This summer has been far from average.
We are having extreme heat in NE, oh heck, in all of Oklahoma. And it is causing a lot of problems. There is the pastures browning up, causing stress on the cattle. The plants outside are stressed, it taking a lot of water just to keep them alive. There is the man of the place stressing over it all and trying to work out in it. Which makes me stress.
And then there is "the girls". The past couple of weeks has been stressful for them.
With this heat it's causing the younger girls to shed some weight by losing feathers. The older girls (so like me) are hanging on to most of theirs. But with the heat and the invasion of snakes last week they are not laying as many of those beautiful eggs.
And also this heat has taken the life of a couple of the older hens. I lost two of them.
It is also affecting how the wildlife is acting.
Last night I went out to lock up the hen house and about half way out there I could here all this squawking going on. Now this is not normal and I was far enough from the house to get my 22. Just then the man of the place was driving up from checking on the herd
"There something in the hen house. Get the 22." I yell at him
He takes off to the house.
By the time I had gotten to the hen house, "the girls" were flying and running in all directions out of the house and their yard. All I saw was the masked bandit climbing the fence and escaping.
Unfortunately it had enough time to kill one of the older girl and wound one of the younger ones.
"What happened" the man of the place asked
I was looking in the hen house at the time and told him about the raccoon escaping and the lost of one of the red hens. Could not tell at that time if there were anymore lost because they were everywhere. We were looking and gathering them up and putting them in the henhouse when he calls me over.
"Quiet and look up ontop of the house" he said while pointing.
I looked up and there were 4 young raccoons looking down at us. Apparently mom was teaching the kids how to raid a hen house and get a meal. We did nothing but go on trying to find the rest of "the girls". They were still in danger.
The little ones climbed down and ran away.
We were out there for over an hour gathering up the hens. And the great protector aka LOVE MACHINE was nowhere to be found. I figured he gave his life protecting his hens. Boy was I wrong. He was the one who was the furthest from the hen house. He is on our back porch sitting in my chair. Some protector.
We did not find them all that night. But thankfully in the morning 3 of them were out wondering in the yard.
It's just a tough time right now. I hope it is not as tough for you.
Till next time
Kat
=^..^-
P.S. I would like to just stay inside and sew.
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