FRANCIS'S BLOG 10/06/2025
Eggs are on the way! 🐔
Good morning! Leila has a nice blue egg for us, and it’s not even 9 o’clock:
Rose has a carrot. . .
And so does Jewel:
I’m sure the cat-cops have saved carrots for the rest of us:
Of course they did!
Finally, here’s a short movie of me, getting a head start on the hay:
Isn’t it interesting how the muscle moves over my eyebrow when I chew? 🐴
Is this a great post? It depends! 🐔
Good morning! It’s still very muddy, which is no surprise, and it will unfortunately be muddy for many days:
But on the bright side, we’re still enjoying the above-freezing temperatures!
I’m afraid this is not much of a post; however, if you enjoy watching Ruth take a dustbath for 39 seconds—I’ve got you covered!
As you can see, the dirt in some places in the stable is nice and dry! 🐴
Guess who’s back! 😺
Good morning! Look at all this mud! It’s because of the melting snow:
Well, hello, Red! This is the first we’ve seen of you since the big snow! We’re so glad you’re safe. Come on, and get some breakfast:
Speaking of kitties, here’s Buttons, keeping an eye on the chickens:
Watch out, Buttons, the white and gray one is Ruth, and she likes to chase cats! 🙀
Sophie in the snow! 🐴
Good morning!
Here’s Sophie having some cheese:
And here she is eating snow!
Oh that Sophie! 🐴
The chickens aren’t the only one out of the gate! 🐴
Good morning! Every day, a little more snow melts:
More and more chickens are venturing out, and I’m joining them:
I think I’ll try the green grass you see in the background, after I have my carrot:
Come off the snow, Gail. It’s warmer over the bare ground:
Poor Gail, she has yet to finish molting, but don’t worry—her head and thigh feathers will be regrown in less than a week. 🐔
Free the chickens! 🐴
Good morning! We’re actually happy it’s raining a little this morning, as long as it stays above freezing. It’s helping to melt the snow:
For the first time in TWO WEEKS, the chickens can come out of their coops:
Just walk through a little snow, chicks, then hop the fence. Now that Farmer Rich plowed us out a little, you’ll find bare ground:
The remaining snow is deepest by the riding arena. . .
The snow on the roof is falling off and blocking the doors. 😿
What would we do without farmer Rich? 🐴
It looks like Betty hasn’t quite woken up:
Good morning! Farmer Rich worked late last night to plow us out!
Thanks to him, our driveway by the hay barn is finally clear. The cat-cops have been struggling to bring us food for weeks. But once again, the truck can be pulled right to our stable:
40 and 50-pound bags of food had to be drug from the farm house:
The ducks getting very muddy:
There was a lot of soggy ground under the snow:
Get as dirty as you want, ducks. . .
But come back to this water and clean up before you go home. 🦆
Danger from above! 🙀
Ferdinand says, “Good morning! We are grateful for the past few days of temperatures above freezing. I’m also grateful for this breakfast of mealworms, plus a bucket of new clean water!”
It’s still on the chilly side, though. Can you see the steam rising while Schroeder takes a drink?
And, oh, that Onslow and Betty! Here they are, sitting so nicely:
And a few moments later, Onslow picked a fight! Shame on you, Onslow!—Betty is your sister!
Don’t worry, they stopped fighting. Anyway, nobody stand under that snow!
Clumps of snow have been melting and crashing to the ground all morning! 🙀
What’s Buttons been up to? 😺
Good morning! Another slushy day, just above freezing; but, we’ll take it gladly!
Hey Buttons, you only spent a few seconds on your breakfast today:
And then you climbed right up into the rafters to look for birds:
Could it be that you’re not that hungry?—because you just ate a starling?
Yuck! I’m glad I’m a herbivore! 🐴
Let’s celebrate 33℉! Everybody gets a carrot! 🐴
Good morning! After being below zero for so long, it’s finally an actual degree above freezing!
Chezzie gets a carrot:
Iris gets a carrot:
Rosie gets a carrot:
RC gets a carrot:
Stormy gets a carrot:
Jewel gets a carrot:
Misty gets a carrot:
And, of course, I get a carrot:
Don’t tell the others, but I got several carrots! 🐴
Please, can we have some warmer weather? 😿
Good morning. I’m still in the stable.
