Chicken Wrangler Sara Archives - Page 26 of 39

9 06, 2017

Here a Chick There a Chick

By judythemorgan|2017-06-05T09:03:45-05:00June 9th, 2017|Miller Farm Friday|1 Comment

A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

We recently moved chicks from the long run on saw horses to a small pen on the ground. It is actually one of the bantam pens that is currently vacant. At first the chicks were thrilled to be on the ground. They scratched and pecked to their heart’s content.

When we checked on them later, however, they had gotten out and were everywhere. Some were in the pen with Richard and Isabella. Fortunately, Richard didn’t seem to mind.

Others had gotten in between the two fences. Rachel has much experience in chick removal and was able to retrieve them fairly easily.

Gradually they are adjusting to their new home. Only three continue to wander. Last night I extracted them from the pile of chicks in the big coop.

They didn’t fuss. In fact, they seemed to be relieved to be back with their pen-mates.

If only they would stay there.

26 05, 2017

d’Uccle Chicks

By judythemorgan|2017-05-21T06:48:21-05:00May 26th, 2017|Miller Farm Friday|1 Comment

A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

Among Rachel’s recent acquisition of chicks is a pair of d’Uccles. This breed has very long feathers on its feet.

For the longest time, I couldn’t understand what Rachel was saying and called the chicks “duseldorfers”.

Rachel, having lived with me all her life, would patiently repeat “d’Uccles, Mom, D’Uccles”

I finally looked them up and seeing the name in writing helped it stay in my head. It also convinced me Rachel was not just making this all up.

She moved the d’Uccle chicks out of the chick pen in with the big girls. Since there are two we figured they would keep each other company. However, they have bird brains and one of them spent much of its time running up and down the chicken wire fence enclosing the chick pen.

The other night I discovered the poor chick with its head stuck in the chicken wire. I was afraid it was dead, but I got to it in time. I carefully removed its head from the chicken wire and returned it to the big pen with the other d’Uccle.

This afternoon I found them both in the chick pen. I have no idea how they got there but I’m leaving them alone. They may have bird brains but they know where they want to be.

19 05, 2017

A Frizzle of a Different Color

By judythemorgan|2017-05-18T10:11:19-05:00May 19th, 2017|Miller Farm Friday|2 Comments

A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

Frizzles are some of my favorite chickens. We had a black one – Frizz – who had the greatest attitude. Now we have Frizz 2 – one of her children. And then there’s Richard, the spastic frizzle rooster. He gets most upset if you try to move him.
My current favorite is a partridge frizzle Rachel has named Watson. She was given this name because she is paired with a very curious red rooster named Sherlock.

Watson is a product of Rachel’s color project and she is wonderful -most of the time.

She and Sherlock like to roost on the chain link fence at night. We have to put them into their coop to keep them safe.

She has inherited the slightly spastic personality of Richard but once you hold her close, she calms down. She did get stuck once between the chain link fence and the chicken wire. It was a little tense because Rosie, the dog next door, was also between the fences.

I had to be careful as I extracted Watson so as not to strip her feathers. Fortunately, Rosie was not interested in Watson and all ended well.

I had hoped she would have learned to stay in her own area. But alas each night we get to snuggle her as we put her and Watson into their coop.

5 05, 2017

Rooster Exchange

By judythemorgan|2017-05-04T20:58:19-05:00May 5th, 2017|Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

We recently received an update on Tina and Tom, our turkeys who moved away. Their new owner sent a picture to assure us they are doing well.

They seem happy to be with other turkeys and away from the chickens.

Before they left Miller Farm, there was an issue with the roosters. Tom had become a little aggressive to Buffy leaving him vulnerable to attack from Kaboodle – the Polish crested rooster who had never been a problem.

Bull

Buffy

Anyway, we decided to trade Buffy for the Light Brahma rooster we had given to our friend Greta. She’d named him Bull because he tried to run through the sliding glass door to join them in their house.

Since Bull was the only rooster on Greta’s “farm” we thought our Buffy would be safe there. Bull, being a larger rooster, would be able to hold his own against Kaboodle on Miller Farm.

So we made the great Rooster Exchange.

Things are going smoothly so far. Kaboodle and Bull have come to an understanding and Buffy is glad to be apart from the craziness of Miller Farm.

Of course, we do have 20 or so chicks which could be hens or roosters so we may be sorting roosters once again. Oh well, I’ll enjoy the calm while it lasts.

28 04, 2017

The Importance of Eyeglasses

By judythemorgan|2017-04-23T16:52:59-05:00April 28th, 2017|Miller Farm Friday|1 Comment

A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

Tucker, our dachshund, got up at 1:30 a.m. the other morning and wanted to go outside.

This is not unusual. I got up and walked with him to the kitchen to let him go out back. I did not put on shoes or my glasses.

I will not make that mistake again.

