Pipd's Peeps!

[Crazy Maizie]

...Hi, y'all.

So, I'm not going to be posting much because, phew, this semester is going off with a vengeance already. I started the semester already buried in homework and have been fighting my way through it just to keep above water on it! I have two online classes this semester and I suspect the professors for both of them operate under the impression that they have to make up for the lack of class time with piles and piles of homework. Between that and the homework load I already have from the two in-person classes that are, themselves, rather intense, I've been keeping busy!

I did submit my official application for the dental hygiene program at the end of January, later than I meant to but with time to spare at least. Keep your fingers crossed for me! I won't know until June at the earliest if I'm in, but I'll let y'all know ASAP!

More positive news from my neck of the woods, mom has one more chemo treatment to go this month, and at her last appointment her doctor said that her tumor has shrunk so much it can no longer be palpated!! Next is surgery in March to remove the tumor bed, and then she goes into radiation over the summer to finish it off. Here's hoping that's that and she can get back to normal soon!

I've been trying to plot my pens for the year between digging myself out of piles of homework, but I get the feeling I'm just not going to have the time for that until spring break at the earliest. Sigh. I'll try to set some eggs to hatch for summer break if I get my pens arranged over spring break so that my birds are where I want them to be for the year.

Last thing of note because I want to make sure these things are kept track of. Ms. Coco passed away about 2 weeks ago. She was old and wasn't tolerating the cold well, so I brought her inside, where she was absolutely thriving! Then, one evening, she was gone, just like that. I take solace in that she was warm, cozy, and had a full crop when she passed, so at least she didn't suffer. We also lost Phoebe rather suddenly to a bout of sour crop that I couldn't get cleared in her. Sad to see my birthday birdy go so young.

Phew, so that was a lot more than I thought I had to post, but there's the update from over here! I don't have many pictures because a lot of mornings are just feed the chickens and get right to work, but here are a hand full to tide y'all over:

Vivi realized one morning that she could reach the feed bucket from the perch build I put on the deck for the Cochins and snuck a few pecks in before I'd gotten the feed down in the pans

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This is a terrible shot, but right after that cold snap, Augusta decided that she no longer needed her feathers, I guess

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Just Mallow being a camera-fighting little stinker

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Amaretto in front with her aunt, Roxanne, in back, both throwing attitude because I hadn't dished breakfast yet

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Sending good thoughts your way for the dental hygiene program. Prayers that your mom's tumor has shrunk and that she continues to receive good news.

Sorry to hear about your birds, but we all know how much care and effort you put into them.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

I'm currently on vacation (well it ends tomorrow). But, I've come across feral chickens that I must share while visiting the Carribean.

A Puerto Rican rooster, a rooster from a private island called Half Moon Cay as well as some hens with and w/o chicks from there too. One hen only had 1 chick it was peeping away. I'm sure she started out with more. I saw (and heard others) elsewhere, but wasn't able to get photos.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Oops missed the other rooster.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Love those Caribbean chickens! The mamas and babies are so precious

Also more than a wee bit jealous of being somewhere so warm, though you're probably back home by now I assume. I'm just kind of over wintertime, and we've got another week of frigid temps coming up now! After that, though, maybe, hopefully we can look forward to more spring-like weather?

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Checking in again to say that we lost Winter, the last of my pure Silkies. I was not super fond of the breed, but loved the birds I had, and Winter was one of the greats. Like his father, he was a watchful flock leader and with him keeping watch over the girls, I had an amazing warning system for trouble. Now I'm not sure if any of my remaining males will be able to fill those feathered shoes. Also like his father, Winty sort of just stopped being himself after one of his favorites, Peanut Butter, passed on, so it was not all that unexpected to see him go. Still very sad. I had hoped to hatch some grandchildren of his from Amaretto (and maybe Ganymede) this year, so hopefully those watchful genes pass on and stay alive in one of his grandsons.

With the several losses I've had late last year and early this year, plus the advanced age of my mixed flock outside of the silkied Cochins, I was talking it over with my mom and, well, I did something...

I'm all in with breeding the silkied Cochins still, but I've been getting a lot of complaints from my family about not having as many larger eggs to cook with for years now, and I've been missing having more Easter-eggers in my flock anyway, so we went for it. I've always wanted to try a Delaware in my flock, so I added her on as well, and the Sumatra was sort of a last minute add because I do find them to be beautiful birds and I'm lacking in white egg layers these days as well. Due June 16.

 

[NagemTX]

Checking in again to say that we lost Winter, the last of my pure Silkies. I was not super fond of the breed, but loved the birds I had, and Winter was one of the greats. Like his father, he was a watchful flock leader and with him keeping watch over the girls, I had an amazing warning system for trouble. Now I'm not sure if any of my remaining males will be able to fill those feathered shoes. Also like his father, Winty sort of just stopped being himself after one of his favorites, Peanut Butter, passed on, so it was not all that unexpected to see him go. Still very sad. I had hoped to hatch some grandchildren of his from Amaretto (and maybe Ganymede) this year, so hopefully those watchful genes pass on and stay alive in one of his grandsons.

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With the several losses I've had late last year and early this year, plus the advanced age of my mixed flock outside of the silkied Cochins, I was talking it over with my mom and, well, I did something...

View attachment 4050779

I'm all in with breeding the silkied Cochins still, but I've been getting a lot of complaints from my family about not having as many larger eggs to cook with for years now, and I've been missing having more Easter-eggers in my flock anyway, so we went for it. I've always wanted to try a Delaware in my flock, so I added her on as well, and the Sumatra was sort of a last minute add because I do find them to be beautiful birds and I'm lacking in white egg layers these days as well. Due June 16.

