Interesting

How the blogging platform/software used to publish can affect one’s ability to write.  For me it is about the features and ease of use.  Windows Writer has it all and the challenge has been to find a way to load and use with Ubuntu.  And for those that are Linus savvy, WINE will not load this software.

And pictures?  I hope to share pictures of kits, flowers, and squash.  Windows Writer allows one to watermark pictures along with other sweet presentation features.  Sounds exciting, eh?  Anyway, looks like I’ll have to get to Ubuntu and partition a drive, etc.  Something that the forums will help me through….unless someone out there knows what needs to be done and can walk me through.  =)  

We have just returned from dinner at Ronnie’s brother’s house and I am, well, pooped.  Ciao til tomorrow!

*sizzle*

It's been hot here... Not as hot as it is over at the Homesteading Neophyte; that kind of heat is difficult for me to imagine.  It is hot enough that our usual 5-6 eggs are now down to 2-3/day, still good - they are still laying.  Yesterday afternoon A17 helped me clip the younger hens wings as they kept flying out of the run.  I would not worry too much about this if there weren't that husky running around the 'hood (no leash law out here).

Catching the young ones was not unlike trying to catch a greased pig - humorous to all watching.  The older hens did not understand why we were not interested in catching them - they were good sports, though, and played along anyway.  That's what happens when one does not spend enough time petting and hanging out with the animals.  They experience 'stranger danger'.  Something I hope to rectify in the coming months.

The rabbits continue to do well, resting up against their frozen water jugs (sad to hear Phelan, that yours are ignoring theirs).  We bred Beatrix (Dutch female) with Dutch (Dutch male) and am now counting the days.  I am not entirely sure it took and will palpate her this evening to see if I feel 'grapes' in her abdomen.  Nancy's (Californian) litter has begun to wean themselves, jumping into the feeders and chowing down, pulling timothy hay from the hay thingy (yes, I am sure these have a technical name, just cannot think of it at the moment); I have not yet seen them drink from the water'er; a bunny will not eat if it cannot drink so I am guessing they are still nursing or have figured it out how the bottle works.  There are two water bottles in the hutch, one lower than the other to help with shorter bunny stature.

Squash and blue lake beans have begun to come in - time to spray the squash plants with a soapy mixture to kill the shield beetles.  *whew*  It has been a full couple of days... Oh, I forgot to share about the Camero leaving us stranded in Lewisburg WV.  Ah, a story for another day.

Stay cool, folks.  Perhaps if I wash the car tonite and make it rain.  =)

Culling

First things first - this morning our neighbor called at 7 a.m. to state that a large dog was nosing around the hen house.  I was out like a flash and caught site of him at the coop door.  We made eye contact, I pointed at him and yelled 'NO!'.  He took off like a flash, it was almost as if he disappeared.  I have not seen a husky/malamute this big before.  His back was easily close to door knob level; bright blue eyes.  In retrospect, as I never saw him run away, it was almost like he was a spirit guide come to visit.  I had not yet released the hens from their coop into the run so they were not aware of perhaps how close they had come to becoming someone's breakfast.

On to the topic of the title - this is a husbandry story and is kind of graphic, so if you of a more delicate nature, just stop here.  I'll have other good reads coming up!




The California's litter is growing well.  Yesterday morning I discovered one of the kits had his hind foot caught in the floor mesh.  I helped him extract and later that day noticed that his foot was swollen.  Other than that he was moving around with the other kits, hopping, etc.  I placed two more comfort pads in the cage (making a total of 3) to prevent anyone else from 'slipping through the cracks'. This morning, after the above incident with the Husky, I discovered this same kit had found an unprotected spot and slipped his other foot through the floor.  *heavy sigh*  Long story short, in his struggle to free himself, he created a compound fracture - yes, the end of his femur, above the hock was sticking out of the bottom of his leg.  Breaks my heart to write that I was not able to save the kit.  Ronnie had to step in and help me. 

I did not cry then; writing this now brings crocodile tears to my eyes.  Understanding that this is the true cycle of life and a first hand experience of where our food comes from, I have to wonder if I am cut out for raising meat rabbits.  Perhaps an adult will be different than a kit (trying to use rabbit vocabulary).  There does not appear to be written material that details how to cull a litter; breeders do it often when a rabbit does not meet show standards. 

What non painful method (for the kit) does one use to cull a kit?  Breaking it's neck is hard as they are so tiny...  Cannot believe I am writing about this.  It is life though, and if unshared, cannot help another.

Its.... so.... muggy

Brings back memories of this 80s hit...


In other news, the summer squash is fruiting - so thankful!  Tomato blight battles are still going on, though an old timer did tell me that in the onset, if I place rusty nails around the plant, it will take care of the blight.... I wonder how that works.  I have not been consistent with the diluted milk application so cannot comment on how well/or not that went.

The baby bunnies are growing fast and started to hangout outside the nesting box; I removed the box this a.m.  In other rabbit news, I have to wonder why the male Dutch rabbit I have, likes to spray.  What's up with that? Clean up/wipe down has become a twice weekly thing.