The Nomad

"Yee Haw"

So we have this rooster. I didn't know he was a rooster for the longest time but there was always something strange about him. Our chickens on the farm are divided up into three houses and the barn. Down in the pasture, are a bunch of roosters. I know that is mean but too many roosters equal unhappy hens. So they are down there waiting their slaughter date. Then I have a main house, one behind our house and then about 8 chickens roost in the barn. But there is this rooster. He was originally part of the chicks that we moved behind the house and there he stayed for the longest. Fitting in and socializing like everyone else. Then something happened. It was like he lost his way. Hence the name Nomad. This poor guy is always by himself. All day. He pretty much does nothing right. His crow sounds like he is saying," Yee Haw." The only time he gets a hen is if he sneaks up on her and then he really doesn't know what to do very gracefully. When he finishes, you can almost tell that the hen is disappointed with herself that she let herself get caught. He doesn't bother anybody, he just doesn't know where his place is.

The cows are on their final two rotations this weekend. We have had a couple of glitches but nothing major. Most of them were from careless mistakes I made that either confused them or allowed them to break rank. Cows may look dumb and lethargic but at nights, I think they turn into ninja panthers and find ways to get out. I suggest to always have a couple paddocks up ahead of the one being grazed so that if they do get out, they don't take off to the other side of the pasture. Usually the only reason they bust through the rope is if they are chased. I think some coyotes or maybe some deer spooked them the other night and they broke loose. This is part of the new pasture we purchased last year. I seeded it in almost pure rye grass in late October just to see how it did. Not too bad. Mid March I will be putting some warm season grasses on it. I think once it is cleaned up a bit, I have about 6 burn piles to burn and 2 trees to cut up, it is going to be very pretty.

This pasture has lots of huge trees on it. Something our main pastures lack

They eat as close to fence as they can. No fence line weeds anymore

"Love that green"

The pads divided with the reels. I go through Powerflex Fence Co.

These are new pictures of our hen that snuck and hatched some eggs. She had layed 5 but only hatched out 4. Aren't they cute. Its amazing how good these hens can take care of their young chicks.

Showing the chicks their food. All she does is keep tumping it over.

Leading the chicks off to scratch around

We now use only organic grains for our pigs. It is amazing the difference of it vs. commercial feed. The pigs also highly prefer it. They use to pick at their food, now they take huge bites out of it. This is what the grain looks like inside of the feeder. I put about 200#'s in at a time. We will go to all organic grain for our chickens but I am waiting to get my new chicks in so that they will be organic from birth to death. Can't wait