***OKIES in the BYC III *** - Page 2954

Looks like lots of folks were on last night visiting.  I went to bed early.  Too worn out to stay up past ten o'clock. 

Robin - Five of the seven guinea eggs hatched.  The babies are in the barn brooder making a racket.  Four look pearl, and the fifth has white wings.  I'm really curious to see how it will change as it grows.  I'll take some photos tonight.  

I've got a garden to weed.  The sun is obscured by clouds, and the wind is below 15 mph, so I think this is the time to evict the weeds.  I hope everyone has a great day.  

For those of you headed to POOPS tomorrow: Have a safe and happy day!  I'll be there is spirit.  Help me live the day vicariously by posting your photos and telling stories about your favorite POOPS moments.  

May the Fourth be with you!

This has been a good year for broody hens - as long as I can get past the idea that when they are broody they aren't laying eggs.  Despite several hens playing musical nests and occasionally leaving a nest without a hen, at least 5 hens have hatched out chicks and the Muskovey duck hatched out more than 20 ducklings,    Jaxon found 5 silkie cross chicks yesterday afternoon, wandering around without a mama hen.  I put them into a large bucket with some hay in the bottom and then gathered a hen that hatched out two days ago but hadn't been out of the coop with her chicks into the same bucket.  I am hoping that by putting all the chicks and the hen into a cage at the same time she will accept them as her own and brood them for me.  Since she had not yet clearly seen the colors of her own chicks and these are similar in color, it should work as long as the chicks will get under her when she calls them.  

Yesterday morning I almost tripped over a hen who somehow managed to drag 8 eggs into the garage overnight, and was sitting on the eggs on the bare concrete.  I guess she got tired of her eggs being eaten by the remaining skunks and decided that she needed a safer place to nest.  I tried to move her and she ran away, but came back - so I think I will put a nest pad beneath her to cushion the eggs.  Since she tends to range away from the rest of the flock I am not even sure her eggs will be fertile, so I am giving her additional eggs just in case.  If she is that determined to set, I will assist her.  

I am making chili for POOPS! 

Sorry, I just had to say that!