Well the weekend has flown by way too fast as usual. I had a good morning at TRC Friday, a huge strong female great horned owl, a small dark one and my first broad winged hawk. Super flighty with skinny long legs that are difficult to restrain. I used thinner gloves with longer gauntlets so I could have some dexterity but man those little sharp talons sure do pierce softer leather more than I'd like..
Friday afternoon rush to do farm duties, then off the Minneapolis for the pro criteriums. Makes us both miss bike racing, cycling friends and parts of our old lives.
Yesterday was fantastic--we took the truck to Wisconsin to the Tractor Supply Co. to pick up a barn fan for the sheep pen, and a bunch of other supplies we needed. This might not be interesting to anyone reading this but when it comes to animal care I tend to get very picky, and so does Glenn, as we find out what supplies work and don't work. I tend to record these things and the whys and hows of things. This all becomes relevant down the road when decisions need to be made. I guess that's basically what animal husbandry boils down to: dozens of little decisions that help the animals, and help the keepers, and cumulatively lead to success (happy healthy animals and happy keepers). Glenn called Lorpie my dog this morning, as I talked to her and she followed me around the kitchen this morning, and then out the front door. It really is so charming, this rapport we have, even though she's not interested in petting and contact like some of our other birds. It's just a language we've developed over the years. : )
We've been through food that the chickens don't like, feeders and waterers that are impossible to clean therefore can cause illness, the right carabiner for the right job, the wood shavings I've waited a year to find are from TSC. With Oakley's COPD we need to be very aware of extra dust, not to mention keeping chickens through essentially six months of winter on dusty shavings with my obsession about air quality....It's nice to finally have some things sorted. I found my favourite headlamp (not some fancy Petzyl one, one from Home Depot that lights up the darkest moon-free nights) I love the serrated blade on my Leatherman. I guess I can be a little picky about these things, but I'm a big believer in 'the right gear for the right job'. Just like when I was working as a small animal tech I found my favourite IV catheter, that would rarely ever fail to get the job done in even the worst veins.
The afternoon was filled with hard work and awesome thunderstorms, so we put on some music in the barn and 'gotter done'.
Glenn pretty much single handedly mucked out six months of sheep bedding, while I worked on the two horse stalls and other duties. That ammonia is brutal.....Didn't let the sheep in the barn last night, since it was still so strong. The fans were on and the wind was whipping even after the rain stopped, but the smell was still too strong and since I'm so picky when it comes to air quality I didn't give in and let them in even when Lace and Starburst were baaaaing until well after dark. I figured a few mosquitoes were less damaging than lung irritation.
Winston and Oakley now have a rotational grazing area out towards the end of our property, where the grass is long and ticks are plentiful. They were eager to come in today at noon when we went to bring them back for their midday naps. The cool barn is welcoming and we all slow down...wish I could nap too!
It was pretty hot today but there was a decent wind so it was tolerable. The 'Lorpie crew' (Pepper, Venga, Miss Buff, Granny Rose and Pearl) were hiding in their tractor but still much too hot, so we move them under the giant ash tree into the cool shade where they immediately started digging and grazing. I've never seen mutant dandelion leaves like in that spot--we pastured the sheep there last July and August so I'm sure the nitrogen influx is helping now.. G has to scythe the perimeter for us to put up the electronetting, or the netting grounds out and can lose strength, and the grass gets cooked if it's in contact with the netting.
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| G overheating and about to lose it with the electronetting. |
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| All's well, he tagged out for a bit, and then we finished it together. |
We moved the banty tractors, and G moved the sheep paddock to let the others rest for a bit.
Oakley's new trainers are coming tomorrow night, so we need to mow the riding ring area. The grass grows incredibly fast here, if not kept in check. G said he looked out to find Winston and the grass was literally up to his head--he could only see Winny' little head sticking out.
Mourning doves have started a second clutch, and the phoebes are are feeding nestlings under our front eaves. G almost hit a grackle fledgie on the ground while he was scything the path for the banty electronetting. They are everywhere!! And hard to see in thigh high grass.
No silent spring here!!
Monday:
I have a few videos to upload, but for now I need to get back out and get things done! It's also that time of year where I need to be checking on beasts multiple times a day to make sure no one has run out of water, or is succumbing to heat stress. Last year Wedge and Wookie spent a few days in the cool basement, and then many days in the garage in front of fans. I need to go move the Wookie crew out of the palace for the afternoon. It's just too hot in there--the downside of sheet metal enclosures--even white ones!
vid. 234. vid
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