The Old Folks Home

[ronott1]

Perhaps I am just justifying my odd choice of allowing Punkin to brood inside the house in "her" dog bed (it is definitely hers NOW), but it's been very interesting watching a broody pullet in action right up close.

There's a whole lot of inaction, too, as she's in the broody trance most of the time, flat on those eggs. She didn't come off the nest at ALL yesterday. I gave her a can of cat food (Friskies, with the sliced bits of meat) today and she's been working on it with some gusto.

Her usual afternoon habit was to come off the dog bed in a rush, all puffed up and chittering the broody war cry, to RUN to the utility room to drink from the dogs' water dish. If I opened the door right there for her, she'd dash outside to poop, scratch in the dirt, take a quick dust bath, then demand to come back inside. She then snatches a bit of dog kibble, then run like the devil was after her into the office where I have two brooders of chicks. Drink more water, eat some feed, then run outside to the enclosed garden for a bit more scratching, then back inside. If I'm on the sofa when she re-enters the house, hops onto the arm of the sofa, walks along the back to come scream at me. I think the broody scream and chittering are her only means of communication right now. She let's me skritch her breast for a moment, then she hops down and gets back into the dog bed.

Watching her move those three eggs around is fascinating. She rearranges them frequently. She also rearranges loose feathers she has plucked, tucks this one or that one into specific locations. She messes with those feathers a great deal.

Nuthin' like being a hick with a chicken settin' on some eggs in the living room under the TV set.

That sound better than watching Animal Planet! I would watch that show....

 

[IttyBiddyRedHen]

I would have been an AF Brat if I had known my dad back then. Instead I was a Navy brat, which is how I ended up in California when I was 4.



My co-broodies have hatched out 4 chicks so far. The wind is to much for me right now, but they still have 7 more eggs out there.

wolf-what breed of chicks are those? I have one chick that has the same colors and markings, but I don't know what it is yet. I am still too new to all of this chick stuff.

 

[wolftracks]

wolf-what breed of chicks are those? I have one chick that has the same colors and markings, but I don't know what it is yet. I am still too new to all of this chick stuff.

These are Silver Phoenix. I went out earlier to to check for more and with our winds today, I have a yard and animals in kaos and all I can do is watch it happen and wait till the winds die down. Just can't believe this happpened. I don't want to live anywhre that's windier than Modesto!!! This is horrible and I'm tired just thinking of all the work it's gonna take to put what I had back together. Not a good day here, but I have chicks, so something to smile about.

 

[Stumpy]

gryeyes, I think you should set up a webcam so we could watch the entertainment. I enjoy your descriptions of the chicken activity

 

[drumstick diva]

I agree with Stumpy - instead of watching you could have been preserving this for posterity ,, is that the right word Linda?

 

[Cynthia12]

It snowed ~ ! But, tomorrow is supposed to be a nice day.

 

[insanity]

Know how you feel Cynthia12, 16F as a high and 4 inches of snow last night but tomorrow should be in the high 40's. Gotta love spring out west.

 

[sourland]

And in a heart beat without any 'Spring' it is 84 F.

Spring wild flowers haven't bloomed yet, but I have seem baby cottontails already out of the nest in two separate locations. The whole flock of tree swallows have returned and are squabbling over the nest boxes with the bluebirds. In my front yard bluebirds in one box, chickadees in another, and the third is still vacant.

 

[Cynthia12]

insanity, well, at least you didn't get the 6 inches you thought you were going to get. When I read that you were expecting that much, I had to tell DH. Thought we were in for more than we got..only about a half an inch. It's gone now. Tomorrow will be a warmer day, but then, more rain on Thursday. What is it they say? I may have said it, but I have to keep reminding me of this..April showers bring May flowers.

sour, I would love to see a blue bird! I haven't seen one in years. I miss Cardinals too. 84? Where are you again?

 

[sourland]

New Jersey - tomorrow is to be a repeat of today, and then we drop back into the 60s. Lots of bluebirds here - individuals and groups are putting up houses for them all over the place. Lots of cardinals too. I have three bird feeders going, and through the winter there were 7 or 8 jpairs working the feeders.