Won't You be my Neighbor?

"Hey, Bud, would you show a guy around?"  (More photos at end of post!)

I went to the office supply store today.  This was not supposed to happen.  But the office supply store is across the street from the Wal-Mart, and just behind the Wal-Mart is Family Farm and Home.

What could possibly be dangerous about going into Family Farm and Home?  What?  How about 100 gallon galvanized tubs of baby chicks and ducks??!!!

On first glance, I saw no Indian Runner Ducks in the duck tub.  Phew, thought I.  Another close call.  But then I struck up a conversation with the poultry man.  I said to him "seems like last year you got Indian Runners."  And then he had to come over and look in the tub and say "well, there's one, and that's one, and those two over there, too!"

I was sunk.

I got two Indian Runners, two Ameraucanas, and two Golden Laced Wyandottes.  The chicks are pullets (females), but the ducks are what's known as "straight run" which means you get what you get.  The box peeped loudly all the way home.

And then I had a decision to make.  The heat lamp and a dog crate are in the barn.  I could clean it up and give the babies a new home there.

But I also have the new mama hen who hatched two chicks ten days ago.  She's still clinging to four eggs, barely gets up off of them.  Why not let her baby the new kids?  I sat in the isolation pen and opened the box.  The rest of the flock lined up outside the chicken wire to investigate.  The newly hatched chicks popped out of their crate to see what was up.

Bravely I picked up one teensy baby chick and boldly stuck it under the hen.  Withdrawing my hand, I brought one unhatched egg out.  Pause.  No reaction from Mama.  So I put a second chick under her.  And a third and a fourth.  Only removed two of the eggs.  And she just shifted her weight to accommodate the peeps under her.

Then it was time for the ducks.  Would she accept them?  They are already as big as the 10-day old chicks.  Took the darker one, slipped her under Mama.  She popped right back out and they looked each other straight in the eye.  Mama seemed to be saying "you are the homeliest chick I've ever seen, where'd you get that big schnozz?"  But she didn't try to chase the baby away.

The yellow Runner Duck was very eager to join the others.  Mama popped her one in the beak (bill), maybe testing to see "is that thing real?"  The 10-day chicks checked her out eagerly -- "you're kind of funny looking, but maybe we could be friends!"

When I left the barn, Mama had all eight babies with her, under her outstretched wings.  I haven't seen the new chicks since I installed them, but I hear them peeping under her.  And the ducklings peep out to see the action, but seem to love their new, warm bed.

Here are some pictures.

Morning has Broken, 2

7:38 am, April 18, 2010

In the Grass, Out of the Ordinary

Upon arriving home from work on Thursday, I went through the usual ritual -- came in the front door, put my purse and keys on the dining table, then joined the dogs and cats at the sliding door to the back yard.  Knowing that the chickens were out in their yard, I had Ulani by her collar getting ready to hook her to her tie-out until the chickens went back in the barn.

And thank goodness for that!

Because when I opened the door, Oskar sprang outside and immediately slammed the brakes and looked intently to his left -- at the snake holding a toad in the grass.  Yup.  I pushed Ulani back in the house and stepped out myself.  Oskar demonstrated some curiosity, but also a strong portion of self control.  I did not worry about what he would do.

My snow shovel is still outside the back door (hey, it's only mid-April here, there's a good chance we'll get another snowfall!).  I took it and started nudging the snake, just enough to irritate him, and sure enough he opened his mouth and turned his head towards the shovel allowing the toad to hop a few feet away.  The toad's left arm was pretty bloody, but it seemed to work and after taking a moment, he hopped under the gate and onto the driveway.  I turned back to the snake and nudged him again, and he slithered into the untrimmed grass around a downspout, disappearing.

And then I let Ulani and the cats out.  They were only modestly interested in the scene of the crime.  Five minutes later you'd never know anything out of the ordinary had occurred on this Thursday after work here at Busy Solitude Farm.

Hey There Lonely Girl!

What's Dolly Part-hen doing out there?  Last night I thought all the hens were in the barn.  In fact, I spent a good 40 minutes mowing grass back here and never saw this lonely girl left outside by herself.  And she spent the whole night out alone, only to be discovered when I went to check the peas!

She did not seem too upset to be on her own.  She just flipped her gorgeous tailfeathers at me.  So I went into the barn (after securely fastening Ulani to her "please don't eat the chickens" tie-out!), and opened the hatch.

All the hens poured out to the run, followed by Egglebert, Jr.  And then Dolly came inside.

 

You might remember Dolly Part-hen.  She was born with something wrong in her crop, perhaps some kind of tumor or obstruction.  She was slow to grow.  Some suggested she be culled from the flock, but I was curious to see how she'd make out.  And she's done fine, except she still has the problem.

  

 You see how her crop gets overly full and bulgy.  It looks terribly uncomfortable.  But she seems to get by alright.

 

The skin is pink and stretched.  Gradually it will ease back down to normal size, then she'll fill it up again.

Living in the country ain't for sissies!

Guest poster: Oskar says "enough with the chicks"

Oskar told me earlier that it's not only baby things that are cute. He said "I may be 11 years and eight months old, but I've still got it!" Then he proceeded to show me.

What do you think?