The peeps at the Big Farm turned one week old yesterday.
I would have posted this last night but alas, I could get no internet connection. Sometimes that happens when you live in a valley in a rural location. This obstacle is far outweighed however by the fact that you are living in a gorgeous valley. I'd gladly give up a few hours of internet connection for this privilege.
Amazingly, out of 150 chicks, there have been no losses so far. We don't yet know how many will be male or female yet. In just one week, many of the chicks have fully feathered wings and even tiny tail feathers. They seem to be practicing flight skills by running as fast as they can across the coop and flapping their wings. Often times the entire group will move together from one end of the coop to the other, reminding me of a school of fish.
This little chick above got a ride into the office with me when I discovered it had a pasty butt. If the droppings dry and paste over the vent, the chick can die. So despite loud protests about it, little peep got a bath.
A handful of peeps got their first taste of the great outdoors today. We wanted to test the electric netting with a small number, as we were wary they might be able to get through it at this age and size. They were a bit overwhelmed at first, choosing to hide in the cement block we use as a door stop.
We also found out they will jump through the holes in the netting. Even when it's electrified. I also discovered that the tiny little shock you can get from polywire fencing when you're standing up and wearing rubber boots, which feels so benign you wonder how it could ever keep a predator away, grows in monstrous proportions if you happen to be sitting on the ground and then touch the polywire. A lesson I won't soon forget. Sort of akin to accidentally grabbing that benign little strand of polywire and touching a rebar grounding post at the same time.
I think our little flock of explorers was a wee bit overwhelmed by the immensity of the real world. No doubt in a couple more weeks it will be a whole different ballgame. But for today, they stuck close together, like birds of a feather will do.
What new adventures are you looking forward to this week?
I would have posted this last night but alas, I could get no internet connection. Sometimes that happens when you live in a valley in a rural location. This obstacle is far outweighed however by the fact that you are living in a gorgeous valley. I'd gladly give up a few hours of internet connection for this privilege.
Amazingly, out of 150 chicks, there have been no losses so far. We don't yet know how many will be male or female yet. In just one week, many of the chicks have fully feathered wings and even tiny tail feathers. They seem to be practicing flight skills by running as fast as they can across the coop and flapping their wings. Often times the entire group will move together from one end of the coop to the other, reminding me of a school of fish.
This little chick above got a ride into the office with me when I discovered it had a pasty butt. If the droppings dry and paste over the vent, the chick can die. So despite loud protests about it, little peep got a bath.
A handful of peeps got their first taste of the great outdoors today. We wanted to test the electric netting with a small number, as we were wary they might be able to get through it at this age and size. They were a bit overwhelmed at first, choosing to hide in the cement block we use as a door stop.
We also found out they will jump through the holes in the netting. Even when it's electrified. I also discovered that the tiny little shock you can get from polywire fencing when you're standing up and wearing rubber boots, which feels so benign you wonder how it could ever keep a predator away, grows in monstrous proportions if you happen to be sitting on the ground and then touch the polywire. A lesson I won't soon forget. Sort of akin to accidentally grabbing that benign little strand of polywire and touching a rebar grounding post at the same time.
I think our little flock of explorers was a wee bit overwhelmed by the immensity of the real world. No doubt in a couple more weeks it will be a whole different ballgame. But for today, they stuck close together, like birds of a feather will do.
What new adventures are you looking forward to this week?
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