Stella's Social Club

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I think I will set up the incubator next week and do one hatch. Ended up with just 2 (roo and pullet) of the Arkansas Blues, and was not able to get Delawares this year from Sandhill, so my flock is going into the winter on the small side. (OK, rationalizing I know). Figured to rehome my CL roo and some hens, and keep the AB roo in with the CL and laying flock, and see it I can add some more AB's next spring. So I can hatch some CL eggs, and some green eggers from the CL x Delaware/Basque hens in the laying flock to get some more younger pullets.

I only have room for 2 roosters over the winter, and the other pen will be the Swedish Flower Hens - they are really pretty birds, but I still miss having Delawares, they are really my favorites.
 
My expletive deleted neighbor declared war on me a short while ago in two separate voice mail messages. (I don't answer the phone when that phone number comes up; just added a cell phone number to my list when the wife tried that trick, which caught me.). I have had four separate people listen to the messages just because I was afraid I am too close to the issue and might be overly sensitive. All four think I should report the calls to law enforcement, even the man who heard them. There have been more than two calls, but those two included "This is war," and "You're going down."

First rally resulted in Animal Services being called for an animal noise complaint, the day the Sand Fire started. That morning, a notce was attached to my gate, but wasn't resolved until A/S was free of large animal evacuation situations. The A/S officer who returned my call apologized for the delay because he figured I would have liked to know the complaint was deemed unfounded the same day. The poultry noise was a non-issue, and the barking dog portion was also "laughable" because dogs have to be barking for 15-20 minutes continuously. Both times cited were when I came home and my younger dog heralded the sound of the gate opening..... Less than five minutes. There was NO barking whilst the A/S officer was on my road. Dooley also patrols the property every night and warns off the skunk family for about five minutes until I get him back inside the house.

The latest volley across the fence was a second noise complaint and a co-conspirator reporting my duck pond as a source of West Nile Mosquitos.

I left a message for the new A/S officer to review the previous officer's case and findings, but encouraged her to call me if she had any questions. No call yet.

The Vector Control officer who left a long, handwritten note, her business card, and a West Nile pamphlet, spent quite a while on the phone with me. She said it became quite apparent "what the real problem is" when she spent about half an hour outside my fence watching "your beautiful chickens and those hilarious turkeys" before the neighbor to my west approached her. "You poor thing," she sympathized with me.

The V/C officer loved the duck pond. "Very pretty, almost like one of those Asian bamboo types, but more rustic.". I told her it was supposed to remind folks of gold rush spumes. Ah well.

With a pump running 24 hours a day, frequent waterfowl swim sessions and goldfish which have grown quite large in the murky green water, there is NO concern about mosquito growth there. Standing water takes close to ten undisturbed days for the mosquito problem to emerge. She asked if I had any other water containers left around and I said "Of course, but nothing that doesn't suffer from ducks or geese stirring it with their bills within a few minutes.". She laughed.

Even IF I had been the Great West Nile Community Hazard, there would have been no fine or order to empty the pond; the county provides free mosquito fish and will even institute a FREE, tri-monthly application of an insecticide not harmful to livestock, pets, or wildlife which may drink from it, if the property owner requests that assistance. (I do not.)

However, I made an appointment for her to come onto my property for an inspection so she can fully document the unfounded complaint. She said she was already satisfied, I did not have to allow her access, but she appreciated my desire to make it absolutely clear *I* am not the problem.

Because the source isn't here, she will be "shot-gunning" all the residences on the road to "be thorough."

She said my two Tom turkeys were "hilarious" as they silently snuck around following her along the fence line. She said the dark one - I told her that was Nigel - is really mean to the smallest white turkey hen. The ducks are gorgeous. There are so many different kinds of chickens in my flock she enjoyed watching them. The geese are "so regal," said she.

Friday morning is the day we will walk around the property together, loudly remarking about this or that particularly amusing poultry antic. Oh, and documenting any standing water which might breed Mosquitos.

I am so relieved to know I am not the crazy one. Well, you know.... At least not about the expletive deleted, rooster & and goose-hating neighbors who have threatened to shoot or slit the throats of my geese. The male half actually followed me into the local general store to yell at me a couple of weeks ago, in front of the proprietor and several customers. That didn't scare me so they have started the "complain to the authorities" campaign, AKA "Make crap up and waste county government employees' time."

Now that I have that off my chest (for now), I want to add my best wishes for Michael's scan, Mary.
 
OH Linda, I feel so badly for you. You do so much to keep the neighbors placated and they don't give up. They are not PITAS, they sound like certifiable mental aberrations that need to be separated from the population asap.
 

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