Michigan

[Opa]

Nancy, I am NOT chicken obsessed. Just because two years ago I didn't have a single chicken, and just because I only intended to get 3 or 4 hens, and just because I have built numerous coops, runs, tractors, brooders, and cages, and just because I'm planning on firing up the incubators again real soon, and just because I have been working to get things ready for the arrival of 90 chicks on Tuesday, and just because I spend several hours each day on BYC does not mean that chickens have become an obsession.

 

[Olive Hill]

vicki -- Beautiful dogs! Do you keep them penned with your goats all the time? If you don't mind me asking, I thought LGD were bred to be "free" but not runners. In other words, that they were bred not to be confined but rather trained to the property line and then free ranging that area (for lack of a better description). Do you have issues with yours staying to home? I would love to have a pair of LGDs at some point in the future. For now our mutts do a relatively decent job, but they're not so good about staying to home (and one has a very high prey drive, can't be trusted with small livestock alone) so they are on an electric fence system that sometimes prevents them from fully protecting other areas of the property where their services could be needed. That was one of the main things I want in an LGD, ability to let them just be here, without confining them to a certain portion of the property -- I would love for them to walk freely from paddock to paddock, pen to pen, through the chicken area, etc.

 

[Huston's Happy Hens]

Quote:
hmmmmm I'm not convinced Sam!

btw, how do i upload a pic - we got a new pup yesterday!

 

[Huston's Happy Hens]

Remember we lost Hershey about a month ago...Savannah has been lonely, but now that we have this little rescue pup, we're not SO sure!
The other dogs in the background are from the foster home.....our Savannah is in the second pic.

Thanks Teach!

 

[A2SciTeach]

Nancy, that is one cute pup! Congratulations on your new addition.

There was an ad on Craiglsits for call ducks - I emailed and it turns out the person lives within a mile or two of me. Small world. Didn't get the ducks, though, they were already gone by the time she got back to me. Probably a good thing, or I'd be havin' some explaining to do with DH

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

Vicki and hustonn, the pups are adorable!
LMC, looking forward to seeing a pic of your new dog too. That is so nice that y'all took her in. I am sure she will be loved and happy.

My DIL's mother has a male cayuga duck the she is trying to find a home for so if anyone is interested let me know. He is gorgeous!


I have one less chicken today... my BIL came and took my little BR/wellie cockeral. He also took our goldfish and 30 gal fish tank. I am relieved not to have to worry about cleaning that anymore. I would much rather spend time with my chickens.

 

[Opa]

Nancy's new pup is adorable and her talk of getting it reminded me of when I first got Daisy my JRT. She weighed less than a pound when I got her and rode everywhere with me in my coat pocket. As she got older she was carried inside of my jacket only ocassionally stick her head out.
Hope had insisted that if I bought a dog she was moving out. The breeder was located about 2 hours from here and as we drove there Hope kept stating her opposition. Finally she when she realized that I was actually going to get one she modified her position to "you can get one if it is a short haired white dog with one brown ear and a brown patch encircling the eye opposite the colored ear. As Hope's two sons and I played with the puppies trying to decide which one to get, one made her insistence to go with us quite well known, and surprizingly she fit Hope's specifications perfectly.
Now, 16 years later, all of the brown has been surplanted by aged white. She sleeps alot more than she used to and very rarely will chase the squirrels that once wouldn't have lasted two minutes before.
She loves to lie next to me, wedged between my leg and the arm of my recliner but lately it has become increasingly difficult for her to get out there. The last few nights she has tried to jump up on the foot rest only to fall short and require that I pick her up. Last night I was amazed that I was able to get ice cream from the freezer and sit eating an entire bowl without her being aware of it.
It's hard watching them age knowing that each day might be the last you spend with them, but I can not imagine what life would have been without her.

