Post-Christmas Chicken Update

Merry Christmas! I trust that all of you had an experience...of some sort. :) Our chickens were singing and chatting away for most of the holidays - they were even louder than our dogs! And we had 15 dogs here for a few days!

We put Neil, Whitey Alice and Trumpeter Alice back out into the coop a few days ago. There was a long chinook, so temperatures were mild, and they are only down a few feathers - no open wounds at all. In fact, they look so good, I wish I had taken pictures! But I forgot. Anyway, here is a picture of Neil's "snow angel" when we set him down on the way to the coop.

Toes (Fatty) Alice and Brownie Alice are still in the house, enjoying some free range time in the spare bedroom! Just for a few minutes at a time, but it's pretty fun.
They get to stretch out their wings and run around a bit, pecking at stuff that's been flying out of their crates every day as they forage.

Toes (Fatty) Alice on the mend - only one scab left from the deep dog bite marks

Brownie Alice - feathers growing back in nicely and many layers of skin repaired and healed :) Just a couple more layers to go there... thanks to Derma-gel :)

Chicken update - with photos!

It's been about 5 days since the chickens got attacked by the dog. All of them have not only survived, but have improved quite a bit! Brownie Alice is even laying eggs! Of course, we can't eat these eggs, because we're giving the chickens antibiotics. I would post a link to the stuff we're using but good lord! - it's darn near impossible to find the product on the brand's website. It's like the Pfizer of veterinary medicine or something. Anyway, we just buy it in a pouch at UFA and add it to their water. They seem to like the taste.

Anyway, we are scrambling Brownie Alice's eggs and feeding them to all of them for a little extra protein. They go nuts for it. They also go nuts for cooked oatmeal! I put a tiny dose of meloxicam (Metacam) on a glob of oatmeal and they basically jump me and swallow the glob whole. They look like little piggies with oatmeal all over their beaks. :)

Neil is definitely feeling better. He's starting to peck at our fingers again when we are opening the door to the crate. And all of them are clucking and cooing and singing away several times a day. It's really cute. At night they are sooooo quiet, you would have no idea they're in that room!

In addition to the antibiotics and the topical cream and Dermagel spray, we bought some epsom salts. Apparently chickens really love a warm bath, and epsom salts with help draw out any infection. We'll try it as soon as we're both home at the same time for long enough! :) Here are some pics of their injury sites (taken 2 days ago):

Brownie Alice's bitten back

The bare back of Trumpeter Alice sprayed with Blue-Kote

Whitey Alice's left backside

I will try to get a pic of Fatty Alice too, as her wounds are pretty darn bad. But then, you won't be able to see the before and after - it's pretty dramatic already!

Thanks for reading about the cheeeekins I love so much. :)

Traumatic incident with the chickens

Sounds like a headline more than a blog post title. It feels like a news report, too. Not fun at all. :(

First off, I will give you a picture of the culprit in this story:

Billy Sue, wearing her bear bells and Sport Dog e-collar

It's been in the minus 30's (degrees Celcius), which is like the minus 30's in degrees Fahrenheit, too. One day the internet said we were the coldest place on Earth! Anyway, the chickens were doing okay; we borrowed a heat lamp from Bear Valley Rescue, and got a heated dog dish for their water. Chickens are surprisingly hardy! Birds, as it happens, adapt to the cold temperatures more readily than mammals. There is less perspiration (none, in fact, for chickens!) and they are covered in down, which they can fluff up to trap their body heat against their skin.

Neil and his Alice's basking in the heat lamp's glow

Anyway, with the cold temperatures came a blizzard. Our neighbour said he hadn't seen that much snow in 20 years! The wind was crazy, so there were snowdrifts 4 feet high in some places. 

The drift that we had to shovel through in order to park the truck

The chicken run had a large drift a few feet away from the entrance to the coop, which blocked the view I usually have from the kitchen window.

