Spent some time this week tilling, grading, raking and drag harrowing the big pasture, readying it for seeding in a few weeks.
Second bucket gardening pallet is coming along well. Seedlings in the soil blocks are also doing well, especially the Okra.
Deuce get’s a lot of face time, as usual.
Received and tested our first (of many) Premier 1 electric poultry fence. Works like a charm. Poor Deuce got volunteered to test the fences ability to repel an aggressive predator, and the fence turned his ass around VERY effectively. Thanks Deuce … for taking one for the team.
Caught DJ (male duck) trying to mount the chicken hens again. He damn near drowned one hen. In his defense … I suppose … if you’ve ever seen ducks mate, they often do so floating in a pond, where the drake (male) holds the duck (female) mostly underwater while doing his business. What DJ doesn’t realize is hens are less prone to float. Oh, and that HE’S A DAMN DUCK NOT A CHICKEN!!!
I’ve decided to procure two or three 100′ x 14′ caterpillar tunnels between now and the end of the year. One of them will be used for aquaponic gardening (e.g. eight tilapia fish tanks an twenty-four veggie grow beds). The other tunnels will be used as greenhouses to grow crops year around.
Recent up-tic in predator attacks, so I built a new Coyote Interdiction Platform (CIP) and got it ready to go. Daniel Defense DDM4V7, Vortex Razor HD II 1-6×24, Steiner DBAL-D2, Surefire M600DF. I’ve been really impressed with the DBAL. Solid construction, easy to mount, zero the visible laser and the IR laser is automatically zero’d. LOVE IT.
Deuce seems to get a lot of face time. Go figure.
Baby ducks are getting big, but I think I may have lost a few already. Coyotes can’t get in their fenced enclosure, but a fox can, and I saw the fox prowling around at 4A the other day. Took two shots, but missed. The NV gear I was using was in need of an upgrade, thus the DDM4 above. 😉
Mild weather once again today. Rain showers passing through, gusty winds. Pretty benign.
As stated in the video, I’ve never been an AR (rifle) fan. I generally prefer .308 (7.62) rifles over .223 (5.56). I’ve also held the opinion that rifle caliber pistols are borderline stupid. Pistol caliber carbine rifles — on the other hand — are fun, practical, and effective.
Now, that said, I bought a Springfield Armory SAINT 5.56mm pistol today. Zero’d it with a Holosun 503C red dot, then ran two magazines through it doing double-tap transition drills.
I’m not sure this thing should be legal for civilians to own, but they are, so I put one into inventory. I’m a staunch 2nd Amendment supporter, but I just don’t think this much firepower in such a small package is prudent for John Q. Public to own.
There should be some kind of PRACTICAL and REASONABLE tests that must be passed for a firearm to be made available for civilians to own — in my opinion, mind you. For example, I’m not sure 50 BMG rifles should be available at the corner gun store.
But … I digress. With only 120 rounds through the SAINT … I love it. Nice trigger, needs no mods. I might put a small weapon light and/or laser on it for close quarters work, but I don’t see the need for much else in terms of upgraded furniture or add ons. Playing with the idea of getting a suppressor for it … but that’s another thing I’ve resisted buying for YEARS. Fun, cool, but impractical.
And, by the way, my Moroccan Spicy Chickpea Stew came out AWESOME. I could sell this stuff. Probably my favorite Instant Pot recipe these days.
We mowed the ‘park’ next door, then I decided that with Hurricane Florence forecast to dump about 50″ of rain on us later in the week, it might be a good idea to plow the field under to allow it to absorb more water and shed less water into our neighborhood drainage ditches, which tend to flood my neighbor’s property.
Bought Hooey a whole roasted chicken for being such a good ‘helper’ while I was running the tractor. She’s good about chasing the chickens away from in front of the tractor, cuz those dummies are prone to letting the front wheels get about 3 inches away from them before flittering way. I guess you could say they like to ‘play chicken’ with the tractor.
The recently free-ranged rabbits seem to be doing pretty well. I found evidence of at least one of the getting culled from the colony by a predator (99% sure it was the coyote, as I found coyote scat in the field the next day that was full of white fur).
Bianca Houdini (nesting duck) hasn’t hatched any eggs yet. Any time now, assuming they are indeed viable.
Hooey and I spend a lot of time on the look out for that damn coyote. Used the DJI Mavic Pro (drone) to provide hi-def video surveillance from above. Saw the coyote a few times, but ‘no joy.’
A day or two after releasing 12 rabbits into the wild, and I’m seeing them all over the property. They’re not staying in or near the rabbit hugel I built for them in the woods, but I’m guessing some of them will eventually figure out it is in their best interested to have an underground place to hide.
Hurricane Florence is forecast to park itself overhead for up to five days later in the week, and drop upwards of 50″ of rain, so those rabbits better find some high ground, or learn very quickly how to do the back stroke. 😉
We setup on that #$% coyote that keeps stealing our chickens like clockwork. He showed up right on que … but never presented a good, safe, profile shot. So, the ‘game’ continues.
After all of yesterday’s trials and tribulations … I got up this morning not defeated, but determined to enjoy this day … a new day … fresh, and with a positive attitude.
