Coffee's ready...

[rancher hicks]

Hey everyone, DW woke up late so I'm up early, man it is cold, below zero and waters frozen. Snow in the forcast. Yuk. Can deal with the snow but not the cold.

Take care and stay warm

Rancher

 

[chics in the sun]

Brrr.... There is frost on the cars and ground this morning. I ran out and threw the girls some scratch to warm them up. They seem to be doing fine with my make-shift tarps over their coop. You wouldn't believe what I found being thrown out on Sunday, though - a great little rabbit hutch!! I've seen ones like it go for $250 new! It has a better, cozy little encolsed area than the wire cage I had him in, so we moved him to that one and put a sleeping bag over the whole thing. He seems to really like it. I had a wooden box for him in the wire cage, but he is a very big bunny and he didn't completly fit in it. The things people throw out! A few weeks ago I found a really nice rack you hang pots and pans from in the kitchen - doesn't even look used!!

Anyway, I have a thousand things to do today to get this place organized after all the stuff we got for Christmas. Time to secretly donate some of my son's toys to the thrift store, and go through my closet, and get the girls to do the same. Figure out where to put my new wine glasses and pitcher and tea glasses.

Have a great day, chicken herders.

 

[rancher hicks]

Well chicks, it's warmer here and by that I mean the nipples weren't froze in the coop this am. That's good by my account. Supposed to be 50* on saturday and I can't wait.
Now about your finds. We used to "trash" pick alot of stuff when we we're younger and poorer, now I'm taking stuff to the rescue mission still in the boxes unopened. I guess some folks just can't sell it or just don't want to bother going to the thrift stores.

Waiting on chicks to hatch and I'm not a patient person so it's driving me mad.

Take care and have a nice day everyone.

Rancher

 

[math ace]

Quote:
I live so far away from the city and places to donate things that I do put good stuff out by the road. Trash day is Wed. I try to put stuff out over the weekend or a day or two before trash day. If it is something that will get damaged by the rain - - - I will bring it back to the garage at night and put it back at the road the next day. It is my hope - - - that those who want it will stop and pick it up.

My Dd got a new desk for christmas. I put her old desk ( a sewing table converted into a girlie desk) by the road. A lady stopped and asked if she could have it that same day. I said "yes, I hoped somebody would want it"! Sounds like her Dd just got a new desk for christmas too. My Dd had just out grown it

It is probably a 60 - 90 round trip to some good charities to donate to. They tend to be on the other side of Jacksonville.
The side of the road works much better

 

[quercus21]

Morning People,

Weather is warming up some. I woke to 30 degs, and going to the upper 30's today. We finally received some snow the other day, maybe 6 -8" but with some good drifting going on (well past my knees).

This is the first time the young birds saw this much snow. Rhubarb went to see the old timers (grumps). He did a long leap to avoid the snow, but not long enough. He landed in a deep part, I think his feet weren't touching the ground, he was flapping up a storm trying to get air born again. I had to go over and pick him up and move him to a cleared spot.

We are hoping Friday we'll have some quiet time and be able to sneak out and start our winter hikes. We have been itching for this for a while. Between hunting season (2 people shot in the cats this year, 1 by a deputy sheriff) and the holidays, so we don't do much during that time.

Looking forward to getting the garden going again. How are your gardens doing Chicks-in-the-sun & Math-Ace?

Enjoy your day

Kaj

 

[oesdog]

Morning

Well the thaw happened here No more snow.

Had to let all the birds out to free range this mrning and Duck the Big Rooooooter was making a racket. Wasn;t sure why but it was like a danger call.
Though I couldn;t see any danger not anyplace???? He went on for agess and I couldn;t shut him up then I realised Caroline was missing - turned out she was busy laying an egg??? I wonder if Rooooosters can count????? He sure didn;t like her not being there. He shut up soon as he saw her comming out of the coop!!!!

Anyhow they are quiet now. I know we need to think on getting rid of the guys cause they are well noisy now. One was crowing in the night and its not even summer time yet!!!!!!

Oh I hate this bit of Chickebn farming!!!!!
We are putting it off as long as we can.

Oesdog

I WANT MORE CHICKS!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[karl E lutz]

Good morning chicken wranglers
Rancher it is supposed to be 50 here on friday. One day ahead of new York I guess.I cant wait! Not!
The mud is the worst part of every thaw.
I put out a new bail for my cows this morning and I noticed my little hefer has not eaten for a day. I'm gonna put her in the basement stall under my garage for a couple of days and have the kids love on her and get her back up to snuff.
A prayer for the cow "to live" would be in order. My hens are back on schedule laying again maybe with the thaw they will get some outside mud time.
Oesdog I have a hen that thinks she is a roo also I think! I heard her trying to crow yesterday and I hope she gives it up because it wasn't anything you would appreciate.
Good day to you all and god bless!

 

[chics in the sun]

I sometimes leave stuff out on the curb just so I don't have to lug it! It does get taken pretty fast around here, and if it doesn't I'll drag it to the thrift store.
I'll pray for your hefer, Karl. I bet some lovin and warmth will do the trick! I know just what you mean about quiet time, Kaj - I'm hoping to have everything done around here and at my rental by Friday, so I have the weekend to relax an maybe go on a hike. We're not even planning much for New Years eve. Just stay around here, maybe watch a movie. The holidays are just so crazy. The frost here has been hard on the few things I still had growing after the chickens discovered the new garden. The red peppers are the only surviors right now. I do have some tomatoes, but they just seem to be staying green. My son got a "bed tent" for Christmas, but due to the way his bunk-beds are arranged, it's useless (they have been in his bedroom before.......

, plus I think he would be scared to have a tent covering his bed), so I told BF I'm going to use it to cover up the garden when the chickens are free ranging.

Just not when the in-laws are here!
Well, time for laundry and more organizing. Have a good day!

 

[rancher hicks]

Morning all,

Kaj, if it gets warm enough I may stick in some more garlic. Nothing to lose I guess and I have a bed all prepared.

Karl, yeah I forgot about the mud , but there are areas I can work on just the same. I 'm hoping to put in a few more raised beds, cuz the seed catalogs are here and I plant more than one variety of things. I figure if one doesn't do well the other will. Don't worry about your
heifer might just need some TLC.

Oesdog, you know different breeds have different personalities and maybe your guy needs to be exchange for a more docile guy.. I do know leghorns are noisier as i have a bantam and he crows alot. If yours is a legbar he's got leghorn in there. Maybe trade him for a Pekin/cochin.

Chics used to find some nice stuff on the curb. Once had a artificial Christmas tree I picked dumpster diving. I used to deliver to the retails stores and used to find some nice stuff. When you got little kids you don't buy expensive stuff. Of course in the poorer days you don't think its' good but it works. Got three nice chairs from the thrift store and nice Khakis for $4.99 a pair. Don't know why more retirees don't shop there. Was just there yesterday they had two nice ladder backs for $5.00 each. Shoot I put one on the curb and it was gone in a second. Of course anything metal here disappears real fast. Point being your giving to the thrift stores helps more people than you know.

Well take care folks. Hope everyone has a good day

Rancher

 

[math ace]

Quote:
DEAD DEAD VERY DEAD!

My collards and red cabbage are hanging in there, but everything else got burned by the record freezing temps. . .
In the 20's at night for days at a time for the last month. . .. . OMG - -- mother nature has kicked my gardening butt this year !

Enough whining. . . . I went to the garden shed today and brought back seeds and small trays to start some new seedlings in . . . . Maybe the spring will be kind to be this NEW year - - - Lord knows it wasn't this past Spring