Kieron's Chicks

Several weeks before Easter, the grandson of a friend of ours came out for a "visit to the farm."

Usually, when youngsters visit, the favored activities are bottle feeding the baby goaties, and trying to milk the mommas.

We had the Cherry Bombs at that time.  All joking aside, they were very cute and full of personality, so i figured that would be the show, and we arraigned the timing of the visit to coincide with feeding and milking time. 

Kieron took a look at the Bombs, and wasn't even mildly interested.

Hmmph.  What else ya got?

Took him out to the doe yard to give the girlz some treats, but that wasn't doing it, either.

Into the dairy barn for a try at milking....a cursory glance and back out the door.

He headed into the chicken coop with Elly May, and found his bliss.

Kieron loved the chickens, and spent the rest of the visit hunting for eggs and talking turkey chicken.

When it was time to leave, we put a dozen of the found eggs in a carton to take home so that he could have fresh farm eggs for breakfast the next morning.

Kieron was having none of that.

THOSE eggs had baby chicks in them, and he was going to hatch them.

There were some pretty determined negotiations in the car when Grandmother wanted to put the carton in the front seat.  Kieron successfully insisted that they would be much safer with him.

The next morning at church, Grandmother informed me that the carton didn't leave his side all night, that it had been carefully wrapped in a towel to keep all the chickies warm, and that the carton, at that very moment was in the car, as the caretaker was unwilling to leave them behind, for fear they might begin hatching and need his assistance.

After church was over, Grandmother was anxious to show off her grandson at coffee hour, but her grandson was MORE anxious to return to the babes.

After returning to the city, there were many phone calls asking about the state and condition of the chicks.  Grandmother gave full reports, and when the chicks "hatched," they were brought back to Tails Up for Mama Hen to raise.

And now, just for you, Kieron, here are the chicks, with Mama Hen, who has taken over your duties.  You did a great job of taking care of them, young man!! 

Early morning excursion

Learning to scratch and peck

Getting their feathers.

In other news, Pearl has turned broody, and found a safe, comfy place to nest.  Earl has become bored and lonely, and has begun showing up at the back door again. 

Finally, we have a nest of mockingbirds.  The babies are always hungry, and the mother is loud and aggressive, but Elly May managed to get this shot.