Hearts & Chickies

     February 15, 2013

     So I decided today was going to be a busy day...AT HOME!  I wasn't going to go anywhere, run errands or buy anything.  I always seem to be on the road.  I know I have things to do at home, but I'm also the only one who can run the errands or pick up and drop off kids.  The going is exhausting.  :(
     I actually got up and got out of bed at 7:00 am without my alarm.  I watered our new little peeps in my bathroom.  I threw my farmer's uniform (Aaron's jeans, a long sleeved shirt, and my waterproof boots) on and took out the dogs.  Then I fed the goats, the pigs, the chickens and the ducks.  I brought the dogs in and Kay made their food.  I cleaned up the kitchen, swept and Swiffered the floors.  I vacuumed the classroom, dining room and living room.  Finally I made a list of all the things I wanted to get done today.
     I tried on Wednesday to make mozzarella and it didn't seem right.  Well after today, I know it was right on!  Hamlet got to reap the benefits and that makes it all worth it.  He was kinda sick or just cold and wouldn't eat or stand up or anything.  So we brought him into my bathroom and put him in the tub.  After about 30 mins he was standing and eating pelleted feed and looking more like himself.  We gave him the curds and whey and he just slopped it up!!  I let him stay inside overnight, in my tub.  Yesterday morning, he was all his usual self.  I carried him out and reunited him with his Ophelia.  <3

February 16, 2013

     I didn't get to finish my previous post because I started watching the girls' show with them.  Alley wanted to watch a couple of episodes of "Teen Mom" and Kay wanted to get caught up on "Grey's Anatomy".  SO we had a girlie tv night.  Zack played "Borderlands" with Brandi and Dean while Mack went to the movies with Zane and Zach Fossum to see "Warm Bodies".

     So on Thursday Kay and I headed to Tractor Supply for hay.  All I needed was hay.  I told her that before we got there and as we were walking in.  Well an elderly gentleman came out of the store and stopped.  On his buggy was 6 boxes of chicks.  I totally freaked out and ran into the store.  Sure enough "Chick Days" had started like 2 weeks early!!  Kay and I went around and checked them all out.  I was only going to get 10 Cornish Rock crosses or what we call "Dinner Chicks".  Kay decided we needed 2 more mallards too.  I ended up getting the 2 mallards, 2 black pullets, 2 red pullets, a black giant pullet and 5 Cornish Rocks.  

     We came home and had to move the dog food into a smaller bucket so we could use the larger one as a brooder.  I finally got it all set up with about 10 minutes to spare before taking Alley and heading to pick up my mom for our Valentine movie date.  We went to a matinee and saw "Safe Haven".  I then dropped my Mom off and then Alley at her boyfriend's house.  His parents invited her for dinner.  I picked up Mackenzie from ROTC Raider practice and we headed home for dinner.  His girlfriend Brittany was over.

     Brittany and the girls made a sugar cookie heart cake for dessert.  It was quite yummy!  Her mom came to pick her up at 9:00 and that's when I left to get Alley.  It took a few extra minutes because on the drive I found a spider crawling on the INSIDE of my windshield!  I managed to get off the road and park the car BEFORE jumping out this time.  Maggie had to climb up front with her shoe and squish it!!  *shivers*

     That's pretty much how my Valentine's day went.  LOL

     Well yesterday afternoon I called TSC to see if the assorted bantams came in, and they had.  I took Kay and we went to see if any of them were her precious Silkies.  Sure enough we found one!!  It was a buff.  Well they have a minimum you have to purchase and it's 6, so I had to pick out 5 more chicks just to get the one she wanted.  We picked out 4 more bantams and I got another black giant.  We brought them home and got them acquainted with the other chicks.  

     After having them last year, I was pretty confident in taking care of them this year.  Well, confidence bit my butter beans!  Last night, just a few hours after we brought them home, the one they named Turtle died in my hands.  :(  Bug was quite upset.  He kept checking to see if it was breathing.  When it did die, he tried to give it his gift card so it could come back to life!

     Well this morning, my little white died, then this afternoon Kay's Silkie died while I was holding it.  I had gotten them "Sav-a-Chick" Electrolytes and fed it to them with a syringe.  So far I have 2 of the original 5 left, Bug's and Maggie's.  I have another round of waterings to do with them before I go to bed.  I sure hope they are still ok in the morning.  The girl at TSC said to let them know how everything goes because they seem to be having trouble with all of their bantams.  I sure will!!