MyNameisMerlin! – Living de Good Life

Farm Funnies – More Stories of Odin and Merlin

If you have animals, whether they are in-house pets or farm animals, you will agree that they can be so silly. Watching them can bring waves of laughter and lighten your countenance. So it is for me. Here are some farm funnies that hopefully will make you chuckle.

Odin – King of the Pasture

So, if you have been following me for awhile, you know that Odin is already the star of two of my farm books: My Name is Odin https://www.amazon.com/My-Name-Odin-Good-Life/dp/1952894980/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=my+name+is+odin&qid=1636402786&sr=8-1 and Odin and Merlin: The Amazing Team at de Good Life Farm https://www.amazon.com/Odin-Merlin-Amazing-Team-Good/dp/1639840745/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=odin+and+merlin+the+amazing+team&qid=1636402872&sr=8-1. He continues to earn top billing here at the farm.

His most important title is “Livestock Guardian” and he performs it so well! We have not lost a chicken to a predator since his arrival at the farm! He OWNS the pasture! He always has his eye to the sky.

The other day I saw him flying from one side of the pasture to the other barking his loudest and fiercest bark. I followed him and couldn’t figure out what he was so upset about. Jeff was out there and I asked…he pointed up. A JET! Odin saw the jet as a predator from the sky!

He has learned to protect the chickens from whatever may pose as a danger to them, even if that “danger” is Freya. She is going to be a great teammate for him someday, but she can’t yet be trusted with the chickens off-cable. He is so serious about his duties, whether the perceived danger is a flock of geese, a jet, or even a hot air balloon! The important thing is that he pays attention and does his job!

Anyway, back to my farm funnies! You know that I love writing stories about my animals. Their antics delight me! Last night, while I was in the barn, their entertainment was no exception. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to take many pictures. I am hoping that my story-telling abilities will be descriptive enough that you will feel like you are watching them from wherever you are reading this blog post.

Get Out of My Space!

While I was milking Mocha, I heard a chicken squawking. That typically means one (or more) chicken has been dumb enough to go into Odin’s kennel. I heard Merlin quite upset as well.

When I had a chance to get up and look, my suspicious were confirmed. There was a chicken in Odin’s kennel and bless his heart, Odin was being as careful and as gentle as a 140ish-pound dog can be with a creature approximately three per cent of its body weight.

And Merlin? He was talking up a storm in a reprimanding tone, but not at Odin…at the chicken! It was almost like he was saying “You stupid chicken! I have told you time and time again not to go in there!”

The Backstory

(NOTE: This is not the first time I have seen this scenario! Several weeks ago when I was on the tractor and we were moving the meat chickens, I could tell Odin had his mouth on a chicken inside his kennel. I instinctively yelled “No!” to try and stop him. Then I watched. His intentions obviously weren’t malicious! He was trying to get that chicken out of his kennel. I continued to watch and he was using his paws and his mouth trying to get it out.

Finally, in amazement, I watched him PICK UP THAT CHICKEN and carry it out of his kennel just like a mama dog would carry her pup! Then he literally spat it out of his mouth! The chicken ran away and I looked back at Odin and he didn’t seem real pleased with what was left in his mouth! You know how you stick your tongue out and try to scrape out a nasty taste or sensation? That is EXACTLY what he was doing!! I absolutely howled…then praised him for being such a good boy!) Now, back to present…

Back to the Story

As I continued to watch, he tried to pick her up by her neck (like he had done with that chicken before — same one?? Who knows!) but he couldn’t get a good grasp, even using his big paws to try and hold her! I wondered what he would do. I stared in amazement as I watched him catch her by her tail and literally push and shove her out of his kennel. When she was clearly outside of it, he released her and she ran away! I laughed out loud and praised him for being such a good boy!

Do-Over! Really?

Soon after finishing milking, I heard the scenario repeating itself. I watched Odin trying to get that “stupid chicken” out of his kennel AGAIN but he didn’t seem to be making any progress. I went over and tried to help, but every time we (yes, Odin and I were working together as a team) got her near the door and I thought she would make a run for it, she headed back into the kennel!

Since I didn’t seem to be helping the situation, I went back into the barn. Odin, however, did NOT give up. As I heard her squawking again, I turned to see him with his mouth on her tail again! Only, this time, he picked her up by her tail and walked her right out of his kennel! He took her as far as his cable would allow (we cable him during chores to keep him from causing havoc in the barn with the cows going back and forth) and then dropped her. I absolutely howled with laughter!

