BYC Café

[Sally PB]

I put some additional deer protection over our little fruit trees. We hauled some wood across the creek and ravine. My arms and back ache. I think it must be bedtime!

 

[Shadrach]

Good morning Cafe. Thanks for the coffee Sour.

I wasted valuable seconds this morning taking pictures.
View attachment 2918038

One of Fabio's daughters, Mackenzie, is a royal pain in my backside. Every morning I scatter 3 handfuls of birds seed mixed with one handful of mealworms in front of the coop to try to keep the flock occupied while I scoop the boards.
I swear, Mackenzie races to eat her share of seed then makes a bee line to the poop boards. She walks up the ramp then parades down through the poop, squishing it all over her feet. I have to block her and turn her towards the sections I've finished.
This morning she flew over to the side I hadn't gotten to yet after having been directed to the finished section.
And then there's her little sister, Wren. THAT one likes to fly up on to the maternity ward lid to scour for the few seeds that fall and get caught along the framework. She's horribly persistent about doing this task. This morning she very handily slipped right around my leg and slid through the closing door. I just barely felt her or I would have locked her in there with no water. She would have gorged on seed and mealworms if I hadn't caught her.
I must again mention they are FABIO'S daughters...

I wasted valuable seconds this morning taking pictures.

Taking pictures of chickens can never be a waste of time!
Lovely picture btw.

 

[Shadrach]

Good morning Cafe.
Coffee is made.
It's not raining so that's a result. Not snowing either, although Bristol doesn't get much in the way of snow usually.
The Christmas frenzy is in full swing. Lots of people trying to make up for the lack of Christmas last year due to lockdown. Grinch or not, it's going to end in tears if people don't be mindfull that Covid has not gone away.

 

[Hermits Garden]

Good morning Cafe! It's just below freezing here, but the day will warm up well enough. We're starting the floor of our coop! Here's a couple pics of the site--the chain link kennel panels will start the run. The last pic is because I'm happy we have so much wood cut for the next few winters.

 

[N F C]

Good morning Cafe, thanks for the coffee!

That's a whole lot of firewood @Hermits Garden

 

[DobieLover]

Morning Cafe. Thanks for the coffee.

My day is off to a horrible, heartbreaking start.

I was late getting out to the birds again this morning. I couldn't sleep so didn't head out until 7:30. As I approached the gate to the pen, I could see the electric net that runs along the back of the pen pulsing hard. I ran over and flipped the switch to turn it off.

A young deer was caught in the fence. His small antlers had a hot wire wound tight around them right on his head and another loop was around his muzzle. He was laying in the freezing cold water of the moat.

I ran back in the house and got a pair of wire cutters and cut him loose but he was too heavy for me to pull out of the water so, in my pajamas with my hair sticking up every which way (I didn't care one stinking big about how I looked), I ran to the neighbors and asked if her son could come over and help me with the deer. His mom went in to wake up her husband instead and they came over. He pulled the buck out and took off his coat and dried him with it. The wife went back for a comforter and covered up the buck to try to get him warm.

The deer is lifting his head so they want to see if he will get up and leave on his own.
I disagree. I think he should be put out of his misery.

Every time I think of what that poor thing went through last night, I start crying again. 10,000 volts pulsing through his head and face while he lay helpless in cold water in 33 degree temperatures all night long. It's just wretched.

And I feel guilty as hell because it's my fence he got caught in. I'm just trying to protect my flock not torture the local wildlife.

 

[N F C]

Morning Cafe. Thanks for the coffee.

My day is off to a horrible, heartbreaking start.

I was late getting out to the birds again this morning. I couldn't sleep so didn't head out until 7:30. As I approached the gate to the pen, I could see the electric net that runs along the back of the pen pulsing hard. I ran over and flipped the switch to turn it off.

A young deer was caught in the fence. His small antlers had a hot wire wound tight around them right on his head and another loop was around his muzzle. He was laying in the freezing cold water of the moat.

I ran back in the house and got a pair of wire cutters and cut him loose but he was too heavy for me to pull out of the water so, in my pajamas with my hair sticking up every which way (I didn't care one stinking big about how I looked), I ran to the neighbors and asked if her son could come over and help me with the deer. His mom went in to wake up her husband instead and they came over. He pulled the buck out and took off his coat and dried him with it. The wife went back for a comforter and covered up the buck to try to get him warm.

The deer is lifting his head so they want to see if he will get up and leave on his own.
I disagree. I think he should be put out of his misery.

Every time I think of what that poor thing went through last night, I start crying again. 10,000 volts pulsing through his head and face while he lay helpless in cold water in 33 degree temperatures all night long. It's just wretched.

And I feel guilty as hell because it's my fence he got caught in. I'm just trying to protect my flock not torture the local wildlife.

OMG Tonya, what a horrible thing to have to deal with (both for the deer and you). It sounds like a freaky odd thing to happen, you didn't do anything wrong.

 

[sourland]

Good morning, Cafe'. @DobieLover that happens under the category 'stuff happens'. If there is anyway of warming that deer up, he may be able to survive.

 

[aart]

And I feel guilty as hell because it's my fence he got caught in. I'm just trying to protect my flock not torture the local wildlife.

Freak accident, don't beat yourself up.
But horrifying, no doubt.

It might recover.....if it's not up and gone within an hour, euthanasia would probably be best.
Is this the same neighbor that executes your birds for you?

 

[DobieLover]

Freak accident, don't beat yourself up.
But horrifying, no doubt.

It might recover.....if it's not up and gone within an hour, euthanasia would probably be best.
Is this the same neighbor that executes your birds for you?

Yes. His father.
Their GSD is the one that mauled one of my birds early on when I was wing clipping to keep them in the pen. His father finished her off so she didn't suffer any longer.
The buck is still alive but barely. The Game Warden is coming to take care of him and remove him from the property.