Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RoyalChick]

Oh gosh, Bob! This is so hard for me to wrap my head around. We definitely have to arrange skype sessions over your winter! Ignore my blatherings. It's ok for people like me. We do just fine but for people people I know it's a lot harder.

Winter is a tough time too because the daylight is too short and there isn’t enough opportunity to be with nature.

 

[Ribh]

Winter is a tough time too because the daylight is too short and there isn’t enough opportunity to be with nature.

Sitting so close to the equator this isn't a problem for us either. Definitely a whole 'nother world.

 

[Kris5902]

Winter is a tough time too because the daylight is too short and there isn’t enough opportunity to be with nature.

Or too much time with nature? I actually spent more time outside today than my chickens did! I was late letting them out (windstorm tarp repairs and all) so they rushed their feeders... by the time I was back In the trailer and going for cup of coffee #2, I look out the window and not a chicken to be seen! They said “yep, nope! Too cold and windy for us...” and back to their roosts. Even the free range bunch!

 

[Kris5902]

Sitting so close to the equator this isn't a problem for us either. Definitely a whole 'nother world.

December through to February is the darkest time here, I really notice it because of my solar panels, and being up before the girls and well after. Summertime I’m whinging they wake me up so early... but this time of year I’m anxiously awaiting the light to be strong enough that I can let them out safely... and I have never really been a “morning person” per se

 

[micstrachan]

I also have a pair of guard ravens and several years of their offspring... if you can’t cajole or source ravens locally, crows are very good as well! I do love all Corvids. Yesterday I watched them drive off a hawk a field and a half away. And I love that they give hawk warnings as well. They don’t usually harass the eagles too much, so long as they don’t get too close!

Love it!

 

[micstrachan]

And I’ve mostly caught up... I believe I missed a few pages maybe on Saturday and early Sunday... but wow, over 40 pages behind... I haven’t been that far back since I got back online regularly again. I’ve been gone since Saturday because it was a very rough day here. Things didn’t go well in communicating with the in-laws, and I was honestly ready to pack it all in and leave between 3-6am on Sunday morning. After the stressful day, I found out through Facebook that a dear friend from work I had fallen out of touch with died. I did not take that well. I am fairly certain that Covid was partially to blame (social restrictions, and the psychological affects of this virus are hitting hard on many of my old friends). Although it wasn’t announced, everyone I’ve spoken with who also knew him, agrees it was most likely a Drug OverDose, probably not a suicide. Sunday was a write off. I didn’t even do the chickens... DH took care of it all for me. Monday was better, and we got some work done around the trailer. yesterday was jam packed with Chores and DH’s birthday dinner (47, a roasted chicken, don’t tell the girls) exchanging vehicles at the Garage, and getting the Sawmill ready to transport for repairs.

Chicken Tax photos will come eventually, they currently are all hiding from the windstorm, I just heard some more trees or large limbs come down, and I need to head out to fix my tarps again (3x today so far)... but here is how not to fix a portable sawmill (anyone remember the haystring tractor repair I shared a couple Two hay seasons ago?)View attachment 2434379
And my truck... now with brakes, but still some more brake repairs to go (one more rotor and caliper, and all the brake lines to go). Hey, she is stopping, it’s a win! And a flashy, new to me, only slightly cracked, high end fiberglass canopy... for dry feed transportation, a sure way to prevent precipitation for the near future!View attachment 2434380

Gosh, Kris, J’m so sorry about your friend, and your day sounds stressful. Great job on the truck!

 

[micstrachan]

So the county I live in is very rural. There is a Facebook page for the county where people can post looking for local recommendations on anything, road conditions, power outages, lost pets that sort of thing.

We have had a Emu running loose in the county for several months now. He belongs to an elderly couple who own a local feed mill. He was also not handled for YEARS and is beyond wild. Several people have contacted local animal parks, but no one wants to help, because how the heck do you catch an Emu?!

View attachment 2434515

Oh goodness... that’s funny!

 

[micstrachan]

I have to say Covid honestly hasn’t really changed too much for me in general either... it has reduced my social interactions drastically, down from ‘a few’ to ‘very rare’ in person discussions with people outside my family and the feral farm child. Which basically exposes me to our entire school population when you think about it, but hey... schools here are exempt from Covid protocols. Many of our customers are elderly, so most of our deliveries are contactless. The cancellation of the Summer, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Markets and having to wear masks in our store are the only big changes.

I’m just being extra vigilant in hygiene on my now even more rare forays into civilization... DH and I are planning a Big Friday Shopping trip. I’m hoping there aren’t too many quantity limits in place. This is for our usual food supplies etc, and I like to do big cooking batches and freeze them for the year. We often shop at the restaurant supply stores. Last January I did a super batch of stuffed Manicotti and lasagnas. It was a two day event, but we just ran out in October. I still have Beef Stew, and Chicken Soup (so that will probably be a spring cook) but am out of Chili, as I’ve been freezing less of that and making the leftovers into Burritos for DH’s lunches instead.

Somedays it’s just nice to be able to pull a bag of frozen homemade stew out, toss it in a pot to heat and dinner is served. All the benefits of a slow homemade stew in a fraction of the time. (Well, honestly the same amount of time overall, plus the thawing and heating, but on the day you eat it, just the thawing and heating, it’s not an all day or two day affair, you know?)

Kris, you must have a ton of freezer space. I could not pull that off here, even if I added a freezer!

 

[micstrachan]

@CrazyChookChookLady
http://www.trailslesstravelled.com/how-to-catch-an-emu/​

That’s hilarious!

 

[micstrachan]

And know we all truly know that the “Crazy” moniker in your handle is accurate! Although I still prefer to use the term “Sanity deprived” personally. Less stigma, and people always get offended when I call them crazy for some reason. I don’t know if they are confused, in denial, or just don’t understand the compliment.

Sanity deprived! I like it!