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Angel was a female hooded rat very similar to this (not my pic, borrowed from the net.)
The Old Folks Home
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This is my daughters new pet Rabbit:Angel was a female hooded rat very similar to this (not my pic, borrowed from the net.)
The gerbils are fun pets, but they multiply like crazy and are certainly not good "watchdogs" by any means. We used to keep ours in a big aquarium in the play room and let them out to run around each night. Wacky little clowns they are! Good thing is their poopies can just get vacuumed up. Have heard rats are very lovable, my brothers had one for a while growing up, but once they got sidetracked with girls and sports and such, the rat was adopted out right away. Mom hated the thing altho she was a huge animal lover. Think the boys tormented her with it, used to chase her around the house with it.
Geese are supposed to be really good alarmists, but you need a lot of space and they are messy poop wise.
Have heard parrots are pretty good watchdogs too if trained properly. They can certainly make a racket and alert you anyway. For me, will always have the goldens with me in the house, and keep the front door locked, unfortunately. Hub is on a lot of meds and the whole town knows it, so must be extra careful. We are way out in the country and closest neighbor would not hear screams. Gun shots at any time of day are common, so would most likely be ignored, someone is hunting or target shooting or teaching one of their kids gun responsibility. A butcher knife hanging by your door is a good thing if you don't have little ones around and don't like guns. When you read about these home invasions, either someone let them in or their door wasn't locked. If you are a woman and home alone, you are vulnerable, and trust me, these bad people know it. After my experience with the "air quality" guy, won't let hub take the dogs for rides when he goes alone, they stay home with me. They get plenty of car rides anyway, and always get rewarded when he gets home with a few tennis ball tosses. I still feel little panic attacks when I think about that day and what would have happened if the dogs had not been with me. SHUDDER!!!
Agree you should meet your new dog first. I don't know how our friend who adopts all the rescue goldens does it. They are always older and he only has them for a couple years before they die, but he's right back there adopting another. Must be him, they are all super sweet and extremely devoted to him. And he's not a young chicken himself, must be well into his seventies, he's just a hard core Mainer and never stops moving. So jealous of him, wish we could do half of what he does. He's the kind of guy who will do favors and not expect anything in return, he's always out there cutting some little old lady's lawn, but sure he gets cookies and pies and all kinds of goodies in return. Sweet...we should all learn a lesson from folks like him. Good karma follows him everywhere
Had a discussion the other night about kids coming out of high school and even college with very little common sense and just plain everyday knowledge. Wouldn't it be nice (altho parents should do it), have required classes on keeping a checkbook, responsible saving for a rainy day, filling out a job app, basic home economics, like how to boil water, how to set a table and proper dining etiquette? Breaks my heart now that my son is at the marrying age that these girls don't know a thing about cooking. He can cook very well, taught him and he took home economics in high school and developed a love for it. But these girls know nothing, and we're talking like around age 30. Also think all upper grade school and high school kids should be required to work in a restaurant for a semester, experience it all from dishwasher to kitchen prep to waiter. Rude customers in a restaurant P me off more than anything, and I did my time working in some way back. These people have never worked in a restaurant, ever. If they had, they would certainly never behave the way they do. Common courtesy is something that seems to be off track. Also think it would be good for them to do some time in a hospital or nursing home or hospice and learn to respect elders and have empathy and compassion. These older folks have so much to give as far as history and experience, if the kids don't have grands or aunts or uncles willing to talk to them about life, they miss a ton. They could gain so very much, more than any book in school. Our teenagers need to learn these things if we expect them to take over the world. Expensive cars, clothes, jewelry, just plain making money just to spend it, etc., do not cut it. Well past that stage, but really think our high schools need to require students to experience all of these every day things that will only help them. They need to get their hands dirty once in a while, and know mom and dad probably both work and don't have the time to teach these basics. And most certainly, they need to learn how to spell and write and how to use apostrophes. It wasn't til college that I learned you don't use an apostrophe for its unless it is IT IS contraction. I mean, where the heck were the English teachers in high school, perhaps they didn't know any better either.
Just wondering if any of you feel this way, that our kids just don't know a lot of the basics of everyday life. We hope that they pick this stuff up as they grow, but some just do not get it. Need to catch them before they make idiots out of themselves in public. Don't you think some of these classes would be helpful? Parents just don't have the time anymore. Would be good if they were required to work on a farm for a summer too! Minimum wage, see what it's like to have to live on it, make them budget to buy food, pay rent, etc., making those wages, not having health insurance. The rich and well sheltered kids might learn a little compassion and get their noses out of the air if they have to struggle for a couple months. Sure there are a lot of farmers out there who would gladly offer room and board each summer in exchange for labor. We can make this world a better place if we get these kids during those so very important teen years. Require them to sit in a courtroom for a couple days, visit a prison inmate. Spend a few days in a homeless shelter. So many, many ways we can try to mold these kids a little better, don't you agree? It's tough because the schools just don't have the funds for these programs, and although I know that sports and extracurricular activities are helpful in teaching teamwork, good sportsmanship and so forth, but the majority of kids do not participate in these programs and we need something more for them.
