Happy Thanksgiving

     I think it's a bad week for poultry.
     And there have been some ups and downs
     for me as well.
     But regardless of the difficulties and sadness,
     I have cheered myself up by thinking about
     all my blessings and everything I have
     to be thankful for.

     Saturday Carol reported that 2 of her ducks died within 24 hours, and she wasn't completely sure of the cause. I felt bad for her and the ducks.
     It was a very windy day and felt colder than the 53 degrees it was.  I got a ton of school work done from 4:30 to 8:30, but then my productivity level started to decline.  I headed outside after an early lunch and it actually wasn't all that bad temperature wise... but the wind complicated outdoor tasks, dried out the eyes, and made it difficult to keep a hat on.  I discovered our ornamental weather vane had been bent by the
wind.  The chickens kept low to the ground and
the horses grazed with tails to the wind.  Steve and Tiny have been getting braver... venturing farther from the coop. Here they are out near
                                                     the well.










     I got the dog crate moved out of the coop and reorganized some stuff in there, including putting up a makeshift roost using the xerox box.  I did some more tiding up around the yard but by 3:30 pm, I was wandering aimlessly wondering where my motivation had gone.  I noticed Tiny and Steve decided clinging to the chicken wire was
better than the stick I had for them.

It puts them higher up, and when Hercules is near by, this might feel safer.

     After dinner I pushed through grading some lab reports, but finally gave in to exhaustion.  After climbing into bed, I did one more set of hand and wrist massage and stretching exercises before falling to sleep.

    Sunday morning my wrist and hand were sore and swollen.  I must have over done it the day before, both with my therapy exercises and working around the house and yard.  I massaged it and did some slow gentle stretching while doing my daily Bible reading.  Then I graded Lab Reports until 10 am which was when I headed outside to work.  We were expecting Courtney and her friend Amanda with daughter Lexi. The girls were running late so Joe and I were able to get some things done.  He had run into town to buy a new pitch fork, having broken the other one.  So he cleaned stalls while I cleaned out the duck water tub and several water buckets.

      The girls came and right away Lexi was ready to explore and play.  I let Kaysha loose to join in on the fun.  Lexi enjoyed the dog, exploring the chicken coop, trying to pet Hercules, and playing on the play ground. 



      Well, it wasn't long and tragedy struck.  Kaysha killed the rooster Steve.  It happened so fast.  In the blink of an eye she broke his neck and he was gone.  I saw her go into the coop (she eats the chicken feed sometimes) and I yelled at her but was busy with Lexi at the time.  And then I heard a squawk, looked up and saw Kaysha coming out of the coop with Steve in her mouth. I yelled and she dropped him.  His wing moved a bit as I grabbed her and walked her to the deck, reprimanding her the whole time and put her in time out.  I went back and scooped up Steve and his head was completely limp.  A little blood was on his beak.  I peeked in the coop for Tiny and she was sitting on the floor in the corner where she lays her eggs.  Steve was probably trying to protect her from the dog.  I carried him around for probably 10 minutes hoping he was faking dead and would come to life.  I honestly felt like his heart was still beating.  Then I laid him in the hay in the barn... still not convinced.  But 15 minutes later it was clear he was gone. 

     I couldn't completely clear Steve from my mind, but still had a great time with our lady visitors.  We talked about horses as Courtney picked their hooves for me.  Amanda (who has been around and trained horses several years, and experienced lameness issues as well) looked at Amiga and Zorro, giving us good advice and hope for our two young Paso Finos.

      Lexi was more interested in helping Joe who was adding a ring of boards to the trailer to make it taller.  They took a break from construction to

pet the cows.  Norman and Babe were not too sure about Lexi.  They don't see little people very often.  She took off her unicorn cap thinking they might be afraid of it.  She was so cute.  

      As we were finishing up in the barn, I spotted Tiny trying to befriend the ducks and then some chickens.  She is the smallest bird in the middle of this photo.  I don't think she even tried looking for Steve... she knew what had happened to him. Meanwhile, back at the deck in time out, Kaysha was still looking very sad and sorry.

     We roasted hot dogs in the fire pit and enjoyed lunch before the three visitors had to head out.

    I then set to work at making a pen on the south side of the barn so the horses can be out there on nasty days, and we can get them to and from the front pasture without needing to put halters on them.  I eventually got frustrated with my lack of strength, while also getting shocked 3 times by the fence, and ended up in tears.  I hadn't shed a tear about Steve so think that's partly why my difficulties resulted in sadness.  Steve was such a beauty and he was a nice rooster and it was such a pointless, unnecessary loss.  I also felt so bad about poor Tiny loosing her mate.  And I was feeling sorry for myself with the loss this broken wrist has caused.  But all this pales in comparison to the loss so many others have faced.

