August27, 2015

Good morning, Earlier I mentioned how we put some chicks under a hen to raise. Well all these little girls are doing real well including Peep who had a bit of a rough start. This hen has been just the most wonderful doting mother. We never have had a hen to take her chicks on walkabouts all over the property like she does. Usually the hen will stay in the front yard where the young birds soon annoy mom and mom abandons the chicks. The chicks always sound so heart broke that “mommy doesn't love us anymore.

I keep expecting this to happen any day but mom continues to dote on her babies and the babies continue to dote on mom. I think it is because this hen has exposed them to such a large area. It is the area where all our hens range. She stands tall ever keeping a watchful eye as her babies range and become well schooled chickens. Real neat stuff.

It is very interesting last Saturday night they all went to coop together and in the morning mom was on the perch with the other adults . Her babies were on the floor. That day all seemed congenial and went about their day. There was no sad crying chicks ,just busy little chickens doing chicken stuff. The hen really did a nice job of raising her babies.

One afternoon as I was chumming the chickens. I give them chicken scratch but for some reason saying I’m chumming the chickens tickles my fancy. Too much time by myself I suspect. I digress. Anyway as I am chumming, I distinctly hear the peeps of baby chicks. It was the sound that very young chicks make. The “snipe hunt” was on. Located the noise coming from a shed and found the peeps coming from a cider pressing barrel where amazingly I found nine little fuzz balls. WOW!!!!! Of course the temperature was in the 90's and I had no idea how long that they had been hatched. Chicks can survive a few days after hatching before they have to eat and drink. I did not know how long this “clock” had been ticking. I felt time was of the essence and had a hen house that I could isolate for the babies and mother. Got the nursery all set up. Now how to get babies and mother into a travel box so they could get food and water. We have some larger tubs that we use for market. They have nice deep sides and are roomy enough so that there would not be any trampling.

Managed to get 2 babies out and into the tub. Mom was Pissed, no other way to describe it. I am thankful that her beak was not like our yellow headed Amazon parrot's. After getting 2 chicks in the tub I was able to get mom in and to stay, so I could get the rest into the tub. They all relocated quite well and are growing like little weeds.

I know because of their size they are all going to be bantams. It will be interesting to see their mature paint jobs. Some are yellow, others are gray some have Mohawk stripes. But all are cute as can be. It has been several weeks that they have bee growing and I only see 2 chicks that are growing combs (sign of roosterdom). In years past we have only had a few hens and a lot of roosters. It would be nice if they were mostly hens.

But the one thing that amazes me the most, is that she carried off hatching 9 chicks. That is 21 days exposed to king snakes, skunks and racoons. And she pulled it off. Amazing!!!!

Pokadot the guinea fowl continues to be paired up with the barred rock hen except for the the times when there is the “running of the fowl”. This is where the guineas chase each other for hours until exhausted. Funny since we no longer have guinea hens who does this impress. I keep expecting the two white guineas to drop dead in the chase from a cardiac. They have to be pushing 10 years old by now. Must have amazing hearts.

Now for another pairing that is the funniest thing. It seems that when the white guineas aren't running around they are hanging with the ducks. Seems that the guineas have shown the ducks the hole in the fence to our neighbors property to the south.

We thought it was difficult to find duck eggs, now the game is really afoot. The Easter Bunny is clueless when it comes to hiding eggs. Seems with the ducks the first few days they lay their egg on a lined nest. Then after a couple days they start to cover the eggs with grass and feathers. I have only found these nests because I know where they are. I am surprised that critters find them but they do. Like with the bantam that brought off a hatch, I worry that a duck hen will attempt to do the same. This is the reason we lost one of our duck hens.

Ah yes it is always interesting to watch the interaction of all our fowl. It is quite entertaining but then again I am easily entertained.

My new planting of summer squash is starting to bloom, mostly female flowers. The other day there was a lone male. Funny how he took up the escort trade. We will have at least four squash soon and more as more male flowers mature. I have been going at the sweet harvest a little slow. I usually do not start until September. The August tubers are a little on the small size. As I am progressing through the bed, I am seeing some sizing up going on. Yes we are back in Jezebel Jam. Both jalapenos and poblanos are turning red. I need to talk with the county sheriff to see if smokers are Okay with the burn ban in place. I need to smoke jalapenos for fire powder. Would hate to have the notoriety of having a fire named after me. I do not know if I can dry them and then smoke them or if I should freeze them and smoke upon thawing. Decision, decisions.

What with the “cooler “ weather garden task do not seem as much a challenge. Over night lows are cooling so I am hoping to start fall planting soon.. Most seed do not like soil temps in the 90's to germinate.

This too will pass!