Little Liza

The black slut with the 6 babies has taken to looking after Lucille 2 (who I've accidentally called Liza a couple of times). Last night Lucille 2 went and slept in the chicken pen up with all the other babies, hopefully this will continue on. The only problem is I may no longer be able to tell who is Lucille 2, but that is fine with me. I'd prefer her to have the warmth of a mother than be a solo chicken.
We were out on snake patrol again last night. This snake was particularly big and just kept hanging around the roof of the shed. Our $80 rechargeable torch is a piece of crap too so the light kept going out, plus did I mention it was pissing down rain? We were quite the sight to behold.
I need to get me a snake charmer.

Cyclone

We're experiencing a little wind and rain here at the ranch today. The babies are loving it, hanging out making a little mud bath for themselves. They look so cute when they are all muddy. Just after this photo was taken Speedy came along and pecked all of the girls to get out of 'her' mud. She then pecked a little at the grass and then walked off.

illusion

I had a terrible sleep worrying about the chickens last night, I can't imagine they slept much better either. Everyone was still alive when I woke up this morning (GOB excluded). It was a little sad last night, but I'll try to snake-proof the duck pen (again today).
I'm a little nervous about this impending snake fest as everyone is going on the road in Jan. The thought of having to remove a snake from the chicken or duck pens at night really freak me out. The way it was coiled up crushing GOB last night, I had to walk away. But soon enough I'll have to sort it out. Perhaps everyone can sleep inside with me (just the ducks, Speedy and Lucille 2).

RIP GOB

Just in the time it took me to post my previous post a snake made it into my duck fortress and took GOB (I think, it was that one). Damn it, perhaps they would have been better out tonight.
I could hear chicken noises from my desk so I went to investigate and sure enough there is was squeezing it to death in the corner. So much for snake proofing the duck pen.
Gee I'm going to sleep well tonight, but I must say, damn I've got good hearing.

Ideas man

I think Young Boy is a stew tomorrow. We went to Brisbane today and I got the run-down from their babysitter when I got home. Turns out Young Boy was crazy, picking fights with everyone, even the ducks. He chased all the chickens into the bush and poor GOB and Lucille 2 were separated and not even penned when I got home. It still cracks me up when I use GOB and Lucille in a sentence. I think I got the names right as I suspect the brown one is indeed a rooster (so don't get too attached Izzy).

I don't think Young Boy is aware of the pecking order in my chicken pen, or the rules for that fact.
Rule #1 - Don't mess with the ducks.
Rule #2 - Don't mess with Old Boy
and I'm pretty sure that's it, I don't think there is a rule about Speedy, she's sort of counted in with the ducks. But he broke both rules today.

Baby Girl made a new nest and wasn't penned last night. She had tucked herself underneath the shed. While I wasn't too keen on getting on my hands and knees and shimming up under the shed, I would have done it for the duck. BUT, someone smarter than me just ripped back the corrugated iron and picked up the baby girl, easy. No dust, spiders or snakes for me or the duck, he's such an ideas man. We saw a snake entering the chicken pen tonight, so I have a feeling Snake Fest 08 is about to start.

Posers

Don't I just have the best ducks ever? Is there such a things as duck models? if so, my babies certainly could do it. If only I could photograph as well as they could pose, then we'd be set and they'd have a better portfolio.

Mirror mirror

When I let Young Boy out of the duck pen tonight, he went straight over to the chicken fence to challenge Old Boy. I'm over this fighting, and I'm pretty sure Old Boy is as well. Perhaps Young Boy will get taken by a fox, but I doubt it.

Everyone is fine aside from that, Mandy has a sore right. GOB and Lucille 2 have been sleeping in the duck pen at night and they just roam around motherless during the day. Speedy looks so small at the moment, I think it's because I've seen her all fluffed up for the past couple of months. She still likes a pat though.

Young Boy the whatever

We caught Young Boy beating up Old Boy today, arsehole. I'm not sure how long he'll last now, I thought for sure they wouldn't start fighting until Spring. No one messes with Old Boy on my watch.

