SA Farm's journal

[drstratton]

On Monday I had a buyer for some chicks, so DH and I had to go out and steal them from Consort. It did not go well. She escaped and we only managed to snag a few of the chicks as they were escaping like mad Amazing how they fit through the most narrow of gaps to join their frantic mom.
By the time we’d wrangled what we could of the chicks, we were already running late to meet the client, so we took what we had and crossed our fingers that Consort wouldn’t go far. She was raised here, so makes sense that she’d stick around, right?
Not so much.
We went hunting for her when we got home and found nothing. Next morning still nothing. Later that day DH thought he heard her about 100’ back in the brush, so we went searching. Several thousand (huge exaggeration, but didn’t feel like it) mosquito bites later, we hadn’t seen or heard a thing, so we figured she and her littles have gone back to the wild. Sad, but at least she’s heritage, so she has a good chance at survival. I crossed my fingers she’d show up again, but wasn’t going to count on it.
Today she showed up around 7pm, so DH and I went out and managed to catch her and throw her in with King. Her littles made their way in with her and now, hopefully, all will be well. Phew! Only another batch of mosquito bites and four ticks later
In other news, Nutmeg and Princess are busy hatching out their littles due tomorrow. Princess has two for sure so far and Nutmeg has four.
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Wow, she really gave you the run around, didn't she! I'm glad that she showed back up with her babies in tow! What a beautiful chicken & cute babies! Ticks give me the willies...

 

[thistlebloom]

I guess she figured out which side her bread was buttered on eh? Glad she came back! Silly bird... Boo to ticks and skeetos.

 

[SA Farm]

It’s definitely a relief that she’s safely back behind solid fencing with free access to feed. I doubt she would’ve had trouble finding water around here though lol. My main concern was that she and her littles would be fodder for the predators in the area. We’re not lacking in that area at all and I even heard an owl last night! (We have great horned owls around here.)
I prefer mosquitoes over ticks. Ticks are evil and must be stopped by whatever means necessary. This time of year, we have a designated “tick bottle” where we can collect the monsters until the season is over and we can toss the bottle. I’d prefer a way to keep them in wood or something so I could burn them - burn them all!!! (insert maniacal laughter here) - but I would be too worried about them escaping to creepy crawl around the house *shudders.*
Consort and her littles that play peekaboo through the fence - occasionally sending her into a fit

And miss Princess poking her head out to make sure I’m not after some of her littles

 

[drstratton]

It’s definitely a relief that she’s safely back behind solid fencing with free access to feed. I doubt she would’ve had trouble finding water around here though lol. My main concern was that she and her littles would be fodder for the predators in the area. We’re not lacking in that area at all and I even heard an owl last night! (We have great horned owls around here.)
I prefer mosquitoes over ticks. Ticks are evil and must be stopped by whatever means necessary. This time of year, we have a designated “tick bottle” where we can collect the monsters until the season is over and we can toss the bottle. I’d prefer a way to keep them in wood or something so I could burn them - burn them all!!! (insert maniacal laughter here) - but I would be too worried about them escaping to creepy crawl around the house *shudders.*
Consort and her littles that play peekaboo through the fence - occasionally sending her into a fit
View attachment 74718
And miss Princess poking her head out to make sure I’m not after some of her littles
View attachment 74717

I didn't realize what protective mothers turkeys are!
You could still burn the ticks at the end of the season...keep them in the jar then dump them all out & torch the nasty things...that would give me a sense of justice...lol!

 

[thistlebloom]

The image of a jar of ticks is making me queasy.... We rarely find them, but when we do I roll them in a twist of paper and burn them on the spot. Ugh, ticks are so creepy.

 

[drstratton]

The image of a jar of ticks is making me queasy.... We rarely find them, but when we do I roll them in a twist of paper and burn them on the spot. Ugh, ticks are so creepy.

Yeah, it kinda makes me queasy too...lol

 

[CntryBoy777]

Not me....makes me remember the pleasure I've had smashing, burning, popping, and drowning in alcohol the critters....I had over 30 seed ticks attached around 1 ankle....Joyce had to pluck them with tweezers.....didn't have much of an issue after the ducks started free ranging inside the fence....

 

[thistlebloom]

Not me....makes me remember the pleasure I've had smashing, burning, popping, and drowning in alcohol the critters....I had over 30 seed ticks attached around 1 ankle....Joyce had to pluck them with tweezers.....didn't have much of an issue after the ducks started free ranging inside the fence....

Ewww CntryBoy777! I've never lived in bad tick country. I remember when mom and dad visited my sis in MO and looked at real estate while they were there, Mom got in the car and tried to brush the little bits of dirt off that had got on her pants, then realized they were moving! She was torn between jumping out and catching more ticks or staying in the car and being eaten alive. Dad loved telling that story and made it more hilarious than real life probably was, lol.

 

[SA Farm]

Nutmeg with her littles. They walked away from me and she got them all under her and gave me a look, like, “littles? What littles? Just me sitting here, go on about your business.”


I would’ve stayed for more pics, but the mosquitoes were after me.
Princess and the few chicks and poults still in the brooder shed are my only real maintenance left. My older chicks in the tractor need to move out back...just haven’t decided where. Last year I split the chicken run in half until they were integrated with the adults, then let them out to free range together. Might have to do that again once I’m sure Nutmeg is settled in. The oldest are ~11 weeks now. I’m just not sure how Spice will react...he’s a little too excited about them as it stands. He seems totally cool with Nutmeg and her brood though.
Whenever I move the older chicks out, the younger group can move into the tractor and I can decide where to put Princess and her poults - or leave them in the brooder shed. Maybe just take out the brooders so they have more space I’ll figure it out

 

[drstratton]

Nutmeg with her littles. They walked away from me and she got them all under her and gave me a look, like, “littles? What littles? Just me sitting here, go on about your business.”
View attachment 74880
View attachment 74881
I would’ve stayed for more pics, but the mosquitoes were after me.
Princess and the few chicks and poults still in the brooder shed are my only real maintenance left. My older chicks in the tractor need to move out back...just haven’t decided where. Last year I split the chicken run in half until they were integrated with the adults, then let them out to free range together. Might have to do that again once I’m sure Nutmeg is settled in. The oldest are ~11 weeks now. I’m just not sure how Spice will react...he’s a little too excited about them as it stands. He seems totally cool with Nutmeg and her brood though.
Whenever I move the older chicks out, the younger group can move into the tractor and I can decide where to put Princess and her poults - or leave them in the brooder shed. Maybe just take out the brooders so they have more space I’ll figure it out

I used to love when my Banty's would come out with a mess of littles...so cute!