Hopefully, we just made our last “spring” baby chick purchase. Technically, it’s not even spring yet.
Here’s a list of the sweet, homeless critters we’ve added to our homestead this week:
- 3 ducks
43 Bantams (we lost one this morning :-()- 6 Ameraucanas
- 4 Barred Rocks
- 6 Red pullets
- 1 cat
- and a Baby cow on the way!
We are off to a rockin’ start. The last time we collected chicks at this pace we ended up with 75 chickens and infectious bronchitis in our flock. Let’s hope we don’t have a repeat of that. Please Lord.
Baby chickens are the cutest thing in the world………… second only to baby cows, and baby ducks.
Meet Shade. She is the new cat on the block.
She’s been lurking around for a while trying to find something good to eat, but running for her life whenever a person comes near. This week my oldest son managed to get his hands on her and we fell in love.
Shade had a big week. Here’s what she’s been up to:
- She got a bath
- Was examined by the Vet
- Was given de-wormer, vaccinations, and ear drops
- she ate cat food (probably for the first time in her life)
- Drank a saucer of milk (also probably for the first time in her life)
- She also enjoys a saucer of cream from time to time
Her purr is raspy, loud and gurgle-y. I think she is still trying to figure out how to purr. She weighs absolutely nothing (4.8 pounds) and is a bundle of black fluff. The vet looked at her teeth and guessed that she is about 18 months old. She is a tiny, little thing and we are just smitten. Our other cats seem to like her.
She gets along well with Duke too. Looks like she will fit right in. If she could figure out what a litter box is for she could win the kitty-lottery and be awarded the privilege of hanging out in the house. Unfortunately, she thinks a litter box is a bed……. and thinks my carpets are for puking, pooping and other gross, little-kitty excretions. Ugh. So, if she’s inside, she needs close supervision.
I haven’t given up. When I find her asleep in her litter box I promptly relocate her to a nice soft, fuzzy blanket. I guess the litter box reminds her of her bed in the woods? I’ve also assisted her in the process of digging and burying in the litter. Still, there is poop on my carpet. She’s not the sharpest cat in the woods, if you know what I mean.
Shade is not too sure what to think of us giant people, but she is warming up to us. She is hiding under my kitchen sink right now. She may be less intimidated if I didn’t have the loudest children in the world. She’s going to have to adjust. I don’t see things getting any quieter around here any time soon.
Happy Chick Days to you and yours!
If you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe via email (here) to get old fashioned advice, farm tips and homesteading fun delivered straight to you.
XO,
Candi