poultry – Page 6 – Life on the Farmlet

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The girls can often be found out on the yard, head to head, telling secrets. Perhaps they were discussing where to find the best morsels and treats to peck, or more likely, Henrietta was whispering the latest gossip into Little Red’s ear?

Henrietta: “Hey Lil’ Red have you heard that latest about Bertha over there? Don’t look, keep pecking, or she’ll know we’re talking about her again!”

Lil’ Red: “Do tell! I haven’t had a good cackle in a while!”

Well, I never caught the whole conversation, but it sounded like something about “wrinkled eggs.” Aww, poor Bertha.

By the way, for those wondering about the old crocks in the background, well, they’re Goose toys. Rain or shine, in or out of the pool, they are good goose and gander fun… and best of all? They’re indestructible and thus provide hours of *dibbling fun and enjoyment!

*Dibbling = chewing

The temperature dropped to 27 degrees just as the weatherman predicted it would. I had made all the necessary precautions…

Heat lamps for the chickens
Plugged in heating base for the water fount
Covered my little citrus trees and my precious succulents from California
Hung the winter drapes

I was ready, “Bring it!” I boasted…

But what neither the weatherman nor I could have predicted was the hungry owl that would come in the night and steal away with one of my Guinea hens. The chilling thing was that I heard the geese honking furiously last night at about 1:00 AM, and I should have known something was wrong! Though I doubt there was little I could have done about it. Owls, like hawks, gotta eat, and so it was that last night I lost another Guinea but to an owl this time.

The curious thing about Guineas is that they refuse to roost anywhere but up in a tree, which is fine if it is fully leaved. But, when fall and the wind have stripped it bare it just doesn’t make sense, but then guineas have no sense.

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Things Guineas are most likely to do:

If left by your fowl friends on the other side of the fence, then you run back and forth for hours crying till your little feet have run a track in the dirt. You could fly over the same way you got in, but this will never occur to you.
Run in terror from a little white fluffy Cockerel who is easily less than half your size.
Screech out “WEE-choo, WEE-choo, WEE-choo, WEE-choo, at the top of your annoying little voice… all day. Every day. Until the husband of the owner of the ugly, little, brainless, feathered fowl turns to you and says: “I HATE THOSE NASTY BIRDS!” Whereupon you remind him that he was tick free this summer and he acquiesces.
Come rain, wind, or freezing temperatures, you will roost in the trees to be eaten by a large bird.

So now I have a choice to make. Let them take their chances or put them in the freezer for dinners this winter. I can order more in spring for tick control and I know it will make the husband happy, if only temporarily, that I got rid of them. What would you do?

~ Epitaph For a Guinea ~

If I Only Had a Brain

(with apologies to the original author)

I could while away the hours, conferrin’ with the flowers
Consultin’ with the rain.
And the dirt I’d be scratchin’ while
my thoughts were busy hatchin’
If I only had a brain.
I’d unravel every riddle for obtaining any viddles,
In sunshine or in rain.
With the thoughts I’d be thinkin’
I could be another chicken
If I only had a brain.
Oh, I would go inside to sleep at night,
I wouldn’t have to fear of Owls in flight,
And then I’d live to see another day!
I would not be just a nothin’ my head all full of stuffin’
My heart all full of pain.
I would dance and be merry, life would be a ding-a-derry,
If I only had a brain.