Chicken Wranger Sara

4 12, 2020

The Next Generation

By |2020-12-03T07:00:54-06:00December 4th, 2020|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|3 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara


When our oldest daughter was decorating for her first Christmas away from home, she asked if she could have the fabric nativity set I had made when she was a baby. I have collected many more nativity sets and was happy to pass that one to her.

She has since gotten married and this year she and her husband are celebrating with their first child – our first grandchild.

I received this picture from her this week:

She wrote:  The nativity set is entrancing a new generation of children.

That thought, as well as the picture make me smile.

7 11, 2020

Something I Learned on Miller Farm

By |2020-11-07T07:12:29-06:00November 7th, 2020|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara


I have learned many things living on Miller Farm. For example, I know how to tell a girl duck from a boy duck, also called a drake.

Girl ducks are actually louder when they quack.  Drakes make a softer sound.

Drakes also have a curl in their tail.

I guess it is the duck equivalent of really long curly eyelashes on human boys.

I’m not sure how useful this information is but it does make for interesting conversation while waiting in line at the grocery store.

30 08, 2019

Grumpiest Hen

By |2019-08-15T09:22:07-05:00August 30th, 2019|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

Every once in a while, a hen will go broody.  This means she sits in the nest box as if she is hatching eggs.  This would be fine if she actually had eggs and would sit on them until they hatch.  We’ve learned that many times she gives up before they hatch and we are left with undeveloped and unusable eggs.

One hen has been broody and grumpy. She pecks my hand when I reach for the eggs.  This is not entirely uncommon however it does not usually leave bruises!  I started throwing her out of the nest box before I gathered the eggs.  She would peck my leg in protest.

Brian put her in a separate area, but she would fly over the gate and go back to the nest box sometimes even before I got back to the house.She is the black hen – fitting for one so grumpy. Brian has now put wire over the top of the pen so she must stay put.

Be warned – if you get too grumpy at our house, you get put in time out!

Meanwhile, it is much safer gathering eggs these days.

12 04, 2019

Perspective

By |2019-04-11T20:26:07-05:00April 12th, 2019|Uncategorized|0 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

I cut this comic out of the Sunday paper recently. I have quite a collection of comics.  Some are about dogs or chickens or music.  This one is about perspective.

It has made me think differently.

My students at school are always getting excited about ordinary things – like butterflies or flowers. One brought several rocks to me this week and said, “aren’t they smooth?”

Until that moment they had just been rocks to me. But now I’ve decided to trade places and let my students teach me about perspective and finding the wonder in life.

Maybe it will make “adulting” easier.

29 03, 2019

Another Travel Buddy

By |2019-03-28T20:43:24-05:00March 29th, 2019|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|2 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

Bill went to San Antonio last week and brought me back a round, plush frog.  My first thought, naturally, was a song “Frog in The Middle.”

I considered using it in my music class.  However, I found a better use.  Since Brian has two travel buddies in his car, perhaps I need two in mine.

So now I have a fat, friendly frog on one side

 

and a happy eggplant on the other.

That gives me a reason to smile in both directions!

With state testing at the school on the horizon, I need as much help smiling as I can get.

1 03, 2019

Crazy Weather

By |2019-02-28T17:03:27-06:00March 1st, 2019|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

The weather in Texas has always been a little unpredictable. I’ve learned to carefully watch the forecast and then step outside to see what is actually happening.

Lately it has been warm and sunny – almost like Spring.  In fact our bluebonnets have started to bloom.

They were planted in 2015 and they have spread nicely.  We are hoping to cover that half of the yard.

This morning when I let the dogs out I was completely taken aback by the frigid air.  I knew it was going to get cold, but I thought it would be next week.

As I walked past the bluebonnets I thought “I hope they make it through this crazy Texas weather.”

I also hope I make it through.

2 11, 2018

Secret Pals

By |2018-10-22T10:41:37-05:00November 2nd, 2018|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|1 Comment

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

My new school did secret pals for the month of October. It was a really fun way to get to know the other teachers.

We would leave things by the sign in computer and they would disappear throughout the day.

The best part is always the timing of the surprises.

My secret pal got me a travel mug and flavored coffee on the very day my 5th and 6th graders made me want to quit.  I’m glad I didn’t.

The next week she got me an orchid plant.  It is beautiful.

Beekeeper Brian researched and found it is best suited for east facing windows.  My kitchen window just happens to face east. Now I enjoy it as I’m working in the kitchen.

I can also see it when I am walking back to the house from the chicken yard.  It is a very pleasant sight after mucking around in the mud collecting eggs and feeding chickens.

It makes me smile.  I hope it lives a long time.

1 12, 2017

Full Up at Miller Farm Inn

By |2017-11-29T14:38:26-06:00December 1st, 2017|Miller Farm Friday|2 Comments

A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

A fellow teacher at my school shares our love of dachshunds. Not quite as much as we do – she only has one.  Her dog’s name is Elvis and he is not fond of being put in a kennel.  His mom asked if he could possibly stay with us when they went out of town.  He came for a play date and everyone seemed to get along so it was settled.

Elvis came to stay over the Thanksgiving Holiday.  He arrived on Tuesday and seemed to be excited to join our 6 pack at Miller Farm.

Then Beekeeper Brian got a text from Miller’s mom. He needed a place to hang out also.  Had Brian not said anything, I might not have noticed.  After all what’s one more dachshund.

Miller arrived on Wednesday bringing our total to 8 dachshunds. It went remarkably well.

I decided to do an intermittent mop of the kitchen floor.  I put everyone in the back yard but they began to bark so I brought them back in.  A neighbor who works nights has asked us to try to keep them quiet during the day.  That seems reasonable even if it is difficult.

So I put them all in the living room so I could mop the kitchen without help.  They didn’t mind that at all.  In fact they all climbed on the couch for a nap. Elvis and Miller, the two black and tans, nearly blend into the sofa in the top right corner.

Rachel missed out on all the fun.  She was pet sitting for a couple who have 3 Great Danes.

She sent this picture with the largest who weighs in at 180 pounds. I think I’ll stick to large numbers of small dogs rather than small numbers of large dogs.

29 09, 2017

More Lace and Shimmer

By |2017-09-28T07:26:11-05:00September 29th, 2017|Miller Farm Friday|1 Comment

A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

I recently posted pictures of the silver and gold laced Wyandottes.  They are quite lovely. There are also other laced chickens.

This is a blue laced red Wyandotte..This is a splash laced red Wyandotte.Not to be outdone by the lacey chickens, here is a Welsummer rooster.  His feathers almost shimmer.  As with most species, he is more beautiful than the female Welsummer.

We hatched these birds from eggs we bought from a hatchery in a nearby town.  I think it was worth the drive and the money to add them to our flock.

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