Weird Egg

Occasionally the chickens will lay an egg without a shell, just a membrane. Feels really weird, sort of like old jello that's dried out a bit on the surface. But what I found in a nest box was 2 shell-less eggs connected with a hollow tube/cord. If you lightly squeeze one egg you can see fluid passing back and forth through the cord to the other. Have any of you ever seen anything like this?

Please leave a comment below. I love hearing from you.

Skunked... The Sequel

My Great Pyrenees are livestock guardians. Which means they live with the goats and chickens and have free run of the fenced pastures and woods where the goats graze. Which also means they're usually very dirty. After Remi got skunked last week she rolled in the grass and dirt trying desperately to get rid of the stench. I used a skunk deodorizer which took care of most of the smell but I couldn't get all the dirt out of her thick undercoat. So I sent her to the groomers for a good bath. $60 later and we need sunglasses to look at her. She just shines! A Great Pyrenees, at least a clean one, is a beautiful sight to behold! I wonder what she'll choose to roll in to get rid of the fresh-clean-dog-just-back-from-the-groomers smell.

"Mom says I smell good but I've got to find a manure pile to roll in so I can get rid of the shampoo smell."

Please leave a comment below. I love hearing from you.

Skunked

"I STINK!"

In the wee hours of this morning I was awakened by the distinct odor of Pepe Le Pew who obviously decided our broiler chickens were worth braving barking dogs. The tally for the night went thus: 2 dogs (1 Great Pyrenees, 1 English Shepherd) skunked, all chickens safe, yard very stinky as they apparently had their standoff right outside my back door. Remi, the Pyr, got the worst of it, as I think she got a direct hit right on her chest. Of course, I couldn't find my big bottle of Nature's Miracle Skunk Deodorizer that I've had on hand for years in anticipation of just this scenario. So I had to wait for the feed store to open, and by that time I had 2 clients this morning so everything had to wait till a bit later. Meanwhile I put the dogs in a fenced area by themselves so the smell would be somewhat contained. I got the English Shepherd pretty de-smelled, but I think the Great Pyrenees is going to need professional help. Waiting for a call back from the dog groomer and praying she has an opening soon.

Please leave a comment below. I love hearing from you.

Happy Birthday Toes

In honor of our birthdays my 17 year old granddaughter, whose birthday was last month, and  I had a pedicure. So nice to be pampered and get pretty toes. Then I came home and put on my muck boots to work in the barn. Ahhhhhh.... such is the life!

Please leave a comment below. I love hearing from you.