Ever feel lonely when you dont have any PM's waiting for you?

[NYRIR]

Wow, winter....ugh. We are headed into spring!

I don't have any goats but I have heard they can be destructive. How adorable they are though, I've always wanted one. They seem so intelligent....

I'm getting ready to go to work....ugh. Night shift....double ugh.

 

[sumi]

I'm with you, getting ready for work again. Morning shift. It's cold and wet and still dark...
I had a sheep once. Actually a few, but I remember this ewe for being so impossible. Hugely pregnant with twins she'd still jump fences. I heard goats are just as bad. But I quite fancy goat's milk cheese...

I better get going. The things we'd do for money. *sigh*

 

[NYRIR]

HaHa sumi...I just got home a little while ago. I hate sleeping in the daytime....you just don't sleep as well.

Awe....sheep are adorable too...although I did get chased up a tree as a kid by a farmer lady's male trying to protect his turf! Man, my brother was laughin' at me.....up in that tree,all arms and legs, scared to death with this big male sheep stomping the ground and huffing at me!

Yep, the things we do for money....I take care of the elderly...it's tough job let me tell you!

 

[sumi]

HaHa! Wish I could see that! I only had some ewes and one "it", (castrated male). My DH had a huge Nguni bull when I met him. I used to wave my arms and shout and chase that bull all over the pastures. But sometimes the bull had other ideas, never with me though. Luckily!
I work in a restaurant. It's fun, most of the time. You get to meet great people and have very interesting chats when there's time. I like that. My mom used to work in an old age home. I loved going to work with her and "helping".
It's a lovely day today, warm, but not hot. One of those perfect days... Going for a walk around the farm.

 

[sumi]

Had a near tragedy today. We were pumping water into our dam last night and at 5:00am the dam wall decided it had enough. My MIL's gardener was standing right next to the wall, in that exact spot when this happened. Thankfully he noticed the wall cracking up before it blew, so he had enough time to get away. He's badly shaken, but unhurt. Thank God!
The flood caused minimal damage, just a big mess! Stones all over the garden, mud everywhere and a few plants upended. There was about 4000 gallons of water in the dam before this happened. I think we got off light!

 

[ParadiseFoundFarm]

Wow Sumi! Glad no one was hurt!
As for goats & sheep:
We raised them when I was a girl 40+ years ago, overseas so I don't know if what I am going to suggest is either P.C., humane, legal or practical here. Please don't whip me - I was a girl and did what others did.
We had a rope tied to the fetlocks on the same side of each either right side or left side of the goats & sheep. This kept them from being able to climb our rock walls and escape and also from being able to get a good head of steam to ram you from afar. I did not seem to affect them other than that. There were never any raw spots on the legs since the knot was not a slip knot that can tighten but made exclusively for that animal's foot. I would not use it here on my farm though, I am afraid the coyotes would see a free meal as I cannot protect them enough. But we didn't have coyotes in Greece. If your predator issues don't preclude you from doing that, it's what I suggest.

 

[sumi]

We did that with a pig once

The thing would not stay in it's pen and I got so fed-up chasing it around we tied a rope round him and attached it to a pole in the pen. He didn't stay like that long though, before we slaughtered him.
The predator situation here is just bad for my chickens. We have a trap set permanently to protect my flock. I don't like it but we lost about 30 chickens over the past year.
Are you from Greece originally?

 

[ParadiseFoundFarm]

I was born here, but back then they didn't understand postpartum depression, which made it hard for me to grow up with my mother. A few broken child bones later and some adult thought Hey! lets send her some where safe and I was off to live with my grandmother in Greece. She, like all women of her generation, were not taught to read or write as that was just pointless, so I was behind when I started school there and could not catch up with her help, so I was sent back here in my second school year to learn at school here. Of course there was mother to contend with but I did well at school. My history in a nutshell. Yep! That's why I'm so screwed up and I love my gentle chickens. My grandmother and I raised chickens, goats & sheep. We milked the goats daily, fed the chickens and tended the farm. During those precious years she taught me more than I could have learned in school. She was so wise and kind. We spoke daily until she died. I really miss her.

 

[sumi]

Wow, that is a sad story. Mine's not very cheerful either. My dad didn't want another kid, mom got pregnant anyway. He never really accepted me, my mom hit the bottle and only stopped 17 years and 2 rehabs later. So I basically grew up with no parental or any adult support. Just an absent dad and a drunk mom who'd occasionally beat us up. I won't go to deep into that on this forum, but I had a rough time. Especially with bullies and people looking for vulnerable children... Never quite got myself sorted, but I try... Still battle with severe depression. And talk about messed up!
My dad died 5 years ago, just when I thought we finally thought we'd get things sorted and have some kind of relationship. My mom did o.k. for a while, but then discovered prescription drugs. She's a total junkie.
And now I have chickens and I love them for their unconditional love and acceptance. They're just always there, uncritical, patient, undemanding. Just what I need some days! Sometimes when I feel low or had a fight with my DH or when people upset me, I go sit with them and they always cheer me up.

I wish I had a gran like yours. I never really got along with my dad's parents. Mom's were lovely, but they both died when I was very young.

 

[ParadiseFoundFarm]

Yes, Sumi,
I know just where you're coming from and I could read between those lines. I'm sorry for you too. We are "sympatico". Terrible what humans can do to eachother especially to the less strong or helpless. Let's not one up each other on this forum for their good and ours. Those memories are best left untouched and in the "try to forget and move on" file. Defend the weak and listen to your children and other's children.
Chickens, as the BYC bumper sticker on my truck says: Chickens are Cheep Therapy.

I've got 1 gal who will die of old age. Her name is Blanche. She was so colorless and common when she was young and the name just fit. She's my fav bird. She sneeks into the house and will not poop. She jumps at any opportunity, onto my shoulder. Her desire in life is to be cuddled near me. With over 30 hens, she sure makes herself special even though her name is Blanche. There's Buttercup, Peacock, Puhi, Babe, Sande, Clara and I could go on, but Blanche gives me joy.
Almost all of my hens now have their own aprons with their name and leg ring number hand embroidered on it. Some are made of dalmation spotted cloth, purples, lime greens etc. Blanche's is of course, brown.

Love my birds. Glad to be amongst fellow enthusiasts.