The Beauty of Calm

The rooster situation has calmed down for the time being.

Separation has prevented any further disagreements.

Wounds are healing... although with scabs all over their combs and wattles,

these two handsome roosters are looking pretty wretched.

One Roo is living with Lucile in the spare barn stall.

They seem to be getting along just fine...

spending the cold nights together beneath their heat lamp.

Lucille has adopted an open bag of shavings as her nest.

She's on strike, however, and has produced no eggs in weeks.

(Probably in protest of the current roommate situation!)

After "fixing" rooster situations, it's always nice to spend a little time

in one area of the farm where there is never any drama!

I can always count on a visit with Gracie and the girls to be peaceful

and calm.

Sheep are just about the easiest animals to deal with.

Their needs are few... shelter from severe weather, grass (or hay),

a protein/mineral block, and plenty of fresh water.

Given these....and sheep are perfectly content.

The girls have an extra treat to nibble on these days...

one of the Christmas trees.

This is the first year we have given the sheep a tree...

usually the goats consume all of the trees.

I have noticed, though, that given the choice of grazing on grass or 

eating shrubbery.... the sheep always choose shrubbery, or brambles, or low-lying branches.

So, when it came time to divvy out the trees... we thought, "why not!"

I must admit, however, these girls are a little picky with their hay...

and comb through their offerings picking out just the right pieces and leaving the rest behind.

Luckily, what the sheep won't eat, the horses will.

When it comes to hay... our horses are not picky at all.

I took this picture of the dry lot yesterday afternoon.

You'll notice it is still covered in snow and ice.

The temperature in the city reached 48 yesterday...

however here in the hills of the countryside it didn't warm up that much.

Today it is to be almost 60 degrees in the city.

It will be interesting to see how warm it gets here.