every day is a good day
The chickens born this spring are now young adults. Some are even laying eggs. Each year, the flock takes on a new look. Do the single color ones envy the ones with splendid patterns? Or do the chickens of many colors wish they were all one color? And what will Miasa’s chickens look like as they grow? In a few months I’ll know.
Mi-asa’s 美朝 chicks hatched over the weekend. And among the six chicks which hatched is one very special chick.
The chick is Hazel’s, a turken chicken. Turkens have no neck feathers and cut quite the figure when they pose. As little chicks, they are among the cutest chicks there are. The question is, who is the father? If it is Sven, the Swedish flower chicken, the chick may grow up to be a turken with brilliant feathers.
On Japanese news today, the weather reporter pointed out that in the fall, mountains are said to get all dressed up, referring to the forests on the mountains turning brilliant with fall colors. In the winter they are said to go to sleep, when they are covered with snow.
On the fourth day of her chicks hatching, Peach leads them out into the wild blue yonder, at least it must feel like that to the tiny chicks. They’ve traveled 125 feet from their nest. For a chick of just a few inches, it’s a long, long way. In human terms, that is like a half mile, quite a feat for a four day old chick.
The magic number is eight. Peach brought her chicks out into the chicken yard today. She has eight, fluffy, healthy, perky, excited chicks. The chicks started hatching on the 27th. Of the ten eggs she was sitting on, nine hatched. One of the eggs was infertile and did not develop. One chick did not make it.
Even though it is a cool time of the year, she will keep them nice and warm.
She senses danger and fluffs up like a turkey. Hens can make themselves appear twice as large by spreading their feathers.
Peach and her new chicks are doing fine. How many does she have? At least seven, maybe more. They started hatching yesterday, and she’s keeping them in the nest today. Another day, and they will be itching to explore.
Ruby’s daughter won’t leave her mother. She’s more than two months old now, and her mother is back to laying eggs. Her daughter follows her everywhere, even waiting patiently when Ruby is sitting on a nest to lay an egg.