I’ve got a second video of Idee’s chicks on YouTube now. Obviously, they’re practically full grown now, but this one shows their first ventures beyond the fluffy underbelly of Mom.
We ended up with six little poof balls. Two silver-laced Wyandottes, one Pumpkin Hulsey, one Rhode Island Red, one Lavender Orpington, and one Barnevelder. Lovely.
What struck me most are the similarities between being a chicken mom and being a human mom. Chicks (and grown chickens) peck at anything that looks like a bug, including specks, freckles, and as you will see in the vid, eyeballs. Yes, the chicks peck at mama’s eyeballs, and, amazingly, she is very tolerant of it. Plus, tugging on her wattle, her comb, etc. If you’ve ever had kids, you know you go through this. Eye-poking, fingers up nostrils, hair pulling. Like pro wrestling, but with diapers.
I’ll have pictures of the chicks now (they are practically grown) very soon, but for now here are the chicks back when. Prepare to wince at the eye-pecking.
And, oh, . . . Ashley decided to kick Lance AND Brandon to the curb, moved to Wyoming and became a sheep rancher. She spends most of her time tending the lambs, spinning wool, and knitting her handspun. There is a lot of steaming hot chamomile tea involved.
When I go to your page from the newsletter THAT I subscribe to that annoying beyond belief orange box inviting
me to subscribe! I DO! Make it go AWAY or I guess I won’t!
Les
Les–That is annoying. I didn’t realize it did that. We’ll try and see what’s going on and what we can do to fix it. Thanks for letting us know. And pwease don’t go 🙁
I had illegal backyard chickens when I was 12 – college. Two hens and a rooster — mixed breed bantam crosses. They raised babies of their own, and hatched ducks and quail eggs. Someone once asked me who (besides my own mother) influenced my child-raising philosophy most. I have to say it was the chickens. From them I learned that I needed to 1) keep my new babies very close so that they would be warm and safe, but 2) to let the older ones wander farther so that they could get to know the world. To 3) offer advise and encouragement on good things to eat, but never force the issue. And to 4) treat them as adults when they reached that size.
Sally–I love this! Thank you!
Unable to find the chicks on utube…..how is it listed ? Thanx !
Can’t find your videos on YouTube. I looked for “Idee’s chicks, Little House in the Suburbs.” What’s the secret?
…besides sheep raising is so much more enjoyable than men drama anyday.
(Now, where did I put my knitting needles and sock yarn ….?)
I want baby chicks. I want to raise lovely fluffy little chickies that will lay eggs and eat bugs and cluck all day. Just wait till I get back from the holidays. Lucky you!
Portia McCracken and Ruth Walters–Here ya go: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CBhxz15cu8&feature=youtu.be
Elaine–Do it!
Just wanted to let you know that I have been making soap from the recipe you printed in LHINTS book. I have made 4 batches to date, peppermint, lavender & rosemary, clove and almond and almond and lavender. My house smells so wonderful and I alternate my drying/curing rooms to infuse the smells throughout my home. Thank you so much for sharing your natural ideas with us. I will be packaging up sets of 6 soaps into my homemade Christmas Gifts baskets this year!
Haha! Eye pecking brought back memories of just last year. Our Sheltie dog found the same lesson too. Yikes! One of the young chicks (cockerels that were to be pullets) saw a shiny object, being the dog’s eye. He was fine. They also liked the German Shepherd’s shiny tag.