It rained all day yesterday...no one came for eggs! It was cold and damp, which felt like a knife cutting clear through, to the bone. It was nasty weather...breeding somehow...something setting a chill to my core...one that I could not get rid of until late last evening. In fact, I thought Vick was going to be forced to drive herself to her art class, but I shook it just before seven o'clock and was able to accompany her. I didn’t take the lap top, which I did Monday evening, using that time to write more of my third book...but last night, I simply took a book and read for those two hours. I'm glad I shook the chill, because Vick and I have been together 24/7, ever since we got together in 2006, and I don't want that to ever change.....
She enjoys Stanley Maltzman's art classes...the chance to learn something new, being with old friends who take the class over and over again and new ones who just enrolled for the first time. Both of us have met wonderful people here in the past four years and a few have become extremely close friends.
I believe we will again...refrain from releasing the critters to run this morning. They are calling for steady rain and although the chickens will come out if released, they huddle under any roof or vehicle affording shelter from the rain. They do occasionally venture out to peck and scratch a bit, but very little and we've lost birds in the past... after being out and getting soaked during the fall rains. Chickens get colds you know... with their sneezing, coughing and runny beaks. SERIOUSLY... they do. I'm not joking or pulling your leg as I am well known for doing at times, honest. This is serious stuff to a poultry farmer. If a cold or bronchitis is spread among the flock, you could be forced to place the chickens on medicated water...and then you cannot sell their eggs. If we are forced to medicate the birds in the event of a cold or something, we pull all eggs and place them into incubators for the next seven days...(usually filling two incubators with approx. 90 eggs before throwing them away, until a week passes after the last medication treatment.) That week allows the antibiotic to work, killing the sickness, and the next week gives them time to get the antibiotic out of their systems, before returning eggs to the market for sale as food.
This and this alone, is the reason we do not have an organic poultry operation. Holistic organic medicines are fine, but I do not think you can have a large flock and not use antibiotics and some disinfectants in your operation and remain free of infectious sicknesses. Even now... we loose turkeys to illnesses we cannot pin point, or intervene...to stop the loss of the turkeys. We therefore use antibiotic, anti-parasitic and disinfectants sparingly here on the farm.
Anyway.....this is a good day for all the animals to remain inside, except possibly the ducks in the large barn. Yet, if we refrain from leaving the ducks out, we will not need to worry about getting them back into the barn and closed up before leaving for the art class this evening again.
I will definitely pull the pellet stove insert out of the fireplace today and begin the overhaul process of the entire unit. One motor has a worn bushing which is prone to begin chattering once it heats up. It has even, seized up on occasion and shut down the stove operation. A new motor is probably in order, because I no longer possess the necessary in-line reamers to replace the bushing and size it properly myself, besides...the new motors run much more efficiently, which helps to lower the electric bill. Since this motor actually runs twenty-four hours a day throughout the entire winter, a motor with ball bearings would be nice too. The motor is a definite cost...but by doing all the labor myself, it will be cost effective in the end.
Well friends......its 11:00 already, so I suppose I should get cracking with my other planned work. I've been writing and corresponding since 6:30 this morning, so it's time to start taking care of my other chores for the day.
Hey Bill...tell Loraine we'll have the pellet stove chucking out heat for her when you guys come up this Friday evening to start your visit!
031093© Cluckin' "A" Critter Farm, LLC
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