     An amateur photographer (Frank Glick) recently captured this amazing shot (which has been circulating on the internet).  It was taken at the Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minnesota.  Most Americans see the eagle as a symbol of patriotism and dignity, and some cultures believe it is a messenger between heaven and earth. I am humbled at the sight and reminded of the numbers who have given their life so that we might have freedom here in the USA.  But the ultimate sacrifice was of Christ who died on the cross to free us from death and give us eternal life.

     I agree with what Joe's sister Patty posted on Facebook, "I'm thankful that there are people willing to do what it takes to protect our country!"

     I had moved the roosting board and box from the coop since it hadn't appealed.  Then I had Joe screw up this longer board for a perch and I tied the chicken wire to it so Tiny could roost there if she wanted but not bend the chicken wire.  And sure enough, she was settling in for the night before I came into the house.


     Monday and Tuesday zipped by at school and at home.  I shopped and then fixed veggies for our Growth Group Pot Luck Monday and went in for therapy after school Tuesday.  It rained all day Tuesday so my mind was set on getting things done here at my desk.  First I needed to work on more grading and this blog so I could then tackle one of the several other goals I wanted to accomplish, such as:  all lesson plans done for December (including tests and exam written), my first 2 weeks of 2nd semester planned, Christmas letter written and cards sent, Christmas decorations up, etc.  With Britney arriving home Dec. 20th I want every thing done by then, (including gifts bought and wrapped and the house cleaned).  Then I can just enjoy time with her and others and celebrate this wonderful season.

     As the week progressed Tiny slowly made her way into my flock.   On right she is wandering by herself.

Then she see Hercules and goes over to join him.




She follows him into the chicken coop and starts eating.



And one of the Americanas comes in to join her.



     I made it through 5 hours of meetings during the Institute Wednesday.  Once home, I was in the mood to celebrate and wanted to start getting out and organizing Christmas decorations.  However, I couldn't figure out how to get my Christmas music to play so opted to catch up on e-mails and Facebook while eating my 2:00 lunch.  Rather than napping I went out to
"play" with the horses because it was
so nice out. I wasn't really playing, I groomed all three of them, starting with Zorro and ending with Roni who was the dirtiest.  Amiga and Zorro at right fairly cleaned up.  Roni below is next.

 





   
     I left Zorro tied to the hitching rail the whole time so he could work on patiently standing haltered and tied.  Well, he is so ADHD that he started mouthing the rope.  I kept telling him to stop.  He got to the point that every time I looked at him he would drop the rope and as soon as I looked away he would pick it up again.  What a goof ball.  This video is when I first caught him horsing around.

     I did put on bridles and bits and do some ground work in the round pen with Amiga and Roni.  Just as I was finishing up, Marj came over to drop off some egg cartons and we had a nice little chat.  After she left, Lisa came with her boys to go through the farm chores list so they know what to do this weekend.  It was 5:30 and dark by the time I sat back down at my desk.  I ended up taking a short nap, watching Survivor with Joe, and then going to bed.
                                        Today is Thanksgiving, as every day should be.

I am going to start decorating for Christmas because that's when most folks start this activity.  We are not doing anything special in terms of a meal until we go to Iowa on Saturday.  No matter when or how you celebrate Thanksgiving, I hope you are able to have some Big Bird. Ha ha ha.

     I spent some time out in the barn a few evenings this week, brushing the horses, visiting with the barn cats, and reflecting on life as I know it and on what it must have been like, especially on the farm and in the barn back when it was built over a 100 years ago.  I am thankful to have horses and be a part of the old barn's history.

The Pecking Order

      This is Camila, now 4 months old and over 4 pounds. Look at her bright eyes and how much her hair has grown.  Dra. Sara took this picture of Britney feeding this precious little girl on the 10th when they worked in the NICU together.  Camila was at the very bottom of the human pecking order, so to speak... being cast out "into the street" as an aborted fetus at just over a pound in weight.  Fortunately, loving, caring, compassionate humans (and God) came to her rescue.

     Why can't we humans, and all creatures, just draw straws and be content with our lot in life?  Is a pecking order really so necessary?  I understand the purpose, but it seems like a lot of energy is wasted and injuries incurred as a result.

     This video clip (click on picture to the left) shows how chickens communicate with one another to maintain their pecking order.

     Herd animals like horses, have a highly structured social framework.  I know the importance as an owner, to teach our horses good manners by establishing myself as the Alpha horse.  But within the herd, I have been trying to ease the strife between them as we gradually get Roni incorporated into the group.
    
