FarmerDenise's journal - full on harvest time = busy, busy, busy

[FarmerDenise]

We set up the x-pen for the chicks with some vinyl on the floor and a sheet. The sheet is wrapped part way up the pen, so the chicks cannot get out. Originally I had old t-shirts on the floor as well, but Susie just scratched them up into a bundle, so I took them out.
It gets pretty messy in there and I end up cleaning chick poo several times a day. I considered using the vacuum cleaner to get it all up, but then a lot of the poo is wet and I don't know if I want that in my vacuum
I think I'll just look for some more old sheets and keep lining the bottom with them. I can take those outside and shake them out. I just have to find the box I put them in

Those little poopers, I mean peepers, know to go sit on the heating pad to warm up. I find them snuggled up on there or stretched out taking a snooze. Sooo cute!!!! We only have a wood stove insert in the house and we struggle to get the one room to 70 degrees for the chicks.

 

[Beekissed]

FD, those were great pics! And love, love, love the chick on Mom's back....so very sweet! I'd save that chicken for later brooding, she seems like a great chickiemama.

 

[Dace]

Love the chick pics! Oh my gosh, they are adorable sitting on Susie's back!

So the storm you had yesterday is arriving here to day I guess. Although there was wide spread flooding last night, maybe we got your last night?

All I know is that today is supposed to be a doozey!

Stay dry my friend!

 

[FarmerDenise]

It is so wonderfull having those chicks and Susie in the living room. No matter how gloomy it is outside, we keep getting happy feelings watching the chicks and their momma. There is no way I can stop grinning, when I am looking at those cute little fuzzballs.

It is amazing how fast they grow. It has been only a little over a week since they first started hatching!
Susie raised a set of chicks last year. She is definitely a good momma and well worth all the effort it takes to keep her healthy! She looks after her chicks into adulthood, which a lot of hens don't do. She is also very fierce about protecting her babies. And I will challenge anyone, who says chickens are stupid. This little hen figures out ways to communicate her wants to me. I just have to be smart enough to pick up on her way of telling me!!

It is dark out and raining! A good day to be inside, sort of warm, but at least dry.

SO made brunch, french toast. I brought out the maple syrup that I had bought, when I was in New York. It is the real stuff!!!
SO brought out his bottle of Log Cabin Original Syrup for comparison.
The real stuff from a small town near where I grew up was kind of liquidy and SO was surprised about that. So he poured some of his Log Cabin syrup, which was much thicker. At this point I started reading the ingredients: Corn Syrup, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Water, Contains 2% or less of: Caramel Color, Salt, Natural and artificial Maple Flavor, Cellulose Gum, Preservatives (Sorbic Acid, Sodium Bensoate), Sodium Hexametaphosphate, Mono and Diglycerides.
SO used to work at a place where they mass produced salads for stores and restaurants. They added Sodium Bensoate to the salads for preservative. He said they would wear long sleeved rubber gloves to measure it, averting their faces so as not to inhale the stuff. It burned if it got onto your skin!!! And they put this stuff in our food!!!!
I don't think SO is going to put Log Cabin syrup on his pancakes any more
The Maple syrup from New York has: Pure Maple Syrup!!!

 

[big brown horse]

Now you've got me craving french toast!

 

[FarmerDenise]

Come on down, I bet SO will make you some. I'll even get out the good maple syrup for you BBH

 

[FarmerDenise]

SO hurt his back and didn't get much sleep last night. He's making up for it now
Therefor I went out and replenished the woodpile by the door, brought more kindling in, checked on and fed the rabbit. Since his kibble and hay gets soggy in this weather, I also gave him a winter squash, some dried corn on the cob and some broomcorn. He still has plenty of fresh greens from yesterday.
The chickens were a sorry soggy mess. I filled their feeder and they followed me into the henhouse. They had scratched the bedding out of the door and I had to kick it back in, in order to shut the door. I kicked up a bit more to make a nice pile for them. They appreciated the fresh food, but complained that it took me so long to bring it out and that the weather is nasty. They settled themselves on the roost and started to dry themselves off. Poor things. They really did look pityfull!!! I shut them in for the night. I'm certain the chickenhouse will warm up quickly with the door shut, a nice deep bedding and all the chickens inside. It is still early for them to go to bed, but they seemed to be ready to just stay in there, just like us.
Spike was ready by the door. She was going to make sure I would not forget to bring her back inside.
I shook out the t-shirts I had used for the chicks and put them in the washer along with the dog towel.
Now that most of the chores are done, I can relax. SO took out some salmon for dinner. He has been cooking lately, since I don't have any appetite and he wants to make sure I eat.

I am ready for the sun to come back out tomorrow!!!!

 

[murphysranch]

Why don't you have an appetite? (wishing I would lose interest in food for maybe a week or so!)

 

[FarmerDenise]

I am still recovering from having bronchitis. I am one of those who looses her appetite when I am stressed or sick. Don't you all hate me now?
Even if I am real busy with something, I'll just have a glass of juice or tea, because it's quick and skip the meal There's many a day where I eat only one meal. I have to make myself eat. On top of it, if I eat too early in the morning, I get sick - as in nautious (sp?)to the point of vomitting. I have hypoglycemia and am supposed to eat all the time, so I try to at least have healthy snacky foods on hand. But I have not had the energy to make up snacks for myself. I ate all the ones I had.
I need a mom to come and fix me little tidbits and put them in front of me so I'll eat
And believe me, my mom did and would.
Actually SO is good about feeding people, but he is not good about fixing little snacks for someone who is sick and doesn't want to eat. That's more my forte
He made me nice big breakfast, of which I only ate a small portion , but I have been snacking on the rest of it all day

 

[FarmerDenise]

I can't help myself. Been taking loads of pics of these cuties and had to share