Odin’s intelligence continues to amaze me and his understanding that 1) he is their protector, but 2) his kennel is his space and he has a right to protect it! Again, I praised him over and over and told him what a good boy he is! Of course, he LOVED that!

Merlin’s Territorial Battles

Merlin, who also is the star of two of my farm books, My Name is Merlin https://www.amazon.com/My-Name-Merlin-Good-Life/dp/195045472X/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=my+name+is+merlin&qid=1636402959&sr=8-1, and Odin and Merlin: The Amazing Team (referenced above), is an amazing creature! He is now in the process of training his fourth flock of hens and he, too, takes his job here at the farm very seriously!

We had a totally unexpected upset to Merlin’s world when I stupidly accepted three “free” chicks in June when I picked up this batch of layer chicks…and of course (I later I was told by a friend that if you are offered “free” chicks from a hatchery…they are almost assuredly going to be ROOSTERS!). Anyway, I digress… we discovered a few weeks ago that they were, IN FACT, roosters!

They didn’t seem to upset the balance of power too badly until this past week. Evidently, they matured and that fact made them decide to claim some of Merlin’s hens for themselves. Actually, it seems it was only ONE of the roosters that decided to help himself to the hens and Merlin was well-aware of which one it was!

Get Away from My Hen!

One evening, I heard Merlin carrying on something fierce and I looked out from the barn just in time to see Merlin running his fastest…wish I had a picture…in attack mode, toward that rooster who was with one of Merlin’s hens. The rooster saw him coming and ran away, but Merlin didn’t stop the chase! He chased after him all over the pasture till he was far away from the hen.

Merlin’s House…Merlin’s Rules

So, that evening, as is our usual practice, after milking and chores I checked to make sure all of the chickens were safely in the coop. I saw one of the roosters hanging around, so I walked slowly behind it, which normally will encourage it to go in the coop. It tried to go in! As it began to enter the door of the coop, Merlin came FLYING out of the coop door, yelling and screaming at this rooster. I don’t know what words he used, but there was no doubt in that roosters mind that he wasn’t allowed in the coop.

I told Jeff what I had witnessed and we agreed that we respect Merlin enough that we would allow his rule to stand. We weren’t sure whether he was disciplining that rooster or banning him, but Merlin is too important to this farm to upset him, so we did nothing. We were unsure what would happen to the rooster for the night with Odin and Freya both loose at night.

Another Day…Same Story

However, the next evening, I witnessed the same thing. This time, Merlin was obviously QUITE upset and frustrated and not only did he run after the rooster, he attacked him and kept at it until that rooster decided the hen wasn’t worth it and ran away. So, I thought that was the end of it!

Nope! Later on, that rooster was at it AGAIN! This time, what I witnessed amazed me! Not only was Merlin carrying on as he went after the rooster, but he was so loud and upset that Odin, who was investigating something way in the back of the pasture, came running full-stride and barking to see what was wrong. Odin came to Merlin’s rescue and helped him get that rooster away from the hen. I stood there in total amazement! They truly are a team!

Banished From the Coop!

That evening, again after chores, that lone rooster was left outside the coop. Again, I walked behind it trying to get it go into the coop, thinking that perhaps Merlin was just teaching it who was BOSS! The rooster seemed hesitant and was kind of like “don’t force me to do this!”

As he was loitering outside the door of the chicken coop, Merlin was inside reprimanding him and whatever Merlin was saying, that rooster understood that he was not permitted to enter. I decided not to force the issue, hoping it would find shelter for the night. It did, under a board leaning up against the barn.

Peace Reigns Again

Yesterday afternoon, Jeff caught the three roosters and put them in a cage. I transported them to a local guy who has chickens and roosters and sells them to people who need or want them. It’s funny how the removal of these three roosters have restored peace in Merlin’s world…and therefore, peace in the pasture!

These animals are absolutely amazing to me! I wish I knew their language, but I can read their behavior enough to guess what they are saying. The balance is perfect: Merlin owns his hens and Odin owns the pasture and whenever there is anything that upsets the balance, they are still an amazing team. They work together to protect the pasture and its inhabitants from predators and to restore peace!

