i am happy to report all systems ( of the pups) are "Go " with the possible exception of victoria who seemed to have an issue in the pee department......
that is a new one
they were outside yesterday for sunday stew in the pen i once put up for my grandson because my daughter was afraid the dogs would knock him flat -- now at over 6'tall we no longer need the pen for him so the pups enjoyed being outside under umbrellas.
the 4 stedmans were in the V pen-- they are getting bigger.... but i still worry about the hawks--- hence the banners that make us look like a used car lot.
it is not just the hawks-- but i am told we have a nesting pair of eagles about 3 air miles from here... and this last week, if it wasn't an eagle, it was an awfully big hawk that flew over the chicken coop.
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as for chickens-- so far so good... we have lost one or two of the delivery of chicks... but the rest seem to be surviving... we have them in a big dog crate for their own protection to start with..
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now...... for the discussion.... i know perdue brags about "raised without antibiotics" and certainly mine are kept on plain grain and table scraps-- but i don't know of anyone who does not start the chicks for a week or so on "chick starter" which is medicated.. i tried not using it once .. and lost a bunch... and i know you can not use it with ducklings--- but most chicks i know of are started on medicated for a couple weeks. i actually never read the label...
details...
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i did finish the irs 990 reject letter.. my numbers were fine-- i had a few (3) yes/no problems. the interesting part is in your reply you are to make a statement as to why you made the errors.
i could have had a field day with that one, but let it go with "failing eyesight"
if i have learned one thing with dealing with the irs, it is to give them the answers they expect- and they go away. all my numbers were fine and unchanged... it was all those tricky questions about tanning booths that i got wrong.
actually-- i have had a very reasonable relationship with the irs income tax part---our accountant once said "i hope the irs audits you.. they would never believe this otherwise."
I did have irs trouble trying to become a 501 c 3 charity... i did not hire a lawyer but did it myself-- like months of talking to someone in cinncinnatti- who just kept insisting on different answers.
it was difficult-- and to protect it the yearly 990 is the required form. which is posted somewhere for public to see...
now there is an assignment for the cp's-- figure out where it is posted and be sure i am up to date
either mass.gov or irs.gov
without theresa we are going to need help keeping track of STUFF.
the critical piece is the 33% rule.. the 990 goes thru all sorts of calculations to prove that you, as a charity , have public support-... in fact you must have 33% public support after your first 5 years...
( thanks to the cp's and the chicken bricks we are 86% in 2013)
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we buried luna under the pines with thumper david and mary-- . it is getting crowded up there at the rainbow bridge.
she was bailey's sister ----tracy has another of bailey's sisters- still doing fine.
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today's chores?
i have decided maybe i am too old o pound metal posts in... and digging holes with the tractor and use wood posts resorting to a bag of cemmet in the bottom may be the way to go.
***barking??? we have a crew due here to pour cement today and i have to move dogs.