Thursday, August 28, 2008

A visit from a friend

Today was a great day! A friend of mine came to visit. This friend and I usually get together about every five weeks. Much less than I would like but she has a life, I have a life, you get the idea. She said she was coming to visit me but, I'm pretty sure she really came for the chickens. Here's the evidence:



Here chick, chick!


Here girls, come eat the yummy chick feed.


Rooster, would you like to come up in my hand?



Doubling her odds.


Have you guessed who this friend is?




It's frugalmom. This was her favorite chick. She's the most friendly and calm of the bunch. Look at how happy she is, I mean frugalmom. She needs some birds of her own and some llamas and maybe a goat and a few donkeys. Yeah, that sounds good to me.


While frugalmom was here she taught all the good girls and boy how to be bad. She is a bad influence!

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Do they ever grow up?

So, my last post was about my boys this one is about my DH. He loves riding as much as the boys. Here he is showing the boys how it's done.


Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Raising Boys

Hmmm, I'm not sure what the right way is to raise boys. I know it's hard to let them do all that boy stuff without feeling nervous, without saying "be careful". Without worry. But you get the worry whether you have boys or girls. Just different worry. My boys make me proud. They "usually" make the right choice, they are boys so sometimes the boy-ness gets the better of them. My husband says it's important to let them do all that "stuff" that gives me more gray hair. It helps them become self confident men. So, I let them do bb guns and climb trees and such. I just pray a lot! Here's a video of something that is turning my hair gray. I find myself holding my breath while I watch them. I love seeing them glow when they manage to start the bike by themselves or when they hop right back up after a minor crash. I hate the crashing! The laughter you hear in the background is my FIL. I think he's having as much fun watching as the boys are riding!

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Friday, August 15, 2008

Finally....I'm learning


The boys and I went to my Grandparents today. They have blackberries coming out of their ears. So, we came home with some, also a few raspberries. I made this. It was fantastic.

I finally got a little smarter than the birds today. I put their waterer up on a bowl. It's staying much cleaner now. What's funny is look at the chick peeking around at Rooster. She looks like she's sayin', "Hey, whatcha doin' ?"

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Funny Birds

Today we had to go to town. I was a little worried about the chicks getting out while we were gone. See, they've taken to trying to fly around in their brooder and I just had this feeling if I left them alone, welll, I thought they might make a break for it. So, I was trying to figure out what to put on top of the brooder when I happened to look over at my laundry room window and I thought, Hey maybe that screen would work. And sure enough it was long enough, a little too wide but that wasn't a problem. So, I put in on there and went to town. We returned to 15 safe chickies in the brooder. I took the screen off and went over to the washtub sink to do something, when I turned around there was a pretty little girl sitting on top of the waterer. Whaaaaa???!!! No picture, sorry, my camera wasn't near and no way was I leaving her up there. Soooo, I'm so glad I listened to my instincts and imprisoned them, I mean made them safe before I left.

Here's a video of me hand feeding them. They are such funny little birds.

Monday, August 11, 2008

A full day.

Today was a full day. I took care of the chicks, both boys are home and one is feeling puny, I made pickles today, I made a clothespin apron today, I did laundry and took the non puny boy over to Grandma and Grandpa's to practice his swimming. Oh, yeah and there was that burial thing. Trying to overlook that. Supper, etc. I'm done for today. ;0)

RIP Tiny




We lost a chick today. I had noticed she was smaller than all the rest. Then I started noticing she was sleeping a lot, not eating or drinking. I moved her into the Chick ICU(an ice cream bucket in the brooder). It was just slowly going down hill, I emailed a wise chicken lady, who has been giving me advice and info on this road to chickendom. She gave me the sad news that Tiny was more than likely not going to make it. Around 3:00 today she passed. She was a good little chick. I hope we made her as comfortable as possible while she was with us.

Saturday, August 09, 2008

Day 4

K, they are changing way too fast! This morning I went in and I saw the rooster flapping his wings and trying to herd them all to the other side of the brooder. Then a hen stretched up and bumped his chest. Is she challenging him? Also, their little wings are starting to be more pronounced. less baby chick fuzz on them. Here's a pic or two, so you can see what I mean.


Friday, August 08, 2008

They just make my heart happy!

So, Day 3 has been good. I'm feeling a little more relaxed and the chicks are doing well. It's so funny to watch them. They run frantically whenever you loom over the brooder but come running when I put my hand down in with food in it. They hop right up in my hand and eat away. Everyone that is except for Rooster. He is not having it. He is on guard. Is it possible that he's already playing his role? Yesterday we had him out then put him back and took a chick. He sure raised a ruckus. How did he know or was it just a coincidence? I stand or sit and just watch them and am purely amazed that they are here, that I finally have them after wishing and wanting for two years. After pick, pick, picking at my DH. I can't wait to see them grow.

Thursday, August 07, 2008

Peep Peep Peep



Day 2 of chicks is going fine. Finally found a chick waterer this AM! Had to wipe a butt! It's all going well except it seems difficult to keep a constant temp. So, I closed off all the air vents near the laundry room and in it. Hopefully that helps. Also, G and I started painting the coop. It looks great, so far.


Wednesday, August 06, 2008

Oh Happy Day!

My babies arrived this AM. I got the call at 5:58, two minutes before my alarm went off. Only one casualty, I knew the minute I picked up the box. Death has a distinct smell. Sooo, hopefully 15 healthy girls and 1 healthy, nice-non aggressive(crossing my fingers and praying really hard)boy. LOL They are all drinking, eating, pottying and napping. So far so good!