Women, you are awesome! When you have to excuse yourself from tending to the home and garden and pets there is a big hole left in the fabric of daily events. If someone is caring for the hens for example, make sure they count them before they close the door to the coop. I do that everyday don't you? Making sure every one of my girls have gotten back inside safe and sound is one of my rituals. Well one evening I did not. I began to count, 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8, 9... and then I got called to duty elsewhere and snapped the latch on the door as I left.
The next day my dentist appointment went well I had a wisdom tooth pulled. When the Novocaine wore off I was surprised how the side of my jaw began to ache. I know how to care for my own pain with no drugs, using some mind body techniques. I felt relief in a few minutes and continued to rest. There was a storm coming for the big finale of winter. I felt very confident my grandson had all the hens and llamas fed and watered. Well, he did except for one hen, I call Venus.
It was 2 1/2 days after the icy storm. The temps were freezing at night and the day's bright sun melted the ice off the rooftops. I made my way to the coop to feed breakfast and let the hens out to free range. "Oh hello Henrietta, Betty, and all through the flock I greeted and cooed to them until I noticed, "Where is Venus?" She was no where to be found! I Searched high and low, under and over and even asked husband to search with me outside the fence and around the neighbor's yards.
Terrible flashes of Venus' dead body came to mind as we had just witnessed a stray dog killing chickens across the road. I know better than to not allow my imagination to create such a scene so I began to breathe deeply and gather myself back up. "Whoa Deborah" I said to myself. I looked everywhere out there, no sign, no feathers, no Venus. We went back into the yard and I saw my husband look behind a small area behind the dog house. I mean small, no more than 8" wide, if that, between the back wall and fence. Paul said, " "Deborah, come get your chicken." I saw a white mound of frozen tail feathers. Venus was wedged tight in there apparently frightened by the dogs and could not get back out. Paul said he had to check to see if she was alive before he told me. Up above her dripped icy snow and melted ice water and froze her tail feathers solid. Poor dear Venus. How could I? Well what is done is done and we wrapped her in a towel and took her in. Venus thawed out quite nicely. She is really a healthy strong bird. We fed her warm oatmeal which she gobbled in a hurry. I swooned to think she had not eaten for days. We blow dried her feathers snapped some pictures and took a pair of pliers and cracked the ice off her tail. She was looking really good and bright eyed so we took her back to the coop with her flock. In about an hour you would never know what had happened. She was OK! Yeah ! Man do I ever count everyone of my hens, even the dogs when they come in through the back door at 3 in the morning. I remember once it was so dark when I accidently left Decker out and he... Well that is a story for another time. Here are some pictures of the star of this story, Venus....
Harley McFarley, our cat, looks over the scene as Paul feeds Venus her oatmeal and spinach. Windy our dog is in the background. Here is a short clip of Venus in my lap. You can see how good she looks after she thawed out.
Thank you for stopping by Little Utah Farm. Remember, count your hens! (smile*)
Until next time,
this is Deborah signing off here from Cedar City, Utah
The next day my dentist appointment went well I had a wisdom tooth pulled. When the Novocaine wore off I was surprised how the side of my jaw began to ache. I know how to care for my own pain with no drugs, using some mind body techniques. I felt relief in a few minutes and continued to rest. There was a storm coming for the big finale of winter. I felt very confident my grandson had all the hens and llamas fed and watered. Well, he did except for one hen, I call Venus.
It was 2 1/2 days after the icy storm. The temps were freezing at night and the day's bright sun melted the ice off the rooftops. I made my way to the coop to feed breakfast and let the hens out to free range. "Oh hello Henrietta, Betty, and all through the flock I greeted and cooed to them until I noticed, "Where is Venus?" She was no where to be found! I Searched high and low, under and over and even asked husband to search with me outside the fence and around the neighbor's yards.
Terrible flashes of Venus' dead body came to mind as we had just witnessed a stray dog killing chickens across the road. I know better than to not allow my imagination to create such a scene so I began to breathe deeply and gather myself back up. "Whoa Deborah" I said to myself. I looked everywhere out there, no sign, no feathers, no Venus. We went back into the yard and I saw my husband look behind a small area behind the dog house. I mean small, no more than 8" wide, if that, between the back wall and fence. Paul said, " "Deborah, come get your chicken." I saw a white mound of frozen tail feathers. Venus was wedged tight in there apparently frightened by the dogs and could not get back out. Paul said he had to check to see if she was alive before he told me. Up above her dripped icy snow and melted ice water and froze her tail feathers solid. Poor dear Venus. How could I? Well what is done is done and we wrapped her in a towel and took her in. Venus thawed out quite nicely. She is really a healthy strong bird. We fed her warm oatmeal which she gobbled in a hurry. I swooned to think she had not eaten for days. We blow dried her feathers snapped some pictures and took a pair of pliers and cracked the ice off her tail. She was looking really good and bright eyed so we took her back to the coop with her flock. In about an hour you would never know what had happened. She was OK! Yeah ! Man do I ever count everyone of my hens, even the dogs when they come in through the back door at 3 in the morning. I remember once it was so dark when I accidently left Decker out and he... Well that is a story for another time. Here are some pictures of the star of this story, Venus....
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| Paul feeding Venus |
Thank you for stopping by Little Utah Farm. Remember, count your hens! (smile*)
Until next time,
this is Deborah signing off here from Cedar City, Utah
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