So TonTon was barking like mad at the barn door. This is rare behaviour so something was amiss and I have learnt not to ignore him. I went outside the kitchen door and he ran to me his hackles up.
Usually this means there is a sheep in the wrong place or Daisy has picked another lock! I said show me and much to my surprise (this is not a command I have taught him) he ran back to the barn door and woofed at it. Then he ran back to me and escorted me in, and across to the cows pen and in there was a tiny tiny peeping chick hopping about in the hay, and then TonTon gently moved his nose sideways and showed me another one. Can I have it? Can I? Can I? (pant, pant) Finders keepers?
No TonTon. I know you would love to have a chicken of your own but No. 
I looked up and sure enough there was a hole in ceiling – which is the barn loft floor. We store all the hay up there. So taking these two wee peeping chicks I climbed the ladder and went in search of their mother.
Directly above the cows pen, in the hay, I find Houdini. So named because she will NOT be shut in with the Common Flock over in the chook house. She would rather live in the barn with that other escape artist- Daisy the Naughtiest Pregnant Cow in the World. She looks like she is hiding something, so I poked her (as you would) with a long stick because this chook will take your arm off and not apologise. And more little chicks came tumbling out from under her. They refused to stand still in this low light.
as
Well they could not stay up here, even as I watched them two quite silently disappeared through the tiny hole in the floor and set up the screaming peeping from below. Causing TonTon to jump the gate and go in search of them, presumably to hold off the cats who were definitely lurking.
So I risked life and limb, put on some really huge gloves and glasses to protect my eyes and caught The Fury who was Houdini. I popped her over the side before she ripped my face off, then very quickly bundled all of the other chicks into a pillow case and down the ladder we went. They are now relocated in the straw, along with their lost sisters,at least I hope they are sisters.. more roosters I do not need! Now they can fall no further. TonTon guarded them until the mother chicken found them, chased him off and gathered her little brood back together.
And guess what! Altogether there are 16 of them.. YES.. 16!.. Hmm!
c
The Kitchen's Garden 
92 responses to “Jeepers Creepers, where d’ya get those Peepers? Look what TonTon found in the barn!”
Great pictures 😉
Thank you Mad!
You just have so much fun (and great pictures) out on the prairie! ‘Can I have one, huh huh huh?’ too funny! peep peep peep t
Nothing is sweeter than a little chick..
Bravo Ton Ton! Give that dog soee extra treats – I was spritied back to the world of Babe by your stirring tale of derring do and small holes in ceilings and the naughty and wilful Houdini. Wonderful, wonderful tale of chicken mayhen (whoops I typed that wrong but I think I’ll leave it as it is 😀 ) Joanna
You are so right Joanna, prairie mayHEN indeed! c
I see my comments are full of typos lately, I must apologise, this is (my excuse!) down to tapping them out on the tiny screen of the iPad and not checking them properly before pressing send. I can type better than this. Will try harder to check, do feel free to correct them if they look particularly illiterate xx
I am terrible at that too and i have a full size keyboard! I quite liked your last typo, and i do sometimes correct really obvious ones for people because i know what it is like to press send and THEN see the error! c
Congrats Grandma and Ton Ton deserves a juicy bone, fine hound!
I will be sure to deliver his bone to him tonight.. thanks cindy.. c
Great photos! And what a cute little story, although I, personally, cannot tolerate anything with wings that flap. And don’t all wings flap? Attribute my dislike to a rooster. Enough said.
My daughter and The Matriarch are the same. Daughter cannot stand big birds! will not go in the chook house when she visits! c
Great pic of the Wonder Dog! Now you have a new brood to fuss over for the next few months and, quite possibly, a few candidates for coq au vin, sometime down the road. Speaking of which, with a little notice, I’m available for dinner most nights. I’ll even bring a salad.
Excellent and maybe a wee slice of cheesecake after Thanksgiving! .. c
Wow! go TonTon!! yet another adventure 🙂
thanks Andy, great to see you.. c
😀 😀
Smiley faces straight back !!! c
Beautiful photos!
She is a good wee Mum, this little hen! c
Great photos! My sister raises chickens and names hers, too! Nice post!
Wow, i bet your sister has some lovely chickens, mine are a bit of a motley lot!
Way to go, TonTon! And now you’ve a passel of chicks, too… 🙂
There’s nothing like a smart dog…the late, lamented Chloe was also good at ‘show me’ – a skill she picked up all on her own, as well. When you’d point at somethng, she’d look where you were pointing, not at the end of your finger…
I need a puppy…
You could get yourself a puppy to round up those turkeys in your garden!! c
Hubby wants a border collie – he says it’s the only way he’ll ever get another dog as smart as Chloe…Does TonTon have sisters?
They are great dogs and they need a lot of work.. I am sure you would enjoy that. Very very smart, Ton knows the difference between all the vehicles, the colour of his toys and frisbees. he knows everyones names and if i lose someone I just say See John or See zac or see Daisy and off he goes.. so good when I am babysitting young ones…. c
Goodness, that photo of your puppy is amazing! Quite the little acrobat!
He can jump anything. Such a good dog! c
I love your photography! What a life you lead!! Never a dull moment over there!!! That’s one smart TonTon and those little chicks are so, so cute!!
They are all under a hot light right now with their worried mother, living the life! c
Perfect! TonTon performs brilliantly once again, and what a fabulous shot you got of him in action! Bonus: 16 adorable chicks and the recapture of the disgruntled Houdini, the Chicken Who Would Not be Imprisoned. What a day! Hurray!
That shot was taken by senior son .. it is a lovely shot.. yup never a dull moment.. c
I just love TonTon. He is just the little protector.. Love that dog :). And the chicks look amazing. This reminds me when my dog had babies.. it was just an amazing thing to see. What a great story and I don’t blame you for rushing with Houdini.. she looks mean lol.
She is mean kay, nobody gets near her chickens, the cats have given up trying.. c
Alright, I know, I should be oohing and ahhing and the chicks and they are ooh and ahh worthy, but I can’t get over the picture of TonTon. That is one great looking and very agile dog! And shiny!
meat, Greg, he eats meat.. and real bones.. a very lucky dog.. farm dogs have all the luck in the feed department! c