New chicks and old hens

I have upset the balance of my chicken coop.  This year I have added new hens to the coop.  I bought 6 chicks at one time, 2 another time, 3 another time and picked up 3 older hens.  The balance is off.  The old hens, Margo, Melva, Thelma and Sally do not like the new chicks.  I kept them all separate but close to each other until they were big enough to "defend" themselves.  I lost one Wyandotte when she was a chick, she got out of her cage and the older hens picked her to death.  I lost 2 Silkies within a week of when I brought them home. 

Now I have 15 chickens that want to kill each other on a daily basis.  4 separate flocks and 1 loner. Hope, a rather sweet chicken, has decided she wants nothing to do with the other chickens and now lives in my backyard away from the chicken jungle. 

Betty White has a battle wound the size of Texas but has a fit every time I isolate her from the other chickens. 

Margo is still naked.



Even my cute little Dolly gets in on the picking!

 

My 3 newest, littlest chicks, Roxie, Rosie and Olga stick to there own.  Rosie the cute little blue cochin protects Roxie the Silkie.

Its pure chaos in the chicken jungle and I really just wish they would all get along... I'm hoping in time they will all get along.  As for Hope, I think she is going to get her own little chicken coop, come winter she will hate living on the porch with no shelter.

Rebel

This week Shana is out of town, she told me to spend as much time with Sunny as I liked and to work on the things that we had already been working on.  Well on the first night I went up there I had the brilliant idea to put a saddle on Sunny.  I got Sunny out of the corrals and took her down by the arena.  I just thought to myself I will practice putting a saddle on Sunny.  So I helped myself to Shana's saddle and tack.  I put the saddle on, which takes me forever because I'm super slow.  Sunny didn't seem to mind.  I put her bridle and bit on and once again Sunny didn't seem to mind.

I decided to take Sunny in the arena.  No problems.  I then decided that I should get on Sunny.  Now keep in mind I've never rode without Shana being there and I've never rode Sunny other than when we laid her down and I got on her bare back.  So I just thought to myself, I will get on Sunny and then get back off.  So I went to get on her and off she went.  I lost the reins and she took off like a mad lady.  Running around like crazy and all I could do was watch. 

She eventually stopped, which I knew she would.  But she broke Shana's reins and even worse she scraped her leg up when she ran in to the fencing.  Crap-ola! I was busted.  I now have to fess up to Shana that A. I decided to try and ride Sunny when she wasn't here and B. I broke her reins (well Sunny did but its still my fault).  I feel like I'm ten again and have to tell on myself.

Darrell

Rick finally found a gelding that he had to have.  We are the proud new care takers of a beautiful gelding that Rick named Darrell.  Darrell's previous name was Rock Star Jo.  We found him in a town 30 minutes from us and went over to check him out.  I called the number on the listing and long story short I actually knew the guy.  I have been on a few Harley Rides with him and he is a really nice guy.  

Rick instantly wanted Darrell.  He is an 18 year old palomino paint.  Very calm and easy going.  We went back over the next day to get Darrell and take him for a Vet check.  He loaded right up in are tiny 2 horse trailer and off to the vet we went.  The vet gave him a good look over and OK'd him for purchase with a few things he warned us about.  Darrell needed his teeth floated, shoed and has a little arthritis.

Next stop we took him to Greg and Shana's to get there opinion.  Shana made him work and wasn't impressed by his age or bad manners.  Greg took him for a ride and said for what we are going to do with him he would work great.  Rick was so in love with him I don't think he could be swayed. 

So we took Darrell home.  I was worried for him for a few days... he was nervous and paced the fence line non stop.  He eventually stopped pacing.  Darrell seems to be happy in his new home.

A mouse problem and a solution

The chicken coop has brought a mouse problem on in our yard.  I scream and run like a girl every time I see a mouse.  This past winter seemed to bring an even bigger problem and we had a whole mouse family living in the coop.  I tried to figure out how to get rid of the mice without getting the chickens.  No decon, don't want to poison the chickens.  Classic traps, afraid of the chickens getting caught.  We opted to try glue traps where the chickens couldn't get to them.  I was a nervous wreck that the chickens were going to get stuck in them.  It seemed to work but I'm just not a very good mouse catcher, hence the running and screaming part so catching them only seems to work when Rick is home and not out of town working. 

After I saw three mice in my window wells in one day we decided to get a cat.  Rick went and adopted a kitty.  Now I'm not so much a cat person or at least I didn't think I was. But, don't tell anyone, I love Miss Cleo.  She is adorable.  We put her in with the new chicks and ducks and watched to see how they would all react.  They seemed to like each other.  I went to check on them in the night and found all of them cuddled together.  So cute!

Miss Cleo, our newest addition



Miss Cleo roaming the yard



How could anyone not like this cute little face!