     The drive to Carol's went quickly
Saturday morning and we got there early.  I graded papers the whole way and felt great about what I had accomplished.  Kaysha bounded out of the Expedition to see her two dog buddies.  I think they have equal rank in the pecking order, but Tie does like to mark wherever Kaysha pees. 

     Then we let the big rooster out of the box. Brooster (our old rooster) and he immediately got into it.  I had to separate them two different times.  It was going to be a major cock fight to determine supremacy, so we decided to cage them off from each other.


     Next Joe unloaded the 4 additional bales of alfalfa hay we had taken to Carol.  Then it was to the barn to get Joe started on loft demolition. Back at the house I was helping Carol prepare for the turkey dinner she was making. 

      Carol's two boys showed up and I weaseled my way out of the kitchen back out to the barn to help the men folk.  Being 1 handed, I was not much help anywhere, but I could haul the bad boards to the burn pile.  This photo shows the finished demolition, with loft gone to the left front of the photo and the sturdier part remaining to the right back.  It was amazing how quickly it came down and was cleaned up.


     We had a mid-afternoon turkey dinner that was very tasty.  Carol out did herself on the dressing and salad.  We then relaxed, talked, watched TV, and digested for awhile.  Once Carol's boys were ready to hit the road, we went out to walk the three dogs and walk off our turkey dinner.  We all went to bed early because we were just too tired to last any longer.

     Sunday it was balmy but blustery, with temperatures up to 72 but winds at 35 mph much of the day.  We had a leisurely morning at Carol's which started at 6 am.  Can't believe we slept over 9 hrs.   Our dog and Carol's cat were also able to relax, even in close proximity.


     We drove home from Indiana early so Joe could get to a NFL football watching/poker party.  The Fantasy Football pecking order is definitely of great concern for many a player.  I nestled in because the wind was more than I wanted to buck, so I worked on school work for quite awhile.  I took
breaks to check on farm critters, see
what they were up to, and check e-mail/Facebook.  I also chatted with Britney off and on.  In this photo, the wind has blown corn husks from Becks up against our garden fence.

     An hour before sunset and feeding time, I decided to turn all three horses out together in the large side pasture.  They are now up to 8 hours of grazing time out there.  Courtney and I are willing to "take our chances" and try Amiga and Zorro out in the large space with the three horses together.  Amiga and Zorro have been on "stall" rest for almost 6 months and we are not going to be able to keep them in small grazing pens over the winter.  They run, buck and rear in the little pens which is just as bad for them, so hopefully this will give them a chance to gain muscle without putting too much stress on their ligaments.  

     They ran around for a bit, not being aggressive, more just enjoying a game of chase.  Amiga and Zorro weren't as bad about picking on Roni as two weeks ago when I tried putting the three together, and Roni actually went running after them a few times when they took off together. You can really hear the wind whipping in this video.

    
     The pecking order has already been established (Amiga is definitely the top horse and Roni the bottom), but how long will it take before it is put to rest?  When will it just be left alone? 












     Things did settled down as the sun went down.  Above Amiga and Roni were eating peacefully.  And just to their side Zorro too was grazing quietly.  You can see his tail and the flag being blown by the wind.

     Monday morning when I let the horses out together, Zorro was the only one who took off running.  He didn't go very fast or very far.  Once he got out to the alfalfa he stopped and started eating.  When I got home from school, it didn't look like anything had changed.  All three were peacefully eating.

     In this photo Amiga is scratching her rear end on the tree trunk.

     I let the two new chickens out of the chicken coop.  They were slow to leave the safety of the building, and didn't wander far while I was watching.  This is the first time for them to ever set foot outside.  They were raised and confined to a coop since they hatched early last spring.  I think they really liked pecking through the dirt and grass.

     I have been keeping the two new chickens closed in the coop, but let them have run of it.  Then when I get home I put them back in their cage and open the coop and fill the feeders.  All the birds come in for an afternoon feeding.  Well, Steve and Tiny went back in the coop for a bit to check out what all the others were coming in for, and quickly decided they would rather be outside.  This is the first time they have been able to mingle with our flock.  In the video Buck Tooth Betty is the third hen out of the coop and she gets a bit too close so Tiny scares her off.  Notice Tiny is spreading out her wings to look bigger.

      Steve and Tiny were curious about every thing... but also cautious.  Here one of the ducks has taken interest in them. 

     Steve is a beautiful rooster and Tiny is a cute little hen.  But they are both pretty feisty. 
     (Little man syndrome)

     Tuesday was another gorgeous fall day... warm and sunny, with mild winds.  I took Kaysha for a nice long walk coming back a different route.  I went across the corn field west of Brian's and then headed south for home.  I picked up some more full ears of corn in the process.

     Roni continues to keep a respectful distance from Amiga while Zorro is often by her side.  Here the two young Paso Finos are enjoying a drink.






