WHO SAID GIVING YOGURT TO CHICKS WAS A GOOD THING?????????
Well, just to update you on the chaos de jour out in my SILKIE INSANITARIUM (coop) on the back deck:
Upon the advice of good friends (who are probably laughing their butts off now) I got some Yoplait strawberry yogurt (live bacterial culture) at the store to feed my beautiful little fuzzy chicks that are growing like weeds after a rainstorm. Im sure it will help their little tummies digest food easier.
With one side off the coop, I placed the small bowl on the shavings, dipped my finger in the goo and held it out to the nearest chick. They acted like I was offering
Them poison on a stick and ran to the farthest corner of the coop. Undaunted, I patiently waited for the first brave one to come back and give in to her curiosity.
Surprisingly it was the smallest splash baby who came. Probably since shes at the bottom of the pecking order and gets shoved around by everyone, she figured she had nothing to lose by trying the alleged hemlock. I didnt know you could see surprise on a chicks face, but I did. She soon decided this was a great treat and continued to peck it off my finger until the others sauntered over one at a time to see what was going on. Not one to be upstaged, the Queen circled us cautiously and came close enough to see there was some sort of food being dispensed. Instead of sampling it off my finger, she decided to peck the uneaten droplets off the little one. By this time, a few more regained their courage and tried the strange looking stuff both on and off the little chick.
And then the food fight began.
All 7 chicks were trampling and jockeying for position nearest the bowl and finger. It didnt seem to matter that they were smearing it on each other as they pushed and shoved. One was unfortunate enough to have her head in the bowl when another one planted a big feathered foot squarely on it, shoving her head down into the yogurt. Now that was a sight to see. When she came up sneezing and cheeping she was as mad as a wet well, you know. She then proceeded to shake her head so that she could share all the yogurt with her friends .and me. Do you know what its like to have yogurt flung at your eyeglasses? Now it looks like Im seeing things through a hail storm. Ever tried to get dried yogurt off eyeglasses? While trying to catch 'spiky-haired-girl', the other chicks stampeded and at least 5 of them planted one or more feathered feet right into the bow just before walking over the backs of the others. Before I could grab the slick footed stompers, they ran for the nest box, gathering woodchips and dirt into that featherduster they call feet. Now you chemists out there know that milk products contain casien, a common bonding agent used in making glue. I dont have to tell you what their feet and feathers looked like after this feeding frenzy. I spent the next hour and a half in a foot washing exercise that was almost as messy as the initial yogurt food fight. I believe I have been soundly, and repeatedly cursed in chickenese and have a few cuts and scratches to go with it.
As I carefully washed and dried each little foot and each little head, I gently placed them backing the coop. They went straight to the regular feeder and got chick starter dust and crumbles imbedded nicely in their damp head feathers.
Then the entire flock, bless the little darlings, all piled up in a heap and went to sleep. Something inside me wanted to wake them up, but my kinder- gentler side let them sleep. Besides, I had to go in for my second shower of the day and clean my glasses as well. I think I need to lay down and take a nap now too. Maybe they had the right idea after all.
Is there ANYTHING cleaner and dryer that I can give them as treats? Frankly I dont give a flying fruit fly whether I ever give them yogurt again.
Well, just to update you on the chaos de jour out in my SILKIE INSANITARIUM (coop) on the back deck:
Upon the advice of good friends (who are probably laughing their butts off now) I got some Yoplait strawberry yogurt (live bacterial culture) at the store to feed my beautiful little fuzzy chicks that are growing like weeds after a rainstorm. Im sure it will help their little tummies digest food easier.
With one side off the coop, I placed the small bowl on the shavings, dipped my finger in the goo and held it out to the nearest chick. They acted like I was offering
Them poison on a stick and ran to the farthest corner of the coop. Undaunted, I patiently waited for the first brave one to come back and give in to her curiosity.
Surprisingly it was the smallest splash baby who came. Probably since shes at the bottom of the pecking order and gets shoved around by everyone, she figured she had nothing to lose by trying the alleged hemlock. I didnt know you could see surprise on a chicks face, but I did. She soon decided this was a great treat and continued to peck it off my finger until the others sauntered over one at a time to see what was going on. Not one to be upstaged, the Queen circled us cautiously and came close enough to see there was some sort of food being dispensed. Instead of sampling it off my finger, she decided to peck the uneaten droplets off the little one. By this time, a few more regained their courage and tried the strange looking stuff both on and off the little chick.
And then the food fight began.
All 7 chicks were trampling and jockeying for position nearest the bowl and finger. It didnt seem to matter that they were smearing it on each other as they pushed and shoved. One was unfortunate enough to have her head in the bowl when another one planted a big feathered foot squarely on it, shoving her head down into the yogurt. Now that was a sight to see. When she came up sneezing and cheeping she was as mad as a wet well, you know. She then proceeded to shake her head so that she could share all the yogurt with her friends .and me. Do you know what its like to have yogurt flung at your eyeglasses? Now it looks like Im seeing things through a hail storm. Ever tried to get dried yogurt off eyeglasses? While trying to catch 'spiky-haired-girl', the other chicks stampeded and at least 5 of them planted one or more feathered feet right into the bow just before walking over the backs of the others. Before I could grab the slick footed stompers, they ran for the nest box, gathering woodchips and dirt into that featherduster they call feet. Now you chemists out there know that milk products contain casien, a common bonding agent used in making glue. I dont have to tell you what their feet and feathers looked like after this feeding frenzy. I spent the next hour and a half in a foot washing exercise that was almost as messy as the initial yogurt food fight. I believe I have been soundly, and repeatedly cursed in chickenese and have a few cuts and scratches to go with it.
As I carefully washed and dried each little foot and each little head, I gently placed them backing the coop. They went straight to the regular feeder and got chick starter dust and crumbles imbedded nicely in their damp head feathers.
Then the entire flock, bless the little darlings, all piled up in a heap and went to sleep. Something inside me wanted to wake them up, but my kinder- gentler side let them sleep. Besides, I had to go in for my second shower of the day and clean my glasses as well. I think I need to lay down and take a nap now too. Maybe they had the right idea after all.
Is there ANYTHING cleaner and dryer that I can give them as treats? Frankly I dont give a flying fruit fly whether I ever give them yogurt again.