Motherless

Its official - Speedy has ditched her babies. Poor GOB and Lucille 2 are motherless and no longer walk to Speedy's chirping. They sleep with the ducks and Speedy sleeps there two but not huddled together as mother and chick should be. Actually Speedy slept in a tree last night but I'll be home and tonight and will put her in the pen.

Speedy tried to hide from me the other day - when I went to find her to tell her she needs to be with her babies, she ran underneath the worm farm but I saw her and chased her out of the patch. Perhaps I wont write that book on parenting after all.

Tommy is getting a red ring around his neck, it looks like a bow tie. Katcsa looks like she's been in a fight and someone has bitten her nose. There appear to be a scab on it, personally I think she's had a nose job and blaming it on a deviated septum.

TMZ inspired

An open letter to Speedy McNugget-

Dear Speedy,

I've noticed lately that you've ditched your kids for laying an egg or just hanging out in the chicken pen.

You wanted these children so bad and now you've left them.

I feel like I'm to blame as you didn't have a 'chicken' mother figure when you were a baby. Sure chicks are needy and they chirp all the time, but the responsibility is yours and yours only. You must be forgetting that you too were very needy, but I never gave up on you. I used to wash the dishes and you'd sit on my shoulder, I'd email at my computer and you'd sit in my jumper sleeve. People would tell me that I had a chicken on my shoulder, and that I was silly - but we had a bond.

I'm no Lynne Spears and you're certainly not Britney or Jamie-Lynne so get it together Speedy. I'm going to keep a close eye on you hopefully with a little guidance you wont end up like Amy Winehouse.

kisses

Fortress

I bought the ducks (and chickens) their Christmas present yesterday- 50 metres of chicken wire. We patched the duck pen and it is now a fortress. We went over the chicken pen and tightened up holes and put dirt around the edges. I thought we did a smashing job until this morning when I noticed that we were down another baby chick. So now there were six.

Speedy is acting very weird this morning - she's ditched her kids somewhere and is in the chicken pen laying an egg.

What's that? Can I eat it?

This is what I see most days - the ducks walking away from me. They do this when they realise that I'm not packing food.

post pen lock out

Its taken me a few days to recover from the shock of my babies not being locked up at night. Although the trust has been broken, I'm still dealing with the aftermath with the chickens.
The chickens have been against being penned up. Last night Young Boy and the mother-less black chicken went to bed in the first mango tree. I'm not sure if snakes can smell but sure enough we caught one going up the mango tree to surprise the chickens. I was a little unsure if I'd wake to my normal Young Boy crows this morning, but sure enough he was still alive.
I managed to round all of the chickens up early today and pen them into the house. None of the chickens are sleeping in the house (accept for Old Boy, who would sleep through a snake attack). This leads me to think that maybe the snake came in though the house some how.

I took all of the duck eggs from baby girl and Katcsa today. I guess I'll have to make some more pasta over Christmas.

Dog House

Someone here is in the dog house as they neglected to lock up the chickens AND DUCKS last night, even after I asked them too (twice). They were very lucky that the fox had eaten enough chickens over the past two weeks and only a baby chick was taken.
So now we're down to 7 babies to one hen and Speedy still has her two.
In the words of George Bluth Snr "And that's why you always leave a note". Perhaps I need the one armed man to come and teach someone a lesson.

nest wars

I just had to break up a fight between Speedy and the Baby Girl with the sore foot, who incidentally is the friendliest and kindest of the female ducks. You see Baby Girl has been sitting all day today on a nest where Speedy sleeps at night. Speedy went into the pen and just pecked at her back and head. I stopped her but she kept going back to peck more. I tried to get Speedy to sleep elsewhere but realised that she wouldn't take no for an answer and probably end up hurting baby girl pretty bad. So I ended up taking Baby Girls eggs and making her a makeshift nest and moving Speedy onto the nest. Speedy was still trying to have a go and the duck while I was holding her. She was pecking at her head, I was worried she took out an eye. So now Speedy is sleeping with one eye open and watching the duck. Baby Girl is so gentle she'd never even fight back.
I think I saw Katcsa eat a poo today. It was hard to tell what it was but she was loving it.

