FRANCIS'S BLOG 10/06/2025
Breakfast with chickens 🐴
Buttons says, “Good morning! Francis has the nicest smile for you!”
Indeed I do, Buttons!—and aren’t you looking lovely today!
Other than that, the trees are full of chattering blackbirds. . .
It’s only 10 o’clock, and the chickens have already laid 5 eggs in RC’s old feed dish. . .
For a total of 12 eggs laid here, there and everywhere!
How many more will we have today?
Speaking of chickens, here’s a video to show you how many of them are in the stable with me right now:
I hope they don’t develop a taste for donkey food! 🐴
From 76℉ to 17℉! Holy Smoke! 🐴
Good morning! We’re all huddled in the stable, keeping warm before breakfast. Yesterday’s temperatures spoiled us!
Let’s take our minds off the freezing weather with a Sophie video. Here she is, trying to chase Onslow out of his hiding place in the bushes:
And then she had a drink! 🐴
Egg sabotage! 🙀
Red says, “Peek-a-boo!” 😺
Good morning! Jewel and I are getting a head start on the hay. Can you believe it’s going to be over 70 today? Yippie!
Uh-oh—someone pecked a tiny hole in this otherwise perfect egg, that weighed a record 72 grams!
The cat-cops feed damaged eggs to the hens. I wonder if that’s why the hen (whoever she was) pecked it in the first place? Chickens think eggs are delicious, too! 🐴
Oh great, something else needs fixing 😾
Good morning! It’s supposed to hit 70! How nice!
Iris says, “Let’s celebrate with carrots!”
Well, RC’s old feed dish has become the latest hotspot for laying eggs:
Oh my goodness, there’s a line!
Security Deputy Onslow is keeping things orderly:
Oh no! One of the front steps is caving in!
Luckily, no cat-cops were hurt. 🐴
Chickens try leftovers! 🐔
Good morning! We’re still a little sleepy-eyed, and Stormy is having a colossal yawn:
Red is finishing his breakfast, and everyone else’s!
And here’s a video of the hens taste-testing coleslaw covered in cottage cheese!
What do you think? I think they like the cottage cheese, but aren’t too sure about the coleslaw. 🐴
Fresh eggs in new places 🥚
Good morning! It’s a wonderful day:
Just look at this beautiful sky:
Sophie’s with us!
Ann put some straw in RC’s old food dish:
And the chickens think it makes a fine nest! 🐔
More help from friends! 😺
Good morning! I’m in “a mood” this morning. I refused to come in for breakfast, and I whined and cried until it was brought out to me:
Hmmm. . . It looks like someone couldn’t make it to a nest:
Question: What’s so special about a closed garage door?
Answer: It hasn’t been closed for months! The springs broke and the handle came off—but our friend Jay came out, installed a shiny new handle and new springs:
The cats will be cozy tonight! 😺
Sophie on the job! 🐴
Stormy says, “Good morning! Where’s our hay?”
Sophie says, “It’s right here, Stormy. I’ll get Mary to put some out.”
It looks like Sophie has more duties than hay supervision. Here she is, checking in on the chickens:
“Time to come out, chickens!”
“Now it’s time for me to go inside and get some cheese!” 🧀
Baldy on guard! 🐓
RC says, “Good morning! I rolled in the mud, obviously. I’ll get a good brushing soon (so I can roll in the mud again).”
We’re all having tasty carrots, brought to us by our friend, Officer Eddie:
Look who’s here! Sophie!
Baldy is escorting the faverolles around the stable:
Who are you protecting them from, Baldy?
Neither the horses nor Sophie eat chickens (But they have been known to chase them around a little). 🐴
Jewel is feeling better 🐎
Good morning! I’m whining for my breakfast to be brought out to me, so I can enjoy the sunshine:
Onslow says, “Good morning! I’m keeping Francis’s hay warm!”
As you recall, yesterday Jewel was sick. But she’s feeling better today:
Dr. Danielle saw that one of Jewel's teeth had become sharp, and was hurting her mouth while she chewed. So after it was filed smooth, she felt better, and was ready for a carrot! 🐴
The weather is fine 😺, but Jewel might not be 😿!
Good morning! Even though I have a smile for you, things are a little serious this morning:
We noticed Jewel was having trouble eating her hay. She acted like it was caught in her mouth or throat. Poor Jewel!
I know it’s hard to tell from these security camera photos, but Dr. Danielle, her assistant, and Ann are looking her over now:
Dr. Danielle thinks it’s a bad tooth, so she treated the tooth and gave her a shot of antibiotics. Get well, Jewel! 🐴
What a nice Sunday 🐴
I’m sorry, I didn’t take any pictures for you today: 
But, the Department of Horsefarm Security has plenty of cameras:
So I’ll use them to show you it’s a lovely day:
And we’re doing fine! See you tomorrow. 🐎
Chilly morning 🐴
Good morning! The little snow we had is gone. It’s only 14℉, but it’s warming right up!
We ran out of mealworms last night—but the UPS man delivered more just this morning!
Great timing! The ducks say, “Let’s break the ice and enjoy some mealworm soup!”
What’s “mealworm soup?” Why, it’s free-dried mealworms from a just-opened bag, and water fresh from the well—a simple recipe that always pleases! 🦆
A kiss from Sophie 🐴
Red says, “Maybe if I open my eyes, it won’t be snowing.”
