That Dirty Rat

Yuck! Walked into the barn and found the body stuck under the door to the chickens. They attacked the head. My landlord peeked into the chickens the other day and found 2 big rats eating the chicken food. They live under the barn and find their way up where ever there is a crack in the floor. There are cats around here but they don't seem too interested in the rats.?

Poison is not really an option. There are too many little dogs, the cats and my chickens running around the barn. Traps create the same problem. Too many other critters that would trip them and get caught.

So what do you do about the rats?

My crazy thought was to pour concrete down the cracks and holes around the barn, seal them in down there. Perhaps fill up their homes so they move on? Surely all this rain has been flooding the tunnels. Why not flood them with concrete?

As for the chickens. 

I will be building a new mini Barn/Chicken coop here soon and they will be moving out of the barn. That should help discourage the rats from having as much free food around for dinner. And hopefully I will be able to pressure wash the poop off the stall door and walls. There is a reason you don't keep chickens in the barn with everyone else. They perch up high and make a mess everywhere.

I have a hen that has even tried to lay her egg above the door. Need less to say, there was a mess on the floor in the morning. My silly chickens like to try and hide where they lay their eggs sometimes. There are 2 that have a little hide out in the hay room and I find the eggs there everyday. Another one likes to go in the goats stall and lay her egg on the ledge along the wall. Sometimes, it's a good egg, other times, it's cracked :{

I plan on having a row of nesting boxes in the new chicken barn. Hopefully they will adapt to them and be happy hens. I'm thinking there is going to be a fenced in play yard as well. That way they can be outside even when I'm not home. Put a few whirly toys on the top to keep the Eagles away.

I Need to find a way to get the wood from the lumber yard, and hopefully my grandson wants to learn how to build something and use power tools!  He makes the best helper.

Blessed by God

Life's good @ the Bright side of the Barn

Thanks for stopping by

Until next time, Stay safe and Happy Trails.

Dang it anyhow!

It's snowing.... Going to make everything I have to do this week, a bit harder to get done. And of course it's shopping week, with supplies due for the animals. I don't mind the snow, really. I just prefer it stay a little higher up in the mountains and leave the valley roads clear. It's been a light sprinkle but a steady sprinkle since about 6 pm and we have a definite layer of snow now.

Winter is the one season I wish we could get through as quick as possible. With the least amount of weather conditions. The goats would agree with me if they could talk. StarBright loves to play in it. The chickens haven't seen it yet, we'll see tomorrow how they feel about it. Miss Sophia woke up with a swollen cheek, I think she has an abscess tooth. So the Vet might be on the agenda tomorrow as well. Normally Sophia would be out there running around and playing in it. The cats sit in the window and watch it snow. Not to disturbed by it.

This is the one time of year I do wish the 5th wheel had a bathtub. Nothing like a nice hot bath on nights like this. Even a shower longer than 5 minutes might feel nice. Hmmm, I'm feeling a night out in a hotel, just to get away. I could use the change of scenery, even if it's just across town and for a night. I've been so house bound since the accident. Unable to do so many of the things I would normally be doing. Feels kind of like a prison, in it's own way. Being injured.

It's been a month. I know I'm doing more than I should but I have been careful, I think. I just can't help but wonder if it's still supposed to hurt this much. I know, I answered my own question with the opening statement. I do wonder how much is the accident and how much is my arthritis and back issues. Feels like ribs are loose and jabbing into other parts of me. Having a rib broke in the back was the worst. No way to lay comfortably on my back, side or stomach.   

Oh, I went into Mattress Firm today and was checking out new mattresses.. I want the new base/frame. Just have to figure out how to put it in the RV, Considering the bed base right now is a storage box. Put the base and mattress on top and I might need stairs just to get up there. But.... to have the head and feet moved into the 0 gravity position. I'd be able to breathe and sleep! Vibrating options, and remote control. Oh ya, the mattress was to die for. My back didn't want to get up.

Who knows, I might even actually sleep in one day!

Blessed by God

Life's good @ the Bright side of the Barn.

Thanks for stopping by

Until next time, Stay safe and Happy Trails.