Hartz Horse and Hen Haven

12/28/2020

Scuba master instructor, Terry Crookes, first lesson and first time ever on a horse

12/28/2020

Full moon rising

08/13/2019

Our flock has been reduced from seven to three. We have lost two hens and two pullets in two weeks. We have decided to keep the remainder of the flock in the chicken run. It is more trouble keeping their environment clean, but if we don't lose our remaining layer, and the remaining pullets reach egg-laying maturity, it will be worth the effort. It is no wonder that chicks receive antibiotics. There are several opportunities for free-range chickens to encounter sudden-death diseases like our pullets did.

06/20/2019

06/19/2019

The farrier, Mike Ward, made a visit yesterday. Sonny and Sweet Pea now have pretty feet. Sonny has strong hooves that grow slowly. He needed only rasp work. Sweet Pea has fast-growing brittle hooves that are highly susceptible to damage. Her constant pawing makes matters worse. We will begin a regimen of care, including dietary supplement of biotin for horses in her feed. Though ridden, both are unshod, since neither works on stony ground or pavement. We pray that Sweet Pea's hooves will become stronger. m

06/13/2019

Mark rode Sonny yesterday. Portable O2 and everything. He needs to be ridden. n

06/09/2019

Orange milkweed looks like fire in the pastures. We mow around these beauties, since milkweed is a host plant for several butterfly species, especially monachs.

03/22/2019

Free-range Thursday

03/22/2019

Spring

03/15/2019

Sunrise over H4 on 15 March 2019

03/13/2019

We just loaded bales of good Bermuda hay in the barn. Cool-weather grasses and clover are growing now, but it will be months before we have green Bermuda. We get our hay from Patrick Dvorak. Message Mark for details.