Good morning, everyone! Hang in there, Red, it’s suppose to stop soon:
Here’s Sophie!
What a nice kiss! ❤️
Eggs, eggs, everywhere! 🐔
Good morning! Valentine’s Day may be over, but I’m always in the mood for a kiss:
The chickens have discovered a new place to lay eggs:
They were in our stable, in a corner, out of reach—and the only way to get them out was to scoop them up with a rake. How inconvenient! 🐴
The chickens are getting busy! 🐔
This owl says, “Hoo-hoo! Good morning!”
We’re looking forward to another nice day:
The weather is working its magic on the chickens:
During January's terrible snow and below-zero temperatures, the chickens only laid two or three eggs a day:
But yesterday they laid fifteen! 🐔
Puppies prancing in the pasture! 🐴
Good morning! There’s frost on the ground, but it’s sunny and no wind:
We’re all bright-eyed and perky today:
Iris and Stormy went right out to the far pasture. They didn’t even wait for breakfast!
Goodness, me! Last night, Mary and Mara had a bonfire with loads of old baling twine! They were joined by Nixie, Calla and Sophie.
Let the games begin! Nixie almost always gets the ball. She looks so proud bringing it back to Mara:
And here we are, chasing after Sophie in the sunset:
ZOOM—ZOOM! 🐴
A good day for a ride 🐎
Good morning!
Mara and Mary and getting Iris and Stormy ready for a ride:
Lucky horsies! 🐴
Hazel in the stable! 🐔
Good morning! Remember yesterday, when we featured Hazel in the stable? Well, she’s back again today!
Here she is, trying to decide if my breakfast would make a good nest:
And here she is, way up high!
She didn’t have me to jump down on, this time. 🐴
Video quickies 🐓
Good morning. Hazel is on me:
Nobody put her there. She was doing her “high-wire” act and didn’t want to jump down too far:
She didn’t stay long:
I think I’ll spend some time with Jewel, in her run:
No chickens here:
Oh, hello Baldy. I stand corrected. 🐓
Anyway, here are 3 short videos, just for you!
1) Nobody but Jewel and me:
Along comes Baldy:
And here is Sophie!
She and Misty were saying Hello! 🐎
Please don’t rain! 😾
Oh, excuse me. I’m still half-asleep:
Hang on—I’m getting up!
That’s better. Good morning!
We hope it doesn’t rain too much this afternoon, like they’re predicting. You can see that we’re finally drying up a little. 🐴
Anyway, let’s watch this chick get her nest just the way she likes it:
We’ll have a nice blue egg soon! 🐔
Oh, Red—what happened to you? 😿
Good morning! A concerned neighbor reported that a horse might be out, wandering the field across the street. As you can see below, we’re all here (I was in the stable). Even though it was luckily a false alarm—we are SO GRATEFUL to be surrounded by friends who are always looking out for us!
Security Deputy Onslow is guarding a new delivery of mealworms:
You’ll have fresh mealworms for dinner, ducks:
And poor Red has a wound on his ear, over his eye. . .
. . .and across his neck!
I don’t think another kitty would be so rough. Red, did you have a fight with a dog or a coyote? If the cat-cops could catch you, they would certainly take you to the vet. 😿
Oh that Stormy! 🐎
Good morning! There’s frost on the farm:
Carrots make my ears go to “10” and “2” (it’s a clock-thing):
Iris is having first crack at the hay. Yum!
Oh, remember how, in a previous post, I blamed Stormy for making a bodacious poopie in the feed bin? Was I making an unjust accusation?
What do you think? 🐴
The amazing dancing hose! 🙀
Good morning! There’s sun in my eyes, but that’s a good thing:
It’s a little below freezing, so the mud is a little easier to walk through:
Our hose is bouncing up and down:
The water running through it must have set off some weird momentum, or something (I’m a donkey, not a physicist). 🐴
Let’s hear from Ferdinand! 🦆
Ferdie says, “Good morning! Nothing makes me happier than a bath!”
“My feathers and bath water are flying!”
“Watch me in action!”
“Loads of good, clean fun!” 🦆
There are advantages to YOU being YOU! 🐴
Jewel says, “Good morning! I know you have a bag of carrots for us—I don’t have to see them to know they are there:
Iris says, “Good morning to you, too! I’m afraid I have to report that someone (Stormy) made a poopie in our feed bin.”
Don’t worry, that cat-cops will clean it out. They might grumble, but they would never let us eat poopied-up food:
Anyway, remember Wednesday’s post?—when I said, ‘Sometimes I wish I were taller?’ I take it back! I’m glad I’m who I am, and short:
No one will ever blame me for pooping in the feed bin! 🐴
The chickens are on the job! 🐴
Good morning! Even though our wonderful friend, Farmer Rich, emptied the manure cart last night, there’s still a pile of poopies on the ground, from when the big snowstorm made it impossible for him to get to us. So the chickens are busy, combing through the manure for bugs and seeds:
They will soon have those poopies ground into a fine dust that will disappear into the soil:
Let’s watch them at work!
Everybody has their own special chores to do on the farm! 🐔
Hey, whose ears are those? 🐴
Chezzie says, “Good morning! I’ll be careful to not drop my carrot in the mud.”
Jewel says, “Good morning!”
Speaking of Jewel, here she is in a video:
Sometimes I wish I were taller! 🐴