I should learn to carry my camera all the time. I mean, that’s why I bought it. Pics add such a great dimension to blog updates, but alas, I must use a thousand words instead of the one picture….
It’s humid this morning. We had some great rain last evening and expect more throughout the weekend, so today will be important in getting projects done, as we have the lowest expectation of precipitation of the next three. Although the temps are pleasant (mid 60s), the humidity is way high and I worked up an impressive sweat just doing the rabbit and chicken chores this morning.
The chicks are still in the basement. They technically have another week to go, but if we get the chicken tractor (movable coop) finished, they will go to the farm sooner. We need our basement, and the oxygen level, back.
About a week ago, B made little roosts out of simple wood strapping. She put one in each brooder box. The chicks loved them from the beginning. They are about a third of the way up the side of each box. They sit diagonally and protrude an couple inches or so outside the boxes.
This morning I was greeted by a chicken roosting peacefully on the outside part of one of the roosts. He was alone, happy and content to the point that I expected him to start snoring. Unfortunately, we prefer the chicks INSIDE the box, so he needed to move. The little fella (or gal) hopped neatly onto my hand and I placed him back in the box with his cousins, then proceeded outside to work on cleaning the rabbit cages. I looked in the window and the next box along had a chicken out. I went inside and transported him back to the general population. By the time I got outside, a chick from the third box was up on top of HIS box. OY VEY! Back to the house I proceed to return Mo, as I had done for Curly and Larry. As I scooped up Chick # three, I discovered a rather large deposit of, well, what chickens deposit, on the floor between the box and the wall. The only way that could get there is either teleportation (still scientifically unlikely) or some of the chicks are going AWOL then returning to the box after some time harborside. I have left the evidence for Brittan to see before I clean it up. I need a witness.
For the last two days, I have been closely observing one very tiny chick. This little bird is only about half the size of the others, maybe less. She (I think) is constantly kicked and trampled by the other birds. They don’t pick on her, but she really gets jostled in the crowd. She manages to eat and drink, but not as much as the others. I honestly think she has a self esteem issue, or perhaps she’s blind. Her eyes are good and black like the others, but she seems a bit bewildered all the time. I’m thinking of separating her for a few days to see what happens. Nature is rough sometimes.
Apart from that, its all routine. We didn’t get much accomplished yesterday, so today I’m going to start on overseeding the pasture while B starts on the chicken tractor. Well, here comes the sun, that’s my signal.
