North Carolina

[buttercup0884]

What a Weekend!!

Friday morning was spend cleaning up after a crazy storm Thursday. Then down to Concord I went for Samantha's Birthday. I was in charge of the cake , and sadly there will be no photos as I was not at all happy with the results. She was (but she is also 6) so that is all that matters. Finished cake at 11pm, went straight to bed, only to be woken the next morning at 7am. The whole point of going down Friday was so I could sleep in Saturday before the party.

oh well. The party was a huge success, cake tasted great, and she got lots a great gifts. Drove 2 hours back home, as Hunter had clients coming all the way to Texas to pick up their puppy, to find out that he had been out with friends the night before and the house was a wreck!!!

So I got to rush around picking up dirty dishes, clothes, etc and all with only 30 minutes to spare. Right after they left, a huge storm blew in...the wind threw a chair at our roommate..lol.. Then we had Dinner with Hunters dad and stepmom to celebrate Fathers day as I worked at 13 hour shift yesterday and came home to crash.

This morning I got to sleep til around 9, at which time Captain Jack (our EE Roo) decided to crow at the top of his lungs until I came and let them all free range. I enjoyed the morning sitting in the sun watching all my crazy chickens run around after bugs, enjoy the snap peas I brought home from the party veggie trays, and dust bathe. Im hoping this weather will either clear up or rain already so we can get on with our plans of moving the chickens into separate Dog Kennels (by breed) instead of them all being together.

Sorry for the venting, just needed to get it out.

 

[NewHomesteader2010]

Good HOT Monday to everyone!! I can honestly say, aside from a horrible grocery shopping trip (seriously no registers open but the 15 or less lane...ever try checking out a month's worth of groceries with your own bags on one of those do it yourself checkout isles??

) Anyway...aside from doing a bit of grocery shopping...I haven't done a thing...just too HOT. I feel bad, especially since we're suppose to be making room for some new hens!! I went to pick up some pine shavings to freshen up what's in the coop, and both places I normally get it were out and I refused to pay $10 for ONE bag!!

I told DH if this is how things are going to go, I will just make him bag the grass from the lawn and we can start adding that into the coop.

(It's especially funny if you know that one pass of 1/5 of our lawn fills up the bin, so to do our entire lawn with the bagger would take several extra hours...haha) I did come home to a WONDERFUL sight...our neighbor (may I again say just how much I adore this man) had left a small bag of squash on our door for us. He knows that our DD is crazy about sweet potatoes and squash, and this is the second time this week that he has harvested "extra" just for her.

we are truly blessed by such a great neighbor. I am thinking I either need to make him something special or give him the first few eggs from our girls (once they start laying)...or BOTH!! I enjoyed the thunderstorms and rain that came through last night!! It watered my weed garden nicely

however, I do have some corn struggling to grow, so I haven't given up on it entirely!!

SCARY NEWS: We had something (don't know what) attack something else (don't know...I'm thinking it might have been a rabbit by the remains) on our property the other night. I was out watering the garden and there was a big hole by the fence (like a rabbit dug under the fence to get to my PEPPERS). I went to look and near the hole was a massive amount of gray fur. A few feet away...blood and entrails. Not sure what it was, or what could have done it....but we are doing some serious discussing about getting something to protect our flock and home from whatever it may be. Then last night as I am locking up everything...I hear this weird bark/cry combination coming from the woods. I told DH it sounded like nothing I've heard before, but reminded me of my uncle's cougar (don't ask...but he had one as a pet once...idiot, I know) as a cub...she made this barky cry. DH thinks it might be a bobcat cub or a coyote cub.

I have no idea. Guess we're going to head out soon to buy a shot gun or something.

I told DH I didn't want to have to aim, I'd rather just point, shoot and pray...because if I had to aim, I'd be crying too hard to see knowing I'd be taking (or attempting to...haha) the life of something...Any of you seasoned people know what we might have with what limited information I've offered?!?

 

[BHep]

NH........... electric fence. But with DD, I don't know.

Bobcat, Fox, Coyote, Raccoon, all can climb, dig under or jump any fence you put up. Sad but true

BC... you need a mini vacation after your hectic weekend

1 duckling is slowly zipping. Jeez, this is taking forever

 

[Miss Lydia]

Good evening all, wow did we have the storms come through here yesterday and this morning. Loved to hear it rain though. we got almost 3 in. since sat. Hope everyone is having a good week so far. sounds like Ruthann is getting accustomed to living in the country, with hearing wild animals and seeing body parts. We have been enjoying our adventure as being duck mama and daddy. That little duck has stolen our hearts. My dh said doesn't matter if boy or girl it stays. I am just hoping for girl to even things out more since we have the 2 drakes and 1 gander to 7 ducks hens. My game hen hatched her chicks Sat. and they are doing great. she is tall they are tiny bantams. Ruthann, we have many guns but I like the shot gun the best, no aiming just shoot in the vicinity of where the animal is. I hate the thought of killing an animal also. [even snakes] Beth. Hope your ducks come on and hatch for ya Beth. Ya'll try to stay cool sounds like we're all in for some hot weather till last of the week anyway. Happy Summer!!!!

 

[laughingdog]

homesteader2010, sounds by limited description that could be a young fox moving in to try to set up a den... you can try getting a bunch of cheap pepper, and scatter it around were you think its trying to set up shop, or not want it starting to hang out, as they hate the smell and taste of pepper and once start to get it on their paws and on face/up noise, really freaks them out (though i hate to admit hilarious to watch). also if foxes starting to raid eggs, blow the egg out of a shell and fill with pepper, you could then lock them in with an egg and they supposedly wouldnt touch them, not alone want to go near . though ive found that suggested bone and blood meals dont seem as effective at keeping away, as they used to eat them both at my grandparents place.

 

[BHep]

Just 1 duckling....that I helped hatched after zipping ALL day with no progress. Cute little bugger BUT I candled the other eggs and it appears they quit.

I do have 3 more duck eggs due to hatch Sat. So I will pray for at least one more. This baby will have to hang with the chicks till Sat.

Heading out to start chore before it gets 100 degrees.

 

[Coop Scoop Boogie]

Quote:

So sorry Beth

hoping the other eggs hatch and are healthy

 

[HenThymes]

Just wanted to let everyone know I have started a Chickenstock thread for all those interested in attending. Trying to get things in order and rolling!!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=527520

 

[greeneacre]

Phew-- finally got a break here at work. Moved to the new building and now I have about a bout 1/2 mile walk --all inside- between the 2 areas I cover-- The ONLY one inthe building that has to travel that far--Lucky me.

NH- sounds like something made a meal of a rabbit. Coyote, fox?
LD good trick with the egg of pepper need to remember that if I run into problems-- so far ok, but I have a cat who lives mostly outside and keeps most things away.


BC ditto what bhep said

ML send some of that rain my way, keep the wind and lighting- my grass is crunching.

BHEP congrats on the ducky

and

on the quitters

Oops! back to work and one more round trip to the new hospital

Carolyn

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
Aww Beth so sorry the others quit..

but congrats on the one that didn't. our little Bambino will be 3 weeks old friday, can't hardly believe it. Hope you get some out of your sat. hatch..