Obviously, I have my hands full managing this here farm thingy. I’ve only been at this for less than 2 years, so every day undoubtedly — and without fail — presents many new ‘lessons learned‘ and ‘teachable moments.’ Yesterday was rich with such experiences, but today may not. Even if it does … so be it. Onward. Upward.
This video covers my morning activities between first cup of coffee and breakfast (sweet Italian sausage, veggies, brown rice, eggs, feta cheese, basil). Got all the critters up, out, checked, fed and watered, and run threw a few ‘snake drills‘ because of all the snake activity this week. 😉
Enjoy.
P.S. OBVIOUSLY (and no surprise) … the 7 1/2 shot was way more effective vs. the snake (target) than was the 000 buck. Onboard my ranch gun (Taurus/Rossi Circuit Judge carbine) I carry 7 1/2 shot (snakes), 000 buck (coyotes, short range), .45 Colt (coyotes, long range), and PDX1 (bipedtrespassers). 😉
P.S.S. And NO, I didn’t shoot the two ‘chickens’ beneath the ‘snakes.’ They just did what I taught all my chickens to do when I engage predators in their vicinity … drop, cover and bug-the-f*ck-OUT (i.e. beat feet).
Picked up a new Taurus/Rossi Circuit Judge carbine chambered in .45 (Long) Colt / 410 gauge and spent my first hour behind it this AM getting it zero’d using a Holosun HS503C red dot site.
The first sequence in the video is of shooting five rounds of Winchester PDX1 (410 gauge, 3 inch) self-defense shotgun ammo at a distance of 65 feet. That’s a LONG shot given the firearm and ammo, but I was really impressed with accuracy energy on target.
The second sequence is of shooting five rounds of Hornady Critical Defense .45 Colt 185 grain FTX rifle ammo from 50 yards out. The red dot was zero’d at 65 feet with no adjustments made prior to engaging from 50 yards, so it may be a little off. My sense is it is shooting low/right.
I need to put a few 100 more rounds through the rifle before I can write a meaningful review, but so far … I’m favorably impressed.
Broad daylight, about 7PM, I’m relaxing (finally!) in an air-conditioned house, reading a book, after a long/hot day of work outside … when I hear the chicken flock sound off in “alarm mode” just outside.
I stand up, look out and down, and see a fox and my alpha rooster going at it right next to my truck, about 30 yards from where I stood.
Instinctively I yelled, then sent Hunter out and grabbed the “ready alert” 12 gauge (Remington Versamax Tactical) heading out the door.
I don’t think Hooey ever figured out what was going on, because she went about as far as my truck and came back. Come to think about it … I was yelling to call her off, so I guess she was doing as told. I didn’t get her back in the house, but she saw the shotgun and knows what it does … so she stayed behind me. Yes, she’s that smart.
When I got about half way to the donkey pasture, I saw the donkeys standing there (together) about 50 feet inside the gate, looking SW. Then I saw the fox under the pasture tree, right where the donks were looking. The fox no longer had a bird in his mouth, and both roosters (alpha and beta) where just inside the donk pasture, facing the fox, and alarming their heads off.
I stopped moving forward and stood still. Waited about 5 seconds, and saw the fox turn around and start running back to the scene of the crime. I figured he must have dropped his chicken and was trying to run back and snatch it.
He ran right up on the donkeys, so I had to hold fire. But, he then hooked a left and started running towards the driveway. I let him reach the driveway then opened up with the 12 gauge with OO buck at about 40+ yards … a bit long for buckshot, but caught him with the second round and spun him around. Got up and started limping away, so I put him down for good with 2 more rounds, same range.
If you look closely (or freeze the video) when I get close to the downed fox, you can see where all the buckshot struck the ground around him on the final two shots.
Did a quick “after action” check and found that it was the alpha roo that was going toe-to-toe with the fox. The last thing I saw before bolting out of the house, was a red bird in the foxes mouth. He had it by the neck. Apparently either the fox dragged the roo about 100 feet into the donkey pasture, or perhaps he dropped the roo and the roo continued to engage and defend. Not sure.
But, there is obvious evidence (feathers) the fox and alpha roo went at it right where you see the donkeys standing in the video.
When I play the initial engagement back in my head, both roosters did their jobs PERFECTLY. They were both positioned between the fox and the flock, both facing the predator, standing tall, and alarming LOUDLY.
Those that know me know that I hate killing any animal. I would NEVER kill a fox, coyote, skunk (etc.) except to protect my family, which includes my chickens, ducks, rabbits … and Hooey.
It wasn’t fun … I’m not happy about it … but I am (obviously) very proud of the two roo’s for their defense of the flock.
Gotta do whatcha gotta do …
Now that I think about it further … some of you may recall another episode a few months ago where my alpha roo had obviously tangled with something and lost most of his tail feathers. Pretty much in the same exact spot. I’m speculating this fox and my roo have mixed it up before.
For anybody thinking about free-ranging a flock of chickens, THIS is why you need at least one rooster. I maintain two, and primary (alpha) and a backup (beta). I’ve also lost about 5 roosters in the last two years to predators. When the attack comes, a good rooster will not shy away from a fight, and will give his life in defense of the flock. Brave birds. They aren’t stupid, they know what they’re getting into, but they do it anyway. Sorta like U.S. Marines that way. 😉
