The Front Porch Swing

[wyoDreamer]

Oldmamma - I am praying for your safety and the safety of your family.

 

[rrrmamma]

I am heartbroken. Our yorkie was hit by a car this evening. He was my first child, and we are devastated. The neighbor's dogs (not the huskies) were across the road and Zauk and Ratchet went running after them. I opened the door to holler at them and Parker ran out, across the yard and into the road. I heard the car and screamed at him to stop and come back but he didn't. They hit him and I screamed and ran out there barefoot. They stopped and got to him first but I screamed at them not to touch him. I picked him up and he took about 3 gasps and was gone. It was a couple of teenage boys and they were upset about it. Even offered to dig a hole but I told them that the hubby would do it. My kids are so upset. My husband got home to all of us bawling. He turned grey when I told him that Parker was hit. He took him and built a box to bury him in and dug the grave. I still feel like someone punched me in the gut.

d
Lindz, I know your heart is hurting, I have no words to make it stop. I made a memory frame for each of my wolf-dogs as I lost them to old age. Just a picture, their dog tags, and other memorabilia.
It helps me remember the good times we had when they were young. We just buried my last wolf-dog, Nizhoni, last week. Hugs to you and your family.

 

[Triple Willow]

Lindz & rrrmamma... I'm sorry about both of your dogs. I know that is awful. Losing a good dog feels like losing a family member. Sorry.

 

[Triple Willow]

Bee! Liza looks like she has grown! I see you're getting her trained with birds early on. Cute! LOL

 

[Beekissed]

I am heartbroken. Our yorkie was hit by a car this evening. He was my first child, and we are devastated. The neighbor's dogs (not the huskies) were across the road and Zauk and Ratchet went running after them. I opened the door to holler at them and Parker ran out, across the yard and into the road. I heard the car and screamed at him to stop and come back but he didn't. They hit him and I screamed and ran out there barefoot. They stopped and got to him first but I screamed at them not to touch him. I picked him up and he took about 3 gasps and was gone. It was a couple of teenage boys and they were upset about it. Even offered to dig a hole but I told them that the hubby would do it. My kids are so upset. My husband got home to all of us bawling. He turned grey when I told him that Parker was hit. He took him and built a box to bury him in and dug the grave. I still feel like someone punched me in the gut.

Oh, honey....I'm so sorry!

It truly does hurt when a good old dog leaves us suddenly and hurts doubly when you don't get to say a proper good-bye. You'll be feeling it for a long time....I still experience loss over my very first dog's death and it's been a dozen or so years past. Give that pain over to DAD when it gets too hard to bear and He will help you in your grief.

Yay! The feed mill I'm going to start getting my local, no-GMO, super healthy all-purpose pelleted poultry feed from has been down for repairs, but I just got word from them they should be up and running again in a few hours, and probably caught up with their orders by the end of the week. So ...

... we could have our new feed soon-ish!

I'm so happy for you!!! You'll have to let us know how it ferments and how the laying is on the feed and all. How's the field coming along? Any sprouts?

I have a question! A few days ago there was a discussion on covering an overused hens back, I think using duct tape?? Did anyone use it and if so how did it work. I would think that would keep the skin from breathing.

Anyway, I have a hen that has the top of her wings completely rubbed raw, along with a naked back. Any suggestions? I'm sorry if this has been discussed to death, but this thread goes soooo fast, it is hard to keep up!!!

I'm going to be applying a small strip to two girls this evening but it won't be duct tape...it will be traction tape that one puts on steps for added traction. I'll let you know how it goes. If you do apply tape I'd do it minimally so as to not occlude areas of the skin from dusting and air, if at all possible.

Bee, I have a quilt just like that one! Grandchildren look just like little angels sleeping on it!

That's so cool!!! Funny how it's a small world, isn't it? She just loves napping on quilts...we have a full on plenty of them here and she has already chosen a favorite...not the one in the pic. There's one quilt on which she gets the best sleep time and enjoys the colors while awake.

Bee! Liza looks like she has grown! I see you're getting her trained with birds early on. Cute! LOL

She has...but not as much as that duck! It's a quacker now instead of a peeper and she is getting real feathers. Wild as the dickens and independent of us all, she still forages better than most of the chickens, only topped by Little Red.

Aliza is very vocal now and is trying to mimic some sounds, tells me long stories of all her grievances with her parents and I sympathize with her, which she seems to appreciate. She's going to be real character if they don't spoil her...she's already half way there as she has them trained and she's only 2 mo. old. Smart kid.

I'm trying to catch up on all the posts in between chores, so forgive me if I missed a lot....I love you all and you are in my thoughts frequently as I step off my day and I pray for you often.

 

[tntchix]

I am heartbroken. Our yorkie was hit by a car this evening. He was my first child, and we are devastated. The neighbor's dogs (not the huskies) were across the road and Zauk and Ratchet went running after them. I opened the door to holler at them and Parker ran out, across the yard and into the road. I heard the car and screamed at him to stop and come back but he didn't. They hit him and I screamed and ran out there barefoot. They stopped and got to him first but I screamed at them not to touch him. I picked him up and he took about 3 gasps and was gone. It was a couple of teenage boys and they were upset about it. Even offered to dig a hole but I told them that the hubby would do it. My kids are so upset. My husband got home to all of us bawling. He turned grey when I told him that Parker was hit. He took him and built a box to bury him in and dug the grave. I still feel like someone punched me in the gut.

I'm so sorry.

 

[Triple Willow]

@Bee... I really want some of those KCampbells! They are sooo neat!