As fellow farmers, homesteaders, whatever, if you had the space, wouldn't you take a high school junior or senior in for a summer for labor? We could probably all learn from each other. Maybe we should step forward and offer this opportunity to our local high schools. Know in our rural communities there are some kids who actually look for jobs working on a farm in the summer, but more and more are seeing them just wanting to get out there and make a buck without really learning anything from it. I know I would welcome the help if hub wasn't so sick, would gladly, very gladly, take a kid for a summer to do the back breaking stuff, but he is just too sick to have someone else in the home. Would be good for the ones who are involved in sports too, would keep them in condition, and as we all know, they would use muscles they didn't even know they had to work a farm. Back when my son was in high school, made him volunteer for a local veterinarian, WE paid him minimum wage and he never saw it, went right into a savings account but for a weekly allowance. He absolutely loved it and tho he was already an animal lover, he developed a great respect for the vet and staff and a whole greater love for fellow creatures. How I would love to have a young, strong boy or girl around to do some of the stuff that needs to be done that we can't get to. Wouldn't it be great if some of the school funding that they try to get each year went into these programs and paid the kids minimum wage to participate. But in the meantime, doing these things during a regular semester shouldn't even be a paying job, it's just a required course, and they would get graded on their attitudes, work ethic, etc. Wow! Bet we would see a huge change in the upcoming generation!
Geese are supposed to be really good alarmists, but you need a lot of space and they are messy poop wise.
Have heard parrots are pretty good watchdogs too if trained properly. They can certainly make a racket and alert you anyway. For me, will always have the goldens with me in the house, and keep the front door locked, unfortunately. Hub is on a lot of meds and the whole town knows it, so must be extra careful. We are way out in the country and closest neighbor would not hear screams. Gun shots at any time of day are common, so would most likely be ignored, someone is hunting or target shooting or teaching one of their kids gun responsibility. A butcher knife hanging by your door is a good thing if you don't have little ones around and don't like guns. When you read about these home invasions, either someone let them in or their door wasn't locked. If you are a woman and home alone, you are vulnerable, and trust me, these bad people know it. After my experience with the "air quality" guy, won't let hub take the dogs for rides when he goes alone, they stay home with me. They get plenty of car rides anyway, and always get rewarded when he gets home with a few tennis ball tosses. I still feel little panic attacks when I think about that day and what would have happened if the dogs had not been with me. SHUDDER!!!
Agree you should meet your new dog first. I don't know how our friend who adopts all the rescue goldens does it. They are always older and he only has them for a couple years before they die, but he's right back there adopting another. Must be him, they are all super sweet and extremely devoted to him. And he's not a young chicken himself, must be well into his seventies, he's just a hard core Mainer and never stops moving. So jealous of him, wish we could do half of what he does. He's the kind of guy who will do favors and not expect anything in return, he's always out there cutting some little old lady's lawn, but sure he gets cookies and pies and all kinds of goodies in return. Sweet...we should all learn a lesson from folks like him. Good karma follows him everywhere
Had a discussion the other night about kids coming out of high school and even college with very little common sense and just plain everyday knowledge. Wouldn't it be nice (altho parents should do it), have required classes on keeping a checkbook, responsible saving for a rainy day, filling out a job app, basic home economics, like how to boil water, how to set a table and proper dining etiquette? Breaks my heart now that my son is at the marrying age that these girls don't know a thing about cooking. He can cook very well, taught him and he took home economics in high school and developed a love for it. But these girls know nothing, and we're talking like around age 30. Also think all upper grade school and high school kids should be required to work in a restaurant for a semester, experience it all from dishwasher to kitchen prep to waiter. Rude customers in a restaurant P me off more than anything, and I did my time working in some way back. These people have never worked in a restaurant, ever. If they had, they would certainly never behave the way they do. Common courtesy is something that seems to be off track. Also think it would be good for them to do some time in a hospital or nursing home or hospice and learn to respect elders and have empathy and compassion. These older folks have so much to give as far as history and experience, if the kids don't have grands or aunts or uncles willing to talk to them about life, they miss a ton. They could gain so very much, more than any book in school. Our teenagers need to learn these things if we expect them to take over the world. Expensive cars, clothes, jewelry, just plain making money just to spend it, etc., do not cut it. Well past that stage, but really think our high schools need to require students to experience all of these every day things that will only help them. They need to get their hands dirty once in a while, and know mom and dad probably both work and don't have the time to teach these basics. And most certainly, they need to learn how to spell and write and how to use apostrophes. It wasn't til college that I learned you don't use an apostrophe for its unless it is IT IS contraction. I mean, where the heck were the English teachers in high school, perhaps they didn't know any better either.