Non-fiction Children’s Picture Books

If you enjoyed these stories and you haven’t read any of my published books about the animals here on the farm, please check them out on the “Books” tab of my website: https://dianeorrauthor.com/books/ Each book is described on that page as well as upcoming soon-to-be-released works. I hope you enjoy them!

Farm Life Is a Good Life!

Farm life is a good life but a hard life! We have lived here on de Good Life Farm for almost seven years! It hardly seems possible! I still remember dreaming about the days from our home in a nearby subdivision. We talked for years about what it would be like, what animals we would raise, and I did a LOT of research! However, no amount of dreaming or research prepared me for the constant ups and downs!

We Must Replace the Poly Tape Electric Fence – Escapee #1

We began talking about replacing the electric poly tape with field/cattle fence after taking our last batch of meat chickens to the processor. It was that week in June that Odin decided he was going to take a vacation. I guess he missed the chickens or didn’t feel needed? Who can know, but three nights in a week, he escaped the back pasture. One of those nights it took us an hour and a half to find him. From that night, we knew we had to cable him for his own protection until we could figure out a way to keep him from escaping.

Thank goodness for good friends!

We made plans to purchase field fence and on the hottest day of the summer, two friends came to help Jeff get that big job started! Brutal was the weather but our friends’ desire to help was just as strong! The three of them worked for hours on that extremely hot 90 degree Sunday to get two parts of the fence put up! Their help was amazing and gave us the momentum we needed to get the job done!

Escapee #2

Then another animal decided to taste freedom — Fred, a 9-month old Jersey/Hereford cross steer. I don’t know what it is about the number THREE, but he also escaped three times in one week! After the third time when someone had to call and let us know he was out, we decided we had to contain him in the barn until the fence was completed.

This however was difficult to execute! When we found out he had escaped, he was down by the road trying to get into the pasture with Mocha, Jersey and Daisy. I’m sure he just wanted to play but his entrance to that pasture would have created a whole new set of problems!

I have to say my husband’s years of being on his dad’s farm definitely have come in handy for many situations here at de Good Life Farm! He stayed calm. Me? I wanted to run around behind that steer and chase him, yell or cry…SOMETHING! but Jeff wisely told me to calm down or go in the house. Needless to say, I chose to calm down!

Gradually, Jeff worked Fred toward the house and we got him cornered between the milk room and the propane. “Now what?” I asked. Jeff told me to go to the barn and get the lead rope, which I did…running!

Jeff did an amazing job getting the lead rope around Fred’s head but I have to admit I thought it was a lost cause. Amazingly, Jeff’s patience and methodical tenacity won out! Again, I thought, “Now what?”

One Against Two

We began the trek through the gate and across the back yard toward the barn. I wish I could have taken a picture of the process, but honestly, we had our hands full! Jeff is a strong man, raised on a farm with steers. He instinctively wrapped that lead rope around his waist and started to walk. He COULDN’T MOVE! That steer was STRONG and he had NO INTENTION of moving!

Here I am, standing behind the steer, and I decide to push on his behind to help Jeff gain some momentum! HAHA! My 125 pounds made NOT ONE IOTA of difference in the distance between us and the barn! So, being rather resourceful, what did I do?

I began putting my boot on the back of Fred’s leg which forced him to take a step. So we began our trek to the barn, literally ONE STEP AT A TIME! But, we made it!

We got him into Jersey’s stall, and made sure there was hay and water and walked out. He wasn’t happy but I breathed a sigh of relief! He couldn’t escape from there even though his head-banging indicated he thought he could!

Chain Reaction

milking Jersey in the middle of the barn

As is true in life, for every action, there is a reaction. The reaction to the fact that Escapee #2 was now residing in Jersey’s stall meant that everything had to change when milking time came! This really wasn’t an issue for me. It gave me access to the cross breeze and I didn’t have to sit lopsided in the straw! However, it did impede traffic in the barn while she was there.

Fred looking out the crack in the barn door between head-banging episodes

Meanwhile, we realized that until the rest of the field fence was put up and whatever was making the electric poly tape lack in charge was figured out, Fred had to remain in the barn. That gave us the necessary motivation to work tirelessly (that’s a weird word, because we were exhausted and muscles we had never heard from before were screaming) to accomplish the task at hand.

