Safe and Sound

Just wanted to update you that the three missing chicks made it through the night safe and sound. I found them scratching in the yard the next morning about 20 feet away from the coop. They seemed completely unaware of the sleeplessness they caused me. Typical!

I attribute their survival in part to the big black dog. We've been letting him sleep in the garage (with the door open) at night so he is free to come and go. I think having a wandering 80-pound dog roaming the yard keeps a few of the predators at bay.

You may now remove your yellow ribbons from the old oak tree.
Phew!

Lions, and Tigers, and Roosters? Oh My!

It's official: Our cockerels are in the throws of puberty, and you know what that means??? Like all boys, their voices are changing. Yep, that means the roosters are now crowing. Not just a little bit, but a lot and all the time! Now that they've found their voices, they are super diligent about practicing to make sure they get that cock-a-doodle-do just right.

I first started hearing that unmistakable call last week, but it was faint and I wasn't sure (can we say denial?). We had a couple of guys here doing some work on the back of the house and they confirmed that it was indeed crowing and that it had been going on all day.

I think it's kind of cool. I only hope our neighbors don't mind... On that note, I need to call our next-door neighbor to see if she thinks it's a nuisance. Luckily we only have one person close enough to be bothered by all that racket.

Oh did I mention that I was up at 6 am and already I could hear the crowing? AND they were still locked up in the coop?

Yikes!

Victor/Victoria

Once again, I am speculating on the gender of our Dominique (or is it Dominic?)!

The picture below is of Google from a couple of days ago. Google is the chick that we think may be a male.

Now look at one of the other Dominiques:


Notice that Google's comb (the bumpy ridge above his beak) is already visible and rather developed, especially compared with the other Dominique, who has no signs of a comb at all.

I guess the good news is that if Google is indeed a cockerel (and on his way to roosterhood), he will probably be a pretty mellow one. Why you ask? Well, because Charlotte manhandles him all day long. She is constantly holding/tormenting him and as a result, he is used to being around people. He doesn't even run away from the kids like all the other chicks do when they try to pick him up. Roosters can be nasty, so if we do have one in the mix, it would be nice to have a gentle one. Also, is it too much to ask for a quiet rooster as well? Probably!

As always, I'll keep you posted!

Panic...

...and not at the disco!

Just got a call from the post office that my little peeps have arrived! Very exciting, but I wasn't expecting them for a few more days and I am heading to NH to attend my neice's first communion.

The chicks are going to have to wait until tomorrow. I hope they are all right.

I could hear them chirping in the background. They sounded very cute!