Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Sylvester017]

Pony Sunday

I have a new lodger living here. This was on Thursday evening on my way back to the house.

And looks likes s/he has taken up residence under the back deck.

Last evening when I came in from chores at 8pm I startled it! I am going to keep the backyard light on from now on.

It'll probably winter comfortably under your deck ~ it's got shelter, feed around the property, hope it stays away from your livestock. Skunks are pretty much nocturnal but can be a surprise in daytime hours ~ young ones spook easy & more likely to spray than older ones. My DD was out in her patio when a younger one ran across the concrete in front of her. She's lucky it didn't spray. They've had their dogs get sprayed a couple times ~ yuck!

Skunk tax

How many chickens in the garden bed? We're not sure?

 

[rural mouse]

Pony Sunday

I have a new lodger living here. This was on Thursday evening on my way back to the house.

And looks likes s/he has taken up residence under the back deck.

Last evening when I came in from chores at 8pm I startled it! I am going to keep the backyard light on from now on.

Not the kind of "kitty" you want around long term....pretty thing though.

 

[Ponypoor]

That is unacceptable. Someone needs moved.

We have had may skunks living under that deck over the past 35 yrs. Never once have they sprayed. Always a first time - but as long as I don't step on them walking down the steps all should be good. I'll leave the lights on now

 

[Ponypoor]

Seasonal changes are an adjustment for humans & animals alike ~ southerly migrations, eastern hummingbirds fly across the Gulf of Mexico many don't make the over water flight so kind Texans leave out feeders to give them energy for the non-stop Gulf flight, bears hibernate, sea creatures head for warmer oceans, penguins brave the arctic blizzards while struggling to raise a chick in starvation conditions, chickens, poultry, adjust to the diminishing daylight hours, vegetation dies in preparation for Spring regeneration. Stressful time on all creation.

I hope your legs can calm down. DH has RLS & sometimes bad leg/foot cramps so he uses magnesium to relax the condition. I take a magnesium gelcap too before bedtime for my bum painful leg so I can get up in the morning. The pain doesn't go away completely but lessening pain just half or 2/3 is better than full stabbing pain symptoms plus helps sleep. I believe @Marie2020 knows about magnesium supplementation. Also w/o magnesium the calcium can't be absorbed in the body plus potassium & magnesium are needed to keep our heart beating. The older our body the more these supplements are needed.

We had to attrition our bigger hen breeds to the more manageable Silkies now cuz the bigger breeds were heavier to hold for health checks & the Silkies are just as smart or dumb as any other chicken breed in our cottage yard. We all do what we have to in our environments in order to benefit human & animal alike.

I hate to see anything suffer. Pray you get thru another winter w/o a hitch & your animals too. I so appreciate the care you give to your animals. This thread has such caring people.

Pain tx ~ about a couple weeks ago

The animals manage winter better than I do it seems. Of course they don't have to go a drive in it, shovel the snow, or drag hay out to the field - all they have to do is eat and sleep hahaha!

Winter is a very busy time here, many 'Winter' animals rely upon the cold weather for their breeding and feeding. Owls for instance breed in January - they use the abandoned nests of the Red Tail Hawk to raise their young, and there is less competition from aerial birds for prey. Rabbits and squirrels are easier to see against snow, though Varying Hares do turn white, if there is little or no snow they stand out against the ground and are easy prey.

Then there are the animals that hibernate, they require the cold weather to do so, and if it isn't so cold they may stay 'awake' and when food sources are gone (ie: bears eat mainly plant and berry foods, supplemented with fish and meat) then they will starve or cause human/animal interactions.

It's all about balance in the winter countries.

 

[Ponypoor]

It would be marvelous if a Daisy lay blue eggs.

This evening I plan on keeping an eye on her to see if it is indeed her laying in that wheelbarrow. I check there daily because I found one there a few days ago, and now again last evening.

 

[BY Bob]

This evening I plan on keeping an eye on her to see if it is indeed her laying in that wheelbarrow. I check there daily because I found one there a few days ago, and now again last evening.

I can't wait to hear.

 

[RoyalChick]

I am having isssues with that second video

Let me know if anyone else is also

I am having issues with all videos on my phone - it asks me to 'sign in' before I can view them - but it is unclear what it wants me to sign in to, or how.
I went to my PC and I can see both videos fine. Is he a threat to your little chickens?

 

[ManueB]

Thanks so much for sharing the info.
Fortunately that is a long ways from me. 228 miles 367 km

View attachment 3978831

Well, I checked before posting ! And was relieved to see it was more or less as far away from you as possible within in the same state.

View attachment 3978738 neighborhood rooster visiting my youngest daughter in Austin

Nice to see you back, but I'm sorry about your health issues! Does that mean you have to change the way you eat ? And cut down on the beer ?
I hope your doctor can find the right meds /dosage to help you feel better. It takes a lot of energy to work away from home and then come back to take care of all those dogs and chickens.

I don't have new ponies for Sunday but some nice landscapes from this morning. The larches are beginning to turn orange, in one or two week it will be stunning. And the highland cows this thursday.

 

[Ponypoor]

I am having issues with all videos on my phone - it asks me to 'sign in' before I can view them - but it is unclear what it wants me to sign in to, or how.
I went to my PC and I can see both videos fine. Is he a threat to your little chickens?

It was asking me that also. I ended up going to another thread and back to this one and it the worked fine.

No the skunk can't get into the barn. it's closed up pretty good so the chooks are good. Also at night everyone is locked in the Hen House and Summer House.

The skunk is more a threat to me scaring it and getting sprayed!

 

[Ponypoor]

Well, I checked before posting ! And was relieved to see it was more or less as far away from you as possible within in the same state.

Nice to see you back, but I'm sorry about your health issues! Does that mean you have to change the way you eat ? And cut down on the beer ?
I hope your doctor can find the right meds /dosage to help you feel better. It takes a lot of energy to work away from home and then come back to take care of all those dogs and chickens.

I don't have new ponies for Sunday but some nice landscapes from this morning. The larches are beginning to turn orange, in one or two week it will be stunning. And the highland cows this thursday.
View attachment 3979635View attachment 3979636View attachment 3979637View attachment 3979638

Beautiful, here they are also known as Tamarack - they have already lost their needles here.

Such lovely topography and scenery - you are truly blessed with gorgeous vistas.