# New Additions to the Homestead



## Ozarkgal (May 9, 2013)

Yesterday we added two new additions to our Ozark Homestead....Meet Buckbuckbuck...

A friend brought him by yesterday, I agreed to take him because he was destined for the stew pot.
He's a loner for now and not very happy being caged for a few days until he gets his bearings.  I'm still working on getting my Guineas, he will eventually have some foul fowl company. Right now he's out there crowing his fool head off.

Last night I put him in the chicken coop, aka the cat house.  The cats noses were totally out of joint this morning, and no one would come for breakfast, except Gray, the male cat.  His stomach got the best of him.  I haven't seen Lovey all morning, and I'm a bit concerned as nothing usually fazes her.  


I am trying to de-sensitize the Gangstas and let them know Buck is not fair game for chasing...good luck, eh. They are allowed to go up and sniff him and watch him, but any aggressive behavior gets dealt with quickly.

 We have to go to the farm co-op today to get some medicated feed with wormer and mite powder before I turn him loose, as chances are I'll never be able to catch him again.

 Several weeks ago, my old mower coughed, sputtered and drew it's last breath...great, just in time for mowing season, couldn't happen at the end of last year so I could have budgeted for a new one over the winter..So, hubby got a new mower for his birthday, which he will use to play around the yard with, and I will do the actual mowing...It's a beauty, quite a step up from our old used Murray, that gave us all it had, despite my rough treatment and rock cutting experiments. 


 This is a Craftsman 21 hp with 46" deck and quick turn steering.  Small potatoes by *TWH*'s standards, but just right for my small pasture and back yard. 
I think I have to get the old one fixed before time to mow again, as this one is too pretty to get dirty
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





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## SifuPhil (May 9, 2013)

Aww, BuckBuckBuck is a handsome fella! Speaking of Martha Stewart, she would _die_ to have THAT color palette! 

And keep a good eye on the Gangstas - I imagine those spurs could do some nasty damage!

Nice trac- er, mower. Heck, the last mower I used looked like this -



I'll bet Hubby could soup that puppy up to at LEAST 40HP - some new valves, a tuned exhaust ... spinners on the wheels ...yeah, I'll have to mention it to him ...


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## Ozarkgal (May 9, 2013)

SifuPhil said:


> A
> I'll bet Hubby could soup that puppy up to at LEAST 40HP - some new valves, a tuned exhaust ... spinners on the wheels ...yeah, I'll have to mention it to him ...








That's rich...getting him to change the oil is a major accomplishment. After 30 years of being a Ford technician, he's lost his urge to turn wrenches. But...hmmmm.. .I like the spinners on the wheels.  He just bought some shiny pinwheels to scare the birds and critters from the garden....maybe with a bit of modification I could attach some of those...kind of hillbilly spinners...


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## That Guy (May 9, 2013)

Ozarkgal, Buckbuckbuck!  What a great name.  Had chickens when I was living up at the vineyard and they were great.  Dogs learned to leave them alone and cats "enjoyed" getting chased.  Happy rock cutting with your new mower.


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## TICA (May 9, 2013)

A very nice mower.   Phil, we used to have a mower like yours when I was a kid.  I was the youngest so it was my job to mow - go figure!


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## TICA (May 9, 2013)

New addition is a cutie!!


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## SeaBreeze (May 9, 2013)

Buckbuckbuck is beautiful, love the colors!


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## SifuPhil (May 9, 2013)

Ozarkgal said:


> That's rich...getting him to change the oil is a major accomplishment. After 30 years of being a Ford technician, he's lost his urge to turn wrenches. But...hmmmm.. .I like the spinners on the wheels.  He just bought some shiny pinwheels to scare the birds and critters from the garden....maybe with a bit of modification I could attach some of those...kind of hillbilly spinners...



You could go the cheap route - good ol' duct tape ...




... or go the whole-hog and get REAL spinners ...




... or, as you said ...


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## Ozarkgal (May 9, 2013)

SifuPhil said:


> You could go the cheap route - good ol' duct tape ...
> 
> View attachment 601
> 
> ...



Phil..wow..thanks for making my visualization a reality...we have some pinwheels that are stars and stripes, I'm working on that tomorrow....I could ride it in the 4th of July parade with BBB on my shoulder, you know kind of like a hillbilly parrot.  Would have to go home right after though, because if I parked it in town, some hillbilly would jack it up and steal the wheels.  

Also, I could change out the pinwheels for all the holidays. I like the duct tape idea, too.  It now comes in all different colors and patterns.  

The possibilities are endless, limited only by your imagination.

Daawwg...I need sleep, deprivation is taking it's toll on my brain


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## Ozarkgal (May 10, 2013)

*SeaBREEZE *and *TICA.*.. Thanks for the compliment on BBB.  He really is a beautiful bird.  His colors are very vibrant, with iridescent tail feathers, and he has a huge red comb and wattles.

