Bunny-The Peace That Surpasses Understanding

Our Wayward Rabbit "Bunny" on Little Utah Farm

When a new face comes to Little Utah Farm, I and my husband have a special practice to instill peace among our animals . For example, when we bring home a few new hens, we place the hens in a large safe kennel and place it in the shade under the apple tree, and sit around it with the resident hens and ducks and the dogs. There is a lot of sniffing and gawking, and then everyone relaxes and begins to enjoy the space together. This practice has worked for us.

Bunny on the other hand has not had the benefit of the family get together in the safety of the kennel. He is getting to know the family in his natural way. One day I saw him in the backyard munching on sweet green grass blades and chomping down chicken scratch. I was concerned what would happen if the dogs rushed out of the back door into the yard. Would they chase him ?

Maven and May go to investigate what Bunny is eating.

Yesterday I let the dogs out and then noticed Bunny in the middle of the yard. Over the next few seconds my mind raced with worry and then I took a breath and regained my peace remembering that peace begins with me. I walked away from the door and allowed things "out there" to unfold.

The Peace that surpasses understanding.
Walker and Bunny are getting along very nicely.

I returned in a few minutes to empty the trash and I saw Bunny communing with the hens, ducks, and the dogs. It was a beautiful pastoral scene with wild birds and warm sun. The dry brown grass had begun to flourish like spring from the recent rains. All looked so peaceful and content.  I was filled with gratitude and a sense of relief. So explains my title for this post, "The Peace That Surpasses Understanding"

Thank you so much for visiting Little Utah Farm,
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Until next time,
I wish us all peace and contentment.

Deborah Moen of
Little Utah Farm 

Are you on Facebook ? We have a Facebook page called Little Utah Farm. Join us daily for more farm life pictures and videos.

And did you hear ? Little Utah Farm has a store on Zazzle. We put our photographs and art on coffee mugs, pillows, blankets, t-shirts, ornaments, greeting cards and more. Here is one of our Collections of Holiday Season Farm Animals. We have goats, llamas, hens, ducks on greeting cards, wrapping paper, ornaments, gifts, and more. We also have a Holiday Season Horse Collection, Vintage Tractors Collection.

Holiday Season Farm Animals
by Deborah Moen

Holiday Season Horses
by Deborah Moen

Vintage Tractors
by Deborah Moen

Dust Bath !

Hens taking a dust bath. 

The coop door opened and 8 hens ran for the corner where the soil was warm and sandy. Must have felt so good. It was one of our first warm days since winter. They stayed in that dirt for some time soaking up the rays and dusting their bodies and feathers.


Dust baths are a way for chickens to keep clean.   It also keeps those pests at bay.  The dust will clog the pores and suffocate any pests hitching a ride. It is a natural pesticide.


Watch video: Here is our hens inside the coop taking dust baths. 

Dust baths are a kind of self-care for chickens.

If your chickens do not have a place to take dust baths you can create one for them. 

You can use, for example, an old apple crate, 14" plastic tub, galvanized tub or just dig out an area and fill it with the following base.

A good base is:
Equal amounts of

• dry clean dirt ( fertilizer, pesticide free)
• clean builders sand

That is enough but 
You can also add:

• ash/charcoal ( NO Lighter fluid !) -Charcoal has vitamin K for blood clotting and also calcium and magnesium. charcoal is a laxative and helps remove toxins and the ash and charcoal also absorbs toxins.
• dried ground lavender, mint, and rosemary are good insect repellents
• dried yarrow is an anti-inflammatory and clears up respiratory issues as do thyme and rosemary. 

If your dust bath area is outdoors think of adding an umbrella or canopy to keep it dry.

Chickens taking a dust bath are fun to watch. They peck at the ground to loosen the dirt and maneuver their wings to fluff the dirt up over them.  When the are done with their bath they will stand walk away and give a big shake shake, like a dog shakes off water, and a big cloud of dust will come off of them.

You do not have to have a formal dust bath for free range chickens. They will find a place and make it suitable for their dust bath. Here is our hen, Angel, settling down on some bare ground to have a dust bath. I had music playing on my phone and wind chimes in the background. Made it kind of like a spa atmosphere.

