ldawntaylor - bits and pieces

Here's that third Cherry Egger...pictured below. Hmm...for some reason I am only getting a link to the picture. I don't know what is going on. The coloring is basically the same as the suspected roosters pictured in the last post. So, you've got a general idea what this bird looks like if you can't access the picture.

I'll go on with posting pictures after a while. I have a couple more things to do today.

So, until next time....

I'll come back to the pictures some other time. I wonder why that last one just has a link instead of inserting the picture. Oh well.

While I was taking care of the animals this evening I heard some coyotes. They were making their usual sounds and then I heard one (or was it some other canine) howl. It did not sound like the others a deeper voice for one. If it was one of the neighbor's dogs then it is one that rarely makes much noise.

I know there are some wolf/dog crosses in the area...that might account for the sound. I wonder has a coywolf or two found its way here?

To me there really isn't a lot of difference between a family group including half-grown pups and a pack of animals. It is really just a matter of the genetic diversity in the individuals. Anyway, I know there are two such groups that come around. One shows up regularly. The other group is only near occasionally. There are of course times I only hear one coyote.

That occasional pack has one that sounds more like a wolf than a coyote. I suppose it is possible for one of those wolf/dog crosses and a female coyote to be the parents of that individual.

I find I am glad that pack doesn't come around very often. Sometimes I think that one coyote? has a sense of humor. It seems to try to get as close as possible without detection and then it howls. The sound itself is unnerving at times but from that close it is really disconcerting to me. Apparently it surprises the dogs too since the noise is rather chotic for a few minutes.

Something else sent my dogs into a frenzy a couple of nights ago. What ever it was was walking on the road and the reflection from the eyes was about where I would expect the eyes to be on an adult deer. But, my dogs don't react like that to deer.

I know there are some razorbacks around - four legged. I also know there ae some other wild/desceded from feral pigs around. I just haven't seen any signs of them this close to my home.

I suspect the likely culprit is a bear that wanders by sometimes. Every few weeks that bear comes by. Normally I only see the evidence not the bear itself.

I am so glad I've got the dogs.

For now, I am quite ready for some sleep.

So, until next time....

Back again, evidently whatever was going on with the pictures is taken care of. Did I try to share too many pictures yesterday? No idea...is so sharing pictures of the rest of my flock may take a couple of days. Below is a picture of my only adult hen. Along with the latest "brooder box". Yesterday I didn't take the 2 1/2 week olds out as it was a bit chilly for them. With the sun shining today is looking hopeful....


Now for pictures of my bantams. Below is the one that may be a cockeral. The color in the wattles and comb showed up at about 4 weeks. Usually an indicator of a male bird. This bird is now about 9 weeks old.



The next picture is possibly of an Old English Game Bird. Most likely pullet and one of the sweetest birds. I have a little trouble catching her but once I do she is content to be held for a bit. She is about 9 weeks old.


The third is turning out to be my favorite of the three. A partridge colored Old English Game Bird. She is also about 9 weeks old and is the easiest of all my young birds to catch. She is also the first one to greet me in the mornings.



I must come back to this at some other time.

So, until next time....

Looking at the picture on my computer screen, the pictured bird is about the same size as the live one. Maybe a little bigger.

Well, I was going to post more pictures. But, I would rather be able to insert them in the post. I'm not doing anything different so there must be some kind of limit. Oh well, I've got plenty of other things I need to do. Get those bananas into the dehydrator for one thing....

So, until next time....

My "vacation" is over and today I start back with the work 4 and then off 2 schedule. I hope some of the new hires are actually through the hiring process and able to work. Thanks to people quitting and such I don't even know who I will be working with this afternoon. That's just the way it goes.

But, I don't need to think about work quite yet....

Here are the last pictures of my 9 week old birds. All three look like Barred Rock except they have feathers of their legs. So they are more likely Barred Cochins or Marens of some type. The first two are either dominant hens or roosters. They have that behavior but their combs are still more peach than red. The third is smaller and has little to no comb or wattle growth. That third is also a lighter color. As with the Cherry Eggers I'm afraid I had to use the selfie feature....

