Surviving Minnesota!

[ketojenn]

The babies I have in the house.

We don't plan on keeping half of these, but we are definitely going to need a bigger pond.

 

[ketojenn]

Cold and raining here....

That sux. It was that way all last week here.

 

[duluthralphie]

That sux. It was that way all last week here.

I think once the glaciers melt it will be a little warmer and dryer here. These glaciers really affect our weather.

 

[CindyinSD]

Can’t watch your video, Jen, and I WANT to. Dang slow satellite internet. It was raining here and still cloudy. No videos for me. I’ll look later.

The strange black cows went away, taking their scary bull the size of a large lumpy SUV with them. Looks like something from a rodeo poster. Heifers desire him; bulls fear him... I think our cowman must’ve sold his USFS grazing permit to someone else. He even fixed the line fences. They have to buy the herd with the permit. That’s the rule. He’s obviously switched out the herd bull though.

This morning when he was ogling my girls I went to the fence and I stared at him (the bull, not the rancher, who was not present) until he huffed and wandered nonchalantly off, hollerin’ for his cows to come attend him.

I put my wee duckies in the baby tractor because they were skulking around outside in the rain looking miserable. I know they can get over the threshold ‘cause I’ve seen them do it. I haven’t left them with the older babies all night yet. They’re as large as most of them and no one bothers them, but they’re still mostly fluff. One of the poults was outside crying. I opened the netting and it trotted into the yard, through the tractor door, and hopped up onto a roost.

The duckies are back right.

Here are my next round of chicken dinners:

It’s 58 degrees right now, humid & breezy, yet they huddle *away* from the “lights”. I raised the fixtures up higher (heat emitting bulbs really—no light except for the red one ‘cause I want them sleeping at night) but though I’ve shooed them under there repeatedly in case they didn’t notice it’s warmer, they stay crowded away from the warmth. There’re 30 of them in there. Doesn’t look like it, but I did count them as I took them out.

 

[ketojenn]

The minions hard at work.

I dug the first layer, then bribed them to dig out the center. It's pure clay about 14 inches down, hence the bribery.

 

[ketojenn]

Can’t watch your video, Jen, and I WANT to. Dang slow satellite internet. It was raining here and still cloudy. No videos for me. I’ll look later.

The strange black cows went away, taking their scary bull the size of a large lumpy SUV with them. Looks like something from a rodeo poster. Heifers desire him; bulls fear him... I think our cowman must’ve sold his USFS grazing permit to someone else. He even fixed the line fences. They have to buy the herd with the permit. That’s the rule. He’s obviously switched out the herd bull though.

This morning when he was ogling my girls I went to the fence and I stared at him (the bull, not the rancher, who was not present) until he huffed and wandered nonchalantly off, hollerin’ for his cows to come attend him.

I put my wee duckies in the baby tractor because they were skulking around outside in the rain looking miserable. I know they can get over the threshold ‘cause I’ve seen them do it. I haven’t left them with the older babies all night yet. They’re as large as most of them and no one bothers them, but they’re still mostly fluff. One of the poults was outside crying. I opened the netting and it trotted into the yard, through the tractor door, and hopped up onto a roost.

View attachment 1822921

The duckies are back right.

Here are my next round of chicken dinners:

View attachment 1822928 View attachment 1822929

View attachment 1822938

It’s 58 degrees right now, humid & breezy, yet they huddle *away* from the “lights”. I raised the fixtures up higher (heat emitting bulbs really—no light except for the red one ‘cause I want them sleeping at night) but though I’ve shooed them under there repeatedly in case they didn’t notice it’s warmer, they stay crowded away from the warmth. There’re 30 of them in there. Doesn’t look like it, but I did count them as I took them out.

I'd be nervous about that bull too. I once had one stalk me on the other side of a rather questionable fence while out walking one day. I've never wanted to own one, that's for sure.

 

[Molpet]

neighbors across the road had a bull that would get out once in a while and come visit ...as a kid I used to herd him back with my horse. The grandmother, who looked like she was 80, would come out and grab him by the ring on his nose and put him up until her son got home from work.
My great Uncle Jake had a bull too. Both were mean , the bull went through a cement block wall trying to get to Jake. Jake was tormenting him That Bull would just hang around the house looking for Jake when he got out. Never came over to us.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Freya is getting down to her summer break I’m guessing. The girl laid for me all winter long practically. Time she took a break to rest her ovaries and cloaca.

The crew except 1 MMM little

 

[CindyinSD]

I'd be nervous about that bull too. I once had one stalk me on the other side of a rather questionable fence while out walking one day. I've never wanted to own one, that's for sure.

I kinda do want one—a nice boy to keep my girls happy and safely preggers so the bad (huge) boys aren’t coming around to party. That BA bull would literally break their backs if he got to them. They’re not miniatures, but Highlands aren’t all that big anyway. They’re all excited, jumping up on one another... My “dealer” says I can always eat him if he’s cranky. I think I could do that...

 

[duluthralphie]

Freya is getting down to her summer break I’m guessing. The girl laid for me all winter long practically. Time she took a break to rest her ovaries and cloaca.
View attachment 1823081
The crew except 1 MMM little
View attachment 1823080

I have gotten 3 pullet eggs from my first hatch of the year in the last week.

Those baby eggs are so cute.