"Cheep cheep cheep" appears from nowhere, shake head, unplug ears but "cheep cheep cheep" is still there…In the incubator 30 eggs all sit motionless in the incubator not a fluffy chick in sight but clearly, within those eggs, tiny chicks are struggling for life and the cheeping accompanies their struggle.
This morning ten chicks have hatched and, warm and safe in the incubator the pitter patter of tiny little chick feet scrabbling over the wired base, scrabbling over each other and falling clumsily, wings flapping legs waving wildly on their backs.
One young rooster chose to make a break for freedom yesterday, it was not a smart move, what gets out does not necessarily go back in. Rocky the rooster faced off big brother John. John was confident, he has proved deadly efficient on the chicken roundups and one scrawny rooster wasn’t going to be much trouble..or was it ? Bran, currently working as hoodie ornament on the quad instantly transformed into herding machine, head outstretched, mouth open tail waving like a banner. Greg arrived just in time to ambush the escapee from the South, John and Bran blocked the retreat and Rocky looked like he had nowhere to go. Rocky fluffed his feathers, bounced up and down on the spot, lunged to the left then to the right, John dived, Greg sort of dived, Bran jumped and Rocky attacked. Poor John !! I know that a scar adds character to a face…but John’s face already had character…now it has a little more. I’m afraid there is tough justice here on the ranch…Rocky the rooster suffered the one strike and you are out consequence. Rocky is currently in a freezer bag, he will make a great pot pie !
Alissia thought all her Christmas’s had come at once! John was my support act feeding the chickens and collecting the eggs, I can reach the upper nest boxes but if I get down to the lower deck I am more than likely to find myself getting close and personal with the floor and even on the cleanest of days that is NASTY. Big brother was in charge of the food buckets, to deliver the grain to the waiting chickens, we have to pass through the goat pen where Alissia and Acorn were anxiously awaiting their evening meal. Normal practice for evening feeding chores require the ladies to be firmly closed in their stall before any attempt is made to pass with a bucket of grain… clearly we weren’t following the correct procedure, as John opened the gate,the two goat does were ready and waiting. Panic, potential goat round up flashed across my mind and as I howled “NO”, John put the grain bucket down..on the very wrong side of the gate. Like a flash Alissia pounced, it didn’t matter that it was chicken food, I guess it could have been cardboard but it was free and it wasn’t supposed to be hers!! Lesson learnt the hard way…close goats in pen before attempting to feed chickens..goats don’t lay eggs and layer pellets aren’t recommended.
Cody is getting up to speed back at the ranch. Routine changes according to Season, new arrivals or circumstance. John Cody and I are all trying to get to grips with all the modifications made during my absence. Executive decisions are being challenged and the insubordinate English team are giving Greg trouble….Cody just smiles. It’s a good time at the ranch, it’s nice to be back !!
Time to go, take care, keep safe, M
This morning ten chicks have hatched and, warm and safe in the incubator the pitter patter of tiny little chick feet scrabbling over the wired base, scrabbling over each other and falling clumsily, wings flapping legs waving wildly on their backs.
One young rooster chose to make a break for freedom yesterday, it was not a smart move, what gets out does not necessarily go back in. Rocky the rooster faced off big brother John. John was confident, he has proved deadly efficient on the chicken roundups and one scrawny rooster wasn’t going to be much trouble..or was it ? Bran, currently working as hoodie ornament on the quad instantly transformed into herding machine, head outstretched, mouth open tail waving like a banner. Greg arrived just in time to ambush the escapee from the South, John and Bran blocked the retreat and Rocky looked like he had nowhere to go. Rocky fluffed his feathers, bounced up and down on the spot, lunged to the left then to the right, John dived, Greg sort of dived, Bran jumped and Rocky attacked. Poor John !! I know that a scar adds character to a face…but John’s face already had character…now it has a little more. I’m afraid there is tough justice here on the ranch…Rocky the rooster suffered the one strike and you are out consequence. Rocky is currently in a freezer bag, he will make a great pot pie !
Alissia thought all her Christmas’s had come at once! John was my support act feeding the chickens and collecting the eggs, I can reach the upper nest boxes but if I get down to the lower deck I am more than likely to find myself getting close and personal with the floor and even on the cleanest of days that is NASTY. Big brother was in charge of the food buckets, to deliver the grain to the waiting chickens, we have to pass through the goat pen where Alissia and Acorn were anxiously awaiting their evening meal. Normal practice for evening feeding chores require the ladies to be firmly closed in their stall before any attempt is made to pass with a bucket of grain… clearly we weren’t following the correct procedure, as John opened the gate,the two goat does were ready and waiting. Panic, potential goat round up flashed across my mind and as I howled “NO”, John put the grain bucket down..on the very wrong side of the gate. Like a flash Alissia pounced, it didn’t matter that it was chicken food, I guess it could have been cardboard but it was free and it wasn’t supposed to be hers!! Lesson learnt the hard way…close goats in pen before attempting to feed chickens..goats don’t lay eggs and layer pellets aren’t recommended.
Cody is getting up to speed back at the ranch. Routine changes according to Season, new arrivals or circumstance. John Cody and I are all trying to get to grips with all the modifications made during my absence. Executive decisions are being challenged and the insubordinate English team are giving Greg trouble….Cody just smiles. It’s a good time at the ranch, it’s nice to be back !!
Time to go, take care, keep safe, M
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