The Adventures of Fuzzy and Boomer on Friday — Dogs in Charge

Posted on November 16, 2012 by Dayphoto

Okay, everyone knows we have work to do around here, Boomer and I have lots of jobs! The biggest job is TAKING CARE OF THE FARM!

We are the Security Team for the farm. That’s big work.

For instance we caught a guy stealing Dad’s car parts….I barked and growled and even bit him. Dad was a little shocked I did that, but then he saw the car parts lying on the floor of this man’s pickup cab. The whole thing was pretty tense for some time, but I got lots and lots pets and love’n and three—GET THAT (!) —3 yummy DOG COOKIES!!!

YIPPEE!!

Boomer got two, because Mom said he is still learning how to protect the farm. She is confident that he will learn because I’M THE DOG IN CHARGE!

Both Mom and Dad said they would not have known if I hadn’t gotten so upset. See I never really get upset so they ‘knew’ something was up.

I think Mom told you that we closed up the entire gated pipes, the transmission pipes and any culverts on our place. It keeps the critters from nesting down over the winter. Next spring it saves the critter’s life since they never really know when the water is coming and they always drown, which isn’t a very pretty site.

BUT……………

The neighbor to the east of us never closes up his pipe or culverts.

Three nights ago Freddy Fox and several Raccoon’s came into the yard (at different times) and sniffed around the chicken pen, we barked and barked and really raised a ruckus.

Mom came out with the flashlight and checked out everything. The hens were asleep. Chickens have a really hard time waking up when it’s dark. That’s why they make excellent food. Easy pick’ns as they say.

Boom and I sniffed around and showed Mom the ‘leavings’ of the raccoons, we just told Mom about Freddy Fox. But Mom knows about Freddy Fox as we saw either him or some of his clan in the transmission pipe on the neighbor’s land. His/her little head was poking out just watching us last week as we went for our daily walk.

Mom said “Well, guess you boys are going to have to be real diligent watching the farm.”

We both wagged our tails in excitement and agreement.

Since we sleep outside until the temperatures drop real low, Mom decided that she was going to take matters in her own hands… on the internet she ordered three Nite Guards which flash lights from dust to dawn. This emits pulses of continuously red light which repel both ground and aerial predators. Mom got three because she wanted one at the door of the hen house (which is shut up tight at night), one for the end of the run and one for the other side of the house because, we would be inside and not see or hear or smell anything.

Like I say – we sleep inside most of the winter, but if the weather isn’t THAT cold, like below 20*, I like to sleep in our dog houses.

Sometimes I just go on out and sleep in my dog house, without Boomer, I really take guarding the place serious you understand.

Now, Hank, he NEVER sleeps outside, he sleeps with Bladen —boy and his dog stuff you know.

The sunset sure was beautiful last night.

Well, gotta go…Boomer said he smells something rather cool and he wants me to come smell it with him.

Fuzzy

Sunday Stills-Bird Stalking

Posted on April 1, 2012 by Dayphoto

Our assignment this week to get and see if we could capture some birds which are arriving back for spring.

One of my goals is to be able to take really good bird photos. This has been a horribly busy week this week so I wasn’t able to stalk many birds, but I did get this lovely pair of ring-necked doves in the apricot tree—

A very chirping flock of (I don’t know what kind of birds)

And of course the resident hens!

Of which I thoroughly enjoy.

Linda

The Adventures of Fuzzy and Boomer on Friday — Chicken Attack!

Posted on January 13, 2012 by Dayphoto

When the weather was warmer and we were all enjoying it, Mom decided that the ‘girls’ could go outside and peck around for a while. They had been really restless, pecking on the run plastic, trying to flap out the door whenever Mom went in to do something for them-gather eggs, refresh their feed, or bring in clean water.

After a very beautiful day, in which Mom and Dad were going to be gone, Mom promised the ‘girls’ if the next day was nice they could get outside, once all their eggs were laid, and have a really good dust bath and peck around.

The next day came, it was beautiful…all four eggs were laid by 11:00 in the morning so the ‘girls’ got to go OUT!

There was much joy, running and flapping and cheerful squawking as they made their way into the mud and snow of the farm yard.

Fuzz and I just watched, and then we decided they were not very entertaining so we headed back with Mom to the house and begged to come in.

We should have stayed outside.

Fuzzy and I feel really super bad, because we didn’t stay outside and guard those hens. Mom says she feels bad too.

