There's Always Something To Do.....

Heat Indexes can get up to 112 degrees or the chill factor can be down to 10 degrees but there's always something to do on a homestead.  The temps were so hot today  walking out on the porch made me start to perspire.  The humidity was so high that opening the door to step outside caused me to almost lose my breath but even so there's things that have to be done.

We had chickens  hatch on March 29th and 30th.  When they were old enough William built a small building with wire on each end to house the chickens.  They'd outgrown the area so today we chased chickens to move them into a larger pen.  Talk about hot....and....sweaty (no perspiring in this case it was plain, old, hot sweat) we both were hot and sweaty when we finished with this chore.

We have some younger chickens that will be moved from the brooder into the small pen.  We have chicks of two ages.  There's about two weeks between these hatches.  I'm hoping that we can combine these two hatches in one pen without any major troubles.  There's only eight chicks in all so the area should be large enough to house all eight without too much fighting, feather picking or roosters marking out their territory and pullets.

We have a pen that has to be repaired.  It has two or three holes in one side which is an open invitation to skunks, o'possums and raccoons to come and dine.  It's getting the time of year when the critters start fattening up for hibernation.  I don't want them to be feasting on our animals to get that fat.

When the pen is finished we're putting the four roosters in it.  I'm going to fatten them up for freezer camp.  At least a couple of them will be sent to the freezer.  I want to keep one to use for breeding and another to keep in case my breeder decides to bite the dust or some varmint decides to bite him.

We have to get the hens away from the roos because those poor hens' backs are in terrible condition.  I have some of the chickens listed to sell in the Mississippi Farmers' Market Bulletin.  Right now, I don't know if anyone would want them they look so raggedly. 


We have some young roosters in the chicks that were hatched this year who will taking the older roosters place next spring.



As I said at the beginning there's always something to be doing on a homestead,  This is one job that we can't say we will do the chores only if the weather permits.  It has to be done come one hundred degree heat or ten degree winter time temps.  All animals have to eat and drink or they won't be here long nor will they produce eggs and meat as we want them to do.

This is my in depth discussion on not being able to stay inside with the air conditioner in the summer or the warm heater in the winter and the reason why.  I don't want to live any other way than what I'm living right now....heat or cold.

Thanks for dropping in.  Do come back, ya hear!