Stella's Social Club

[kathyinmo]

Oh my gosh - - - Are these just the cutest ever?!

Valais blacknose sheep from Switzerland














And they have beauty contests too!

 

[The Sheriff]

Kathy! Stop it! Now I have to have these! Do I have to move to Switzerland?

 

[speckledhen]

That next to the last picture barely looks real!



Oh, just saw that blasted gray fox run across my driveway. It's pouring buckets of ice cold rain prior to sleet and snow so my birds are all safely inside, but dang it, guess he wasn't just passing through when Indy and Ira held him off a few weeks ago. Now, Ira is rehomed and Indy is dead, thanks to his daddy. I'm not as confident in the safety of the free rangers at this point. Indy was a TANK, surpassing Isaac in size, and I was very satisfied that he, Rex and Isaac could handle most threats, at least the watching out for them part of it. Now, I have Rex, Isaac and much, much smaller Deacon, who was graced with only one spur. Neither of the boys has real spurs yet anyway, being quite young, and their even younger 14 week old brothers won't be as large, I don't believe.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Kathy! Stop it! Now I have to have these! Do I have to move to Switzerland?

I'd move to Switzerland.

Seriously, I would.

They look like the poodle of the sheep world. Or maybe like Polish chickens? I wonder if you have to trim around their eyes.

That next to the last picture barely looks real!



Oh, just saw that blasted gray fox run across my driveway. It's pouring buckets of ice cold rain prior to sleet and snow so my birds are all safely inside, but dang it, guess he wasn't just passing through when Indy and Ira held him off a few weeks ago. Now, Ira is rehomed and Indy is dead, thanks to his daddy. I'm not as confident in the safety of the free rangers at this point. Indy was a TANK, surpassing Isaac in size, and I was very satisfied that he, Rex and Isaac could handle most threats, at least the watching out for them part of it. Now, I have Rex, Isaac and much, much smaller Deacon, who was graced with only one spur. Neither of the boys has real spurs yet anyway, being quite young, and their even younger 14 week old brothers won't be as large, I don't believe.

Oh no. I hope your fox moves along.

Mine finally decided not to come around anymore after several occurrences of my dog chasing it off.

 

[The Sheriff]

We have red fox here. I have only seen one once in my yard. I didn't even think we had them here until I saw him!

We are sort of homebound this morning. The power pole up the road was knocked down again last night for the fifth time in 7 months so the road out is closed for six more hours. Guy distracted by a cell phone of course. I'll use the time to get some of the food prepped for Thursday.

 

[crazyhen]

That next to the last picture barely looks real!



Oh, just saw that blasted gray fox run across my driveway. It's pouring buckets of ice cold rain prior to sleet and snow so my birds are all safely inside, but dang it, guess he wasn't just passing through when Indy and Ira held him off a few weeks ago. Now, Ira is rehomed and Indy is dead, thanks to his daddy. I'm not as confident in the safety of the free rangers at this point. Indy was a TANK, surpassing Isaac in size, and I was very satisfied that he, Rex and Isaac could handle most threats, at least the watching out for them part of it. Now, I have Rex, Isaac and much, much smaller Deacon, who was graced with only one spur. Neither of the boys has real spurs yet anyway, being quite young, and their even younger 14 week old brothers won't be as large, I don't believe.

Same rain and weather hen . Yuck. The fox does not bother me here because I do not completely free range. I have large fenced in covered with wire areas. My biggest foe would be the bear I see tracks of sometimes around my new building back of the house where the hens are housed. It is a large structure. 10'x18' prebuilt. I love it. Mostly walls with some high windows and lots of vents that we put in. I hope that discourages the critters. But if he gets hungry enough who knows.
I still have not left for the coast of NC. Too many lingering health problems that need test completetion etc. with my Dr. here who knows me.
Hope all others are well this coming Thanksgiving. When all my family was close it was a very special time for us. I now have one in Colorado, one in North Dakota and one on the coast of NC. To scattered to get together like we did when they were young. But you know thats the way. I am glad they are independent adults. I do miss them though.

 

[speckledhen]

I free range every couple of days, every day if the weather is nice for at least a few hours, and I have pens, too, but you know foxes, especially the grays. They have no trouble climbing. The bantams are the safest since their pen is covered with 2x4 welded wire.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Kathy! Stop it! Now I have to have these! Do I have to move to Switzerland?

Oh and the chocolate! The chocolate!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

That next to the last picture barely looks real!



Oh, just saw that blasted gray fox run across my driveway. It's pouring buckets of ice cold rain prior to sleet and snow so my birds are all safely inside, but dang it, guess he wasn't just passing through when Indy and Ira held him off a few weeks ago. Now, Ira is rehomed and Indy is dead, thanks to his daddy. I'm not as confident in the safety of the free rangers at this point. Indy was a TANK, surpassing Isaac in size, and I was very satisfied that he, Rex and Isaac could handle most threats, at least the watching out for them part of it. Now, I have Rex, Isaac and much, much smaller Deacon, who was graced with only one spur. Neither of the boys has real spurs yet anyway, being quite young, and their even younger 14 week old brothers won't be as large, I don't believe.

Predator problems here too. I am buying more netting for my large fowl (waiting for it to arrive). Lost another Black Australorp yesterday and another one the day before that. I have brought them back into their original pen and closed the door to hopefully keep my remaining ones alive.

I have never dealt with foxes. I hope your boys get their spurs fast and they are good at defending the girls.

 

[crazyhen]

I wish I had the wherewithall to buy enough of that 2x4 wire to enclose my whole 4 acres. Then i would let them free range some. I love to watch them on green grass, even in the woods they run about so excited. As of now no go for that much wire. Maybe next yr. I can extend their runs for another 50 ft or so into the wooded part of the property back of the house. Then I could set on my back porch and watch them. That would really be nice. I have a peragon falcon, I think, on my property down next to the stream. It is a small hawk like bird so definitely no small babies out and about. I saw it catch small birds much to my displeasure. One was a nesting bluebird right up next to the porch. Thankfully the babies were far enough along that the father took care of them and eventually they left together. They came back later to check the house in the fall. I hate to see animals killed even though I know its part of life.