This and That and the Other

This--proof positive that the black hens are still here

Wednesday, a man and woman friend of the woman behind me who owns the black hens came to my house and tried to catch them. They succeeded in chasing them over the fence. When the couple went back to to yard behind me, there was lots of squawking from chickens and yelling from people. Obviously, three people cannot catch chickens in a fenced yard. So, today, I had unwelcome company once again! (It is Friday, and they were still coming to my yard, laying an egg in my next box, one on Thursday and one today, Friday.)

 

Her friends suggested I call Animal Control to the chickens. Nope. She can do that. After all, they are uncontrollable in her yard. This depresses me!

 

By the way, Thelma's egg is taken from the end, so it looks smaller than its gigantic size.

 

 

That--tub repair in progress

As usual, I went for most respected worker in town, the plumber who started this on Tuesday. As it turns out, there are three leaks. Lucky me! There are three drain sizes for the drain he took out and for the pipe underneath. Lucky me, I have the least available, hardest to find size. He had to beat the drain out. The pipe underneath was easy, but it had the elbow attached. In other words, a pipe with a bend. He was not thrilled to find that.

 

The plastic hose is to divert the drip from the faucet to the tank to the commode which also drips. I have to keep the cutoff on the commode off until I want to flush it. Then, I have to reach into the tank to pull up the flapper. Yes, I have replaced flappers, chains, and ripped out my hair. Now, the whole mechanism has to be replaced if I can afford it.

 

He was supposed to return Wednesday but did not due to not being able to find he part....sigh. Thursday, I was not home and he did not call. Friday, no news or contact even though I called.

 

How can I afford this? A very generous person put enough in my PayPal account to hopefully cover all this. I will only have the repairs done that the donation will cover.

 

Oh, the expensive faucet--given to me from an old tub....free. It is a long story as to why it was free. I will relate that some day! I am very hopeful.

 

 

The other--vent hood in place

 

 

About three years ago, the vent hood over the stove fell down. At first, it was an eighth of an inch down, then, a fourth of an inch, then and inch. Finally, it just fell down and dangled by the electrical wires, blocking my view, making cleaning the hood or wall impossible since I was afraid I would make it fall all the way off or start a fire.

 

Charlie lives an hour from me and will not just travel here to help me. That's okay. But, Tuesday night about eight o'clock, he called and said he had a date with a woman about 6 miles from me and would come by if I wanted him to. When? He was not sure. She might turn him away at the door; she might send him packing after a few hours; she might have allowed him spend the night in another room/bed..

 

UGH! I went to bed in a state of uncertainty. At 4 am or so, he called, asking if I wanted him to come. OF COURSE! When he got here, I had a list:

*carry two heavy boxes in from the car

*drag/roll extremely heavy garbage can to road for pickup

*put up vent hood

*we had a trade to make

*there was a box of items for him that I had been stashing in a box
*something else I forgot because I threw away the list.  

 

We went to Lowe's for screws.. After much wrangling the dangling vent hood and my holding it up, he got the screws in and the properly placed vent hood makes me feel better. I am ecstatic!

Does something like a dangling vent hood, especially for three years, make you a little down? 

 

Your turn

How is it going with your chickens, your neighbor's chickens, your plumbing, your vent hood, your life?

 



 

 

 

"Just Something to Do"

Finally, after going over several times a day and banging on front and back door, calling into the backyard, and ringing the door bell at least 12 times each trip, I made contact with owners of BlackShe and BlackHe. I parked in front of the house to go up to the door and saw a truck I wanted to photograph.

Oops! The pickup truck belonging to the woman's son was backing out, so I flagged him down? Yes, they were his chickens. No, I did not know they could fly. No, I had not missed them. Hmmm, you think he really cares for them? I don't.

"Why do you have the chickens?" Now, I expected one of several answers:
I am going to fight them.
I am going to sell them.
I am going to breed them and sell chicks.
I just love chickens.

The answer to why do you have the chickens was, "Just something to do." This was accompanied by a weak,  meaningless shrug.

I asked him if he would cut their wings. He said he did not know how. I asked him if I could. He shrugged and said, "I guess so." Cutting a wing would make them vulnerable since they have no secure place to live.

"Are you not afraid a raccoon will get them?" He looked surprised and said he did not think raccoons would come in this far. We are blocks from dense woodsey areas, a half mile from forests.

It was such a fruitless conversation, but one that needed to occur.

The mother works nights and sleeps days, so this must be her day off because she is gone.NOW, I need to catch her today.

"Just Something to Do." The mother told me she throws food out to them everyday. So, it sounds like this is something he is not doing.

Mark's comment, "There goes the neighborhood." is so appropriate when I was talking about BlackShe and BlackHe, but not for the reason it could appear to be. Anyway, I thought it was funny what he said.