He started sniffing at the door from the garage to the back yard which was latched open leaving a small space between it and the wall.

I looked and saw what I thought was one of his balls behind the door. It was just out of my reach so I grabbed the mop and used the handle to scoot it forward.

As I reached to pick it up a baby possum hissed at me!

I was very glad I had not grabbed it. I stood for a few minutes trying to decide what to do.

Since I wasn’t wearing shoes, I didn’t want to chase it out in the back yard. Being unable to see without my glasses, I was afraid I would step on something and really hurt myself.

I left it alone and went back to bed. It was gone when I got up the next morning. Hopefully, it was as scared as I was and will not come back.

If so, I will at least be able to see it before I start reaching because I will grab my glasses the next time Tucker decides he has to go out in the middle of the night.

I thought of this eyeglass commercial:

I’m grateful it was Tucker who followed me back into the house.

21 04, 2017

All God’s Critters

By judythemorgan|2017-04-14T22:21:03-05:00April 21st, 2017|Miller Farm Friday|2 Comments

A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

I have come to accept the fact that not everyone shares the Miller fascination with all things living.

When people come over for the first time I hold my breath and hope they don’t turn around at the front door when they see the bee hives and hear all the dogs. So agreeing to host an international student is a huge risk.

Bill, the Chinese student currently living on Miller Farm, fits right in. He actually has pet snakes at his home in China. His mom cares for them while he is here. I’m very impressed with her. Wrangling chickens is one thing but snakes…

Anyway, on the way home from school this week, Bill mentioned that there had been a snail hanging out on the window in his bedroom. He said it hadn’t moved in a couple of days – not surprising for a snail.

A little while later he came into the living room with…The snail on his window had three baby snails. He put them back outside on a tree with their mom.

Miller farm has now seen the birth of guinea pigs, lizards, chickens, quail, mice, puppies, and snails. I have a feeling we are not done yet. I just hope we go back to babies with fur or feathers.

24 02, 2017

More Chicken Gifts

By judythemorgan|2017-02-19T20:36:38-06:00February 24th, 2017|Miller Farm Friday|1 Comment

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

So far, I am having a really great year. I continue to receive gifts in honor of the Year of the Rooster.

One Friday there was a chicken in my mailbox at school.

Since there was no note attached I walked around holding up my pencil and asking “Did you put a chicken in my box?”

This garnered me some strange looks. It turned out to be the same friend who found the chicken sweater for me.

I love her!

Then Beekeeper Brian went to a Psychology convention and brought back this for me:

One of the vendors was giving them away. I call it a “ducken.” It sits on my piano and entertains my students. It also makes me smile.

I can’t wait to see what March brings.

3 02, 2017

The Return of the Hawk

By judythemorgan|2017-02-02T20:37:53-06:00February 3rd, 2017|Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

The latest flock of chicks moved outside a couple of weeks ago. Being small and unaccustomed to the outside world, they were perfect prey for the hawk.

Rachel soon found the hawk in the chick yard helping itself to an unsuspecting chick. She chased it off, but it returned to kill one more chick and carry another away.

This did not set well with Rachel. She set up sentry watch outside for several hours to keep the hawk away. She realized this was not a permanent solution as she was unwilling to sleep out in the yard.

She put the word out on the backyard chicken forum. Crazy chicken ladies tend to stick together. She was soon offered poultry netting which she quickly retrieved and installed. The chicks are now safe. Of course filling the feeder and waterer is a little more complicated. Fortunately, the netting is very flexible so I only have to duck a little, but it does mess up my hair.

Yet another reason I get dressed after letting the chickens out.

27 01, 2017

Not on My List

By judythemorgan|2017-01-25T16:25:19-06:00January 27th, 2017|Miller Farm Friday|2 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

I am a list maker. In fact, I am one of those people who write things I have already done on my list so I can cross them off.

Today’s list included: laundry, Sam’s, take recyclables, meeting at 12:30, meeting at 3:00, change sheets, etc. Most of the time my list is an accurate representation of what happens in my day.

Today, however, was different.

During my normal chicken care routine, which is not on my list but done every day anyway, I noticed that Tina, the female turkey, seemed to have blood on her right side. I tried to catch her to examine further but she was too fast for me.

Rachel, being younger and faster than me, was able to catch Tina. I held the turkey while Rachel checked for wounds.

Sure enough, under her right wing was a significant sore. As with any injury, the first course of action was to clean the wound. This meant bringing Tina inside and giving her a bath.

Then Rachel bandaged the sore.

So today I gave a turkey a bath. That was definitely not on my to do list.

13 01, 2017

All Kinds of Eggs

By judythemorgan|2017-01-12T14:12:26-06:00January 13th, 2017|Miller Farm Friday|1 Comment

A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

With our assortment of chickens comes an assortment of eggs. I am particularly fond of the olive colored eggs. Not sure which hen is laying them, but they are very pretty,