Off the Grid - Day 7

Another wonderful day at the farm.  I have taken today and tomorrow off from work.

Jaimey came out this morning to spend the day relaxing and enjoying the farm.  It is her first day of Spring Break.  What a great way to begin a break.

Very few eggs today.  Only four.  Hopefully I haven't done anything to offend them! :-)

Each day continues to bring a new learning experience. Today as  I am walking around I see the bee hives.  One of them has bees swarming around it.  I begin to think about the bee keeping process.  Do the bees leave for the winter?  Do the same bees come back?  Do they hibernate? Jaimey and I discuss the topic and neither of us has any clue!  So of course tonight, I use "The Google" and find out that bees stay where they are in huddle formation and keep the Queen Bee warm  (at least that's what I have read). Fascinating!  I will have to ask Korey and Anna more about this when they return.

Another learning experience:  Chickens can get hurt and the miraculously mend.  I walk outside today and one of the hens is laying on the ground.  She is still pecking at the ground so I don't

think anything of it.... until about 4 minutes later when she is still laying on the ground. I walked over to her and realize she is hurt and can't get up.  Normally if I got that close she would have moved away.  What to do?  I call Anna.  Anna walks me through options but basically tells me to pick her up, put her in the spare coup and monitor her.  This actually scares the "you know what" out of me but I keep my cool and ask "Can  I actually pick up a chicken?"  Anna replies "Oh, sure!" - easy for her to say.:-)

I hang up with Anna and walk outside.  Luckily Jaimey is here so I don't have to go it alone.  I look down and the chicken, call for Jaimey, look back at the chicken and watch her walking around like nothing happened.  What the heck!?  So I have been in near-panic for the past 20 minutes for no reason.

I am also learning more about the behaviors of chickens/roosters.  Wow.

- They do have individual personalities.
- The dominant roosters will bully the other roosters.
- They will jump in the feed barrel while I have my head in the barrel scooping up feed!  They are fascinating!

On another note, the newborn babies are getting cuter by the minute.  They are going out in the yard and playing.  On top of that, they walk over to the fence to introduce themselves to the bigger pigs.

Jaimey and I take a great hike today around the property and had a great time.  Nothing like being out in the fresh air. We see a bunch of little frogs hopping around.   Who could not love this place!

We end the evening by starting a fire out in the firepit.  Life is Good!