Fairy egg annoying easter hunt

[CabritaChicks]

Beautiful eggs! Can you lock your gate as well as just keeping it shut? I would not trust those chicken thieves farther than I could throw them. I truly hope you have no more losses!

Thank you.

We did suffer another loss—unrelated to the last. An electrician showed up with a dog in a kennel and casually let his dog out “to pee." I guess the dog made a beeline straight for the hens, and before I could react from people were screaming trying to stop him, Suki—my rooster, my buddy—rushed in to protect them and disappeared into the brush. He saved the hens... I can’t talk about it right now. I’m still too angry. The guy claimed he just picked up the dog, some kind of pitbull/terrier mix, from a backyard breeder “for protection.”

So now, every single person is vetted, their vehicle inspected and babysat like a child. They’ll be done in two weeks or less, but even now- my husband is standing by the gate like a gargoyle- but with fowl language and hatred in his eyes.

The gate is large but automatic—it locks immediately after closing and can only be opened with one of two remotes.

At the time, though, it was chaos—at least nine vehicles, maybe 18 workers coming and going through the gate, most just illegal laborers in and out every few minutes. You can’t even see the Casita they’re building from the main house, and unlike in the States, there’s no such thing as an official job supervisor here. No real rules—just pay the government for the permit and you’re on your own.

Next week, barbed wire is going up on one unique side of the property. I'm not taking any more chances.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Thank you.

We did suffer another loss—unrelated to the last. An electrician showed up with a dog in a kennel and casually let his dog out “to pee." I guess the dog made a beeline straight for the hens, and before I could react from people were screaming trying to stop him, Suki—my rooster, my buddy—rushed in to protect them and disappeared into the brush. He saved the hens... I can’t talk about it right now. I’m still too angry. The guy claimed he just picked up the dog, some kind of pitbull/terrier mix, from a backyard breeder “for protection.”

So now, every single person is vetted, their vehicle inspected and babysat like a child. They’ll be done in two weeks or less, but even now- my husband is standing by the gate like a gargoyle- but with fowl language and hatred in his eyes.

The gate is large but automatic—it locks immediately after closing and can only be opened with one of two remotes.

At the time, though, it was chaos—at least nine vehicles, maybe 18 workers coming and going through the gate, most just illegal laborers in and out every few minutes. You can’t even see the Casita they’re building from the main house, and unlike in the States, there’s no such thing as an official job supervisor here. No real rules—just pay the government for the permit and you’re on your own.

Next week, barbed wire is going up on one unique side of the property. I'm not taking any more chances.

Oh, poor Suki; I’m so sorry!

 

[Lizzie_Pinecone24]

Very sorry for your losses.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

The dog got your rooster!?! I would tell the guy he owes you $100 for a new rooster! After all, that is what your hen sold for! That is ... unacceptable. What country are you in? This is crazy!

 

[CabritaChicks]

The dog got your rooster!?! I would tell the guy he owes you $100 for a new rooster! After all, that is what your hen sold for! That is ... unacceptable. What country are you in? This is crazy!

Oh yeah—like I can collect anything for that. It doesn’t work like that here. I’m in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and people forget—or just don’t realize—how different life is here compared to the mainland. Everyone sees the postcards or goes on holiday: white sand beaches, turquoise water, vacation rentals with hammocks and cocktails. But behind that glossy surface, the reality for those of us who actually live here is much closer to a third-world experience.

There’s no reliable electricity, and what we have only the wealthy can afford (if it works- power outages daily- sometimes lasting for a week), try right now it is going for 59cents per kilowatt (US average is 17 cents) and to ensure it stays on you grease the palms quite a bit. Water? We collect rainwater in cisterns—if it doesn’t rain, you don’t shower or cook. No mailman. No 'malls' or 'Target'. Unreliable groceries (trying going to the market for chicken breast- nope- not today) and something simple like the mini jar of peanut butter I bought today was 12 dollars!. No real infrastructure for legal recourse or consumer protection. So when someone damages your property, lets their dog kill your animals, breaks a contract, beats you, or breaks into your home, you’re pretty much on your own. You can hire goons for recourse- they come a dim a dozen. There's no quick call to animal control or small claims court (not that the person has ID, or a legal place of residence). It’s all just... survival, and community, and a whole lot of self-reliance. It is a different way of life, one that my husband love until it goes terribly wrong.

It’s beautiful, yes—but it’s not easy. And it’s a different kind of frustration when you live in a U.S. territory, under a U.S. flag, but with none of the systems, provisions or safeguards people on the mainland take for granted.

