Just Some Snow Pics

Taking it easy, but I am missing sharing pictures and such.  So here are some random photos from around the homestead during these cold snowy days.

These are the faces they give me when I ask them to look at the camera and smile.... maybe I should start trying reverse psychology?

Oh wait, they looked at the camera-

I have to say, even the cats and rodents make more sensical roadways than the ones here in New England (they are straight, I always love those "S" curves on I-95).  Those twigs are our asparagus plants, looking forward to this coming season harvest of them.

Here is the rat highway to the chicken coop.... they are snatching food from their feeder.... or maybe both enjoy company during these cold winter months.

A note about salmonella (from my understanding)-  Eggs get contaminated with salmonella when a hen eats the feces of an infected rat.  When a hen is infected I hear it is quite obvious, she shows obvious signs of illness.  Then you know not to eat her eggs.

This is obviously where the rats live.  We plan to get rid of all these scrap piles in the spring to hopefully cut down on them.  The cats have really helped in this regard also (not removing scrap piles but killing some of the rats).

Ice sickles on the chicken coop wire.

Hens have been spending lots of time in the coop, very cold most days.  We don't heat their coop, we just try and keep it insulated with straw.  They are hardy girls.

Change of topic.....  Baby comparison pics.
Baby 1.0 at around 1 month old-

Baby 2.0 at around 1 month old-

Baby 3.0 at almost 1 month old-

We think she looks more like baby 1.0 (big brother) but with bigger cheeks and dark hair.... but its hard to tell.

I plan to start writing about real stuff again soon.... such as trying to cure our own hams and some house updates.  Bear with me please. :)