Movements
The Accident Chicks have been shifted to their half-way house outside. Kim’s Hen House. Actually we could call it Kim’s Half-way Hen House. Which is a pleasing alliteration and you know how I like those. It was just getting Too cramped in their inside box. The time had come.
The little urban hen house has two levels. If I pull the trap door up between the levels making a floor for the upstairs, then cover it in old hay, the chickens have a warm and quite cosy apartment. 
They were hanging out in the nesting boxes yesterday which was fine – it is draft free and warm in there (I have been looking at quail – Christine is hatching some – did you know they start to LAY at 7 weeks old?) But I am adding turkeys this year and that is quite enough. But I LOVE quail eggs and you can’t buy them out here. Can you feel my inner struggle? Anyway back to the Accident Chicks.
I transfer chicks in a tall washing basket. They cannot jump out. This is my tip for the day. There are six still, two are hiding. 
The Barn Chooks are out and about. Which is not good as Our John the Head Gardener has been planting the cabbages. Of course now that he has planted cabbages they are calling for 1 – 3 inches of snow this morning. Hopeless. I invited the pigs back into the barn last night and was almost flattened in the polite-ish pig like rush. Sheila said: Excuse Me. Poppy said: Shove Over. Tima and Tane said nothing at all as they declined the offer being tough little New Zealand piggies.(Sometimes I think I am the wimp). Kim’s Half Way Hen House is easy to close down so they will be fine. It is actually warmer when it snows.
So, the Son of- the Son – of Neanderthal Man is in charge of the Barn Chooks now.
Below is The Son of Neanderthal Man. The Old Chief. Lucky his son left him alive actually as The Son of Neanderthal killed his own father (Neanderthal Man) to get the girls. They can be pretty rough these chooks.
This week I will get The Cadet to hold him for me while I trim his beak, he lost the lower half in a fight with his ungrateful son and so the top part of the beak will just keep on growing, like a finger nail, so I trim it with nail scissors every now and then so he can still eat.
I am not sure where the Son of- the Son of -the Son of -Neanderthal man was today. (Oh yes it does go on). We call him Bob of course. As you would. They are all identical except in age.
I am very scatterbrained this morning. Hope you are keeping up.
Now here is a treat. Godot in the Peacock Palace. These shots were taken yesterday from the other side of the barn, up high in the loft. Across the great divide. They hang out in there a lot in the day time. It is their safe place.
Isn’t he a sensation. Soon I will close the door on them. Peacocks and Peahens can wreak pure havoc on emerging vegetable gardens. So a third of the second story of the barn has been netted off for them for early summer living. They still get sun and they can fly in there. Do you remember when the peahens ate all Johns greens that year. Was that last spring? No, it must have been the year before because Kupa, the Blue peacock, was still alive. Well anyway, we don’t want to go through that again. Both the peafowl and the peafowl keeper were threatened with expulsion! He was really mad with us. Best we all keep a low profile until the gardens are established.
Of course as you know, I also want to collect a clutch of peahen eggs this summer to incubate them. And keeping nesting peahens close to home is safer.
I hope you have a lovely day today.
Love your friend on the farm,
celi
61 Comments on “Movements”
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Godot is just beautiful, showing off his tail feathers. The half way house looks good. You know the directions on that structure said it would take two or three hours to construct. It took me more like eight. But that’s like any put together item, it always takes me longer. 🙂 So glad it is getting used for little chickens in need of a half way house until they are strong and big enough to join the flock! Kind of like half way houses in general, gathering strength and confidence for the big world outside. Have a good day, Miss C. Stay warm.
Yes! It is finally being used for its given task.. and the top level works very well, they are all up and scooting about already this morning.. c
Those cockerels look fantastic… and Godot (of course) 😉
Your Sons of Neanderthal Man reminded me of my chickens on the mountain. The Leader of the Flock was Chanti(cleer) who reigned supreme for sometime & was a wonderful father to Rosemary’s Babies & a good husband to The Queen Mother & all the others, but with his sons the altercations soon began. One of them, the magnificent Bianco vanquished Chanti in a Battle Royal. At times he had lived by the sword & so he died that way. One Dark Night the Bastard Weasel dispatched Bianco and so the begats did not continue much longer. I still recall those characters with affection and am so glad to have known the colorful Chickens clan. Snow does make it warmer in the garden & fields. Down here in the Blue Ridge welcome Spring is emerging, but we have had snow in April & even on the darling buds of May. So we aren’t past the possibility of it here yet. Thank you for the Visions of Godot today. Judith
Snow in MAY.. oh I think I would cry.. c
Me too. I don’t even want to think of Snow in MAY!
