Sunday, July 23, 2006

Still here: 3.5 weeks!

We've experienced an internet lull lately due to the very fun visit of WF's sister, parents and sister's family, including 5 and 7 yr old nieces!


Trust kids to remind you how exciting simple chores like egg gathering can be! We kept a very close watch, gathering the eggs one by one as they were laid. They definitely appreciated the chicks, too... it was a highlight of the trip. Glad our poultry can be such a draw, all the way from the East Coast! They didn't hold the chicks, though, because the Momma hens said NO to that. WF was trying to sneak up on a chick when the hens were out of sight. Just as he went to grab it, out shot Momma hen from the mini-coop and nabbed him, fast! The girls understood, and we all decided their mom would do the same thing for them if they were in trouble.

It was great to have everyone here. We did a huge basement clean-up before the visit, and I now feel much better about this place. Great to see former messy storage areas being used by enthusiastic kids...I think the house is giving off better vibes somehow, too!

The chicks are still doing well, with a more "communal" situation, now; no divider between the two families. The chicks kept finding their way to the other side of the little fence. One hen would end up with all the chicks, then fussing would begin when the chicks couldn't figure out how to get back to the right Momma hen. The hens are tolerating each other pretty well, and we've giving up trying to figure out which chicks go with which hen... they just all scurry around and sleep a few to a nest each night. Glad they are all easygoing about this!

We've continued the "pampering" of this batch, and below is one of the hens enjoying some clover, sharing it with the young-uns. Next time people tell you chickens are stupid, remember the determination of the Momma hens!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

You may have mentioned this in an earlier post, so forgive me if I missed it, but what is the blue saddle for?

P.S. The chicks are adorable.