Lovely post!

 

[Egg Snatcher]

Checking in again to say that we lost Winter, the last of my pure Silkies. I was not super fond of the breed, but loved the birds I had, and Winter was one of the greats. Like his father, he was a watchful flock leader and with him keeping watch over the girls, I had an amazing warning system for trouble. Now I'm not sure if any of my remaining males will be able to fill those feathered shoes. Also like his father, Winty sort of just stopped being himself after one of his favorites, Peanut Butter, passed on, so it was not all that unexpected to see him go. Still very sad. I had hoped to hatch some grandchildren of his from Amaretto (and maybe Ganymede) this year, so hopefully those watchful genes pass on and stay alive in one of his grandsons.

View attachment 4050781



With the several losses I've had late last year and early this year, plus the advanced age of my mixed flock outside of the silkied Cochins, I was talking it over with my mom and, well, I did something...

View attachment 4050779

I'm all in with breeding the silkied Cochins still, but I've been getting a lot of complaints from my family about not having as many larger eggs to cook with for years now, and I've been missing having more Easter-eggers in my flock anyway, so we went for it. I've always wanted to try a Delaware in my flock, so I added her on as well, and the Sumatra was sort of a last minute add because I do find them to be beautiful birds and I'm lacking in white egg layers these days as well. Due June 16.

Sorry for your lost and congrats one your soon to be girls!

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Checking in again to say that we lost Winter, the last of my pure Silkies. I was not super fond of the breed, but loved the birds I had, and Winter was one of the greats. Like his father, he was a watchful flock leader and with him keeping watch over the girls, I had an amazing warning system for trouble. Now I'm not sure if any of my remaining males will be able to fill those feathered shoes. Also like his father, Winty sort of just stopped being himself after one of his favorites, Peanut Butter, passed on, so it was not all that unexpected to see him go. Still very sad. I had hoped to hatch some grandchildren of his from Amaretto (and maybe Ganymede) this year, so hopefully those watchful genes pass on and stay alive in one of his grandsons.

View attachment 4050781



With the several losses I've had late last year and early this year, plus the advanced age of my mixed flock outside of the silkied Cochins, I was talking it over with my mom and, well, I did something...

View attachment 4050779

I'm all in with breeding the silkied Cochins still, but I've been getting a lot of complaints from my family about not having as many larger eggs to cook with for years now, and I've been missing having more Easter-eggers in my flock anyway, so we went for it. I've always wanted to try a Delaware in my flock, so I added her on as well, and the Sumatra was sort of a last minute add because I do find them to be beautiful birds and I'm lacking in white egg layers these days as well. Due June 16.

Sorry to hear about Winter. He was handsome.

Your order is a nice selection. I can't wait to see them when you get them and watch them grow!

Sadly vacations don't last long. And although it was warm, it was too long for me. I'm always worried about my dogs and birds - all did just fine. However, I got sick so missed out on about 2 days.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Sadly vacations don't last long.

For sure! I still feel like my winter break could have been about 3 months longer

And although it was warm, it was too long for me. I'm always worried about my dogs and birds - all did just fine. However, I got sick so missed out on about 2 days.

Aw, sorry you were ill! I'm the same way when I'm away from home. All I can think about is whether my animals are safe and being cared for to my standards! I probably have much higher standards than necessary, of course, but they're worth it to me.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Checking in again--hi, y'all! Last week, some homework got the best of me so I focused on that and opted not to check in here. This weekend, I've finished my homework already, but I won't be around super long because next week is midterms. I have a lab practical on Tuesday, and then a test a day every day after that, plus an essay draft due next Sunday. Needless to say, I'll be busy studying!

However, after that is spring break! One whole week where I don't have to go to class or do homework or think!!

I do have a lot to get done while I have that time to work with, of course. The coops are long overdue for a thorough clean out thanks to last semester having me much busier than I expected, I have a ton of growouts from last year to sort through (and hopefully take update pictures of while I'm at it!), and I've got to get my birds rearranged to start my 2025 hatches. I'm worn out just thinking about it! But, I should be a little bit more active here, so I guess be prepared to be sick of hearing from me by the time my break is over.

It's been much nicer weather here this past week, which means it's been a lot easier to take pictures of the birds, so I've got quite a few to drop! It also means my room is free of poultry again as I was able to successfully move all of the birds back outside. Yay!! Anyway, pictures!

Egg laying has started to pick up here again, thank goodness, but some of the young hens from last year's hatches are, well, a bit confused about where to lay them. This is the bucket I scoop their droppings into when cleaning the coop.

The Cochin roosts loaded up for the night again. I just think they're adorable all snuggled up like this

A couple of Dorkings up on it one morning, Lydda and Myrna. Myrna (to the right) does not seem thrilled by me taking more pictures again

(Ganymede says I'm down here, too!)

Findlay up on the waterer again. Doesn't she look ashamed?

...On second thought, maybe not

Breakfast time! Vivienne is the big girl at the top left and Sylvie is the smooth Cochin at the top right. I thiiiink the Splash girl at the bottom was Opal and the hen to her left was Augusta, but I don't remember for sure. The rest are unnamed grow outs.

They had a very brief range time a few evenings ago, and a few of them haven't forgotten where to go to get treats from the heavens. Cazzie, Myrna, Harriet, Fifi, Rangi, and Izzy. Note how intently Fifi is looking up at me

I just thought Sumi looked so pretty highlighted by the sunset the other evening

Vega and Sumi up on the Cochin roost a couple mornings ago

Gwenyth "blending in" with the Cochin crowd after reintegrating into the flock. Can hardly tell which one is her, am I right?