Saturday

I went out to rescue Young Boy from the clutches of tick hell yesterday when I noticed that he'd already removed it. I bet he got some slut to pick it off for him. Mmm that would have been a bloody tasty morcel.
The baby girls leg is a little better today and she is no longer sitting on her eggs in the patch as I took them away. I broke yet another of my duck rules today and fed the baby girls a little roast chicken. Some scraps came back from the larder today and while I fed some to Ralphy the girls wanted to try some. Turns out they enjoyed it, I hope they won't turn on Speedy.

tick

I saw a tick on Young Boy's beard today. I'm pretty sure it was a tick and not the imaginary type I saw on Ralphy a few months ago. As the tick is grey and his beard is red it's quite easy to see. I'm going to ask someone to get it off him tomorrow. I've never been one for catching chickens. I'm trying to imagine me out there getting him, it would be quite difficult. I can barely catch Old Boy and he's hardly quick on his feet. Perhaps we can dust Young Boy down for lice at the same time.

Swimmer girl

The water submerged over night which was good. There is still a little pond out the front of their house, but now they can walk in and out of their pen rather than swim.

Here I was worried about the ducks last night, but when I'd go and check on them they'd be out standing in the water playing around. It was just Speedy that didn't like it, I'm glad she still went in there then went for the high ground of a tree.

One of the baby girls has a sore foot again, I've been braking all the rules I've set as I'm letting her sit on her eggs as I think its good that she's not walking on her foot. Problem is her nest is in the vege patch under the worm farm, so another rule broken - no animals in the patch. But I trust her not to leave her nest. I'll take her eggs in a day or so, plus I don't let her sleep there at night.

Water issues

We've been experience what I would call flash flooding today at the ranch. The duck and chicken pens were under water within about 1.5 hours. I've never seen it flood there so quickly. It subsided for a little in the late afternoon but now its picked up again.

Which leads me to my current predicament. They are now all locked in the duck pen, which is now a pond. There is an island of dry hay which all 5 ducks and Speedy are sitting on (Mandy is up the top). I'm going to go out and check on them soon, but if it keeps up I'm going to move them into the chicken pen. I'm beginning to think now I should have done that in the first place.

Queen Speedy

At long last a better photo of Speedy with her babies. Here she is tonight getting ready for bed, I hope I didn't blind her too much with the flash.

She is the smartest chicken ever, and I'm not being biased. This morning when I was off feeding the ducks and chickens Speedy went into the shed (where she isn't supposed to be) and I heard her make this strange chicken noise. The other chickens chirped back to her and there was a bit of excitement in the pen. So I went in there to get her out of the shed when I realised there was a snake in there and that's what she was talking about. Smarty. So there a now 3 black hens and 2 roosters and 10 babies. I hope some of the babies survive as our chicken numbers a dwindling. The other black hen is like a zombie, she has been sitting on one egg in the chicken pen for what seems like ages.

Fox fest 07

I just got home from Brisbane and found the last of the brown bitches with no head. So it was definitely a fox. I now believe the Mongy Foot has indeed been killed and not doing an insurance scam. I also noticed that the youngest black bitch is now nesting somewhere so I'm guessing that she'll probably die too. If its not snakes its foxes. I'm keeping a close eye on Speedy and making sure that she's in with the ducks and that the baby girls don't go off and nest some where.

See ya Mongy Foot

I received confirmation last night from the neighbour that Mongy Foot is dead, supposedly a fox took her and her touched babies are being cared for by the mother with the 8 kids. I believe the fox part but not the babies being cared for. Chickens don't usually do that.

The neighbour said she slept in the tree the other night and that's when she was taken. the story has got holes through it, so it wouldn't surprise me if she turns up one day. Anyway the story about her sleeping in a tree is right. Speedy tried to do it the other day and I got her out of the tree and sent her to the pen, so lucky it could have been Speedy. Speedy was up in the tree and her babies were chirping around the bottom trying to get up up. I said to Speedy "you need to be with your babies penned up, I'm your mum and get down" so I picked her up and put her down on the ground. Sure enough she's been in with the ducks ever since. She's also reclaimed her spot as Mongy foot has gone.

