Roundup: Hunting, Harvest, and Preparing for Winter

November always equals insanity.  It's close to the end of the year, the holidays are nearly upon us, I have way too much work as a publisher to get done, and it's hunting season.  Basically, my life is a disaster.  My critters figured this out too.  So, here are some of the happenings around the homestead.

Molting Chickens

My chickens stopped laying.  One week I was pulling in dozens of eggs, and now, nada.  They've decided it's time to molt which means no eggs.  So, the dogs are getting the older eggs and I'm eying the chickens to see who goes to freezer camp.

 

Disastrous Incubation

My last hatch was back in October and it ended in disaster.  We had 3 chicks and 3 turkey poults hatch and NONE lived longer than a week even with a new Brinsea brooder.  No idea why.  Perhaps they had coccidia. I think I'll try again in the spring when I can keep the guys outside.

 

Hunting

You know it's November when we're scurrying after critters.  Most of the hunting has been painful because they're the wrong species, the wrong sex, or the wrong game unit.  All of it means a load of frustration.  Still, if we're going to fill our freezer, we've got to continue looking.

 

Weather

I'm normally okay with whatever the weather brings.  Only we've been stupidly warm in the 50s and 60s.  Now it has poured buckets and we're supposed to have a low of -9F later this week.  No, you can't make this up.

 

Wood

At least my husband was on the ball and got a whole bunch of wood cut and split.  We still need a lot more split, but at least we have enough firewood for the winter, if nothing else.

Goats

We have a new goat pen! After we placed Rocket, we split the horse pen and now the goat and Sid the llama has half the pen plus a portion of the inside of the barn.  Now, everyone can get out of the weather.

 

Scarlet the Horse

 

Scarlet doesn't seem lonely in the slightest. In fact, she's relieved Rocket is gone.  (Go figure!)  So, she keeps an eye on Sid and the goats but acts like a happy horse.

 

CHECK OUT OUR NEW FEATURE NEXT WEEK!!

Next Week: Look for our new carnival!  I'll be doing a round up of some of the homestead, sustainable, local, gardening, farm, hunting, and food blogs I like.  Comment below and I'll check out your blog for Sustainable Me: Carnival of the Sustainable Blogs