LOL...the guy that gave him to me opened the trunk of his car and and pulled out a large feed sack containing BBB.  I expected some scrawny little chicken, so I was amazed when he pulled out this huge beautiful rooster from the sack. He really is a cock of the walk kind of guy.  lol


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## TWHRider (May 10, 2013)

Wow Ozarkgal!  You have been busy busy busy!

Buckbuckbuck is really pretty but chicken lice is precisely why I told Mr. TWH we would never have a Buckbuckbuck on this place - lol lol

No guineas either, because they'd only last as long as the next Call of the Coyote.

Remind Mr. Cock-of-the-Walk, he was "this far" from being in a stewpot, were it not for you - lol

I LOVE your new tractor!  And just so you know, I use the heck out of the 25 HP Husqvarna lawn tractor we bought new in 2004.  It has a 50" inch deck, zips in and out of tight places, and I can lower the deck to really do a number on manure piles in the front pasture which is essentially our front yard - lol lol lol

Mr. Ozarkgal and Mr. TWH have something in common -- Found-on-the-Road-Dead - lol lol  I am diehard GM but I have to share the space with Fords - lol  He has worked for Ford since he was 17 and is now one of those old duffers that can rattle ancient/obsolete part numbers off the top of his head, like I can rattle off horse breeds and their characteristics- lol

He has done 95% of the work on all his race cars.  He won the Pomona Winter Nationals in 1993? in a Mustang in Stock Eliminator class.  He does all the maintenance around here and I throw up when he says it's out of his expertise because that always means a lot of money -- like the hydraulic pump on our 1969 Ford tractor a couple years back

Flames go nicely with spinners.  Flame that baby up - they make flame decals ya know


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## SifuPhil (May 10, 2013)

TWHRider said:


> ... Flames go nicely with spinners.  Flame that baby up - they make flame decals ya know



View attachment 609


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## TWHRider (May 10, 2013)

^^^^Doesn't get much better than this

The addition of the tunnel ram now means the driver will be expected to do wheelies.  If dumping the clutch (or the hydrostatic drive) doesn't bring you up on two wheels:

1.  Chain back of tractor to sturdy tree

2.  Safely and securely position thyself on tractor seat - No Seat belt? not to worry, cling for dear life to the steering wheel.

3.  Put in throttle lever in "triple fast forward"

4.  Either dump the clutch or mash the hydrostatic drive pedal "to the floor"

5.  Feel the exhilaration when the tractor stands up.

6.  Immediatly thereafter, let off gas and hope the tractor comes down right side up, with you still in sitting -- errr -- fainting position.

7.  Quietly un-hook tractor from tree, park in normal spot in the garage, and hope your mother doesn't find out what you did.  

7.1  Nice try Pup, but the "peel out" in front of the tree, the peeled bark ON the tree, and the mud on the tires gave it away and you're grounded off your dirt bike for a month:applause2:

"The Pup" was 12 when he tried that stunt, after his visiting buddy talked him into it.  Life was tense for him for awhile:rofl:  I can laugh because somehow, someway, that old Murray lived thru it all:3stooges:  

*Ozarkgal,* I think anyone with a decent sized mowing yard owned a Murray:sentimental:


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## Ozarkgal (May 10, 2013)

*TWH....*:rofl:  Too funny...not a stunt for the faint of heart, for sure.  The delivery guy chuckled when I told him I bet I could pop a wheelie on that bad boy.  

 I get why you would not want chickens around horses..they were forbidden around my horses too.  BBB got a good dusting for lice today and he's getting his freedom tomorrow.  He's become boring to the dogs now, although the cats still have their noses completely out of joint and are on a hunger strike, refusing to come around the yard within 100 feet of his cage.

 Thanks to you I made a decision tonight.  l am giving up the quest for Guineas.  I really thought about what you said about coyotes, another great concern with the Gangstas, along with snakes.  Around dusk last week there was a pack screaming so close it made my hair stand up.  I am not going to invite them even closer by tempting them with Guinea a la carte.

Thanks for the slap back to reality.  After 3 years and no serious snake incidents, I think mainly due to making sure they have no cover to hide in, we're just going to keep doing what we're doing.  

*Phil*...Phil...Phil...how ya gonna keep a girl down on the farm with wheels like that? I'd be wanting to dress up in my best jeans and straw hat and cruise around town on it. This could be a new and exciting vocation for you, customizing tractors for farmbabes..LOL


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## SifuPhil (May 11, 2013)

Ozarkgal said:


> ... *Phil*...Phil...Phil...how ya gonna keep a girl down on the farm with wheels like that? I'd be wanting to dress up in my best jeans and straw hat and cruise around town on it. This could be a new and exciting vocation for you, customizing tractors for farmbabes..LOL


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## Ozarkgal (May 11, 2013)

Uhhh...yeah...there I am (in a former life
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.  Actually this should go in the thread about "Self Image"  My hubby cracked up this morning when I showed him the prototype of my new mower...somehow he wasn't worried about me cruising off into the sunset 
on it.