The drift that cuts right through the chicken run

I left the little square chicken-door open for a couple of hours yesterday because it was really sunny out for the first time in days and days. I didn't think the chickens would actually go outside, but I figured they'd get a smidge of natural light for a bit. I really didn't imagine they would go outside. And I certainly didn't think that Billy Sue would find a way into their yard (our front yard)...

I was wrong. :( Remember that 4 foot high drift out by our truck? Well, it went right over our fence! Billy just climbed right on up and walked along the drift into the yard! How could I forget that drift... :(

I heard an awful sound coming from behind the snow drift, and I realized Billy was missing. I called her name from the front door, and out she popped from behind that drift. She came right to me, and I had to take care of the other dogs inside for a few minutes. I had a terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach. I went out to the coop and found Trumpeter Alice lying face down in front of the coop entrance, nearly encased in ice (presumably Billy's slobber from a few minutes earlier!). I brought her inside and held her in the bathroom to warm her up. I was relieved her neck didn't seem broken and there was only a tiny bit of blood coming from around her beak.

When my partner came home, we went out to the coop to check on the others. They were all alive, but barely. Neil the Rooster was cowering and missing all his tail feathers. We brought them all inside and checked them out, cleaned them up, and put them in dog crates.

The most grievously injured two are Brownie Alice and Fatty Alice, in far L crate. We put White Alice and Trumpeter Alice in the middle one together (they are less injured), and Neil on his own in the far R crate.

We cleaned the two hens who got the worst of it, just with warm water, and put Dermagel on all of them. They were all eating last we checked, and communicating with each other.

I will keep you updated.

Co-killing with my pal Jupiter

I just partook in a killing with Jupiter, our slightly wolfy dog, who is a natural hunter. He listens with his gigantic, triangular ears. He stalks. He captures, but he doesn't always finish the job, so to speak. He is a bit of a fraidy cat, not to mention a whiner, which is funny because he's so wild in some aspects. He sniffed out a mouse in our backyard along the fence just now. He had a funny look on his face and our daycare puppy was licking at his mouth ecstatically. Jupiter's lips were sealed. I bet on it, and I was right: he had a mouse in there!

Out came the tail, then the hind legs. The poor creature was drowning in drool but nowhere being dead yet. Jupiter dropped it, then jumped back as it began to wriggle and crawl away. He picked it up carefully and tried to chew it, but couldn't seem to stomach it. I felt like I was watching the most recent episode of Survivor. I'm really not sure what stopped him - what stops him. This happened over the course of a couple minutes. I gave him a chance to do the right thing. Finally, however, I decided to step in. The mouse was clearly suffering with no end in sight. I grabbed a nearby metal pot that we use as a sound distraction tool for the dogs, and I made Jupy drop the mouse. I smashed its little head three or four times until I was sure it was dead (i.e. all the guts flew out). I did this with all the love in my heart for the mouse. It was very strange. But I did feel relieved after.

Time is money is lemon difficult!

I'm trying to freelance. I want to be a writer. My days are hectic with the dogs. And now, there is another venture in the household - actually more like two ventures. Mine is writing and freelancing. I am discovering where my biggest problem lies, when it comes to being self-employed - solo, not as a partner.

I am disorganized. Woefully, dreadfully, irreparably devoid of self-organization skills. Since birth? Maybe. Since recovery? Perhaps. Currently? Definitely. You would never guess it if you'd have spotted me behind a desk at one of my previous illustrious jobs as an executive assistant or receptionist. I was praised for being well organized. Inside I had a little chuckle at such kudos.

Well, guess what: I can keep you organized. I am well-versed in keeping my work life and home life separate; that is, when my work life is not in my home. In those situations of yore, I kept my work life neat and tidy and my home life a mess. I lived to go to work. I transformed myself. I might as well have stepped into a red telephone booth on my way to the office.

