Show your Bugs and Critters

[troutinCO]

Try to trap a feral cat ! Consolation prize , didn’t want to leave but when he did it was high gear ! Needed a nap . Dan

It is a cat! You should keep it and feed it.

[troutinCO]

One of a handful I saw on my walk in the woods today.. this little guy was kind enough to pose for a quick photo.

Neat newt!

[JSumm]

Try to trap a feral cat ! Consolation prize , didn’t want to leave but when he did it was high gear ! Needed a nap . Dan

I've seen some ugly cats, but that one wins the prize.

[Manixguy@1994]

I had a very bad feeling posting the Possum picture and revealing my act of kindness , now I know why. Yes I have it coming . :) Dan

[Mad Mac]

Eastern Newt.

[RustyIron]

With beak that bites, and claws that catch!
Beware the Betsy Bird!

[Manixguy@1994]

With beak that bites, and claws that catch!
Beware the Betsy Bird!

IMG_8242.jpeg

So is she the feathered Avenger , top of the pecking order, or just plain ornery ? Dan

[RustyIron]

So is she the feathered Avenger , top of the pecking order, or just plain ornery ? Dan

Naw, Betsy is a good bird. All our birds are good. We just have three. Although they have their own little "Chicken Zone" where they live, we often let them out into the rest of the yard so they can hang out with us and the dogs. It's good for them, it gives the dogs something to do, and frankly, they're enjoyable to watch.

Here they are all together: Betsy Ross, Jessica Rabbit, and Thelma. Betsy and Jessie should by laying by the end of next month. Thelma has gone menopausal, so we're currently buying eggs from the store.

[Manixguy@1994]

I’m no means a chicken expert but that does look like a happy trio . I did one time see a professor hypnotize a chicken in class . Dan

[Woodpuppy]

So is she the feathered Avenger , top of the pecking order, or just plain ornery ? Dan

Naw, Betsy is a good bird. All our birds are good. We just have three. Although they have their own little "Chicken Zone" where they live, we often let them out into the rest of the yard so they can hang out with us and the dogs. It's good for them, it gives the dogs something to do, and frankly, they're enjoyable to watch.

Here they are all together: Betsy Ross, Jessica Rabbit, and Thelma. Betsy and Jessie should by laying by the end of next month. Thelma has gone menopausal, so we're currently buying eggs from the store.

IMG_7494.jpeg

What happened to Louise?

[RustyIron]

What happened to Louise?

Just like the rest of us, chickens don't live forever.
Louise died.

[Woodpuppy]

What happened to Louise?

Just like the rest of us, chickens don't live forever.
Louise died.

Stopped laying eggs, eh?

[Mad Mac]

I try not to name our calves. This story from 2016.

A few months ago, one of our old cows (Some people specialize in Hereford or Angus, I specialize in aged beef.) had the smallest calf I had ever seen on the place. She was a red, white-faced calf and I named her Peanut. The other cows and calves pushed Peanut around so she stayed close to her Momma.

One day, we noticed a black, white-faced calf standing under some Yaupon in exactly the same place he had been standing the day before. On close up examination, the knothead had tried to jump through a fork in a Yaupon and got hung up. We broke off one limb to free him and he just fell on the ground. We put a sling under him to see if he could stand. He made it about 20 feet, dragging his left rear leg and laid down. The next day, he was 30 yards east and the day after that 100 yards south and on his feet.

He could walk, but slowly, dragging that left rear. We reckon his momma had weaned him while he was trapped in the Yaupon. That little bull calf was on his own. I named him Lucky because he was Lucky we found him stuck in the Yaupon.

One morning after we put out hay, I saw Peanut’s old momma and Peanut coming up last as usual, but Lucky was with them. Peanut would take a few steps, stop and look back at Lucky and wait. Lucky would limp up, dragging his left rear. Peanut would take a few more steps, stop, look back and wait. Those two hung out together until Lucky got strong enough to keep up with the other calves. Peanut stayed with her momma.

A few weeks later, I noticed buzzards at the edge of the woods. Peanut’s momma was dead. Buzzards were standing around her and standing on top of her and Peanut was lying next to her. We shooed the buzzards away and walked Peanut out of the pasture to where the cows were eating the hay we had put out and moved the momma’s body into the woods with the tractor.

Next day, Peanut was back where her momma had last been. The herd had moved off to another pasture. Peanut was coyote bait. This time we walked her all the way to the pens where the water tanks were and there would be cow traffic and some shelter and protection with a field fence and began giving her sweet treat and medicated feed every day.

After a couple of weeks, I opened the pens to let her mainstream with the herd, but the next day she was lying in the pens by herself and the herd was off on their daily rounds. I closed her up again and resumed the sweet treat. When we put out her feed, my little dog would run around in the pens, find Peanut and touch noses. Peanut was not afraid of Spunky.

One day, Spunky could not find Peanut. We looked around and found a shoulder blade and part of her tail. There was an opening where the field fence separated from a corner post and we figured a coyote or coyotes had gotten to her. And that’s why you don’t name your calves. However, Lucky is doing fine.

Well, I skipped Lucky one roundup but then sent him to the sale the next time.

That's why you should not name your calves.

[Manixguy@1994]

Keep the stories coming really like to hear about your ranching . Dan

[Manixguy@1994]

Concerned about this Hummingbird, never have seen one sitting on the ground . It flew in front of me and landed were I took picture about six feet away . He finally flew up to a close by arbor , seemed healthy . Temps have dropped steeply and maybe was a straggler passing through exhausted . Just a guess on my part . Dan

[Mad Mac]

Passion Butterfly aka Gulf Fritillary.

[Woodpuppy]

Concerned about this Hummingbird, never have seen one sitting on the ground . It flew in front of me and landed were I took picture about six feet away . He finally flew up to a close by arbor , seemed healthy . Temps have dropped steeply and maybe was a straggler passing through exhausted . Just a guess on my part . Dan

With temps dropping they’re supposed to be heading south!

[Manixguy@1994]

Concerned about this Hummingbird, never have seen one sitting on the ground . It flew in front of me and landed were I took picture about six feet away . He finally flew up to a close by arbor , seemed healthy . Temps have dropped steeply and maybe was a straggler passing through exhausted . Just a guess on my part . Dan

With temps dropping they’re supposed to be heading south!

[Manixguy@1994]

Concerned about this Hummingbird, never have seen one sitting on the ground . It flew in front of me and landed were I took picture about six feet away . He finally flew up to a close by arbor , seemed healthy . Temps have dropped steeply and maybe was a straggler passing through exhausted . Just a guess on my part . Dan

With temps dropping they’re supposed to be heading south!

They are migrating we had so many last week we could not get an accurate count . Today we counted 4 . Usually they will be totally gone by first week of October. We do get stragglers heading South mostly singles . Dan

[Makunochimaster]