Category Archives: Animal Rights/Animals

Chicken Addiction

Posted in 7 Things About Me, Animal Rights/Animals, Chicks and Hens, Uncategorized by

Let me start off with the very true statement = Chicken Math is 100% a real thing.  I always say to Nick, that to me, raising baby chickens seems like it might be like child birth – without the excruciating pain, of course. It seems like such an amazing idea to bring them home with their fuzzy bodies and their lil peepers – peep peep peeping. A few weeks pass, fuzz fades and THEN you want to jump off a bridge. They start getting bigger, and dirtier and smellier.  Of course, by the time you put them outside in the coop, you forget the smells and poop. And that’s why ….. you end up getting new babies- every …single…. year.

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The love of my life – Birdie. She’s as sweet as she looks!

It’s a never ending cycle of love, annoyance, aggravation, and relief.

 

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One of our new Buff Orpingtons- look at those teeny tiny tail feathers!

 

Prior to my new, fancy coop being built and much to the chagrin of my nostrils, I always kept my chicks in my dining room for about 2 – 3 months. Now, thankfully, we have a grow out pen: right in the coop. That makes it easier on the nose and the transition for the chicks.

Is it all worth it? Stinky smells and all? Absolutely.  Im sure any chicken owner would tell you the same thing:

Big Reg! King of the Farm.

All that hard work and stinky smells are a thing of the past the first time your have your very first fresh egg.

This year Nick built me a new run/coop where everyone can be safe and stretch out. We’ve also added 7 more pullets to the flock! Two Silver Spangled Hamburg’s, a Colombian Wyandotte, A Silver Laced Wyandotte, Blue Laced Red Wyandotte, Ancona and a White Conchin! What a crew!

Overall, chicken keeping continues to amaze and entertain me. The girls (and Reggie, of course) bring so much to our family. We have so many laughs – I couldn’t imagine my life without them.

This Week … I Love ….

Posted in Animal Rights/Animals, Garden, Life in General, This Week I Love ... by

 

This Week’s Favorite Thing:

 

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 Amphibians

I’ve been meaning to get to this post for a while. I absolutely, positively, most assuredly LOVE all things amphibian.  Back in my reenacting days – I would scoop them up and carry them around with me for hours. My dad’s nickname for me as a child was Froggy.

When I first moved to The Fabulous Frost Farm – I quickly confirmed that my home was a mecca to a plethora of fine amphibians!  We have plenty of toads – which happen to be a favorite of mine.  They hang out in the rock pile near my bbq and the dogs go nuts over them.  Funny enough, they all look to me to capture them and bring them to safety. Neither Harley nor Molly actually make any attempt to catch one on their own.   It’s fun to watch our good ol’ American Toads change color when they sit on the spigots outside or rub up against our house.  Most of all, my favorite thing in the world is being serenaded by the melodious hum of the Northern Gray Tree frogs and The New Jersey Chorus frogs.  Their funny yet sweet mating calls always remind me summer is right around the corner – or in July’s case – to be mindful that summer is here.

What are some of your favorite things? Are you like me – do you like insects and amphibians?

You Chick I Chick We ALL Chick for Chicken Coops

Posted in Animal Rights/Animals, Chicks and Hens, Life in General, Uncategorized, Update by

Well – it’s finally been done! We came together and built the ladies a nice big coop.  Though it isn’t exactly the coop I had in mind – we bought a nice sized coop from Tractor Supply Stores.  I like to think of it as a temporary coop for my ladies until we can afford a nicer coop. Like a “starter” coop, if you will.  What I loved about this project is that it was a chance for  Nick and his boys to get together and work on a project.

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I did some “whitewashing” and then resigned to baking the boys some chocolate cookies – for all their hard work.  It was really nice to see them work together and know that their efforts as a team would pay off.   Now, the ladies have four nice nesting boxes and a decent sized run to play and lounge in this summer.  I honestly couldn’t have asked for a better afternoon and a team of fantastic guys to make my dream come true!

