Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Desertvalleychickens]

Hahahaha yea you’re an nut! Winter just means more work for me - and not easy work either.

Oh it’s pretty out there all blue and silver and green, but…..

I had to move both trucks to the road and clean the snow off them out there, then I shovelled the driveway because my mother pitched a fit ‘no we are not getting your niece to come over and clean out the driveway it’s light and fluffy we can shovel it’ (ya whatever light and fluffy until you start to move it around then it weigh 14,000 tons!), so I shovelled the driveway like a good girl and backed her truck in when it was only half done shovelling the driveway because ‘I don’t want it on the road someone might hit it, and I don’t want it running it’s bad for it to run’ (ok so I generally miss all this crap when I am out west working all winter - might head back out there soon! FYI the only vehicle to go by all morning was the snow plow).

Then I shovelled to the barn with my big scoop because I cant slog through the snow to the barn all the time it’s too hard on my hips and back (oh wait ya so is shovelling), then threw down hay for the week from the loft, and repiled it down in the barn, and cleaned stalls, oh and made 4 loaves of bread. Now I am exhausted my arm is killing me (tendinitis from a serious fracture many moons ago), my back and hips are protesting and I have a headache from the high pressure system sitting over top of us giving us the brilliant blue skies today.

Whining tax

Dreaming of summer
Shiny ponies and bugs - yes I want mosquitoes!
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Sorry about the tendinitis. The winter isn't always good. The reason why I want this precipitation, whether it's rain or snow, is because, well, because I live in a desert. Temperatures of up to 120° F here in the summer and that kills and dries up plants and also, in bad years, ultimately massacres chickens, even if you have the windows open and have a cooling fan with ice in front of it. The precipitation in the winter really helps to strengthen the plants and let them have lots of water to survive on, and in the chicken's case, the temperatures seem to stay a bit lower when it rains a bit. The IWVGA (Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authorities) are always screeching about how snowpack in the mountains is good and how severe the droughts are, and how the agriculture is draining the aquifer and this and that. Rainstorms like Hurricane Hilary back in August 2023 and the February 2023 snowstorm really helped the drought. Because of those, there is no more drought. Even thought the drought is gone, it is slowly creeping back into California. And that's why I want precipitation.

 

[featherhead007]

Hahahaha yea you’re an nut! Winter just means more work for me - and not easy work either.

Oh it’s pretty out there all blue and silver and green, but…..

I had to move both trucks to the road and clean the snow off them out there, then I shovelled the driveway because my mother pitched a fit ‘no we are not getting your niece to come over and clean out the driveway it’s light and fluffy we can shovel it’ (ya whatever light and fluffy until you start to move it around then it weigh 14,000 tons!), so I shovelled the driveway like a good girl and backed her truck in when it was only half done shovelling the driveway because ‘I don’t want it on the road someone might hit it, and I don’t want it running it’s bad for it to run’ (ok so I generally miss all this crap when I am out west working all winter - might head back out there soon! FYI the only vehicle to go by all morning was the snow plow).

Then I shovelled to the barn with my big scoop because I cant slog through the snow to the barn all the time it’s too hard on my hips and back (oh wait ya so is shovelling), then threw down hay for the week from the loft, and repiled it down in the barn, and cleaned stalls, oh and made 4 loaves of bread. Now I am exhausted my arm is killing me (tendinitis from a serious fracture many moons ago), my back and hips are protesting and I have a headache from the high pressure system sitting over top of us giving us the brilliant blue skies today.

Whining tax

Dreaming of summer
Shiny ponies and bugs - yes I want mosquitoes!
View attachment 3730647View attachment 3730648

Want mosquitoes?

 

[Ponypoor]

My Brahmas attack Philly when I put her back in the coop. I've pecked them with my fingers a couple times (there's one specific one with a mean streak).

Well that’s not good ! Wonder why they do this? I always heard Brahma were calm and quiet.

 

[notabitail]

Well that’s not good ! Wonder why they do this? I always heard Brahma were calm and quiet.

All of the breeds are supposed to be friendly as far as I know. One of them likes to go after Philly for flying out of my hand when I stick her back in the coop. She thinks Philly is flexing how much better she is.

 

[Ponypoor]

Well, the chickens definitely keep Mt Poopmoore turned making great fertilizer. We have 3 different gentleman come every spring and haul off as much manure as they want. It is a combo of horse and chicken. They love it for their gardens. Then we have family who also garden and have asked for manure. Sure come and get as much as you need. Nope they expect us to load and haul it to them for free. Yeah, not happening, you want it, you come get it. Yes we will help you load it if needed. Never charge anyone who wants any, but not delivering it to you. Heck, you come get it you'll also end up going home with a few dozen eggs as well for free.

Wow that’s cheeky! Wanting you to deliver hahaha - ya never going to happen here!

Having said that getting rid of manure here is problematic, no one wants it and can’t sell it. I have to pay someone to haul it over to my neighbours place - the tree farm. They are the only ones to take my manure.

Farmers don’t want my manure as I use wood shavings and they don’t want to add that to their fields. Not to mention they don’t have manure spreaders anymore.

Most just use chemical fertilizers now, for bio matter they plow under corn stocks, and any other stocks from the harvested crops. Getting straw is hard because of this, they plow it under when they harvest grains.

This year I started using straw for bedding with the horses as shavings are ridiculously expensive over $8/bag. Where as straw is only about $4 or $5/ bale. I was lucky to find a couple farmers near here who bale straw for their sheep and cattle and sold me some.

Yep it’s all hard work with livestock!

 

[Ponypoor]

I saw an ad for somewhere not very far from me where the guy was selling chicken manure at $1 a bucket.
You brought however many buckets you wanted and when he had filled them he would call so you could collect!

$10 a bucket yep I will fill the buckets up hahaha.

 

[Ponypoor]

Two videos and some tax:

Tax:
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Those are nice eggs! And they sure enjoyed their meal!

 

[Ponypoor]

Sorry about the tendinitis. The winter isn't always good. The reason why I want this precipitation, whether it's rain or snow, is because, well, because I live in a desert. Temperatures of up to 120° F here in the summer and that kills and dries up plants and also, in bad years, ultimately massacres chickens, even if you have the windows open and have a cooling fan with ice in front of it. The precipitation in the winter really helps to strengthen the plants and let them have lots of water to survive on, and in the chicken's case, the temperatures seem to stay a bit lower when it rains a bit. The IWVGA (Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authorities) are always screeching about how snowpack in the mountains is good and how severe the droughts are, and how the agriculture is draining the aquifer and this and that. Rainstorms like Hurricane Hilary back in August 2023 and the February 2023 snowstorm really helped the drought. Because of those, there is no more drought. Even thought the drought is gone, it is slowly creeping back into California. And that's why I want precipitation.

Yes water is a precious commodity in the desert

 

[Ponypoor]

Want mosquitoes?

Thanks! I appreciate it! Ouch that one took a bit out of me!

 

[bgmathteach]

Two videos and some tax:

I love how Ijak keeps holding the feeder open for the girls! Such the gentleman! Chivalry isn't dead in DesertValley