I had a like/dis-like relationship with Mongy foot. I liked her feet and that she was old, but I didn't like that she kept trying to steal Speedy's life. I think these were her first kids so she would have died a happy chicken

Old Boy

I was out taking photos of Old Boy yesterday, he's such an old man. He's a little unstable on his feet and he just stands there and sleeps. Everyone was out under the mangoes chirping and scratching around while he just sat there posing for photos. I love that he can sleep while he's standing.

Vanished

At appears the Mongy Foot appears to have up and left taking her two touched kids with her. I'm not sure whats happened, if its been fowl play or if she wanted to raise her babies else where. You never know with theses chickens. The main thing is Speedy and the ducks are ok.
Maybe she'll turn up like that canoeist from the UK, in five years from now.
Am off again to Brisbane today until Monday so the babies are again left in the hands of the neighbour. I gave him some duck eggs the other day to say thanks for keeping a watchful eye over my ever-expanding kids.
I had to step in between Mandy and Old Boy today. It seems that everyone wants to start a fight with Old Boy, the girls especially. Old Boy will kick the girls ass; before they'd know it he'd be ontop of them. I think it must be some sort of right of pasage to start a fight with Old Boy. He never starts it with them, but he's always ready for a blue - it must be the taste of blood he received a few years back when he killed a fellow cock.

Dreams

I dreamt last night that Old Boy was dead. It came to me when I was out in the garden today watching Old Boy have a nap on the ground. I can't really remember the details other than he was dead. I'm sure I was devastated. Good news is though it was all a dream and I'm not psychic.

The ducks have been playing out in the mud again as its been raining at our place. I think the clouds are only above the ranch as when I left to go into town it was dry and hot. Katcsa is still making her throaty noises. I call her my 'pack a day duck' or the Scarlett Johannson of the group; she's very husky.

farmer

I couldn't manage to get out to take a photo of the babies today. It has been raining pretty hard. But here enjoy a pic of some bananas. We've been getting quite artsy with the garden photos lately. The garden is going off due to it having rained a lot and we planted lots of seeds during Spring. So many cucumbers, its non-stop cheese and cucumber toasted sandwiches here (with lashings of mayo).

Clown baby

Tommy (or Beaker, but I think it was Tommy) bit Mandy's already bulbous red nose yesterday. Just when I thought the Muscovy nose could get no redder, one of them goes and bites it. Poor Mandy, he was limping about nursing a sore foot and one very red nose. Those ducks can take a good bite too, it was lucky it didn't come off.

Single white female

While the photo isn't very good, this is the best I can do of Speedy and her babies (for the moment). The other shots I took just ended up being of her bottom.
Above is the mother with the 8 babies. Mongy foot had two babies the other day and the bitch went in and took Speedy's bed in the duck pen last night. I tried to get her out with a stick but I figured she'll have to deal with the ducks in the morning, at least Speedy knows the ducks.
Mongy foot is always trying to take Speedy's stuff - her nest and eggs and now her bed. I'm beginning to dislike this chicken.

Frenemy

Yesterday the ducks are happy as larry out in playing in the mud and today the mud has dried up and they are fighting. I could barely get the ducks to bed last night they were having too much fun splashing around in the mud. Katcsa finally got a little mud on her so her pristine white feathers are no longer. Mandy's right foot seems to be a little bloody from the fighting between him and Tommy. I actually used the sentence "Tommy you need to just cool your jets". Most of Mandy's feathers on his wings are all twisted and broken.

I have to get more hay today as Speedy totally scratched off all of the hay from Mandy's bed this morning. She cleaned it quite well for me.

Wednesday

Oh Katcsa, what a pretty duck. I just love seeing her walk around with the group. She has started making this noise that strangely sounds a little like a dog. Its always in response to something I say. She's starting to get dirty like the other 5 ducks.

That baby chick didn't make it yesterday. I'd never seen a baby chicken so tired before, while the others cheep away and scratch for food this one stood there on the nod. I picked it up to see if it was ok and it woke up and ran off. I think it must have used the last of its energy as when I went out a few hours later I couldn't find it. So now the black hen has 7 or maybe 8, I can't remember.

Tuesday

Everyone is fine and of course very happy to see me. All babies, hens, ducks, roosters are accounted for. There is one chick that appears to either be very sick or very tired. I'll keep a close eye on it today.
Speedy is still sleeping in with the ducks, and loving it... I think.

