Random Ramblings

Another "draft post" I found that I'd not published, even though I'd written it several months ago.
So, thought I'd share it anyways!

Still got quit a few CL/EE cuties from who I have gave to 2 broodies who'd hatched chicks, but I'd given them to another hen.
They decided to leave their nests the day I was planning on giving them the incubator chicks! But, they were still acting broody, like they were
going around & clucking to "invisible" chicks. When I came out with two chicks to see how they'd react, they came right over.
Separated them out from the rest of the flock, gave them a few more chicks - in the daylight, no less! And they accepted them & they're doing so well outside with the broodies.

I had two scares last night - we were coming home late last night & there was a huge black bear running down the road. My brother thinks the bear was about 300lbs, and it was less than 1/2 a mile away,
just up the road from us! Yikes! I immediately thought of the 6 moveable pens out on pasture. They're pretty "secure" with hardware cloth, hinged metal roofs, but not for a bear! A little spring-loaded "locking" gate latch to keep the roof secure won't keep a bear away, not to mention he could just flip over the pens easily! Hopefully, he was just passing through & won't come for a visit.

It was totally dark when we got home, & I had to go close up the coops. One was a pasture pen of small chicks & turkey poults who sleep inside a plastic crate as night, as they're not totally feathered out yet.
A little scary going out there, knowing there's a bear in the neighborhood!
Everything was fine, thankfully, until I got to the coop where I have the Spitz broody. Yesterday was the first day out of her crate with her 5 chicks. I checked underneath her & there was only 2 chicks.
Mom & I looked everywhere, and no chicks. I finally took the broody out of the coop, hoping she'd call for the chicks & they'd come out of hiding. She went under the coop & settled down between the tire & cinder block. Of course, it was in the very middle, where I could barely reach her with a tool, but she wouldn't budge. So, I had to get the screwdriver to unscrew boards around the base of the coop, to get her out from underneath. The missing 3 chicks were safe & sound!

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