Blue Skys: Not ready for change.

[Blue Skys]

Today started out terribly. I woke up to feed everyone and the roosters were gone. All of them, but two - they were just moved to a newly fenced area, to get them out of where the garden is going. They were in a temporary coop. Something got them. I don't know what it was, but it was either something big, or lots of little somethings. There are parts and pieces and feathers everywhere. I didn't have time to check the fence before I left for work, the two survivors are with the hens, hopefully they don't get pick on too much, but they should be safe. I feel just awful. That was a lot of meat - gone...

Now, I'm concerned that whatever it was might come back for the hens or the rabbits. I don't know what to expect. Plus we are planning on getting goats, but whatever got the chickens will probably be after goats too.

I don't know what to invest in, an electric fence (will it do any good?) a LGD? (How long will it take for them to mature, and do I really want one?) I don't have enough room for a donkey...

What a bad day!

edited to add - hubby got home and surveyed the damage. It looks like coyotes... They tore a hole in the wood privacy style fence and left foot prints. Looks like we'll be camping out with the shotgun tonight. I hope they don't come back looking for more.

 

[Blue Skys]

No preditor attacks last night - We are looking into getting a LGD - I'm nervous about it, but it seems like the best option for us for now.

On a side note. I'm reading The Omnivores Delima(sp?) and oh my gosh it is enlightening. Americans are not raised to think about their food - they just shovel it into their mouths. My house is making a huge change immediatly. No more grocery bought meat - there is a pasture raised butcher just down the road - they don't raise the meat themselves anymore because of demand, so the prices are that much higher to pay everyone, but it's worth it. My family's health is worth it, plus we won't have to buy from them forever, just till we get a steady supply of our own home grown meat.

Everyone should read this book.

On a side side note, since cutting out food that comes in bags or boxes (around thanksgiving) I've lost about 10lbs. And I feel so much better.

 

[Blue Skys]

Well, we got a pryenese (sp?) yesterday. A young female. She has not been socialized at all, so a little skittish, but seems to be a very sweet girl. I'm super glad that I've quit my job now because we'll have our hands full training her. She's been raised around chickens and goats, I just have to introduce her to her chickens and her yard and all of that. I've never had a LGD, so it should be fun to learn as we go. I did get a book, i had to order it off line, so hopefully it will get here soon.

The only thing that I am confused about is our companion dogs role. He stays out back during the day, but I don't want them to become buddies - the pyrenese is a working dog. But I want them to bond like I want her to bond with us. If anyone has any advice I'd love to have some!!

Ordering seeds and chicks this weekend. That's about it.

 

[TanksHill]

I am sorry to hear about your roo's. I have had many problems with coyotes as well. I think someone needs to explain the whole LGD thing to me. I know there sure are a tom of them around here.

I don't know much about training working dogs. Maybe check in with Sheri she has LGD's as well.

How are the bunnies doing?

have a better day,

gina

 

[Blue Skys]

The bunnies are great! Thanks for asking. I keep worrying that the coyotes will get wind of them and try to get into where they are, but so far they haven't (knock on wood).

The weather has been crazy, we had terrible storms yesterday, then today the temperature dropped about 20 degrees in an hour, but I put lots of hay in there and they seem to be taking it all in stride. They are just so dang cute, I really want them to stop doing that. I keep telling them to start getting ugle real soon. :/

 

[Blue Skys]

In spite of life's many challenges I've decided (for today at least) to look only at the good things mother nature has done lately. We've got 3 new babies at our house. AND another broody is sitting on 4 eggs (was 5 but one of them was crushed after having deeloped for about 2 weeks ). Here are pictures from today that I just came inside from taking. It was a beautiful day and I got lots of chores done!!!

 

[murphysranch]

Those pics brought a smile to my tired face this morning. Thank you!!

 

[Javamama]

Awww, those are so cute!

 

[Blue Skys]

we've got two new chicks! Unfortunatly mama hen abandoned her other three eggs and those babies didn't make it. I love having little ones running around, it's so much fun to watch them grow.

We had a great fish supper on Sunday. We went fishing at one of the most beautiful lakes I have ever been to and the fishing was great, for me at least, hubby didn't have as much luck. I caught 4 large mouth bass and 3 blue gill. He caught a couple of blue gill, and that's what we took home to cook up. Talk about good eatin!!!

Hubby has takin up fly fishing and has also started to tie his own fly's. I'm going to starting tanning the rabbits hide when we slaughter, I had just been burying it to compost. I'm really excited. It will save a ton of money, and everyone he's talked to said that rabbit fur is the best thing to use. The only thing I wonder is what type of dye to use to dye it all the different colors he might use. I think that rit dye would probably work...

 

[Blue Skys]

Well, my life is fixin to change drastically. Hubby and I have decided that it would be best for us to seperate. This has been a very hard year for me, and I don't really have many friends to talk to. We've been together for 9 years June 17. We are best friends, but we are not good as husband and wife. We do not bring out the best in each other.

I am leaving my home to live with my parents 1500 miles away, leaving my garden, rabbits and chickens.

I am heart broken, and my best friend can't console me. I hope that our promise to always be friends is kept and that we remain in each others lives, even if it's minimally. He's my family afterall.