Chicken on a Stick

These are our 3rd batch of chickens, if memory serves. Michael and Sue Laprise gave us our first batch. My Dad (who has delighted our kids by taking them to the feed store and buying birds, rabbits and other critters) furnished the second batch…and this third batch.

It’s interesting to me how the different age groups hang out together. They all get along, and they’re fine together when they’re all in the coop at night. But during the day, when they’re foraging, they wind up splitting into groups that seem to be formed around relative age.

Reflections

Chronologically, these are way out-of-order. We took these months before we started this blog. But they’re part of our story, so here they are.

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When we first moved onto the property, there was a tree limb on the fence with our back neighbor…and their cows regularly came to visit our back pasture for breakfast. I’ll never forget sitting down at the breakfast table, looking out the window, and seeing a huge cow staring back at me from the other side of the glass.

Once the kids realized “we got cows,” Iain wanted to “pet” one. So, while this calf was enjoying a respite in the grass, Iain slowly walked up to him. He got pretty close before the calf got up and ran to mama.

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As soon as we announced that we won the bid on the property, Mike and Sue Laprise bought us six baby chicks…and here they are on our first days on the property. Unfortunately, only two of the original six remain. But the good news is that we learned a lot about raising chickens from these gals, and the two that survived it all are now the “mother hens” of our ever-growing flock.

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This is Max, the day Dad brought him to us. Cute little stinker.

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This is Max and Opal a few days after Max arrived. Back then, Opal – even as small as he was – was the dominant personality in their friendship, mostly because Max was so pudgy that he could barely walk straight, let alone climb the stairs.

 

Muscovy’s…The Tree Ducks

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She might be a little difficult to see at first, but right there in the center of the picture – right on that branch – is Oreo, one of our female Muscovy ducks from Chris and Elizabeth Coats. Muscovy’s are often called “tree ducks,” because, well, they will roost in trees. They don’t build nests in trees, but they will perch and sleep up in the trees.

Spider Webs

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The other morning, as I walked to open the gate for the day, I saw some amazing spider webs dotting the front pasture. The morning dew bathed them, and when the first rays of sunshine crept across the horizon, the pasture lit up with these beautiful creations.

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In addition to being prolific with their webs, I’ve noticed country spiders spin webs with a much higher tensile strength than their city counterparts. Accidentally walking into one of these instantly reminds me of that scene in Lord of the Rings where Frodo gets stuck in Shelob’s lair…very…difficult…to…get…it…all…off…of…me.

Opal the Cat

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This is Opal, our male cat. Opal was part of a stray litter at my parent’s house, and he was the only one hungry enough to get stuck in the trap. He was just a little kitten then, but has become an excellent mouser, and is probably the most affectionate of all our cats and dogs. He loves to jump up into your lap for a good scratching and caressing. And despite being deadly to rodents with his claws, he never uses them on his humans.

Sapphire the Siamese Cat

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This is Sapphire, our teeny-tiny Siamese cat. She was the runt of a litter from our friends the Laprise’s cat. She has the most beautiful sapphire blue eyes, which you can see in the picture below. Sapphire has survived being a chew toy for Max and Bryan, as well as a hawk attack that left her near death’s door. But much love, cuddles, and lots of heavy whipping cream helped nurse her back to health. She’s very friendly and affectionate, but hasn’t quite figured out that claws aren’t always necessary.

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