Winter

Winter

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Monday Musings


I am using a old summer time picture of the girls.
They are still molting and have pin feathers. I feel so
bad because it is so cold right now and these are beach
baby chickens. They aren't used to weather in the 40s.

When I got them as chicks in February. I kept them
in my garage bathroom. I notice that now when I let
them out in the yard for a little me time, they all go
up to the door where my garage bathroom is and try
to figure out a way to go inside.


I have to tell them that they aren't little anymore
so they have to stay out in the coop. Yes, I know you
have feathers missing but you are still chickens. I have
thought about maybe just before sundown fixing some
warm oatmeal with warm milk and cranberries for them to
snack on but well, I am afraid my family might yell a bit, so I have not done
that as of yet.

This morning I was awake really early. I could hear
the foxes making that sound they make, not really a bark
but that sound that sounds like a woman being murdered.
When we first moved here and I heard it, it scared me to death.
As I listened to them, I thought I was going to have to walk
around and make sure all of the fences are secure. I have to make
sure there is nothing leaning against the outside fence because they
can climb like a cat if they have something to climb up.
They have kits in Jan/ Feb. So they get aggressive and hungry.
I think that is one thing that unnerves is the lack of fear they show.

One night I was woke up by the rooster next door. My neighbors were
out of town and I was supposed to be taking care of the chickens. I jumped
out of bed and went out the bedroom door and through my side gate.
With a flash light I can shine it on the chicken pen and see pretty good.
I really didn't want to go traipsing out in the pasture, barefoot in my pajamas
with skunks around. So I stood at my fence and I shined the flash light out to
the back of the pasture. My beam caught the reflection of green eyes looking
at me. I sort of jumped but kept my light on it to see what was going to happen.

As it sat there and watched me, it blinked and got up and started running from
the back of the pasture toward me. I kept following it with the beam, and it
would stop and sit down and blink and the eyes were so green.
As it got closer to the chicken pen I was starting to get really frightened.

It was running and I was pretty sure it was a fox, but you know, it was dark
and it was running really fast so I thought, what if it isn't a fox, but some sort
of alien. Then it ran to a place in the fence where it could get through and all of a sudden
it was running full blast towards me.
My hair stood up on my head and my arms and about the time I yelled, my husband
came out the gate. He asked me " What are you yelling at out here at 2:00 AM?" I turned
around and started for the gate where he was standing and said, " WE have to get in the fence
some thing is coming really fast."

I ran in the house and jumped in my bed and pulled the covers up, after locking the
doors. I know it was a fox, and I know I let my mind get away from me, but right
then and there I didn't care if the fox ate the whole coop. I wasn't going out to check
again.

I know I have told you over and over but I am a coward. I don't go out in the dark
around here if I can at all help it. Remember the picture of the house with our Christmas
lights? I didn't take it. My daughter did. Yep, I sent her out in the front yard to take the picture.
So anyway,
I hadn't given you a life around the farm story in awhile.

Have a lovely Monday, I thought a chicken/fox story would be more fun
than a mopping/ laundry/ clean house post/
Have a great week.

~Kim~

15 comments:

Kent Island Red said...

Hi Kim,
I had NO idea that foxes could climb. And the funny thing is, the first time I heard them was in our woods in the backyard. Really scared me, too. I was almost tempted to call the police because I thought it was someone screaming out there!

Great pictures of your girls. They are just beautiful and look very happy.

Miss Debbie said...

I'm back and have enjoyed getting caught up! Love your stories...the one about the proposal and the little girl and her dad were both so sweet. The fox one was scary. I'm not crazy about being outside in the dark alone either.I can't imagine watching something run at me like that. Sounds like you stayed longer than I would have. I would have been gone when I spotted the eyes the first time!! :-) Your house looks pretty with the lights. Your grands look so cute sitting at their table and the story behind it was neat. Hope you have a blessed week...looking forward to your other Christmas stories! :-)

Kim said...

I love your stories. You sound braver than I would be - out in the dark with critters! No way. The story about the little girl and her dad - so touching. I always wonder what became of them over the years. I bet you do too.

TexWisGirl said...

We don't get foxes around here - and by the sound of it, I should be grateful. :) They're around, I know. But the coyotes take care of them, I'm guessing. I would have been freaked out by something running at me in the dark too.

I hope your chickens can tough out being big girls now... :)

Julia said...

I love your fox in the back yard story. I have to laugh at the way you ran to bed and under the cover leaving your girls to fend for themselves.
We have coyotes and foxes too around here. When I come home from the farm in the evening it's dark now except on the full moon. I always wonder what I would do If I came across a coyote or two.

Last summer I came home from grocery shopping and there was a fox right in front of my garage. I got out of the car and raced toward him yelling like a mad woman to get the hell out of my yard and he stopped and looked at m and just gingerly trotted away. He ate all of my neighbour's hen. They come up from along the river bank. JB

Diana Ferguson said...

Love your stories! Keep 'em coming. Have a great Monday.

Debbie said...

Oh I would have been scared to death too. You seem pretty brave to me going out there in the first place, haha...This city girl LOVES these farm stories...keep them coming...HUGS

Kessie said...

That story still creeps me out. Why was it running toward you in the first place? What did it think you were?

If I were you, I'd carry a big stick whenever I went out and night, and just kind of sweep it along as I walked. Oh, and one of those high-powered flashlights with the car-sized battery.

myletterstoemily said...

hooray!! i love your chicken stories! i hope your
daughter isn't five years old or younger. :)

i have forgotten, is meg related to you? her
zombie posts are totally cracking me up!

love,
la

myletterstoemily said...

ha ha! . . . i mean lea.

Sue said...

Kim, I always enjoy your stories, especially about the chickens, You know us chicken farmers have got to stick together. lol.
We have had lots of troubles with fox around here and hawks. We were sitting by the pond the other day watching over our chickens,(it has gotten to the place we have to be outside when they are) and a hawk just flew over the pond and down under the tree where they were, and he didn't even mind us watch him or her try and catch one of our chicks. Can you imagine the nerve of that hawk?lol.
Much love,
Sue

Patrice said...

Did he get any of the neighbor's chickens? We have been seeing lots of foxes the last two weeks. Hubby just came in from hunting and found a bushy red fox sleeping on a tree stump. He got about 15' from him and said,"You might want to move."With that, the fox got up and ran. Hubby says he was beautiful. They are, as long as they stay in the woods. They're terribly ugly when they visit our animals!

Janettessage.blogspot.com said...

fun post...I thought of you when we were at the Homestead Heritage Festival this past weekend...the chickens and roosters were beautiful...I took pictures!
I remember all those sounds at my grandparents farm...and putting my head under the covers!

Tulip said...

Here in Philly, we aren't a travel destination for foxes. But now I have a rather frightening view of how they sound!

Verde Farm said...

Kim, how funny. I can see those green eyes coming at you. Question I have, were the green eyes still there when husband got there or did they disappear into thin air? Have you ever heard of the Moth Man? Well, if not-google it. He lives about 30 minutes from us and if I see eyes in the woods--I would run and get in the bed and never get out :) LOL
Amy