Inside, the cottage is feeling somewhat like a very strange hospital ward; What with Albert and his deformed leg and William with his steroid induced frequency of micturition (forget a regular toileting and huge puddles suddenly appear on the kitchen floor!)
Last night Maddie had suffered from a fairly unfortunate stomach complaint,,, and had deposited a mound of waste the size of a human head on the landing carpet......suffice to say on my usual 3am journey to the loo (at 47 one needs to pee at least 6 hourly!!), I plonked a naked foot right into the centre of it!
Early mornings are not a good time for me, so I surprised myself with a tight lipped silence rather than a totally hysterical and more satisfying 10 minute swearing tirade of anti faecal abuse!
Oh the joys of animal care....
The summer chicks I have kept hold of are now all full grown and have just started to produce their first, tiny, delicate looking eggs. As I was feeding the flock this afternoon I realised that I had not named any of the new girls as yet.
Keeping with the usual cinematic theme the three hens above have been christened Halle (Berry),Michelle (Pfiffer), and Gina (Lollobrigida)...Bill (as in Kill Bill) is busy just behind them!
The last hen chick to survive this year's hatching is Blanche's single amber rock hybrid. She is a plucky little character and despite her size, she has so far survived unscathed with the usual bullying that can occur when adult hens meet youngsters for the first time.....I have called her Ripley
Meanwhile the hysterical guinea fowl chicks are magically looking less like normal chicks and are starting to resemble the bizarre looking adult birds........their heads seem to be shrinking , while beaks and bodies are growing .and at times they exhibit the shrill, machine gun type chatter of the fully grown birds.
The final update comes from the turkey pouts who are now just over 6 weeks old. Apologies for the poor photo but I think you get the sense of how these graceful little birds have developed from baby fluff balls to little versions of your Christmas dinner.
Meanwhile the hysterical guinea fowl chicks are magically looking less like normal chicks and are starting to resemble the bizarre looking adult birds........their heads seem to be shrinking , while beaks and bodies are growing .and at times they exhibit the shrill, machine gun type chatter of the fully grown birds.
The final update comes from the turkey pouts who are now just over 6 weeks old. Apologies for the poor photo but I think you get the sense of how these graceful little birds have developed from baby fluff balls to little versions of your Christmas dinner.The five poults will be braking the elements hopefully by the end of next week...all I need now is another poultry house!
Oh, I want all the turkey poults.
ReplyDeleteThe farmer behind me was a bit upset, as grasshoppers and other bugs ate his field of collards before they even were noticable. He suggested we get some guinea fowl to run loose. My only concern is I don't want the responsibility of feeding them short of the bugs (which will probably be scarce in the winter.) I have no experience with those birds. Any suggestions?
ReplyDeleteguinea fowl will eat regular poultry food randy....just get them used to a feeder or feed by hand. Hughie feeds from the hopper with the other hens he just sleeps in the trees!
ReplyDeleteI love guinea fowl....cant wait to get the youngsters out.....
very loud birds though!!!!!
The new laying hens are so pretty. You are certainly having adventures caring for sick animals. Are the turkeys destined for the table or are they pets?
ReplyDeletecallie,
ReplyDeleteI am going to keep at least one female to provide a breeding group
My friend Erlys may need a stag or female when she finally sexes her two turkey poults
the others will be eaten I am afraid...(gulp)........perhaps....