Sunday

I'm not at hydrorancho, and I worry about the ducks and chickens. Is the neighbour remembering to tuck them in at night? Is Speedy ok?
Above is Mandy in all his dirty, broken feather glory. I tell him he needs to go and have a bath.

Snakefest resumes

We were just finishing our last bites of duck pasta when we heard chicken noises coming from then pen. We ran for a torch and sticks and ran to the pen. A snake was in the duck pen going after Speedy and her babies. Incidentally Speedy just moved into sleeping in the duck pen, she must have felt safer there. Luckily we made it in time and the snake only got a mouth full of Speedy's arse feathers.
I told her she was very smart in letting mum know that there was something wrong.

The first thing on my list for tomorrow is to re-snake proof the fence. I'm away from the babies all weekend so I'm sort of nervous what I'm going to come home to on Monday.

Integration

Katcsa's integration back into the group has been slow but she is adjusting to farm life well. Its great seeing the six ducks all walk around together. The whole gang is back together.

My new concern is with one of the baby girls. She may be shedding but she seems to be loosing an awful amount of feathers. Her coat is really lumpy from having no feathers. I tried to check her this morning as I thought it may be lice but I can't even see through all of her down to see her skin. Perhaps she is loosing her winter coat for summer. The baby girl with the feather issues is behind Katcsa in the photo above. Katcsa is so white from sitting in the box for the past 4 months. I wonder if she'll stay white for long.

Katcsa a free lady

After returning from the larder yesterday I was told of a Goanna trying to attack the chickens. We lost of of the other hens kids, so now she has 9 and Speedy still has her two. I'm not sure if the Goanna had anything to do with this, but Katcsa's had yolk all over her face and there was a half eaten egg near her nest. I ended up making an executive decision and removing all of her eggs from her nest. Only two were being warmed, the others were stone cold.

So this morning after months of Katcsa sitting on her nest and hatching neither a duck or a chicken we decided it was time she stretch her legs. I took her nest out of the pen and then up-turned it. She made her little noises and is now trying to intergrate back in with the ducks. I was worried about her not eating and drinking enough and her muscles disintegrating. She's been sitting for about 3 months now.

bath time

It appears I interrupted Young Boy and some slut getting all dirty having a bath together.

The brown hen had three babies yesterday and I think perhaps one more was about to hatch in the evening. So that brings our total to 15 babies, Speedy's are still the cutes though.

Sunday morning

There has been much to say between the ducks as of late. This photo was taken just after I let them out from being penned up with the chickens for an hour or so. This scene is pretty regular. The two baby girls are talking to Beaker and Tommy and Mandy are deep in discussion.

mmm charcol

Hanging by the hangi. The babies were all out pottering around the hangi yesterday.
Luckily these babies will never see the hangi the way Derek did.

I think the ducks can smell the cucumbers in the patch. I had to kick them out of the garden twice yesterday and early this morning they were checking out the fence for a whole in the wall. Little tricksters, I bet they find a way in too. Those wood ducks have totally taken up residence here at the ranch. Most of their day is spent lounging by the pond, except when them come down and eat out of the food bowl. I'm yet to name them, I'm sure something will come up.

Katcsa shares

Katcsa had a visitor in her nest today. This chicken has been eyeing her box off for ages. Finally today she took the plunge in. I thought Katcsa would put up more of a fight but she didn't. The hen was in there for a few hours before Katcsa kicked her out.

Wed

Well things have calmed down here since the excitement of Speedy having babies and I wonder about Katcsa. Her eggs still haven't hatched and I'm beginning to think they wont. I think she may have under cooked her eggs or didn't warm them enough. I grabbed one the other day and shook it (lightly) and there was definitely something in there. I wonder if she'll realise her babies are still born and leave the nest. She's been coming off her eggs every day for a swim in the pond so maybe soon. I miss seeing the six ducks walk around. Katcsa has been nesting since at least September now.

Monday

Here is Speedy and her two little chicks. Her babies are pretty chilled, I like that about them. They appear to be less needy than other chickens.

