Punkins' world....SUNSHINE, seeds and no more drought!

[punkin]

I don't think this is the week to be a dog at our house. Shadow, our 16 yr old pound puppy wasn't doing well at all. He has advanced bone disease and has already lost the use of one of his hind legs. Yesterday, he was kind of pivoting around in circles, like he couldn't walk forward. Head was hung low and just disconnected and quivering. DH asked me if we had any pain meds other than his rymadil, and we didn't. It was really heartbreaking to watch him act that way. Almost like he wanted to go off, hide and take his last few breaths, but couldn't figure out how to do it. So...we decided to give him 6 Tylenol PMs. Figured if it didn't help him, he would drift off in a nice peaceful sleep. DH & DS even went up to the field to dig his grave. An hour later, he was following me all the way to the chicken coops and walking (as well as a 3 legged dog can) around the house. He even went to check out a female dog that came into the yard, ya know all strutty like.

This morning, he's still OK. I thought we would be shoveling dirt on him by now. Go figure.

Yesterday morning, DH dug a trench around and mounded up the dirt around the fencing of the chicken runs. When it rains, water would run through the middle of the Buff Orp's side making it a muddy mess. He did a good job and I don't think we will have that problem anymore.

My broody Buff is still in her broody breaker box. We put her in Sat. & I think I will let her out late this evening and see what she does. If she still insists on setting, back in she goes.

 

[FarmerChick]

wow punkin it is tough to be a dog at your house this week...LOL-LOL

dogs do great on 3 legs. you made a good decision on that one!

sorry about the older dog. when it is time, it is time. sounds like he will be moving on soon....but he did bounce back but I never like to see an animal suffer like that. It would have made me sad just like you said. Hard to watch that. I know!

I have a 10 year old goat out there....the last of my original herd I bought. She is looking poor. Kinda hanging out away from the herd a bit. I know what is coming. All of the sudden their condition goes down hill and they pass fast. But her being the last of my foundation herd, it drives me crazy knowing she is next on the list to leave......ugh. but again, when it is time, it is time. nothing we can do about any of it. I talk alot to her now when I go feed. Tell her to stay strong..LOL...I must be nuts some days..HA HA

hang in there.....smiling holidays are coming!

 

[roosmom]

Punkin, I am sorry to hear that he is good then not good. Just tell him to be healthy from now on......And no more going into the road.
I would like to hear a little more about your breaker box? What is it for? How does it work? Why do you use it?

 

[punkin]

Punkin, I am sorry to hear that he is good then not good. Just tell him to be healthy from now on......And no more going into the road.
I would like to hear a little more about your breaker box? What is it for? How does it work? Why do you use it?

I've read on BYC about a couple of different ways to break a broody hen. All I have are hens so no fertilized eggs to hatch, and if she's settin', she's not layin'

The first one was to dunk them in cold water. Well, not really dunk, but hold them down to the neck in ice water. They sense a temperature change or something. But, now with the weather as cold as it is, I thought that would be really cruel.

The second is with a broody breaker box. Put her in a cage with only food and water, no nesting material. This seems to disrupt their instinct to set on the nest. I've heard the longer you let them brood, the longer it takes to break them. She was only on the nest for a couple of days, so I'm hoping she'll be OK this evening.
During the night, we put her cage in the coop and in daytime we put it in the run so she will still be a member of the flock.

I guess we'll see how it works out, because this is my first time with a broody hen.

 

[punkin]

I didn't realize it has been so long since I last posted. I suppose it's because it's such a busy time of year.

Update on dogs:
Cocoa (aka Tripod), is doing very well. Friday, it will be 2 weeks since she had her leg removed. She is still as bouncy as ever. Although, she can't scratch her left ear very well.

Shadow (16 yr old dog) is still alive and well (as well as a 16 year old dog with advanced bone disease can be) after we dug his grave last Sunday. He just decided it wasn't his time after all.

Now, Lassie (15 yr old dog) had been injured. DH tried to move her to the garage and she bit him. Thank goodness he had on a thick jacket. She was in so much pain. We gave her enough pain killers to get her through the night. She is so old that we are going to try to get the vet to come and euthanize (sp, Dacjohns?) her. I think I want a bench named after us because of all the money we have spent there lately.

The broody hen:
The broody breaker box worked after just 2 days and nights of confinement. The Buff Orps' egg production has dropped, but the Black Aussie's are still going strong.

As far as I know, my neice and her DH are still together after he moved back in 2 weeks ago.

The temps have been so low here lately, that I haven't had much of an opportunity to hang out my clothes. I really don't like using my dryer that much.

