Monday, June 16, 2008

Lovely Day

The storms have passed through and left us some nice, cool air to enjoy. There's a nice breeze today and it's just perfect outside.

Last winter we made bird houses for Christmas gifts. Jim made this cute little caboose for fun and we hung it in a pine tree on a whim. It's very small and we thought it would be too small for any bird. Wouldn't you know it? A house wren family has taken up residence in it! Mama wren sits on the nest and we see her come and go. Daddy wren sits in the branches above and sings a loud, melodious tune. Jim feels good knowing his little creation is now providing a home for a wren family.

After four days on the lam, Rocky came back to the chicken run last night. Derek saw him climbing the fence and called Jim to come see. Jim picked him up and put him in the cage for a good meal and drink. Rocky ate and ate and ate and drank and drank and drank and slept and slept and slept! His battery fully recharged, he is now busy climbing the pine trees by the wood pile, foraging for pine cone seeds and fresh grasses. He is a happy little squirrel and it's great to see him doing well and adjusting to life as a wild squirrel. We hugged and cuddled him a lot last night. We missed him! Today, Jim hung a squirrel box he made in one of the pine trees in the chicken run. Rocky knows the chickens and it seemed logical to put a nest for him near the chicken coop.

The chooks are out enjoying some free range time in the yard today. I have had to restrict the times they are allowed out of their run because they are tearing up my plants and mulch. So now they are only allowed out when we are able to keep a close watch on them. They have been finding lots of worms after all the rain we had this weekend! They are 9 weeks old today and starting to "cluck" rather than "peep". I still haven't heard any of the roosters try to crow.

8 comments:

  1. Loved that unique bird house! And also enjoy hearing about your squirrel!

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  2. Amy, please tell Jim that I love the bird house and may just try to make one like it. If that is ok with Jim that I copy his design. I have lots of scrap lumber around and that would be yet another good use for it. Chickens are looking great. I have found that the roosters usually grow their tail feathers long before the hens. Your black and white one looks like it may be a rooster. But only time will tell.

    Scavenger

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  3. Love the caboose!!
    Rocky has turned into a rounder, huh? He's such a cutie pie!

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  4. Oh i am so glad Rocky checked in with you and he is doing ok. Sounds like he may have had quite an adventure for himself. I just LOVE that bird house your husband made!

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  5. Love the bird feeder and Rocky is a cutie. Our chicken have been a bit destructive and we had to move their pen far away from the gardens.

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  6. I like the electric mesh I have. It makes a 60' square pen that keeps thte chickens in and predators out. I'm sure they will soon figure out that they can just fly right over it, but they haven't yet! I love your squirrel saga.

    Check this out, he is a local author/chicken lover in our neighborhood. He had a wild animal experience like the one you are having with the squirrel.

    http://my.voyager.net/~robbyn/pages/books/adptowl.htm

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  7. Very nice birdhouse, very creative. :)

    Those chickens look like they are having a blast out there!

    The furry grenade is looking good too. :)

    Ron

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  8. That birdhouse is the bomb! No wonder the wren family made a home in it. How cool to call a caboose a home!

    Oh! And your chickens sure are pretty.

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