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Monday, February 4, 2019

Stepping up to the plate, or Night of the Zombie Rooster!

I felt like Dorothy, stepping out of her house after landing in Oz.  The fact that the temperature on Saturday was NOT subzero was disconcerting.  But very welcome.  The sun even came out.  I am cautiously optimistic that we will have at least a week of relief.


I worked from home on Thursday and half of Friday - Thursday, because it was double-digit below zero without factoring in the wind chill.  Friday, because I had my annual physical that dragged on for half the day, and it just made sense to go home and work, rather than travel another hour plus to the office.  Late afternoon, I trotted out to the coop to top off their feed and check for frozen eggs.  I walked in to find Fritz had been beaten to a bloody pulp by the big asshat rooster, Red.  It was the final straw.


I will admit that I usually push off these unpleasant but necessary tasks on my neighbor.  Frankly, he doesn't enjoy it either and I figured it was time for me to yank up my BGPs and step up to the plate.  Yeesh.  I waited until it was dark (WARNING:  IT'S GOING TO GET GRAPHIC FOR A PARAGRAPH!!), put my headlamp on, grabbed gloves and my air rifle, and headed out to the coop.  Just so I couldn't chicken out (pardon the pun), I marched in, grabbed him by his ankles, marched outside, threw him down on the ground, put my foot on his neck and shot him in the head.  Holymotherofgod!  I had forgotten about the spasmodic results when one has offed a chicken - I swear to the goddess he was coming after me!  I ran around in circles, squealing, while his carcass gyrated after me.  Mercifully, it didn't last long, but I went straight in the house and had two glasses of wine to calm my nerves.  It is not a job I like, but sometimes it has to be done.  He had become very aggressive, attacking me every time my back was turned, and turning on Fritz was the tipping point.  I sure hope Fritz doesn't turn into a jerk.  I do not want to experience Return to Night of the Zombie Rooster.  It has taken him a couple of days to venture out of the coop - he looks left and right, as if waiting for Red to jump him.  His head is healing and I am sure most of his feathers will grow back.  It's too much drama.


*****
It was an unusual weekend of ups and downs.  Luckily, the ups were way better than the downs.  My middle sister got away from the Parents (well, Dad) for an overnighter with me.  The dogs were delirious and even Slimmie was getting in on the attention and love.  Poor Butter Pat was completely worn out from trying to grab ALL the love, ALL the time.  We tried a new local Mexican restaurant and it was fabulous!  I do so love spending time with her.


Efforts in the kitchen were not as rosy.  It is very frustrating to try and make a decent pie crust that's gluten free.  Without gluten to hold it together, you get this:
Shattered!
For the sake of convenience, I typically use King Arthur Flour's GF pie crust mix.  The end result, although totally aggravating and crumbly, tastes good.  Once you piece it back together.  This weekend was all about eggs - quiche, Scotch eggs, egg salad.  Oooh, I thought.  How about I whip up a loaf of GF bread for my egg salad sandwiches?
"Someone" left out the yeast.  Sigh
I did finish my sister's socks and am working away on my last two pair.  Then I think I will take a sock break for a bit.  If I can help myself.
Loved, loved, loved the yarn.
I am on my fourth pair in this pattern - Hermione's Everyday Sock, for those who are wondering.  They are very thick, comfy, warm socks and I know there are some cold nights still to come.  I bet more than three.


This week, I am going to tackle the back room, again.  And start laying out my garden.  I am so ready to get out and dig in the dirt, but it will be a while until I can actually see dirt.  I've got to take advantage of this respite from the brutal cold, to get some things shorn up for the next round, coming up this weekend.  Spring is going to be mighty welcome this year.





26 comments:

jaz@octoberfarm said...

you are a braver woman than i am. i would have made the neighbor do it. i have to clean up my garage to get ready for seed starting!

Theresa said...

Yikes, chickens alone give me the creeps let alone zombie ones...okay, eggs are one thing I am perfectly happy to get from the grocery store.
Garden layout sounds like fun though and I hope rooster #2 works out.
Beautiful socks!!!!

Mama Pea said...

Good for you for doing what needed to be done to Red. Actually, roosters like that are very dangerous. (Just ask Fritz.)

Oh, the frustration you must have suffered with that gluten-free pie crust!

You're so ready to get out and dig in the dirt, huh? You be a better woman than I am. I still need this winter hibernation before switching horses again. (You see, I really am a closet couch potato.) I need more inside time to revel in all the handwork-y projects! On the couch.

Nancy In Boise said...

Sorry you ad to do that, but it's like the hen I bought, full grown. She got very very aggressive, so I gave her away on Craigslist. I hope she made a nice dinner!

