More chicks arrived in the post yesterday. These are the chickens I will grow for a number of family freezers. It will take 8 weeks. I will grow two waves of chickens for the freezers. I hope to start another set in 5 weeks time. 
Each chick is given a drink as I take it out of its travelling box and then release it by the water in the big straw lined tub that will be their home for the next few weeks. They scuttle about drinking some more, eating and then finding the nest area where they cuddle up below the heat lamp. They are all alive and very busy. Nice fat chicks.
In there is a gift from McMurrays of a ‘ free exotic breed chicken’ but there is no mention of what this chicken is – he is to be a surprise. At the moment he is a little black chicken moving through a sea of fluffy yellow. Or of course he could be a she. We will see.
I forgot to tell you that I checked the bees the other day and they have released their queen without dropping the little box she was in and are already hard at work bringing in pollen and heir little hexagonal baby cots. This is a very good sign. Most of what they are bringing in now comes from the dandelions, we are not short of dandelions.
Godot and Senor Carlos Garcia are still hanging out in the top of the barn, though I did see them cleaning up some of the pigs grain yesterday, so they must be coming down when I am not looking.
Tima helped with the weeding yesterday, after she had knocked over all the buckets and pots that is, she never digs in the garden and has no interest in wallowing but she loves to eat lambs quarters and other weeds which is excellent. She eats, I dig, works for me. The Matriarch came out and helped in the gardens yesterday so we got quite a bit done. 
This is all I could get of the ducklings. They do a waddly glide, their heads held perfectly still atop their long necks as their feet pad at speed back into their house every time they see me or even sense my approach – even when I tip toe! So here they are right in the back of their little duck house.
Sorry Mad, that is a rubbish shot, hopefully they will calm down as the days go by.
Aunty Del –
Eating and drinking and doing all the things a 10 day old calf should. Daisy is back on three milkings a day – she is in heat and has a wicked attack of mastitis and is getting very annoyed with me as I have to milk the clean quarters into one tank and the infected one into a seperate one. Which makes for a long milking period. She has started kicking when I milk the sick quarter. Which makes for a spirited session. I am taking the milk in to be tested again tomorrow but I know it is the same as last time. Bad.
I came outside yesterday afternoon to find Poppy waiting for me on the garden path. She was puffed and excited, heavily guarded by the two dogs who brought her over. She followed me back to her field, had a drink and then showed me how she got out. The two dogs and I watched gobsmacked as she slid between two panels and straight into the big cast iron Pot, then proceeded to throw herself out of the big pot and onto the ground .. a pig in a pot. I had to laugh at her! Then we led her back to her gate again and I got out some nails and my little ledge hammer and sealed the hole.
Yesterday was a busy day!
Good morning. i hope you all have a lovely day.
Your friend on the farmy,
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
57 responses to “A box of birds”
Yay!!! The chicks have arrived!!!
Poppy and the Great Escape!! Sounds like a children’s book in the making.
And eating like crazy, not long now and you will have food in the freezer!..c
Love that there is never a dull day on the farmy! You may have to keep that black “exotic” chicken as a pet, it’s pretty neat. 🙂
Good morning !
You have your hands full with all those lucky animals living on your farmy. We ended up with two roosters on our German farm and had to put them in different yards. Eventually my brother found another home for him.
When I read what you get up to in the course of a day, I feel maybe I could have a farm…I could love all the animals as much as you do yours but someone would have to do all the dirty work…not very practical
Ha ha, they are called farm hands. You could be a gentlewoman farmer.
Thank you Emily, that sounds just like me. I can be in charge
Poor ‘Boss….and poor you dealing with the mastitis problem !! Makes for a challenge neither of you signed up for !!! So happy for the bees !! Just saw on the news where a semi FULL of bees on their way to Maine to pollinate blueberries overturned ! Poor bees !! Love that Poppy came and “squealed” on the escape route !
Busy, Busy, Busy – sounds like my days LOL. Lots of pet sitting, gardening for others and myself, getting ready for my daughters visit too. Plant 12 tomato plants today, all heirloom and all different. With great names like ‘Box Car Willie’ and ‘Black Krim, Cherokee Purple, Emmy, Paul Robeson’. Hope they taste as good as their names suggest! Also planted cucumbers – soon will be able to have a complete salad from my garden yeah!!
Hugs, Lyn
Oh I’m sorry Daisy is so grumpy. She’s a handful. Not to mention Poppy. She recalls to mind Sheila wearing that tub of a hat, which in turn reminds me of the Queen in HER hats, no disrespect intended, but she does love HUGE ones.
The chicks and ducks are so sweet. Can’t wait to see the ducks in the light of day. Who knew ducks are shy!
The chives are looking good in the sunlight
What breed of ducks have you got, Celi? Tima is just too cute for words. What a team you two are. How fun to be weeding in the garden with a cute piggy. Last year we also got an exotic chick from McMurray hatchery. He turned out to be a beautiful Black Cochin rooster. All fluff and feathers down his legs and toes. Very gentle. His name is Boots. We have been getting our chicks from them off and on for 25 years.
Orpingtons. They are so shy!
I am sure they will get over their shyness after living at the farmy with all the other animals.
I giggled throughout the story of Poppy’s escapades. Thanks for that. Glad the chicks made it okay. Sheila appears to make quite the mess in her pasture. Bet she’s having fun doing it too! Great pics today.
Happy day!
What a busy day! Have always wanted ducks….one day, one day!
Now I know that they’re hardly exotic, but we have some Marran hens and they produce black (or dark) chicks with a spot on their head. It’s a sex-linked thing and denotes a male bird. Perhaps the same applies in other breeds? And as for that Poppy….
Christine
Are you going to breed Daisy to a meat breed bull? A crossbred makes for a hefty animal for the meat herd.
Yes, that is what i was thinking, not sure what breed yet, I guess you have to be careful, however as we AI I can definitely pick and choose.. Though i don’t know G.. with the chronic mastitis is it permissable to just leave a calf on her and not milk at all? This is a nightmare presently.. c
Loving your photography Celi! 🙂
Poor Daisy & her ongoing battle with mastitis. It must get discouraging for you to be doing everything you can to rid her of this condition & just when you think it is clearing up for good – it rears it’s ugly head again. I can’t really blame Daisy for being cranky & wanting to give you a kick. Maybe you should start wearing padded hockey uniform & helmet when milking her – just in case one of her hooves makes contact. Although, I imagine you are very adept at dodging her at this point.
Poppy must think she is part Houdini since she has become an accomplished escape artist. A pig in a pot would make a great photo for the calender. Boo must have been happy to see you hammer Poppies’ secret door closed, but I suspect she will look for another way to get out. She is growing very quickly. now & it is hard to believe she was a sick little runt just a short time ago. Do you think Poppy will get as big as Shelia. What is it about pigs & their affinity for pots, pails & buckets? I am surprized the ducklings are so timid. I always think of geese as fierce & sometimes agressive. I once was chased by a gaggle of geese and had bruises where they nipped me on my legs & bum for weeks. I hope your grow up to get along like the rest of the farmy animals.
Oh no, your poor bottom, people have told me never to get geese. Poppy will get as tall as Sheila but maybe not as wide, they are both on a very light diet in the hopes that both might breed next spring, we will have to see. Twice yesterday I saw a perfect shot and did not have my camera in my hand. ah well!.. c