Git-R-Done!

So, back to getting the fence done. We worked on the back fence which was easier in some ways and harder in some ways. Rather than pounding fence staples into wood posts, we had to connect the fence to metal t-posts which meant taking a weird little metal apparatus and affixing it around the t-post to the fence. Not as easy as it sounds! While working on the corral fence, I had become efficient at being the “fence stretcher”. However, now I was the “apparatus attach-er” and Jeff was the “fence stretcher”! We completed that side of the pasture in one day.

The next morning, when I tried to get out of bed, I couldn’t. I could barely ROLL out of bed. But, one thing farm life has taught me is that it doesn’t really matter whether you FEEL like it, what has to be done, HAS TO BE DONE!

So, I took it easy for awhile that morning, rested my back and took Tylenol (something I don’t take very often at all). By noon, I felt that I could again be the fence stretcher. So we began again and completed what was necessary that day to enclose the back pasture. This meant we could set Escapee #1 free. It thrilled me to see Odin’s happy face and watch him once again bound across the pasture!

The amazing thing that has happened is that by putting up the field fence and taking down three of the four strands of electric poly tape, and replacing one strand of worn poly tape, the electric current on the fence through which Fred had escaped suddenly jumped to 7,000 volts! He will certainly feel that if he attempts another escape!

Inmate Released Back into Society

Fred returned to the pasture with his family

To date, no one has escaped again…and so I can definitely breathe a little easier.

Confused Chickens

Chickens wondering how they USED to get through but no longer can!

The last phase of the pasture transformation was putting hard cloth on all the gates to prevent the chickens from leaving the pasture. This accomplishes two things. First, they now have to remain in the back pasture where they can be protected 24/7 by their capable livestock guardian, Odin. Secondly, they can no longer get into the back yard to eat my grapes and flowers, as well as they can no longer get into the neighbors’ yards.

They have tried every which way they can to get through, but they are now truly “pastured chickens” and not “backyard chickens”. This makes me very happy. If you haven’t read my most recent de Good Life Farm book Odin and Merlin: The Amazing Team at de Good Life Farm, you may buy it here: https://www.amazon.com/Odin-Merlin-Amazing-Team-Good/dp/1639840745/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Odin+and+Merlin%3A+The+Amazing+Team&qid=1631722987&sr=8-1. After reading this book, you will understand how important it is for the chickens to remain in an area where Odin can protect them.

The End….??

Daisy with her new friends Merlin and his hens

So, this is the end of this very long post. But, it is definitely NOT the end of the tales of the tails, trials and ticklers here on de Good Life Farm! I hope you have enjoyed reading. If so, check out the Books page and see which stories you would like to read…and you may subscribe to this blog. You will find a variety of topics to interest and amuse you! Thanks for visiting! Enjoy your day! I’ll leave you with a sweet picture.

What’s Going On?

newest “de Good Life Farm” book released

Well, it’s been a pretty long time since I wrote on my blog. But, don’t think I haven’t been writing! Since I posted last, in April, we have been very busy here on the farm and I have been very busy as an author!

First, the authoring news! In May, My Name is Odin was released! If you aren’t familiar with Odin, he is our 28-month-old Great Pyrenees livestock guardian dog. He is an amazing creature and my love and respect for him grows daily. He has been “off lead” and in “full guardian mode” since he turned two years old in April and he has literally OWNED the pasture and the protection of the animals who live there!

He has learned NOT to chase the Merlin and his hens (well, he remembers that MOST of the time!). Then in July, we introduced him to our 50 three-week-old broiler meat chicks. Oh boy! Did he love having them in the pasture! He layed by them, circled the chicken tractors and left his mark multiple times a day! I think he was energized by the fact that when he was investigating and making his rounds around the chicken tractor, the chicks would squawk and scatter. But, he is STILL a puppy, right? He has his routine in patrolling the entire pasture, which I think is more than cool!

Mocha and Jersey have learned (again, for the most part!) to put up with him. He loves to “tail” them (literally following under their tails) when they are going from pasture to barn and back again. Sometimes Jersey’s dislike for him is displayed by turning around quickly and giving him “the look” as if to say “keep your distance, buddy, or I’m gonna kick you right in the nose!” And, amazingly enough, he seems to read her, because most of the time he will back off.

