Just found out that fire has touched our family once again. My SIL, Janet's husband's brother lost his Ventura, CA house in one of those wildfires that's raging now. His other brother killed himself not long ago and they found him. Too much tragedy and loss. My other SIL, Janet's older sister, lost two houses to fire in the course of three years, just insane crazy bad luck, I guess. And, of course, ours a few years ago. If it happens again, I'm going to let it burn to the ground and start over completely, I swear, no more renovation, just raze it and start from the ground up. That renovation was brutal.
On a more positive note, Alice, one of the almost 8 yr old Blue Rocks, is laying again. That means three hens in the Old Hens Pen #2 are laying and two in Old Hens Pen #1 are laying, though Amanda could never lay another-she's laid four in November, not sure if she'll produce another one. Her last spurt from last Nov-April produced 17 eggs, but the poor gal will be 11 in March. For my younger crowd, only Cora, the partridge Brahma, plus Thea and MaryJo, the younger Rocks, are laying.
We heard some disturbed cackling around 3:30 a.m. and eventually, around 4 a.m., Tom went to the barn to see if something had happened. He found one of Hector's hens on the floor under the roost, just sitting in the corner. Of course, he didn't know which one it was, not being able to tell as well as I can. Jill has not laid an egg since before she went broody months ago, then she molted and had to gain her weight back, so I'm a bit concerned about her. Rowena may never lay again after her bloating spells. She'll be 4 yrs old with Atlas around March or so. The Stukels and Gloria Jean rarely lay anymore. Lizzie and Tessa both quit around the time Liz got hurt and haven't started back again, but I think they will, not worried about them.
The Brahmas really ought to get started again. They're over their molts now. I don't expect Betsy or Bailey to lay yet, of course. Bailey is still separated and is very much off her feed. Betsy is back to pretty much normal, I think.
