Oh No...Big Bird

Yesterday I was sitting at the kitchen table reading and taking notes in a great book for church (It's Just A Phase So Don't Miss It) and I saw and heard chickens going crazy.  About that time I saw something move in the tree outback...

 A lot out of fucus...two reasons  I get really nervous when I see a hawk of this size anywhere near the chickens.  And two the night before a scout was showing me something about my camera and the setting were all wrong.  Oh well, you get the pic...big scary bird stalking the girls.

I have never seen them huddle so fast.  And loud.  Crazy.  They stayed under the bushes long after the hawk flew away.  It scared us all!

And It Is A ......

We used all the old wood that we had.  We only ended up buying three 2x4's and four 1x4's.

We used the milking stand/nail trimming station to make a goat playground.

They love Phase One.

Boot jumping from the top deck.  He loves it!

Phase Two...ramps and logs

My favorite picture of the day...Boogie loves it!

And I am sure this is just the beginning.

Too fun for all of us!

My Four-Legged Chicken

Always glad to share our Jack-O-Lanterns with the chickens.  I have read that they are a good dewormer.

And somehow our four-legged chicken likes them too!

I seriously dislike molting  any time of the year.

I Feel So Bad For Her

Molting just doesn't seem right to me.  Especially at the beginning of November!

I thought we had a baby turkey in the coop yesterday.

Nope, just Dory losing feathers faster than you can believe.  It hurts to look at her.  I only hope that she gets her new feathers back quickly because I am predicting a horribly cold winter.

We must have several chickens molting at this time.  I know this because the backyard and coops look like there has been a horrible chicken attack with feathers everywhere.  When they shake after dusting, dust and feathers fly everywhere.  And I am only getting about 4 eggs a day.

This too shall pass...I hope quickly.

Remember....

Remember the day I lost the basket of eggs?  Here is a little of the back story.

I went out and gathered eggs.  On my way back this is what distracted me...

They will climb on anything and everything!!!

Look where I found them...right where I put them before chasing Boot off the grill.  Had them in a safe place...away from the new climbing, jumping zone.

Poor Dog

Every year the first of spring and the first of fall, Ella gets the itch.  Usually, I can treat it with apple cider vinegar and Benedryll.  This year it is really bad.  So bad that Pappy got her some special shampoo and spray.  They haven't done the trick.  I'm guessing that yesterday that he saw a post on FB saying that Pepto Bismol helps the itch.  This morning he comes back with some of the bright pink stuff.

Poor thing.  She is so bad that when you let her outside she runs to the nearest bush and starts rubbing her backside up and down...barking in unison to the up stroke.

Here is part of her treatment.  A good brush and some antihistamine go in the mix too.

I am sure that she embarrassed to death.  But there have been no visits to the bushes in over an hour.  And she smells really good.

Ghetto Pool

Before you get bent out of shape...this is the farm ghetto pool.  Only two and four-legged farm animals enjoy the cold water on their feet and they use it for drinking water.

Not Too Happy About This...

but it sure is fun to watch.

So now I am looking for a large piece of wobbly steel/metal for them to play on.  I guess my stump and log bridge has lost its luster.  Moving on to bigger and better play equipment.

On My Walk This Morning

Just about every morning I let the chickens out, check to see if the goats have food and water, and see if the rabbit's food is still on the side of the pen.  (every night something tries to remove it from the hutch).  This is what I saw this morning.

While Mark was mucking out the goat pen the goats were eating all the fallen leaves....

...the acorns...

...and just looking really good...almost back to themselves.

Madi's job was to keep an eye on the goats and not let them get into too much trouble.

Ahhhh, fresh hay.

More good food.

Just can't get enough of it.

Boogie with one horn.

Fresh water is always a big hit!

One giant egg in the Papy's girls nesting box.

All I get is evidence that someone or two are molting.

Binker still alive and kicking...providing that good fertilizer that can go directly into the garden.

And then you have the busybodies.  They are always following me wherever I go looking for a hand-out.

They Are Back At It

By the looks of things in the goat pen today, I would say they are well on their way to making a full recovery!