The baby girls are back to laying eggs so its duck pasta time again. Yum o.

Katcsa took a snap at my cheek the other day. I had my head in her nest listening for the chirping sound of freshly hatched chuckling. But instead all I heard was me saying "Ouch Katcsa that hurt, but I'll give you that I shouldn't have jammed my head into your space" or something like that. She bit someone nose the other day.

Those brown wood ducks appear to be hanging out permanently near our pond now. They are pretty cute, today they were hanging out with my ducks by the pond. Beaker is about 4 times the size as one of those ducks.

Ralphy the hunter

Just moments ago I saw Ralphy swoop Speedy for her babies. Speedy flew nearly as high as the shed trying to chase him. I think she got the shock of her life, as I did when I saw it unfold. I thought all of my 'pets' were meant to be friends. I told Ralphy to go after the hen with the ten babies. After that I ushered Speedy back into the chicken pen.

Ralphy must have the taste for chicken after I fed him all those scraps from the larder the other day. No more chicken caesar salad for him.

Saturday

This morning Speedy finally got down from her nest. The brown one jumped down and I picked up the black one and gave it to Speedy. Speedy's chicks are a lot more chilled than others, Speedy really trusts me as she didn't have a problem with me picking the chick up. Meanwhile the other black hen with the lots of babies attacked me as she though I was trying to pick up her babies. At first I thought it was Speedy as all I saw was a black hen against my arm, but then I realised it wasn't Speedy. Everyone else at the ranch is good, I've been taking a few more photos of Old Boy. He's well, I think he's been fighting with Young Boy a little as his crown is a little bruised. I'm also going to put some more lice powder on him as he's got that bald patch under his orange feathers. I seem to remember that was the start of his feathers falling out last time. It's been raining quite a lot the last few days. This photo below was taken about half an hour ago, not sure why Old Boy was standing in the rain, he must have been channeling his inner-duck. Not sure whose pooy bum is standing behind him I think its Beaker.

Speedy's other chick

This is Speedy's other chick. What a cutie, I think Speedy has already told them I could be trusted as it happily posed for the camera. Still no word from Katcsa and her eggs.

Easter

After much more Speedy watching yesterday we found that the second egg had hatched. It appears she was sitting on one of her eggs and then one from a brown hen. So she has one black chick and a brown one. She is still sitting up in her box, I'd imagine she'll probably jump down tomorrow.

Katcsa is yet to hatch any eggs and I really don't think she will. I was watching her on her nest this morning and there was an egg at the back of her nest that was completely cold. So much for the chuckling idea.

Baby girl is back to laying eggs and her food is starting to bother her again. I think it must be a re-occurring injury, I've watched her and I think he foot clicks when she walks.

Speedy's a mum

I'm a grandmother. Speedy had a baby. I'm so excited and it appears to be as photogenic as its mother. Have I mentioned that I'm excited?

Chicks

I tried to take some close-ups of the baby chicks this morning. They are so cute and very small. It's quite cold today and the babies were all huddled under their mother.

Still no babies from Katcsa or Speedy. I swear one of these days they are going to get tired of sitting. I mean don't they need to stretch their legs?

Egg watch day 3

While I don't want to say I'm tiring of the egg watch but I just want them to have babies. The other hen has about 8 baby chicks and Katcsa and Speedy have 0.
The black hen has lots of brown babies, some black ones and I'm sure some small Speedy babies. I'll take some photos tomorrow. I'm beginning to think that Katcsa's wont hatch. She doesn't sit on the eggs, she just puts them to the side of her. I think she must find the eggs uncomfortable.

baby watch

I'm not sure where that Not Chicken went to on Friday. When I went out to shut the chicken pen door it had fled from where it was sitting.
Yesterday we pumped out the water from the pond and refilled it with much nicer cleaner water. The ducks had stopped swimming in there as it was filled with so much poo.
I don't think it will take them long before they are swimming in it again.
So the countdown to the babies has begun. The chicken that is sitting next to Speedy on lots of Speedy eggs has hatched a few. I heard and saw one earlier this morning. So Katcsa should be next and then Speedy.