His speed amazes me. One day when we were out doing chores, I noticed he was laying over in the side pasture with something between his paws…the typical pose for when he is eating a bone, etc….but I hadn’t given him a bone. So, I slowly approached, talking softly and sweetly to him so he didn’t feel threatened…and he picked his treasure up and headed to the back pasture with it. I am not totally sure what it was, but I am almost positive it was a bunny. It was the right size and the right shape. The thoughts of that boy being fast enough to catch and eat a bunny totally astounds me! However, I know HE IS FAST! When he is running up behind me and passes me, the wind he brings with him is amazing and the speed with which he passes me is impressive! I don’t hear him until he is just a few paces behind me and then it’s breathtaking…hoping one day he doesn’t knock me over. Once, he didn’t steer clear enough and some part of him hit the back of my knee. I don’t know how I kept from falling! Thankfully, I stayed upright with a new appreciation of all of his attributes that make him such a good livestock guardian.

He is SMART! AND, he is motivated by the duck jerky treats I found at our local pet supply store. When preparing to let him off the lead for good, I had to find something that would motivate him to obey. The beef jerky treats did NOTHING! The chicken treats did nothing! So I tried the “European raised duck jerky” and oh my! It’s almost funny because even when he knows he is going to get tied up (to keep him out of the barn when it has to be opened, because he causes havoc in the barn…cats…chicks…etc.) you can see his dilemma. He WANTS the treat but you see the struggle in his behavior as he has to deny himself freedom for the treat! Jeff won’t even attempt to tie him up because he doesn’t take treats out with him and Odin stays far from him and watches because he knows Jeff will tie him up if he gets too close…and he won’t even get a treat for his trouble!

So, on to the next book: my fifth book in the de Good Life Farm book series, The Mysterious Midnight Visitor at de Good Life Farm is waiting for the final edits to be made by my publisher and hopefully will be released in the next couple of weeks! But, the most exciting thing perhaps, is that I have completed my first children’s fiction picture book, Carmella’s Camel, and have begun my first fiction chapter book (name being withheld for now).

Besides the writing I am doing, I have one children’t book being illustrated, with another to follow soon after. And, I am working on some counting books (if you know me, you know that not only do I LOVE words…I LOVE numbers!) Writing is such a joy to me. The marketing…well, not so much! Guess I will just have to continue writing and getting books published because I love it and I have a lot of things to write about..and not because I am making money at it.

The COVID-19 pandemic has blown out the fire in my book sales because the schools have been where I have sold the most, which makes sense because children are my audience! Not being able to do author visits makes me sad. Not only do I appreciate the sales, but I absolutely LOVE interacting with the children, watching them interact and respond to the books as I read them and answer their questions (or hear their stories and comments as well). I hope that someday soon, those visits can continue.

So, back to the meat chickens – yesterday completed the good life we gave our first batch of meat birds and we loaded them up in the truck early in the morning. Of course, we tied Odin up…can’t even imagine how much harder they would have been to catch had he been loose to rile them up! Anyway, he watched intently as we caught and put each one in crates and loaded them onto the truck. Then, he watched as we went to the second chicken tractor and did the same. The look on his face was perplexed concern. He strategically placed himself in front of the chicken tractor where his new charges are (the four-week-old meat chickens) as if to say, “You can’t take these!”

Micah drove the truck loaded with chickens out of the pasture and Jeff closed the gate. I let Odin off the lead and immediately he headed over to the empty chicken tractors to check them out. I headed to the house to grab what I needed to take with me to the processor and then as we pulled out, I realized Odin had run all the way to the front pasture so he could see what was happening with the chickens. It was as if he felt responsible for their well-being and he was reluctant to turn over his duty of protection to anyone else. It was so adorable and admirable!

Now we have the second batch of broiler chicks in both of the big chicken tractors in the pasture and the cycle starts again. As soon as they were all safely moved into their new homes…Odin began making his rounds, keeping his watchful on them…and of course, making them noisily scatter when he came near.

Besides broilers, we are raising thirty layer chicks. Our layers’ production has dwindled and in this family, 3-4 eggs per day will NEVER do…so we will eagerly anticipate the day in late fall that we will begin getting eggs again and have enough to share. This time, when ordering, I opted for a higher percentage of the good egg producers and fewer of the “pretty variety egg” producing hens. After skimping on eggs for weeks now, I want the majority of my hens to be all about laying eggs. I did get a few Americana’s for their pretty blue eggs, but just a few!

