Geese are walking on the road!

You can see that it is spring fever time. Everything is wandering and especially the geese. I'm constantly running outside to chase the geese away from the road. Last week they were on the other side of the road. I had to stop traffic to get them back home. I gave them all away to a friend who has a lovely country home. Thinking they would have the life. The friend wanted to transport them in a burlap bag. OMG! I can't even imagine getting one of those huge geese in a bag. I will instead keep chasing them off the road.
So many of my birds are sitting on eggs. I wait till they go eat and steal from their nest. This morning I tried to get a goose off her nest and was viciously attacked. I think we may have more geese. Unless I get someone to help. That same someone must not be afraid of the goats so they will get into the pen where the goose is nesting. Everyone is scared of the goats. They can be miserable but I consider them harmless. It is their foot long horn that intimidates.
We have had a pair of wild mallards for the last couple days. The male is limping and often lets his lady fly off but he is staying close to us and the food dish. They are very small and real do need a meal. That is funny thinking that something around here needs a meal considering everyone is so over fed and fat. That is okay every body is well and if the mallards hang around, we will fatten them up too.

Good-by Florida

It's hard to believe that we are finally going home this Wednesday. After being here nearly three months I have gotten use to the heat, The beautiful palms and the endless presence of lizards and fire ants. I wish I had extended my winter holiday through April. I know I'm returning to cold and possibly more snow but at least we are looking towards summer instead of dreading the deep freeze of winter and minus degrees which are always prevalent during the month of January and February in Canada. I miss my animals and especially my Goats, Bugs and Teddy.
Regrettably I was informed that Mitzi, My attack chicken is missing. Why I got the news cast in Florida was beyond me, considering I could do little about it 2400 miles away, other then grieve. Which I did. I really liked that chicken. He was such a character. I won't get another. Chicken are such prey to anything hungry and spring is a time when the predators are out and looking for food. The other three silkies are safe in the garage. I brought them in for the winter. I know that probably bothered the people taking care of my house but too bad. It is my house after all and if I want a chicken roaming the basement that is my business. At least I know they are safe.
Seeing my animals are the only bright spot of leaving paradise. Yes it has been awesome. I still can't believe I skipped winter as sure as I skipped Christmas. Florida and Christmas just doesn't seem to go together. Next year I will spend Christmas in Canada, at home with my Children, God willing that I should live another year.

Hello from Florida

Down in sunny HOT Florida for the winter and while here I added to my huge family. I can't believe with 43 animals I had to go and get myself a new puppy! What on earth was I thinking. My neighbor here use to have 2 huskeys. One ran away and she got a German sheppard and let them mate, having 11 puppies. She gave me one. The puppy, I named Rover is so adorable. Of course he does his business all over my house and Billy has taught him to beg at the table. Like all my animals, at only 8 weeks he's already spoiled rotten. I'll get some pictures of him when we return to Canada...in the spring time. Speaking of returning to Canada, Do you know it is hard to fly with pets anymore? They have to fit under the front seat. I may have to drive home just because I got a dog too big. Crap. See ya in the springtime.

We are all well....

I have lost my internet and I fear it is only the beginning. In the mean time, all the animals are well. Mitzy (Red) has joined forces with the other chickens and they are a happy family. Romeo even shares his ladies. Red will steal away for a sneaky moment. But when Romeo realizes whats going on and he will attack. Red will run and I think that is why he attacks us because then we run. Almost every morning Red has jumped at me. It doesn't hurt but I see why he could scares ya. It is frightening to behold. Norah calls him Mohammad Ali and is impressed when he leaves her alone.
Snowball is coming home for the winter. I went to visit her and was dismayed to find her thin and still tied to a tree. The pen I made her was useless as she made a hole and went right under the fence. I asked her owner if she can come home for the winter and he said yes. I'm so over joyed. I'm going to pick her up over the Christmas holiday and bring gifts for the family.
The geese, Goats, pigs, dogs and cats are all doing well. I have to occasionally chase the ducks from the road. Just a couple. Ducks weren't given the smartest gene in pool
Moony, The name I settled on for the barn yard Kitten has become a total terrorist. The injuries I have suffered from this once poor frail baby. Including a scratch to my eye. Bites on my hands and wrist and many sleepless nights. Usually He is so precious and is just starting to meow. A quiet scratching voice.
Getting ready for winter. . I heard it is going to be a cold one. Saw a squirrels nest and it was low. Not much snow. Just very cold. May-be I will just bring them in the house. Like in the old days. Keep warm!