Not chicken

I went out to feed the chickens and I found this bird running around the duck pen. I really thought it was a chicken but a few weeks old. We then caught it and it ran off into the chicken pen. I saw another one of them outside the pen but when I tried to find it, it was gone.

Its definitely not a chicken though as it wasn't chirping. Maybe it fell out of a nest.

Birthday girl

I was thinking this morning that Speedy must be about one year old now. I remember the morning that I went out and found the two and a half chickens and found Speedy's mum dead. We had a few friends visiting from Brisbane and I was out showing off the ducks when we found this chick that couldn't walk and was quite damaged that was still cherping. Poor Chris, I made a guest of the rancho end this poor little chick's life. Sure I'm a farmer but I couldn't do that. This was in November. Speedy and the other chick were off hiding but I could hear them.
Then a few days later I rescued Speedy and the rest is history.
I'm so excited about her having babies. I got the other chicken off Speedy's eggs again last night. I really should do it earlier than dusk as its a bit hard for the chicken in the dark.

Speedy

Speedy nearly pecked me yesterday and it wasn't even for the above photo. Any other chicken would peck the camera, but not my little Speedy. What did annoy her was I was feeling under her wing, I was just checking for ticks and lice. But she didn't peck me she just made the motion to. I retreated and realised I may have bothered her a little.

However, I went back in the evening and noticed that Speedy was no longer in her box and was standing on a branch. Mongy foot and pushed her off her eggs and was sleeping there. Well I was having none of that and moved Mongy foot along. Then I picked Speedy back up and returned her to her nest. She was happy to be back on her eggs again. I'll be damned if another chicken is going to lay claim to Speedy's eggs... all two of them.

Tuesday

I've guesstimated that Katcsa's babies will arrive sometime this week. Perhaps around the 3rd November. I think Speedy starting sitting around the same time as well. And so we sit and wait. I think I'll go and check on them now.....
Just got back and still no babies

Dereks Hangi adventures

Derek came to the hangi last night, and from what I heard was most delicious. I told everyone that he was an active cock who had a good life and was born and raised at Hydrorancho. I'm not sure if people liked their food having a name but hey at least you know he wasn't raised in a cage. Plus it was easy to say "Can you please pass some Derek" or "Do you want any more Dezza?"
That's what you get when you mess with Old Boy.

Hangi

I saw Ralphy's kids for the first time today. We had a massive rain yesterday and today he brought them out to introduce us. They are pretty cute but damn they squawk. No wonder Ralphy is always on the hunt for food.

The boy duck were fighting yesterday. I had to pen Mandy up as he wasn't backing down. Beaker got into it as well, he was a little bloody around his webbing and on the back of his neck.

We're having a hangi today and I've told them they must be on their best behaviour as guests are coming. They seem to be listening as now they are chilling under the mango tree. I tell you I'm the duck whisperer.

I've got a full row of pineapples in our patch at the moment. yum o.

Baby central

Everyone can rest easy tonight Ralphy is ok and he appears to be well. I think I may have been over reacting a tad. Speedy is still sitting on her nest and always fluffs up whenever I walk over to the pen (usually a number of times during the day). I've been going to check more often on Katcsa because I'm excited about her having some babies, even if they are chickens. If she rejects them we want to try and catch her before she kills them. In the event that that happens we'll just give them to Speedy and she can raise them.

So its baby central here at the moment, its a waiting game.

Ralphy's gone AWOL

I returned from Brisbane yesterday and didn't see Ralphy. I haven't seen him today either. When I left on Sunday morning everyone was convinced what I saw wasn't a tick. But where is he? I've heard his kids and even seen Ralphetta. I really hope he's ok and just on holiday. I will try to entice him with my well known bird talk 'g'day mate'.
Speedy and one of the baby girls have been going at it. They fight like roosters do jumping up with their feet. I'll try to get it on film tomorrow morning when no doubt they fight again. The wouldn't land any punches as they'd just end up jumping over each other. It was pretty funny, but I was glad to see the baby girl standing up for herself.

Tick

So now all three ducks are nesting, these two babies don't have any eggs though.