Watch video of Angel take her dust bath

DeborahMoonMoen
Little Utah Farm

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Until next time...

image by Paul de Bruin
 Freeimages.com

Two little girls are talking
1st girl: Does your family pray before you eat dinner?
2nd girl: Nope my mom knows how to cook.

Gathering Duck & Hen Eggs

Ducks and hen eggs uncovered on Little Utah Farm

Every morning I go on an egg hunt. It is really fun. I feel happy and curious like a child while I search for the eggs.

Lolli, Ducky, and Daisy slurp up some snow
 after foraging through the garden. Little Utah Farm.

We have 3 Buff Orpington ducks. Their names are Lolli, Daisy, and Ducky. Some of their nests are so nice that the hens prefer to lay their eggs right in with the larger white duck eggs. I can tell who is who. The Aracana, Pearle and Isis, lay beautiful blue-green eggs. The White Plymouth, Angel and Fae lay pale light brown eggs. The Giant Black Jersey, Maven, lays a similar light brown egg. And they look so pretty all together in the nest.

Duck eggs are different than chicken eggs. I think they tast same but some people swear there is a difference. The only difference I can see is the size and the fact that Duck eggs have less water content in the white portion. They cook faster.

The ducks dig the nest deep and line it with an intricate weave of straw and feathers till it makes a nice shape, like an upside down crown of a straw hat. After they lay their eggs, they cover everything up with straw till it is even with the ground. I have to stick my hand down into the straw and wiggle my fingers around to find those eggs.


Sometimes I find a duck egg lying in the center of the coop as if it just fell out on the way to a nest. And it probably did. One of the ducks, I think it is Daisy, has been doing that since she began laying in the fall. I also find an occasional egg in the shallow pond or on the grass lawn. It makes me laugh.

8 Eggs gathered in one day. Little Utah Farm

We share our eggs with our neighbors and in town. With 8 hens and 3 ducks I gather at least 5 eggs a day. Some days, like yesterday, I gather 8. That adds up fast!

I am about to go out this morning on another egg hunt. I would love to have one of those egg pocket aprons. I think I will sew my own before spring gets here.

Deborah Moon Moen

Thank you for visiting Little Utah Farm
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Until next time, I found a story for you to enjoy.

“I have never before gathered eggs from under a hen. Fernando has never before seen a hen. We bend low into the shed where perch a dozen or so fat lady birds. There's no shrieking or fluttering at all. I approach one and ask if she has an egg or two. Nothing. I ask in Italian. Still nothing. I ask Fernando to pick her up but he's already outside the shed smoking and pacing, telling me he really doesn't like eggs at all and he especially doesn't like frittata. Both bold-faced lies. I start to move the hen and she plumps down from her perch quite voluntarily, uncovering the place where two lovely brown eggs sit. I take them, one at a time, bend down and nestle them in my sack. I want two more. I peruse the room. I choose the hen who sits next to the docile one. I pick her up and she pecks me so hard on my wrist that I drop her. I see there is nothing in her nest and apologise for my insensitivity, thinking her nastiness must have been caused by embarrassment. I move on to another hen and this time find a single, paler brown-shelled beauty, still warm and stuck all over with bits of straw. I take it and leave with an unfamiliar thrill. This is my first full day in Tuscany and I've robbed a henhouse before lunch.
Back home in the kitchen I beat the eggs, the yolks of which are orange as pumpkin, with a few grindings of sea salt, a few more of pepper, adding a tablespoon or so of white wine and a handful of Parmigliano. I dig for my flat broad frying pan, twirl it to coat its floor with a few drops of my tourist oil, and let it warm over a quiet flame. I drop in the rinsed and dried blossoms whole, flatten them a bit so they stay put, and leave them for a minute or so while I tear a few basil leaves, give the eggs another stroke or two. I throw a few fennel seeds into the pan to scent the oil, where the blossoms are now beginning to take colour on their bottom sides. Time to liven up the flame and add the egg batter. I perform the lift-and-tilt motions necessary to cook the frittata without disturbing the blossoms, which are now ensnared in the creamy embrace of the eggs. Next, I run the lush little cake under a hot grill to form a gold blistery skin on top before sliding it onto a plate, strewing it with torn basil. The heat of the eggs warms the herbs so they give up a double-strength perfume. Now I drop a thread of find old balsamico over it. And finally, let it rest.” 
― Marlena de Blasi

The Hens Get Winter Care

It snowed last night, a light dusting of Utah powder, glistened under the porch light as I opened the door to let the dogs out in the wee morning hours.  