I have the line that says "Insert every image as a..." but, clicking on Thumbnail or Full Image does nothing.

For the moment though, I need to get ready for work.

So, until next time....

Today has been a busy day, but first....

I remember seeing a question in someone else's post. I had no idea at the time, and now I can't remember whose post it was. The same basic region though - Arkansas, Oklahoma or Texas. And posted sometime this month. The question was about what might be making a sound sort of like a cricket but with no change in pitch or tone.

Anyway, that night or the next I noticed the "peepers". They fit the description quite well. I believe they are a type of tree frog.

As for today; the ususal day off cleaning, a trip to town for feed, and then an afternoon wedding. Intersperced through that was checking on my 3 week old chicks to make sure they had access to food and water and that the 8 week old rooster and 9 week old bantams weren't picking on them too much.

So far all is well in the hen house. I had to physically put the younger chicks in the hen house tonight. Give them a few more nights and they should figure out where they need to be after dark. In the morning I need to be out there by 6am or so to open the door.

I know I keep promising pictures of my latest chicks, but that will have to be later.

So, until next time....

I'm ready to try posting pictures of the new chicks. I took them today. Enjoy.

These are my new Welsummer chicks. I know the picture quality isn't that great. But, I believe the first is the male. Was calm about being handled compared to the others. These pictures don't show posture very well but, his is definitely cockeral posture. That along with differances in markings and shading all make me think cockeral. I know with Welsummers it is sometimes possible to tell the gender based on color. Here is another of that particular bird.



Here is one of my new Ameracuna (sp?). I think this will be a pretty one. Reactions and demeanor have me thinking pullet.



This next one is my new Olive Egger. Another that is showing signs of being a pullet.



It is actually really early to have any idea on gender. But, I am hoping....

For now I have some things to do.

So, until next time....

I had a visitor in my yard this afternoon. I really don't mind but it does tell me just how old/blind/deaf my oldest dog is getting. She never even noticed.... The fence posts, by the way, are four foot on the field fence while the posts for the electric fence are only 3 foot. In the picture it is really hard to see but there is a rabbit by the white fence post. The picture is taken through my screen so that makes a somewhat different effect.

Here is a picture I took a few days ago. The goat you see is the granddaughter of a goat that was half LaMancha and half Toggenberg. This goat has, as my mom puts it "real ears". While her mother had the LaMancha type of ears.

The goats were having a siesta in their loafing area. I've sometimes thought about putting across a "gate" of field fence if I ever need a space for a sick goat or something. But, during the day it is the only sheltered area the goats have access to.

I also got quite a shock today. One of my co-workers passed away today. She was only about 4 years older than I am. I can only hope her daughter wasn't the one to find her. Of the CNAs at my work she was one of the ones I was actually somewhat aquainted with. Some of the newer ones are still just a blur of faces but she had worked there for several years.

On another note, I have been enjoying listening to the occasional bobwhite quail and hearing the different sounds the hummingbirds make as they come to the feeder. I've had at least one male perching on the feeder and seems to look in my window each time. Maybe he his contemplating whether or not my rainbow swiss chard would be any good.

I had a thought about my "rooster problem" the other day. My cousin's son may be able and willing to process the roosters for me. Especially if he can have a portion to take home. Or maybe he would rather have cash. I would have to find out what an acceptable rate would be....

As you can tell a lot of thoughts are churning through my mind today. I can't seem to focus on anything. I'm surprised I got my lawn mowed and my laundry done. Maybe I will be fortunate and the rain will hold off until later tomorrow so that I can weed eat under the electric fence.

For now, I really ought to get busy doing something.

So, until next time....

Always a bit of a shock when someone we know passes away unexpectedly... Especially when they are close to our own age. Kinda reminds us what we are in store for since we're all mortal... Completely understandable that you're mind is occupied elsewhere... Haven't had swiss chard in years... Used to love it steamed lightly with a bit of butter, salt and pepper. Life's simple pleasures. The tender young leaves were great in salads as well.

So sorry about your co-worker.

I do love the sound of a bobwhite in the evening. We used to hear them regularly - but not so much anymore....