And gardening…this year I have grown the most amazing garden I have probably ever grown. My zucchini plants are monstrous (as are some of the zucchini that hide under those amazingly large leaves) and I have frozen tons of zucchini spirals for use instead of pasta and shredded zucchini for breads and muffins. YUM! Now my tomatoes are starting to come on and I made my husband’s day when I put fresh tomatoes on his turkey sandwich and salads.

My sweet red peppers are nearly ready to harvest and I have banana peppers ready to freeze. Jalapeños are already in the freezer, so when my Roma tomatoes are ready, it’s salsa time! I will also be sharing my Roma tomatoes with my mom for canning, since I seem to use a lot of the tomatoes she cans. This year it will be a joint effort.

But the “funnest” thing about my garden is growing pumpkins. I don’t ever remember growing pumpkins before but I have wanted to for some time. The pumpkins started off as something fun for whatever grandkids can be here when they are ready to harvest…but they have turned into something FAR more than that! (I am going to be slyly evasive about this for now).

I love how the pumpkin leaves grow so symmetrically!

We have had a pretty difficult last four weeks — the first weekend, we lost our air conditioning on one of the hottest days of the season. We couldn’t keep the house cool enough and we are so sad that even with fans and water, Beau, our not-even-five-year-old male golden retriever died from heat stroke. Our hearts are broken.

The next weekend, the air conditioning went out AGAIN…a different issue…however it wasn’t AS HOT as the previous weekend and we took our female golden, Lacey, to our son’s house to hang out for awhile. Thankfully, the problem with the air conditioner was discovered and the fixed!

The following weekend our other son got sick with some stomach/intestinal bug (oh, this is AFTER a week and a half before that when my husband got sick with the same symptoms!) and he was pretty sick for a week! Then, he had to get a COVID test in order to return to work. We are still waiting on those results even though he has been well for several days.

Then, this past weekend, (YES! another weekend!), we blew a fuse in the barn when going out to do milking and evening chores. Our sweet neighbor, Dave, came and tried to fix it (he can fix anything!), but no luck. We put together more than 240 feet of extension cords and plugged them in on the deck so that our 3 week old layer chicks wouldn’t die. We have done the milking with no light and no fans…until I got fed up and found another extension cord for those luxuries during chores! Today, we finally got electric restored…it was a BIG ticket…issues that should have been caught when we bought the house, but unfortunately, weren’t.

the path where the new electric lines were laid from barn to house

Well, I just wanted to catch you all up on what we’ve been up to here at de Good Life Farm. It has been an eventful few months, but what can you do but be thankful to the good Lord for the blessings and keep plowing ahead?

Hope you enjoyed this update and will subscribe to my blog. Watch for the announcement that my new website is up and running (hopefully soon) http://www.dianeorrauthor.com. You will also be able to access my blog there as well purchase books and eventually other items!

If you are interested in checking out my books, here is the link: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=diane+orr&crid=3NYF4KYLALEVW&sprefix=diane+Orr%2Caps%2C172&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-a-p_1_9

You can also access them at http://www.bn.com as well as http://www.penitpublications.com.

Enjoy what remains of your summer! Thanks for stopping by! Will hope to talk to you again soon!

The rest of the rest of the story

I have been thinking and planning to write this post for several days now…and now it has an ending different than it would have been had I had written it then…but I will tell the story as it has unfolded.

Over the next several days after my last post, I became totally amazed at the intelligence and self-preservation this “stupid” chicken possessed…totally dispelling my beliefs that she was “stupid”. She got into the habit of waiting until it was dark when her flock was all settled in the coop into their spots on the roosting bar and in their nighttime “trance” and she would sneak into the coop and find a spot on the roosting bar. (If you don’t know chickens, they can be very ruthless, especially when one of them is ostracized for one reason or another, or when one of them is weak or has been injured). When I would go out in the mornings to feed them, she would patiently wait until I fed them and they were all busy eating. Then she would sneak out of the coop while I cleaned and filled the water. I would then put some feed on the cinder block outside the coop and she would eat in peace. She spent the days in the pasture finding worms, eating grass and taking care of the manure piles she found. This continued until yesterday!

