Chicken killing Raccoon caught in trap

HAPPY morning everyone, 

Hope all are enjoying a nice cool morning even though there is a lot of humidity in the air. 

Yesterday we saw that the raccoon was back and was digging to get at the chickens, The night before this I noticed that one of the boards had been moved from where I had placed it against the chicken pen, the dirt was all clawed away and he had reached under the door and was scratching inside the pen, so we set a trap yesterday and he is in the trap this a.m.  So now to get rid of the pesky thing for once and all. Vince will "dispatch" his butt and then he will no longer be a threat to my chickens. 

I will keep a diligent eye around the pen area from now on. Our chicken pen now looks like Fort Knox I kid you not. Yes, it is sad, but so is walking out to your chicken pen and finding 2 chickens with their heads chewed off, and a third still alive with such severe head wounds that he died half a day later, his skull had a hole in it I later found out. 

Love and Prayers, 

Margo

Lost three chickens overnight

Morning everyone, 

The day before yesterday, we lost 3 chickens overnight. A raccoon chewed the heads off two chickens and the third was still alive, but after cleaning his head wounds, found what I think was part of his skull that was sticking up through the open wound. It was very deep when I found that I gave up the thought that he would make it. He fought hard for life, he lived almost a whole day before he passed. I was so upset I could have killed the coon with my bare hands if I could have got ahold of it.  Our pen now looks like Fort Knox. Nothing can get through. If I had my way I would bear-proof it using wood with nails through it laying all around the pen on the ground about 3 feet wide out away from the sides of the pen. Still might. Never had this happen in Ohio and as a child and mom had 12 chickens in the country and this never happened. I am thinking that this W.V. is a little too wild when it comes to animals. 

Just about a week ago a cop that lives on up the neighborhood, shot a deer (two shots) just up the road from where we live (about 50 feet uphill) from us. Left it there to "stink" as the summer heat rises and we get to smell it. I stood on our balcony and watched him walk from his truck toward our place for the second shot. Then he turned and walked to his truck and left. This happened in our next-door neighbor's front yard, he told us that the person was a cop that lived up the hill from us.

You hear gunshots now and then out here in the woods, you get used to it, probably just people killing deers hit by a car, or shooting raccoons or whatever. 

Just can't wait until we get our shed for the chickens, then they can be locked up at night.

Love and Prayers,

Margo

Nice cool day to start off

Morning to all, 

After all this heat we have been having, today it is 63 temp this morning. Love it, so nice even the dogs run and play. Rained yesterday and today it is cloudly. 

We got the yard fenced around the house now, a couple of weeks ago now which gives a nice feeling to know your pets are safe from roaming dogs in the neighborhood. Also helps keep some varmints at bey.

Our chickens are doing just fine and growing big. Hope to have eggs next year. Got some eggs from our neighbor yesterday, nothing like fresh eggs to eat. 

Spent yesterday working in the sewing room, still getting things cleaned up and put away. Just about ready to sit and sew some things again. 

Washed and clipped the dogs the last few days, seems to take me a lot longer to do them. But, even with all work and the time it takes, the dogs at least look like poodles. I tried letting a groomer do them, but as it turned out, she does not know how to groom a poodle. So it is best that I keep doing them. Even with my broken shoulder, it takes me one day to bathe and Vince helps by blowing them dry, then the next day I clip or sometimes they are so long in hair, I cut them down and clip when they are dirty so the bathing does not take so long. All in all not the way I was trained to do it but they at least do get clean and groomed to a point. Just can't do what I use to do.

Plan to work on my two quilts this fall and get them out to their new owners before Christmas.  This will be 3 years now in the making with the move and all. 

So that is about it for this time around folks, hope you are having a great day.

Love and Prayers,

Margo

Chicken move

Morning everyone, 

Yesterday we did our first move on the chicken pen, I will not drag that thing again, made my broken arm really hurt and is very sore today from doing that. Learned my lesson again.  But the chickens are happy. 

Rained hard with thunder and lightning. We needed the rain. 

Got yard all mowed and trimmed at one time, because we had a friend come and do it this time around. Lucky to have found him. 

Love and Prayers 

Margo

New chicken home

Morning everyone, 

So today I got a pic of the chickens in their new pen until the end of summer, this fall the new shed will be done then a new pic of it altogether. 

They are getting bigger but still only half grown. But they are much happier now in larger pen. 

Love and Prayers 

Margo

Chickens and Pen

Morning to all, 

We are going to attempt to put up our chicken pen today, got the stuff yesterday. It will keep the chickens until the shed gets here this fall. At least the chickens will know the surroundings as home. We also get the yard fenced this week, so they can at least then be able to free-range for real. They are growing so fast, need more room for them. 

Pics will follow when we get them all settled in. Of course, we will have to add chicken wire around the pen and top and then add sunshade cover and perch for them to get upon. 

Love and Prayers, 

Margo

Vince back home

Morning all, 

Just a note to say my Vince is back home, sore and a little stiff, but he is doing just fine. He will be slow to get going back to what he was doing but at least he is working on it and doing just fine. 

Got to say it is easier to get the chickens in and out with a little help 😍

Love and Prayers, 

Margo

Chickens and Vince

Morning everyone, 

Put the chickens out this morning by myself, as I took Vince to Clarksburg for drop off, he will catch the bus to PA for surgery tomorrow, prayers please for him.  His adrenal gland that sits on top of the kidney has to be removed. It has an odd growth on it. 

Our chickens are growing fast but we still bring them in at night. They are getting so large now, heavy also, which makes it easier for the two of us to lift the cage at a time. But, by myself, I have to halfway drop it to the floor then drag it out and transfer chickens to the outside pen. Will have to drag them just inside the garage for the night. Our shed and wire cage for them will not be done until this late summer, what a mess. 

Love and Prayers, 

Margo