Linda ♬♬♬
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
https://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com/sherlock-boomer
I recall about 8″ of heavy wet snow one year, I believe it was May 8th. The leaves had just come out on all the trees so it made quite a mess. From my upstairs’ window it looked like a bomb went off in the woods behind the house, broken branches and tree tops. Took a long time to clean everything up! Would rather not see that again.
Nice pictures of all the feathered creatures on your farm. Bob looks gorgeous but I know that roosters can be pretty nasty. Do you make Sauerkraut with your cabbage?😀
Yes. live sauerkraut is a fantastic food – and when i start milking John makes a whey sauerkraut too..
Oh Godot is beautiful. Simply stunning.
Godot’s tail is like an explosion of fireworks in a cold winter sky – just sensational.
You have presented us with a rainbow of fowl today and it is lovely. Thank you Miss C 🙂
Well done Godot! 😀 I was just thinking, is there a way to remove those foot barbs from the s-o-t-s-o-N man so he doesn’t do so much damage? One blogger friend has to go into the hen house with a broom to stop her rooster from harming her! Little beastie.
They also use them to keep predators at bay. I think you can trim the claws though – I have a friend who did that. I have only had one bad rooster like your friend’s one – years ago and he had to be dispatched. They can be quite dangerous and are very strong. Sad for her to have to deal with that. c
The Sons of….. are certainly the most colourful roosters I have ever seen, beautifully juxtaposed by Godot (almost blinding) white. Laura
he sure is coming onto his own now..
Sons and sons of NM are so beautifully marked. Son of, son of def looks as if he’s in charge. Nature red in tooth and claw can be brutal to us wimpy womenkind (that’s me that’s wimpy by the way, I don’t think wimp would suit you at all). Godot is amazingly beautiful. I can imagine that not-conversation between Sheila and Poppy! More snow… hope you don’t get ice and ice winds following on after it – benign snow?
SoNMan is a splendid animal. We have the most friendly lot of hens next door – every time I walk past their little paddock they come running lickety split to the fence for a chat. Last year there were guinea fowl – noisy and unfriendly. I suppose those have gone for the pot by now. I look forward to seeing your turkeys when you get them. Please will you record their gobble gobble for us?
Spring is burgeoning here today, despite a night frost. Jock’s put up the canopy and cushions on the swing hammock today, and it was warm enough in the sun to have coffee out there this morning.
love,
ViV x
Oh yes! They will bring a whole set of new sounds to the farm yard.. what a good idea. c
Ah, just you wait Cecilia, when our wee quail come springing forth in 7 days time, you’re going to have an even bigger struggle! And finally, some gorgeous shots of Godot! I feel a painting coming on!
Christine
Do you have a special run for them, it seems they get frights easily. but they are so sweet and good eating too I remember. c
Sniff! sniff! I smell quail….ok not today, but they will soon be on the Farmy… Wanna take a bet?
Bob for such an elegant, if lethal bird is a rather strange name… but I can see why he has such a name.Son of Son of Son does get a bit complicated so Bob will suit. He is a fine specimen , so colourful and proud…but poor old Dad is looking a bit moth-eaten..
I do love the names that you give to everything on the Farm from animals to sheds to fields and pieces of land and to Helpers…like Cadet!
Have a great day Miss C not just a good day but a really great day lots o love P
Having roos fight is a horrible thing to witness (been there, done that). I was appalled to witness what men do on purpose—pit one roo against another on purpose. 😦
I saw the picture you posted of Godot on Facebook last night. Oddly, I think it is more interesting with the chicken wire in the foreground. He looks even more beautiful than normal.
Tell Our John that I chased chickens out of my newly planted onion patch yesterday. They didn’t want the onions, but they were thrilled with newly dug ground. Flinging onions here and there in their search for grubs. Naughty birds!
They are naughty.. and make a mess very quickly.. I may need to corral Neanderthol man and his brood for a wee while in the not too distant future.. c
I loved the view on your post today, but I think my comment disappeared! c
We just swapped out cards on our game camera and have an amazing picture of two rooster pheasants fighting!
wow.. I think I might like a game camera
I love the elegance of Godot and the colours of the Neanderthal Man Clan! Fair play to you Celi and I hopr the weather will not be foul!
Beautiful birds C.
Celi, I love spending some time each day in your barns. Thank you for all the work you do taking pictures, spending your wee morning hours typing away a bright hello to the Fellowship. I know what you mean about struggling with making good balanced decisions. I’m plenty busy with our donkey herd here. But I do admit to harboring dreams of a chicken coop ensconced in the middle of the large back paddock. Our first donkey, Paco, used to be a chicken guard for a prize flock down the road from us. He did a great job guarding the chickens… just got fired for disagreeing with the sheep over who was entitled to the grain bins…
Hmm, that is interesting about Paco. Guarding the birds, Balance. This is the thought I was trying to think of the other day! Thank you miss Meadow
I wish your Paco could have a word with our Winston. He takes great pleasure in picking up the chickens and ducks and swinging them around. The birds do not care fore that so we have had to separate them.
