Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[chickwhispers]

So sorry Fuzzy. You did the best anyone could do.

 

[BattleFires]

Just in from an egg hunt and shoveling water. That's right, shoveling water. A low spot in the driveway had about 5 inches of standing water that I pushed from the low spot so it could drain away. I don't want it to refreeze. And according to the weather alert on the computer, we are supposed to get hit again...

Winter Storm Watch in effect from 3:38 PM EDT on March 10, 2014 through 4:00 PM EDT on March 12, 2014.

...Winter Storm Watch in effect from late Tuesday night through Wednesday afternoon...

The National Weather Service in Detroit/Pontiac has issued a Winter Storm Watch...which is in effect from late Tuesday night through Wednesday afternoon.

Hazardous weather...

* rain will transition to all snow Tuesday night. The snow will continue into early Wednesday afternoon and may be heavy at times Wednesday morning...possibly accumulating at rates of an inch per hour. Total snowfall of around 6 inches is possible. The highest accumulations are expected south of a Detroit to Ann Arbor line.

* Winds will turn to the north Tuesday night and increase during the day Wednesday. Northerly wind gusts over 30 mph are possible Wednesday...which could cause some blowing and drifting of the snow.

* Temperatures will fall through the 20s on Wednesday...while wind chill readings drop into the single digits.

When I got home from work I discovered my barn had flooded… Hooray for buildings at the bottom of hills….. At least the house is on the top of the hill.
The water didn't get into the stalls were my ducks, llama and alpaca are so thank goodness for small miracles.

 

[morrisonmanor]

Fuzzy, so sorry about your girl.

 

[Opa]

Losing an animal is always difficult and it doesn't become easier no matter how old you are or how many times you have gone through it. Yesterday I was talking with my oldest son about the declining condition of my Jack Russell terrier. We were discussing how difficult it is to decide when the animals quality of life requires that ultimate decision.

Sometimes you must decide what is in the animal's best interest and other times that decision is made for you. Just last week he had to put down their yellow lab. He had found the dog 14 years ago wandering along a remote stretch of Kansas highway. After an exhaustive attempt to find its owner it became a cherished member of their household. They assumed it was 2 or 3 years old when found so "Buddy" did have a long productive life.

Then two days later he came home to discover a new calf had died which caused him to think that it was one of the worst weeks he had experienced in a long time. Little did he know that the week was going to get worse. He has owned a big gaited mule that would ride, drive, and pack. Clyde stood 17 hands and was unbelievably gentle. He often would be almost out of sight in the pasture yet when you whistled he would come running. When my granddaughter was 5 years old she would ride him and it was amazing how he would respond to her commands. He definitely fit the description of a babysitter mount.

Several years ago Clyde was kicked in the mouth by another mule and the resulting tooth loss has made eating difficult. From that point forward it seemed that Clyde faced one crisis after another. Joe has done everything possible to improve Clyde's quality of life but in spite of the vets efforts nothing seemed to work and he continued to decline.

Friday evening when Joe went to feed he could hear Clyde's labored breathing. Evidently he had spent most of the day thrashing trying to get up, thereby creating a hole about 10" deep. Some how a broken tree branch became impaled in the poor animals eye and with Clyde's overall condition he knew he could not allow the agony to continue.

While he wait for Morgan to bring him a pistol he talked to Clyde about all the miles they had ridden, about the mountains in Colorado they had climbed together. Clyde settled down as Joe talked about their adventures and told him how he loved him enough to not let the pain go on any longer. With tears falling he did what was necessary to open the gate to heaven's pasture.

 

[chickwhispers]

How sad indeed.

 

[jlynnet]

Fuzzy, sorry about your loss.
Opa, that is so sad. I know how your son feels. I lost a beloved horse a long time ago. Awful feeling.

 

[snowflake]

When I got home from work I discovered my barn had flooded… Hooray for buildings at the bottom of hills….. At least the house is on the top of the hill.
The water didn't get into the stalls were my ducks, llama and alpaca are so thank goodness for small miracles.

Hi, on't think I welcomed you, So, WELCOME

Hope the next round of thaw doesn't get the critters to wet

Losing an animal is always difficult and it doesn't become easier no matter how old you are or how many times you have gone through it. Yesterday I was talking with my oldest son about the declining condition of my Jack Russell terrier. We were discussing how difficult it is to decide when the animals quality of life requires that ultimate decision.


Friday evening when Joe went to feed he could hear Clyde's labored breathing. Evidently he had spent most of the day thrashing trying to get up, thereby creating a hole about 10" deep. Some how a broken tree branch became impaled in the poor animals eye and with Clyde's overall condition he knew he could not allow the agony to continue..

so sad to hear, give your son our sympathy, what a hard thing to have to do

 

[snowflake]

missed Fuzzy love, so sorry about your hen, hope some of her eggs hatch

 

[preciouskitty]

@Opa
@fuzzybutt love
Both stories have brought tears .. Of sadness, but also of "happiness" (for lack of a better term) for the compassion, love & caring shown to the animal family members. So sorry for the losses....

I cannot believe how harsh this winter has been on everyone's farm critters....the frostbite, now the loss of bees...

Our Sandhill Cranes returned yesterday & have been vocally making themselves known. A welcome sound...though I suspect they are gonna be kinda bummed when this next round of winter weather hits today.

Did take today off to try &'clear some of the snow from the run while it's warm; potentially an effort in futility based on the forecast, but at least Spaz & Blackie can spend another day out free ranging with the group. Each time they are all out together, things get better & there is more "harmony". Right now it's only 2 of the PRs that are being evil to Spaz. I do know Spaz enjoyed a much needed, LONG dust bath yesterday.

 

[aart]

I've been lucky so far with no flooding where it usually happens, tho it's soggy in lots of places.....lolled at Raz shoveling water, been there done that!
Learning and watching what the thaw does in the first spring of my chicken run.

Condolences to Opa.... and especially to his son, tough times, but I know his papa will guide him well...my philosophy on pet death:
We know from the day we let them into our hearts, that one day they will break them.
The joy we gain by loving them will, in time, once again outweigh the sadness they can bring to our lives.

Got 2nd chick hatched so the single chick issue is resolved...
...got one pipped for about 12 hours now at the midline of the egg, I can see beak and breathing so keeping a close eye on that one.....
....and a few more pips in the works including a green egg and a darker brown egg both sired by an EE....let's hope their pullets!

Gritting my teeth for the forecasted 3-6+" of wet snow tonite.....arrgghhh...sigh.