Feathered Warfare

Raising chickens is an important mainstay of homesteading. The eggs and meat are well worth the effort along with the pest control they provide. In addition, when it comes to entertainment value, chickens are among the best in my book. However, in among all the good of chickens there is an ugly truth: not all traits of a chicken are good.
For example, they are drawn to blood. They are merciless in their attack upon a fellow chicken if it so much as shows a speck of the red stuff. I believe the idea of gang warfare began in the Chickenhood. If one feather duster has a problem with another, and if there’s blood, then feathers are flying and all chip in on the assault.
Yesterday when I left for the grocery store there were two hens, three chicks and one peachick in front of the rabbitry where they do not belong (that is a whole ‘nuther story I may write on later). When I returned, I found all six feather dusters right where I had left them. However, to my dismay the peachick was a mess. From the top of its head down to its back and around the sides of the neck, there was nothing but blood and muscle. Moreover, it was not difficult to point a finger at the responsible parties. All three chicks had blood on their beaks.
How it started would be anyone’s guess. However, I would venture to say it was one of the hens that started the pecking. I know this because I’ve seen her peck at the peachicks before when her three beloved brats did not get the food she thought they should have gotten. Maybe she pecked a little too hard this time and drew a spot of blood. It obviously did not take much for the chicks to take over for mom. And, what gets me is the peachick’s mama hen was right there, and in my opinion, didn’t do a thing to help her adopted child.
We humans, for the most part, are a funny lot of emotional beings. But I have seen instances in the animal world where the young are protected to the best of the parents’ ability. What, then, happened here in this case? Was the peachick’s mother frightened that, if she were to intervene the pulverizing of her youngster, she would be attacked next? Come on, the gang of three was 7 week old chicks!
I could lament on the fact that times have changed, but we’re talking about chickens here. They’re able to free range, are fed non-GMO grains, aren‘t crowded, live in clean conditions and they all know their rank and serial number. I guess I’ll never know the bloody truth of yesterday. Not unless someone speaks up, and I don’t think that’s happening anytime soon.

The assaulted peachick

Why, oh why?

Shining sun and mild weather. Plenty of feed and water. Wide open spaces to run and forage with lots of bugs, grass and leaves. It's a no brainer, really. So, why is it when I let the chickens out they think they have to take up residence on the deck?

Deck chickens

Life With The Chickens

The three kittens who are still home are now 5 months old. I found the orange tiger, Trouble, chasing the chickens the other day because, well, he likes to cause trouble. Bob, a dark gray tiger, is just Bob. And then there is Sandy. I often find him among the new flock of pullets trying to rub up against them to get a little attention. The chickens are used to their four-legged companion. In fact, I'm kind of concerned that they are too comfortable with him. There were a couple of days last week that I found several of the pullets following a squirrel over to the edge of the woods.

A Good Day For Tatting

With hot, hazy skies, and temps to match it was a good day to be in the house where it was in the low seventies despite 95 degree weather outside. Built of cinder block in 1910 the house cools down quite nicely when the windows are opened at night as long as the temperature outside drops to the sixties. The key is to close the house up before the sun peeks above the horizon in the morning.

I make a habit of checking on all the animals several times a day when I know heat can cause discomfort, and to make sure water is available to all. Today the animals really felt the effects of the heat. Even in the shade the chickens were panting and holding out their wings from the side of their bodies. The rabbitry was too warm for comfort, so I moved the rabbits to a shady area under the big elms where they could feel a breeze on their ears, and thus, cool their blood. The goats and mare seemed to fare better than the other animals. The heat didn't keep them from grazing in the sun although shade was available for lounging.

Even though the coolness in the house felt good when I came inside, I couldn't resist being outside off and on throughout the day. If the sun is shining, I'm usually outside working. But today I sat in the shade with a cold, iced tea and tatted awhile.

What is nice about tatting is it doesn't take up much room. With just a small shuttle (or needle) and a ball of thread I'm good to go. And if I stop to do something else, I can pick up where I left off just by counting double stitches. So, in my ventures to and from the house to sit in the shade, or out to check on the animals it was a good day for tatting.

Sun and Wind

It was nice to get outside for a little while today to cut some slab wood and spend some time with the animals. Even though the temp was around 50 degrees the windchill was like minus 20. I had to wear a coat.

Rocky, a Black Sexlink rooster

Miss Kitty

Rooster enjoying some sun

Popeye

Peanut

Glory

Pepper Sadie