Pipd's Peeps!

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Might have to go that route. It's a shame, but I know my limitations at this point for the number of pens I can handle, especially over winter. Either they get over it before next winter, or someone has to go.


So, in happier news, here are the kiddos today at 8 weeks old! It was such a gorgeous day, it was super hard to do anything too serious--and I have tons to finish for the end of the semester! Anyway, it was nice to sit out there with them on such a lovely day.

Individual shots:

Aaaaand.... I'm having some kind of weird post box glitch where the box is going blank any time I try to scroll.... So I will post the rest of the pics from today in another post I guess?

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Okay, now it seems fine...? Anyway, the rest of those pictures!

First, Josephine sitting on a log. Ain't she sweet?

I guess she was having a lazy Sunday.

"You got a problem with that?"

The log is one of their favorite places out here in the yard. Here's Vivi and Josey perched on it. Those sweet faces!

Mavis says, "I'm cute, too!" (ARGH, she blinked!)

Some close-ups on the boys. I love Quatre's eyes right now

Un, looking serious.

Un is, no doubt, Black Copper like his momma:

Viv may be as well, although this could just be some weird juvenile feather patterning:

It looks like Mavis might just be Birchen, though, with those silvery feathers coming in!

I think Quatre is 'golden' like his papa, Murphy, though. He just has a few golden feathers peeking through so far. (He had his neck stretched out like this, looking with horror at my feet. It's been a long winter, I guess.)

Here is Un with his foot on the water bucket.

...And Six is just ruffled.

And I think that's all of them from today. Normally, 8 weeks is the very latest 'move out' age, but I'm giving them one last night in the brooder due to chilly temps. Tomorrow night is supposed to reach 50-ish at the lowest, so the kiddos move out to the coop permanently tomorrow!



In other news, just about through with the semester. I have some lab reports to finish up, my big essay to tune up and turn in (by midnight tomorrow, eep!), another essay 'exam' due Wednesday, and my only in-person final on Tuesday. Almost there!

As of candling last night, looks like all the Dorking eggs I set last weekend are infertile, and the duck eggs are clear as well. But I have 5 Silkied Cochin embryos going strong! The sixth sadly was a quitter. Fingers crossed for fuzzies in two weeks! After that, looks like I'll have to get more Dorking eggs ready and hope Darwin is a bit more successful at fertilizing them. Editing to add, here's a candling pic--not great because my phone will not focus on candling eggs, but the best I can do. Five eggs looked like this, wiggling away in there.

Also, some of y'all might remember my niece got two female rabbits last year for 4H. Welp, she found a dead kit in the hutch this week, so, surprise, one of them is male! We have separated the suspected male, HOPEFULLY before any more unwanted pregnancies have happened, so I currently have a rabbit living in my coop because we had no other predator proof pens to keep him in. Not permanently, just until we have a better situation for him. Which, I might add, better happen soon, because my niece is driving me NUTS wanting to go out to the coop all the time and 'check on him', an action that to her oddly resembles smothering my chickens with unwanted attention.

 

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Well, it's official--I turned in my last piece of homework for the semester today! Not much to report with the birds, but here are the babies the night before last, their first time in the coop overnight. They perched all by themselves.

The following morning, the back fence of the chicken yard had been knocked over. Judging by the digging and coarse hair I found around it, there's a good chance we had some coyotes visit that night, just the thing to start my hair graying! The good news is the coops and pens are all built like tanks, so everyone was fine. I had to set the fence back up, though. I guess that settles what project I'll be doing first over break--fixing up the old chicken yard fence! It has been 7 years since we put it up, so I suppose it's about time!

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

How much longer do you have for school?
Yikes on the coyote.

 

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It depends. I haven't decided if I want to go for a Master's or not. I practically have my Bachelor's now, but I have to take Physics II this summer to complete it (despite the fact that Physics II has no relevant topics for a biology degree, but I digress ). I believe it's 2 more years if I do go for the Master's. We'll see what happens.


Definitely yikes! Thankfully it happened after dark, so everyone was locked up safe!

 

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Whoa, I guess it's been a week since I posted last! I have all A's so far for my classes! Just waiting for my last class to come in, and I expect an A from that as well!

Mostly, I've just been having a blast with all this free time. Lots of hiking outside, preparing for some summer projects, birding, etc. I have a ton of pictures from the woods this past week. Have I mentioned that I love living here?

As spring warms the place up, there have been tons of wild flowers growing. My favorites are the Dutchman's Breeches, but I love Fairy Spuds, too. The Fairy Spuds are more commonly called Springbeauties, but I mean, come on, Fairy Spud as a name just can't be beaten! And, of course, there are tons of Trilliums, Violets (in several colors!), and Phlox that are coloring up the floor of the woods, too.



As for the kids, I realized I had missed their 9 week pictures, but not a whole lot of change occurs at this point, and so I decided I'd let it slide. They did have their first steps into the big-girl coop a few days ago, and a few tries at it over the past few days. The big girls don't seem to mind them much--as long as they remain at a respectful distance. They're learning, and I'm pretty confident that they will integrate just fine over the next few weeks.

As for the hatch, well, all of the Dorking eggs were infertile, and we did have an early quitter (which I may have mentioned, but I don't remember at this point). I ended up pulling them on Sunday after dragging my feet to do it, because when I went to bed (super, super, SUPER late) on Sunday, I would swear (in my sleep-deprived stupor) that I heard peeping in the incubator and panicked, moving everything for lockdown. Well, the next morning, I realized my mistake and lowered the humidity in there again, so fingers crossed no damage has been done. Today si the actual lockdown date, and I think I saw some wigglin' eggs in there, so fingers crossed on babies in the next few days!! I've spent today getting things around for the brooder--all that's left is a quick wipe-down on the EcoGlow, and then putting everything together.



EDIT: Oh, yes, I nearly forgot to share this gem! Abra is broody, and when she hurried to grab a nest the other morning, she was met by She Who Sleeps Standing Up, who was in no mood to share her spot. Except, the two of them just froze there, staring at each other for the longest time! I recorded this little shot of them because I thought it was hilarious how still they were.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Love the nature pics and the short video of your hens. Hilarious!

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

We have a pip!!

The weather is crummy today and so our crummy internet service is even worse, so I will update as I can!


EDIT: Someone's in a hurry! First peek at little one's beak!

 

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We have 2 more pips and the first baby is zipping! Munchkin peeper on the way!!

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Baby hatched at exactly 9:30 pm (my time; about 45 minutes ago )! I took a video of it, but it's telling me that it's got 3 hours remaining to upload. On top of that, my pictures won't load. Not even sure if this post will go through. What did I say about crummy weather?



EDIT: Pictures finally loaded! Here's first to hatch, from the egg labeled SC5! She's had a tough day!

This shot washed out her beak color, but shows her down color a bit better. Lots of stripes!

Baby SC5 doesn't like this big new world! She's going back!!

Li'l grumpy baby!!

The video is still telling me 2 hours remaining, so... I'll eventually have it posted.


EDIT AGAIN: Whoops, forgot to add, here are the other two pips as of when SC5 hatched:

This one was just a crack, but as soon as I took the picture, baby poked on through and knocked some shell loose. Arrow is pointing at the pip.