St. Paul's Cathedral, London, England Case in point: I set out to organize my desk somewhat today. It is quite disheveled and bothersome. I have an interview to participate in via email for a magazine called alive (I will leave out the link right now as it's not yet published or even completed), and I need to gather some of my canine body work materials to answer some of the questions. Do you think I can find my canine body work materials? Actually, I think I can. Scratch that question. Do you think I have room to lay out my materials on the tiny patch of pine table that is my desk? Abso-smurf-ly not! So my mission today was...is... oh dear. Will this blog post even be worth the procrastination? Sigh.

Here I go. Fifteen minutes to feeding time for the 11 dogs, and I decide that now is the best and most appropriate time to begin sorting out my work space and answering interview questions. Ha.

Wish me luck!

Can You Make It Through Without Happycrying

http://www.youtube.com/v/QL1Gk5A7QEs?version=3&autohide=1&showinfo=1&autohide=1&autoplay=1&feature=share&attribution_tag=5kSACHGbGj-Wlef7TdOrjQ

A day in the life

04:00 - Get woken up by dogs. Let dogs out. Stumble to bathroom. Maybe step in some pee. Clean it up. Let dogs in. Go back to bed.
05:00 - Coffee starts brewing.  Dogs wake up again. Begin playing. Let dogs out. Do stretches on the floor while fighting off playing dogs with large, happy tongues and tails flailing about.
05:30 - Begin second coffee. More stretching attempts. Discuss dogs, the previous day, dreams of the night, how everyone slept, and the day ahead. Never finish coffee.
06:30 - Let dogs in and out periodically, as demanded. Sort through new emails and Facebook page messages. Tidy up, start laundry, put in toast.
07:00 - Feed dogs. Refill dishes for supper. Put laundry in dryer, start another load - this one a dog bed cover that has been pooped on. Mull over possible reasons for accident. Let dogs out. Pick up poo by the light of a flashlight because it's still very dark outside.
07:45 - Say goodbye to partner, who is leaving for another job (internship at animal sanctuary). Get all dogs outside. Pick up poo. Keep one large, "special" dog on leash and do laps of the park while crazy smaller dogs run around and bark and play.
08:15 - Get all dogs inside for water and drink most of second coffee. Apply for freelance jobs online, monitor internet feeds for jobs and leads. Watch an amazing YouTube video of Robert Downy Jr singing on stage with Sting. Re-post.
08:45 - Separate dogs in different yards for arrival of new guest dog, a little laid-back Beagle. Beagle arrives. Let him sniff and mark around side yard while attempting to chat with his mom and dad over the din of the other dogs.
09:00 - Integrate all the dogs. Do loops of corral, supply fresh water, pick up poo, engage dogs in play, supervise all interactions. Keep special dog on leash.
09:30 - Let most senior dog inside house to rest, as well as another smaller dog that is a little cold. Give chickens water with apple cider vinegar. Say good morning to them.
09:45 - Bring out balls to throw, separate dogs into two groups, play. All dogs off leash. Pick up poo. Encourage continuous movement so all dogs get exercise and play.
10:15 - Put more dogs inside. Give chickens food, clean coop, put down clean straw, and hang a tarp over their run where the feeder is, as there is a snowfall warning for today.
10:30 - Go get an escape artist dog (one of our own) from the cat area. Put her inside house. Play with remaining dogs outside. Put things away in shed before snowfall.
11:00 - Pick up all balls so they don't get lost in snow. Usher last remaining dogs inside. Change out laundry. Label dish for new guest and measure out his supper. Eat cereal. Talk to partner on phone and text. Blog.
11:30 - Still on laptop. Need something to drink but put it off, so as not to disturb the dogs' peaceful slumber.
13:00 - End laptop time. Must stretch and eat lunch, and let dogs out. Snowing out now, but very peaceful and beautiful day so far.
13:10 - LOL. As soon as I say "so far", I hear a racket in the bathroom. Beagle has opened lid to garbage and taken out used tampon to snack on. No kidding.
13:15 - Dogs sleep after begging for my lunch. Accidentally drop a mushroom but it is a big disappointment. Make toast and omelette, note that we don't have as many eggs in the fridge as a few weeks ago. Read a novel while eating. Do the dishes. Change out the laundry.
14:00 - Go out into the snow with all the dogs. They have been getting restless and need an afternoon romp outside.
14:45 - Surprise! My partner comes home early due to the snow! Everyone is happy - the dogs and me. :) She takes the two special needs dogs (i.e. leash boy and escape girl) out for their own off leash walk in the naturalized park.
15:15 - Discuss dogs and internship. Drink greens and make tea and take vitamins. Choose family portrait for Christmas cards.
16:00 - Feed dogs and refill dishes.
16:30 - Email book keeper and accountant about last year's taxes and what we still owe the government. Oy vey!
17:00 - Shower. Make dinner. Discuss future plans.
18:00 - Tend to surgery site on a dog. Check email again. Load up our own supper dishes and head to watch a movie on Netflix!
21:21 - Long movie finally finished. All dogs extremely sleepy and ready for bed. Their aunties and mamas are sure ready for bed too. Good night, everyone - one final count and separation before lights out. Quick note of tomorrow's major comings and goings and reminders. Teeth brushed. More stretches and some ibuprofen (for me, not the dogs).
Today was a good day. :)

