Minus and Plus

Life moves on at Rooster Hill even if this journal doesn’t keep up with it! Here are some recent additions – and subtractions – that have been keeping us busy.

Minus – 35 roosters, 4 tom turkeys and 1 duck. It is a lot quieter around here! The turkeys have all moved to other farms and are settling in with their new girlfriends. The roosters are sold. And the buyer wanted a drake too.

Plus – 4 guinea hens. I don’t have their picture so here is my biggest Muscovy drake instead. Although I watched a pair of female guinea hens go for an incredible price at auction last month, I found this little flock locally for a very nice price. They used to live right next to a golf course, and the golfers complained about the noise! They do chatter quite a bit, but I enjoy it.

Minus – We brought a steer to the butcher 2 weeks ago. He was a gentle giant who we raised as a bottle calf. He would follow Gary everywhere – until it came time to get him on the trailer. It took a lot of grain and convincing but we got him loaded.

Plus – 4 little pigs! They grow fast on the pasture! Pigs are always fun to have around, and provide a great solution for all of those small unsellable chicken eggs.

Minus – One dog. Hank and I had an argument on May 4. Hank won. Rather than put him down, Gary has moved him to the other farm and I do not see him. I’d like to keep it that way.

Plus – Many chicks. Although I have plenty of hens sitting on eggs (and some have already hatched) I bought even more at auction. First I bought 6 Old English bantam chicks, then traded 2 of them with my auction neighbor for 2 Sebright chicks. Then Gary left me alone while chickens were still being sold and I bought 15 more barred rocks and sex links. It’s a sickness, I know.