 

[Carontheroad]

Oh yeah—like I can collect anything for that. It doesn’t work like that here. I’m in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and people forget—or just don’t realize—how different life is here compared to the mainland. Everyone sees the postcards or goes on holiday: white sand beaches, turquoise water, vacation rentals with hammocks and cocktails. But behind that glossy surface, the reality for those of us who actually live here is much closer to a third-world experience.

There’s no reliable electricity, and what we have only the wealthy can afford (if it works- power outages daily- sometimes lasting for a week), try right now it is going for 59cents per kilowatt (US average is 17 cents) and to ensure it stays on you grease the palms quite a bit. Water? We collect rainwater in cisterns—if it doesn’t rain, you don’t shower or cook. No mailman. No 'malls' or 'Target'. Unreliable groceries (trying going to the market for chicken breast- nope- not today) and something simple like the mini jar of peanut butter I bought today was 12 dollars!. No real infrastructure for legal recourse or consumer protection. So when someone damages your property, lets their dog kill your animals, breaks a contract, beats you, or breaks into your home, you’re pretty much on your own. You can hire goons for recourse- they come a dim a dozen. There's no quick call to animal control or small claims court (not that the person has ID, or a legal place of residence). It’s all just... survival, and community, and a whole lot of self-reliance. It is a different way of life, one that my husband love until it goes terribly wrong.

It’s beautiful, yes—but it’s not easy. And it’s a different kind of frustration when you live in a U.S. territory, under a U.S. flag, but with none of the systems, provisions or safeguards people on the mainland take for granted.

Sounds like the wild west in days of old. I visited St. Thomas years ago, my friend was living there nursing. I got to live like the locals for a few weeks but you must be on a smaller island. Still, she had crazy stories of the island nurses, definitely a different speed and standard than North America.

If your rooster disappeared into the brush, maybe he is still alive? He might come back. Let the guy finish whatever work he is doing for you then pay him $100 less for the loss of the rooster.

Hard egg shells, must be all that coral on the ground. My shells are on the thin side despite oyster shells, etc. Tell hubby it sucks to have thin shelled eggs break, especially in the nest. I’m going to try giving them crushed egg shells as well but the shells are several years old. I just finished putting them in the oven for a bit to sterilize them. They don’t seem to take much of the oyster shells.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Oh yeah—like I can collect anything for that. It doesn’t work like that here. I’m in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and people forget—or just don’t realize—how different life is here compared to the mainland. Everyone sees the postcards or goes on holiday: white sand beaches, turquoise water, vacation rentals with hammocks and cocktails. But behind that glossy surface, the reality for those of us who actually live here is much closer to a third-world experience.

There’s no reliable electricity, and what we have only the wealthy can afford (if it works- power outages daily- sometimes lasting for a week), try right now it is going for 59cents per kilowatt (US average is 17 cents) and to ensure it stays on you grease the palms quite a bit. Water? We collect rainwater in cisterns—if it doesn’t rain, you don’t shower or cook. No mailman. No 'malls' or 'Target'. Unreliable groceries (trying going to the market for chicken breast- nope- not today) and something simple like the mini jar of peanut butter I bought today was 12 dollars!. No real infrastructure for legal recourse or consumer protection. So when someone damages your property, lets their dog kill your animals, breaks a contract, beats you, or breaks into your home, you’re pretty much on your own. You can hire goons for recourse- they come a dim a dozen. There's no quick call to animal control or small claims court (not that the person has ID, or a legal place of residence). It’s all just... survival, and community, and a whole lot of self-reliance. It is a different way of life, one that my husband love until it goes terribly wrong.

It’s beautiful, yes—but it’s not easy. And it’s a different kind of frustration when you live in a U.S. territory, under a U.S. flag, but with none of the systems, provisions or safeguards people on the mainland take for granted.

Yeah, we would not know it's different there if we didn't hear if from people like you. I'm so sorry to hear it's like that. I know people who win vacations to there or go on cruises are generally not allowed to see the .. .real, gritty, rough side of the islands the visit. Do you know if it's the same in Puerto Rico? My grandson wants to go to college there bc it's cheaper and I'm afraid he doesn't have any idea what he might be getting in for ...

 

[CabritaChicks]

Do you know if it's the same in Puerto Rico? My grandson wants to go to college there bc it's cheaper and I'm afraid he doesn't have any idea what he might be getting in for ...