After, reading FC's post about getting a toaster oven, I decided to bring ours down from the camper. We have been using it lately to heat small items and save energy.

The paper mill that my DH contracts for is shutting down for 2-3 wks (hopefully only). He does need the rest, but we still have a certain amount of fixed payments. We'll be OK for a while, but any long length of time will be costly. There's not a real big market for logging equipment out there.

I have already received a couple of orders for tomato plants for spring. I can't wait to get busy in the greenhouse again. After all, only 2 months and 2 weeks until we can plant potatoes (lol).

 

[FarmerChick]

LOL I hear ya on the countdown to replant! I have my farmers almanac set and ready to go!

yea it stinks when critters all get old around the same time. just knowing it "might be over" soon is hard. been there!

times are hard, emotionally and financially sometimes but we get thru. so many of us are in the same boat....don't rock the boat too much..LOL.....

I hate change. I am not a good change type person but life will always force change. Ugh, but what we do with it makes a world of difference in our lives! I don't know, just rambling..LOL

taters away! man there is nothing like a midget fresh red tater from the ground. YUM big time!

 

[punkin]

Bad news about Lassie. She had to go down. The vet thinks she was maybe attacked by raccoons. Once he got her shaved, he could see several small bite marks and alot of muscle tearing. Hard to beleive because she is a big dog, but slow due to age. She often lays outside by herself at night, so I guess they could have attacked her.

This is the first dog my DH & I have ever had to put down. It hit him really hard. To look at him (6'2" & about 240 lbs) you might think him pretty tough. But, when it comes to animals, he is such a softie. I like that about him; compassionate and caring. Our friends always say that if there is such a thing as reincarnation, they want to come back as one of our pets.

Last night, my 87 yr old aunt gave me one of my now prized possessions: a letter that my dad wrote to her while he was in the Navy during WWII. It is dated June, 1940 and was mailed from Oahu where he was stationed at the time. He was 19 years old. She also gave me the stripes from his uniform.

This weekend we were going to stay in DH's cousin's cabin in Erwin, TN. But, for some reason she moved the funiture out of it. So, we decided to head for the Smokies. Alot more money, but we haven't been anywhere overnight as a family this year. We are going to splurge. DS is taking his 2 best buds, so it should be alot of fun.

 

[2dream]

Sorry about Lassie. Like FC says. Its really tough when our animals start getting on in age. Really tough to watch.

The letter from your Dad is awsome. Those kind of things don't come around often. I know you were thrilled to receive it.

It took me forever to catch up on your journal. Since I have been sick I have not read very much so now I am having to catch up on everyone.

Off to the next journal to see whats been happening. Enjoy your trip.

 

[miss_thenorth]

I am concerned about one of my dogs right now. Although she is only 8 (and should live to be around 12ish), she has arthritis really bad and lately she has been starting to lose fur. We give her glucosamine/chondroitin/msm, and it seems to be helping, but we don't know why she would be losing fur. (no fleas or any normal reason she would be losing it. Needless to say we are concerned.

I'm sorry about the luck you are having with your dogs.

 

[keljonma]

Bad news about Lassie. She had to go down. The vet thinks she was maybe attacked by raccoons. Once he got her shaved, he could see several small bite marks and alot of muscle tearing. Hard to beleive because she is a big dog, but slow due to age. She often lays outside by herself at night, so I guess they could have attacked her.

This is the first dog my DH & I have ever had to put down. It hit him really hard. To look at him (6'2" & about 240 lbs) you might think him pretty tough. But, when it comes to animals, he is such a softie. I like that about him; compassionate and caring. Our friends always say that if there is such a thing as reincarnation, they want to come back as one of our pets.

Sorry about Lassie, punkin! It is really hard, I know.

Last night, my 87 yr old aunt gave me one of my now prized possessions: a letter that my dad wrote to her while he was in the Navy during WWII. It is dated June, 1940 and was mailed from Oahu where he was stationed at the time. He was 19 years old. She also gave me the stripes from his uniform.

That is pretty neat and quite a treasure. I have the Valentine's Day card my dad sent my mom from Smyrna, TN the first year they were apart. My dad trained pilots, so he was here in the States during WWII.

This weekend we were going to stay in DH's cousin's cabin in Erwin, TN. But, for some reason she moved the funiture out of it. So, we decided to head for the Smokies. Alot more money, but we haven't been anywhere overnight as a family this year. We are going to splurge. DS is taking his 2 best buds, so it should be alot of fun.

WOW! What fun! Hopefully, you'll have some terrific weather, too! Have fun!