draftmare

[draftmare]

!

[draftmare]

Colors of my flock.

[draftmare]

Papercraft: Wilson

[draftmare]

Tree fell overnight and immediately became a chicken playground.

[draftmare]

I spoke too soon. Last night, I had one pullet that didn't want to come to bed, so I was out later than usual. I've never heard a chicken scream before. Marmalade was at it again. She's now in lockdown inside a cat crate as, unfortunately, it's the only thing I have to separate a chicken. As soon as I removed her, it was peace and quiet in the coop. I'm worried that she is going to overheat in there, but we are having severe weather today, so I don't want to kick the other chickens out of the run either. Sigh. What a mess.

I'm struggling with the need/want/desire to rehome two of my hens. I have considered it in the past. Marmalade and Toast have always been on the less tame side. When they first started free ranging getting those two back into the coop at night was a struggle. The Aussie girls were always much easier to handle and so much friendlier. Then they started laying and calmed down a bit. However, I've now added the babies, and a month on things still haven't settled down. I watched Marmalade grab one of the pullets by the wing and toss the poor thing off the roost below her. Toast is pulling feathers off of whatever pullet tries to sit near her.

The sucky part is that they are both my most consistent layers and also lay the largest eggs. My Aussie are laying small-ish eggs every other day or so while these two lay every day like clockwork and are laying decent sized eggs.

I don't want to make these two somebody else's problem, but I also don't want to, uh, send them to chicken heaven. They might be totally fine in a flock of less docile breeds, or a flock with a rooster, or somebody who can only have 2 birds due to their township regulations.

Anyway, I'm feeling an insane amount of guilt over two chickens, but I know I also need to protect the safety of my entire flock as a whole.

[draftmare]

Akhal-teke stallion Terminal

[draftmare]

I rearranged the coop, and for now we have peace at night. The babies still have PTSD, and I very much have two flocks despite some of the babies being bigger than the OG hens at this point. Two of the baby Aussies I thought for sure had been mistakenly sexed with how fast they grew, but their waddles and combs have stayed small and pink.

Anyway, hopefully, this means Toast and Marmalade will stop being terrorists, but I am still keeping a close eye on them.

I'm struggling with the need/want/desire to rehome two of my hens. I have considered it in the past. Marmalade and Toast have always been on the less tame side. When they first started free ranging getting those two back into the coop at night was a struggle. The Aussie girls were always much easier to handle and so much friendlier. Then they started laying and calmed down a bit. However, I've now added the babies, and a month on things still haven't settled down. I watched Marmalade grab one of the pullets by the wing and toss the poor thing off the roost below her. Toast is pulling feathers off of whatever pullet tries to sit near her.

The sucky part is that they are both my most consistent layers and also lay the largest eggs. My Aussie are laying small-ish eggs every other day or so while these two lay every day like clockwork and are laying decent sized eggs.

I don't want to make these two somebody else's problem, but I also don't want to, uh, send them to chicken heaven. They might be totally fine in a flock of less docile breeds, or a flock with a rooster, or somebody who can only have 2 birds due to their township regulations.

Anyway, I'm feeling an insane amount of guilt over two chickens, but I know I also need to protect the safety of my entire flock as a whole.

[draftmare]

[draftmare]

I'm struggling with the need/want/desire to rehome two of my hens. I have considered it in the past. Marmalade and Toast have always been on the less tame side. When they first started free ranging getting those two back into the coop at night was a struggle. The Aussie girls were always much easier to handle and so much friendlier. Then they started laying and calmed down a bit. However, I've now added the babies, and a month on things still haven't settled down. I watched Marmalade grab one of the pullets by the wing and toss the poor thing off the roost below her. Toast is pulling feathers off of whatever pullet tries to sit near her.

The sucky part is that they are both my most consistent layers and also lay the largest eggs. My Aussie are laying small-ish eggs every other day or so while these two lay every day like clockwork and are laying decent sized eggs.

I don't want to make these two somebody else's problem, but I also don't want to, uh, send them to chicken heaven. They might be totally fine in a flock of less docile breeds, or a flock with a rooster, or somebody who can only have 2 birds due to their township regulations.

Anyway, I'm feeling an insane amount of guilt over two chickens, but I know I also need to protect the safety of my entire flock as a whole.

[draftmare]

My thumb on my left hand has been numb for three days now. If this is starting on my left arm, I am so screwed.

[draftmare]

I rode last night, and I felt so wholeheartedly meh about it. It felt like doing circles for the sake of doing circles. I have no goals. I'm probably having surgery. It's likely going to be 6 months before I'm 100% back to riding at a comfort level where I was before all of this.

I have a lesson tonight, and I just want to get it over with.

I'm happy just spending time with her, grooming her, feeding her treats, but much more than that causes too much pain right now.

I will be glad when this chapter of my life comes to a close.

Throw back photo because I was absolutely exhausted just from tacking up and then opening the arena doors.

[draftmare]

Turns out what they say is entirely true, buying games and playing games are two entirely different hobbies.

[draftmare]

Peanut ❤️

[draftmare]

this horse gave me brain worms, shes so fun to draw

[draftmare]

All of my animals are trying to give me heart attacks!

First, last night I do a head count in the coop and come up one short. My favorite frizzle is missing. I did a sweep of the entire yard multiple times, and nothing. Couldn't find her anywhere. I was starting to look for signs of blood, a struggle, or feathers, when I happened to glance up into a tree and there she was, head dropped, fast asleep. Gave her a bit of a heart attack getting her down, and then she didn't want to leave my arms to go into the coop, so we had a snuggle.

So glad, she's okay.

Then today, my dog runs off!

He was outside with me doing chores, and then he just wasn't. He has never done anything like this before. When I say he is a Velcro dog, I mean he is an extreme velcro dog. He is never not within my sight. At first I didn’t really think anything of it, thought maybe he was around the side of the house or sometimes he will go lay at the front door when I'm in the barn putting stuff away. Well, time went by, and he didn't show up and didn't show up.... Finally, I am in full panic, screaming his name. Hubby is doing the gruesome task of checking the ditches by the road... This goes on for...30 minutes? Suddenly, the little shit comes flying over, ears flopping, tail wagging, from across one of our fields. I have NO idea what possessed him, but I also think he scared himself, because he has been 1000% more velcro this afternoon and evening.

[draftmare]

GW2CC Attack for Porsche Corolla

[draftmare]

Even though I know these are long since dead, the way they jump around as the chickens peck at them still heebies my jeebies.