 

[Mom 2em All]

Ahh, Opa, its amazing how much they impact our lives, isn't it? I had my best friend for only ten short years- but she was there for me for some of the most difficult times of my life- and also some of the most glorious. An angel in fur, a constant companion, and nanny to my kids. There was a point that I needed to move into a womens shelter, but I refused to go because they wouldn't let me take my dog. I told the woman that leaving her behind was not an option any more than leaving my children would be. And I watched them look at me in shock as I walked away from the help they offered me.
My Meg was a Great Dane mix and the best impulse I ever had. She was in a box out in the hot sun outside the pet supply store, and I brought her home. I lived in an apartment and we were not allowed pets. So, we had to buy a house.

The most gentle, sweetest giant in the world and my children all learned to walk by pulling themselves up on her-she would just stand there and let them climb all over her. Many baby naps were taken laying by her side, or their head on her somewhere- she would never move until they got up and moved first.

Fireworks terrified her. Every year was worse than the previous one. I think it became worse when the kids were old enough to go outside and watch the neighbors set off fireworks, and I would have to lie on top of her, inside the house with the door and windows shut. She would panic and if I didn't hold her down she would have gone through the door or window. I didn't know about tranquilizers from the vets at the time- wouldn't have been able to afford to get any, but it would have been nice to use them. The first year she was gone, I went outside when the neighbors were setting off the fireworks- and I couldn't help but keep looking back at my house- half expecting her to come crashing through the door.

Watching them age is tough for sure. It was so hard to watch her get stiff and arthritic, and turn grey. She set the bar high, and none of the dogs that have become a part of our lives have been able to fill her paw prints. The day she left us, she definitely took a part of our hearts with her.

Everyones' puppy pictures are so adorable. They grow quick- take many pictures.

 

[Opa]

I'm sitting here this morning drinking coffee and thinking about how wonderful life can truly be. I must get Granny up and going in a few minutes rather than letting her sleep til her usual 8am wakeup. We have to head for an eye doctor appointment in Lansing at 9am. She has been getting a injection into her right eye to dissolve blood clots that formed on her retina as a result of a stroke. What is amazing is the the stroke was confined to her eye and what is even more amazing is that thanks to an experimental procedure her vision is now better than she can remember.

While the morning breaks damp and cold it should be improving steadily as the day progresses and the rest of the week in forecasted to be nothing short of incredible. temperatures in the 70's. One could ask for better weather for the arrival of a huge box of chicks. They are being shipped today and should arrive tomorrow. Bluemoon is coming over to help me sort and place each of them into the brooder. On Thursday I will be taking most of them to Crazy chicken fever's (Jamie) so that everyone who has ordered can pick them up. I'm really looking forward to getting together with her, Chickflick, Huston, Ooopsy Daisy, Zepher Creek, Bluemoon, and YakLady. I guess you might call it a little mini chickenstock.

 

[SweeChee]

Hi all! I got my 10 chicks Friday (was only suppose to get 8!). One of them died yesterday morning

(she was quite tiny and had something wrong with her foot). All the rest are doing great. My DH laughs at me and my two DD because we set lawn chairs up in the garage around the brooder so we can watch them. They are a HOOT! (We got a RIR, SLW, GLW, EE, Australorp, Brahma, Barred Rock, Black Star, Leghorn).

Names: RIR - Rhodey, SLW - Frost, GLW - Bubbles, EE - Jellybean, Australorp - Midnight, Brahma - Pidge, BR - Oreo, BS - Skidmark (DH named! LOL! I looked at him and said What!?!? He said like a tire makes on cement, not the ones on your underwear!

), and Leghorn - Foghorn (DH again, couldn't resist one of his favorite cartoon characters!).

It's funny because DH laughs at me about watching the chicks, but he couldn't sleep the other night because he was thinking about how he wanted the coop designed (he's already got the posts in and the floor built!!!

I can't wait until it's warm enough to take the chicks outside to play.

Still need to get the dogs adjusted, but they seem to do well so far. My German Shepherd/Retiever mix doesn't like to leave the brooder unattended! She lays her head on the top and watches them through the chicken wire! My Border Collie/Aussie mix seems as though she could care less.

Got to get to work. Everyone enjoy there day...Going to get warm this week