Nature is cruel and most of all it is cruel to animals or birds that are not perfect. After watching the pea-chicks roll around their little box, both with one leg out at a right angle, wings spread, miserable, unable even to stand to eat, I decided that there was no way these birds were going to make it in the big playground I call my barn yard. They could not scratch at the ground nor launch themselves onto a roost. They would be cleaned up by predators if not the others of their species. If I had caught this problem within 48 hours of their hatching it is possible I could have fixed it but I didn’t so it was kindest to the birds to put them down. It was sad but the right choice. 
Sometimes it is best to step in before nature has its way. Nature is not always kind. I called a man who breeds peacocks and he said it was best not to let them drag on, it never ends well, he said. Now we are left with one little healthy pea-chick who almost immediately decided that my knee or my neck were good places to be. She (or he) is now living out beside the turkeys for company when she is not snuggling into our pockets. This will be interesting.
I know I did the right thing but it still feels rotten.
More storms blew in yesterday, more rain. I took this shot of Sheila in her paddock to show you the water everywhere then looked up and saw this coming straight at us.
Then in the afternoon the sun came out and with it the most shocking humidity. I almost never sweat (preferring to Glow like all well brought up ladies) but yesterday as I was milking the cow I could taste the salt of my sweat as it ran down my face.
I am going to have to get higher gumboots. When I go out through this gate to bring Lady Aster in for the milking I am sinking dangerously close to the tops of my boots. I need fishing waders!
The forecast looks like the storms might be tailing off. After today that is.
Yesterday the clouds were so low Amanda and I stood out in the field watching them in awe. They kept dropping towards us. I imagined I could drag out the ladder and standing on it reach up into the cloud, watching my hand disappear. It was getting dark and was very still. Then a small cloud broke away from the others and dipped even lower. Right above our heads. It rolled gently like a wave coming into shore. It was a significant intentional movement and just for that second it began to lift leaves and small sticks off the ground, playfully twirling them right in front of our faces into a perfect miniature whisper of a whirlwind. Glancing small puffs of wind off our skin. It was just for a moment. But a powerful moment. Before the little cloud stopped its playing and rolled on.
Soon after these playful clouds were replaced with the dense black menacing ones and we raced the animals in and trotted quickly back to the house as the wind rose and the rains started again.
After the sun came out I took Tima and Tane into the field with Sheila to begin my plan to combine these two groups for the winter (Sheila is a group of her own). I don’t think Tane was able to breed Tima this time either so these three pigs being pets, it makes sense that they might keep each other warm over the winter. Poppy might be busy elsewhere. Sheila gave a small start upon seeing Tima steam past then turned her attention back to her puddle. I think they might get on. Sheila is such a good girl. Poppy too. I am so impressed with Poppy’s maturity and gentleness, often sleeping across the door of the babies snug so they can pop out for a feed then go straight back to bed in the night.
I hope you have a lovely day. I am so sorry about the peachicks but I am fairly sure the fault was the incubator being too low. I will not make that mistake again.
Love your friend on the farm
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
49 responses to “Natures Way?”
A hard but right decision. Yes Sheila looks like she is in piggy heaven! You do look very wet. I saw a Kune Kune pig Saturday who looked just like Tima. He or she was at our local fete in a pen with ducks, chickens, pigmy goats, two sheep, a dog and a small donkey. All the kids loved them. My husband was very surprised that I knew the breed of the pig. I said very authoritatively that pig over there is a Kune Kune and they come from New Zealand! Hope you get some dry days soon x
I’m with Debra – I don’t think I could be a farmer either. But on a lighter side, your photos are incredible today (not that they aren’t every day 😉 ). I love the sunflower shots, and that sky shot looks like a scene straight from the Wizard of Oz!
Oh C, it’s not always easy. Sending you much love.
🙂 Mandy xo
I agree you did the right thing. I’m glad that little whirl wind didn’t decide to become a big one right there. I know what those are and what they can do. Have a wonderful day.
Oh, C, sometimes it’s just plain tough being a farmer. Hang in there and watch for the sun.
A hard job, done with compassion. Well done, Miss C.
Oh my God…because if there is one It is IN those storm clouds. What fearsome power right over your head. I would have been in complete awe of that.
Awe C. I always say, when an animal or bird has to be put down…you are providing he or she with the last show of compassion and love but like you say, it makes you feel horrible when it shouldn’t but if one didn’t feel bad about it, then there is no heart. You most certainly did the right thing for them. I’m so sorry.
And that is amazing (I think we are overusing that term) but in this case truly amazing experiencing that weird cloud, windy, phenonmena. To be standing right in it. Wow!
sometimes it’s just so sad- but you did the right thing- they would not have had an easy time and would have suffered more.
Chris has said it best. So much anguish you have endured and continue to. And the unrelenting dismal weather does not help. And yet another disappointment in TIma, poor little tyke.
Fishermans waders! Wow!
Sunny here now but clouding up. Hope the sun is headed in your direction.
Oh, I’m sorry about the little chicks. But like the man says it will only get worse and the end will be ugly.
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
wow! It’s like you’re blogging from New Zealand! So wet!
It feels like this summer is a heavy one on the farmy. Blessings on you as you slog on through the muck. May you be buoyed with moments of loveliness.
You definitely did the right thing – but doing the right thing isn’t always easy.
hmmm… everyone has said it all, so I won’t belabour the point except to add my two cents in to say it couldn’t have been helped and to end the suffering of poor animals is the kindest thing you can do. *hugggggggs*
Those are scary clouds for sure and with a moment of awe thrown in. Humidity seems to have hit us today also, for the first time this summer… which in itself is somewhat unusual. Sitting as we do in the lee of the Great Lakes, it is normally humid here summer and winter. So we have got off lightly this year.
Hope it brightens up for you and brings a better day ahead. ~ Mame 🙂