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Thanks, guys! For all your hard work! I’m sure the ladies will appreciate all of your endeavors as much as I do! xoxo

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This Week I Love ….. is

Posted in Animal Rights/Animals, Chicks and Hens, This Week I Love ..., Uncategorized by

Baby Chicks

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If you’ve followed my blog before – you know that I’ve always wanted chicks.  Well, my life has shifted a bit and this summer seemed to be the right time to get some. I’m stoked.

Clearly, God knew what he was doing when he made baby chicks because they’re smelly and dirty and skittish, but literally the cutest things on the planet.  They literally PEEP all day long!

Maybe it’s because I’m the proud mama of some new chicks – or maybe it’s because I’m a first time mama to my little nuggets, but I literally cannot stop watching them.  We have a brooder (which they are quickly out growing – don’t worry we have a large one waiting!) set up in the dining room.  The kitchen was still currently being occupied by the goat.  Watching their adorable antics has literally become a past time for me (and Molly – my beagle).

 There is nothing quite like watching 4 baby chickens suddenly fall asleep standing up.  Seriously, chicks have the most serious case of Narcolepsy I have seen.  They fall asleep standing, sitting, eating, drinking, alone and on top of each other.  They basically look like they’ve had a serious night drinking and are sleeping off the hangover.  Absolutely , 100% – dead to the world.  I catch myself double checking to see make sure they’re breathing.  Knowing that one day they’ll be big, fat happy and healthy hens is so exciting, but I kind of wish they could stay this little forever.  I’m looking forward to keeping you guys posted as these little gals grow!

If you’re thinking about taking the plunge like me and investing in chicks – I recommend a few resources first:

  • Backyard Chickens – is the most amazing, numero uno resource site for a novice chick owner – all the way to the most experienced.  Everyone on the site is friendly and willing to help and I just can’t get enough of it.
  • The Chicken Chick © – is another amazing resource site.  Kathy Shea Mormino is a fantastic writer and blogger. She’s got loads of tips and her site is absurdly organized – which is something I love when trying to research a chick topic.  She is also an amazing author!
  • The Spruce – you’re going to see me post about The Spruce often.  It is literally one of my favorite websites and my go-to source for just about EVERYTHING!  It has a great section dedicated to livestock and especially chickens!

Out and Afraid, Inside and Brave

Posted in Animal Rights/Animals, Goat-ing, Goats, Life in General by

My 4 year old wether, Nubbins has been a houseguest in my house for over a month now.

He originally stayed with me at the end of November, for a week, when he went into kidney failure and I found him in the pasture unwilling to move. After 2 weeks at the vets’ office and 2 weeks at home – he went back out to keep Waffles and Persnickety company. After all, who keeps a goat in the house?

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Fast forward to March – I went out to feed and water my loves and Nubbin’s eye looked like it had been struck with a bat. It was swollen, beyond red and oozing pus. I knew immediately what it was – conjunctivitis. Nonetheless, we hoisted him into the back of the Audi and travelled back to the vet – only to be told – what I already knew. It was conjunctivitis! Nubbins was going to be a house guest once again – how exciting. This time we were more prepared and set up the cage in the kitchen with wee wee pads, water, hay and a much needed broom. Nick and I went away for a week and were blessed to have an amazing pet sitter who minded him while we were gone. I was relieved though – because this time it was going to be easy. He clearly was going to be gong back out to pasture as soon as we got home! Nope. His eye looked worse when we returned than it did when we left. Another 3 weeks of medication and TLC finally cleared up his pink eye. I made up my mind – he was going back out the very next day. I even peered right into that nice clear eye and told him so myself. “You’re going out tomorrow and trust me you’ll like it”

But as everyone knows life has a way of not going as planned. Either that or I really have a goat that wants to stay inside and is manipulating me. Because – no sooner did I utter those words – then my boyfriend’s son, Noah, turned to me and said, “Why is Nubbins bleeding so much?”
I swear – I looked into the cage and there was blood all over his wee wee pads. Initially, I thought he may have cut himself, but the more I monitored him – the more I noticed it was only in his urine. Not one to take a chance and knowing his history with his kidneys – we loaded Nubbins up for a 3rd time and went back to the vet. He was prescribed more antibiotics and a daily dosage of vitamin C.

