Utah!

[Cynthia12]

Speaking of the land in Duchesne...We had some company contact us this past fall, wanting to survey for possible oil on the land. Given that we bought the land for the boys and they don't want anything to disrupt their happy little nature wildland, we flat out told the company no. Turns out, though, that this blasted company bought the stinking mineral rights on our land and we can't stop them! How freaking outrageous is that? Evidently, they can even put wells on our land and there is nothing we can do about it. I had multiple long and heated conversation with people from this company, all to no avail. They even said that if they found oil on the spot where our cabins or coops were located, they could use that spot, though of course they will very kindly pay for any damages. I believe I started ranting about the cost of chicken emotional therapy at that point. That spot where the coops and cabins are is the best and most sheltered spot on the whole 11 acres. I will freaking lose it if they ever tell me I have to move them.

Then they started talking about surveying further to find the best placement for a pipeline they are considering putting in. I *might* have started babbling about the fine benefits of eco-terrorism, but it is something of a blur, since I was absolutely seeing red by that point.

My poor son got really upset about all this. He is a total Greenpeace-save-the-polar-bear-and-animals-are-better-than-people kind of kid, so the thought of anything happening to his land is really disturbing for him.

Moral of the story--if you ever buy land, make sure you get the mineral rights...

This is just crazy! Unreal that they can do this. I don't understand. How can they buy something..that is on YOUR land? Mineral rights..on someones eles's property? Really?

 

[La Casa de Pollo]

Corvidae, that is too bad about the mineral rights, I hope it all works out, a good warning to anyone before they buy land for sure!

So I cannot wait to see your fun hatches again. I saw those babies sphinx got from you last year all grown up, they are so pretty! You will have to put some pics up when you get time, to see your pretty birds all grown up. Did any of those Isbars or Bredas survive that awful bug? I would love to see

 

[La Casa de Pollo]

I went out to feed my girls this afternoon and there were all these little tiny birds all over in my completely enclosed run! They go through the chicken wire...what the heck? I have never seen one before in there, and there were 20 or so. I went in and they were in such a hurry to get out, they were cramming themselves through the holes to get out, it was really strange.....they were picking at the birdseed scratch I had put down.

 

[Cynthia12]

I went out to feed my girls this afternoon and there were all these little tiny birds all over in my completely enclosed run! They go through the chicken wire...what the heck? I have never seen one before in there, and there were 20 or so. I went in and they were in such a hurry to get out, they were cramming themselves through the holes to get out, it was really strange.....they were picking at the birdseed scratch I had put down.

Tiny? Little birds? I thought sparrows were small, but they can fit through that chicken wire. I have this trouble all winter. They pratacaly hit me in the face trying to get out when I go in..and..while it was real cold..they were sleeping in the coop! Most stay in the neighbors tree right close to the fence where the coop is. Drives me up the wall. Even my chickens will chase them off. With their wings spread, head down, they will chase them off. I've tried the sparrow trap to no avail. When I go into the coop with fresh food, the sparrows start calling each other..serious!
I also have mice come right out in front of me, like I was no threat to them. Which I'm not. Those little critters are so dang cute, I talk to them. They look up at me when I talk, then back to their hole, man, they can move fast!

Critters in the winter. About a 4th of our food goes to them in the winter, if not more!

I can see the mountains! From the front and back of my house! It must have rained. Because, when I went to bed, very late last night, I couldn't see across the street the fog was so bad. A mix of fox and gunk.

Hey Sundance..how is your little dogs leg coming along? Last I heard, his leg looked to be healing finally! And didn't you have a rooster decrowed again? How did that work out? Soo hoping I can someday have a Welsummer roo in my back yard. A sweet one. Of course. )

 

[sundancenbare]

Tiny? Little birds? I thought sparrows were small, but they can fit through that chicken wire. I have this trouble all winter. They pratacaly hit me in the face trying to get out when I go in..and..while it was real cold..they were sleeping in the coop! Most stay in the neighbors tree right close to the fence where the coop is. Drives me up the wall. Even my chickens will chase them off. With their wings spread, head down, they will chase them off. I've tried the sparrow trap to no avail. When I go into the coop with fresh food, the sparrows start calling each other..serious!
I also have mice come right out in front of me, like I was no threat to them. Which I'm not. Those little critters are so dang cute, I talk to them. They look up at me when I talk, then back to their hole, man, they can move fast!

Critters in the winter. About a 4th of our food goes to them in the winter, if not more!

I can see the mountains! From the front and back of my house! It must have rained. Because, when I went to bed, very late last night, I couldn't see across the street the fog was so bad. A mix of fox and gunk.

