Ranch Pictures, etc.

I know spring is here. I know it! It was foggy, frosty, and cold this morning, but...the birds were singing! Yeehaw, praise the Lord!

We got rid of the rogue rooster and his two thugs that all had residence in the barn for over a year. It's been too busy to butcher, and they were a couple years old anyway. Not tender for a rooster *U* I call the main thug the rogue because he took over my Buff Orpington's harem. I knew it was coming. My big, handsome gold buff was molested by two of the dogs (which are on probation and may be leaving us shortly). He was okay, but bloodied and beat up. But, if you know chickens, you know the rest of the story.

That day, all the roosters began fighting in the barn. They were three reds, with a small harem of three red hens- all the rest living in the coop and free-ranging inthe pasture with the Buff. They hadn't fought before, but they were really going at it, and I knew it was to establish dominance- to see who would de-throne my Buff. I had to intercede!

I caught the red who beat the others out and stole the flock- reinstated the Buff in his kingdom, and had all three reds...um...evicted, you might say. Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies. Let's just say they are no longer in residence. My flock is happy again and laying nicely now. Best of all, I don't have those roosters pooing all over the barn and my stanchion, and I won't have nests of half red chicks, which I don't like compared to the Buffs.

One of the many barn kitties. This one was playfully sunbathing and rolling around in the sunshine while we all worked around her cleaning stalls.

Playing with the babies is not only fun, it's a requirement. We want friendly kids, so we can have friendly milkers. This little buckling will grow up sweet because we handle him gently, which will be a good thing when he's 7 feet tall on his hind legs and weighs in at over two hundered pounds and likely more.

Fancy, the only mare left on the ranch in her winter coat. Doesn't she have pretty eyes? I look forward to warmer weather for horseback rides in the orchards again.

Here are two of my three bucks. Can you tell I like black and white? The Nigerian Dwarf is Blackberry and the Nubian is Barbosa.