The Old Folks Home

[microchick]

@microchick Babyyyyyyyyyyyyy Jayyyyyyyyyyy... Babyyyy Jayyyyyy? Baby Jay went out yesterday morning, sat on the tops of the pens as I fed the kids. Moving from pen to pen with me. Came in the house and snacked a few times, then went out and didn't come back in. Stayed out alllllllll night. I've been calling him all day today and nada. I did hear a distant jay calling from the trees day before yesterday and BJ intently listening from the railing of the deck while I was giving Gator a bath. I don't hear any jays out there today. I'm hoping and praying he's a) found a buddy b) is safe and sound c) not been eaten by anything or suffered another injury. I will miss him.

ooooooooohhhhhh.....I don't know whether to be happy for him or worried about him so I know how you must be feeling right now.

I'm betting little BJ has left the nest. Here the Jays are just starting their fall calling. I love to hear them screaming at one another.

When we first bought our farm we set up the game camera in the yard. One impressive movie that we got showed an owl swooping down at a squirrel that was in our yard late one afternoon. What was funny about the movie was there was a blue jay sitting at the base of a tree right in the owls path and it jumped about two feet straight in the air when that owl hit that squirrel.

Never decided if it's next thought was 'HOLY CRAP!' or 'Whew, glad it wasn't me!'

Blue Jays are smart and shrewd. Until you know otherwise think he is around, just living la vida loca. I wonder if he saw Gator in the yard he wouldn't come in for a visit!

Anyway, you did a great job raising the little guy and had the experience of him in your life all summer. Giving him his freedom was a gift of love from you to him.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Okay all my silkie are still with me so right now this minute I have 12 of them

 

[sourland]

Good morning OF. Hoping that Baby Jay is fine and living the blue jay life.

 

[CSolis]

Morning OF. Thanks @sourland I sure miss him.

 

[silverhair67]

morning

 

[getaclue]

CS, don't worry. You did a good job raising BJ, and I'm pretty sure he's been attracted to/by another one. He's off living the life now. What a wonderful testament to your treatment of him.

I'm sorry you miss him so. Puts a whole new meaning on the term "empty nest syndrome". That too will fade some in time. At least you have pictures, and plenty of good memories to last you a lifetime.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Morning Old Folks off to make oatmeal for breakfast

 

[microchick]

Morning/afternoon all.

Busy morning here moving farm implements around so we can mow/brush hog and then I went to work trying to find my onions. They aren't loss, just pathetic. Thanks to the heavy rain we had here for the past two months the tops died off and they stopped growing. Most are ping pong ball sized but a few are bigger and some a lot smaller. Some rotted in the ground in spite of me trying to coax the water away by digging trenches between the rows. I'd say there is always next year but nope. With arthritis now invading my feet I have to be selective on what I want to do and I'd much rather have energy to keep up with and enjoy my chickens than waste my energy struggling to fight the weather with the intentions of growing our own food.

I'll probably keep my raised beds. They have done well and they are easier for me to take care of.

I know the summer is maturing. I found my first rat tunnel in the the run next to the building. Looks like the little rat you know what, is burrowed under the concrete floor. Not unusual. So I moved soil away from the margin with some of my hens helping and tonight will stuff bait down the tunnels, cover them with sheet metal and let free food work it's magic.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Hey .. What I need to do spring all my traps then bring them in refresh them all got real dusty this summer

 

[microchick]

@CSolis any sign of Baby Jay?