Day 323, The longest day of the year.

I always have mixed emotions when we reach the summer solstice, as it means we have reached the longest day of the year, but it also means the days will start getting shorter.  I really try not to think about it and just focus on the fact the sun is shining and the temperature is supposed to be in the 80's,

I had a productive day at work and was able to run home at noon and let the chickens out.  I need to figure out why the one hen is spending all her time in the nesting box and not getting out.  I figured tonight after work I'll clean out the hen house (its been 10 days) and check her out. 

After work I came home and put on my baggy shorts and went out in the yard to start my chicken cleaning.  I opened up the hen house and there sitting on one egg was my sickly hen.  I put the egg in my pocket and pulled the hen out to give her a look over.  It looked like she was loosing feather around her neck and rump.  I checked under her wings and couldn't see anything.  Her skin looked fine and I couldn't see any mites or bugs.  I then pulled out the boxes and dumped out the nesting material and the lower box was swarming with what looked like red spider, but they weren't spiders.  Trying not freak out, I went into the garage to see what I had to spray the boxes with, but I had nothing.  I figured I needed to run to the ranching store and by some spray to take care of the chickens and what I figured must be some sort of mite.

I jumped in the Packard headed to town and then realized I needed gas.  I went to the gas station and then drove to the Big R, where I bought several products deal with the mites.  As I got to the checkout counter I pulled out my wallet and paid for the items and then as I was getting ready to reached in my pocket to get my keys, my fingers crushed something that immediately got slimy.  Never put an egg in your pocket, you might forget it's there!  I immediately grabbed my products and quickly ran for the car.  By the time I got to the car, egg was oozing down my leg.  I got in the car and grabbed a towel and drove home.

When I got home I went to the back porch, took off my shorts, kicked off my flip flops and hosed off my leg and shorts.  I cleaned myself up took the egg shell out of the pocket and tossed the shorts into the washer.

Back on task, I sprayed the hen down and put her out in the yard.  She seemed to enjoy the spray-down and ran about the yard.  I went back to the boxes and sprayed them down, as they were still swarming with movement.  I completely cleaned out the hen house, put down powder, new paper and then put the boxes back in and dusted them with powder.

Sunset on the Summer Solstice, 6-21-2011

Next I cleaned out the pen, raked up the pen area and lightly dusting the ground.  I then took down one side of the plastic tarp, that I had put up for winter, to let more air in as we head into the hot summer months.  As the sun went down, I was able to check each chicken as they came back to roost for the night.  They all looked great, so I think I caught the problem soon enough.  I will from now on dust and spray the hen house each week.

It was a beautiful evening and I sat out on the deck watching the sunlight turn the evening sky pink. As I was thinking how amazing the moment was, my phone rang and it was my mother saying "are you looking at the sky?"  I told her I was.  It was beautiful and my Mom wanted to make sure I wasn't missing it.  I love those moments, just a phone call from my folks to share a special moment, it's a small thing but I love it.  It will be a memory I will hold my entire life. 

It was the longest day of the year and it was beautiful.