 

Road trip in the Farm Truck

We decided to take a road trip in the ol' Ford.  My brother and his fiancé joined us in there 1965 Ford.  The guys planned it all out, booked rooms and picked the days.  Friday after work, we left town and headed for Grand Junction, Colorado.

Colorado bound





The drive to Junction was nice, warm but nice.  We got there ate dinner, had a few drinks and hit the sack.  The next morning we got up early and got on the road.  Eager to go see the sights.  We headed to Gateway, Colorado.  If you haven't been there its worth the drive to check out.  It's a beautiful drive down through farm land surrounded by mountains. The owner of Discovery Chanel put a car museum in Gateway and it is worth checking out.



Gateway Canyon, Highway 141

Gateway Auto Museum

The Gateway Auto Museum has a nice collection of cars through out time.  They are always adding new cars to the collection and have some awesome vintage signs and displays.

After the stop at the car museum we continued on our way... reaching our destination of Ouray, Colorado in the late afternoon.  I love Ouray.  We go there once or twice a year.  It's a beautiful town and we always seem to enjoy ourselves.  We stayed at the Black Bear Manor, a quaint little bed and breakfast.  We went shopping on Main Street (I bought my first cowgirl hat), had a few shots at the local pub (where no cell phones are allowed) and dinner at the Mexican restaurant, Buen Tiempo.  We had the waitress stick a dollar bill on the ceiling so that Haley could see it done. 

We decided to continue our drinking at the Black Bear and played have you ever.  Gees that was good entertainment!  Learned a few new things about my husband, brother and Haley.  On Sunday morning we ate yummy breakfast and went over to Silverton.  The Million Dollar Highway is stunning.  I love that drive!  

 

After all the sight seeing we decided it was time to head home.  On our way home... the heater in the ol' Ford decided to kick on and stay on.  I thought we were going to roast!  It was 100 degrees outside and the heater was stuck on. 

All in all it was a really good trip!  The ol' Fords did well (except for the heater).  Can't wait to go back to Ouray!

At war with my Chickens

I adore my chickens, but they are eating my flowers up like crazy.  I've been at war with my chickens all spring/summer.  I sit outside and spray them with the hose when they get close to my flowers.  They especially like my Hosta plants for some reason. 



I've had enough of them eating my flowers and decided that I needed a fence.  This way they can stay in the "jungle" and free range all they want with out eating my flowers.  I've thought of a fence since I first got my chickens 2 years ago but I decided that it was go time.  

I really wanted the old style chain link fence.  Which has a few names that it goes by, ornamental wire fencing, scalloped fencing, double looped fencing... But it is hard to find.  I scoured the internet looking for a good deal on some.  I finally found some through Hutchinson and even though its expensive I decided that I had to have it.  I opted for the easiest way possible to put it up, fence posts.  I spray painted the fence posts white and Rick put the fence up.

I found the gate while I was on a bicycle ride along the canal.  It was buried in a trash pile and barely sticking out.  But I knew I had to have it.  The next day I went and got the Rhino and my Dad and went and picked it up.  I was glad my Dad went with me because it was heavier than I was expecting.  I love the fence.  I love the gate.  I love that it doesn't block the view but keeps the chickens out of my flowers.  I absolutely love it!  It turned out perfect!

My hosta's and flowers love it too!

 

Laying Sunny Down

I showed up for lessons without knowing what was on the agenda.  Shana was with another student so I went in the corrals and got Sunny.  This part is getting easy.  Sunny comes to me with eagerness and loves to be loved on.  I took her down to the arena where I was met by 3 young kids and I was surprised to see that Shana's student was about 5.  Haha!  Gee's I felt old. 

Anyhow... I worked with Sunny while Shana finished up.  She did everything as I asked.  I knew it was going to be a good night.  Shana informed me we were going to work on laying Sunny down with the help of her husband Greg.  I watched as Greg and Shana tied Sunny up.  Her front left foot was tied up into her body while they tied another rope around her front right foot and up and around her body. 



Poor Sunny!  She didn't know what to think.  Trying to get out of the situation she kicked and reared up.  But she finally gave in and to my surprise after a bit of work she laid down.  Greg laid on top of her and she slowly began to relax.  Eventually letting out a big sigh... and then another.  Then they untied her legs and let her get up on her own time.

Then it was my turn to join in all the fun.  Shana tied and I held the lead rope.  As Shana was tying Sunny was already trying to kneel down, making it that much harder to get the rope around her feet.   She eventually went down and we loved on her and I laid on her.  When it was time for her to get up she didn't move.  She just laid there relaxed.  We had to put the pressure on her to get up.  We do everything in threes... which meant she needed to do it one more time.  The third time I had to do it by myself (with Shana's guidance and help of course), Sunny went down pretty easy and I loved on her some more. 

When it was time for her to get up, she went half way, I got on Sunny's back and she stood the rest of the way up.  It was awesome!  I didn't even fall off!  Tonight's lesson was amazing.