Iris, Stormy and Chavez are out at the feed bin:
As you recall, Iris and Rose have been up with us since this terrible snow:
It’s been over a week, and just look:
Their feed bin is still buried in snow! 🙀
Baldy says, “I’m a rooster!" 🐓
Nixie says, “Good morning! It’s -4 right now, so I’m staying on the couch!”
You’ll have to pay us a visit this afternoon, Nixie, when it should be about 11. I know that’s not too cold for a doggie:
But, goodness!—do we need some warmer temperatures to melt our mountains of snow!
The chickens haven’t been out for over a week.
Let’s pay them a visit. The chicks are just waking up. . .
And so are the older girls. . .
Oh, sorry, Baldy! Yes, you are indeed a rooster (listen to him cock-a-doodle-doo at the 20-second mark)! 🐴
A Jewel in the snow! 🐎
I’m sorry, I don’t have any pictures for you this morning. But I do have these videos from last night:
Oh no! Jewel! Can’t you get up? Are you hurt? How are we going to help you in this deep snow? In some places, the drifts are taller than me! 🐴
Oh, thank goodness! You’re ok. Now go inside and get your dinner. 🐴
Onslow saves the day 😺
The security camera sees little me in the stable. It’s not too bad this morning—a whole 17 degrees at 7 o’clock—and at noon it’s sunny and 24! 🐴
The chickens are enjoying their morning water, but—horrors!—there’s a rumor that we are out of mealworms!
Onslow says, “Never fear, birds, the UPS man delivered new worms this morning!”
“I’m meowing nonstop, alerting the cat-cops to take it inside (I’ll also try to sneak in while the door’s open).” 😺
Heat wave! It might hit 20℉! 😺
Good morning! The sun on the snow is making me squint:
Ferdinand says, “I may be the only duck or chicken outside, but I’m staying perfectly cozy in my house:”
“I have mealworms to my right, and fresh water to my left:”
“It’s never too cold for a duck to take a bath.” 🦆
Kitties are staying put 😺
-12 as opposed to -14, so I suppose that’s progress—but, of course, it’s another day inside:
Ok, Buttons, you’ll get your breakfast brought to you:
Sorry, Schroeder, Onslow and Betty—if you want breakfast, you’ll need to get off that heating pad:
There’s no room for you and your bowls. 😾
-14℉ — enough said 🐴
I’m afraid all we have for you is this picture of a “sun dog:”
We’re ok, but it’s very, very cold! 🐎
Mega-drifts! 😾
Good morning! I’m afraid you won’t see us this morning, but we’re all ok in the stable. We are very snowed in:
Here’s a bin we can still use. . .
But this bin is almost covered!
This drift is as high as the fence:
No cars will get ever through there—I hope our friends with the snow plow are on their way! 🐴
This qualifies as a blizzard! 🐴
Good morning.
Thank goodness we keep our food in a cabinet:
Here is some “snow sculpture,” just for you!
Here’s the view from the tractor garage. How does the snow make drifts inside the door?
Here we are, looking out from the feed shed:
The drifts are over the cat-cops’ boots:
Here’s our Betty, looking out from the riding arena:
Please stop, Mr. Snow!
You’ve made your point, Mr. Snow—NOW STOP! You made us wait an extra hour for breakfast! 🐴
Oh that Baldy! 🐓
Good morning! Snow, as far as my eyes can see:
The cat-cops are still a little hesitant about letting the chickens out, because the snow is still very deep, so there is nothing to eat, and nowhere to hide. But their windows are open and the sun is streaming in:
It's giving Baldy a reason to cock-a-doodle-doo!
