Something To Look Forward To

Lately it has been hard to find the time to write. Whatever this illness is, it has sunk its teeth into me and saps my energy far too quickly.  Today, I’m biting back (or at least biting out a small section of time to write.)

The farm has been chugging along fairly quietly for the last several weeks.  Ms. Gerie, our mini-nubian is down to once a day milkings, and though a little bit confused as to why no one is messing with her teats while she’s in the stand she’s cool with it.  We lost three more chickens, with no sign of the bodies which makes me think the local coyote population smelled the aroma of dead chicken after the dog attack and decided KFC South was open for business. No losses in the last few days though, so that’s a step in the right direction. 

We are excited though about the new chicks arriving next week! I can’t wait to post photos of fuzzy little chicks hopping all around with the glee of absolute innocence.  It will not take long before the little Amerecauna’s (for that’s what we got – 15 pullet chicks and 1 rooster chick that will lay pretty blue and green eggs) have feathers and are ready to join the rest of the flock.  That should be early spring when they are ready, and perfect timing! 

Despite the devastation of the dog attack, there is still something good to look forward to!

Dogs vs Coyotes

Warning: Not for the weak of stomach.  Some photos may be too graphic for some.

Saturday morning I went out to feed and milk, and upon opening the back door I knew something was horribly wrong.  I could see feathers everywhere -

By the duck pen

By the big coop

In the trough

Then I saw the chunky bits in the barn yard and the harsh reality really started to sink in. At this point I wasn't sure if it was a coyote that was really hungry and couldn't wait to leave the area before eating or something far worse.  Dogs.

Parts... oh my goodness. Then I made my way into the barn.  Dogs. 

Because coyotes will eat their kills, not leave dead bodies all over the place to rot. 

They got every single one of our brahmas, and no few black giants and wyandottes. 

The feathers were everywhere... 

And more bodies were scattered over the landscape.

In all there were a dozen bodies we could identify, and that leaves 5 that we couldn't even find.  We did find a heart, but I'll spare you that image. 

Let me start with saying again how much we love our little farm, and how we are deeply vested in every animal we have including our chickens.  Also, the main job of the donkeys is to protect the goats.  When danger appears, these are all still flight or fight animals.  The goats all cluster round the donkeys and they move away from danger. [Flight] If danger gets close to them, one donkey stays with the goats and the other acts as a proactive guardian, kicking, biting and stomping anything that gets too close. [Fight]  It’s a pretty impressive sight, really.  Unfortunately, if they are all afield and trouble comes to the barn that means that the chickens are pretty much defenseless because the goats and donkeys are already “safe.” 

Now on to the predators:  Coyotes tend to take what they need, and as a rule will not decimate a flock.  They are natural predators and they hunt to eat, taking what they need.  Don’t get me wrong – they may come back because that barn or coop full of chickens just smells like a coyote drive through to them.  But they do not kill for fun, and they will not leave dead birds behind. 

Domesticated dogs on the other hand are generally well fed and when they are either allowed out to roam, or escape to roam, prove to be a far greater threat.  Dogs are still hunters by nature, but are playful by nurture.  To dogs, there is little that is more fun to hunt than chickens.  They don’t generally eat what they kill though – they shake the chickens until their “toy” breaks (usually with a broken neck) then drop it and go on to another “toy” in the form of a live chicken.  Dogs will kill an entire flock for their own amusement.  Sure some may be dismembered, but mostly they will just kill them and leave them behind. 

I have no idea who owns the dogs responsible, and that means no way to ask for replacement cost of our flock. 

In the meantime we have moved and fortified our hens roosting area.  We will replenish our flock, but it takes time and money.  We are looking at no less than 6 months before we have a full flock again.

Even though your sweet pet may not bite humans, and may be sweet as pie around you, left to their own devices they can cause so much damage to small farmers. 

Even as sweet and dear as our Abigail is, never nipping at any of our flock that accidentally ended up in the yard, she would still hunt the chickens belonging to someone else if she had the opportunity. 

Fence your dogs, and lock your chicken coops at night. 

The Milk Maids Hands

The milk maid’s hands were always the softest hands, because of the alpha hydroxy acids present in the goat milk that inevitably got on their hands during milking.  Unfortunately, this milk maid goes through a period of serious lizard-skin each autumn as cooler weather comes on, despite the daily use of my highly nourishing goat milk soap.

This weekend, inspiration came in a desperate need for some lotion while we were out and doing things away from the house, when I noticed the first stages of my annual reptilian autumnal state.  Luckily, my husband had a tube of hand lotion still in his car that I had left there in the springtime. 

Make no mistake, it’s wonderful stuff but I glanced at the price tag on the back and chided myself for ever paying that much for any sort of hand lotion.  I can make that, just like I can do soap, right?  Of course! 

But stabilizing this so it won’t go sour (or develop lots of nasty bacteria and mold) and spoil the lotion is a very big deal.  I knew it could be done but was lost on the how. 

So armed with determination and a lot of resources, I have done some homework.  Not only does it look like I will be able to make fabulous lotion, but the lotion will be far more natural than anything I can buy.  And with a minor consideration toward preservation, I can and will make goat milk lotion that is shelf stable.  This is delightfully exciting to me, and now I’m off to select my oils!