Another day older and deeper in debt…
We put up 10 tons of hay today. With the other 10 tons we already got, the grand total comes to $4,000 plus some labor expenses for the helpers and two meals at Bob’s.
Thomas and I did the majority of the hay moving today as Tom is still one handed. Tom was the hay elevator mechanic as it broke down twice. Above is when the gear reduction chain broke. Tom had to drive to town to get a master link for it. So Thomas and I manually stacked 3 tons of hay in the hay barn while Tom was gone.
Below is when the lift chain broke in two places rather dramatically. One link needed to be replaced, and the chain hammered back together and then forced back into the socket. Good times!
We had an unexpected visitor in the afternoon in the middle of all of this. A pigeon showed up in our barn. It turns out he is a Canadian racing pigeon. He is probably exhausted, but we were worried maybe he was injured. He is now in a cage with water which he drank well and some grain. I contacted the Canadian Racing Pigeon Union with his tag number and hopefully can reach his owner. But per their web page we may be able just to release him after a couple of days rest and he may be able to resume flying home himself. (I actually do not know if it is a he or a she).
How cool is that official pigeon?!? (Sorry about the hay troubles; we can relate.)
Thanks Michelle! Our visitor is pretty cool. I hope he recovers well and gets t go back home.
I gather the males have bigger heads than the females – but without another pigeon to compare, I guess the gender issue will remain a mystery. Well done for the pigeon rescue!
Thanks! The head does not look particularly large and maybe if I get ahold of the owner I can find out. I just hope they do not put pigeons down that do poorly in the race. Although he got tired he is a pretty smart pigeon to come into our barn and avoid all the bald eagles here right now.
I hope so too! They don’t put them down in the UK, but other places may have different outlooks.
My goodness, $4,000 in hay? Do you grow any hay on your property? I guess you are lucky as the hay shortage in the Midwest and South is causing hay prices to skyrocket!
Yes, $4,000 in hay!?! We do not grow hay as yet.
Pigeon Update: I spoke with the owner who was glad to hear from me. Apparently this pigeon started his race in Keremeos, BC and was supposed to go to Vancouver so he got way off track. The owner guesses a falcon or hawk chased him off course and he got exhausted. He got a call about another of his pigeons in Spanaway so quite a bit farther south. He cannot come get the pigeon as you cannot transport them across the border so we will drive him closer to it this weekend and let him go.
A racing pigeon from north of spokane landed on our shed roof 3 years ago (near lake chelan). Pigeons can be addicting. We now have 14 pigeons. My son took a liking to the pigeon after his owners said they didn’t want him back since he got lost. Eric got 3 more pigeons from a racing pigeon guy in entiat. the rest is history. He sold one to a friend who lives an hour away. the first time his friend let it out, he flew back to us!
Jackie
Thanks Jackie! That is what I need, more critters. We drove him close to the border and let him go like the owner advised. He just flew up into a tree and stayed there. I hope he found his way home.