We are now going on just about 2 months straight and my once skittish wether – is a confident glorified house goat. He drinks from the dog bowls, head butts my beagle, begs for tickles when Nick and I are sitting on the couch and insists on getting brushed with the Furminator. I never thought I would say that I love having a goat in my house. After all, who does that? But I do. Nubbins has fit in well and is working hard at being a member of this family. Once it’s time for Nubbins to go back outside – I don’t know who is going to have the harder time adjusting – him or me.

I NEED that …. Vol. 1

Posted in Animal Rights/Animals, Antiques, Cruelty Free, Life in General, Things I Need by

One of my favorite parts of teaching first grade was the “Needs and Wants” lesson in Social Studies. Having the students distinguish between things they actually need to survive or just “want” to have in order to make life more comfortable – usually makes for an interesting list of things.
Its funny then, when I’m out and about, to think about all the things I seem to suddenly NEED.  I know Nick cringes every time he hears the words “Ohhhhhh …. I need that.” Truthfully, it’s become a joke more than anything – but some things would be nice to have.  🙂  A girl can dream … can’t she?

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  1. Bungalow 360 – http://www.bungalow360.com/ – a California based handbag company founded by Susie Pusch.  In addition to having super ADORABLE prints and styles – they pride themselves in being “Earth Happy” and donate a portion of their proceeds to Animal Rescue organizations. ❤
  2. Antique School Desk – http://factory20.com – believe it or not = we actually have one of these beauties.  Unfortunately, it’s shoved in the basement due to lack of space and time to restore it.  When I saw this beauty on Factory20.com – I couldn’t help but get motivated to get ours looking spiffy again.
  3. Pur~lisse – Pur-youth (Age Delay Skin Serum) http://shop.purlisse.com – Pur~lisse has easily become one of my favorite beauty products since receiving a sample in my May Ipsy bag.  Initially, I started with the Pur-lisse: Pur~Moist moisturizer sample and loved it so much – that I eagerly bought the full sized product. Along with my full sized product came a bunch of little free-be samples.  One of those samples being the Age Delay Skin Serum.  Not only is amazingly light, non greasy and full of awesome ingredients BUT it’s cruelty free and vegan too!
  4. Vespa GTS 300 – http://www.vespausa.com – Vespa? Need I say more?

What are your opinions on my NEEDS list this week? What are some things you have been dying to get yourself?

Cruelty Free Commitment

Posted in Animal Rights/Animals, Life in General by

Ever since I was very young – I have been absurdly fascinated with saving animals. Every month – I would eagerly check the mail for my Doris Day animal league and Humane Society magazines.  Staring at the pictures of neglected, abused, and rescued animals – I was filled with the kind of determination – only children are filled with.  I WAS going to make a difference.  Alone or with friends – I was going to single handedly save every unjustly treated animal on the planet. I suppose I could credit my mother with my zest for saving fuzzy creatures.  She was the one that would write down lists of products that animal tested, send my friends and me into grocery stores armed with a pack of “an animal suffered to make this product” stickers, and watch proudly as we labeled hundreds of bottles of Tide and PaperMate Pens. It was satisfying. I was young yet making a difference. Informing hundreds of people – the only way I knew how – pre(internet) of the reality of laboratory testing. I memorized the lists – knew every product by heart. But it was the 80’s and information and resources were hard to come by.  Cruelty-free products were difficult to find on shelves at local stores and “Earth Friendly” supermarkets weren’t even in anyone’s vocabulary.  At one point – a small Earth “boutique” opened up a few miles from my childhood home. Prices were outrageous – especially must too expensive for my parents to “grocery shop”, household cleaners and beauty supplies were sparse and the store (much to my chagrin) soon went out of business.

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