 1 rooster; 5 hens (2 laying age)

Not Much To Say

I have only been blogging for about six months now, but I am considering a break from blogland.  Lately, I have found myself straining my brain to find something to post about.  I can only say so much about my chickens before my blog becomes completely boring.  And to add to my frustration, I am missing my chickens.  Sunrise this morning was at 7:12 a.m.  I was pulling out of the driveway around 7:25 a.m.  On my drive home in the evenings I have to drive with my headlights on because it is already dark.  So naturally, I am spending zero time with my birds.  Not too long ago Mike got a pair of Buff Orphingtons.  Pretty birds, and she was already laying.  He also got me some more pigeons.  I was down to three, but  one did not come back.  He brought me four, so I now have six total pigeons.  They are pretty birds, but I don't have any new pics.  It's hard to get pics when it's dark the entire time I'm home.  I love the Christmas holiday, but I hate winter.  And the cold weather has settled in for a couple of weeks.  Not cold enough for snow, but cold enough that I will now get shocked everytime I touch something metal. >:(  I HAVE to say that I was excited when I got home yesterday to find a box in the middle of the living room with a UPS label on it.  It was the nest box I won from Pam over at Life on a Southern Farm.  It was wonderful craftsmanship.  I'm not sure who will be the lucky hen yet.  Probably one of the Orphingtons.  Either my black one or buff one. 

I guess I will leave it up to you guys.  Should I stay or should I go?  If I quit the blog for a while I will still stick around to read you guys.