The GOLDEN GOOSE

I have discovered no matter how hard you try, It is impossible to plan for the future. I'm trying to save but when you have 43 animals, Someone is bound to get something and cost you a mint. This time it is Happy Feet our baby goose who is only a year old and usually, so healthy. Suddenly she became different. When I discovered her, She was submerged in a mud puddle and drinking from it. I was by her earlier in the day and she was still in that same spot. I have no idea what is wrong with her. I can't let her just sit in the mud puddle so I picked her up and put her in the pond. She stayed there the rest of the day and night. The next morning, My sweet friend Norah, walked into the pond and retrieved the bird. We drove her to Nicky Brown An avian Vet. in Guelph, I had already procured an appointment the previous day when I discovered her. They told me there was no appointments available but I could leave the bird and they would see her between. I thought Guelph was only about an hour away and was surprised when it was almost 11am. before we got there. They are keeping her for at least 5 days. I called today and was told she is the same. They were waiting for blood and feces test results. Initally The Vet thought lead poisoning but that test came back negative. I don't know. May-be I'm crazy to spend (I won't shock you with the amount) That kind of coinage on a goose but.....Yeah. I am. I could have gone to a fancy dancy restaurant (in Belgium) and had much more fun.
The stray barn kitty, on the other hand is doing great and loves to attack my hands while I sleep. He is almost completely healed and growing. But I don't think he will ever have hair where his battle scars were.
Misty the chicken is officially free. He has formed a relationship with The other silkies and the larger girl, Snow, He will steal the occasional moment with her and amazingly, snow encourages him. But if Romeo the other roster sees them, he will attack him and even chase snow back to his side. That doesn't bother Mitzy at all. He attacks every person that walked into the drive way. I mean there is a corridor where you cannot go with out this Chicken Troll chasing you. Everyone now whats to know where Misty is before they venture into the yard.
Heady is great. He is blind in one eye and smacks into allot of stuff but has his little routine and seems to be perfectly happy. I have stopped locking him up at night. I'm going to scrap his car. He is getting big and hates to be picked up so I do not want to see him upset.
Yet I freaked on my dog lex when he did a head butt into my leg. I thought the damn dog broke my leg and screamed. He doesn't like loud noises and ran. I feel real bad about that. Poor Lex. I feel worse about Happy feet and hope this vet can save her. I'll let you know.

Got a Kitten?

So much has happened! Summer is going so quickly and I can't seem to catch up with the work. We lost both Scarlett and Tiger, Both long term kitty's who had traveled with us from Toronto. Scarlett has been my baby since she and her sister Margaret were born in my closet. For a few days after I kept looking for her forgetting she was gone.
 Macloud had more babies and though I promised to mind my own business and keep away from them, I could not. How can I when I encountered a baby stretched out waiting to dye...die. HAHA! (I'm thinking of him at this moment with dyed hair. down.....Feathers.) No seriously. I picked up the baby and gave him water. He had a head injury. Or something. His eye was torn. Yuck. He was A 1 day old~sooooo i took care of him and he lived. thrives. He keeps away from the big boys though he is only a day younger then their young, he is much smaller in size. Now our goose count was up to fifteen. It fell to 14 with the loss of Lucky. another baby goose. I thought was going to be okay but died Last Friday evening.
 Saturday morning I spotted Coco with a baby duck. The continuation of life. And as it turn.
Thursday, I was Getting hay, Ireland came up to me with a very small kitten that she found in the barn. I told her to ask the farmer if we could have it. He said he doesn't do anything with that cats. Ireland was not letting this kitty out of her grasp and though it smelled awful, I didn't care if she wanted to save the sweet little thing. I wish I had got pictures. He is being a meal for something. He has bite marks, gashes really, mostly around his neck but everywhere, He is only 3-4 weeks old. Very thin, just skin and wounds. Crusty nose and watering eyes can be added to the mix. When I agreed to take the kitty, the farmer tried to give me my money back for the hay. He said, Get something for the animal. I did. The kitty got A Vet, lots of medicine, good food and a comfy bed. I got another job!

Serena died and Mitzi's MAD!

I went into the pen last week and found Serena dying. I think she was hit by a car. Our road is so unforgiving. The chicken normally doesn't venture as far as the road but I suspect she did this time and before noon she was dead. Mitzi stayed with her and on her trying to wake her up. We made a huge bomb fire and tried to put her in it and boy did Mitzi go nuts. He attacked and tried to keep us from his dead chicken. Billy was so frustrated from being attacked that he threw the rooster in the pond. That didn't deter him, in one fluid motion he was out of the pond and on the attack. We all ran. Mitzy cried that night and we all felt so sorry for him. The next day I went out and found him 2 beautiful silky hens. I showed him his new girlfriends and he attacked them. He wanted to hurt them. So now I have a new job. Keeping our new girls who I named Snow and flake, away from this crazy chicken.
   Yesterday, Our family grew even bigger!
I was walking down the stairs to check the mail and looked into the glass enclosure of the goats pen. There was 2 baby geese. They were not there when I fed in the morning. So I guess they just hatched. So cute. This morning one of the babies are limping. So many things can go wrong with newborn babies. I want to catch them and make sure they are safe but after last year, (What a farce) I decided to leave these to their parents protection. There are no more coyote and no one is locked in at night anymore so I don't fear the rats. I think they will be fine! But we have grown even bigger.
5 goats
10 ducks
3 dogs
3 cats
2 pigs
3 chickens
13 geese
39 animals! Yeah, I'm getting rid of all my animals so how did I go from 31 to 39???? I think I missed a few on my last count. I'm not getting anymore and that's final!