My sister and I cracked up over the scurrying Santa dog; thanks for posting it!
My anxiety over having her and my BIL here for Christmas was unwarranted. Meals went fine, gift-giving was thoughtful and he -- a landlord with much snow removal experience -- helped me figure out what I needed to...
Haven't seen any possums in the last few days, and I'm relieved. I've always felt a bit sorry for the silly little critters and am surprised that with their poor eyesight any of them survive to adulthood. Couple that with their moseying gait, and it's a wonder coyotes haven't wiped out their...
There are many knowledgeable folks here who know much about raising poultry -- and now, it appears we have one more!!
In five years of raising chickens you've likely experienced your share of ups and downs, learned what works and what doesn't, what you and your chickens like and what they...
It's good to meet you, Jay, and it's great that you are checking out options before you actually have chickens.
If you have the ability to build your own coop, that's generally the best route. Most pre-fabs greatly overestimate the number of birds they will properly house and many are flimsy...
Merry Christmas to all! 🎄
Somehow, I missed why you were offline, Miss Lydia, but I certainly missed your presence. You have given such good advice to so many (myself included), and I'm glad that can resume.
Welcome back, and here's hoping for a GREAT 2026 for you and everyone!
Like you, Mick, my priorities are eggs and animal welfare. I often get asked what happens to my birds when they stop laying. I let them happily retire (after all, no chopped off my head when I quit going to the office!). They are still charming and entertaining creatures.
Overwhelmingly, folks...
Thank goodness you haven't lost any birds!!
Lost three of my first four chickens to a mink, a weasel "cousin," one winter night when I forgot to close the coop door. They are horrid murderers because they appear to kill for sport, not to eat. I had to retrieve the mutilated bodies of my girls...
Yesterday, I spotted something sticking out the door of Camille's open coop while Camille stood in the back of the run and chattered excitedly. The "something" was a possum tail, which I snagged and gave him an upside down trip to the compost pile. He ran into an old plastic tote to hide, and...
On one of the set-ups, the coop door is at the opposite end from the run door. That means I have to get into the 4-foot-high run to open or close up the coop. I'm not tall, but either a taller run built with 6-foot lumber or the foresight to put the run door near the coop, not at the far end...
How is Constance doing? Sorry I haven't posted for a while. There has been so much going on here -- horrible weather, better weather (but with melting and refreezing), a scare with one of the ducks and my adventures with coyotes and an opossum.
I hope you've gotten your appetite back. I am...
Mine not only love grapes, they recognize the word "grape" and come running when they hear me announce it.
It's like watching a game of keep away as whoever gets a grape first runs madly through the yard with it instead of quickly swallowing her prize.
20 degrees this morning -- that's about 30 degrees warmer than yesterday early!! And, no snow in the forecast. Santa doesn't need to bring me anything else!!! 🎅
Blair, one of the runner ducks, seems fine today. Yesterday, she was literally frozen to the floor of the shelter. She had relieved...
Blair and I just had a wrestling match, which I barely won. The bottoms of her feet look fine; there are a few black spots and small areas on top of her feet -- which may also be her regular coloration. Some of the ducks have blackish feet, some orange, some a mix. or.
Would frostbite show up...
Love the chicken parade! Your chickens obviously appreciate your shoveling efforts.
My ingrates stand in the coop doors and stare as if I should make ALL the snow go away so they can wander wherever they want.
Blair appears okay now, but I had a few heart-stopping moments. Temps are and have been in the double-digits below zero. When I released the runners this morning for breakfast (I don't feed them or give them water in the shelter), everyone ran out except Blair.
She had been quiet until she saw...