Larsen Poultry Ranch - homesteading journey

[Larsen Poultry Ranch]

What's the deal with the rattlers & bun shed???
That's scary. I'd be a nervous wreck.

The buns spill food so that has attracted rats and ground squirrels. I think I got the rats to go away but the ground squirrels are persistent. The rattlesnakes are attracted to the rodents and keep hanging out in the zone.

I don't go out there unless I am wearing my high boots and now I have a snake grabber tool I carry too. I always have my phone with me too so I can call for help if needed.

The new bunny barn still hasn't been built or even ordered. The building pad is mostly ready but hubby still needs to finish it. I am planning on buying a building kit for a metal building 18'*30', with two man doors and a full size equipment door on one end.

 

[SageHill]

I don't go out there unless I am wearing my high boots and now I have a snake grabber tool I carry too. I always have my phone with me too so I can call for help if needed.

We've got grabbers at the house and the barn and flat blade shoves close to the grabbers.
When I'm out traipsing around and weed whacking and such I've got steel toed boots and snake gaiters.

 

[Mini Horses]

Makes my big rat snakes seem tame! hate snakes.

 

[Ridgetop]

Heard a story from a fellow rabbit breeder years ago - her husband went out to the rabbit shed at dusk and was going to feed without turning on the lights. At last minute decided to switch them on and found he was face to face with a giant rattler on top of the rabbit cages! Luckily was able to get tout of there without getting bitten.

With that many rattlers in the bunny barn, I think I would buy some kingsnakes and release them. I know it is frowned upon by ecologists, but kingsnakes would keep the rattlesnake population down. And it could be considered "natural control".

 

[Larsen Poultry Ranch]

A lot has happened since July. Life kinda sucks right now but we are trying to focus on the positives and keep moving forward.

Positives:

• New to us minivan
• Munchkin 2 turned one!
• Munchkin 1 will be starting daycare/preschool soon
• The weather is finally starting to cool down
• Over half the garden is now on drip system
• Hubby, myself and kids are in good health
• Munchkin 2 is up to eight teeth

 

[Larsen Poultry Ranch]

Not so positives:

• My dad passed after a decade long fight with Parkinson's
• My mom's surgery was unsuccessful and she has to have further surgery. Cancer sucks.
• Hubby's grandfather passed away
• Bunny barn still not purchased or built
• Unable to find where I hid the title or roof rack keys for my car, so I can't sell it yet
• We are now up to 9 rattlesnakes removed from the rabbit zone. I love the snake grabber tool.
• Munchkin 1 is possessive over toys. All are "mines", especially the cool toys munchkin 2 received for his birthday.

Those things after the first three aren't as important but still have an effect. We'll get through it with time.

 

[SageHill]

Love the positives. Sorry for the not so positives. I've lost count of the rattlesnakes here - found a small one coiled up in the barn (a first) day before yesterday. And wouldn't you know it, Obi was with me - thank God not near it. I put Obi up on a table and dispatched the snake.
Hope you're not near the fires.

 

[Baymule]

Sometimes life just sucks, the hits keep coming and you wonder it’s ever going to stop. Yes, it does finally stop and it gets better. Concentrate on the positives. Acknowledge the sad things, have a good cry, grieve. Then look at those precious children and your heart overflows with love.

 

[farmerjan]

I am sorry for the death's in the family... and your mom's surgery... needing more...

BUT... you can get a duplicate title, yes it will cost you at the DMV... just take the ins card you carry in the glove box, or the registration card... not sure how to solve the key problem... is the roof rack a common brand? Call the company that makes them, explain that the keys are missing, can they help you with it because you really like the roof rack and now can't use it... sure, play the sympathy card a little.

I don't have the chicken/building & run, put together yet for safe keeping of the chickens I want to get for the winter... and I have it here.... want to put them inside the garden area as it is "petering out" mostly due to the drought... have to dig potatoes yet... and I have not had near as sad a year, although situation with DS has been tough...and he's a grown man....

Munchkin #1 will have to have some "time outs" or take the toy away and do not allow him to play with it AT ALL... put munchkin #2 in playpen with his toys and do not allow #1 to go in it... a good swat on the butt will not hurt but might make an impression that when mom says NO she means NO.... or he gets NOTHING to play with...

God Bless all who deal with rattlesnakes like that... NOT ME.....NOT HERE.....NO WAY NO HOW......

 

[Larsen Poultry Ranch]

Oh, and my phone turned itself off shortly after my last post and refused to turn back on. Spent over 2 hours at the phone store after work and now I have a new phone. Still getting used to it.

The last rattlesnake was actually one of the biggest I've seen so far, and I found it just after hubby drove off for the day. I used the snake grabber tool to get it behind the head, made sure I was clamped tight, then shoveled it until the head was off. The head continued to try to bite.