Goodbye Bogey

Last night we had to say goodbye to the best dog in the world. Bogey was 15 years old and was suffering from arthritis and hip dysplasia. The pain just became too much for him and his ability to get up or down by himself was almost completely gone. Bogey aka Bogart had been a loving, gentle, and proud dog. He would look completely mortified when we had to help him get up after a fall. As the vet told us, we had to know that he no longer looked forward to each day. He only had peace when he would finally fall asleep and even that proved difficult in the last couple of weeks, as the mere act of lying down would cause him great pain. We knew we couldn't let him go on like this but I just found having to make this decision so difficult. My heart was breaking at the thought. But I know he was no longer happy.



In 1995, Keith headed out one day to get cat food for our old cat Whiner. About 30 minutes later, he came home saying "you have to go back to the pet store with me". They were having animal adoptions that day through a foster care group. Keith had seen Bogey and fell in love. He was a Black Lab/German Shepherd mix and his original name was "Rock". The agency said that his owner had given him up for adoption because he wasn't getting big enough. We brought him home and Keith renamed him Bogart (Bogey for short) after his favorite actor Humphrey Bogart.

Bogey was solid black and awesome. Bogey was easily trained. He was the perfect mix of loving dog and protector rolled into one. He could jump and catch Frisbees and probably could have competed in agility training when he was younger (had we had the motivation to be that agile along with him). We used to take him everywhere with us - even camping when we went four-wheelin'. He would always perk up and get excited if we asked him if he wanted to go for a ride. He always looked more intimidating that what he really was. He used to scare the delivery men quite a bit - especially the Chinese food delivery.

We have always had dogs in my family, but this was Keith's first dog. Anyone who knew Bogey knew what a great dog he was. We couldn't have asked for a better dog and I sincerely feel we will never find another like him - he was truly special. We love our other dog Abby very much but we have known she was crazy from day one. She is named after the movie Young Frankenstein (AB Normal). She misses Bogey very much too. Last night she sat by the front door looking out the window and pretty much moped all night. It will take a long time for our family to heal from this loss.

We were blessed to have had Bogey in our life. I know that now he is in a much better place where he can run all day chasing rabbits. Old man, you are loved soo much and we will miss you every day.

Brrrrrrrr...

It's been a little while since our last update. The holidays and the extreme cold had us hibernating inside the house - trying to avoid having to venture outside at all costs. Keeping the coop warm has been a challenge. Many days we kept the girls inside as they didn't really like the cold and snow anyway. A water bowl with a warmer has definitely helped. All the girls started showing a bit of damage to their combs, so we tried to protect them with some petroleum jelly. They just loved being chased around in freezing temps (think it was 10 degrees that day) just so I could glop some Vaseline on their heads (yeah right!). We really should have video taped the entire endeavor. Even the eggs were freezing because we couldn't grab them till after we got home from work. BTW, a frozen egg looks like an Egg Slushy on the inside.

Elvis has been returned to the flock. They other girls still pick on her a bit and so she tends to stay off on her own. Away from trouble I guess. Egg production has increased despite the winter chill. Once we moved Elvis into the Hen Hospital, all the girls started laying and they have stayed that way with her back in the flock. We are getting 3 to 5 eggs everyday. In fact we have had 22 eggs since Sunday. I think it might be time to start thinking about selling them and not just giving eggs away to friends and family. I started keeping a daily journal on egg production and coop conditions. With feed and bedding costs, maybe we can get an idea as to what the price should be for a dozen eggs.

Elvis Has Left the Building...Again

This time, we had to make Elvis leave the building by moving her to our "hen hospital" in the shed. Yesterday Elvis had blood around her comb. I don't know if it was caused by an accident, the cold or the other chickens. I was able to get some anti-biotic ointment on it and hoped things would better in the morning. When I went outside today, she was worse and there were drops of blood all over the coop. I knew we had to separate her if we were to have any chance of saving her and keeping the other chickens from pecking at her. So we set up our old dog cage in the shed and moved her out of the coop. I have read all the chicken books and I haven't seen any mention of comb injury or what to do about it.

One of these eggs is not like the others

The hens have been keeping busy since the premier of the First Egg. We are generally getting about one egg per day. I imagine this conversation between the girls...."no, today is your turn, I made one yesterday". These are eggs #2 through #6 and as you can see, the 6th egg was a DOOZY! And yes, it had a double yoke. We had a very nice breakfast of scrambled eggs and bacon the saturday before Thanksgiving.

The girls just don't like their nest boxes. We have moved them around and yet they still they lay on the floor. So I guess we will try to rework the boxes to something they might like better (no roof?). While away for Thanksgiving, my great-nephew took care of the chickens. They layed another three eggs plus another soft one. That's three soft-shelled eggs so far and 12 good eggs in a little over two weeks. I hope that means that another hen is laying now and not an issue with their diet. I have added more oyster shells but may have to add more vitamin D too. We also added a light to the coop to increase their daylight hours to 14 as winter draws near. We have the light come on at 6am and off at 8am, then on again at 6pm and off for the night at 8pm.

