Animals
Here is Cindy working with Becky and Sid.
- Herding Turkeys
As if we needed a new task to add to the end of each day....we seem to have acquired one....herding turkeys! We decided over the weekend, that it is time for the turkeys to free range a bit.We have been reluctant to allow them to leave their yardout...
- The Great Turkey Debate
The great turkey debate is actually two separate issues.The first debate is over the sex of turkey #3. It is quite obvious that we have one "Tom",as he spends quite a good deal of time strutting his stuff. Of all the turkeys, he has the longest snood...
- Tales From The Dark Side
This post is rated: PG (poor guineas)....(some violence is implied) Sadly, today's tale is not as light hearted as usual. We have had a few days of trying times. It's bad enough that Thursday and Friday morning's snow turned into rain that...
- The Chicken (s)coop
In answer to "I Knit Therefore......" who asked how we house our chickens, here is the (s)coop. We started with one 8 X 8 shed and a 12' X 40' x 6' high (approx) yard. This was housing for our original flock of about 18 chickens. Once our...
- For The Birds
Yesterday afternoon, we headed out to the barn to feed the horses and goats. Jack continued on up the hill to the chicken house and yard. Usually, on our late afternoon rounds, the chickens are let out to run around the farm a bit. Even though they have...
Animals
Lessons Learned
It seems that farm life teaches us lessons every time we turn around.
Some days we are lucky enough to find someone else's experiences to help guide us,
and some days (more than not) we resort to trial and error.
Over the years we have made many improvements to our chicken yards...
in an attempt to solve problems as they arise.
The metal mesh roof on the chicken yard was the answer to preying hawks.
Then, in an attempt to keep out unwanted sparrows, swallows, and grackles,
we added a finer chicken wire to the roof.
However, realizing that a heavy snow would end up collapsing our entire yard,
we then removed said chicken wire as a preventative measure.
Which brought us right back to the same problem...
how to keep unwanted wild birds from roosting in our henhouses?
We thought and pondered and came up with this solution....
a garden owl to scare the birds away!
This is a great owl.
It attached to the upright pole with a couple of screws.
It has a clear fin on the back of its head to catch the gentle breezes,
thus making its head turn just like a real owl.
(Except for the fact that real owls sleep during the daytime,
and not usually out in plain sight.)
But then we were counting on the tiny birds not being able to reason through
this thought process.
As you can see.......
the birds are smarter than we think.
The owl did not affect their roosting habit at all.
In fact, I have witnessed those little birds chuckling at the owl
as they sit right under his nose.
Any suggestions????
There are some things around the farm that I have definitely learned not to leave to chance.
Horseback riding is one of those things.
Lessons are are a must.
And lessons with as gifted a teacher as the one that Becky and I have
are priceless.
Cindy is the most amazing teacher.
Unbelievably well versed in every discipline,
she can spot a problem a mile away and always has the best advice for correcting it.
Safety is he number one goal....
and for that I am thankful.
(and of course during my lesson, the camera was in my pocket!)
In spite of no pictorial proof, I have to tell you...
we had a great lesson.
And the difference in Moonbeam from beginning to end was astonishing.
I have committed to continuing our training....so I promise, I will produce pictures!!
I did have to show you....
no matter where we go or what we do around the farm,
these silly turkeys are always with us!
Perhaps I should teach them to work my camera!!
(I cannot wait for Spring...so that we can plant some grass around the arena.
For now, it is a bit of a swamp!)
I did have to show you....
no matter where we go or what we do around the farm,
these silly turkeys are always with us!
Perhaps I should teach them to work my camera!!
(I cannot wait for Spring...so that we can plant some grass around the arena.
For now, it is a bit of a swamp!)
- Herding Turkeys
As if we needed a new task to add to the end of each day....we seem to have acquired one....herding turkeys! We decided over the weekend, that it is time for the turkeys to free range a bit.We have been reluctant to allow them to leave their yardout...
- The Great Turkey Debate
The great turkey debate is actually two separate issues.The first debate is over the sex of turkey #3. It is quite obvious that we have one "Tom",as he spends quite a good deal of time strutting his stuff. Of all the turkeys, he has the longest snood...
- Tales From The Dark Side
This post is rated: PG (poor guineas)....(some violence is implied) Sadly, today's tale is not as light hearted as usual. We have had a few days of trying times. It's bad enough that Thursday and Friday morning's snow turned into rain that...
- The Chicken (s)coop
In answer to "I Knit Therefore......" who asked how we house our chickens, here is the (s)coop. We started with one 8 X 8 shed and a 12' X 40' x 6' high (approx) yard. This was housing for our original flock of about 18 chickens. Once our...
- For The Birds
Yesterday afternoon, we headed out to the barn to feed the horses and goats. Jack continued on up the hill to the chicken house and yard. Usually, on our late afternoon rounds, the chickens are let out to run around the farm a bit. Even though they have...