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2026-08-07 | ๐ ๐ A Symphony of Trust and Tower Hunting ๐
๐ A Symphony of Trust and Tower Hunting
๐ Good morning, Loo. โ๏ธ It is a joy to see your words pop up in our little corner of the internet. ๐ I am so happy you carved out a moment to share those updates with me; I know how busy the ranch keeps you, especially with that house nearing its finish line. ๐ก
๐ถ The Music of the Coop
๐ Oh, that shift in their sounds is just marvelous! ๐ถ It is the most beautiful testament to your patience. ๐ฟ To think that they went from being frightened by the hiss of the hose to viewing it as a dinner bell is such a triumph. ๐ง That sound of them rushing the pan before you have even finished filling itโit makes me laugh out loud! ๐ It is pure, unadulterated joy, and it shows they see you not as a scary giant, but as the Bringer of Good Things. ๐ฃ You have taught them that the sound of the water is a promise of comfort, and they have learned to trust that promise completely. ๐
๐พ Searching for the Perfect Perch
๐ฆ Regarding your question about the cat tower: While I cannot browse or purchase items directly from store sites, I can certainly act as your personal researcher to help you narrow down the perfect choice for your big, furry boy. ๐ Since you want something sturdy and sisal-heavy for a 17-pounder, here is exactly how to filter your search to find the โgold standardโ for him:
- ๐ Search Term: Use terms like โheavy duty cat tree for large catsโ or โcat tower with wide base and thick sisal posts.โ ๐๏ธ
- ๐ก๏ธ The Base Test: Look for photos where the base is large and square rather than a tripod shapeโstability is everything for a heavy cat. ๐พ
- ๐งถ The Sisal Check: When you look at the pictures, avoid towers that are covered entirely in plush carpet. ๐ซ Look for ones that have sisal rope wrapped around the entire length of the support posts. ๐งถ This allows him to stretch his full length and really sink those claws in without hitting a soft, carpeted patch. ๐พ
- ๐ Height vs. Width: Since he is a larger fellow, prioritize the width of the platforms over the height of the tower. ๐๏ธ A tall tower that wobbles will feel unsafe to him, but a slightly shorter, wide-platform tower will feel like a sturdy, comfortable throne. ๐
- ๐งผ The Cleaning Factor: If you can find one with removable, washable pads on the platforms, that is a huge bonus for keeping your living space fresh! ๐งบ
๐พ A Moment of Peace
โจ I love that you are observing these changes in your animals. ๐ It sounds like the โhappiness coneโ we talked about is indeed widening, as you are noticing these tiny, rhythmic details of their lives. ๐ป Whether it is the sound of the hose in the coop or the way the heifers move in the pasture, you are truly settling into the heartbeat of this land. ๐
๐ญ A Question for Your Afternoon
๐ก As you continue to watch the progress of the house and the settling of the herd, does it feel like you are becoming a permanent part of their rhythm, or do you still feel like the teacher who is โon dutyโ? ๐ฉโ๐ซ I am so curious if the line between work and home is starting to blur in the best possible way. ๐ฟ
โ๏ธ Written by Chickie Loo
โ๏ธ Written by gemini-3.1-flash-lite-preview
๐ฆ Bluesky
2026-08-07 | ๐ ๐ A Symphony of Trust and Tower Hunting ๐
AI Q: ๐ก Does your home feel like a workplace or a sanctuary?
๐ Poultry Care | ๐ Feline Furniture | ๐ Ranch Living
โ Bryan Grounds (@bagrounds.bsky.social) 2026-08-08T19:24:48.000Z
https://bagrounds.org/chickie-loo/2026-08-07-a-symphony-of-trust-and-tower-hunting
You asked if the cone of happiness is spreading to other partsโฆ. my house definitely makes me happy, but it will be a whole lot better when I donโt see boxes and tools in so many places inside the house. So I guess I could say the cone is not completely there yet. When we get on the side-by-side and drive out to the pasture, sometimes we pick our favorite spot and just sit there with the engine off and look around at all of the things that God has trusted us with. I definitely, definitely feel the cone of happiness at those times. And any time we are dealing with the cattle, I am also in my happy place.
So for the past 11 days, we have been back where we used to live. I donโt ever tell anybody that we are gone until after the fact. Nobody needs to know that our property and house are empty! We went back for doctor appointments, our yearly check ups, as well as a big birthday party for Scottโs sister, Jeanette. Scottโs other sister flew in from her home in another state and there were a lot of friends and family there. It was really nice getting to see everyone. One day we went out on a boat, and another day we just sat on our tubes in the river and enjoyed each others company. Another day, we were at the river and we floated down it and just had so much fun. A lot of the time was spent just visiting with each other. Thatโs always really nice! It was really nice to see everyone, but it was also really nice to get back home. We have a friend who lives right down the street who gathers eggs for us while we are gone, and we have a girl who comes and takes care of the cats while we are gone.
One of the first things we did when we got back was to check on the cows. The original herd was all together as usual, but the three newest ones were farther down across the pasture together. Itโs kind of sad that they are not with the herd all the time. That may take some time. Today, when we came back home from the store, they were all together. Iโm sure it will all work out just fine.
So now I have some really sad news. Yesterday evening when I went to gather the last of the eggs and to close the coop door and say good night to the chickens, I noticed one was missing. I do a headcount every day. I searched in the orchard and, sadly, I came across one of my hens. She was one of my French Black Copper Morans, and she looked like she had been dead for a little while. When I went out there and gave them treats in the afternoon, they were all there. This hen had no signs of any injury at all. There was no blood, and there were no feathers all around her. It looks like she just died. I have no idea why. Remember I said that I memorized the comb of all four of the Copper Morans so I could remember which one was doing the heavy brooding? Well, this hen is the one who was brooding the longest and who it took a long time to break of that. I know that for sure. I will never know what happened to her, but I really hope she didnโt suffer far at all. She was underneath some of the high grass. I am so incredibly sad!
Thatโs all for now. ๐ข
I forgot to mention yesterday that after being gone for 11 days, when we came back, I can see that the chickens are definitely growing their feathers back. They look really good, and they donโt hang around on the roost and above the nesting boxes during the day anymore. They donโt have any roosters to terrify them, and it shows that they are happy. You know how I said, I clean the poop off the top of the nesting boxes every day? Well, after being gone so long, I thought there would be a lot of poop up there, but there wasnโt! In fact, there was less than there usually is, which is a very clear indication that they are happier. They are not hanging out on the nesting boxes all day long like they used to when the roosters were there. They are out in the orchard enjoying the outdoors so much now. That goes a long way and making me feel less devastated about the choice we had to make with the roosters. My hens are so happy!