Winston!
Sounds like Winston needs a little donkey friend! Donkeys need to wrestle and play. Ours have a set agreement to run and wrestle when the sun butters their front paddock. That always seems to be about an hour before sundown. Winter, summer, spring or fall! The minis even wrestle with the big guys. Paco is so gentle that our smallest donkey sometimes ends up hanging on his neck while he patiently waits for her to ‘fall off’. 😉
I would love to see THAT! c
The accident chicks are just so sweet, and the roosters so unusually colored. I love how you put words in the pigs’ mouths. Most amusing. I love the tip on transporting the little ones so they don’t escape. And lastly, I love the delicate beauty of Godot’s tail. I can certainly imagine being inspired to paint him.
Still laughing. Bob. Of course he’s Bob.
You may well laugh! Did you find with the pig sounds?
Not yet. Still looking.
I will ask Diane..
Thanks. I have a secret project that may come to nothing, and since its use isn’t guaranteed, I don’t want anyone to move heaven and earth to get the sound byte.
Godoy is quite the looker.
Godot put on a smashing display, and the photograph’s almost have a “theatre” look about them, since he’s performing behind a curtain of fabulous fencing. The fencing almost looks white! Though on second thought, this also looks like one of those rough bar band stages where they have to put up fencing to protect the band from flying beer bottles and debris! You had me laughing about Neanderthal Man and Son of Neanderthal Man, and the son-of-the-son of Neanderthal Man. My mother-in-law finally gave the word to get rid of 3 roosters. The fox got one, and FD butchered the other two last weekend. We are finally down to old Earl and young Randy. They seem to be getting along. 🙂
It reminded me of The Blues Brothers scene.. you mean those bars are real? c
I love these majestic, sons of sons names we give our cockerels ! We have had The Major , The General, The private and we had one who dotted off another and a couple of hens. but he was a game bird by name and nature. At the moment we have Red and The Prince and they are getting along fine too. As for our ganders, they often go into battle!!🐔🐔🐔
What a wonderful observation.. must be because they are so upright and powerful looking. Ganders fighting – goodness – the mind boggles.. c
Everyone looks pleased to see the sun, outdoors and air. Rather than simply enduring the cold, spring activities & summer plans are afoot. The lightness of being is palpable. On the other side of the world here the mornings are darker but along with it the days blessedly cooler & less humid… and of course we don’t get snow so its never that bad.
I laughed at the image of the pigs elbowing you out of the way like at the Christmas sales, Sheila thinking “about bloody time”! Godot is a wonder, pea-chicks would be lovely. S.o.S.o.N.M. is a poster rooster as well and his ladies look so healthy & happy to be out and about. Along with sounds of the barn soundtrack; the sight of the chooks and livestock it seems take many of us back to farming roots that never quite leave us.
You have such beautiful birds on the farmy. Of course I think you should try hatching some more Guinea fowl, but I’m partial to them you know.
Lovely post today. So an era for us has come to an ending. Gracie passed away this morning. It was time but it doesn’t heal the pain or emptiness we feel. She was a great beagle. George and Peg, her pack, are looking for her this evening.
Oh your poor thing. You worked hard to keep her alive. But it was not to be. As you said it was time. You must be feeling miserable. All our love darling girl and thank you for allowing us to stand watch with you.. c
So sorry about Gracie. Losing a long time friend is heartbreaking.
Oh so sad, I applaud your efforts. I wish all dogs had such a loving end.
I had quite the chuckle over the sequence of names ending in Bob. Thanks for that 🙂
Godot is gorgeous! Tail like a beautiful antiqued lacey doily (those wee lace mats my gran had on her dressing table, with expensive perfume bottles arranged on them).
Ah yes, well done, my Mm had doilys too, we even bought paper ones to put under the pavlova or cakes..
OMG . . . I can just hear the ‘tick, tick, tick’ after each of your tasks accomplished right across the ocean 🙂 !! I love quail eggs too but that, Miss C, would surely be just one too many . . .
The Son of- the Son – of Neanderthal Man sure is a handsome fellow. Godot is just gorgeous, Does he keeps his feather white all the time?
Yes, feathers are water proof and remarkably he is seldom dirty..
It’s nice to finally see Godot in all his splendor. Ah yes, I remember the peahens helping themselves to the special delicacies John planted for them. 😉 Roosters and chickens are a lot feistier with each other than one would suspect.
How gorgeous is Godot! Looking very handsome .. I’ve only ever managed to keep one rooster at a time 🙂 Its always about the girls isn’t it?
Gosh! Do you keep a journal to keep track of all the details? Spring = pea fowl lock-up, etc. The Farmy Almanac.