Hey Sundance..how is your little dogs leg coming along? Last I heard, his leg looked to be healing finally! And didn't you have a rooster decrowed again? How did that work out? Soo hoping I can someday have a Welsummer roo in my back yard. A sweet one. Of course. )

dogs leg is getting better in 3 more weeks he get another xray. He was with me yesterday, at the vets greeting all the clients with Maverick the cat. The clients love it. the decrow went better than last time still not quite there but everytime she does one she get better at it. Wallace the BCM rooster is going to Oklahoma. We didn't have the hear to eat him after he was out guinea pig twice. The next two she is doing is a Silkie and a pretty black mut rooster that I hatched. He is really pretty looks kind of like a black leghorn. its very foggy here, I worry about my friends driving down from Washington. Really nasty out there. She is bringing me some Serama eggs from a lady she know, She had some chicks I wanted to buy but my friend said she wouldn't drive 13 hours with cheeping chicks in the car as well as in the motel. For rude

 

[Cynthia12]

dogs leg is getting better in 3 more weeks he get another xray. He was with me yesterday, at the vets greeting all the clients with Maverick the cat. The clients love it. the decrow went better than last time still not quite there but everytime she does one she get better at it. Wallace the BCM rooster is going to Oklahoma. We didn't have the hear to eat him after he was out guinea pig twice. The next two she is doing is a Silkie and a pretty black mut rooster that I hatched. He is really pretty looks kind of like a black leghorn. its very foggy here, I worry about my friends driving down from Washington. Really nasty out there. She is bringing me some Serama eggs from a lady she know, She had some chicks I wanted to buy but my friend said she wouldn't drive 13 hours with cheeping chicks in the car as well as in the motel. For rude

LOL..they really do chirp non stop when they are moving.
It is actually clear here today! I am loving it. Still waiting to see the blue sky, but at least I can see across the way at what I call my mountains.

Keep up updated on the little guy..hope his leg gets better soon now. He's been through a lot, you've been through a lot. You have not ever given up on him. Love it.

 

[La Casa de Pollo]

Cynthia, that is funny these little birds do this to you so much. I worry now they have found mine I will have this problem, they are still hanging around. Sparrows could be it, i do not know my birds so well. Little gray with orange beaks and a little stripes around the face. I just don't want them to make my chickens sick is my biggest worry, or give them parasites.

Speaking of that, my girls STINK. They are so dirty. I have had to pull some frozen poop off a couple of them over the last few weeks, it freezes onto their feathers under their vents. They are dust bathing in the mucky run and it is pretty poopy, I can't bring in some fresh sand and dirt for a few more weeks. I never thought I would say this but they all need a bath. haha. I did not realize how stinky until I brought one in the other day to clip toe nails and she reeked. Brought another couple in, same thing. I cannot wait til Spring, I have some poultry dip for mites/lice i want to dry, you put it in a bucket and all you have to do is dip them in it up to the neck then let them dry out. But it has to be warm of course. The DE is nice but it really aggravates my lungs and they always flap it all over in my face. Please Spring, come soon, so my chickens can smell better lol!

 

[auntie hattie]

Hello everyone! I just sold my little lavender chicks. I kept the runt it was one of the ones that struggled the worst with splayed leg. Didn't feel right about selling it. It is doing fine now just a slow grower. I sure hope it is a she! It is sweet enough to be.

Two nights ago we put her in with our broody and she took her just fine! The chick is 3 weeks old! So happy that worked out.
I candled all of my eggs only 1 out of 18 eggs was a quitter. It is day ten. Yay!
My little Polish is doing fine now. I think she had just gotten tired of the cold. My little black cochin I have been treating with Oxine though. She has been honking like crazy. Poor thing. I have been reading so much the last few days trying to figure out what she has. I have been so worried that she was going to make all the others sick but she doesn't act sick. She is the first to eat and has been acting fine except for the honking sound. No runny nose or goopy eyes. So I have been using a vaporizer with Oxine in it and have put her in a tented kennel and she is doing great! No more honking. You guys should read up on this stuff. I have it in my incubator water too. I have been using it to clean everything. Can't wait for the first day without rain and I'm going to fog my coop!

 

[themadchicken]

I went out to feed my girls this afternoon and there were all these little tiny birds all over in my completely enclosed run! They go through the chicken wire...what the heck? I have never seen one before in there, and there were 20 or so. I went in and they were in such a hurry to get out, they were cramming themselves through the holes to get out, it was really strange.....they were picking at the birdseed scratch I had put down.

I have this problem also, but way bad. My runs are open and i don't shut the gate anyways. I have been hanging a couple bird feeders away from the run and it seems to keep most of the little birds from eating the chicken feed. The doves and quail still help their selves though.

 

[Cynthia12]

Got some pictures of our Austin. Will share a couple.

This is Kristy, she was baptized. Austin looks pretty happy.

Kristy and her children. Her son was supposed to be baptized
yesterday. Austin will give details in his next letter. He sent these
out last Mon.

He loves dogs! He says he gets his fill of puppy love because
most families have either one or more.

check out their Christmas tree! love it

He loves beautiful scenery. Looks like they have had fog too.