I have loved chickens as long as I can remember. Gathering eggs at my grandparent's farm was the greatest thing in the world!
Since then, there have been a couple of times in my life where I had a few chickens and then a couple of times my daughter had them. She used to take her half grown chicks into the woods ( we live adjoining the Jefferson National forest ) and helping them forage...she loves them, too. the funniest was our wanting to EAT her Buff Orpington rooster as he became mean and loved nothing more than flogging people. She was determined to keep that rooster until one day we heard her come running and screaming out from behind the garage with that rooster (he was almost as tall as she was) running right behind her.
Then it was..."I want you to kill that rooster right now and I want to watch!"...and we did and she did!
Now we have retired, the children are all in their own homes and we are moving.
(Ooops...time to start salad for dinner...will finish this tomorrow!)
Chickens for us next spring!!
I can't believe you did this to me. I was sitting right on the edge of my seat. I remember when I was a little boy and the teacher would read a great story and I hated it when she left me dangling...LOL...Haystack
Ooooh, we have another story teller,,,,Yaaaaay!!! Cant wait estrail1rider, until we hear the "Rest of the story"! ;>)
LOL Love it! Can't wait to hear more! So glad you joined us estrail1rider!
I think Estrail1rideg has gone AWOL. It's a terrible thing to get me on the edge fo my chair and then just leave town...Hay
Yeah, I was just checking to see if she finished the story too. That must have been one big salad she had to make LOL
LOL!!! Yep, a HUGE salad!
I started getting ready to leave to our new house and didn't get back to this.
Since then, DH and I have been talking about waiting until next spring after we have finished moving and get settled in one place. Have also been thinking about adding a few ducks but don't want white ones! Want good layers, too. heard their eggs were yummy! Won't have to worry about my garden so much with them?
I was gone about 8 days and no computer connections there yet. Of course...no phone or TV connections yet either! I went to the library once to check my email. TG for DVD's and computers that play them...and books...or I would go crazy at night when I couldn't get out in the garden and flower beds.
Has anyone ordered chicks or ducklings from Murray McMurray farms? I have been checking them out there. Love the pics of Call ducks...but soooo expensive and with those little short legs, I wonder how good they are running from stray dogs and foxes??? LOL!
OK...on to my horses!
I have only had my horses to get out three times in the past years. 2x when someone left the gate open...hate that...and once when the creek took part of the fence out when it flooded. Several people along our road have horses and they have also escaped their boundaries. One night a Deputy Sheriff came to our house and asked did we own horses? Even though we felt like telling him NO! we fessed up. He said there were two up the road and when he rolled down his window to have a better look, one came over to his car and stuck her head in his window! She probably went over for a wee taste of his arm, thankfully she didn't or he would have sworn her into a confession as to whether she had her rabies vaccination (she had). anyway, now when any horses are called in as being out, the sheriff always calls us first to see if they are ours! As good neighbors ...no not State Farm employees...we go driving to see whose they might be and trying to find their owners.
I never worried about the Arabian gelding I had last year escaping when the creek took out the fence. He absolutely hated water. I think if he had to get his toes wet to get a drink from the creek he would have died from thirst first.
As we are moving across the Chesapeake Bay in VA, about 30 miles south of Chincoteague, and open water within 10 miles on both sides of our house, I felt I really needed a different horse for some reason. One I could ride on the beaches of Assateague Island. Sold the Arab gelding last year to a land lubber and bought a little Arab mare. had to buy one a bit shorter than the gelding as I don't have the bounce in my behind that I use to have. Still have to crawl on but at least I can now do away with my step ladder!
deb