 

In the morning when I feed, I love how the ice crystals , the hoar frost, glistens like bright silver stars on each branch and twig. The cold can be a wonderland if ice and steaming breath coming from the nostrils of the llamas. The air is crisp and invigorating provided you are dressed right. There are no wet puddles at this time, just frozen water and crystals. Lot's of crunch underfoot.

There is much attention to the well-being of our fur and feathered friends. Even the wild birds get their water renewed and new seed to eat. We look for steady bodies, clear bright eyes, a good appetite. during feeding, each dear family member is greeted with a smile and a blessing. Anything that needs tending to is done.

Florence has a large comb. We spotted some black spots on the tips. www.facebook.com/littleutahfarm

I saw that a few of the long combed hens had a slight touch of frost bite which blackens the tissue on the tips. After dinner I tippy-toed out to the coop where all 9 girls were nestled side by side on the roosts. I stepped into their sleeping den and passed the flow of infrared red waves from the lamp hanging just so, in the far corner.

It was cozy in there and I always breathe a sigh a relief* knowing they are safe and comfy. They look so big with their down and feathers fluffed to keep them warm. I took out my trusty tube of Vaseline out of my pocket and laid it on the north wall on the shelf.

 Florence was close by and I took her, gently wrapping my hands around her wings and body. She didn't seem to mind. Then I applied a bit of Vaseline to her red comb and wattles. She shook her little head a bit and that was that. I am sure it felt good to her. 

May our black Jersey giant has a large comb that flops over like a ladies hat. www.facebook.com/littleutahfarm

 I searched the line of roosting hens and saw that May was next. Her and Florence have the longest combs. By this time the hens were murmuring to each other. I leaned over and picked up May from the top roost and brought her down. She is our black Jersey giant. Her large powerful wings flapped against my face and I set her down on the shelf and brought her close to my chest and secured the other wing gently against her body with my hand. We both took a deep breath then I began to apply the Vaseline to her comb. I loved the texture of the combs and how pretty they looked with their treatment under the infrared lamps. Their heads are so tiny and to think that God desired a red rubbery comb to jut out right on the center top is an wonder to ponder. 

The hens bodies are full and soft yet you can feel some dominant 
 bones like the breast bone. I set her back on the shelf so she could find her way back to her roost. "Good night, sweeties" I cooed. I made my way past bun bun's rabbitat then ducked under the sharp long icicles at the doorway. The door shut and I latched it.

The white fields of snow crunched underfoot as I walked back to my warm house. I dreamed of an attached barn like a Noah's Ark filled with animals and connected to our home where I could feed them all in my leggings and socks and there is a large solar window to let the sun shine in and on and on the dream goes.

I am smiling as I walk up the back porch and off goes the light.

All is well on Little Utah Farm.

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Wishing you and yours a happy New Year 2016,

Until next time here is a quote:

Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

Deborah Moon Moen of Little Utah Farm

 

Chickens and Deep Snow

 

The snow reached a higher volume than my hens could handle. We had shoveled paths but the walls of the path were much too high to see over. Naomi one of my Giant Jerseys, flew into the white abyss and landed in a foot of soft Utah powder. She was stuck and looked all around for an escape route. But the white snow overwhelmed her and she stood still. 





Here is Naomi strutting through the snow when it was only 2". She is now on a greeting card to wish someone a Happy New Year. Click on the image to see this card.

Happy New Year Hen Greeting Card by LittleUtahFarm
See more Chicken Cards at zazzle.com

 

 

 I picked her up and her little body was cold and shivering. I warmed her and placed her back in the coop and closed the door. . The solution to this was to keep them inside their coop.

 My hens are tough and do enjoy tromping around in the snow. They cackle and whine a bit inside the coop, especially Winona. She sounds like a little girl with pigtails, saying Why ? Why can't we go outside?

