May 1, 2012. The view down one side of the driveway from my deck. Glorious morning. I woke up without an alarm, shuffled out onto the deck with my electronic cigarette and a cup of coffee. (After checking on the rapidly growing Cayuga ducklings in their brooder, and the three chicks in THEIR little white cage brooder. Y'see, one of my girls' eggs hatched in an incubator 3 days ago and other eggs didn't, so I bought two Salmon Faverolle chicks to keep the solo chick company. I have never incubated eggs from my own flock; I removed a bunch of eggs from beneath a first time broody pullet who hatched and lost five chicks because she wouldn't leave the nest - I'm guessing. She started taking the last chick out after I removed the eggs....... but I didn't know how long they'd been incubating because I lost track of 'em whilst I was working.)
And the view a few minutes after I stepped onto the deck:
Yup, Carl greeting me.
When I entered the coop to check on .... well, everything .... I discovered the broody Cayuga hen had two little ducklings peeping in her nest. She had hatched one on Saturday which I found dead Sunday morning. I don't know why it didn't survive, but just to be safe, I put a waterer and some feed in a dish inside the dog house with the nesting duck. I am going to keep a good eye on that family now that I am home and can do so!
More photos later - I'm still trying to organize them and choose the best to share. Got more recorded TV programs to watch, though.
The Enchanted Recliner did not claim me ONCE throughout the entire day! After John was done working on the steps for the day (he painted all the parts which needed to be green and will re-assemble them on Tuesday), we sat on the sofa drinking coffee and chatting. I sat on the middle section so I wouldn't sink out of sight into oblivion while we talked about all sorts of things. Mostly ignoring a HUGE verbal faux pas I blurted earlier in the day. Nope, not telling what it was.
We have established that we are friends. I am not "just his best customer with chickens." No, he doesn't have any other customers who keeps poultry... (Although one other customer has a small lake of her own and wild ducks she feeds daily.)
Ya gotta absolutely adore a quick-witted fellow like John. He arrived when I was still in my night-shirt, drinking my first cup of coffee, so he started to set up his power tools and extension cords and whatnot while I went inside to dress for company. Upon my return, I noticed an empty feed sack on the windshield of his work van, tucked under the wiper blade. So I asked about it.
"That's a chicken prank."
A chicken prank?
"Sure. One held the wiper up while the other pulled the feed bag under it. They think they're "getting" me because I don't like them getting into the van."
So, half a cup of coffee "on board" and I am pretty positive I understand the words John has said, totally deadpan, but that cannot really be why that feed bag is up there. He cops to it when I fix him with a stare. "It keeps the sawdust out of the vents."
