Good Morning! in 2018

[Killerbunny]

Very excited this am, off to pick up the Grandbaby Toms from Joan!

[Ontario Chick]

Very exciting morning here too, but not in a good way.
the Lab had a run in with a porcupine last night, (first one in 10 years ) and after giving it the old college try, decided it was way too much for me, so this morning DH headed to the Veterinary hospital, where apparently he is in a waiting line behind 6 other dogs with the same problem.
What is it with kids getting sick and animals injured on the weekend?
So while I am manning (womaning ?) the fort, hear a "chicken alarm" from the run, so hit the ground running, while yelling, before I even knew what is going on, the thought "it's Sunday, it must be fox...
sure enough there it was in the middle of the run, mouth full of either feathers or a hen, couldn't quite tell, grabbed a pitchfork and continued, and it actually stopped to see if I was planning to continue the pursuit, since I wasn't sure if it had a hen I continued.
Lost it in the bush and went back to count the chickens, from the amount of feathers you would think they were all naked, but nobody missing, just a very sparse tail on one.

[windwalkingwolf]

Whew, close call, OC! Well done.

[windwalkingwolf]

Very excited this am, off to pick up the Grandbaby Toms from Joan!

Need pictures!

[Happy]

@Ontario Chick I'm so glad that you didn't have any losses. I had something sneakng up on the yard this afternoon as well. My lab spotted it and took off after it. From the racket the two dogs made and the distance that they ran through the bush I'm guessing fox or coyote.

[Ontario Chick]

Apparently the word was out that the dog was at the vet...

[TomK]

Very exciting morning here too, but not in a good way.
the Lab had a run in with a porcupine last night, (first one in 10 years ) and after giving it the old college try, decided it was way too much for me, so this morning DH headed to the Veterinary hospital, where apparently he is in a waiting line behind 6 other dogs with the same problem.
What is it with kids getting sick and animals injured on the weekend?
So while I am manning (womaning ?) the fort, hear a "chicken alarm" from the run, so hit the ground running, while yelling, before I even knew what is going on, the thought "it's Sunday, it must be fox...
sure enough there it was in the middle of the run, mouth full of either feathers or a hen, couldn't quite tell, grabbed a pitchfork and continued, and it actually stopped to see if I was planning to continue the pursuit, since I wasn't sure if it had a hen I continued.
Lost it in the bush and went back to count the chickens, from the amount of feathers you would think they were all naked, but nobody missing, just a very sparse tail on one.

Two things came to mind...one...Labs are great but they will NEVER learn to not grab a porcupine...its basically Labrador Retriever genetics 101...and two...would you have actually stuck the pitchfork into a fox?..or was it to make you feel like your threat at the rascal was genuine so he/she better take you seriously?.....lol

[Ontario Chick]

Two things came to mind...one...Labs are great but they will NEVER learn to not grab a porcupine...its basically Labrador Retriever genetics 101...and two...would you have actually stuck the pitchfork into a fox?..or was it to make you feel like your threat at the rascal was genuine so he/she better take you seriously?.....lol

My pitchfork in hand is purely for self defense only :)
all animals are safe from me, I never get close enough to do anybody any harm, my plan in general, is to leave all intruders with an impression that a scary dangerous loud woman lives here, and no chicken is worth that kind of trouble.
and before you ask, it seems to be working only for coyotes, they have never been back, everybody else seems to have a very short memory.

[windwalkingwolf]

Feathers.jpgApparently the word was out that the dog was at the vet...

Oh no!
I feel you about the porcupine quills, too. Back in the day, several times, have had to have two people sit on a dog with a stick in it's jaws while I plucked quills from throat, tongue and gums...not a good time for any involved. Knockout juice at the vets is 100 times faster and easier, especially on the dog!My little dwarf BC x, Wendyll, is an avid porcupine hunter. At least once a year, every year, he gets a mouthful. I hate him
He's getting up in years and hasn't gotten into a porky yet, this year
He's also a fox killer, but hasn't done that in a couple of years, either. Years catching up to him maybe
Pennydog is just recently turned one year old, and has yet to see a porcupine. I hope it stays that way.
Are those feathers from a bird that's alive and accounted for, or missing?

[Ontario Chick]

Everybody accounted for, one has a rather diminished tail, one big plus with Amearuacanas, they will fly readily.
When the Wyandottes are out I sit in the run with them, they are too easy a pray, a little too docile and I am not willing to loose any.
I must admit when I saw the pile I was pretty sure I lost one, had to count twice to make sure everybody made it.