Life on the farm...

Well, there is a part of farming that is really, really great. There is also the bad part. We got to experience another bad part this morning.

Last night, we noticed we were missing one chicken (yes, we now do head counts in the coop due to our overly zealous livestock dog, Jane). We looked and looked in the dark for the one lost chicken. We finally gave up and hoped she would stay hunkered down until day break, when we could see better. That didn't happen. This morning, we found the remains of the one lost chicken. Yes, Jane had indeed found the chicken some time during the night. The worst part about this? This was my friend, Joyce's chicken. Her chickens are staying here for a spell until she gets things straightened out at her house. Ugh... double bummer. I have to explain to my dear friend that I have failed to keep her chicken safe. I explained to her up front, before bringing her chickens over here, that things do "happen" out here. I fully didn't expect for it to happen so soon, though. Harrison and I had a little burial for her this morning, along with one of our chickens that died during the night in the coop. It's hard. I won't lie to you. Sometimes I cry, sometimes I don't. Each of the animals here has a special place in our hearts, from the big horses down to the small chickens and everything in between. Life is hard, but God is good. God reminds me that there is a season for everything. I can thank Him for what He entrusts me with here on this earth, for as little or as much time given. So, I choose to thank God for the good things and pray He helps me through the bad. May you choose to thank Him for the good He has provided you with today...

Hugs,
Cyndi

Snakes!

For the past two nights, we have had visitors in the barn. SNAKES! I was bragging in an earlier post about how we had only one encounter thus far with a snake this summer. I spoke too soon! Hailey was collecting chicken eggs again when she spotted the snake in one of the roosting boxes. Tim to the rescue!

The very next evening, Hailey is back out collecting chicken eggs when she noticed another visitor. This was the third and biggest snake this summer. We didn't get a picture of the last snake, but we did get one from the night before. The latest snake coughed up FOUR chicken eggs when Tim held him by his tail.

We don't kill these snakes around here. Yes, they are a hassle and they do eat our chickens eggs, which is why we don't want them on our property. However, these snakes are very beneficial to have in the area for keeping the rodent population down. So, we usually take the snakes to another area, usually by a creek, and release them.

Let's hope this is the last snake for the summer! There is no telling how many eggs we are losing to these guys!