Well I thought I'd stick up a quick summary of why I've been scarce around the BYC forums over the past year.
I started University, while it's not as strenuous work-wise as I'd expected (and in truth hoped it would be) it is taking up a great deal of my time, meaning that the rest of my life needs to be somehow squeezed around studies. Those that know me will be pleased to know I'm well on track so far to come out of this with a first class degree so even though things are getting mildly hectic I'm still managing to do more than enough study to get me thorugh this on top
The course involves a lot of traveling, so far my schedule for both study and pleasure is - Wash DC March - April, Madeira in April, South Dakota from Dec-May next year and then Louisiana May - June, home for a couple of weeks to unload and reload and then off to South Africa for 2 weeks!
*head spins*
The course I'm doing is Wildlife Ecology and Behavour (thinking about doing a study on the red jungle fowl for my final year project but not sure if I can work out the where/how side of it in time) but as its in the Biology department there are a number of modules available for the choices that relate specifically to humans so I'm getting a really good combination of animal/human biology and health.
Some of you know I was having problems with Shadow (my 7yr old husky for those who don't know me), and that's probably about the time I drifted away from EZboard as there was just so much stress, coupled with the breakdown of a long term relationship and all that goes along with it. Shadow is doing better than expected in many ways, though she is having a few health issues, medication is controling them well and hopefully we can postpone surgery for a year or two.
On the chicken front things are very quiet here, I went away with mum between Xmas and new year for 3 days, the 3 chickens we had were given plenty food and water and the coop was left open, we hadn't been closing it at night for months and had no problems with predators (one of the good things about living in a fairly enclosed ex council estate) however when we came back there was no chickens, I had 2 white and one brown chickens and though htere were a few white feathers scattered about there were no brown ones. I can't see a predator taking a chicken without drooping a single feather so unfortunately I think it was the neighbours. They were not happy when I processed the extre roosters from the last hatch, though I thought it had been sorted out when I invited her round to talk the next day and to my surprise she admitted quite readily to being a hypocrite and I offered to let her know in advance when I planned to process more so she wouldn't have to be exposed to it accidentally.
But this won't stop me from keeping chickens, when I'm sure the weather won't turn nasty I'm thinking about getting a 'broody hen' silkie x something and when she inevitably starts to sit I'll slip some chicks under her - instant flock! (and without the perils of brooding chicks myself, I'm sure she will do a much better job that I would ever be able to!)
Sorry this got so long, I only meant to do a short update! Now it's time to run before i miss my train!
Hopefully I'll be around a whole lot more now I've settled into student life
Vikki
I started University, while it's not as strenuous work-wise as I'd expected (and in truth hoped it would be) it is taking up a great deal of my time, meaning that the rest of my life needs to be somehow squeezed around studies. Those that know me will be pleased to know I'm well on track so far to come out of this with a first class degree so even though things are getting mildly hectic I'm still managing to do more than enough study to get me thorugh this on top
The course involves a lot of traveling, so far my schedule for both study and pleasure is - Wash DC March - April, Madeira in April, South Dakota from Dec-May next year and then Louisiana May - June, home for a couple of weeks to unload and reload and then off to South Africa for 2 weeks!
*head spins*
The course I'm doing is Wildlife Ecology and Behavour (thinking about doing a study on the red jungle fowl for my final year project but not sure if I can work out the where/how side of it in time) but as its in the Biology department there are a number of modules available for the choices that relate specifically to humans so I'm getting a really good combination of animal/human biology and health.
Some of you know I was having problems with Shadow (my 7yr old husky for those who don't know me), and that's probably about the time I drifted away from EZboard as there was just so much stress, coupled with the breakdown of a long term relationship and all that goes along with it. Shadow is doing better than expected in many ways, though she is having a few health issues, medication is controling them well and hopefully we can postpone surgery for a year or two.
On the chicken front things are very quiet here, I went away with mum between Xmas and new year for 3 days, the 3 chickens we had were given plenty food and water and the coop was left open, we hadn't been closing it at night for months and had no problems with predators (one of the good things about living in a fairly enclosed ex council estate) however when we came back there was no chickens, I had 2 white and one brown chickens and though htere were a few white feathers scattered about there were no brown ones. I can't see a predator taking a chicken without drooping a single feather so unfortunately I think it was the neighbours. They were not happy when I processed the extre roosters from the last hatch, though I thought it had been sorted out when I invited her round to talk the next day and to my surprise she admitted quite readily to being a hypocrite and I offered to let her know in advance when I planned to process more so she wouldn't have to be exposed to it accidentally.
But this won't stop me from keeping chickens, when I'm sure the weather won't turn nasty I'm thinking about getting a 'broody hen' silkie x something and when she inevitably starts to sit I'll slip some chicks under her - instant flock! (and without the perils of brooding chicks myself, I'm sure she will do a much better job that I would ever be able to!)
Sorry this got so long, I only meant to do a short update! Now it's time to run before i miss my train!
Hopefully I'll be around a whole lot more now I've settled into student life
Vikki
, but I'm glad it won't stop you from getting another flock.
