Hot and Humid With a 100% Chance of Visitors

Boy, oh, boy, it's hot here!

But then I suppose if you are reading this from just about anywhere else in this country,

you are saying the same thing.

Seems it's hot just about everywhere!

It's not the heat that gets us so much here...

as the humidity that accompanies the heat.

Humidity just makes it feel all the more hot...

and sticky... really sticky!

We've turned our days around and swapped them with our nights.

All of the animals do their grazing now at night

and just sleep to survive the heat of the day.

I've been emptying and refilling water buckets twice daily to assure that the animals

have cold water to drink.

There's just nothing refreshing about 90 degree drinking water, now is there?

Earlier this week we had visitors...

a friend and her two daughters Bella and Nina who braved the heat

to come visit with the animals.

Ginger and MaryAnn were especially happy to have company.

And the sheep reaped the rewards of a whole pack of Ritz crackers.

The heat made Daphne and Chloe a little cranky.

These two bullheaded Houdini gals just refuse to keep their fly masks on.

I find them in the middle of the dust of the dry lot.

How they get them off, I haven't a clue.

So very out of character, Daphne gave Bella and Nina's Mom a little pinch on the leg.

Bad Daphne.

You see?  I told you she was a little cranky.

Luckily, we have had a few thunderstorms pass through and drop a little much-needed rain.

The other side of that coin is the fact that those storms helped to increase the humidity.

As for the temperature?  Unchanged.  HOT!

I am sure you are wondering how Fish is since entering the Chicken Protection Program.

I am happy to report he has settled in to his new home.

His comb is nice and red and is not as flopped over as it had been.

There have been no skirmishes since his arrival...
so, all in all, it seems to be a successful re-location!

To answer a few recent questions...

I have not witnessed hens fighting with roosters.

That seems to be a rooster "thing."

Hens will, however, pick on any chicken that is weak or sick or injured.

When this happens, the weakened chicken is taken to Chicken Hospice

and allowed to live out his/her days in the barn,

with lots of visits from the barn kitties.

As for how the dogs treat the chickens...

for the most part they ignore the chickens.
The dogs know full well that chicken chasing is not a sanctioned sport here on the farm,
so they have all learned to respect (all) the animals.

I am sure you are wondering how Tom is getting on since the passing of his bestie, Chuck.

(Tom and Chuck are (were) both 7 years old.)
Tom spent yesterday in the company of the chickens and goats...
staying mostly in the shade of a willow tree.

I placed the following ad on the local "Livestock for Sale" Facebook Page:

Hopefully there will be some interest...

otherwise I will be visiting the local livestock auction.

Although it was suggested to me that I try Match.com!

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