Sunday, June 30, 2013

This weekend....

So far this weekend....

  • I cleaned and rearranged the livingroom.
  • Cleaned the chicken coop.
  • My oldest daughter and I did a minor surgery on a rooster and discovered something sad.
  • Found two of my rescued roosters a new home.
  • Got to spend a little time with my Marine son and his friend (also in the Marines) 
  • Bought some dishes from a Yard Sale Page on Facebook that matches my other dishes.
  • Spent time at the pool with my kids.
  • Got groceries and enough stuff to get back on my protein shakes diet.
  • Suffered from awful headaches and breathing issues :( (considering going to the doctor soon)
  • Returned the truck I borrowed from my dad.
  • Decided to make an appointment to see the eye doctor due to the fact that I really think my eyesight has changed.
and a few more things.......



BUSY WEEKEND TO SAY THE LEAST!!!!

PS I felt like I was blogging too much about chickens on this blog so I created a chicken blog. If you want to follow along that journey, go http://citygirlraisingchickens.blogspot.com

Saturday, June 29, 2013

Frustration!

Life is never boring. Just when things are going along well, you hit a bump in the road.

Sadly we have been noticing that the little bird eggs that were nested in our garbage have been disappearing one at a time. I then noticed a piece of a snake skin on the edge of the nest. A small baby snake no doubt because the eggs are small themselves and we have found no way to save the babies. 

Nearly a year ago I was excited to take a new job with decent pay and great insurance. It was my plan to be there forever. However, it now appears that isn't in the plan. As you know Ive had a bit of trouble with my shoulder and have a difficult time lifting things. When my boss decided to move me to a position that would require lifting of at least 30 lbs or more, I had a discussion with her reminding her of my situation. It seems that it doesn't matter that I feel I cannot do the job and that I'm happy where I am.  I immediately put out resumes and applications and already have calls. I really didn't want to leave this job so I'm sad and frustrated.

Our hot and humid southern weather is causing me a lot of issues physically. I am using my inhaler every day now and suffer from terrible headaches for days on end. 

We are not going to get a vacation this year and that makes me sad. I had hoped to visit my Marine son and his wife as they live at the beach and it would be an opportunity to see them and the ocean. That isn't working out either. He has been training alot in the field. Not only are they moving but his truck broke down and "life" happened to them as well. He will deploy in a few weeks and that makes me very sad as well. I worry that Ill have a harder time with this deployment than I did the last. (because I know more about whats happens there)

I'm frustrated with life.......

Saturday, June 22, 2013

Too Much about Chickens?

It appears Ive turned this blog into nothing more than a Chicken Blog! I really feel like Ive lost any inspiration on writing about anything else. As you have probably noticed, I am trying to not blog about too many personal things.

These days my life consists of chickens, work til 6 pm every day, and due to the hot and humid weather and the fact that I stay outside so much during the work day I'm drained when I get home.
I fix dinner and go to sleep.

I started on a protein shake diet. Replacing two meals (breakfast and lunch) with shakes and having two protein snacks in between. Supper is usually whatever I want but in small amount. (using a breakfast plate rather than a dinner plate) I feel good about all this.

Ive been feeling a lot of pressure on my chest. Not sure if its my breathing in of the hot and humid weather, anxiety or if its another health issue.

You see, I seem to have a pretty boring life these days, thus the lack of/loss of writing inspiration! 


Thursday, June 20, 2013

Broody Hens and Curtains

 My hens have curtains! They like small  and often dark spaces to lay their eggs. I used an old dust ruffle from my baby girls bedroom to create these curtains. Behind them are nesting boxes. (not the ones they tend to use) but never the less.... I think its cute!
The above hen (Big Red) has turned broody. The nesting box they all lay in (and take turns to lay in) is on the far end of the coop. I'm unable to put curtains over that box. Big Red has decided to brood. This means her body is telling her its time to hatch eggs. (only we don't have a Rooster so theres no chance of chicks) When they brood, they don't lay eggs. They sit and take up all the time on the nest. They also pluck their chest feathers out and put them around any eggs they have to cushion them. Their bare skin also keeps eggs and chicks warmer than it would with the feathers. 

At first I was leaving her alone to brood but have since read that we shouldn't allow her to brood since its contagious and they stop laying eggs while sitting on the nest! So, I removed the straw from the nesting box to deter her from sitting there. I also put ice packs in the nest. If she does sit (and she did) the ice will help cool their body down. I guess its a chemical thing. 

Ive noticed another hen sitting alot and I think she is brooding now. 
I really wish the neighbors dog hadn't eaten Edgar, Id let them hatch babies if we had fertilized eggs. Never a dull moment with chickens.

Monday, June 17, 2013

Want to know whats in my garbage can?