I'm a little concerned about Ralphy at the moment. Yesterday I noticed what appeared to be a small tick just under his beak. As it was dark I didn't want to worry about it until after I received a second opinion. Well I looked at it today and I still think its a tick. I thought about trying to catch him but I'm not sure how its going to go. Surely he'd be able to pick it out?

I was told not to worry and to just let nature take its course. I don't want to let Ralphy die. Here's hoping Ralphetta sees it and picks it off her husband.

Princess Speedy

We told Speedy today that we'd take her eggs if she didn't go and sit on her eggs. I think she heard (and understood) what we were saying as she went and sat on her nest. I don't think Speedy likes being tied down by having to sit on the eggs. She wants to be free to run with the ducks or do whatever she likes. I was told she gets her attitude from her mother. I'm not sure what someone was suggesting then as her mother died when she was very young. They certainly couldn't have been suggesting Speedy gets her attitude from me.

Wednesday

So I return to the farm to find the last baby girl sitting on eggs in the pen. She also had a tick near her eye so we were quick to remove that. Lucky I wasn't gone for any longer as it could have turned ugly. I had to shut the door on the pen as the boys kept trying to enter and mate with the girls while they were on their eggs.

Speedy is now sitting on eggs in the chicken pen, she fluffs herself up to protect her eggs. I'm looking forward to her being a mother. The eggs have gone from the box in the chicken pen that the two sluts were sitting on. I tell you everything happens when I'm not here. Not sure what happened, probably a snake. Who knows...

Box of sluts

These two hens are sharing this tiny little box together. The other day all I saw was the head of one and the tail of another. How lovely that would be to sit there all day with your head up under the wing of another chicken. Talk about cramped. These bitches aren't moving for anyone. The one on the right and below is my third favourite chicken behind Speedy and Old Boy (although I don't' really count Speedy as a chicken). Her name is Mongy foot. I think I may have mentioned her earlier, anyway her feet are all broken looking, very bent out of shape. I like her a lot and was very surprised to see her laying again as I thought she'd dried up.

Mothers day

Here is the baby girl that has the sore foot who is sitting on eggs. I'm not going to leave her on the eggs much longer but I want her to rest her leg.

Here is Katcsa resting on her little chucks. I'm so torn over what we've done here. If we take the eggs away then we have less chickens but if she keeps them she'll have chickens. I'm sure she'd be a great mum to her little chicks. Would she take them swimming? I'd love to see her swimming around in the pool with chickens on her back.

Friday

I went back to check on the chickens and ducks earlier before only to find Speedy sitting out by her lonesome in the pen. All of the rest of the chickens and roosters were all huddled together in their little house while Speedy was sitting out on a perch near the wall. I guess she always sleeps by herself in a tree.
I cleaned out both pens today and even gave the chicken pen a good hose. I went easy in there though as two black hens are laying on some eggs. We've got so many eggs and so few chickens willing to sit on them we've placed some under Katcsa to have her incubate them. She's going to have her self some little chucks. I'm not really sure what is going to happen with this little experiment. But Katcsa sure did look excited when we gave her some eggs to sit on.

Old Boy Blues

I had a bit of an incident with Old Boy today. As I was getting Young Boy and some slut in the pen I had to keep ushering Old Boy back into the pen as he kept protecting the door.
So there I was walking him back in when the next thing I knew he's up on my leg fluttering around scratching at my leg. I can only think of two reasons why Old Boy would attack me

1. He's getting old or
2. I stood on his foot and I mistook all the fluttering and scratching as an attack when he just wanted me to get off his foot.

Afterwards I bent down and asked him what that was all about and why he'd want to do that to me. I didn't get a reply just a good stare. I really don't think I stood on his foot but I want to blame myself for his actions.

Baby girls foot was looking a little better today, she was resting on some eggs so I was glad to see her not walking around.

Septic kids

Ahh the septic gang. I still don't know whats so good down there near the septic tank. But when I yelled out to them they all stood and acted like I'd busted them, the boys at least.

I purchased a fantastic new torch the other day, perfect for snake season. I went over and did two checks on the chicken pen and both times there was no snakes but I woke up everyone so I was happy.

My baby girl is still limping pretty bad, I was looking at her today and thought she needed a little duck crutch. I could just imagine that. Just one crutch and it would sit under her wing.