OMG busy week - so many threads to catch up on! My Khaki Campbells turned into supreme escape artists, and showed me every little spot where the snow had collapsed the perimeter fencing. After two days of fencing repair, plus obligatory secondary clips (they started flying over the fence), they ended up in the garage of shame. I loaded incubator 3 with about 3 dozen khaki eggs... Home grown will likely be more obliged to stay at home... Then a skunk hit. He got into the goose nest, wiping out all but 3 eggs. He didn't bother the aviary, so the pheasants didn't alert. It was Narcissus hissing in the dark the night after I found the nests raided that tipped us off, leading to a chase through the field and the woods. I got one shot in, but only got his hindquarters. He hasn't been back, but I've been up half the night since watching the property... Spent a day working with my daughter at the egg farm where she works, showing the twenty-somethings how to do an efficient cull. The farm has endemic lice and coccidiosis, so I had to do hardcore biosecurity heading back home (my daughter keeps full changes of clothing and shoes there)... I'm all for all natural, but a little medication is clearly indicated there... Missy was VERY angry at me for being out all day, but finally decided that she really likes her sleeping spot at the head of the bed, and forgave me for being gone. One of my Pekin ladies went lame, and her leg is inflamed. She got a warm bath and a scrub down, IM antibiotic and anti-inflammatories, and is on complete rest in the house separated from Missy. I am giving her a couple days to sort herself out, but if she does't improve she is off to the vet. I'm concerned because big pekins are prone to leg injury. I'd hate to retire her from breeding in her first season, but I am breeding for strong feet and legs, disease resistance and temperament... Hopefully she just did something dumb and will straighten out with rest. I also forgot how loud Pekins are - you can hear them outside, but it is nothing like the sound in the confined space of a ranch style house.... She is calling for her friends from the bathroom at the moment... Missy is ignoring her, since she can always hear the other birds outside, and has not seen her or been in contact with her to even know she is not the only duck in the house.
One more week before the next crop of babies to imprint hits, then there is another batch due every week for the next month. No fun incubation runs for me at the moment, this is all to fill orders and to expand my rare breed stock...
It had been nice and quiet for a while... Going to sit back and catch my breath and watch Missy cuddle with my husband...