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

I hope Fritz's nerves calm down, and yours as well. Ain't pretty when a job like that needs done. We were just talking about pie the other day. I may make one soon. Glad you are getting a warm up too. We are too.

tpals said...

I'm crossing my fingers that the calm holds in the spring between my three(!) roosters. If not, the most picked on will move to the farm for the summer while I figure it out. Well done, you, for being brave and doing the necessary.

Leigh said...

Sounds like the Red experience discombobulated you. But bullies shouldn't be tolerated and you did it the right way. Can't think about it, just make up the mind, and do it. It's always a relief to have peace in the chicken yard again.

Ed said...

I'm sorry but I had a good laugh at your expense reading your story of Red's final moments. Having raised chickens in the distant past, I could relate.

Then I couldn't help but have an image of Fritz sitting in a corner somewhere pulling out feathers and yelling towards Red about who will get the last laugh.

ellen abbott said...

I try not to kill things, even trapping wasps that get in the house and letting them go outdoors but sometimes it has to be done. like the rat that decided to make a nest in the wall of my house. it gained access from underneath where the plumbing comes in and got cozy behind the removable panel that give access to the plumbing in the wall (stupid rat). it sat there looking at me. I was prepared with a two tined long handled barbeque fork and a bucket of water. I speared it and drowned it. it was horrible, for me and the rat. but at least it didn't try and attack me after it was dead.

Rain said...

Hi Susan :) I for one, appreciate your honesty about the roosters. I always wondered if roosters attacked each other (and you???!!!)...congrats on your courage!

I hope we do have an early spring...though I won't be digging in the dirt this year, a nice warm spring/early summer will make life much easier on us looking at properties.

The socks look great! Oh that sucks about the GF crust...but as long as it tastes good right?

Susan said...

I just couldn't ask him again.

Susan said...

Isn't that yarn beautiful? :)

Susan said...

That is the truth. I bear scars from mean roosters. I hope Fritz' feathers grow back in. At least his head is scabbed over, poor laddie. I am getting cabin fever!

Susan said...

I wouldn't have minded giving him to someone who would make use of him, but it's not the right time of year, unfortunately. Good deal on your hen!

Susan said...

I had hoped they would get along, as they came together. But, that was not to be.

Susan said...

Fritz is still mostly staying in the coop. I think he was totally traumatized. It IS a relief to have peace in the chicken yard!

Susan said...

My sister and I had a good laugh about it, too.

Susan said...

Sometimes, it is the only solution. Good god - that was a pretty gruesome experience for you!

Susan said...

Just think how wonderful it will be to start your own garden on your own homestead!

Lynne said...

Didn't realize that they could be so agressive. That must of been hard to do. When we were kids we had one that would chase us around the yard, but never hurt us. Love the yarn you use for the socks. Bet your sister loved them. Gluten free pie crust can be a struggle to make. Every thing you make looks so good. Good luck with your garden plans!

Michelle said...

Now THAT is a woman I would fear! Goodness gracious! Would probably work for my henhouse mouse problem, but, but....

Michelle said...

Oh, and my gluten-filled pie crusts often look like that, which is why I hate to make pie crusts. They are just such difficult beasties!

Sandy Livesay said...

My Sweet Dear Susan,
I've been thinking about you, and Mama Pea with all these low temperatures, wind chills, and snow!!! I know your doing everything possible to keep yourself, and your critters warm, and safe. I'd be drinking more than 2 glasses of wine after doing the deed. You did what you had to do in order to prevent the rest of your animals from getting hurt by the ASSHAT rooster from HELL!!! Your GF crust looks like my G crust when making pies....LOL! My thought, as long as the pie tastes good....who cares what the crust looks like :-) Do you make your lunch breads all the time? There's nothing better than the smell of homemade bread baking in the oven. I'm sure this won't be your last pair of socks. You get the knitting itch, and just can't stop....and that's a good thing my friend. Enjoy some down time, and look forward to spring coming soon, and getting down right dirty in the soil!!!! I know you're ready.....and I know I'm ready too!

Sending hugs and love to you and your furbies.
Sandy

Tim B. Inman said...

I just wrote a blog about my ex-rooster, Rockie. You might get a kick out of it. I totally agree about aggressive horse's patoot roosters! oakdalefarm.blogspot.com

FYI, I made a set of ear rings for my sister from his spurs.

Enjoy your blog

Tim Inman

Casa Mariposa said...

Your life is never dull! I hope the rooster is tasty! He had it coming!

Mac n' Janet said...

Just found your blog and really enjoyed your writing roosters, and chicken s in general can be mean little puppies.