Our First Farm Fresh Egg!

It finally happened! I went out to the coop last night to put the chickens up for the night. As I have been doing every morning and night for the last week-and-a-half, I took a look around with the flashlight. There it was on the floor under the roost - a small brown egg! I think I actually screamed with delight - We have an Egg!!! I was so excited that I actually ran back to the house (with curious dogs in tow) yelling like a school girl. Keith was not that happy to have to head outside into the cold with the camera to take a picture. Upon picking it up, I realized that the shell was very soft - so not an egg we could actually eat and keep. The books say that sometimes their first eggs are soft. It can also mean they need more Vitamin D and calcium. It didn't matter to me - I was soooo proud of that egg. They did it! My chickens actually laid an egg.

No Eggs Yet

The girls are 25 weeks old today - but we haven't seen any eggs yet. I placed some fake eggs in the nest boxes hoping to entice them to their laying spot. I know that they have been in there - moving the eggs around - but that is about it. Yesterday I decided to take out the fake eggs as I was worried that they were trying to hatch those instead of laying their own. I hope finding a new home for Stevie hasn't thrown them off their game. This is all new to me...so I would appreciate any input as to whether we should be worried or not.

Nest Boxes and a new home for Stevie

Much has been happening at Windy Acres. As usual, there is plenty of outside work to do even when the temperatures start to drop. Last week we were able to get the chicken coop insulated for winter. I can definitely feel the difference inside - nice and toasty. The chickens have been spending much more time up on the roost - working their way up the ladder. The night before last five rather large chickens (including Stevie) were all squished together on the top roost. I guess they help keep each other warm. The sixth chicken has been making herself a little nest on the floor and we were worried that she is getting ready to lay.

So Keith got the next boxes built this weekend and they look great. So far it doesn't look like anyone has used them, so I'm going to see about getting a couple fake eggs. The book says that can help get them into the box. The girls are 22 weeks old and should start laying anytime.

We are also happy to report that we have found a new home for Stevie. This has been a very hard decision as Stevie is one of the two survivors of the great chicken massacre of 2009. We only wanted pullets so we would get unfertilized eggs and Stevie ended up being a boy. He is a beautiful bird and we hate to see him go. We have been in a quandary as to how to find him a new home. Everyone just kept telling us to kill him and roast him. We could never do that to Stevie!

Last Saturday we took a drive to Tractor Supply as we knew that Nancy from P.A.W.S. was going to be there. She runs a local animal rescue and figured she would be the one person that would know how to put us in contact with someone either in need of a rooster or willing to take him as a pet. We were right! She knew a woman in the northern part of our county who also has Buff Orpingtons and needs a new rooster as hers is crippled. We were so happy. So tonight, we are going to meet at Tractor Supply for the great Rooster hand-off.

Stevie - we will miss you and your crowing but we know that you will be happy.

My Favorite Time of Year

I love fall...Love it! I love everything about it - smell in the air, fall foods, fall festivals, the colors, the feeling of going back-to-school (and the need to buy school supplies), and the holidays. It is absolutely my favorite time of year. I don't even mind that it means Winter is right around the corner. I especially love Halloween. Halloween is my Mother's birthday and so it has always been 2nd only to Christmas in my family. My husband and I even got married the day before Halloween. I am trying my best to hold my enthusiasm in check and NOT get the Halloween decorations out until at least October 1st. I did started burning some fall scented candles - just to get a little "fall fix". My plan is to get some cleaning and organizing done this weekend (no excuses) so that we will be ready for all that fall has to offer. A trip to Tuttle Orchards for some apples might be in order.

Windy Acres Up Close

Our oldest dog, Bogey - 14.5 year-old Lab/Shepherd mix; Stevie and the Girls.

Dogs days of summer

The dogs days of summer tend to make everything run a little slower - including my blog updates. We picked the rest of the veggies yesterday (peppers, some carrots, the last cucumber and head of cabbage) along with a pile of parsley and basil. Then we mowed down the entire thing. This was not my best garden year. The weeds grew beyond my control. In addition, the tomatoes were hit hard by blight - never ripening just rotting on the vine.

The girls (and Stevie) are 17 weeks old now - quickly approaching laying age. Buff Orpingtons are supposed to start laying sometime around 24 weeks. Developed in the UK, they are a hardy bird that should continue to lay during the winter months. We still have many items to complete on the coop's "to-do" list in the next few weeks: insulate the walls, build the nest boxes, finish painting the west side, put board around the base (keep little critters out), and do something with Stevie. I wonder if the local pet adoption agency takes chickens.