Thanks so much to @old-guy-photos for creating the tag name and implementing it.
My first story with this tag, appropriately enough, is about getting down on your knees. *(Can you hear me groaning?)*
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It began this way
Long ago, at the beginning of our retirement, 1/2 step from heaven, in our first garden, the potato beetles were bad and hand picking them was tedious. Despite the direct warning by Moses not to believe everything you read on the internet, I did some online research and *did* believe that chickens are great for eating these beetles so I wanted to get chickens. Against Mr. Chick's wishes, at first, he started by building a chicken coop. Oh such innocence.
My mathematically minded husband planned it out, bought the materials and began building.
https://steemitimages.com/DQmUVreobt8mTh8MDLFY7mXvtMcu3PzN7nybVpFgh2FBVku/image.png
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Fast forward
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This took a lot of time, effort and the help of a professional to *fix* some beginner mistakes, but in the end the day finally came to bring our new chicks home.
https://steemitimages.com/DQmNpmzEujwzESpkZXQz8UmJMwxrGiiCcHHCoJGtXrvhXAi/image.png
Speeding Along to Today
We have loved all our chicks since that very first group and can tell many entertaining and tragic stories about each one. Of course, we learned the hard way that free-range chickens do so much destruction to the garden that we ended up building fences to keep them out.
Since that first year we get a set of 3 newly hatched chicks every spring and begin again. This year was the worst as the latest set were moved out to the coop at five weeks of age
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and within 3 days were eaten by a fox, I think, who broke into the coop by removing a loose floorboard in one of the nesting boxes.
So now we are left with Lee, the lonely survivor, who was just attacked by a dog who came up through the steep woods. She cleverly escaped and is now safely recuperating in the coop.
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On my Knees
She is an odd bird and has carefully selected a spot to lay her eggs under the ramp that leads to that tiny run.
In order to get my daily egg I have to open that little door, crouch down and twist myself around to reach the egg...and then manage to get back on my feet.
That may seem simple to you but for me it is a daily ordeal.
I won't offend you with my picture and a date sign. Be grateful and believe this is true.
Replies (34)
Does Lee have a nesting box? If not, one might entice her to lay the egg in it. If she does, then she's a picky one, isn't she? Chickens are funny creatures.
Are you going to replace your flock?
We have 2 nesting boxes and they have never been used. Since all our chickens have been free range they pick a spot and stick to it. For a few months we found none of her eggs until I kept her in the coop for a few days. Maybe a snake got them? I tried to trick her into using the nesting box but she prefers the hole she dug under the ramp.
She definitely has a mind of her own.
I am so hesitant to replace the flock because they would have to be cooped up all summer. We are thinking of getting guinea fowl but we'll have to wait until someone offers the keets. Maybe next spring.
An outstanding start for the new tag!! Well done post. Yes I have noticed when doing most anything that involves the ground, that it seems to have gotten further away! lol
They're cooped up keep them out of the garden, right? Oy. :) There's electric net fence made by premier one, for chickens, that's fairly easy to move around, so chickens can be out, but not get into places they shouldn't. I know--another expense... but an option.
I'm not trying to push you into more chickens! ! Really! ! :) It's heartbreaking when you've lost your girls. I know! Then the weighing of is it worth it or not. My husband, @goatgarden, did a blog a couple weeks ago about the fence.
The Frugal Homesteader Pt. 3 (Electric Net Fence) — Steemit
https://steemit.com/.../@goatgarden/the-frugal-homesteader-pt-3-electric-net- fence
I am not trying to promote him, just sharing info. :) He covers fence for goats, but the company makes fence for most farm animals.
Thanks. The idea occurred to me this morning while visiting with Lee and reaching for the egg. Other than my mind, I miss my eyesight and flexibility the most.
We were just discussing what to do next and my husband (who may someday find the time to join up here as pdude) thought of a way that we could expand and cover a new chicken door and run. Then there would be more room for more chicks next year and they would be protected from all those flying predators that like our neighborhood.
I do follow your husband already.
Thanks.
Good luck! ! And in the meantime, i hope Lee stays safe. :)
Thanks. I think with this kind of learn as you go life style luck does have a big part in it.
Haha omg the knees. Nobody told us about the knees and getting up and down. I need some kind of winch mechanism lol
Shame about the chickens but I guess the fox has got to eat to?
I bet that egg tastes great. We have a chicken farm down the road so we can get fresh eggs and they are so much better than the supermarket stuff.
You could use a little selfie stick with a spoon on the end to get at your egg? #oldtimers
I have a kind of trowel that has hook like fingers at the end to bring the egg out.
Still it is the knees that are the problem.
Yes, I do not want to lose her so she is staying inside the coop for now and I can still have an egg a day.
But the fox took such little chicks. Heartbreaking. They didn't even have names yet they were so indistinguishable.
Lee's 2 sisters were attacked by stray hunting dogs and just left in the yard. Now that was really bad as no one got a meal out of them.