Check-in on the chickens

We had some deaths in the family. I didn't feel like posting about it at first, and then when I did, we got really busy with the dog boarding stuff (summer vacation season!). So here, finally, I'm going to put it out there and get some "closure".

Fatty Alice the hen died. For no apparent reason. I think she may have suffered a heart attack, although she may have had a grotesque and festering injury or disease of some sort, which went undetected until she died. I found her face down in the coop one morning. And I turned her over and there were maggots. Lots of maggots. Just like that! Suddenly and shockingly. I was very disturbed. Home alone and very disturbed. I'm getting the heebie-jeebies right now just thinking about it. It was two months ago. Perched up on the roost above Alice's body was another one of the white hens - the battery rescue ones - looking woozy. Swaying a little. Eyes half closed. I thought she needed to be nudged to move so I could deal with Alice. I nudged her, and she fell limply off the roost and landed on Alice's body! This one was not dead, but not responsive either. It was awful. She died a few minutes later. I buried them together, out in the field, in the mud (the Alberta floods had just happened). I felt a bit like I was covering up a crime, like in the movies.

Oh my gosh, now that I'm looking at the pictures from that time frame, that was also right after my wife's ma had left (she'd been visiting). She got here just in time for the floods! Woot! That was chaotic. And decidedly un-fun for me. I did not handle the stress very well at all.

We also got more hens! Different ones - free range ones I think. Still rescues though. There is a black version of Fatty Alice (who, as it turns out, is just as sweet and friendly and tame as her namesake!), and a skinnier black Alice hen, who sounds like a trumpet so I call her Trumpet Alice, and a brown and beige one who lays spotted brown eggs, called, simply, Brownie Alice. Here they are all stressed out when we first let them out on our lawn.

More recently, we had a spot of fall-like cold rainstorms and another white battery rescue hen fell ill. Her crown had turned blue and she wasn't getting up and out of the rain, so we wrapped her in a towel and took turns holding her in the bathroom until it was time for bed. Then we tucked her into some towels in a dog kennel in the bathtub. In the morning we let her back out, and she died soon after. It was still really cold and wet. She didn't have a chance. She was old and really weak already. But it was sad. Not as shocking as when Fatty Alice I died on me, but still sad. But it was really comforting knowing we showed her so much love and physical care and affection before she transitioned. She was a sweetheart. We bonded with her and held her like a baby. I didn't bury her, but put her in some plastic garbage bags in the dumpster. Pick-up was a few days later or I wouldn't have done it that way. I didn't really like doing it that way.

I must sign off now. The dogs are getting restless. Thanks for letting me share. :)

Foster horses

There is a wonderful rescue - mostly horses rescued from slaughterhouse auctions, but other farm animals too - called Bear Valley Rescue. We got our landlord to donate pasture for the summer (thanks man!!), and we are looking after four of their foster horses. This picture shows the two young'uns, Mercy (on the left, 2 years) and Raffy (on the right, a bit older I think). There is also Reba, who is 22 years old and not fond of humans without treats, and Twenty, who is presumably about the same age as Reba (I forget). Twenty is the oldest looking and has the most mobility issues and less teeth, so he gets what the wife calls "Senior Meal Deal" every day or thereabouts. He has to be separated out to eat it though because the others are so pushy!

