Light in my Life

WallyBirdie

Crowing
Aug 2, 2019
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I'm keyed up with my role as papa bird to my newest baby (named Haybale). I've been accused of being a mother hen, and I take the role seriously. I worry too much and I try too hard. Thankfully, my flock doesn't seem to mind.

The newest addition came as a surprise. I was clearing out an old bale of hay and found 3 hidden eggs. 2 were rotten, 1 hatched into a little fella. Due to the egg size and obvious traits, I have a fair guess on the parents. (The baby has a naked neck and feathered legs...) Turken father and frizzle mother. (The only chickens I have with feathered legs are my frizzles and cochin.)

[EGG!]
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[WET BABY AND 2 DAY OLD BABY]
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[POTENTIAL PARENTS]
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(my frizzle is NOT cooperative for pics! this photo is outdated!)

Not sure if Haybale's adult size will be bantam, standard, or something in between. Also not sure if the frizzle gene will show. (BUT I HOPE IT DOES!)

Regardless, little Haybale is adorable.

She (or he? -only a couple days old) gets excited when she sees or hears me, runs and jumps all over the place.
She is eating and drinking well, stool is normal.

I am super paranoid and constantly checking on her- to the point of losing sleep when I hear her chirp. (WORTH IT!)

Speaking of sleep, I know baby chicks sleep a lot... She gets a good hard sleep, but she is also a busy body that runs around and randomly stops to nap for seconds at a time.

She is a welcome addition, and I am proud to have the experience of caring for her. She adds a little extra light into my life, all my birds do, really.

I, uh, don't see very well... to the point where I cannot drive and that alone limits a lot of options for me. I've lived under the assumption that it was a partial blindness, and no doctor has ever told me otherwise... until recently.
I have a tumor attached to my pituitary gland, and it voids a lot of bi-temporal vision. I guess I've had it for a while, so I'm not sure where to go from here.

Thank goodness for having chickens. They are an excellent motivation to get up every morning to feed and let out and generally enjoy. They make life so simple, and it's easy to focus on them and set aside the negatives for a while.

I can sit back and watch my bird Eggy Alan Poe run around with a grasshopper in her mouth. I can toss treats to everyone who comes running when I yell for them. My lavender Orpington (named Jane) likes to jump on my lap or shoulder-

These are easy little things that bring so much joy!
I know a lot of people who are ignorant and misinformed, who like to sit back and claim that chickens are filthy farm animals, that they are dumb or simply good for dinner...
They are silly and smart and delightful. And I need mine.
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Love your story! And yes, chickens are wonderful animals. You most certainly are not alone in that thinking! Haybale sounds adorable. Love that name too! I'm sorry to hear about your eyesight. :( It has to be very difficult. Your chickens are so sweet, and the baby is just precious! Keep enjoying them, no matter what others think.
 
What a wonderful story to start my day! You and Haybale are lucky to have each other, and the rest of your flock sounds delightful, too.

Love your photos, and yes, I think we all have days where we would just pull the covers over our heads if we didn't have our birds to make us get up and face the day. (My sheep and goats like to yell from the pasture if it seems I might be oversleeping, but Sir Henry, the rooster, always beats them to alarm duty).

Hope to hear more from you. Keep us posted on Haybale!! Thanks for sharing!
 

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