That really is tragic and pointless. Why would someone train a dog to do that. Some people?
Tragic indeed.
The police caught one of the dogs. It had gotten away from its hookup. The owner called me to apologize and was really sorry but what can you do. The dog was following its instincts.
In the meantime our dog was dying so we had a grave dug for her in case she didn't make it through the winter and the 2 chicks now lay there, along with the parts of the last 3 chicks that the fox got. We will make a flower bed over it and pour the dog's ashes over it.
Memorial garden.
@bchick- I saw your question about covering the net fence on my notifications. Then, in the middle of my concentration, my son hit the trailer tongue with the lawn mower and I was distracted and now can't find the post. So I will leave this here lol. I'm not sure about covering the fence. I would think it would be difficult to support a net or something that big. There is a chat on premier1's site, so maybe ask them. On the other hand, if it is Arial predators you are worried about, look at getting a goose. Apparently they are great defenders against them.
Thanks for answering.
That is where are (perhaps) buying the solar fence from but they won't answer until Monday.
We could support the net by poles on each end I suppose but that just makes more to move.
Besides the predators from the air we also have to find a way to keep her inside the run before we can get more chickens. I put up 5 foot fences this spring to keep her out of the garden and she just laughed and flew right over it.
Thanks for your story. It is an adventure in chicken management.
I would consider clipping her flight feathers. It won't hurt her and she won't be able to make it over the fence. I'd say the only way you could use a net would be to use poles. As you said, more work. Not to mention it would have to be a really big one.
How do you do the clipping?
I hold her and my husband does the clipping?
With what sort of clipper?
And when we get new chicks how old do they have to be to do this?
If you know how to do this could you make a post about it?
Your chicken tales are like music to my ears..not the fox part, you know. I am glad that sweet Lee is doing well. I love my chickens, too! #oldtimers rule :D
That is so great to hear. One way of enjoying them is talking about them. My kids listen but I don't think they really understand. Wait until their kids are grown...
My younger grandchildren love the Chick Stories I have written like this first one.
We are currently trying to find a way to make a new chicken run for Lee with solar fencing. If this works then we will be able to get MORE.
I'd be happy to. I leave for work in the morning and will be gone a few days. I'll do one when I get back.
But yes, it's easier with two people. One holds the chicken backwards under the arm. The other fans the wing out and cuts along the line where the flight feathers meet the next row of smaller feathers. Just use scissors. Eezy peezy!
I think I will wait until I see your post. Poor Lee was just attacked by a dog and lost a lot of feathers. Most seem to be around one wing. When she sits on the roosting bar she has her wings slightly spread so she may be sore still.
Ok. I grabbed my son to play photographer. The post is up.
How the heck did I miss this post!
🐣⭐️
Wow. that was quick. Thanks
What a great story! It is difficult for us #oldtimers to get up now, once we are on our knees. You should hear me groaning at times when I do that. By the way...the mystery has been solved for my purple plants. :)
https://steemit.com/colorchallenge/@whatisnew/breaking-news-purple-plants-mystery-solved
Been outside checking for today's egg. Took me hours to get back up but I live to tell the tale ... again.
Glad to be a friend in this new world
I am happy to hear that you survived to check for eggs once again. Glad to have a new friend in this crazy world we live in today! :)
Thanks for that. I am a recluse so I don't have many friends.
Saved for today from the kneeling...she didn't lay an egg.
Since her attack I haven't been petting her in case it hurt. Today I did and I can feel her feathers starting to come back in. What was striking to me was the way she looked at me when I ran my hands from her neck to her tail. Like she trusted me.
Tomorrow we will clip the feathers on her other wing and let her out into the bigger run. If it keeps her from flying out into the garden and yet safely inside a fence then she can have more freedom to move around.
I am like that too; I can count my friends on one hand. No eggs? How many times do they lay eggs? I am happy to hear that her feathers are growing back. That is good that she trusts you...especially when you go to clip her feathers today. I can see her now when you let her out into the garden...Freedom! :)
Oh Lee. Such an odd bird.
She lays 5 or 6 eggs a week.
This morning when I went out to give her her morning treat and open it up for more ventilation she made not a peep. Usually she comes out and sticks her head out and will even grab her treat but today there was nothing.
I opened the door and she was feebly walking on her roosting bar, looking at me but not hopping down.
Maybe I will give her another day inside. After losing so many chickens I am so hesitant to let her out.
Awe...she must not be ready yet. Hopefully soon. :)
I too have chickens and have had lots of ups and downs with them. I just went out side to find that one of my pullets got out of her cage and is no where to be seen. Hopefully she will come back. Good luck with your chicken raising i hope you have more ups than downs along your journey.
Indeed so do I . I hope that all the downs are teaching me to be and do better next time.
My husband pointed out to me this morning that we have had and lost 10 chickens and only Lee is left. We still pray for the 10 each morning in morning prayer by name.
I am enjoying all the ups though. Chickens are such interesting pets.