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!”
TonTon, you are a good dog. I never find chicks myself, but I’ll keep looking!
TonTon says. Rumpy .. i have been taught to share my toys .. i will pop one in a box for you!! c
Clever Ton Ton! Precious little chicks – pity Mama bird is so vicious! Hope her offspring don’t inherit that!
have a super day C.
🙂 Mandy
Oh and I put a cat in there for you too Mandy! c
OMG! Maybe TonTon feels like a big brother to them now! Aw!
He has completely lost interest not that the mad mother is back in charge.. he loves orphans! c
So cute! And hooray for TonTon. Our farm dogs would have eaten those cute little chicks – which is only one of many reasons my Mum’s hobby farm career was such a brief one. Do send Houdini my congratulations 🙂
TonTon and the cats are strange like that they never chase the wee chicks, though Ton does spend quite some time trying to herd the chickens but they won’t play! c
Sixteen chicks! Oh I hope they’re girls too! We don’t have a rooster, so we never get chicks, but yours are absolutely adorable. I love the little mottley coloured ones!
They are very sweet. But i don’t know Celia, Maybe there will be a few for cog au vin as ChgJohn says! c
What an adorable story! I am glad Houdini did not rip your face off. And I must say, that’s not a sentence I ever imagined I would be typing.
That made me laugh sweetie!! true enough!! c
add me too among them 🙂 They are so lovely… I want to fly there. Seems that it is great fun to live with you all there. Your cat, amazing! Thank you dear Cecilia, Blessing and happiness, with my love, nia
He is a stunning cat that one, and he loves to tease the mother chicken by just laying there watching! like a lizard! thank you nia.. sleep well..c
Your photographs of animals are so visually stunning. And your stories so endearing – I am forwarding this on, as we speak, to a dear elder friend in our community who raises chickens and who I hope will delight in your blog as much as I.
I llive out here in the country with nothing but the animals for something like 14 hours a day.. so I guess they are getting used to my camera! and wonderful that you have forwarded this.. thank you.. c
Hi Cecilia. Well done Ton Ton! The chicks are adorable. Lovely photos.
Regards Florence x
Thank you florence.. they are pretty sweet.. c
16!!!! That’s insane! I hope they’ll be cozy and warm as the nights get chilly. They do have a down blanket int he guise of their mama on top of them…but 16!!!
I know gretchen, they are going to out grow their fat mama blanket soon i imagine, i have given them a hot light.. because i am such a push over for chicks! c
Ohh, they are soo cute! I love baby chickens, remind me of my childhood… Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thanks giovanna.. I am making the lemon cake this weekend.. can’t wait.. and in your honour i am wearing TWO aprons! c
🙂 LOL
I love it when you laugh! c
Houdini should send you a thank you note and a big bouquet.
Before or after she rips my face off for TOUCHING her babies! c
Great stories and pictures.
I am not completely comfortable around chickens for just the reason you stated.
The dog and cat look very companionable- and the chicks remind me of the ones my father brought home every Easter. We would have little chicks following us down the pathways in the – greenhouse – until they got big enough to eat- and then- well suffice it to say it wasn’t coq au vin- more like chicken stew, soup or pot pie. 🙂
Thanks for sharing your adventure!
Hi Heidi, Lovely that our wee chicks brought back memories of your when you were kids.. I used to be much more hesitant when i fist had chooks, but now I am not afraid of them at all, it is those sharp beaks that et me! c
I had a good chuckle about your adventures with this cranky hen. Her chicks are so cute, tho probably mostly roosters! Love your dog, he’s gorgeous, thanks for sharing these photos 🙂
Yes, it woudl be just my luck to have an enormous crop of roosters! c
hopefully not 16 dinners! they are too cute 🙂
NO probably not 16 dinners, i am quite useless as farming chickens to eat, they look like becoming a rabble actually! c