When the Gems first began to lay eggs, I kept them in the coop and enclosed run, so that they would learn to lay their eggs in the nesting boxes. It worked. Today I let the hens free-range. Jasper needed to lay an egg. She left the green grass and sunshine, hurried inside, left an egg in the nesting box, and then trotted back outside.
But there’s always one in the bunch who is too busy,
and having too much fun,
and so does this.
The chicks spent a couple of days of exploring the larger indoor space of the coop. At just over 4 weeks of age, their hard outer feathers were growing in. The weather warmed up. A breeze, if there was one at all, was gentle. It was time for the chicks to go outside. I put the Old Girls in the goat paddock where they could see the chicks, but not physically interact. I opened up the pop-door. The chicks peered out. They scurried back into the safety of the brooder. They came back into the larger coop. No one was going to be the first brave chick to go outside, and so I picked up a couple of chicks and set them down on the ramp. They looked around, amazed at the sunshine and then sallied forth. I sent them all out to see the great, wide world.
As hesitant as they were to go into the unknown, they quickly became enthusiastic explorers.
They scaled the compost mountain and spread out across this new terrain.
I put food and water within reach, as chicks have to eat and drink frequently, and I didn’t think they’d be able to find their way back to the brooder. Also, like children at a playground, they needed a reminder to stay hydrated. Their familiar water dispenser would do that. Despite the excitement, their appetites remained intact.
Buffy watched, briefly,
but was soon bored by the chicks and spent companionable time in the shade with her friends.
The chicks soon became comfortable enough to preen,
and dust bathe. This Buff Orpington found a dust wallow in the corner.
Unfortunately for her, the other chicks decided to join her. She’s under that pile, but no worse for the company.
The chicks tasted new things,
ran, scratched, and dozed off in the sun. So mature at only 30 days old! But, still quite a bit of growing left to do.
It was a late spring here, but this week has more than made up for it. Perfect blue-sky weather. Buds are greening up. Flowers are unfurling. In the springtime, the prettiest tree in my yard is the Hally Jolivette Cherry. It’s moment of glory is ephemeral. The blossoms blow off in the slightest wind. But it’s been calm. It’s been sunny. There’s something both elegant and happy about this tree. It’s what a wedding gown should look like.
Here is a view across the pond. (Do you see the Beast in the foreground?)
Walk closer and this is what you’ll see. Such delicate white blooms with hints of pink and yellow. This photo doesn’t show the bees, but bees there are!
Hally Jolivette Cherry
Get as close as you can and look at the details.
This was a springtime worth waiting for.
Today is Twinkydink and Edwina’s birthday. They’re eight!
Today is also my blog’s birthday. I started writing about my hens in this space seven years ago and I haven’t stopped. I’ve added a few more characters along the way – the Beast, the goat boys, the dogs, and others. I’ve written about my garden and the flowers in the woodland. I’ve kept it all focused on this small world in my small backyard. Some days I’ve put up two posts, and yet there’s a backlog of tales for the telling. I thank you all joining me on my travels here in my backyard.
I also thank you for your support. This website started out as a way for me to promote my published books.The economic reality of traditional publishing is that I am far from able to make a living at it, and in fact it hasn’t even paid for the cost of running the cams. Meanwhile, my blog and answering your queries have become a full-time job. It’s one that I love and want to continue to do. That’s why I finally put GoogleAds up on my web pages and have asked you to buy me a cup of coffee. You’ve responded! I celebrated by going to a bakery in Chinatown and buying this… teapot cake? coffee pot cake? Whatever!