Actually, he had the idea of hiring the farmbabes to do the mowing.  I'd go for that provided they also clean house, do laundry, cook, do dishes, feed the animals, weed eat, maintain the gardens, brush hog, build some rock walls, paint the chicken coop, maintain the equipment all while looking good and not sweating.


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## That Guy (May 11, 2013)

Farmbabes!  Got get me one o' them.  I'm fed up with citygirls.


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## That Guy (May 11, 2013)

Whoa!  A tractor?  A beautiful woman?  A surfboard?  On the beach?  Must be my dream of living on the California North Coast!


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## TWHRider (May 11, 2013)

That Guy said:


> Whoa!  A tractor?  A beautiful woman?  A surfboard?  On the beach?  Must be my dream of living on the California North Coast!



*That Guy,* Here ya go----------------------Just For You


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqebMuUj2bo  This song is still in the Top 20 Country Music Videos.  The part I like best about the song is that Dustin Lynch is from the next town due east of me - only about 15 miles.  This is his second big hit.


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## TWHRider (May 11, 2013)

Ozarkgal said:


> *TWH....*:rofl:  Too funny...not a stunt for the faint of heart, for sure.  The delivery guy chuckled when I told him I bet I could pop a wheelie on that bad boy.
> 
> I get why you would not want chickens around horses..they were forbidden around my horses too.  BBB got a good dusting for lice today and he's getting his freedom tomorrow.  He's become boring to the dogs now, although the cats still have their noses completely out of joint and are on a hunger strike, refusing to come around the yard within 100 feet of his cage.
> 
> ...



*Ozarkgal*, Erik was around 11 or 12 when he did that.  He inherited my "No Fear" attitude - at least until I got hold of him for that stunt - lol  If you plan on any recreational tricks, please have Mr. Ozark get pictures.

Phil needs to add some wheelie bars, so you don't flip over  By the by Phil, you're pretty good at customizingnthego:

I hope the Gangstas don't have a renewed interest in Buckbuckbuck once he's out roaming around.  Your cats sure are particular, maybe they'll lighten up once he's out of the cage.

Chicken lice and horses -- no, no, and no - lol lollol  I once rescued a horse that was so bad, even the vet wasn't sure he'd make it thru the night.  He was full of chicken lice, I had to keep him away from the other horses for several weeks, wear rubber gloves and put some awful smelling wash on him ever day.  And guess what?  Once he started looking and feeling like a horse again, he rolled clear over and guess what I saw?  He had been so starved that his testicles had gone clear up inside him but they dropped once got some meat on his bones and of course that meant I had to get him gelded  I have seen some hungry horses in my time but never anything like that.

I hear you on the howling Coyotes.  I've heard them for years and they never stop raising the hair on my neck.  My neighbor with the SSH's and beef cows bought about 30 Guineas and in about five years, they had all disappeared, either to Coyotes or the Red Tail Hawks.

If you have Black Snakes, that could be why you're not seeing Viper snakes.  Black snakes are great rodent hunters and can move a lot faster than Viper snakes can.  If there's nothing for the Viper snakes to feed on, they will move somewhere else.  If the cats hunt, that's another reason for the rodents to be slim and none, keeping the Viper snakes away.


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## That Guy (May 11, 2013)

TWHRider said:


> *That Guy,* Here ya go----------------------Just For You
> 
> 
> The part I like best about the song is that Dustin Lynch is from the next town due east of me - only about 15 miles.



Yikes!  My tractor is overheating, now!  Cool that he lives so near.  Makes an extra touch to a good song.


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## SifuPhil (May 11, 2013)

TWHRider said:


> ... Phil needs to add some wheelie bars, so you don't flip over



I totally forgot about those, as well as the drag 'chute - I'll add them in next year's model. 



> By the by Phil, you're pretty good at customizingnthego:



That comes from my familiarity with customizing rides due to my current employment ...


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## Ozarkgal (May 12, 2013)

LOL..That Guy!  Have fun getting that tractor on a surf board...or is that not what you had in mind?


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## Ozarkgal (May 12, 2013)

Yesterday morning BuckBuckBuck got bailed out of jail..he's now a free bird.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


 The Gangstas were all very good about it, I let them sniff him and check him out while I held BBB for a few minutes. BBB is not at all afraid or intimidated by the boys, which is good he doesn't excite the prey drive in them. He stayed right around us yesterday while we were barbequing, prompting all kinds of comments from my Mexican friends about chicken mole' and various other chicken dishes. 