Chicken (nka “Tenny”) eating feed off of block after escaping the coop

I found that if I went out too early at dusk to shut them in, she would get left out of the coop. She would wait until it was very dark to be sure they were all settled down for the night, deep into their nighttime “trance”.

This particular night, I watched her from the kitchen window. I saw her hanging around the coop, no doubt waiting for her flock to settle down so she could go in. It was nearly dark and I didn’t see her anymore, so I headed out to do my “chicken count” and shut the coop up. As I got to the door, I saw her huddled right in front of the door. I experienced simultaneous sadness and anger! She appeared at first to be dead, then I realized she must be in shock. There was blood spattered and feathers scattered all around. She must have been brutally attacked by one (or more) of her flock as she tried to enter the coop. Bless her heart! She looked so defeated. It broke my heart.

I didn’t have my gloves on (and I have this thing about picking up chickens without my gloves), so I headed back into the house to ask for Jeff’s help. He came out and as he reached down to pick her up, she ran away toward the corral. I was relieved that she was moving, however, in hindsight, I should have followed her to make sure she was safe in the shelter. I didn’t.

The next morning, when I came out to do chores, she wasn’t hanging around anywhere near the coop or the barn, like she usually is. I looked around and she was just inside the corral fence but out in the open, looking pretty bad, but still breathing. I felt immediate remorse. Because I hadn’t secured her safety in the corral last night, she had been beaten by the pelting rain, hail and wind during the night. I was thankful a predator hadn’t taken advantage of her condition. I felt so sad for her.

I gently carried her to the shelter farthest from where the chickens could find her and settled her into some hay. I honestly don’t think she will make it, but I wanted her to be comfortable. Bless her heart…she has fought hard against the bullies of her family and I am angry at them.

Chickens, by nature, are ruthless…which is one of the reasons I am not a fan of chickens themselves. I love having them, seeing them in the yard, and gathering and enjoying the eggs they provide, hearing my rooster greet the morning…but I am reminded again how mean they can be. It’s a sad day here at de Good Life Farm. Farm life is hard. Some days are good and rewarding and fun. Others are filled with hard and sad things…this is one of those days.

But, just so I don’t end on such a depressing note…Spring has sprung here at the farm and we have begun acclimating the cattle to the fresh, lush spring grass. We must do this gradually…so for 3-4 days now, they have been enjoying the pasture grass and sunshine for 30 minutes right before milking time. They are so cute. They romp and play like big puppies when they leave the barn and then settle down to the business of eating!

I have noticed an increase in their milk over the last few days…don’t know if that is coincidence or just the result of them being happy to be outside some. They amazed me by responding to the “dinner bell” when it was time for them to come into the barn for feed and milking. Such good girls!

The calves (Snickers and Hazel) have become quite vocal when they think it’s time for them to be let out into the pasture. They almost sound angry if I don’t respond by opening the gate!

UPDATE!!!

Before this post got published, there has been an amazing turn-around in the health and well-being of the chicken who has shown herself to be tenacious, brave and have more stamina than I would even have imagined. I am going to name her “Tenny” for “tenacious”. Yesterday morning, after I found her, we got her all set up in one of the shelters with straw bedding, food and water. I didn’t want her to become a hawk’s free lunch just sitting in the pasture and I wanted to protect her from her flock when they got out of the coop.

She was so weak and listless when we put her in…I suspected when I checked on her at chore time, she would have died. But, NO! She was sitting up in the coop! Didn’t appear she had eaten anything, but she seemed more alert! And this morning when I went to the shelter to check on her, she was STANDING UP and it appeared she had eaten some food! I am absolutely flabbergasted that she is bouncing back. The wounds on her head are healing and she seems to be regaining strength!

And, in conclusion, I have to include this next photograph! Snickers and Hazel…once cattle get the taste of fresh spring grass, it must be like a drug to them…they want more and more. Of course, my job as their caretaker is to carefully manage how often and for how long they have access so that I can keep them healthy. But, every time I head to the barn for midday chores…or, for that matter, go outside for anything…they start yelling as if I have forgotten they want to get into the pasture. One day it’s Hazel, the next day it’s Snickers. Today it’s Hazel. I wish you could hear her. It isn’t a sweet, imploring “moo”…it is a very disgusted and demanding “moo”. Anyway, you can see her mooing at me in this photo!

