~ Retired and Starting My Future In The Foothills ~

[1muttsfan]

Merry Christmas to you and your flock, Linda, sounds like you have been very busy.

Maybe you should name my chickens, none of them ever tell me anything, except Big Fella the Euskal roo and Freckles the Speckled Sussex hen. Can I have them speak to you at a distance?

(We got 10 inches of snow yesterday - wet, heavy, involving multiple down trees, tractors, and chain saws. Fortunately I scampered off to Florida yesterday am before the snow started and I didn't have to do any of the work)

 

[BusyBlonde]

Great to read your update! I know what you mean about the flock naming themselves, all of my companion animals do that. My DH sometimes names them based on what they look like, but they answer to the names they give themselves. I look forward to your pictures and stories!

 

[maclady]

Merry Christmas to you and all your furry/feathered friends. It was great to see a post from you & can't wait to see the pictures! Good luck with your wish for snow.

 

[gryeyes]

Merry Christmas, everyone! I hope everybody with kids is keeping up with Santa's progress by checking NORAD's Tracking Santa site.

I delivered six candied apples from Mrs. Prindable to the Mt. Aukum General Store for the folks who have been so helpful to me and all their customers, handed five more over the fence to "the human Carls" family, and then walked up the STEEP driveway on the other side with four more to give the retired folks who feed all of their kitchen scraps to my flock (they're grandparents with family or guests staying with them this time of year - she cooks a lot and my flock knows to gather at one section of the fence at the top my gully when they see Mr. retiree coming with the bucket).

The UPS guys each got one today when they delivered MY Christmas gift.

I bought a bale of alfalfa hay for the flock for their Christmas gift. After I figure out my new camera, I'll have even MORE pictures to share.

I know - promises, promises.

Last night I clipped Jack's crest so he can see better. As I suspected, he may be blind or have limited sight out of his right eye... But the difference in his behavior today is remarkable. He's wandered through more of the house, isn't circling quite so much, and actually seems to go where he wants to go
instead of "guessing" which way to move. I've ordered diapers for him and Beth and Punkin. In warmer weather, the pullets will be integrated into the flock, but Jack is going to remain a house chicken. Unless, of course, he wants to go outside. Currently, he will stand in the doorway and look out, but he's not at all interested in stepping outside yet. (The pullets run right past him onto the deck and out into the garden when I open the door..)

He also did something I've never seen him do: he tid-bitted for the pullets! Baby carrots are treats for my doxies (and for the bunnies) and Zorro is a sloppy cruncher. There were little bits of carrot on the floor which Jack discovered. After checking 'em out, he made the "I've got a goodie for you" call! However, Beth and Punkin were out in the garden at the time...

There's something so cozy about bundling in blankets with 2 small dogs and a cat on my lap whilst a BR and a BO nap on the back of the sofa. Jack is perched on the small footstool I placed on the coffee table, nodding off in front of the TV set. Good thing I have a supply of throws to drape the sofa and
coffee table.

It's probably a bonus that I don't get that many visitors. <I><*snort*></I>

Snowfall is only on the horizon about 2,000 feet above my property.

 

[1muttsfan]

Merry Christmas, friends

 

[Chick N Haus]

Happy Holidays to you and your flock.

 

[coloradochick]

Thank you all - I have been coccooning in front of the TV set for some weeks, now. Lots of photos to share, but not in this post (because my iPad doesn't hold my photo collection). I have to organize well over 300 photos taken in the last two months...
My friend and her dog Sheldon departed on Dec. 3rd, after a month's stay. There are stories about Sheldon terrorizing the flock, collectively and individually. Oh, boy, do I have stories! Sue survived her Sheldon-initiated falls, although her ankle still bothers her. Sheldon did not want to get in her car on departure day (on any day, actually, so we made plans for Farmer Lew to come over to get Sheldon in the car for us). FL simply picked up the 64 pound dog, carried him off the porch and put him in the car. Embarrassing Sheldon in front of all the ducks and chickens!
I think I am now officially insane, as there are 3 chickens living in the house: the two pullets who SHOULD have integrated a bit over a month ago, and Jack, my special-needs WCBP rooster. Jack fell victim to one of Sheldon's strafing raids on the flock, so he's been in protective custody during the wet and cold weather. While Beth and Punkin love to go outside into the garden (nothing for them to harm this time of year), Jack prefers to stand in the doorway to
look outside.
I have sent messages to two different BYCers who make chicken diapers, but no replies yet. I am ready to order one for each of 'em... Despite Dooley's vocal objections to Chickens Inside The House.
Today, the Inside Pullets "dust-bathed" on a fluffy throw I keep on my bed. Jack is perched on a small stool set on the coffee table so he can watch TV with us (Dooley and Zorro, lap dogs on the sofa under a heated throw with me and Lizbeth purring on top of that warmed blanket).
Yesterday and the day before, there was nearly an inch of ice covering the stock pond and the two kiddie pools. Just in the mornings... I pulled out the ice when I added water to them. This morning there was only a film of ice in the fountain basins and bird-bath. But a huge winter storm is just bearing down; I am so hoping for a white Christmas!!! Snow level is forecast for 3500 feet and above, but maybe it will drop in the wee hours of the 25th just for me... (Sorry all y'all residents around me at the 2200 feet elevation.)
By the way, Jack never crowed outside at all - he saved that for the first day he felt better inside the house. His crow wasn't a new, squeaky one; maybe he practiced SOMEWHERE beforehand, secretly, but he has a BIg Boy's crow. That's another reason he's going to be a house chicken: I do not want to get rid of him.
There's been some "roo shuffling" going on here. Bernard passed away unexpectedly after about three days of acting poorly. This created a vacancy in my "two rooster" limit (because I ignore the fact that Max the Silkie is a crowing fool). HH and FL accepted a couple of new crowers for their Freezer Camp, and brought back one we knew was a Son Of Bernard. For awhile, we called him "SOB" until my house-guest and I converted that into "Sebastian.". However, after he adjusted to his new circumstances, he let me know his name is Domino. <*shrugging>*
I don't know how it works, but most of my flock-members do name themselves. For me, it makes sense, but curious-minded folks like me who think too much may wonder what could possibly be useful in having a psychic skill which merely gives chickens names. People names, at that. Perhaps they are translations, like Spanish Jose and Vietnamese Ngyuen?
Whatever. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Not gonna organize photos for uploading until I am sure we make it through 12/21/12 - why spend time doing that when I can have my hair rearranged by Beth and Pumpkin, while I sit here and watch all my recorded programs?

Can we please pleasee please get a pic of this?

 

[Wisher1000]

Who's gonna take the pic, Lizbeth?

 

[gryeyes]

 

[BusyBlonde]

Too cute!