English Shepherd as Poultry Guardian

[centrarchid]

Dog door of size needed will not work with garage door I have. Instead I will have to replace exterior swing door with one that has a dog door built in. I will be able to hang such a door myself.

My son told me over phone he really wants to come home. I am looking at a private school closer to my place of work to see if it will allow my kids to enroll this late in the year. The year is messed up beyond recognition regardless.

 

[centrarchid]

New phone to do face time with kids. Has better camera as well. A bunch of juveniles and a game hen are cleaning up a batch of feed that got wet. Temperature just above freezing while raining making so birds not able to stay dry. Their only interest is energy dense eats.

Honey doing well to stay with them.

 

[centrarchid]

Dogs and I penning birds up into winter quarters. An additional 8 pens made of design and material that appears best for here. Birds tearing up ground getting it ready for six more fruit trees next spring. It is cold and wet outside, and does not feel warmer when I go inside. It is incredibly lonely.

 

[aart]

It is incredibly lonely.

You are in a very tough situation, during very tough times.
I hope you can find some solace and relief.
Hang in there.

 

[centrarchid]

I am in the process of replacing most of the pens made over the last decade with a design represented by my oldest pens we made back in the early 1980's. It is difficult to believe I have pens that are nearly 40 years old that are still in service. Each will be covered with a single piece of door mat providing 4 foot square cover and a 2 foot square flap that will block the north wind. Roosts are positioned on all so birds are protected from worst of weather while on roost. The mats are set to blow off before wind strong enough to role pens during storms. Pens can withstand winds better than 50 mph without being anchored when mats blow off and birds bail to hunker on ground. Then I go out and replace mats once weather eases. Anchors will be installed.

Red Fox has been coming in causing some troubles. First it tried to grab sleeping rooster in pen pulling some feathers from his breast and wing. Dogs ran fox off. Then fox went after a group of chickens roosting about 10 feet up in tree in woods. A hen and juvenile pullet moved promptly into garage where they still roosting 4 days later. Fox briefly had hold of pullet pulling some tail feathers out. Dogs ran fox off. Two other birds roosting in same location shifted roost to another tree about 20 feet up.

All birds penned outside barn are now confined to pens in orchard. Ben now lays in grass above orchard while Honey patrols around house. Both get up and go to barn multiple times each night.

 

[centrarchid]

Fun not expected starting to happen. In-laws telling me I am not providing children with proper upbringing. I am close to kicking people out.

 

[centrarchid]

It gets better, at funeral yesterday I hugged a person that was tested for COVID-19 where results were reported to her as positive. She was symptomatic when I hugged her. What else could go wrong. Oh yeah........ Will have to get tested myself middle of next week. Damn

 

[Molpet]

It gets better, at funeral yesterday I hugged a person that was tested for COVID-19 where results were reported to her as positive. She was symptomatic when I hugged her. What else could go wrong. Oh yeah........ Will have to get tested myself middle of next week. Damn

What was she thinking !
Prayers that you don't get it

 

[centrarchid]

This be Missouri, it ain’t real, just a flu. She just not thinking I guess. I am loosing sleep over all this mess.

 

[fisherlady]

Unfortunately the in-laws situation isn't all that uncommon in your situation, it is very disheartening for the surviving spouse who is struggling in so many ways already to face the added stress.
Im sure you will keep them housed, warm and well fed and you can only take everything one day at a time right now. Hopefully this is a knee-jerk reaction from the in-laws and when emotions settle they will reconsider the potential damage and added stress they may cause. If they truly have the children's well being in mind they would be a supportive resource, not a divisive one. If this isn't the case then I'm sure you will be able to do whatever necessary to protect your family. I just hate seeing that it may be necessary, especially so quickly and while you are trying to become adjusted to this new situation.