Snickers and Hazel screaming to get into the pasture.

I know these are frustrating times. I sense a “covid-19” post in the near future. But, just keep safe…and find things to make you smile and always, count your blessings!

“you, stupid chicken”…

It’s been awhile since I’ve posted. I like everyone else have been busy wrapping my head around the events going on in the world. But, just had to share with you our most recent dilemma here on the farm.

Well, Merlin, our rooster, and I are in the same boat…EXTREMELY FRUSTRATED with one of the hens! (If you have read my book “My Name is Merlin“, you know he has really owned his job of managing the flock!) The trouble began last week when I accidentally forgot to secure the chicken door open when gathering eggs and the flock got caught outside their coop in the middle of a snow and sleet storm. Totally my fault! I went out to shut them in for the night and couldn’t figure out why one of them was hanging around beside the coop instead of going in.

I realized what I had done, quickly opened and secured the door, profusely told them I was so sorry and scurried the soaked flock from the cattle shelter where they were hiding out, into the safety and dry cover of their coop. I began counting them as they found their places on the perch: one, two three…..thirteen! WHAT? There are supposed to be fourteen! So, I went out to figure out who was missing and found one of the Cuckoo Marans. I literally thirty minutes chasing her around, in my boots that were NOT meant for snow and mud, trying to get her to go into the coop. FINALLY, she complied and I locked them in and headed into the house. As I was walking away, I heard Merlin giving her a very stern and loud talking-to!

A similar scenario has played out each night when it was time to shut them in. I go in after milking chores are finished, count them and shut them safely in for the night. (Now, our flock, like most flock, head to their coop as dusk descends. Our flock is “encouraged” to head that way by Merlin, however, I know that other flocks tend to do this even without a rooster to guid them.) Each night, the count has been thirteen, and I have had to coax or chase THE SAME HEN into the coop.

Earlier this week, she was hanging around and she flat-out refused to head toward the coop! She was deliberately NOT going in! She was hanging around the barn. I threw a few pine cones at her to get her going the right direction and I thought that had helped, but NOPE! She doubled back and left the area.

Once I actually got my boot on her, keeping her from getting past me and she started squawking! By this time, Merlin had heard the noise of her squawking and sound of me yelling at her and came out to lend his support! Finally, she began running and squawking toward the coop but ran right past it! Merlin had had enough! He went to where she was hunkered down and totally “dominated” her. She stayed down for a few minutes and then squawking, got up and ran for the coop! He was yakking at her and she was squawking, but he got his message across to her and she complied with his authority! As I followed them in the coop, shut and locked the door, I could hear Merlin STILL giving her a piece of his mind! I couldn’t help but smile!

Merlin with his girls…one of the black ones at the front of the group is “the stupid chicken”.

I thought we had made progress because the next couple of nights she complied…she was the LAST one to go in, but she went in without much fuss. Tonight, was the last straw!

Everyone was in…except for her! I could hear her squawking while I was milking and between cows, I had gone out and tried to encourage her to go into the coop since everyone else was already in there and I could hear Merlin talking to her. But, NO! She wouldn’t.

I tried. Jeff tried. Odin even tried. She did end up on the yard side of the coop which usually then, she will go in. But tonight, she refused! She went up to the chicken door, acted like she was going to go in and then turned around and left. So, I opened the whole door. She did the same thing! Walked right up like she was going to go in and then deliberately turned around and left.

So, I told Merlin “Sorry, buddy. I tried, but I’ve had enough.” I counted to make sure the thirteen were all in safely, and they were. I shut the door, locked it and said “ok, stupid chicken. You are on your own.” I walked away! I couldn’t believe I was walking away but I am just that done!

I do hope she survives the night. I hope she learns her lesson. As I entered the door to the house, I looked back toward the coop. She was at the door flying up at the coop trying to get in, but I didn’t go back out. I stood my ground! I knew that if I did, it would be the same thing all over again.

I feel a tiny bit guilty. I hope Merlin isn’t upset all night, but I know for a fact she has frustrated him quite a bit too. Evidence of his discipline is obvious by the feathers missing on her head. In Jeff’s words, her one egg just isn’t worth the hassle every night. I must agree. Good night and good luck, you, stupid chicken!

Tag: MyNameisMerlin!