Wednesday March 23, '11

Hail Yes.  The skies opened this afternoon and we got hail. Earlier it was 65º and then the winds moved in from the NW around 25 mph, the temps fell to 45º.  The hail was small in the downtown and golf ball sized near the North end.  Extraordinary light shows flashed everywhere and thunder rolled.  Later the purple sunset was dramatic. Thunder still rumbles over the hills as I type this several hours later.

Prepping for Rooster's Redneck Rendezvous VIII or IX (?),  Evan and I have been working on our Westies.  He had major work done on his tranny and engine mounts only to have to put a new water pump on Franz after two days of local driving.  Good thing it went out here in town and not on the hilly roads heading to Olive Hill, KY.  I attended to my perennial #1 cylinder leak by applying yet another coat of epoxy putty on the exhaust port that needs a new stud.  Aesthetics and not function is affected by the leak, therefore the patchwork fix is appropriate for me.  The patch is easily applied and holds for months and sometimes years.  Someday, I'll pull the exhaust and tap the hole for a new stud.

JPayne and I were able to fire up the brown Weekender on Saturday using starter fluid. Now for the fuel pump, hoses, coolant and fuel... crossed fingers, but I think that dog will hunt.  The wild card is the tranny, the PO reported a "no shift" between third and fourth.

At the coup I fed, watered and gathered the birds into the wire and soon after watched them file out under a gap in the lower gate, pushing up the poultry wire and scurring out of the pen.  I pledged to myself to return Sunday to patch that opening.  Having lost two hens last week... I never found feather nor skin... they just disappeared!... I have been a little apprehensive about losing more birds.

So did I return Sunday afternoon after a Roadie ride and there in the path as I turned into the drive were two MORE chickens... DEAD.

I examined them both and it appears that they were killed by a large bird (hawk or eagle). The carcasses were scarred  in only two places each. One at the back of the neck and the other at the juncture of the hips and the backbone.  The lower area was the more traumatic of the two and showed talon deep marks.

Further searching (about an hour) revealed very small areas of tufts of the neck feathers of the remaining five birds. All seven of them were gone.   All the attacks appeared in the open and not typical of a cannine attack where the dog/fox/coyote chases and corners or tears when snatching a bird. There were no paw prints or other signs of struggle in the soft soil around each circle of neck feathers.

I will get more birds... just not soon. I have to rethink this whole murder from the sky problem.  

Thanks for reading.
More later, have to sleep now.