     Sometimes, it seems like Roni is an outcast, but he usually keeps the other two in sight.  Here he has come over to visit with Missy and I.

     I was up from 2 to 4:30 Wednesday morning because I couldn't sleep, so I got a bunch of school work done.  I went in early since I now had a lot of printing and xeroxing to do.  It felt so good to get the next 5 days of class all planned.  Once home again, I had to really work to keep on the task of grading.  Later I went out to find things to do around the barn yard because I was sick and tired of grading. 

     Tiny and Steve have melded right in with the poultry flock seen above...  left to right is Hercules, 3 ducks, 1 of our spring hatchlings, and the 2 newbies.  In the photo to the right Steve and Tiny are coming up to roost for the night.  Below Steve looks up for a place to perch on top of the dog crate.

     The wind didn't die down until dusk and I was being a wimp, so I didn't go for a walk. 




       It was back to cold temperatures and frozen water Thursday morning.  I poured a bucket of hot water on top of the ice covering the duck tub, stirred it around to break up the ice, and the ducks were in swimming by the time I came into the house.  I headed to town early going to the Orthopedic surgeon for an x-ray. The good news is that the bone is for the most part all healed up.  I do not have to wear the splint anymore unless I think the wrist needs extra protection.  But, there is still a long way to go to regain strength and mobility.  The Dr. said I basically had an internal amputation of the hand (not sure if he meant from the fall or from surgery, ha ha ha).  Anyway, all the tendons, ligaments, and nerves that were damaged need more time to heal.  He said give it up to 6 months for full recovery.

      The winds died down early so I braved the cold and took Kaysha for a walk.  Once outside, it really wasn't too bad.  We walked the perimeter of our property before heading down the road to Brian's.  The cows came to greet me, or chase the dog off.

      I know the photo to the right is out of focus, but I kind of like it.  Roni was the first to spot us while Amiga and Zorro are munching away.  But then Zorro spots us.


     He comes over to get a closer look, but decides we are no threat.





     He finds us unexciting and without treats, so he goes back to eating.  Meanwhile, Amiga barely stops chowing down to take a look and Roni stays back to graze with her.  Once they caught sight of Joe, they all headed for the barn.

      The Iron Pride Parents organization had a luncheon for us Friday so I stayed and had a BIG lunch of several soups and salads... and then some deserts.  It was great.  I had an appointment at 3 pm so worked at school and then went for Occupational Therapy for my wrist.  The therapist did an evaluation and I discovered that my thumb and index finger are also in need of work.  I got a nice massage to break up scar tissue and was shown
                                                                                   many exercises
to do.  They are all stretching exercises to gain range of  motion... the strength stuff still must wait.  Notice some of my exercises in the photo, and that is as far as I can bring my thumb down toward my wrist.  At least my superficial scar looks pretty good.

     The 27 mph winds was all it took to keep me in once I got home.  I was ready to veg. out after a long day and a long week.  Joe headed out for a poker tournament and I went out to the barn to brush all the horses.  I had to keep switching the brush to my left hand to give the right one a rest.

     Carol sent me this link...  www.hencam.com/henblog/2011/11/4062/ ...this morning and I thought it was the perfect way to end this Blog.  I'll recap what it said with the pictures I have copied, but you can check out the blog by Terry Golson for yourself by clicking on the link. 

What’s Going On Here?   11/14/11      Take a look at this photo.

It appears that the Rhode Island Red is cuddling up with her friends.  But the author warns, "Don’t jump to conclusions."

She goes on to say, "I fully believe that animals have emotions and are thinking beings. However, I am careful not to interpret their behavior based on my skewed perspective as a human."
She states "This is not a hug."
And then explains,  "Ruby is on the top of the pecking order. She doesn’t have a motherly, coddling bone in her body.  The prime sleeping position is on the highest rung of the ladder. Ruby was late to get to her rightful place. She was busy laying an egg. By the time she hopped up, the perch was full. She tried to shove everyone out of the way. Roosting birds are hard to move. Ruby almost fit. She squeezed in all but her wings. And so Ruby ended up in this rather ignominious position."

She concludes that, "After a bit more jostling, wings were tucked in and all went to sleep.  Knowing that it’s an awkward position and not a hug does nothing to diminish the pleasure I get from this moment or these animals. On the contrary, I appreciate the pure chicken-ness of them. Who they truly are is endlessly fascinating. I don’t need my hens to hug each other. I’ve seen plenty of examples of friendships amongst my flock. There’s always something going on – the challenge is in understanding it." 

     I too enjoy watching all my animals, even though at times they can be rather aggressive.  I know the pecking order is an important part of their social hierarchy.  I also can't help but humanize a lot of what they do. 
.