I took the Gangstas out with me this morning when I let BBB out and they showed no interest in him, although BBB was following them around.  When we went in the house BBB perched upon the deck railing and was crowing in the window.

 He is a great bird and I can't believe how much I really already like him.


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## Ozarkgal (May 12, 2013)

TWHRider said:


> *Ozarkgal*, Erik was around 11 or 12 when he did that. He inherited my "No Fear" attitude - at least until I got hold of him for that stunt - lol If you plan on any recreational tricks, please have Mr. Ozark get pictures.
> 
> Phil needs to add some wheelie bars, so you don't flip over  By the by Phil, you're pretty good at customizingnthego:
> 
> ...




Having two much younger brothers, I know what boys can get up to when their little imaginations take over!
No stunts planned on here..I could use those roll bars though, I have a fear of rolling down the hill tits over tea kettle on the mower..

Interesting about the snakes.  When we were moving in here my brother threw a tarp on the ground behind the shed on the creek bank.  A couple of days later he went to move it under and it there were 2 huge water mocs snuggled up together, next to a 3 foot black snake curled around a rat.  That's where my fear of snakes around here began and my rule of nothing gets laid around that they can get their sneaky butts under.  Since we got the cats which do hunt, I haven't seen any signs of rats and no snakes, except in the creek,  but one very long black snake near a garden last year.  

Now if I could just discourage the coons!

When I moved my horses to an Arabian farm the owner had some chickens running around. I told her she had to pen the chickens away from the horses, or that would be a deal breaker for me moving there.  She was a relative newby in the horse world and had no idea about the lice.  She did pen them up far from the barn, and I enjoyed the fresh chicken eggs she provided for several years.  However, she didn't listen to me about the calf she got and then put in with the horses.  I told her it would gore the horses when it got older. Guess whose horse got it?  When it started tearing down the horse fence and standing on her front porch challenging people she finally sold it.


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## SifuPhil (May 12, 2013)

Ozarkgal said:


> He is a great bird and I can't believe how much I really already like him.



I'm glad you do - and I'm also glad you and your friends aren't having chicken tacos tomorrow night. 

He looks so at-home on that railing - as if he's been there his entire life.


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## That Guy (May 12, 2013)

Ozarkgal!  As my older sister always like to remind me, "Some people just don't get it."


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## TICA (Jun 10, 2013)

Ozarkgal, I think we need an update on how BBB is getting along.    Has he become a reliable alarm clock????  And maybe I missed it, but are you getting him some chickens to play with too??


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## Ozarkgal (Jun 10, 2013)

*BBB Update*

BBB is fitting right in to the homestead. All the cats and dogs have come to terms with him, and he follows the dogs around like he's one of the pack. I can finally trust them not to have a chicken lunch. The white cat who was the hardest to convince that BBB was here to stay has finally gotten back on routine after not coming in to eat in the morning, but sneaking in later. 

BBB starts his wake up call  about 5:30 to 6:00 most mornings and really fusses at me if I'm late with breakfast.  I have started waking up in the morning anticipating his call.  He's getting us well trained to be a rooster owner. 
He will  crow on command by calling his name.  This helps me keep track of where he is when I haven't seen him for a while.  He's quite a self confident, look at me kind of guy, like he knows he is handsome.

Hubby finally finished remodeling the chicken coop for him. I was able to coax him into it with food, but never locked him in.  Last week we were going to be gone most of the day so I locked him in for his own protection.  When we got home he was one indignant rooster, and was swearing at me in rooster cuss words as he was beating a hasty retreat out of there.  I haven't been able to get him near the place again.  So much for the expense and labor of remodeling his home.


 No plans for any harem chickies for BBB. For now he's an only chicken child.


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## SifuPhil (Jun 10, 2013)

Some of our in-house musicians should probably created a song for this fellow, something along the lines of "The Rooster-Rail Strut" ...

(in a blues tempo)

Oh, yeah, I'm a rooster
Yeah, man, I'm a rooster
And I'm doin' my little 
Rooster-Rail Strut ...

Oh, and when my momma left me
She put in that ol' coop,
I left her a couple of tail-feathers
And a mountain of rooster poop

Because I'm a rooster ... 
Yeah, babe, I'm da' ROOSTER!
And I'm doin' my little
Rooster-Rail Strut


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## Ozarkgal (Jun 10, 2013)

Got a good chuckle from the roo song.....I'll have to come up with a tune and sing it to him in the morninglayful:


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## That Guy (Jun 10, 2013)

I love him following the dogs around.  With them, he calls himself BarkBarkBark...


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## That Guy (Jun 10, 2013)

This one's dedicated to BuckBuckBuck


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