Chickens and Peeps, Blackberry Vines and a Big Black Caterpillar

Friday May 21, 2021 Guerneville CA.

River’s windy

I was thinking of going down to the river for a yak today but checking with the weather guys it looked pretty windy so I didn’t go.

Little chicks

The problem I have with new born chicks is I can’t keep them from going through the one inch wire so they go where they want and get into trouble sometimes until they get a little larger in a week or so.

These little guys on the outside got out but can’t seem to find their way back in.

Feeding chickens

I throw some grain out for the chickens when I feed them in the morning. I have feeders that they feed from but I find throwing some feed out on the ground makes sure everyone gets something to eat as sometimes the aggressive ones hog the feeders and keep the less aggressive ones from feeding.

Blackberry vines

I could see a bunch of wild blackberry vines popping up in here so I got the loppers out and cut out the vines. The chickens like to get in where I work.

I left a gate ajar after doing this and they found it and forced it open into my vegetable garden.

I also removed a bunch of blackberry vines from this pen and left the weeds for the chickens.

Here’s the blackberry vines I removed from the pen.

Chickens in my garden

And here’s the chickens that got through the gate I didn’t latch in my garden. Well, it’s supposed to be my garden but one or two birds fly over the roof and get into this area most everyday so I haven’t been able to use it for a garden anyway.

Then I moved to this area and cut out all the berry vines and some of the brush too.

After I cleaned up this area I sat in a chair here taking a break.

Later I was sitting over by  my car and noticed this big 2 inch long caterpillar sitting on the corner of this box out in the sun.

I know these caterpillars and know they come over this way to crawl up on the side of my house to pupate and turn into black butterflies. This one wasn’t going to make it out in the sun and up on this box so I moved it to a better spot.

Nice day.