Little Utah Farm has a hard working Kabota tractor. www.littleutahfarm.blogspot.com

Husband Paul made our winter wonderland a bit more animal friendly with his Kabota tractor. He shaved the snow down to 4 inches where the hens and dogs play in an enclosed back yard.. It is so much better.

 

We have a magical winter wonderland around us as far as the eyes can see so this does not diminish our beauty one bit. He did such a great job. So much easier to feed and care for our flock and herd and dogs. We let the hens out and they are laying outdoor in the sunroom on their sides, wing extended, leg out, soaking up the sun.
 

 

Thank you for visiting Little Utah Farm (page views 9354)

Until next time

Wishing you a Merry Christmas
touched with wonder
and filled with love

 

Deborah Moen of Little Utah Farm
Farm-girl, Nature Lover, Photographer, Writer

 

PS

 

We have a Little Utah Farm Store on Zazzle and a Facebook page.

 

Greeting Cards and Express shipping are both 50% off till Sunday December 20, 2015 Zazzle always has a sale going on.

We have a winter Holiday Category on Little Utah Farm Store. Here is Starbuck our llamas peeking out of the shelter on a winter wonderland morning.

 

Llama In The Snow Happy Holidays Greeting Card by LittleUtahFarm
Make custom notecards at zazzle.com

COUNT YOUR HENS

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....

Paul feeding 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

A Red Hen Sweater for Peck

I have taken some pretty weird orders in my dressmaking career but this one tops the chart. 20 years of creating prom dresses, wedding dresses, suits, drapes and pillows, alterations, zippers in jeans, quilts and duvet covers, you name it, I made it. But a Hen Jumper is something quite new indeed. My dressmaking slogan was Creating Anything Your Heart Desires so this little project was gonna be a piece of cake.

It was so much fun to blow the dust off my sewing machine and loop that familiar yellow measuring tape around the back of my neck and feeling it fall down the from of my legs onto the floor. See how natural I look in this setting? Brings back memories. My magically delicious life was but a seed back then and now the seed of my dreams have been planted and sprouted and have grown some. Brings a smile to my face to think of it.

I made a pattern, cut the jumper out of fleece then strategically zig zagged the velcro fasteners on. I proudly held the tiny green garment up and admired it. Paul and I went out doors and fetched Peck, my hen. Paul did the holding as I wrapped and fastened on the jumper. I got to say there ain't nothin' like a chicken wrapped in fleece in your arms. Here she is...

Peck lost a few feathers in the summer and we wanted to keep her warm. Turns out a rescue for hens in the UK puts these sweaters or jumpers on their hens. About 10-20% of their rescues have feathers missing and the use of these sweaters not only keeps them warm but allows their feathers to grow back. I have links below for patterns and info on the hen rescue.

 I set Peck down on the grass only to observe her walk backwards and stop, then backwards and stop again, and again. We thought maybe she was trying to step out of it. With a Libra eye my husband said it may need be a bit bigger and I quickly agreed as I

noticed the stress lines around her girth. Back to the house I flew and made up a larger pattern in red this time. I have got to say that red was the ticket. She looked so pretty in red. However, her sisters, Cali, Betsy and Henny Penny scoffed and pecked at her new duds. We took off the red jumper and I will make a larger one as the girth was still tight on her. Geeze you would have thunk I had of measured Peck's body first. Now I will have patterns in small, medium and large.

It has been an exciting day. It snowed all day and Paul and I took a walk in our Juniper Forest with our dogs, Kollie, Windy and Walker. They had a blast running and leaping and pouncing in the snow. The day went by so fast. Night has fallen and it is snowing. I am ready to fall asleep. I wish you all a good night or day which ever the case may be. Tomorrow is another day and I am looking forward to it. But for now it is Over and Out here in Cedar City,UT USA

Om Shanti Om (Peace)

Helpful Links:

http://littlehenrescue.co.uk/Hensandtheirjumpers.aspx

http://barnyardsandbackyards.org/2011/02/0http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-read-crochet-instructions-correctly-0122599/3/chicken-sweaters/

http://squee.icanhascheezburger.com/2011/01/28/cute-baby-animals-warm-this-winter/

http://plumcreekmama.blogspot.com/2009/10/hen-sweater.html