Stella's Social Club

[Happy Chooks]

Hello everyone.

Thanks for the compliments. Mary, sorry you had to put the little one down.

I'm loving all of the pictures. I'm super tired, but we are having fun. I'm in my tent right now because my sleeping bag is warm. The wind is really blowing. We have been enjoying Lava beds national monument and I have some great pictures to share when we get home on Tuesday. The lava tube caves are really interesting - I have never seen anything like it. We are going in a hike in the morning and some more caves.

 

[Cynthia12]

This is fun. What a pretty hen.
I have a broody! One I would never have thought would go broody. A leghorn! What?? I did hatch her..so she is Heritage. Not a feed store..very small girl. I thought she was making those mama cluck cluck sounds the last couple of days. Glad I have some eggs to put under her. A friend has given me some eggs. Frizzle Ameraucana..not EE..Ameraucana. Fun. Those eggs are blue..and..a couple of NN. And, a couple of Polish. All will have the same daddy, a Frizzle Ameraucana dad. Not caring for the Polish, or even a frizzle, but she is getting some nice straight blue babies. I am wanting some blue out there. That will lay blue.

 

[The Sheriff]

Hello everyone.

Thanks for the compliments. Mary, sorry you had to put the little one down.

You did your best to save it and so did we. It just wasn't meant to be. I held him a lot and fed him water with probiotics ans vitamins. I hobbled his legs, put him in a small glass jar. He just had to many things wrong with him. He responded to my handling him so I hope he had some good time with the bad. RIP little chick
.
I'm loving all of the pictures. I'm super tired, but we are having fun. I'm in my tent right now because my sleeping bag is warm. The wind is really blowing. We have been enjoying Lava beds national monument and I have some great pictures to share when we get home on Tuesday. The lava tube caves are really interesting - I have never seen anything like it. We are going in a hike in the morning and some more caves.

Be safe and get yourself home so we can figure out what the $&?/ I am going to do with all these chickens! I think you can take me to Starbucks! I'll pay for my own coffee too!

Michael survived his one night camping with his daughter and son-in-law. He came home very tired with his back hurting from sitting in a lawn chair and sleeping on the ground in a tent. Poor little Tucker was so morose while Michael was gone. He is a totally happy boy now!

 

[The Sheriff]

I had a weird thing happen this morning. I was in my office and looked up to see four firefighters in full gear outside my glass doors.

I immediately thought there was a fire and we were going to be told to evacuate. I hurried outside and they could see I was nervous so the quickly reassured me that nothing was wrong. In fact it was right. They told me they were out doing fire inspections and wanted us to know that we were one of only a few here in the ranchos who have their property ready for fire season. They presented me with the written report stating that we were 100% in compliance. They also gave me a copy for our homeowners insurance carrier and said they should reduce our rate. They did suggest we trim a couple of branches on a pine tree that are almost touching the ground. He said the short dry grass does not cause huge problems but if the branches catch fire that three will be quickly engulfed. I hadn't even thought of that. I will try to get them cut with my loppers and if I can't Michael can use the chains saw.

I was relieved to know that they feel we have done as much as we can do to be safe.

 

[drumstick diva]

One question Mary, were any of the fire fighters cute?

I had a tree trimmer guy knock on my door last week - they were cutting branches, etc. interfering with electric lines. BOY, he was cute - I told him he could cut down anything he wants. He said the lady across the street said the same thing - ooh that cougar!!! She's married. I am footloose and fancy free.

 

[lawatt]

I had a weird thing happen this morning. I was in my office and looked up to see four firefighters in full gear outside my glass doors.

I immediately thought there was a fire and we were going to be told to evacuate. I hurried outside and they could see I was nervous so the quickly reassured me that nothing was wrong. In fact it was right. They told me they were out doing fire inspections and wanted us to know that we were one of only a few here in the ranchos who have their property ready for fire season. They presented me with the written report stating that we were 100% in compliance. They also gave me a copy for our homeowners insurance carrier and said they should reduce our rate. They did suggest we trim a couple of branches on a pine tree that are almost touching the ground. He said the short dry grass does not cause huge problems but if the branches catch fire that three will be quickly engulfed. I hadn't even thought of that. I will try to get them cut with my loppers and if I can't Michael can use the chains saw.

I was relieved to know that they feel we have done as much as we can do to be safe.

good for you! and well worth the investment of time & effort -- my mom has a house on a Forest Service inholding about 10 miles east of Groveland, and TWICE in the last 15 years a wildfire has come up to their house (last year it was the Rim Fire), but because they've done so much work to maintain a defendable space, the firefighters were able to save the house in both cases.

 

[The Sheriff]

One question Mary,  were any of the fire fighters cute?   

I had a tree trimmer guy knock on my door last week -  they were cutting branches, etc. interfering with electric lines.  BOY, he was cute  - I told him he could cut down anything he wants.  He said the lady across the street said the same thing - ooh that cougar!!!  She's married.  I am footloose and fancy free.

they were all cute in their gear! regarding the incident with the tree trimmer, were you wearing your cone?

 

[The Sheriff]

Good news from my incubator. All six Pavlovskya eggs are veining! I have another nine Pavlovskya eggs shipping today plus more Brabanter eggs. Hopefully these will be good hatches and I will be done for the summer. Well, except broodies, of course.

 

[crazyhen]

Why is it with broodies that clicks our motherly instinct and we give them eggs or at least want too. If I hear cluck in that broody way I start thinking about whose eggs I want to set. I- I DO NOT NEED more chicks. I really have my limit I THINK sigh!! It is an addition I think. maybe I can sell some

.I seem not to be alone in this.

 

[The Sheriff]

So I went out to feed the animals this morning, after that last pos. As I walked past Coop #5 I hear mad cheeping. Inside I find two adorable little Icelandic chicks, one in the nest box and another in the floor where it had fallen from the nest box. There was also a cold egg in the nest. The two broodies were out in the run!

I grabbed the two chicks and the eggs. I candled the egg and the chicks is still moving so I put it in the incubator. Then I pondered what to do with the two chicks. One thing came to mind that I thought I could try again. I introduced them to Lukka.



They were tired and started falling asleep. With a little peck on each head she woke them up. (Notice the little Brabanter in the back.)

She tucked them under her wing and they were home.



If this last egg hatches, I am going to try it again.If there is a Foster Mom Award for chickens, Lukka is a shoe-in.

I'll have to watch these two closely since they are so young. They might get left behind since they are so little.

UPDATE: They seem to be keeping up! Here's Lukka with all 7 babies.