The 200 chicks arrived, with only one casualty in shipping, not too bad. I loved carrying the two giant peeping boxes out of the post office. I ordered the bargain, meaning I get whatever is leftover. Unfortunately they gave me 100 sex-linked chick, meaning the males and females look different. So much for hoping to end up with a bunch of hens. Oh well, into the freezer they will go once they start crowing. The other 100 were Rhode Island Reds, they were all males too, but hopefully some hens slipped through.
I have 12 kindergarten classrooms hatching eggs for me this year as well, woo hoo! So I'm hoping they have a decent hatch rate and I can add some hens that way. If not, I'll probably just buy a bunch of pullets next year. It just kills me to pay $4 apiece for them. I'm collecting eggs right now for that project. They will keep them for a week after hatching and then return the chicks to me.
Chance is 6 weeks old already and growing like a weed. I'm starting to wean her off the bottle, much to her dismay. She is somewhat resistant to being halter broken as well. I need to work with her more. She is much more feisty than either of the boys. Probably TMI but, I had banded both the bull calves...but could only find one testicle on Jerry, turns out he had two as I figured...so now he may come in handy when I'm ready to breed Chance. I was going to AI her, but don't want to mess with Jerry now as he outweighs me by a considerable amount. Ben is a good foot taller than Jerry, already up to my chest, he weighs a good 350-400 lbs.
Cheddar continues to be a pain in the butt. She likes to climb the rock behind the house every day and even spent the night up there once after refusing to come down at dusk. I was certain she would be a mountain lion snack, but she made it through the night just fine....of course. Knowing her, she gave the rest of the wildlife what for.
I'm a bit tired of doing chores in the cold and am so ready for spring! The 16 inch snow we had last Thursday didn't help matters! I'm holding off on the garden for a couple more weeks since I started a bit too early last year. I can't wait to get out and dig in the dirt. I've got to clean out he barn and cow pen and till that all in.
Steve found out last Monday that he will no longer have a job as of April 30th. The merger found his project being cut entirely. Everyone else had a weeks notice and Friday was their last day. too bad, so many are hurting in that area right now. we serve a good and faithful God and I am not swayed by the circumstances around us. The old job, although I was thankful for it, was stressful on us as a family. I know God has a better plan and look forward to what He has in store for us. Isaiah 43:19 comes back to me time and again. "See, I am doing a new thing; now it is starting; will you not take note of it? I will even make a way in the waste land, and rivers in the dry country."
I took my camera and bible up on the hill to a big flat rock I call the altar. I like to hike up there and spend time talking with God. I seem to connect better when I can physically place myself on the "altar." The problem with being a living sacrifice is that I continually climb off.
A view of the snow caps in Rocky Mountain National Park from The Altar. Its a great place to go and clear my head.
An image I was surprised to find on my camera when I uploaded. Steve admitted to taking it when I went out to do chores. The morning of the 16 inch snow, we had about 4-5 inches at that time. chance and Hershey are following me back to the house. Chance is hoping for a bit more milk!
On my way up to Estes to get the van tagged. Josh is delivering Pizza's now so I registered the van and got things switched over to CO. It was a cold snowy day!
The creek near our place. God is amazing, such beauty everywhere I look.
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