Cheep cheep Chheepp….Quack Quack…….what’s that ? Quacks don’t belong in the farmyard. So what is going on ? Yesterday we bought some Cornish Cross chickens (traditionally meat birds) and a few more egg laying chicks. Our intention is to work with our woofer interns and allow them to watch and chart the progress and growth of both sets of chicks. We duly collected the box of happy healthy cheeping chicks from cheerful Jeff at Cenex (probably very happy to see the back of his noisy squatters). The chicks were comfortably re homed in our warm dry brooder box and we thought we were done with babies for the day. NOT SO !!! Up to my knees in horse poop in Charms stall and a faint Quack Quack was heard. A quick check round the side of the barn and there was the source of the quacks…a new set of ducklings led by a very proud momma Mallard was leading her offspring single file and best webbed foot forward right through the farmyard. Oh no !! There they were, three farm cats, Tiger, Shy and Lucky all watching the progress of lunch and it had actually delivered itself ! I swear those cats were grinning from ear to ear. Somehow the feathered family made its way to the little pond and our feline friends suspended mouse watch for the day in anticipation of tasty duckling. All spaced out around the bank, the three cats watched their dinners zip around the pond…swim almost into reach…just not quite…next time. I couldn’t watch, Mother Nature was so cruel and life so short. I had no control over their future…..or so I thought !!! About 9pm a call from the barn. Our boarder calling to say that Tiger had tried 2 ducklings as hors de oeuvres and was checking out his entrée but they had saved the brood. Momma mallard had waddled away taking one duckling with her….they had rescued the others from almost certainly becoming Tigers next meal….and we are now the “happy” mom and pop of a brood of ducklings. I know that Mom in Albuquerque will be checking out her soup recipe!!! Greg was less than pleased, rearing ducks wasn’t on the agenda for this year…or in fact, any year.
Yesterday also saw the return of Gregs favoured child. The John Deere tractor was released from tractor hospital and we arrived in Sumner in warm sunshine to pick it up. Clearly, since it was us, it couldn’t be THAT easy…it wasn’t! As we got out of the truck..hailstones, big hailstones and just to make us really wet, it rained, torrential rain and we got soaked, saturated and miserable……but the tractor is fixed !
Well, it’s time I got moving, it’s 7.10 and time to get ready for the first shift. Today may be a quiet day….may be ! take care, M
Yesterday also saw the return of Gregs favoured child. The John Deere tractor was released from tractor hospital and we arrived in Sumner in warm sunshine to pick it up. Clearly, since it was us, it couldn’t be THAT easy…it wasn’t! As we got out of the truck..hailstones, big hailstones and just to make us really wet, it rained, torrential rain and we got soaked, saturated and miserable……but the tractor is fixed !
Well, it’s time I got moving, it’s 7.10 and time to get ready for the first shift. Today may be a quiet day….may be ! take care, M
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