Let’s listen to him “bring the house down:”
Loud, isn’t he? Wake up, everybody! 🐓
The snow is deeper and ice is everywhere! 🙀
Good morning! The snow is deep and hard to walk in:
Our good friend, Mike, has worked hard to plow us out. Now the cat-cops have a place to park:
The snow and ice was making it impossible to get our poopies out to the manure cart, but he plowed us a clear path:
As you know from yesterday’s post, Iris and Rose spent the night inside. But Rose hurt her foot (just a little!) in her stall, so she’s in Jewel’s run for the day:
RC will keep Jewel company today. It’s not snowing, so we can be outside without getting wet (unless we roll):
Anyway, the chickens elected Ruth to go see if it’s nice enough to go outside:
Here’s a very quick video of her having a look around:
“Let me back in!” 🐔
Gracious, no! Heavy, wet, snow! 😾
Only the ducks are out in this, but they went right back in the garage:
Speaking of garages, come on in the cat garage, Red, and get some hot paté:
Here are some security camera views:
Can you see us? Don’t worry, we’re all inside:
Iris and Rose spent the night with us. They’ll spend the day here, too:
I’m getting a brushing!
And in case you were wondering, the chickens are inside, too:
Everybody’s “cooped up” today! 🐴
They say that snow is on the way 😾
Good morning! Despite my pleasant expression upon seeing you, we are concerned about all the snow we’re supposed to get overnight:
Don’t worry, we'll have plenty of food and hay; it’s being stuck in the stable that’s most annoying. 🐴
Here’s an interest observation from last night: When our two faverolles go to bed, they each roost in opposite corners.
Here’s Indira on one side. . .
And Petra on the other. . .
Since the duck pools might be covered soon, here is Sirius, getting his bath in now:
(He was named for the Sirius in Greek mythology; not for the satellite radio. 🦆)
Splish! Splash! Sploosh! 🦆
Good morning! Oh my, a little more snow, so a lot more mud. It’s only dry in the stable and on this little piece of cement:
Paschal is taking a bath:
Under she goes!
Let’s watch Danny Fairbrass do some splashing!
And let’s watch the whole gang do some filter-feeding!
The water goes in their bills, and the tiny bugs and other bits of food get trapped and swallowed—how ingenious! 🐴
What nice neighbors we have! 🐴
Good morning! As you can see, it snowed a little overnight:
But the big news was yesterday, when someone (I know who, but I’d rather not say) left Iris and Rose’s gate unlocked, and the wind blew it open! Iris is a good girl, but she figures, “Hey, if the gate’s open, it must be ok for me to go out!”
Oh, look! Here comes one of our wonderful friends from Geneseo Child Care to let Mary know that Iris is outside the fence!
Aren’t we lucky to live next to a school full of caring grown-ups and children! Here comes Mary to lead Iris back to her and Rose’s pasture:
Once again, we are grateful for our neighbors! ❤️
Pumpkin problem 🎃
Good morning!
Rose says, “Good morning!” too:
And Sophie and Dukie are here:
Oh my, this pumpkin is losing water, and deflating!
I know who would like this for breakfast:
The chickens, of course!
Yum! 🐓🐔
Jane goes nest-shopping 🐔
Good morning! If you’ll notice in the background, Stormy has a nice smile for you:
The chickens are coming out of the fence, from above and below:
Jane’s already in the stable:
She’s here. . .
And she’s there, but so far, she doesn’t see a good place to nest:
“This would make a nice nest,” she says, “but I’ll need a cat-cop to peel back the plastic.”
“Thank you, Bud! This is a warm, secluded nest.”
“I’ll try and have an egg for you by this afternoon!” 🐔
Please stay above freezing today 🐴
Good morning! I’m a little befuddled today. I think I need a few sunny days in a row to clear my head:
Remember, a couple days ago, I posted a video of Schrödinger taking swings at the chickens? Well, here he is, doing it some more, from a “sky” angle:
And here, once again, are our hungry hens, eating some worms that are meant for the ducks:
Oh, those chickens! 🐴
Betty lays an egg 😺
Good morning! The sun’s out and the mud’s frozen!
Schroeder is waiting to surprise a chicken:
And Betty says, “What is this under me?”
“Oh, an egg! I guess I can keep it as warm as whoever laid it.” 😺
Cats and trucks and a video! 😺
Good morning! I'm enjoying the first day of 2024 while the mud is still frozen:
Cheer up Onslow, no one is going take you off that warm truck hood (just yet):
A little earlier, he and Betty were checking out Jake’s truck:
That’s an awesome snowplow. Hopefully we won’t need it this winter. 😺
Finally, in case you missed it, here’s our latest YouTube video:
Who knew Buttons and Schrödinger were new-wave music fans? 😺