Look What the Chickens Hatched......

Every night, right around sunset, I go out to collect eggs from a couple different spots that the hens tend to like.

They have a couple choice sites "hollowed out" in the hay in the barn. They seem to be liked by more then one hen, as I often find 5 or six eggs in one "nest".

Here is a photo of one of their favorite spots from this evening:



As you can see, only three of the five eggs have hatched so far. I decided that the remaining two are probably duds and removed them from the nest. I fully expect to see a spider web over the nest tomorrow, with the words "Some Chicken"......

We are starting to be over-run with cats again. Just when I figured it was "safe", now the chickens are starting to hatch them. I told Deb that the cats are beginning to be like roaches - you walk into the barn at night, flick on the light, and they scatter in all directions.

One good thing about cats, though - they keep the population of Giant Gorilla Rats down. I have been told that "where there's chickens, there's rats". Odd though, I haven't seen a SINGLE one since the cats (or chickens, for that matter....) moved in!

I guess the fur bodies ARE worth keeping around.....

We managed to pick a little more corn. There is still a LOT out there, but it will all come in sooner or later.

I decided that the best way to pick it was to use the pickup. I just put on the stock racks and left the back and one side off. Deb saw how I had it set up and asked me "why do you have racks on that way"?

"Guess you never picked corn by hand, huh?"

"Nope. "We never had it".

I tossed a couple of ears up against the side of the rack I left on, and she got the picture, right off.

Now, if the wind wasn't blowing 40 mph......

(Always SOMETHING, ain't it?)

It's gonna take awhile to pick all the corn at an hour a day but, it will get done. Then we have to sit on the tail gate of the truck and shuck it. This always brings an attentive audience - both feathered and furred. The feathers want any small cobs, and the furred bunch want the husks to eat. I always toss in a few small ears with the shucks so they find a "goodie" every once-in-awhile. It's fun to see them foraging through the husks to find them.

I almost lost one of the fancy colored Americauna (Easter Egger) Roosters that my BIL, Mark brought over. I was out moving an old Rotobaler around with the tractor. I shoved for a bit, then stopped the tractor. I saw that one of them was trapped between the baler's tongue and the frame, so I went to free him. When I got to him, he was wedged in pretty tight, and partially buried in dirt. I couldn't get him out, so I moved the tractor around and lifted up the tongue. He stood there for a few seconds, then walked off.

I saw him running around normal this afternoon, and he was ok this evening, so I think he'll make it. He's one lucky duck....er.....rooster. I couldn't see him from the tractor seat. If I had not stopped when I did and got off, his "goose" would have been cooked.

At least I still have a few "normal" chickens. I found two new chicks under mom in the brooder house....