That’s exactly right. When we host visitors here, we do everything we can to make sure they don’t get overwhelmed—but it’s not easy. After two Category 5 hurricanes, most roads are still cluttered with storm debris and abandoned cars- what seem to be abandoned homes (but people still live in them). A lot of people come here for internships or with higher education like medical assistants, accounting, technicians, or skilled labor, rent a condo, visit the same five restaurants, and leave. We call it “the three-year itch.” Locals even have a nickname for transplants: “flighty whities.” And we are only 2% of the population here.

Puerto Rico, on the other hand, is a completely different experience. It’s a much larger island with more developed infrastructure. Yes, government corruption exists—just like it does in many places—but it’s easier to navigate, especially in cities like San Juan or Mayagüez. There, many people 'stay' longer as they have careers there, and more creature comforts.

Puerto Rico is home to major operations and headquarters of several multinational companies, off the top of my head: J&J, Honeywell, Microsoft, HP, Bleu Cross/Shield, etc. If he is looking for a 'trade' position and wants to explore, then it could be fun to get your electrician, plumber (those jobs are in high demand anywhere).

This kind of corporate presence means that students and graduates can explore real career-building roles while staying on the island—something that’s not available in many other Caribbean locations as here- it is mostly mom- and pop shops.

Living & Amenities​

Puerto Rico functions much more like a U.S. state than a remote island territory:

• Big-box stores like IKEA, Home Depot, Costco, and Walmart are readily accessible, making it easier and more affordable to furnish a dorm or small apartment.
• Roads are paved and maintained better (there are even street names!), and cities have structured layouts and public services.
• You’ll find a balance of modern comforts and Caribbean culture, with city skylines that include high-rises and corporate campuses.
• Government funds are more effectively channeled into public works, education, and infrastructure—visible through maintained roads, reliable utilities, and public amenities.

The landscape is incredibly beautiful, and with the presence of fresh water comes richer wildlife and stronger conservation efforts. If you're the type who loves to hike, you can easily spend the day exploring and experiencing true jungle terrain on kept trails.

The one caveat is that Spanish is the primary language in Puerto Rico, which can be a barrier for some. That said, it’s worth noting that here in the Virgin Islands, English is spoken—but often in a local dialect that can be just as challenging to understand and is a surefire way to tell if they are truely 'local' or just another transplant bartender who happened to stay for 20 years or a real estate agent or boat captain, restarantuer or charter company who has been here for 40. For instance, “we” = “me or I,” and sentence structure is wonky, which can be confusing. Even simple words like “what” are pronounced more like “wduh.” It’s a distinct West Indian Creole, and while locals tend to soften it for tourists, it can be frusterating. Like: "I’ll be there soon" is "me-su-cum" said incredible fast as one word. Or 'Dont worry about it' is phrased: "Eh no mine" like saying 'Aint no mind' but that can also mean 'Dont study it' (Doh’n stuh-dee it). But at least writing is in English. Example:
You: “Sorry Im late, the road was flooded.”
Them: “Doh’n stuh-dee it, man. I ain’t vex.”

• Translation: “Don’t worry, I’m not upset.”

In short: If he’s looking to continue his education in the Caribbean but wants better access to job opportunities, a more stable daily routine, and the comforts of modern life, Puerto Rico is a smart choice. It offers a unique balance of island living and real-world structure—without sacrificing functionality or career growth. Deopedning on his chosen field, he could always just start with his generals there, and then transfer back to stateside for more focused finishing.

My suggestion? Go check it out. Get a Air BnB- NOT a cushy hotel. Stay for at least a week. It’s currently the rainy season, so flights are affordable. Unlike our island, where everything shuts down during the off-season, Puerto Rico isn’t as reliant on tourism—so most places stay open year-round.

Have your grandson get in contact online with other students and find the popular spots for food, convenience, living, etc. Hire a local guide for a couple days, 2 days on, 2 days for yourself exploring (not just beaches as anyone who lives in the caribbean will tell you- beach days are actually few and far between as we actaully have things to do other than sit in the sun), and then of course at least one more day with your guide to see the 'other' side of PR. Have them drive you around and explain the different areas. Spend a couple of days doing “normal life” things—visit grocery stores like Pueblo- making food at home, eat at casual, affordable spots near campuses (not just restaruants that are part of condo projects or hotels), and get a feel for the rhythm of daily life.

See if he (and his parents or you) feel comfortable with the vibe—but keep in mind, it’s still island time. Patience and flexibility go a long way.