Egg Production Halted ~ Gratitude ~ The Pioneer Lady's Country Christmas

What you see in this basket is not from our hens.  They are from the pullets we bought this past spring.  They are shooting out eggs like there is no tomorrow, however our 1 year-old, and 2 year-old hens are not laying.

They stopped laying about 2 months ago, when I saw that they were molting.  I did some research and read that chickens will stop laying while they molt, and need the energy to produce new feathers.  And from what I read, it takes the hens about 2 months to start laying again.

Sickness ~ Alias Update and Other News

It happened.  

I caught the plague that the kids have been toting around. Ugh.  I blame it on forgetting to take my vitamins with me while camping.

I am just plain miserable.  My head hurts, the bridge of my nose feels like it's being squeezed by vise-grips, and my eyes are watering uncontrollably.  I already used a box of kleenex (which I insisted on buying the kind with lotion in them).  Thank goodness I have one jar of homemade vapo-rub made.

And I know I look as bad as I feel.  Hubby took one look at me and said, "you look like h*#!!"

He told me, "go back to bed" and that wasn't happening.

I had to prepare a birthday dinner (chicken alfredo and steamed broccoli) along with an apple and peach pie, get ice cream, and so forth.

Ha....go back to bed?  

Not happening. 

However, thankfully my son was off work Monday, and was able to help me by taking Alias to the vet.  He came home and said Alias got a clean bill of health.  Yay!  He is healthy and now current on his shots.

As for an update on the second inspection of the stove piping....didn't happen.  The second company we called, never called as they stated they would, nor came out.  Hubby said, "don't call them again."

I have now called the third company, who is scheduled to come out next week.  They would be here sooner, but are swamped with calls, as it is getting colder in our area.   I'll have an update on the inspection late next week.

Today, I am paying for not "going back to bed."  I am more miserable today than yesterday, and promised my 11 year-old I would do all of the dishes (she was getting a migraine last night and the other kids went to the movies).  

I did spend some "sitting time" working on some Christmas gifts, but I can't post photos until after I gift them.  

I will be going back to bed, after the kids get on the school bus.  I'm hoping that I have a few more glasses of homemade ginger ale in the fridge too.