One of these chicks is not like the others...

"One of these chicks is not like the others,

One of these chicks just doesn't belong.

Can you tell me which chick is not like the others,

Before I finish my song?"

Believe it or not I've been quite busy since my last post.  Last Monday evening we did the 600+ kilometre round trip from Gibbston Valley to Timaru to pick up five Golden Pheasant poults for The Boss.  As you can see from the photo above, they're nothing spectacular to look at yet - we just have to give them a year or so to colour up.  I understand patience is a virtue. 

The odd chick out is in fact Steve Austin, my six million dollar future roo.  He's doing well living with his new roomies, I'm not sure they're quite as impressed, as Steve rarely shuts up. Two or three times a day I take him out of the pheasant house (actually it's our woodbox but they don't know that), and let him hang out with me.  It gives the wee pheasants a break and gives me a chance to teach Steve about dust baths, bug hunting and other chook behaviour.

Had to laugh the other day - Steve was flapping around the lounge floor when Dukkah the Maine Coon wandered inside.  She simply stepped over Steve on her way to the kitchen - didn't even give him a second glance. What a wonderful cat. 

Other events in the poultry world:

The eggs that Figgy/Olive/Apple hatched resulted in just two cute dark chicks. They're living with Apple in the baby chick pen inside the main chicken house.  Names for the new additions have to be finalised - fruit beginning with the letters "R" and "T" are required.

Quince ditched her ten Barred Rock babies middle of last week. They're doing well hanging out in the run The Boss built for them. Even though they're growing into really funky chooks I have listed them for sale on Trade Me just as I intended. I think The Boss was suitable impressed.

I sneakily bought a Coronation Sussex pullet on Trade Me for just $12 - an absolute bargain. She comes with a Light Sussex roo who will be dispatched on arrival.  Abu has been threatened with the same fate if he doesn't stop flying at my feet! The Boss was less impressed with news of the new addition/s.

Lots more news but that can wait until tomorrow. Rain is threatening again and I want to pick up a heap of crabapples for the piggles before the skies open.

What I've learnt recently:

1. When chooks and pheasants go to sleep, instead of their upper eyelid dropping down, their lower eyelid goes up.  That must take way more effort, a bit of a slip up there I think Mother Nature.

2. The reason Quince gave her chicks the heave hoe was that she'd been secretly laying a clutch of eggs in the garden under our office window. Found her this morning, added a couple of Light Sussex eggs to her nest, and will leave her to her own devices.

3. Banana is insisting it's her turn to be broody so I've asked The Winemaker for some turkey eggs - that'll freak her out.

4. Damn - I can't believe my blog hit a thousand page views and I missed it!