Tomatoes

I picked our first tomatoes of the year; cherry tomatoes. All the plants have lots of green ones so its just a matter of time before we feast. There are also zucs and cucs about ready to pick. These pictures are of Steve and the chickens. They flock to him whenever he is out. We're about ready to start culling the males...mmmmm chicken.... No one has called for Ruby so we'll be putting her on Craigs List.

Death by Dog

This was taken a few days ago. Grandpa and the grandkids like to feed the chicks raisens. The chicks will eat out of your hand and some of them will let you pick them up and pet them. Everyone and thing was at peace.

My brother Tom came up from Texas and taught the turkey the 'electric slide' while he was here.




















So we had Ruby (the dog) trained to leave the chicks alone. We had her taught by using a shock collar, very low voltage, and she was doing great. Ruby could go all day without getting into the coop fence or within 3 feet of the chicks. This was without being 'shocked' and she had been good for days.
Well, I've been at Mandy's painting so I've been getting home late some days, just on Mondays and Tuesdays, but still Ruby was good. This Tuesday I got home later than usual and Steve had to go to church. He didn't chain Ruby up since she had been doing so good and he thought I would be home in just a bit.
I got home at 9:30, after dark, and went to close up the coop. Ruby was running in the coop causing chaos and I kicked her out. After closing the chick door I counted chicks (I do this every night) and counted only 24...3 missing. So I recounted and still just 24 (23 chicks and 1 turkey). So I went to get a flashlight and look for chicks. I found the first one laying half-dead (wet - it had been raining- feathers messed, and missing feathers, not moving and barely breathing). iI put it in the coop and figured it would be dead before morning. The next chick was north of the coop in a little better shape - no missing feathers, and sitting instead of laying. Steve found the other chick and it was definately dead, having been mauled. Ruby the dog was trying to break into the coop during all this and the chicks in the coop were running around hysterical.

Ruby was chained immediately. As you can see, both chicks survived the night. The buff one was hesitant to leave the coop this morning but the black one zipped out as if nothing had happened. Ruby has been chained all day. So...we have a dog that needs to go elsewhere. She's great with kids but not chicks.

Back to Normal?

Emmy dressed for chick success.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmm.....dinner

Various chicks out grazing.

The chickens are getting big. Puff-ball is behind the BarredRock.

After chasing the chickens out of the garden I noticed I had greenbeans. I picked one row and they were delicious. I have three more rows to pick and then repick all the rows (the plants still have plenty of blooms. We've also had beets. There is now a fence around the garden.

Since last posting; my dryer quit working (Mandy burnt it up) and I had to get a new one so I also got a new washer. It turns out my set was 14 years old. Someone is coming tomorrow to buy the washer. Mandy and family moved into their new house so I now am getting my house back in order; very slowly since I've been painting at Mandy's, supervising the installing of my new washer and dryer, Tom came into town, the party of the 4th (and 3rd) is never ending. I finished the west flowerbed.

Hot day

I started work on my west flower bed, but Steve wanted the grass I was digging out as sod, so the work stopped until this evening (right when the sun will be nice and hot on the west side) when he could get to it. The first real day of summer - hot and steamy, so the kids tried to hang out in shade. Abby was able to hold the small brown chick.

Reed and Emmy got to help grandpa out in the shop move things around with the forklift. Abby had been out earlier crawling under the truck helping put on brakes, but was sent in when it involved moving heavy machinery.

The chicks stayed in the shade as much as they could and enjoyed Matt's frame to his dune buggy.

Time Flies

Emmy catches the small brown chick all the time, its "my friend". She's had Abby holding it by herself a time or two. There's nothing like a baby scampering in chick poop and touching all things chick poop. Where is her mother?

Reed and Ruby. Notice Ruby is on a chain, she still can't leave the chicks alone. They run so then she runs. Now we keep the chicks in their pen until 11am or so and let Ruby loose. Then chain Ruby and let the chicks loose, unless we're right there with Ruby on a leash. One of these days the chicks will be big and give her a big peck, then everyone will settle down.

I can't believe its been a week since I posted. The chicks are growing and doing great. There was a close call today with one. Steve had put an old 4' X 8' piece of chip board over the top of the fencing to create shade, and it was looking like it was going to break in two and kill some chicks if they were in the pen. So, I bought a tarp and we went to take down the dubious wood and put up the tarp. While taking the wood down Steve lost his grip and it fell almost taking out a chick, in fact I think it grazed its wing. But the chick ran off squaking so all is well. We did get the tarp up and secured. I found lilac (a Little Kim) and blueberry bushes today so I can plant my west garden now. I already had my butterfly bushes and various bulbs. Hopefully these will shade the west side of the house and cut down on airconditioning cost. I still haven't got my rainbarrels up and running, Michael (a nephew) is supposedly working on them...hint, hint, Michael.

Free Range

The chicks are looking good, going over the "pasture" and weed-eating. Its gas free work, but not poop free. Ruby has been let off her chain with supervision. She did cause a slight rucus when I was helping Steve with body work and it took longer than anticipated -we heard frantic cackling and Steve ran out to save the day. Ruby was "playing", no chick was hurt, but Ruby was put in time-out.
As the day went on she was getting better at just standing and staring, although she occasionally can walk up to a chick and sniff it before she's noticed and the chick runs off. If we're not outside we chain Ruby up, but the chicks then made their way to the edge of the garden. Now we need to fence that (also Ruby was playing in it yesterday).
Another beautiful day on the farm:)

Free Range Chicks

Going out to visit the chicks.

After Steve put up the pen on Wednesday the chicks came out for a couple of hours. Thursday we were gone all day so they we inside the whole time. Ever since then, they are let out into the pen in the morning. Sunday as I was cleaning up dinner I heard shouts of glee. Steve had tied up the dog and opened the pen door so the chicks could "free range". Nothing like more excitement to get the grandkids and dog riled-up.
The garden is looking good, but it needs weeded. There are small zucs already so we'll be picking them within the week. I was weeding the strawberry bed and Reed helped by loading the weeds and wheelbarrowing them out to the tall grass. The grandkids also helped my plant more flowers up front.

Abby and Emmy playing with chicks in the pen. The fun never stops on the farm.


Emmy wrangles chicks out of the pen and into the yard.

Reed doing his pirate immitation.

Steve supervising the chicks and grandkids. Ruby is tied up, but very interested.