But we didn’t.

So the deed was done.

(If you want to see a photo of the hurt, Mom would send it to you. Maybe someone out there could tell her who tried to eat her chicken)

But by whom..?

That is the Million Dollar Question!

Mom, Dad, Fuzzy and I rounded up the hens and put them away. They didn’t want to go. They had run into the lilac bush and were standing in there frozen in terror. Fuzz and I talked about whom or what could have done the deed.

So we sat out to find out…we sniffed here and there and everywhere.

While we were out looking for the culprit, Mom was doctoring the hen. First she cleaned the neck and shoulder wounds up really good with warm water, gave the hen a few drops of liquid baby vitamins, and a mashed up half of a baby aspirin.

The hen let her, I guess she was in shock, then she covered everything in salve, after which she placed the hen in a dog crate in the hen house in a warm location.

That was three days ago and the hen is doing well. The wounds are healing over and the stress is gone from the hen’s eyes.

She has even laid two eggs!

Fuzzy and I have been on the lookout, but we haven’t figured out what happened yet. Since the dastardly deed happened in broad daylight who knows—-hawk/crow/raven maybe?

Mom sat a live trap out with really yummy smelling cat food (I kept trying to get at it, Mom was NOT happy me about it. But GEEZ it smells GOOD) just in case it was a skunk.

Since all this happened our temperatures have dropped back down to typical January temps….the high is 22-29* and the lows -2-5* at night. If it was a skunk he/she went back into hibernation.

If it was a hawk/crow/raven…he/she WILL be back!

In the meantime…Fuzzy and I will be on guard and ready to bark all predators away!

Very Serious,

Boomer

This Roo

Posted on May 21, 2009 by Dayphoto

The-Roo

I guess it is safe to say that I like this bird. He is trying (TRYING) to calm himself down, but sometimes he forgets. Sigh.

He was feeling extra frisky the other day, much to the hen’s dismay. Some just put up with him, others ran away, and I would yell “ALL RIGHT! THAT’S ENOUGH”, when I thought he is getting carried away, while I was working in the yard.

But for some reason, that very same day, he (the rooster) decided that Evan didn’t need to be on our property. What a goofy bird.

Our son is a B.I.G. guy, retired Army, (Saudi War), truck driving, logger, heavy equipment operator, you know the kind.

Anyway, Roo kept trying to attack Son, and he did so once too often.

Suddenly Roo understood what the U.S. Military means when they say they turn boys into men.

The results were…..

anyway….

I still have my rooster, the rooster still has his life, complete will all of his wings, feet and neck, but it was touch and go there for awhile. (So far the bird seems to have CALMED down, waaaaaaaay down. But I still don’t trust him).

I had to tell you that story so I could tell you what happened that evening. Because everyone got so stressed out in the hen house, I figured I wouldn’t have very many eggs the next day unless I distressed all of them somehow.

Having one last bottle of flower Essences called Five Flower Formula (sometimes called Rescue Remedy) I thought I would go out a spray the hens and the rooster to see if that helped in the egg production.

Well, the time was about dark, they were all on the perch, with Roo in the middle between two of his very favorite hens (their backs prove it) and as I walked close enough to spray them, one of the hens flapped her wing over the top of Roo’s back, just like she was trying to protect him.

I must say that the whole episode made me stand in awe at the care and the concern for this former (I HOPE) bad boy, Roo, the rooster, by the girls. Amazing.

The Second Rooster Leaves Home for Greener Pastures

Posted on January 27, 2009 by Dayphoto

In the beginning I had three roosters. Three is just too much! Too much for the hen house, to much for the girls, to much for the feed bin, just too much!

So one rooster left to go live with a little girl who wanted a beautiful rooster for her 4-H project and to keep her one hen company, he has a wonderful life.

As time wore on, the hen’s girl’s backs wore out so the second rooster just HAD to go to someone who needed a Rooster!

(Roosters are great protectors of their girls, find little bits of good food for them to share, AND they have their favorite hens, although they are protective of all the flock.)

roo

TWO roosters became too much, again. The roos were great buddies, shared everything, (including the girls), didn’t try to attack me, took turns keeping watch, but the favorite hens…..well; let’s just say two roosters are too much.

roos-new-home

So Rooster number two went to live in Paonia, and these girls had never SEEN such a handsome Dude! He has a good home now and lots of entertainment. (And, yes that is a duck and other fowl in there.)

trons-chickens