New Arrivals

As of about 6:20 a.m. this morning we are the proud owners of 26 baby chicks. Picked up from the post office in their little box with holes in it, and the bright orange label that proclaims that the box contains LIVE CHICKS, postmaster please do not expose to drafts, extreme heat or cold. When you get to the post office, they don't have to go searching for your box; they've been spending the last hour with the noisy little guys and will meet you at the door with them if you call ahead.

Now they are settled in the our new brooder box designed by Ryan to take the place of a less than efficient hardware cloth cage we'd been using the last couple of years. For the next few hours, eating, drinking, and trying to peck the print off the newspaper in the bottom of the cage will be all the rage. Then the excitement will wear off, and they will fall into alarming baby chick naps; alarming because one second they're wide awake, and the next second collapsed on the floor, wings splayed, eyes closed. Looking for all the world like there is something desparately wrong, but then 10 seconds later they hop up, seemingly refreshed and ready to take on the world, or at least the water trough :)

 















The other occupants of our garage are not as loud, and are quite a bit larger. Three baby Bourbon Red turkeys have been growing in their little brooder tank for a week now. As you can see, they aren't overly fond of people. And have yet to figure out that they are now too big to hide behind the thermometer. At first I didn't really think they had grown that much, but then I took a good look at them yesterday; they now how good starts of feathers, and have probably gained an inch or so in height since I brought them home last week.


Outside, a new crop of flowers is coming on.

These irises are the ones closest to blooming of the many, many to be found on our property. Closer to the ground are these:

Lily of the valley. This morning showing the heavy dew and spider webs that seem to be covering everything.


Looks like its going to be a beautiful day around here . . . have a wonderful Friday!