Chicken update

The chicken flock is growing, 6 teenagers and 27 this last week. Still have about 12 left to hatch. The hens have been so insistent about sitting that I gave in and now everyone is hatching a few. Should have a flock of around 50 when all is said and done. So far though, total survival.
A few days later: lost a few chicks but ended up with 34. I now have the original hen and rooster, their 7 (2 roosters and 5 hens), 6 teenagers from March (4 roosters and 2 hens), and now the new chicks. Total flock of 49. It is really going to be cool watching them run around, but I promise myself I will keep the eggs gathered this time. Enough chickens for this year.

The Nose Bleed from Heaven

A few Thursday’s ago I was blessed with a nose bleed. Of course I didn’t know it was a blessing at the time and I sure wasn’t thinking blessing on Friday when I had three more. Since I have a history of high blood pressure, common sense told me I should track down a meter and check my BP. I felt my problem was just sinus, but better to be safe than sorry. On Saturday the bleeds were still active and I had yet to get hold of a meter. By this time I’m thinking whatever this is, it can’t be good. I was walking around like I was some sort of time bomb just waiting to stroke out. It forced husband and I to discuss what would happen something did happen to me. On Sunday nose would still bleed when I bent over or coughed or sneezed and I still hadn’t found a meter. Monday brought more bleeding but the meter finally arrived. I was OK. Granted I had taken at lot of my medicine over the last few days, but I was not stroking out. My medicine is an Enzymatic Therapy, a multi B vitamin complex that balances the heart enzymes and thus keeps my pressure normal. But back to the Monday readings, I was OK but when I checked husband he was off the charts. This was too weird, he has always had low pressure. We checked it a few more times and it was still crazy high. 190/114 Tuesday morning his attendant and I got similar readings which were high but not as bad as the night before. As the day went on the numbers got high again and after dinner he had shortness of breath, pain in left arm, and a headache. I called 911. We have First Responders. I had heard we had First Responders but didn’t really think about what that meant. What it means, is there are neighbors around here with the skills required to stabilize a patient while waiting for an ambulance, and boy did they get here quick. While they were here they got crazy readings such as 220/130. He is on meds now and will be going to the Dr. on Monday to adjust his dosage. All his heart test were perfect including his blood work and after two days in the hospital the Drs. still couldn’t explain.

Early May

Finally, some spring rain. Still the same old same old around here. Plants are doing great, especially the roses. There is a girl who walks by everyday and today I gave her a rose to enjoy along the way. I hadn’t noticed all the little white bugs until she took a big smell and noticed them. Something else to look up, what are they and how do I get rid of them? The roses are huge and smell awesome. The color is so red it is almost black.
The hens want to set real bad. I keep taking their eggs so they lay just enough in the nest to throw me off until I noticed Jr. was missing. On the second day I was able to follow her and found her on a nest under a tree out in the field. She was sitting on 19 eggs. I took them away and gave her an aspirin to break the fever chickens get when sitting. Grabble, one of the other hens set on 5 unfertile eggs and now she wants to try again. She got the best of me so I gave her 10 eggs today and she is so happy.
Got some free business cards from Earthlink so I can share my blog site with everyone. Until now only the family knew but now a few more know.
My cousin is coming to visit next week. Her husband has a birthday next Thursday and they are going to celebrate here. Imagine, Pencil Bluff a vacation destination. I sure am glad they have such a good time here because it sure brightens up our world when they are here. We don’t get company; our place is small and not everyone is comfortable in close quarters. They have been here often enough that we all just roll with the flow.
Katie went through her first heat so I hope to get her fixed next week. Also need some tapeworm medicine for Blue. He eats out a lot and needs to be on a 6 month schedule for tapeworm meds. Katie eats some strange stuff and I thought I saw a worm on her but it could have been transfer from Blue. Katie messes with that cat a lot. I switched out some of the feeders and now the one hanging from the tall cedar isn’t squirrel proof. Some folks worry about the sq. but I think it’s cool; at least for now. Only one sq. and only going for the sunflower seeds. It is amazing how he hangs upside down by the roof. The bird feeder is in the shape of a house with the top lifting off for filling. He’s got the top all caddy hampered. The dog spotted him earlier and chased him up the tree, but after the dog came in and the doves came back into the yard, the sq. came down. He’s a fox sq. and I have nicknamed him Rocky.