HA I bet Miss Liza doesn't have a choice on that spoiling! That little girl has got it made.

 

[OHhappychicks]

I didn't really measure much. I opened the simple side seam, then cut those even from the sturdy rolled side seam. The large side seam became the center line running lengthwise down the back of the hen.

These were large birds, so I made a generous length ... some of that got used up with folding the cut edge back to create a tunnel for the elastic (I folded it up, not under, so the smooth side was against the bird) ... and left the original hem for a finished tail end. The elastic tunnel was only a few inches across, but took more length than I thought it would, so I'm glad I cut it generous at first. Then I cut the crescents for the shape along the top (or rather front/neck end) line to shape around the wings, and attached the elastic. I did not shape the bottom edges to curve them ... it's a long, wide, rectangular apron. Not delicate and fancy like the ones at the link.

I made my elastic a pretty short/tight. One continuous piece clear across the saddle. It did twist around a lot and it did need adjusting, but it didn't come off.

Note, I only did this to protect the wound on her side. I have LOTS of bare-backed birds, and they don't get aprons. Sorry girls. The real fix is fewer males to female, or a better balance of males in the general population. So I'm considering another drastic rooster cull ... or segregation. I hate to see the hens like that. We have maybe 20 hens per male, but we culled the cockerels too late and damage had already started after they re-grew feathers from their super hard molt last fall -- our top cock got last years new tail pulled as it was re growing after the molt, and he is still tailless. It was cockerelpalooza here until Christmas. Not good. And now we have one extra cockerel the for some reason isn't getting culled, and another younger roo ... the younger ones cause competitive mating ... so the hens still get too much attention. The older males are pretty gentle and they have happy harems ... until a cockerel jumps the hens.

Thank you for this! I'm going to try to make one this week. As for the roos, I know what you mean. I have 4 roos with 20 hens. The largest and head roo is in a breeding pen with 4 hens. He is so good and gentle. The other 3 one is a buckeye americauna, and a bantam de'uccle roo. The AM roo is the worst. I would love to rehome him, or send him to freezer camp, but I don't cull my own, (I know

), just something I don't want to do. I usually give them to a family that has a few hens, and she culls them for her family. If I have several, the amish a few miles down the road will do them for $2 ea, or there is another mennonite processing place about 30 miles from me that I can take them to, and they shrink wrap them. But with only 1 it isn't worth it to me. I am almost ready to give him to that family if they want him. But this one particular hen is the worst of all the hens. I won't make them for all the bare backs, I don't think. If they work well, I might though, just for sunburn issues!

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

I'm so happy for you!!! You'll have to let us know how it ferments and how the laying is on the feed and all. How's the field coming along? Any sprouts?

Yes! Some sprouts! The soil was nice and moist when they seeded it, but it hasn't really rained much, so I was worried it wouldn't sprout at all. The field is still brown, but with a nice green haze.


She has...but not as much as that duck! It's a quacker now instead of a peeper and she is getting real feathers. Wild as the dickens and independent of us all, she still forages better than most of the chickens, only topped by Little Red.

Aliza is very vocal now and is trying to mimic some sounds, tells me long stories of all her grievances with her parents and I sympathize with her, which she seems to appreciate. She's going to be real character if they don't spoil her...she's already half way there as she has them trained and she's only 2 mo. old. Smart kid.

I'm so happy you got to enjoy her so thoroughly while the family was together. She sure is a little jewel. And the duck is adorable, too.

 

[Blooie]

Lindz, I am so sorry about your little buddy. That is so painful to go through....and there's nothing anyone can say t ease it. You and your family are in my prayers.

OldMomma, thinking of you as well! Love your "I can do it myself" attitude.

Bee, I loved that picture! Not every baby has her own "guard duck!"

Busy day to today. Yesterday we drained, cleaned and refilled the hot tub, but I really need to put a new filter in it. I don't think the one that's in there is doing much after looking at it yesterday. So I'll be making a run to the spa shop in Cody today. Little Diane is crazy about sitting out in the tub, so I want to be sure it's ready. Then this evening we'll break out the camper and get it cleaned from its winter rest, then we'll set it as a "guest room" for them. The kids have always called that little camper "Motel 5 1/2" so I'm a major hotel chain now with the chickens living in "Motel Chix". I also have to get these flowers planted before they wilt and die from being stuck in the little nursery pots.

I have an overabundance of shrimp plants too that need to go into the deck planters. The hummingbirds are nuts for them, so they always get planted on the deck to bring the hummers in close enough for photographs. I started with one shrimp plant a few years ago and when I winter them in the house I always take a few cuttings and start more inside. They are my very favorite plant. The first year when I had brought it in for the winter I researched how to winter them and everything said that as soon as it quit flowering I should cut it way back. It never stopped flowering and got over 3 feet tall with these long, willowy stems arching up and then gently sweeping down. It was gorgeous. But in subsequent years I have just closed my eyes and whacked, using some of the stems I cut to start new ones. This year I have enough to make up 4 or 5 planters. Hummers should be real happy with me!

Kenny got home yesterday. I haven't talked to him yet - hoping his plans are for staying here and sticking it out until something comes up. But I know he has to do whatever is best, and that's a decision for him and his family to make, not his mommy. Guess it doesn't matter how old they get - I still fuss and worry.

Well, time to do the chickens. We were so busy yesterday that I blew off cleaning the poop board but it's really way too hot to do that for a second day. Huh, I was beginning to believe I'd never say those words "too hot", but here we are. Supposed to be in the 90's for a few days. Prayers for all of you....I'll pop in from time to time.