 This weekend my husband took some trash out. Its very full, needs to go to the dump and the heat doesnt help any. Want to know what he found inside this stinky hot garbage can?
 A bird has made a nest inside, in a bag of trash and has laid 5 eggs!  Ive seen all sorts of place birds nest but this takes the cake! I guess our stinky trash will have to remain until her babies are hatched and fly away.

Friday, June 14, 2013

New Home for the Chicks

 The space under the nesting boxes was wasted space. My husband was getting tired of having chicks in the bathroom :) and closed in this space for the chicks.
 The older chicks were being tormented by the hens so we have put them in the new brooder with the smaller chicks. They seem to all enjoy their own space, and the heat lamp is still in this brooder (outside in the coop)
 They dont have to fight for feed anymore (the hens seem to love their chick feed better than their own) I placed a new water drinker (thingy) in the run which I added their favorite, apple cider vinegar to. This makes them drink more and stay hydrated during hot days. It also has antibiotic properties and is a natural wormer.
Is it terrible that I have about as many photos of my chickens as I do my children?
The thing about moving the chicks outside it the smell we were noticing did not leave the bathroom. We have a dead creature somewhere under the house. We have looked in the crawl space, behind the siding and insulation etc... and have now realized whatever it is has died between the shower/tub and the flooring which is next to impossible to get to. Unless we tear out the tub/shower walls.  UGHHHH

Im very tired and worn these days. We work long hours and never have enough money. 
Its a stretch just to buy a few clothing items for my daughter and Im so tired of it! 
Ever have that feeling? 

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

The Cross

 What does it mean to you when you see it?  Lately this has been something that really bothers me.
I do own a few cross necklaces and to me its more than jewelry. The cross is a reminder to me of what Jesus did for you and me so that we might live eternally.  Too often it has become a fashion statement. Recently I went into a store with my girls and at first I was delighted to the the cross in various clothing and jewelry items. (because it has a deep meaning for me) but after a few minutes I realized that to many (and I dare say, most) it is nothing but fashion.
Now there is the side ways cross that I'm seeing all over. What is that about? Its heartbreaking to see that so many disregard Christ and what he did for us.  We are living in a time where sin is outwardly accepted as the norm and believing every word in the Bible is looked at as abnormal.

It is so sad to see our country falling right into the arms of Satan. Christ never gives up on us. He gives us unending open arms but he allows us free will to make our own decisions.

Is the cross just a piece of jewelry to you?

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Foster Chick named "Spot"

 How cute is this little chick?!
 A friend of mine's son hatched eggs in his classroom. He wanted one and did everything to prove to his mom he would be responsible enough.
 So I told him that I would keep his chick with my flock if he would agree to come over and help clean the coop and care for the chickens. (The chick on the right is our smallest chick that's two weeks old. The one on the left is 3 days old and so funny! Its little butt is bare with no fluff/feathers)
 Today was the day for a deep clean. I shoveled all the straw out, sprayed it down, scraped poop and used white vinegar to clean/scrub with.
 My little friend didn't want to use my "girlie" gloves.
I used Diatomaceous Earth to dust around the coop to keep the insects down.
 My little friend helped spray out the coop, he also cleaned out the brooder and put fresh straw in.
 Hes so proud of his funny little chick .
 Later this afternoon he came over to share some strawberry caps with the flock :)

Sunday, June 2, 2013

Our crazy daily lives

 This last few weeks have been a bit crazy. My husband went out to the coop this week and found this black snake curled around the eggs in the nesting box. It had already eaten two eggs and you could see the two crunchy lumps.
 Below you will see the brooder that my husband added to the coop. We added the chicks to the coop brooder today. The heat lamp is in there too. The juvenile chicks are in there too because the big girl (hens ) have been bullying them.
 The big girls got a new waterer for the run. I added apple cidar vinegar to their water in the run. (You shouldn't add vinegar to metal waterers as it causes them to rust)
 My baby girl celebrated her birthday with 4 friends at a small fun park in Raleigh-Durham area. She road this with her friends!
 One of our barred rock juvenile chicks got out of the coop and a hawk got it. (yes, one week after my three leghorns were killed) Then the neighbors dog got my new rooster and this is what was left in our yard. (very sad)
One of my daughters will be traveling on an airplane for the first time this week as she flies to Arizona with her grandma. 

School is out for summer.
Unbelievable! 
I will be working and only having a short few days off this summer. I'm not sure we will get a vacation but as long as I'm with my family, I'm good.

My chickens enjoyed their first watermelon treat of the summer. They love watermelon and it helps cool them down and hydrate them during hot southern summers.

Saturday, June 1, 2013

Romania? (part 2)

 This isn't Romaia but it is a site that often makes me think about my summer trip there.  These were taken recently near my home, Its a sight that we see quite often. There is an older man who raises mules and on the weekends he likes to take them for a ride around our country roads. You will notice his hand out the side of the covering waving at us :)