So Long, Boys

Having been remiss in posting here, this is perhaps not the most uplifting entry to hail my return, but life goes as it goes as it goes. And so...

In December, we had to say so long to our sweet Otter. We had the privilege of being his humans for 14 years, and every one of those years was a warm, cuddly joy. Life around here will never be the same without Mr. Schnoogles. Miss you, Buddy.

****************************************************************

There is chicken news, as always.

 Last time I posted, I talked about having three new roosters and that the smallest one I'd named Joey. Remember that? Well, I was mistaken. Not only is Joey not a rooster, I didn't even post the right picture of her. The above photo really is her, and she is now named Johanna, or as I call her, Jo-Jo. 

Here's Ivy again -- same pic as before, nothing misleading to correct. The reason I'm featuring her again, though, is because she has exciting news for you. You may recall that Ivy is the chicken that was supposed to be a Sicilian Buttercup but is an Easter Egger instead. I was not at all upset at that turn of events since I'd rather have the blue-green egg layer over the brown egger anyhow, but the news gets even more exciting. As it turns out, Ivy is an olive egger! My curmudgeonly Hazel is also an olive egger, but she has the shortest laying season of all the hens, and her days may be numbered this year depending on her production. Her egg color has been her saving grace so far, but little Ivy here has her eye on Hazel's nest box.

Speaking of numbered days, we come to some more goodbyes, although these of our own choosing. Today was the day I've hinted at in previous posts, so this shouldn't be shocking news at all. Today was the day we said goodbye to all our roosters. It was hard.

My beautiful Argalus in his glory days. I loved this chicken despite his infertility and his very un-rooster-like insistence on being the last one up and out in the morning. 

And my handsome "twin babies," Lewis (front) and Albert. Seven months old yesterday, and loud, loud, loud. It was such a thrill when they uttered their first crows, but like their father before them, they were all-day crowers, and the peace of Crooked Cedar Hollow was shattered. We were initially going to keep Lewis, but decided that we are most likely not going to hatch any chicks this year, so we didn't need their services. They were starting to fight each other as well and would've had to be separated soon as it was. And so...

 The Big Guy prepared the cone. 

This is as much as I'm going to show you. It was very fast, it was pretty clean, and I cried like a baby with each one. 

It seems impossible, but Argalus ended up being the smallest of the three, coming in at a dressed weight of 3 lbs. 12 oz. Albert was next at 3 lbs. 15 oz., and Lewis was a whopping 4 lbs. 5 oz. 

********************************************************************

So long and thank you, boys.