Here is another shot of some of the pasture, with all the horses shown, as well as the old barn that we see out the kitchen (front of house) window every day, which is so beautiful:

I'm learning slowly about how to be around horses, because I don't have much experience being around them (similar to the chickens!). The difference is, the horses could kill me whereas Neil the rooster [probably] couldn't actually kill me.

But I still use a rooster stick, just in case!

Now let's chat chickens

We just got some rescue chickens. We didn't do the actual rescuing (from battery cages at a factory farm), but rather took over the care of these chickens from another rescue organization called Bear Valley Rescue. We wanted egg laying hens, and didn't know we didn't need a rooster. :) Here is that rooster, who is called Neil, taking care of business.

This is one of his hens - there are five of them, including a bigger, different looking one that came as a pair with Neil. She is called Alice. They are all called Alice. Here is one of the Alices, checking me out checking her out. :)

There is a definite learning curve involved in the caring for chickens when you've hardly ever seen one before in real life! I use a "rooster stick" and many other, evolving tactics to deal with Neil. He is quite... well, let's just say he does his job well. This is me with my rooster stick, after having told him to move out of the way so I can gather some eggs (we get about two a day, total - these hens were tossed aside partly because their laying capacity wasn't really good anymore).

I am getting better every day at handling Neil and learning how to speak chicken! They are so very adorable. I really am surprised at how attached I've become. I simply love these birds, just as much as I love our dogs and cats. And there are more dogs...

Happy (beagle mix) and Kafka (Taiwanese Aboriginal Mountain Hunting Dog, or "Tugo") are like peas and carrots, and have been together ever since Kafka was discovered under a car as a puppy, in Taiwan, where Janneane taught English for seven years. Happy was the poster boy for the animal rescue organization over there. His story will be shared on this blog at some point - it's quite amazing. Here are the two munchkins, always together, forever bonded.

Of course the cats

Of course we have cats. We live on a farm! One of the four actually came with the farm. His name is Cesar and here he is (orange fluffy) with our senior girl, Suki (grey fluffy). She and Lolli (picture forthcoming) came from England and then were surrendered at the humane society. We adopted them both.

First, the dogs

I live on a farm.

This is not that unusual, perhaps, unless and until you find out a little bit about me and my background. How I got here is quite remarkable. I can barely believe it sometimes, although I definitely am grateful. Right now I am about to take ten dogs outside after an afternoon nap, and we will walk around a one-acre "corral" which is beautiful spring green. We will play - especially the 5-week old puppies we are fostering right now. Oh, and the 5-month old puppy we just adopted, named Billy Sue! We will see the chickens in their run out the front door, and maybe we will hang out on the deck and listen to the rooster, Neil, strut his stuff. We will maybe catch a glimpse of the four new foster horses that were dropped off here this morning. And we will hear the 30 k winds in the trees against a blue and white sky. The big Alberta sky.

Then my wifey will come home from her second job (more like her third, actually) at the local greenhouse, and we will feed and water the horses, the cats, the dogs, the chickens, and eventually, ourselves. This is a typical day. This has not always been a typical day for me. I am 37 years old, and this year is the first year I have truly surrendered to living in the moment and accepting what is.

This is Sugar. She's 13 years old. I've had her as my trusty sidekick for many years. I believe she was about 3 when I adopted her from a friend of a friend sort of situation. Back then, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. But I sure loved that girl, and I loved dogs, and all animals for that matter. And there was no way she was going to a shelter or another unstable home.

I gave her a sometimes unstable home. Now she is in her retirement phase, living out her days peacefully and joyfully on the farm, with her brothers and sisters and her two moms. She and I are finally blissfully stable.