Here And There Around The Farm

This winter has been an ever changing mix of weather. We'd get a big snowstorm, then it would melt, then we'd have freezing rain. This photo was taken when some bare ground was showing but there were still treacherous patches of ice. It doesn't look like that this morning, though, as we are once again covered in snow. A one day thaw is expected on Wednesday:

The 13 hens remained indoors through all kinds of weather, safe from marauding foxes. I still don't know what I will do when spring comes:

That's a young Easter Egger bantam on the left, an older Barred Rock bantam on the right. As you can see, they get along well:

The Easter Eggers come in a variety of colors:

And so do their eggs, though all shades of green or pink:

Inside the house, Bugsy has become addicted to watching the bird feeders. In this photo, he was watching a Downy Woodpecker, a Bluejay and a Hairy Woodpecker (only the crown of its head is showing). The more common Sparrows, Goldfinches and Juncos had flown away. There is also a bold and brash Red Squirrel who I chase away whenever I see it. I've seen only one Canada Jay:

The ground around the bird feeders is a covered with fascinating bird tracks after each new snow:

And speaking of birds, the white fantail pigeons are continuing to prosper in their very big room in the barn:

They have multiple shelves and a large windowsill on which to sit. They have a heated waterer and two gravity fed feeders. I'd say these pigeons have a good life:

"Yes, we do - but we deserve it:"

Every other day I bring out a new hay bale for the cattle and horses (that's a bit of the bale spear in the upper left hand corner of the photo). I try to always break open the frozen crust on the outside of the bale and also to toss some loose hay on the ground for the horses. They're too small to compete with the big, hungry cows:

They're just the right size, however, to mingle with the two calves.