What I see in my backyard...

[Iriana]

They tried to feed elk and deer in Colorado with hay, dumped tons around one particularly harsh winter, but the deer starved even while eating the hay. I think it may not provide what they need - or may puncture them inside, I always saw them eating leaves and live plants when they used to come in the yard. I remember the elk being ok with hay though.

People have good hearts and they mean well. It's too bad it can do more harm than good.

I've got some friends in Sweden who feed deer all winter. The deer just about live in their yard. About 4 to 6 of them. They love apples and sugar beets.

 

[Iriana]

I always wanted a life on the water......-.-

ROTFLOL. You have good humor.

I can see in your image that your wish has been temporarily, partially granted.

That's a nice, spacious area you live in.

 

[Iriana]

Dreaming of summer.





Added: these photos are from our old farm.

 

[Richard Brown]

Dreaming of summer.

<img src="http://www.ipadforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=37702"/>

<img src="http://www.ipadforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=37700"/>

Added: these photos are from our old farm.

Great photos, Iriana. There's always something homely with poultry.

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[Richard Brown]

I always wanted a life on the water......-.-

Hi there freebirdforever. Like Iriana, I like your GSOH. I see you are an early forum member, although this is the first time I've read one of your posts.

BTW. That's a good signature too.

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[Iriana]

Great photos, Iriana. There's always something homely with poultry.

Sent from my iPad using iPF

Thanks Richard. I'm glad you like these pictures. There sure is something homey and peaceful in having poultry.

Have you had poultry around?

 

[Richard Brown]

Thanks Richard. I'm glad you like these pictures. There sure is something homey and peaceful in having poultry.

Have you had poultry around?

When we lived in Trinidad, BWI my mother kept poultry. She ran a small business supplying hens' eggs to hotels in Port of Spain. My brother and I spent time enjoying watching the new chicks, bought from a poultry farm. We loved the rooster and prevented him from being slaughtered for the pot. He grew old and wiry, and most likely inedible

My wife has tales of the family farm in Colombia. She and her siblings took care of the chickens and were charged with watching where the hens laid their eggs. The crafty chickens used to watch and when no one was looking they went into the bush to lay their eggs. Then, of course the vanished ones reappeared with brood in tow!

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[Iriana]

Last pictures of our old farmyard for now.

We like to raise "happy birds" the old fashioned way. They're free to come and go in the yard. They can scratch and peck at things. They find bugs and worms to eat and take baths in a sand and dust themselves in wood ash. The hens also have roosters and turkey hens have toms.

It's a good life for them.

One year I rescued a 100 hens from getting slaughtered when a commercial egg factory was getting ready to gas them so they could get new layers. They do that twice a year.

The poor hens had lived in a little cages that they could NOT move around in at all. They were forced to lay two eggs a day, by light manipulation. When I got them home, they could not stand, walk or move around at first. In a few days they were as happy as our other chickens. They found their place in the world and picked their roosters to clan up with. It was heartwarming to see their transformation. These turkeys were also bought from a turkey factory where they would have been butchered for food at a young age.





Edited to add: BTW, 5 turkeys are sleeping behind the chair on the right.

 

[Iriana]

When we lived in Trinidad, BWI my mother kept poultry. She ran a small business supplying hens' eggs to hotels in Port of Spain. My brother and I spent time enjoying watching the new chicks, bought from a poultry farm. We loved the rooster and prevented him from being slaughtered for the pot. He grew old and wiry, and most likely inedible

My wife has tales of the family farm in Colombia. She and her siblings took care of the chickens and were charged with watching where the hens laid their eggs. The crafty chickens used to watch and when no one was looking they went into the bush to lay their eggs. Then, of course the vanished ones reappeared with brood in tow!

Sent from my iPad using iPF

Wonderful to see this. Glad you saved the rooster. I love to hear them crow and watch them do their thing. They are very manly in their own way.

It's a good life to live. You and your wife are lucky to have experienced that.

I'd love to hear/read some of the stories. Heartwarming.

 

[dianne137]

I love farm life.My Granny had some mean geese.But they got their just deserts scaring sweet little kids like me and I loved sleeping under Grannies goose eiderdown.

 

[scifan57]

Lots of snow to shovel tomorrow.

 

[Richard Brown]

Lots of snow to shovel tomorrow.



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It looks like you are getting more by the minute there Scifan. Is the roof on the right getting overloaded now? It looks straight, but sometimes structures look OK and then suddenly. BANG.... They go.

 

[Iriana]

Lots of snow to shovel tomorrow.

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Those pictures are great. That's a lot of snow. How much did you get all together this winter?

It looks like you are getting more by the minute there Scifan. Is the roof on the right getting overloaded now? It looks straight, but sometimes structures look OK and then suddenly. BANG.... They go.

That's so true. I was eying the snow on the roof. That's a lot of weight. Hopefully it won't rain on that.

Why is it not cleared off the roof ?

 

[Iriana]

The wild bird feeder with sun breaking through. Suet box on left and seed feeder behind the little limb.

 

[scifan57]

Those pictures are great. That's a lot of snow. How much did you get all together this winter?

That's so true. I was eying the snow on the roof. That's a lot of weight. Hopefully it won't rain on that.

Why is it not cleared off the roof ?

So far, we've received close to 2 meters of snow, more than twice the average amount.