My Buff Orphington's are already named, but I cannot get the lady to let me come out or for her to deliver like she said she would when she is coming into town and is going to be two houses down. sigh

Did you ever get an animal/s for 'just something to do?'

Laying another half-ass egg! And Interlopers Again!

Half-assed attempt to lay an egg
Exbf came in sort of disgusted and said, "Well, Louise made another half-assed attempt to lay an egg." Horrified, I asked him what he meant. It seems she laid another egg without a shell, just a touch membrane.

He saved it for me, but either something ate it, or it is under pine straw. He knew I would want to get a picture. My camera battery is low, so I cannot take a picture at all.

Thelma gives me about 6 eggs each week. Pepper stopped her six-a-week habit and now lays one or two. I think it is the heat. Louise lays an egg with no shell about once a month. Thelma and Louise are three years old. I don't know how old Pepper is.

All three hens get egg shells, just as they have since they were young.  No, I am not going to purchase oyster shell.  I think being old is he problem.

Interlopers

This afternoon, I put out two mangoes for the hens. I called them, but they did not come, just looked at me. Oh well, the mangoes were left for when they feel like seeing what they are. Just now, about 6:30, I decided I needed to go to bed for the night. So, I took a bell pepper, cut it in half and filled both sides with oats.

When I got to the pen, the two black chickens from the house behind were eating in the pen, having a ball. I put the bell pepper halves down and called the chickens...deee-lie-lahhhh. All three came running but would not enter the pen because they saw the black chickens, tiny ones. The black ones retreated to a far corner. Still, my trio refused to enter. So, I sprinkled some of the oats. That always get them.

All three went in and the bird hovered in the corner. Pepper went over, stood beside one, and finally made a half-hearted lunge. The birds scurried away. When I went around the pen and banged on it where the black birds were, my trio and the couple of interlopers all ran out.

Now, my trio decides to go in my swing and sit a bit. When the black duo came running to join them. Louise was having none of that and pecked one. So, they hovered around the crape myrtle and just watched my trio swinging.

Now, I have a problem. These have been over here twice and gotten fruit, vegetables, and oats. I have a feeling they will be over every night.  I told the woman behind me that the birds were flying over, and she does not want them. They belong to her son. Soooo, that time I was trying to keep them safe. The next time will be to say they eat my hens' food.

I am torn as to what to do. Pepper likes to scare them!

7:30--All five hens were in the pen, AGAIN! Mine ran  to me, complaining. The other two just refused to leave the pen, so I banged on it and they ran out. Throwing pine cones frightens my hens, something I am not willing to do. Besides, the little black hens just run round and round the outside of the pen. It must look like a cartoon if someone were watching. I am too tired to keep it up, so I am going to bed anyway, and will lock the hens up some time in the night. If the black hens are there, I will lock them up, too.  I am too tired to ask the people behind me to remove their hens!

No proofing here.

Your turn
Should I just ignore the chickens in my yard? Chase them away by throwing pine cones near them to make this seem like a less than hospitable place?

Black Chickens Come to Call

This is the first time my hens have had visitors of their own species, visitors that do not want to eat them. Cats stalk my hens. Raccoons eat them. Dogs chase them. Snakes eat their eggs. Wild birds use their waterer and eat their food. But, today, when exbf went out to feed the hens when he got here, he hurried back in and told me to come out. "There are black chickens out here in your yard!"

Of course, I grabbed my camera. When the hens had finished eating what exbf had already given to them and came out to me, the black, young, interloper chickens ran into the pen. I closed them up because I was keeping them safe for their owners who live behind me. After a bit, I decided maybe their owners would think I was detaining their chickens. I just wanted the people to rescue their chickens. Exbf went to their house, but no on answered the door. She is a nurse, and I think she works nights.

So, I let the chickens out of my pen. They ran ran ran to escape the pen, AND they flew right up into a tree that is the neighbor's yard--their owner. They flew about 15 feet right up there with little effort, it seemed. We were both impressed. Look right in the middle of the picture below.

safe at home in their yard--black head tufts and all

The other chicken is up there, too, just hard to spot. It was 10 am and in the 90s already. So, I went back in. It has been 12 hours, and I am still jazzed.

I was not witness to little Pepper's first time to exert her pecking order, but exbf said that when she and the little black chickens passed, Pepper made a lunge as if to peck or frighten. I am so glad she had this experience, the only time she may ever experience power! I watched Thelma and Louise just ignore the little black hens. But, Pepper had her day.

Your turn

Have strange chickens ever just showed up at your house? What kind of chickens are these--jet black with head tufts. Do your neighbors farm animals show up? Of course, I live in the city and usually only have the occasional dog that is not on a leash or a couple of cats looking at the hens.