It's been a long while since I posted here but I will endeavour to bring you all up to date on the adventures of the Mayberry Girls.
Thelma Lou..the problem hen went missing in late July along with Skippy( she lived up to her characters name) I searched all the bushes and previous hiding places (under the outdoor bathtub, the bushes around the AC etc...) but to no avail. I was sure Mr Hawk had carried them both off.
A few weeks later our Boston Terrier Isabella began barking excitedly around some Hosta plants and I went to investigate. There was THELMA LOU! I knew she must be hungry and thirsty and so I ATTEMPTED to pick her up even thinking she was dead or injured. Well she let me know right away that she was having none of that! I aimed the hose at her pocked at her with a small stick and I could not budge her. Finally with gloves on I picked her up and carried her to the coop. Underneath her were 19 Hot stinky EGGS! She was convinced poor girl that she was going to hatch some chicks!
Needless to say that ALL those eggs got tossed.
Poor Skippy has never been found.
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Foghorn Leghorn pays a visit!
First let me say that I did research this and Wikepedia does say that Foghorn Leghorn WAS A CHICKEN HAWK.
Ok...Now on with the story.
I had heard stories from other farmers that predators can strike at any time and can seriously diminish a flock. Skunks, stray dogs,and the ever dreaded "Chicken Hawk" we're always mentioned.
Not being up on my bird species I thought a Chicken Hawk was a lowly sneaky form of Hawk, when in actuality is just only a Hawk. This lapse in knowledge would prove to be bothersome in the days to come.
Several weeks ago during a wonderful sunny morning, Gib ran into the greenhouse shouting, "Get the gun, get the gun, there is a Chicken Hawk after Thelma Lou" Anyone who knows me well knows I am terrified of guns and tender hearted to a fault with animals.
The Hawk had swooped down and if not for some low bushes Thelma Lou would have made quite the Chicken Dinner.
Protective impulse kicked in and I put in a request to Bob to sit patiently on the deck and wait for Mr. Leghorn to appear..and shoot him...simple enough in my book.
HOWEVER, after a funny post on Facebook about the soon to be demise of Mr. Leghorn, I received several texts, calls and emails warning me that it was against the law the kill a hawk. Uh oh!
I told Bob the next thing he would tell me was that Buzzards were protected as well..and guess what....they are, along with Crows!
Well, not to be outwitted by a bird, Bob and I devised a covering over the coop consisting of ropes criss crossing the run and some Vietnam war era Camo netting ovEr the whole thing, thereby giving the girls shade and protection as well as saving the protected Hawk.
Mr. Leghorn...your chicken dinner will have to come from somewhere else...try Colonel Sanders!
Ok...Now on with the story.
I had heard stories from other farmers that predators can strike at any time and can seriously diminish a flock. Skunks, stray dogs,and the ever dreaded "Chicken Hawk" we're always mentioned.
Not being up on my bird species I thought a Chicken Hawk was a lowly sneaky form of Hawk, when in actuality is just only a Hawk. This lapse in knowledge would prove to be bothersome in the days to come.
Several weeks ago during a wonderful sunny morning, Gib ran into the greenhouse shouting, "Get the gun, get the gun, there is a Chicken Hawk after Thelma Lou" Anyone who knows me well knows I am terrified of guns and tender hearted to a fault with animals.
The Hawk had swooped down and if not for some low bushes Thelma Lou would have made quite the Chicken Dinner.
Protective impulse kicked in and I put in a request to Bob to sit patiently on the deck and wait for Mr. Leghorn to appear..and shoot him...simple enough in my book.
HOWEVER, after a funny post on Facebook about the soon to be demise of Mr. Leghorn, I received several texts, calls and emails warning me that it was against the law the kill a hawk. Uh oh!
I told Bob the next thing he would tell me was that Buzzards were protected as well..and guess what....they are, along with Crows!
Well, not to be outwitted by a bird, Bob and I devised a covering over the coop consisting of ropes criss crossing the run and some Vietnam war era Camo netting ovEr the whole thing, thereby giving the girls shade and protection as well as saving the protected Hawk.
Mr. Leghorn...your chicken dinner will have to come from somewhere else...try Colonel Sanders!
Thursday, January 26, 2012
The Unfortunate Incident
It has been an eventful month here at the Egg Farm with laying patterns altering just slightly with Winter well underway as well as being able to introduce our CSA members to fresh eggs. The first weekly pick up I offered only 3 half dozen cartons and they were soon purchased. Calls and emails were received and I was inundated with requests for eggs. I devised an alphabetical system of making sure all members are given the opportunity to purchase said eggs. This has worked rather well except when I forget to bring the eggs to the pick up site.
Also, the girls are now getting more attention and more regular coop clean outs due to my new status as a stay at home Mom. I am no longer gainfully employed but I do slave away each day with 9000 plus heads of lettuce, 2 dogs, 5 cats and 8 chickens as co workers!
During the month of December, Thelma Lou, Helen and Daphne decided to fly the coop each day and putter around the yard. I would herd them back in only to have them fly out over and over. I had put in a request with my friend Marvin to come and clip all their wings but he had not been able to do this yet.
Yesterday we had a sweet young lady drop by the greenhouse to pick up her weekly share and she brought her energetic Lab, River along. As they were leaving, something caught Rivers eye and that something was Thelma Lou. She bolted as Labs are want to do and Thelma Lou being the experienced flyer that she is, flew up and over into the coop.NOT so with Daphne. She was caught unaware and was rescued by Bob after River gave her quite the rough handling.
It appeared at first glance that she might be mortally wounded but not so. She is missing ALOT of feathers and one wing seems to be drooping a bit and she is walking with a limp today BUT she is alive and eating and drinking and that is a good sign. The funny thing is that she and Aunt Bea spent the better part of the day inside the old coop run just laying around together. It looked like a friend sitting with another friend when they are sick. The good thing about this is it looks as if River clipped Daphne's wing saving my friend Marvin the trouble! An unfortunate incident to be sure but one that had a happy ending!
Also, the girls are now getting more attention and more regular coop clean outs due to my new status as a stay at home Mom. I am no longer gainfully employed but I do slave away each day with 9000 plus heads of lettuce, 2 dogs, 5 cats and 8 chickens as co workers!
During the month of December, Thelma Lou, Helen and Daphne decided to fly the coop each day and putter around the yard. I would herd them back in only to have them fly out over and over. I had put in a request with my friend Marvin to come and clip all their wings but he had not been able to do this yet.
Yesterday we had a sweet young lady drop by the greenhouse to pick up her weekly share and she brought her energetic Lab, River along. As they were leaving, something caught Rivers eye and that something was Thelma Lou. She bolted as Labs are want to do and Thelma Lou being the experienced flyer that she is, flew up and over into the coop.NOT so with Daphne. She was caught unaware and was rescued by Bob after River gave her quite the rough handling.
It appeared at first glance that she might be mortally wounded but not so. She is missing ALOT of feathers and one wing seems to be drooping a bit and she is walking with a limp today BUT she is alive and eating and drinking and that is a good sign. The funny thing is that she and Aunt Bea spent the better part of the day inside the old coop run just laying around together. It looked like a friend sitting with another friend when they are sick. The good thing about this is it looks as if River clipped Daphne's wing saving my friend Marvin the trouble! An unfortunate incident to be sure but one that had a happy ending!
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