People matter too, just tired of most and like animals better:)

I think people are critters too but just wish sometimes that we didn't have the ability to speak verbally.  The greatest truth in my life comes from my animals who I realize I don't 'own' , can't verbalize but can speak volumes if you care enough to interpret what they are expressing, but who allow me the privilege to feed them and be in their company.  They never pretend to be anything but what they are, don't promise anything, but still fill my life with amusement and joy.  It may sound simplistic but maybe we humans need to take a lesson?  If I posted a video or mocked one of my critters, they would be smart enough to not give it the time of day or more than a 30 second reaction.... As Ellen says, be kind to one another.....

Alpacas grateful that the heatwave is over:)

Well the girls and boys have survived this wonderful (not) summer.  I was trying to capture pictures of them doing entertaining things but as people tend to do when they are baking in the outdoor sauna, they would look at me like I had two heads.  Feeling like I had two heads and sweat dripping in the camera lens, I did not get many pictures.  Good news is that with their 'hair cuts', constant running of fans, and hosing daily, we all survived.  They got their toes cut, worming shots, and a clean bill of health so life for them is good.  Now that the weather is cooling off a bit, they are getting 'frisky' and boy o boy the boys want to get to the girls.  Thank goodness my fencing is good!  There is actually an 'extra' paddock between them just in case.  The deer and coyotes are starting to move more with the weather changing but these critters are my best alarms.  I just look where they are looking when they start their whinnies and if necessary aim accordingly. 
At least they aren't whinnie-ing at the kitty any more.  I guess she has their seal of approval.  While the Alpacas don't seem to chase kitty, they do get into 'moods' where chickens they see every day and even ones who roost in with them, will all of a sudden seem to annoy the you-know-what out of them and the 'pacas' will chase them relentlessly.  Go figure.  Teenage syndrome, PMS, ??? Funny to watch though:)

Chickens are laying great, and scaring the cat!

It still amazes me the colors and personalities that chickens have as well as the environmental advantages (IMHO) that they bring.  Some may think that they are dirty, poop everywhere, and even carry disease but I find that not to be the case, at least for me.  I am more concerned at what stray cats bring!  It's true that chickens do doodoo wherever they want, especially when they are free range as mine are.  I have a property that is laid out very well for it, and a patience to deal with poop around the front of the house!  Hosing the deck once a day is a small price to pay for not having to have (or spray for) ticks, fleas, mosquitos, which the chickens gladly consume.  They also keep the flies away from the Alpaca and dog poop which helps them (although the dogs still consider the chickens a food group and I do have to practice animal segregation for everyone's survival.  Call it profiling but if I don't I will lose a chicken:) ).
I have a picture below comparing one of the new chick's eggs compared to the older chicks and I think the weather is a factor.  Last year's chickens that I got did not really lay until September but this year's have been laying since about July.  I got them at the same respective time of the year.  While both last years and this years chicks froze at the sight of the snake, they all terrorize the cat.  It's too funny to watch them chase her.  I can put a can a food out for the kitty but if I don't guard the can for the kitty, the chickens will chase her away.  They are bigger than she is.  BTW I NEVER GET CHICKEN FLAVORED CAT FOOD!  Don't want to tempt fate but my money is on the chickens!

Latest Snake Buddy - Welcome Kitty!

About a month ago, I was checking the chicken coop's nesting box area around dark.  To my surprise, I saw (with help from my flashlight) a black tubular thing in there and 3 chickes were standing as if frozen.  Using a stick, I poked the tube since I had a pretty good idea of what it was but not how big it was.  Since a flashlight takes one hand and a shotgun/hoe usually requires 2, I used my free hand to text my neighbor who helped me with copperhead snake buddy earlier this year.  I hated to do it but knew that if this snake was not accounted for/killed, I would have permanent Indiana Jones' type nightmares.  While I am a snake non-hater and appreciate the value black snakes bring as in killing rodents, etc, this sucker turned out to be big enough to have killed 2 of my smaller chickens and explains where most of my chickens eggs had been going.
Long story short, the snake got 'charmed', I slept great, and kitty is now the mouser with help from, yes, the chickens!  After the snake was charmed and we saw/measured it, it looked like it had swallowed bubble wrap with all the eggs it had inside.  Also, it measured 6foot, 4 inches.  Anyone familiar with the half-body length strike rule?  I am 5foot 1inch.  That was so not happening.  I slept great, but still don't like killing snakes but hey, my critters come first.  Guess I have a cat now...

Dogs are still wo(man's) best friend:)

Well the heat is finally abating, and I do have some great if not evil (:) ) looking pics of my daughter with some of my dogs.  The 'evil' look comes from the lack of red eye reduction and they look like they are saying "I keell you:)".  Once I get them off my Iphone, I will upload them.  On the bright side, I don't need a new adaptor since I don't have the 'new' Iphone 5... 
Daisy, Mo, Sampson, and Dutchess have all had their shots and are crazy as ever.  Delila is due next month for her shots.  There have been a couple of new dogs roaming through the property and I don't like that.  As much as I love dogs and realize that I live in the country, I still expect people to contain their critters... Whenever these two come through, my Alpacas go nuts with warning whinnies and I really don't like it.  Especially with the weather changing and deer season starting soon enough, I really need to get some sleep:)
The dogs also go nuts over the cat that has adopted us which I don't mind since the latest snake buddy got charmed to death (see snake buddy update:) ).
September 14, 2012

Mad Catter

Not sure but think I may have a permanent 'property cat'.  There has been a momma cat and kittens on my property for a couple of months.  The kittens aren't nursing any more but Momma cat and the 2-3 babies were starting to chase my newer chickens.  I set a trap and caught one of 'them'.  After checking to make sure it wasn't a nursing mother cat, I fed it, talked to my vet and other locals to see if anyone wanted a 'barn cat', but the vet was full, and since this is a female cat, I feel bad but released it back at the edge of my property.  It didn't seem fair to dump her somewhere else but if she goes after my chickens, it won't be good for her.  I fed and watered her while she was in the trap (humane live trap and probably kept her safer than she would be in the 'outdoors').  The good news is that I haven't seen the other I am assuming related felines since.  Please pray that she is a good mouser and leaves my chickens alone...

Mighty Mo and the Mole

Mo and Daisy went to the vet today to get their shots.  They also got their nails trimmed and Daisy got an 'ear cut'.  She is such a baby when it comes to being poked or prodded.  Colleen and I can try to hold her still to trim her nails or matts in her ears but she gets so upset that we really can't (translation (I can't) stand it).  I wish I was a dog groomer since mine (for my Cavaliers) is always sooo booked it is hard to schedule and I have grass, not concrete, which doesn't help.  Poor girl Daisy was trying to scratch her ear and got her nail caught in an ear matt and wound up with her back leg caught up and walking really funny for a few minutes until I could untangle her.  Hence she and Mo will be getting dental work done and then going straight to the groomers (another one with more openings).  Mo turned 7 on June 15 and Daisy will be 7 on July 4 (true firecracker).  If older dogs get too much tartar, bacteria can get into their system and cause heart and other organ damage so it is definitely worth it, they deserve it:)