I could also use some advice on this topic. My husband came home with 2 baby snowshoe hares that he saved from certain death. He watched a bird take off with 2 of them before he realized what they were and when he wandered over to where the bird was snatching them from he found one frozen to death (we'd had a dump of snow the night before) and only 2 left. He picked up the two remaining bunnies (with an angry bird circling above him) and actually had to gently peel one of them off the ground, it had started to freeze there. So now we have these baby bunnies at our house. We've already fed them once. I'm pretty sure we're ok in the feeding, caring for them area. The only time we've even touched them is to move them or to feed them. My question though is...how do I know how old they are??? I want to be able to release them again but I don't want to do it to late or to soon. I have read that snowshoe hares are actually born with fur, eyes opened and ready to hop. So apparently those aren't going to be good indicators. Does anyone know approximately how old a snowshoe hare might be if it's only about 2"-3" from bum to nose?? Please help. :) Thanks.

My wife and I enjoy watching the wildlife, as long as the wildlife leaves our stuff alone. The coons, bobcats, red foxes, possums, coyotes and stray dogs all treated our chickens, turkeys and guineas as a walking, squawking buffet line, plus the rabbits and deer visited the garden salad bar every night. Then we got the LGDs - an adult Great Pyr female, and two GP/Anatolian Shepherd pups (not related to the adult). Since the pups have grown into yearlings, our predation has all but stopped, even with letting the poultry free-range all the time (chooks have an automatic chicken door on the big coop, and the guineas roost in trees next to the coop). Dogs keep anything they deem to be a threat to their charges run off, and have even run off or killed coyotes interested in the neighbor's calves. Other dogs are not tolerated on the property (20 acres). They will steal eggs if they find any unattended, though, and we can't seem to break them from it. At least they can't fit through the chicken door anymore, so can't reach the nest boxes. We keep a lookout for guinea nests, and when we find one, we either set up a temp fence around it to keep the dogs out, or take the eggs and give them to a broody Silkie or Cochin bantie to incubate. Honestly, our goats are more of a problem with garden and landscaping plants anymore. We have the garden fenced now, and when everything started waning a couple of weeks ago, we put three goats in the garden fence to clean it up.

Hi everybody. Kathy, yes, I want to get my little plants into the ground, but I'll have to wait a while longer---may have killed my squash plant. I need to check on him.lol Gals, I'm in a rather bad mood today! I think it's just too much "togetherness" with my DH. I love the guy, but... I need some time for myself. Know what I mean? I'm going into MY room, which is actually the dining room where I have a computer in an armoire and some of my things in a file cabinet, some books, etc.-----and chill out in MY ROOM---ALL ALONE. Walked this morning, had toast and turkey bacon and some apple butter --yum yum. Okay. I had a real egg. I'm bad. Haven't had lunch yet. McPeg, I love those flavored waters. I've tried doing some of my own flavorings, but they just don't taste as good as the store-bought kind. Peach is my favorite. Take care, all. I've got a ton to do, we haven't decided yet if everyone's coming here for Easter dinner or we're going to a lodge or something. I may vote "lodge." They have a nice buffet dinner and then we usually walk, tour, etc. Lodge, I say. Lodge! PS This year, after seeing the movie "Passion of the Christ" I just don't feel right about doing the Easter bunny thingy ( and I love bunnies and stuff) so I'm thinking about instead doing some cookies in the shape of fish and having a story with each person's gift about the resurrection and how Jesus met with Peter and other deciples along the sea and they ate fish and talked before he ascended to heaven. A celebration without bunnies. I wish there was a separate spring holiday with bunnies and stuff---aside from Easter. Oh, well. Traditions are sometimes hard to break. I'll have to find a low-fat cookie recipe 'cause I know I'll want to eat a few.

I just finished my menu too. I'm actually allowed to play with the menu, and there will only be 8 or 10 of us, depending on whether Ashley has to work. Elery will be here, with Dad and Shirley, Amanda, David and the kids. Ashley will be here if she doesn't have to work and will invite the boyfriend. Elery loves lamb, everyone else hates it, but I'm making it for him anyway, probably a small roast or rack. My family always wants ham, and I don't care much for either of them, but there is always so much other stuff that I fill up on the rest of dinner. So, my tentative menu is: Appetizers: Cheeseball for David and Devilled Eggs, dyed a la Marilyn. Meats: Baked Ham and Roasted Lamb, cooked medium. Sides: Au Gratin Potatoes, Green Beans sauteed with bacon and almonds. Salads: Apricot Cream Salad (yes, the dreaded Jello is in there, ick) and Strawberry Mandarin salad with Cinnamon Viniagrette. Bread: Sol's Honey Rolls and Terri's Honey Wheat. Yeah, I'm in a rut. Desserts: A sugar-free fruit tart with a cream cheese base, a chocolate multi-layer cake and a Dairy Queen ice cream cake which is everyone's favorite and will probably be devoured while the others are left. Go figure. The layer cake will be decorated with the panoramic sugar egg I'm working on, covered in fondant and royal icing flowers so it looks like the Easter Bunny hid an egg in the flower garden. Or so my imagination says. LOL Annie