For the second day in a row now I have found a blue egg. After I mentioned still not finding one in a post yesterday I went out and found one that afternoon and then found another one this morning. Not sure which of the two Easter Egger hens is laying em or maybe it's both. Maybe they were molting and I couldn't tell or maybe they had a secret laying spot I never found and now moved to a place I can. I don't know. What I do know is I got two over a month ago and then nothing until yesterday.
The other thing I can tell you is that a few of these chickens are getting down right bold now. A small group of them made up of two of the Rhode Island Reds, one Barred Rock and occasionally one of the Black Sexlinks will go on huge walk abouts around the pasture and hay field with Rocky leading the way. They don't flinch at the Redtail flying over head anymore and don't even bother staying in tall weeds like they used to. They just walk around exploring everything from the big round bales of hay to the loafing shed and up to the horse trailer. At their furthest point they are at least 200 yards away from the barn in the wide open middle of the hay field.
Yesterday I noticed our Winter visitor was once again back in the skies only this time he or she brought along a friend.
I first noticed the pair of them down the road a bit munching on some road kill but soon they had taken wing and flew right over the barn lot and sent chickens running for the barn as fast as their little legs and wings could carry them.
Rocky was very edgy for the rest of the day too I might add.
I hope this pair of eagles weren't taking notes for future fast food runs or anything. I have yet to have a problem with the Winter Eagle visitors but two neighbors lost a lamb and baby goat to them last Spring or so they said. If they snatch a hen I may just live with it but if they come after a lamb well there are going to be issues. National Bird or not be damned.
As I was checking out the barn lot this evening Boris decided he was feeling his oats and wanted some attention. I scratched his neck a bit and then went about my business but he decided he wasn't done with me yet and headbutted me from behind once again.
Well Boris quickly remembered this position from earlier this year. I know he isn't trying to be mean and with his temperament I doubt he would ever get mean but he can't be going around head butting me whenever he wants his ears scratched either. Boris got up and looked at me all hurt-like but didn't try and head butt me again.
Always a circus around here with all these animals.
Keep Prepping Everyone!!!!!
edit - I posted this at 5:30 central time and as of 9:15 central time it STILL hasn't shown up on other blogs. I find these frequent not updating times on blogger to be really annoying.
I use Wordpress and my posts take 3 hours or more to show up on other blogs.
ReplyDeleteSD - Ya. It just irritates me that sometimes I can make a post and it's updated in a minute and some times it can take a day or more. Occasionally I will make a post and it will never update. I have seen many suggest Wordpress when Blogger pisses em off but Wordpress seems to have some comment problems in my observations. I have seen many people complain their comments just vanish when using Wordpress.
DeleteYeah, I was wonderin if you had posted today so I came over for a look. My roster had not updated.
ReplyDeleteOh, and don't mess with the iggles. The US Fish and wildlife service will come down on you hard, with no mercy. ("Sorry to come across as a concern troll.")
Mr. Bing sez:
"Felony killing of eagles comes with a fine of $250,000 and prison time. These penalties fall under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act."
Can you claim yourself a member of an Indian tribe? Then you might be able to kill one
if you claim you are going to use it for a ceremony. Oh, better yet, put up a windmill and leave the eagle body at the base. Nobody seems to care about that. Hell, you will be considered a hero for reducing CO2 emissions.
John - I just can't figure out what makes the update thing work either but I don't think it is at my end. Here it is 6:00 AM and the post has been up 13 hours and never did update on anyone's roster that I can tell. Yet other days it updates immediately and that it without changing any settings. It's really maddening at times.
DeleteI am not sure if defending your stock is a good excuse. We should have went with Franklin's suggestion and used the Turkey as the national bird :)
Never heard of a turkey killing any lambs :)
You can chase them away with a gas powered model airplane, maybe a P51 would be cute.
ReplyDeleteOur blue egg layers would take long breaks in laying so it may be the breed or they are real picky about something.
Sf - I think that's what happened with these they just took a long break.
DeleteLOL Maybe a model helicopter painted with the 101st airborne insignia on it? I could play Wagner!!!!
My chickens are laying hardly anything so I think I've come to the decision to cull all but the best of them and one Cockerell and get some more in the spring. Last year I fed them all winter and some were just too old in the spring so I culled them anyway. As for the Eagle might be best not to blog about your decision!
ReplyDeleteKev - Wise words all around. SO far we are getting about 6 to 9 eggs a day now from 18 hens BUT they are eating next to nothing in feed. I keep their feeder full and I maybe have to add a scoop every two weeks right now. As long as their upkeep is that low and they are eating the bugs around here I won't stress about them not being daily egg layers. That may change!!!
DeleteAs for the other issue I certainly wouldn't advertise it that's for sure :)
PP,
ReplyDeleteNothing like a nice surprise from your EE hens.
It sounds like someone really wants your attention.
Sandy - Oh he can be positively demanding about getting his neck and ears rubbed. Luckily he really doesn't butt hard just sometimes when he catches me from behind he hits right on the back of the knee and can almost knock me down.
Delete