- Feb 6, 2007
- 2,056
- 22
- 203
Well, I did the one thing that I said I wouldn't let happen, one of my girls snuck off and laid in a windrow. I left her, we're fenced, I have the four dogs that keep predators off the property so I let her be.
This morning I heard her calling from the windrow very early, her mate was going nuts wanting out of the coop to get to her. I knew the eggs were hatching.
I left them alone until late in the morning but I watched for what all was going on. Finally the pair appeared and headed for the pond which meant there was another 200 feet to get to the coop. I went down and stood behind the proud parents and watched. I was tolerated but just barely.
It was amazing to see. The parents would begin to talk and move the keets a few feet. When one would get hung up in the grass the mother went back to wait for it. When the keets started dropping where they stood the parents stopped and let them rest.
It took nearly an hour to move to the coop where a new challenge presented itself. The parents hopped in over the 4 inch ledge for the outside pen. But the newborns had zero chance getting over it. Everybody stressed and I started scooping keets while trying to keep from having my hands ripped apart by an irate parent.
Parents and keets are now in the coop resting. I'll leave it that way for a few hours then go out and open it back up for the rest of the flock.
Being able to witness that made the stress of her being on the nest outside worth it.
This morning I heard her calling from the windrow very early, her mate was going nuts wanting out of the coop to get to her. I knew the eggs were hatching.
I left them alone until late in the morning but I watched for what all was going on. Finally the pair appeared and headed for the pond which meant there was another 200 feet to get to the coop. I went down and stood behind the proud parents and watched. I was tolerated but just barely.
It was amazing to see. The parents would begin to talk and move the keets a few feet. When one would get hung up in the grass the mother went back to wait for it. When the keets started dropping where they stood the parents stopped and let them rest.
It took nearly an hour to move to the coop where a new challenge presented itself. The parents hopped in over the 4 inch ledge for the outside pen. But the newborns had zero chance getting over it. Everybody stressed and I started scooping keets while trying to keep from having my hands ripped apart by an irate parent.
Parents and keets are now in the coop resting. I'll leave it that way for a few hours then go out and open it back up for the rest of the flock.
Being able to witness that made the stress of her being on the nest outside worth it.
