Heath’s Blog

We lost one of our hens to the neighbors dog. Just this pair is left.

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Today after our little accumulation of fresh snow I noticed these odd tracks in the snow and wondered at their origin. It was just a few minute later when I caught the track maker in the act.

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We finished disassembling the old metal shed we found on the property in pieces and blown into a ditch. The were brought up to the house and are not attached to the rabbit enclosure. The metal is a little rough and dirty, but it will work as a wind break from that cold north wind. And old downed limb and a little shoveled dirt and this project should be done for the year.

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Today I picked up the first part for a motorized chicken plucker. A local gentleman had an electric motor available on Craigslist. After ensuring it ran I paid his asking price and brought it home. Everything else except the lumber, fasteners, belt and wiring components will be here tomorrow.

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We elected to just order a killing cone instead of trying to make one. It’s more expensive and less gratifying than doing it yourself but I am a poor welder. The stainless steel model we ordered arrived recently.

Next week I will assemble a whizbang plucker and get to work on the chickens and ducks that need to go.

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The other day all of our birds were out free ranging in the trees by the house and enjoying bug hunting in the leaf debris. The windows in the house were open so I was able to hear all the birds were alarmed about something. I peeked out the window and spied this female coyote at a distance staring at all the birds as they fled towards the house.

Quickly I grabbed a nearby rifle, a Remington 700 chambered in 17 Remington, pushed open the back door and aimed the rifle while standing inside the house. She knew she had been busted and I could see she had turned to leave and was disappearing into the trees. When I barked like a dog she turned 180 degrees to face me. One quick shot where her neck and chest meet and she dropped in her tracks. She will not be having any more chicken dinners!

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My daughter came to find me the other morning worried about something that was stuck to Tom. She had tried to pull if free but couldn’t get it to loose. Here is what I found.

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The young tom has just started strutting around the yard. Pretty cool critters.

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While giving the critters some old buns I managed to get this picture of the tom, from our pair of royal palms, with a mouth full of the bun.

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Tonight we let everyone out and brought some old hamburger buns for them to eat. They all enjoyed it!

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