Chicken Wrangler Sara Archives - Page 27 of 39

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,

One day I found this egg in a nest box:

It is not so pretty. As Brian predicted, there was no yolk and I wonder what happened.

Was this a first attempt? Then I thought maybe she was just having a bad day.

After all, there are some days that, if I were to lay an egg, which I cannot, it would probably look just as strange.

6 01, 2017

The Year of the Rooster

By judythemorgan|2016-12-29T20:11:14-06:00January 6th, 2017|Miller Farm Friday|2 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

According to the Chinese Zodiac, the year 2017 is the Year of the Rooster. I normally don’t pay attention to these things, but we have a Chinese student living with us so I am trying to broaden my cultural horizons.

My celebration began early with a gift from a friend. I love it!

Then Rachel and I were out shopping and saw a Doodle Doo sink strainer. Like the sweater – it was one of kind. Now every time I do the dishes, I am greeted with a cheerful chicken.All this and 2017 is not even a week old yet! I’m anticipating a wonderful Year of the Rooster.

30 12, 2016

Christmas Black and Whites

By judythemorgan|2016-12-29T09:56:03-06:00December 30th, 2016|Miller Farm Friday|2 Comments

A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

My best friend in high school had a job at the local bakery – The Little Cake Box. We lived in a small town and the bakery served as a social gathering place.

They sold Black and White cookies, one of my favorites. I would go by The Little Cake Box after school, buy a Black and White, and visit with Kathy.

After graduation, I moved away and eventually Kathy married the baker’s son. I looked for Black and Whites in Texas but have never found them. Kathy developed a malignant tumor in her leg and despite replacing her bone with titanium; she was unable to overcome the insatiable disease.

The year after Kathy died, Good Housekeeping magazine published the recipe for Black and Whites in their December issue.

It became part of our Christmas traditions to make Black and Whites.

This year we began a new tradition. I had icing left over from frosting the sugar cookies so I used it on the Black and Whites.

My only concern was in the name – could I still call them Black and Whites? The consensus on Miller Farm was “yes.”

9 12, 2016

If You Chase a Chicken Into the Coop…

By judythemorgan|2016-12-08T06:37:38-06:00December 9th, 2016|Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

If you chase a chicken into the coop and close the door behind you, you may get locked in.

If you left your phone in the house you are really stuck.

If you stick your fingers through the chicken wire to reach the latch they may get stuck.

If you get your fingers unstuck and look around for something to stick through the wire you may find only a feather.

If you use the feather, it will not be sturdy enough to unhook the latch.

If you realize you are still holding the chicken you chased into the coop, you can put it down – it can’t get out either.

If you take your glasses off to use the ear piece to reach the latch, you will not be able to see.

If you look outside the coop you may find a twig that will work to reach the latch.

If you can’t reach the twig, you can use the earpiece from your glasses. You can see well enough to get the twig.

If you get out and go into the house, you may find your daughter came home and took a shower while you were stuck.

If you didn’t love your daughter so much, she would be locked in the chicken coop.

2 12, 2016

Miller Farm Turkey Report

By judythemorgan|2016-11-24T11:50:42-06:00December 2nd, 2016|Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

Our turkeys are growing quite nicely. We have a tom and a hen. The tom is a wanderer who can escape the turkey pen.

One night I went out to close up the chickens and the tom was not in the pen.

A quick search revealed he had gone into the cage that we use for roosters. We call it “death row.” Apparently, this turkey is ready for Thanksgiving.

Unfortunately, he is not quite big enough.

The next night he was missing again. He was not nested in death row.

I looked up in all the trees thinking of the song “Five fat turkeys are we. We slept all night in a tree.” No turkey.

As I closed up the chicken coop, I discovered wandering tom in with a hen.

The turkey thought he was a chicken.

The next night he was not in the nest boxes, or in death row. Instead, he was on the perch in the coop.

I’ve decided to let him sleep with the chickens.

Now my morning list of chores includes: Move turkey back to the turkey pen.

25 11, 2016

Turkey Game

By judythemorgan|2016-11-21T07:45:23-06:00November 25th, 2016|Holidays, Miller Farm Friday, Thanksgiving|0 Comments

A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

One of my greatest treasures is the collection of music books from my Aunt Keta. She was a music teacher and she worked for a music publishing company so she had many, many books. She actually gave a kindergarten music book to me on my first birthday.

I use it regularly in my classroom. One of the songs is called The Turkeys Run Away. We sing it every November and play the game.

This year when I explained how to play the game, I found myself saying “I will be the farmer and I will chase the turkeys.”

For a brief moment, I thought about the last time I chased a turkey. It had not ended so well – I fractured my ankle. I pushed that thought to the back of my mind and began to sing.

I am happy to report no teachers were harmed in the playing of this game.

24 11, 2016

Happy Thanksgiving

By judythemorgan|2016-11-05T22:10:17-05:00November 24th, 2016|Holidays|1 Comment

Today we think about all the things we are thankful for. Chicken Wrangler Sara and I are so grateful for our readers.

As you gather with your family and friends today, we offer this Irish blessing for you and yours.

18 11, 2016

Bella and the Gate

By judythemorgan|2016-11-09T14:03:41-06:00November 18th, 2016|Miller Farm Friday|2 Comments

Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

We contain our pack of dachshunds in the kitchen with a baby gate.

Every evening we take the gate down and allow the dogs to go into their kennels in the living room to sleep. Occasionally the dogs will knock the gate down when we are not home and roam the house.

All except for Bella – she is terrified of the gate. She sits in the middle of the kitchen frozen in fear.

After years of stepping over the gate, we decided to invest in a walk-through gate. This would cut down on the number of falls for those of us who are less coordinated or who have weak ankles. (That would be Chicken Wrangler Sara.)

Beekeeper Brian ordered an easy step, metal walk-through safety gate.

Once it was installed, life became easier for everyone – except Bella.

The first night we opened the gate to let the dogs go into their kennels, Bella refused.

Rachel was prepared for her reaction. She coaxed Bella over the gate with treats.

Bella has grown accustomed to the gate. Only once in a while does she balk at going over it.

Bella is a special dog. She fits right in on Miller Farm.

28 10, 2016

Color Project = Unexpected Results

By judythemorgan|2016-10-27T21:29:48-05:00October 28th, 2016|Miller Farm Friday|1 Comment

A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

Several months ago, Rachel began a color project with her Bantams. She built six different runs with coops and sorted the birds by breed and color.

Then she hatched eggs and got some very pretty birds. She also hatched some large fowl eggs.

These birds may not be as pretty as the Bantams but some of them are laying beautiful eggs.Perhaps this was not the intended result of the color project but it is nice.

21 10, 2016

Ankle Alphabet

By judythemorgan|2016-10-13T11:26:23-05:00October 21st, 2016|Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

I am now doing the rehab exercises for my fractured ankle.

Having been through physical therapy five years ago when I sprained the same ankle, I was allowed to do the exercises at home. Therapy involves some stretches and writing the alphabet.

Writing the alphabet was the most challenging exercise because my left ankle is the one fractured. I am right-handed so figuring out how to “write” the alphabet with my left foot is difficult.

As I was trying to remember which way a “j” curves, I thought of the Chinese student living with us this year. If he sprains his ankle, will he have to “write” with his ankle in Chinese? Somehow a plain English “j” seems less complicated.