The sun was out !!! inch by inch, marbley white skin was beginning to peep out, layer after layer of outer clothing was shed as the thermometer rose and a quick check of the freezer confirmed a substantial supply of Otter Pops just waiting for Summer. Winter has got old, warm padded fleeces and fluffy woollies were folded and stored away until the cold winds and frigid temperatures returned but clearly Winter isn’t done with us yet. The pastures and barns are coated in a layer of white, crisp icy frost. Everything looks still and very cold but behind the tall cedars there is a golden glow as the sun rises….it’s going to be a lovely day !
Tom the turkey and Mrs. Christmas apparently got it right ! Tom the Black Palm Heritage Turkey has, for the past months spent a great deal of time posing and strutting in circles around poor Mrs Christmas. The hapless and apparently unimpressed turkey hen just kept a turkey feather’s distance ahead of him and seemingly ignored his majestic testosterone display. Tom’s eloquent turkey loving calls and drumming fell on deaf ears but it seems that Mrs. Turkey just couldn't run fast enough and our incubator currently houses about 25 big speckled turkey eggs. Last night the first turkey poult began to hatch, a tiny crack appeared in the shell followed by a little chip. From inside the egg, the inner membrane could be seen moving as a miniature turkey struggled to hatch. This morning hopefully a fluffy little turkey will be waiting for us.
Today I begin the process of demolition ! I’m excited !! The old chicken shack has, since we arrived here been an eyesore, rotten wood fencing and rusting old wire have taunted me as project after project has been elevated to the top of the priority list and the chicken coop remained untouched.
Big brother John came to the ranch yesterday, once a week he volunteers his time (away from his honey do list) puts on his silly hat and prays that we will find him a project far away from poop. Yesterday his prayers fell on deaf ears and brother John was recruited to assist in the big chicken roundup…..can’t get much closer to poop than that !!! The instantly un co-operative hens were being relocated from their condemned accommodation to the four star Chicken “Roost with a View” and they weren’t happy ! After an initial sharp intake of breath, (not sure from shock or being too close to Rodney the ram in the rut !!) big brother John took on the challenge like a professional. Like a praying mantis he perfected his pounce on the unsuspecting chickens, his eyes looked one way, the bird dropped it’s guard and before it had a chance to squawk it found itself securely locked in a transit cage. It wasn't alone….46 others found themselves very reluctantly bouncing in a cage, in a trailer, John and I perched precariously on the tailgate, across the ranch to their new home. John’s funny hat got discomboobled, he was savaged by a particularly ungrateful hen, he ( horror of horrors !!!) had a generous donation of nasty chicken poop on his face but big brother was still smiling. We are hoping that his Tuesday’s visits will not result in a severe case of PTSD and will ensure the availability of a generous dose of Ibuprofen and Aleve…just in case.
John didn’t only risk life and limb in the chicken house. His other missions (should he accept them) included zipping around the pasture, spreading the poop ( oops, more pooop !!) and moving not quite so fast on the little John Deere ride on mower through the high grass in the orchard. Happily the orchard is now mowed…unhappily, the mower chewed up and spat out an innocent irrigation pipe and wiped out all the markers and stakes in my vegetable garden. Call in the no blame policy…right ?
Time to go, Bran the dog has gone out to water my roses and the cuckoo clock says it’s bed time. Take care, keep safe, M
Tom the turkey and Mrs. Christmas apparently got it right ! Tom the Black Palm Heritage Turkey has, for the past months spent a great deal of time posing and strutting in circles around poor Mrs Christmas. The hapless and apparently unimpressed turkey hen just kept a turkey feather’s distance ahead of him and seemingly ignored his majestic testosterone display. Tom’s eloquent turkey loving calls and drumming fell on deaf ears but it seems that Mrs. Turkey just couldn't run fast enough and our incubator currently houses about 25 big speckled turkey eggs. Last night the first turkey poult began to hatch, a tiny crack appeared in the shell followed by a little chip. From inside the egg, the inner membrane could be seen moving as a miniature turkey struggled to hatch. This morning hopefully a fluffy little turkey will be waiting for us.
Today I begin the process of demolition ! I’m excited !! The old chicken shack has, since we arrived here been an eyesore, rotten wood fencing and rusting old wire have taunted me as project after project has been elevated to the top of the priority list and the chicken coop remained untouched.
Big brother John came to the ranch yesterday, once a week he volunteers his time (away from his honey do list) puts on his silly hat and prays that we will find him a project far away from poop. Yesterday his prayers fell on deaf ears and brother John was recruited to assist in the big chicken roundup…..can’t get much closer to poop than that !!! The instantly un co-operative hens were being relocated from their condemned accommodation to the four star Chicken “Roost with a View” and they weren’t happy ! After an initial sharp intake of breath, (not sure from shock or being too close to Rodney the ram in the rut !!) big brother John took on the challenge like a professional. Like a praying mantis he perfected his pounce on the unsuspecting chickens, his eyes looked one way, the bird dropped it’s guard and before it had a chance to squawk it found itself securely locked in a transit cage. It wasn't alone….46 others found themselves very reluctantly bouncing in a cage, in a trailer, John and I perched precariously on the tailgate, across the ranch to their new home. John’s funny hat got discomboobled, he was savaged by a particularly ungrateful hen, he ( horror of horrors !!!) had a generous donation of nasty chicken poop on his face but big brother was still smiling. We are hoping that his Tuesday’s visits will not result in a severe case of PTSD and will ensure the availability of a generous dose of Ibuprofen and Aleve…just in case.
John didn’t only risk life and limb in the chicken house. His other missions (should he accept them) included zipping around the pasture, spreading the poop ( oops, more pooop !!) and moving not quite so fast on the little John Deere ride on mower through the high grass in the orchard. Happily the orchard is now mowed…unhappily, the mower chewed up and spat out an innocent irrigation pipe and wiped out all the markers and stakes in my vegetable garden. Call in the no blame policy…right ?
Time to go, Bran the dog has gone out to water my roses and the cuckoo clock says it’s bed time. Take care, keep safe, M
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