A bucketful of cute.

I grabbed the closest thing to put my latest chicks in today when I cleaned out their brooder (aka fishbin, nothing flash around here, folks). For the first few days they are hanging out in my laundry, which doubles as a bathroom, a toolshed, a potting bench, and a pumpkin storage facility.

I have three Light Sussex chicks.

Two Plymouth Barred Rocks.

Three Barnevelders.



Two Silver Laced Wyandottes.

Three Rhode Islands Reds.

And one funny, fuzzy wee Lavender Araucana.

Duckling update.

Are they cute or what? There are definitely three now and perhaps more under Mama Black Hen.

William got the first hold (I managed to sneak one away while MBH was distracted!). He wasn't that pleased to learn that they are destined for the table, so maybe I will keep a few hens (I know drake is the name of a boy duck, but hen doesn't quite sound right for the girls, anyone know?) to breed from.

Are you my mother?

That little slice of yellow fluff is a duckling! Today is the day they were due to hatch so I opened up Mama Black Hen's box and .... ta da!! I have at least one little yellow pekin duck. But Mama Black Hen is grumpy. I would be too after sitting there for more than a month (duck eggs take 28 days instead of 21 for hen eggs). She growled at me and fluffed herself up all protective like. I don't like hen pecks so I left her be.

I wonder what she'll think when her offspring jumps in the water dish?

I swear it really is a duckling. See the little orange foot? Lets hope for more than one!

Now, "Sweetie? About that duck pen. It's getting just a little more urgent!"