Well, here they are. You can see most of them in this picture. If you click on this image, you'll get a bigger one. The larger white chicks are Lydia and Isabella, my Easter egg chicks or Ameraucanas. The smaller dark ones are French Marans, which lay "chocolate" eggs, as in very dark brown. The yellowish one in the back is Tatiana, our Rhode Island White. And you can just see our little Partridge Cochin, Mei Hua. She will have feathers on her feet
Here you see Ariel reading to the chicks. Yes, that's what I said - reading to the chickens. I asked her why she was reading to the chickens, but she didn't really have an answer.
This is Julia, our Rhode Island Red. She is going to be a hefty hen! I saw her parents. The cockerel was absolutely gorgeous and he had a harem of four beautiful hens. That is Mei Hua with her.
That is Tatiana, the Rhode Island White, looking at the camera. You can see Lydia in the foreground as well as Mei Hua. The French Marans (Babette, Colette, Monique and Veronique) are in the background with Julia. Tatiana already wants to be the hen house boss.
And this is Lydia again. I keep looking at Lydia, thinking that she may well turn out to be Louie. Hmmm. We tried to get hens, but you can never be 100% sure unless you have a professional chick sexer on hand. Oh well, we'll take our chances. That's one of the Marans in front of her. The only one we can really identify right now is Babette, because she is the smallest. Lydia is very curious and very outgoing, but also very protective. I picked up the other little Cochin (Huan Yue -- the only one who was camera shy) and startled her. Lydia ran over and pecked at my hand until I dropped Huan Yue! These little birds love to go outside, but I have to wait until the temperature hits at least 70. Right now they are in their box in the living room. happily chattering away. Casey put her paw in there the other day and got pecked. She hasn't tried that again.
And lest you think my life is all about chickens, cats and beads here is a pink evening primrose. These grow all over my yard, mixed in with bluebonnets, blue-eyed grass, buttercups, and tons of other wildflowers. I'll more pictures as the bluebonnets become fuller.The sleep study doc told me I qualify for a CPAP mask. Yippee. I'm so excited I can hardly contain myself. I get to hook that baby up tonight. Woo hoo, sexy! Yeah, right. Anyway, we give see how this works out for six weeks and go from there. Maybe I'll get some sleep. We'll just have to wait and see.
Today is put aside for more typing and stitching. That first sale is closing in fast, but I'm not going to rush. I'm liking this new attitude. I'm not rushing around like (please forgive me) a chicken with its head cut off! Oddly enough, I'm getting quite a bit done this way. We'll see if it holds.
It's beautiful outside. I intend to open all the windows and let the fresh air in while I work. Have a beadiful day!
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8 comments:
Those are some cute chicks. I tell you, Ernie sleeps so much better with his cpap. Hopefully this will solve the insomnia problems. Here's to a good night's sleep.
Clara
Yeah, they're pretty cute. I just this minute volunteered to take two Easter chicks (pink and blue) so they don't have to go to the animal shelter. Just fast forward to the song "Chicken Soup".
Hopefully, the CPAP will aleviate several problems like weight, fatigue and high blood pressure! Get Ernie to email me and tell me what sleeping all night is like!
Hugs!
T
I was wondering how you tell the hens and cocks apart when they're chicks. It's not like the cocks have hanging-down parts, you know. I can't believe the cats are leaving them alone in the living room. Boy, are you lucky.
Have a great day.
Cat
Well Cat, since you asked, I'll tell you. A professional chick sexer takes the one day old chick and squeezes the poop out of them. As their poop chute opens, the sexer checks to see if there is a bump (rooster) or not (hen. Some people can sex them by their feathers and some by their size. When we picked Julia, there were three other Reds whose combs were much bigger than hers. In looking at Isabella and Lydia, Lydia has much bigger tail feathers. My mom seems to think that makes Lydia a Louie. With the Marans, the hen chicks are darker than the males -- that was easy. With the Cochins and the two I just adopted (which are probably Cornish Rocks), it's a crap shoot.
The cats outside are keeping their distance, by have finally noticed that these might be prey. So far, only Buddy has gotten close and even he didn't get up close to the pen. It will be fun to watch over the next few weeks!
hugs!
T
Ernie suggests changing Louies name to either Barbecue or Deep Fried Extra Crispy(eeew, cried the lone vegetarian).
Clara
Clara, I daresay T-man will agree with him! He's already asked if the Cornish will be for laying or eating!
Tell Ernie they'll be grilled, and we'll grill veggies for the Lone Vegetarian!
T
Cute, cute, cute!!! Hope you do well with the CPAP. Dad's been on one for several years and wouldn't consider doing without. On the other hand, my friend Nora couldn't tolerate the thing -- but she had a very light case of sleep apnea so it was probably overkill... Good luck!! g
Cute, yes. Stinky, yes.
My CPAP has options! Humidifier or not, but the moist air is better. It has variable pressure. (Maybe Nora's was set too high.) It can also be set to go from low to max as you slowly drift off. AND it can be set to start at the touch of a button or as soon as I start breathing through it. Plus, it's not a full face mask (thank goodness). And if it's not doing any good after six weeks, we start talking surgery. So it's not the be all end all of snoring/apena cures.
T
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