Just wondering if any of you feel this way, that our kids just don't know a lot of the basics of everyday life. We hope that they pick this stuff up as they grow, but some just do not get it. Need to catch them before they make idiots out of themselves in public. Don't you think some of these classes would be helpful? Parents just don't have the time anymore. Would be good if they were required to work on a farm for a summer too! Minimum wage, see what it's like to have to live on it, make them budget to buy food, pay rent, etc., making those wages, not having health insurance. The rich and well sheltered kids might learn a little compassion and get their noses out of the air if they have to struggle for a couple months. Sure there are a lot of farmers out there who would gladly offer room and board each summer in exchange for labor. We can make this world a better place if we get these kids during those so very important teen years. Require them to sit in a courtroom for a couple days, visit a prison inmate. Spend a few days in a homeless shelter. So many, many ways we can try to mold these kids a little better, don't you agree? It's tough because the schools just don't have the funds for these programs, and although I know that sports and extracurricular activities are helpful in teaching teamwork, good sportsmanship and so forth, but the majority of kids do not participate in these programs and we need something more for them.
As fellow farmers, homesteaders, whatever, if you had the space, wouldn't you take a high school junior or senior in for a summer for labor? We could probably all learn from each other. Maybe we should step forward and offer this opportunity to our local high schools. Know in our rural communities there are some kids who actually look for jobs working on a farm in the summer, but more and more are seeing them just wanting to get out there and make a buck without really learning anything from it. I know I would welcome the help if hub wasn't so sick, would gladly, very gladly, take a kid for a summer to do the back breaking stuff, but he is just too sick to have someone else in the home. Would be good for the ones who are involved in sports too, would keep them in condition, and as we all know, they would use muscles they didn't even know they had to work a farm. Back when my son was in high school, made him volunteer for a local veterinarian, WE paid him minimum wage and he never saw it, went right into a savings account but for a weekly allowance. He absolutely loved it and tho he was already an animal lover, he developed a great respect for the vet and staff and a whole greater love for fellow creatures. How I would love to have a young, strong boy or girl around to do some of the stuff that needs to be done that we can't get to. Wouldn't it be great if some of the school funding that they try to get each year went into these programs and paid the kids minimum wage to participate. But in the meantime, doing these things during a regular semester shouldn't even be a paying job, it's just a required course, and they would get graded on their attitudes, work ethic, etc. Wow! Bet we would see a huge change in the upcoming generation!
My Toulouse goslings came today! The post office called at 7:45 a.m. - "Your chicks are here."
The box contained three female goslings and six barred rock chicks, cockerels of course.
They are all settled into their first brooder, which is a rectangular bird cage with an EcoGlow, and their feed and water. I will move everybody to a big bin in a couple of days, because those goslings will grow fast.
I'll post pictures later. I just had to get them settled and comfy, first.
The girls are so freaking cute!
The box contained three female goslings and six barred rock chicks, cockerels of course.
They are all settled into their first brooder, which is a rectangular bird cage with an EcoGlow, and their feed and water. I will move everybody to a big bin in a couple of days, because those goslings will grow fast.
I'll post pictures later. I just had to get them settled and comfy, first.
The girls are so freaking cute!
congats new babies are always fun
I have been gearing my kids up for a couple of these. One each. Two boys or two girls??Angel was a female hooded rat very similar to this (not my pic, borrowed from the net.)
DIckylucky , I am on board with you!! One of the reasons the US uses so much migrant/immigrant labor is because no on else will do the back breaking , hard, sweaty work. I did meet a young man, the son of a good friend, who worked the messiest jobs on the farm and never complain, and came back for more and was always on time. He was an Eagle Scout!!! My oldest has just started in that same troop!!
I like that the troop teaches the boys a huge variety of skills including manners. ( Mine have good manners, but reinforcement and refinement is always good.) My boys are now learning more about gardening this summer. ANd cooking those items will be included.
I think the threat of a BIG watch dog is just what I need! Not a guard dog this go round. Or I can turn the 300 pound rams loose!! THey would scare anyone!!
I like that the troop teaches the boys a huge variety of skills including manners. ( Mine have good manners, but reinforcement and refinement is always good.) My boys are now learning more about gardening this summer. ANd cooking those items will be included.
I think the threat of a BIG watch dog is just what I need! Not a guard dog this go round. Or I can turn the 300 pound rams loose!! THey would scare anyone!!
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- #4,748
Wisher, are you responsible for Wisher2000? That child has some serious chicken math problems.
Ducklings give new meaning to old sayings:
"Suck It Up" What they do to their food.
"Let It All Out: What they do to their food after they have processed it for a while.
Can you guess I have some new ducklings to care for?
"Suck It Up" What they do to their food.
"Let It All Out: What they do to their food after they have processed it for a while.
Can you guess I have some new ducklings to care for?
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